Dear Parents,

Once again, we ask all students to check the Lost & Found Area at school. There are many jackets that are not labeled and need to be labeled for return. Unfortunately, we need to hope these students remember they lost a jacket or a water bottle and come and claim it. Please label student jackets, coats, water bottles, lunch bags, so return will be easier. Again, these items will be donated to a local charity at Spring Break time. We are trying to hold onto items so they can be claimed. As you can see, space is at a premium due to the large number of items not claimed. See the picture below taken on Thurs. January 12th.

School gives us an opportunity to get along with many different types of individuals. Many of us are so conditioned to our families that when things happen in school, we need a whole new way of looking at a situation. School is not home. At home we may have several people in our families, at school we have up to 25 other classmates. At home we have our parents as role models, at school we have many adults as our role models. We try to teach children patience and perseverance in dealing with issues. This is even true with their schoolwork. Life is dealing with many people in different situations. It is not everywhere that we need to have skills sharing the cafeteria with 130 other children. There are rules, procedures, and processes to use to get things accomplished. There will be compromise, disappointment, and celebrations, that is life. We need to stay focused on helping our students to grow and develop those skills that will make them productive happy citizens. That is why we emphasize SOAR; being safe, organized, acting responsibly and being respectful.

Hello VES Community,

The Pajama Parade that was originally scheduled for December 23rd has been rescheduled for Friday, January 20th . Please see HERE for more details and remind your child to wear pajamas on the 20th.

Julie Chang Wentz, M.Ed, NCC

School Counselor

Recess Update: The Office of School Safety and Security and Risk Management, in collaboration with School Management and Instructional Leadership, reviewed county wide practices regarding school visits and it has been determined that parents are not able to attend recess. Parents can continue to eat lunch with their child(ren) if they complete the following:

• Go to the HCPSS Web site to review information about the school system volunteer process.

• Review the “Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Procedures Online Training” PowerPoint.

• Sign the Certificate of Completion for the “Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Procedures Online Training” form and provide it to the school when signing in.

• Review the "Confidentiality Training for Volunteers" PowerPoint

• Sign the Confidentiality Agreement and provide it to the school when signing in.
• Sign in at the front office using the Lobby Guard sign-in system (a valid photo I.D. must be provided).

Thank you for your understanding and cooperation.

Work with Special Needs students to meet requirements of their IEP plan, under the direction of a Special Education Team Leader. Some experience working with children or disabilities is preferred. Some college coursework is helpful in Education, Psychology, Social Work, Sociology or related fields. Please contact Mrs. Liwosz or Mrs. Redd on 410-313-1700 for more information. Use this link to begin your application.

We are looking for caring and compassionate individuals to assist students with disabilities who require direct adult supervision throughout the school day. The position works under the daily supervision of the school administration and under the direction of a special education teacher and/or a classroom teacher. Some experience working with children is preferred. Below are details regarding the position.

• Temporary Employee (TE) positions are with Social Service Consultants, Ltd.

• Compensation is $15.00 per hour

• The hours are 9:25 AM – 3:55 PM Monday-Friday

To apply, please email Robert Tencher at rtencher@gmail.com to request an application packet. Please specify that you are interested in working at Veterans Elementary School. Contact Alexcia Redd at alexcia_redd@hcpss.org when you have completed all parts of the application.

Parent-Guardian is responsible for their child's supervision until the VES school doors open 9:15 a.m. in the morning.

Do not leave your child unattended prior to 9:15 a.m.

For the safety and security of the children - parents/guardians are not allowed to board and pull their child/children from a school bus at any time, especially during our dismissal.

Transportation :

Intent for Transportation for 2022-2023 School Year

HCPSS posted online and emailed all families a request that they indicate their transportation intentions for the 2022-2023 school year. This information will help guide transportation initiatives, hiring of drivers, planning routes and more.

HCPSS electronic School Messenger

Once you have created an HCPSS Login Account/ ParentVue upon completing the student registration, you will automatically be part of our email communication, School Messenger.

We are “green” and do not send hard copies of newsletters and other notices, so your electronic connection to the school is important even over the summer.

Email & Text Alerts

HCPSS News emails and text alerts keep families up-to-date on news and events, and deliver real-time notices of emergency closings and information. All HCPSS News subscriptions are generated from the information provided in Family File. Parents/guardians of previously enrolled HCPSS students do not need to sign up for, or manage an HCPSS News account. Parents/guardians who are new to the system are automatically enrolled for email notification and must opt in to text alerts.

Emergency Notifications

In times of emergency situations, information will be shared with the community through our website, social media, text, email and weather hotline. All parents automatically receive email messaging and new parents need to opt in to text messaging (see above).

Unsubscribing from any school or district email or text will unsubscribe a user from all messaging, including emergency notifications.

Frequently Asked Questions about Enrollment and Registration

See Policy 9000, Student Residency, Eligibility, Enrollment and Assignment

For additional information or questions, please contact your anticipated school of enrollment.

PREPARE FOR THE FIRST DAY:

• School Start Times
• Before- & After-school Care Options
• School Meals
• Transportation
• Find out what your child will learn at HCPSS

Upcoming Events:
Chipotle Restaurant Night - 1/17/23
Staff Wish List Donations - 1/11th -1/25th
1st Grade Stuffed Animal Drive - 1/24th-27th

PTA Zoom Link below (Monthly) - 2nd Monday 7-8pm

February Parent/Teacher Conference Dinner - TBD

Teacher Supply Wish List - 1/12th-1/25th

It's that time of year when our teachers are running low on supplies, so we have asked them for their wish lists, attached in the link below. Please take a moment to look it over and if you would like, kindly make a donation. You can donate to any teacher you would like and send the supplies with your child or mail directly to the staff member at school. Also, please note in the spreadsheet which donations you provide so that we can keep track. Thank you for your help!

If you have any questions please email Tina David at tdavid981@gmail.com

Chipotle Restaurant Night - 1/17/23
4:00pm-8:00pm
9120 Baltimore National Pike Lot A-1, Ellicott City, MD 21042-2612
Bring your flyer and show it to the cashier. Flyers will be sent home next week.
**Order online and pickup on the 17th using Promo Code MW9D3B9 on the Chipotle app or website.**

First grade is hosting a stuffed animal drive - 1/24th - 1/27th
Do you have stuffed animals at home that you no longer need? Bring in any gently used stuffed animals to donate during the week of January 23rd. There will be a labeled drop-off bin in each ELA. The last day to donate will be Friday, January 27th. Let’s see how many smiles we can create with our donations!

Volunteers - Help Needed

We need some volunteers to help dry the stuffed animals and deliver them to Zackary's Hugs located in Elkridge. We will have 3 different pick up dates. They will be checked and bagged for you to take after 12pm. Please take them home and place them in a hot dryer for 15 minutes and then deliver to Zackary's Hugs (6415 Euclid Ave. in Elkridge) at your convenience. Please sign up HERE

Monthly PTA Meeting - 2nd Monday at 7-8pm

Topic: Veterans PTA Zoom Bridge

Time: This is a recurring meeting Meet anytime

Join Zoom Meeting

https://wbd.zoom.us/j/96489896426?pwd=REF0UGlGMXNiNmpETjk5UlR0M0plZz09

Meeting ID: 964 8989 6426

Passcode: 927705

One tap mobile

+13017158592,,96489896426#,,,,*927705#US (Washington DC)

+16469313860,,96489896426#,,,,*927705#US

Please note: Bus routes for the 2022-2023 school year will not be published until mid-August.

Parents of students who will be riding the bus are invited to check the Bus Locator tool on the HCPSS website. To use the tool, type in your home address. The cross on the map represents your child’s bus stop. On the left-hand side of your screen, you will see the bus stop location, contractor information, bus number, and morning arrival/afternoon drop-off times for your child’s bus. This tool will also tell you if your address falls in our walk zone.

Families of students who receive specialized transportation will receive information about your child’s bus schedule directly from the bus contractors.

SNAP BENEFITS

SNAP Benefits-Emergency Allotments Flyer-English

Apply for SNAP Benefits today-Flyer-English

Apply for SNAP Benefits Today-Flyer-Spanish

Grocery Delivery Flyer-English

Grocery Delivery Flyer-Korean

Grocery Delivery Flyer-Spanish

The COVID-19 pandemic has made this an especially stressful time for many, especially those already impacted by mental health concerns. Find information about local and online resources for counseling and mental health supports for you and your family on our website.

Will your child be 3 years old by September 1, 2022?

Do they want to go to Veterans Elementary School, just like their siblings and neighbors?

Learning Together Program – Prekindergarten

The Veterans Elementary Regional Early Childhood Center (RECC) prekindergarten programs are making preparations for classes for the upcoming 2022-23 school year. These classes include children with and without disabilities. The program’s focus is helping all children develop communication, literacy, math, problem solving, motor, and social skills. Parents of children who will be 3 by September 1st( born between 9/2/18– 9/1/19 ) may learn more about the program by reviewing the Learning Together Program (LTP) Flyer (English).

• Learning Together Program (LTP) Flyer (Chinese)
• Learning Together Program (LTP) Flyer (Korean)
• Learning Together Program (LTP) Flyer (Spanish)
  
  If you need assistance to complete the application, please contact Early Intervention Services at earlyinterventionservcies@hcpss.org or at 410-313-7017.

HCPSS is committed to providing instruction based on the statewide Early Learning Standards which are in alignment with Kindergarten Readiness. The fees listed in the application will be collected monthly regardless of the learning model determined by HCPSS throughout the upcoming school year (virtual, hybrid, or in person). If you have any additional questions, please email Mary Jens at mary_jens@hcpss.org