Lisbon Elementary
December 10, 2021
Lisbon Elementary School
Ms. LaShonne Wright, Assistant Principal
15901 Frederick Road
Woodbine, MD 21797
(410) 313-5506
(410) 313-5508 - Fax
les.hcpss.org
FROM SCHOOL ADMINISTRATION
A School Culture that Welcomes Every Child
“Our diversity won’t be a barrier but rather a reason for our success” -Unknown
Do you remember being in elementary school? Did you ever go back to your old elementary school? How did you feel entering your child’s school for the first time? I can recall all those feelings, and as principal, I am committed to ensuring that every child has positive memories of their school-age experiences. Unfortunately, the reality across our nation is that not every school or classroom welcomes diverse learners. As for Lisbon, we measure excellence in how we form relationships and connections with each child and their family. To be a school of excellence, there must be a focus on the development of the whole child. As a result, a strong academic culture results and ultimately, our student’s success at Lisbon.
School culture is critically important. The culture and climate of a school is visible and it is felt. A positive school culture says, “I am growing smarter every day.” “I belong here.” In addition, by focusing on high academic standards, students have goals that they can and want to achieve. Lisbon ES is a school community where academic excellence is achieved and social-emotional well-being is developed as a foundation of success.
This past week was Inclusive Schools Week. It was one week where we highlight and celebrate our continued commitment to every child, every day throughout the entire school year. Lisbon Elementary School is that place of inclusivity. The place where every child is valued. The place where every child is respected. The place where every child is loved. The place where every child is welcome.
This December is already flying by with just eight more days of school until the winter break.
We encourage you to follow normal routines, be consistent with your expectations, and remind your child to stay focused on school. It is easy to lose focus during the holiday hustle and bustle.
Please also remember that the calendar was modified, and this Wednesday, December 15th is now a half-day. Students are dismissed at 12:10 p.m. on 3-hour early closing days.
Mrs. Anoff, Principal
Important Upcoming Dates and Events
For a complete list of dates and events visit les.hcpss.org/calendar
December
- 15 - School Closes 3 hours early for a Professional Work Day - JUST ADDED
- 23-31 - Winter Break - schools closed
January
- 3 - 1st day back from Winter Break
- 5 - PTA Meeting, 6:30 p.m.
- 17 - Schools & Offices closed - Martin Luther King Jr. Day
- 19 - School Closes 3 hours early
- 21 - End of 2nd Quarter
- 24 - Schools closed - Professional Work Day
- 31 - Report Cards Issued
February
- 1 - Schools closed for Students - Professional Learning Day
- 2 - PTA Meeting, 6:30 p.m.
- 10 - Schools Close 3 hours Early for Parent-Teacher Conferences, 12:10 p.m.
- 11 - Schools Close 3 hours Early for Parent-Teacher Conferences, 12:10 p.m.
- 21 - Schools and Offices Closed - President's Day
NEW INFORMATION
Preparing for Unscheduled Emergency School Closings
Outdoor Eating
This fall many students have elected to eat school meals in the outdoor dining tent that was put in place at our school as an additional health safeguard during the pandemic. Now that winter is on our doorstep, and we expect to have much colder temperatures and precipitation. As a result, our tent was removed this week for the winter months, December through February. This is necessary to ensure the safety of our students and staff because the tents are not designed to sustain heavy snow, wind, or ice accumulation; they cannot be safely heated, and lowering the sides that are currently left open would not allow adequate outdoor air ventilation to occur.
HCPSS plans to reinstall the tents outside all elementary schools at the beginning of March 2022, with the specific timing dependent on weather conditions.
We will continue to designate outdoor spaces at our school, as much as possible, throughout the winter months where students may choose to eat their meals as weather conditions allow. As a reminder, please send your child to school dressed appropriately for weather conditions, especially if they plan to eat lunch outdoors.
Thank you for your support and collaboration in ensuring a safe and healthy learning environment for all students. Please don’t hesitate to contact me if you have any questions.
The Art Room is in need of the following items:
- Yarn - all colors!
- Bottle caps - from glass or plastic bottles
- Colorful cardboard boxes (like from soda or cereal)
Any items that you could donate would be greatly appreciated.
From the PE Department
If you raised money for Jump Rope For Heart, thank you gifts are coming! It could take 3-4 weeks to ship them, but they are on their way! They will be distributed as soon as we get them. Thank you so much for your patience!
INFORMATION WORTH REPEATING
UPDATED CALENDAR FOR 2021-22
WEATHER GUIDELINES FOR OUTDOOR RECESS
Exercise outdoors is healthy and is strongly encouraged. It provides a break from the regular school routine, a chance to get some outside air, and an opportunity to run off excess energy.
If conditions preclude the full recess time, even a five-minute break can revitalize children and prepare them for more sitting and academic learning. Children are expected to wear warm clothing to protect them during cold weather when participating in recess or outside activities.
The decision to go out or stay in for recess is the decision of the Administrator at individual schools. However, the following are to be considered in determining whether recess is to be held outside:
- Temperature and Windchill
- Age of students
- Length of time outdoors
- Adequacy of the children’s clothing
- Condition of the playground
- Falling precipitation (more than a sprinkle or mist)
Generally, it is assumed that students will be outside for recess when the temperature combined with the wind chill is not less than 20 degrees Fahrenheit. Children with certain health conditions may need special accommodations during extremely cold weather. Parents of those children should provide medical documentation and may be consulted to determine if other arrangements are necessary.
From the Health Room
- If your child is exhibiting any symptoms of COVID please keep your child home from school. COVID symptoms include fever, sore throat, cough, difficulty breathing, diarrhea or vomiting, new onset of severe headache (especially with fever), or new loss of taste or smell.
- If your child has been tested for COVID, please keep your child home until you receive a negative PCR result.
- If your child becomes ill or tests positive for COVID on an evening, weekend, or holiday, please contact both the school principal debra_anoff@hcpss.org and the school nurse at Leslie_Williams@hcpss.org.
- For COVID-19 testing information, please visit the Howard County Health Department's website.
The Howard County Health Department also has information regarding COVID-19 vaccination.
Please feel free to contact the Health Room staff with any questions or concerns.
PTA NEWS
PTA Calendar
11/22 - Gifts of Gratitude starts
12/20 - Gifts of Gratitude LAST DAY
1/5/22 - 6:30 p.m. PTA General Membership Meet Lisbon PTA
Gifts of Gratitude For Lisbon School and Bus Staff
Starting November 22nd we will once again have our Gifts of Gratitude program open. This is a way to give our dedicated and hardworking LES staff a gift for the holidays. You can give $1 to $25 to any LES staff and NEW THIS YEAR the bus drivers and attendants. Your gift will be combined with other gifts for that staff, and they will receive an email with gift card choices for the amount gifted to them and the names (not amounts) of the person(s) that contributed to the gift.
Lisbon PTA: Gifts of Gratitude
Show your thanks and appreciation for the Lisbon
teachers, staff, and bus drivers who do so much for our
children! DEADLINE FOR CONTRIBUTIONS IS 12/20
Lisbon Families,
As a token of appreciation for LES staff, please scan the QR code or go to MemberHub to
give a monetary gift to one or as many staff members as you choose. Gifts can be from
$1- $25 per staff member per family.
All gifts will be added up and applied to gift cards of the staff member's choice. A thank
you card listing your family's name will be given to those who receive gifts. Amounts will be
kept completely confidential.
Thank you in advance for your consideration.
Questions? Contact: president@lisbonpta.org
Join our Facebook page Lisbon Elementary school PTA for information, updates, and links to PTA and community events.
AMAZON SMILE
Everyone shops on Amazon, right? So why not help out your child's school at the same time, by raising money for the LES PTA without even trying!! The AmazonSmile Foundation will donate 0.5% of the purchase price from your eligible AmazonSmile purchases. There is no difference in prices between Amazon and AmazonSmile, so there is no reason not to sign up! Your AmazonSmile account is the same as your Amazon account. Simply go to smile.amazon.com and set up your AmazonSmile account by logging in with your regular Amazon account credentials, and then designating Lisbon Elementary School as your organization of choice. This will only need to be done once. After that, as long as all of your purchases are made through your AmazonSmile account (make sure the website is smile.amazon.com and the logo in the upper left shows AmazonSmile), you're good to go!
International Festival needs you!!
It's time for the 2nd Annual Lisbon International Festival and we need you! Please contact Liz Banach at lizbanach@gmail.com or 646-228-9053 if you are interested in participating. This is a fun opportunity for you to share your family's culture, traditions, and favorite foods with the community. This year's event will take place April 30th from 11:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m. If you are not interested in hosting a table featuring a country or culture important to your family, we also need assistance with setting up, cleaning up and organizing vendors, performers and food trucks. Mark your calendars and plan to join us for a day of fun, festivities, and flair!
Event Chairs and Committees
Many events have a chair who would love any interested parent in taking over to “intern” with them to learn about the event and planning as many are run by 4th and 5th grade parents. Interested in any committee or to be a chair please email Ellen Bockelman 1stvp@lisbonpta.org
Memory Book Needs your Pictures
If you have attended any events or LES school related activities please send pictures for our 21-22 Lisbon Memory book to Elizabeth Hall at lisbonmemorybook@gmail.com
Meetings
PTA Meetings will be held virtually on the 1st Wednesday of the month at 6:30 p.m. Logging in with your child’s chrome account with LisbonPTA meet code. A dial in or alternate code is available the day of the meet by emailing president@lisbonPTA.org . Next meeting Jan. 5, 2022
Clothes Bin supports the Lisbon PTA
The clothes and textile bin located near the extra parking lot earns your PTA money. We receive 10 cents a pound for ANY textile, useable or unusable that gets put in our bin. Items get sorted in Baltimore and usable items go to shelters and foster programs unusable/wearable get recycled (damaged jeans are used as attic insulation).
Join the Lisbon ES PTA
www.lisbonpta.memberhub.com/store?category=Memberships
Your membership helps fund our free family fun events, scholarships for PTA activities, 5th grade Celebration and many other Lisbon PTA initiatives.
Community News and Programs
The link below will take you to community notices are neither sponsored nor endorsed by the Howard County Public School System.
http://www.hcpss.org/community-news-and-programs/