Deerfield Community Schools Update
Jan/Feb 2023
About Community Schools
My email is Evan.Schaule@hcps.org.
Important dates for Deerfield
Be on the lookout for your child to bring home the Books and Breakfast flyer! Books and Breakfast is a great opportunity to engage with your child's teachers and learn about reading strategies. The Harford County Public Library will be here sharing resources and registering people for library cards. And THERE WILL BE BREAKFAST!!
Books and Breakfast for 1st Grade (March 3rd from 8:15-9:00am)
Be on the lookout for your child to bring home the Books and Breakfast flyer! Books and Breakfast is a great opportunity to engage with your child's teachers and learn about reading strategies. The Harford County Public Library will be here sharing resources and registering people for library cards. And THERE WILL BE BREAKFAST!!
Deerfield Reading Carnival (March 23rd from 5-7)
This will be a fun night all about the importance of READING! Enjoy carnival games, light food and drink, and wonderful workshops by our very Deerfield staff. Several community partners will also be here promoting literacy resources and community health!
From the Desk of Nurse Jessi: School nurse updates
Hearing and Vision
On December 20th, the HCPS Hearing and Vision Team successfully screened 339 PK, KG, 1st, and 4th graders at DFES!
Why does this matter?
This Team completes a basic hearing and vision screening on these select grade levels as a way of early detection for hearing or vision problems. The screening tools we use at HCPS are similar to what is being used in most pediatrician offices. Having this team allows Nurse Jessi and Nurse Kate to focus on taking care of DFES’s busy health suite and still complete these important screenings.
What happens if a student fails a screening?
If a student fails their initial exam, Nurse Jessi then rescreens them after 3 weeks. If they fail a 2nd time, Nurse Jessi sends a letter to parents notifying them of the failure and recommends the student for a comprehensive hearing screening (ENT or audiologist). This Team is important, because it allows Nurse Jessi and Nurse Kate to focus on taking care of DFES’s busy health suite and still complete these important screenings.
Dental Clinic
For PK and K students: The Harford County Dental Clinic will be performing free dental screenings and fluoride treatments at the end of March. Consent forms will be sent home next week, please complete and return forms by Friday March 17th. If you do not want the Dental Clinic to perform this service you would need to opt out.
For 2nd and 3rd Grade Students: The Harford County Dental Clinic will be performing free dental screening, sealant and fluoride treatments in April. Consent forms will be sent home by the end of February, please complete and return forms by Friday March 17th. If you do not want the Dental Clinic to perform this service you would need to opt out.
Status of Illness at DFES
At DFES we are seeing a surge of illnesses with respiratory or stomach symptoms with no fever. Please remind your students to wash their hands in school and not share food or drinks.
We are seeing an uptick in COVID cases not only in the hospitals but also the schools. If you student is having symptoms, please test them for COVID. If they result positive, please call Nurse Jessi at 410-612-1535 to discuss when your student can return to school, she will then notify the front office and they will mark your students missed days as “sick days.”
Additionally, if you need COVID test kit, we currently have free 50 COVID test kits (2 tests in each kit) available on a first come first serve basis. Please email Nurse Jessi at jessica.cottrell@hcps.org if you would like a test kit send home with your student.
Attendance Reminders
Just a reminder for sick-related illness, if a student is out for 3 days or less, please provide a parent note so the front office can code their absences as “sick” and not “unlawful.”
If you student will be out for more than 3 days, please provide an excuse note from a doctor for their days to be marked as excused.
Stay Safe Dolphins!
Nurse Jessi
School/ Community Events and Resources
An Edgewood local named Quentin (EHS and Deerfield graduate!) has made an inspiring documentary about one of our biggest community partners- the Epicenter. Epicenter has been an incredible resource to the youth of Harford County. The documentary will be shown at both Epicenter locations. Come out to support Quentin and the Epicenter by coming to one of the viewings this month! Check out the poster below for information and register by clicking HERE.
Southern Harford County Community School Steering Committee
Deerfield Elementary School
Website: https://dfes.ss18.sharpschool.com/
Location: 2307 Willoughby Beach Road, Edgewood, MD 21040, USA
Phone: (410) 612-1535
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Teamdeerfield