Clemens Crossing Cougar Comments
March 26, 2021 - Volume 42, Issue 30
Clemens Crossing Elementary School
We're Here to Help You!
Edward Cosentino, PrincipalSonia Hurd, Assistant Principal
Stacey Wells, Principal's Secretary
Jennifer Aballo, Teachers' Secretary
Dulce Boyer, Teachers' Secretary
Website: cces.hcpss.org
Location: 10320 Quarterstaff Road, Columbia, MD, United States
Phone: 410-313-6866
Facebook: facebook.com/ClemensCrossingElementary
Twitter: @hcpss_cces
Important Upcoming Dates and Events
March
- 26 - PTA CCES Virtual Talent Show - 7:00 p.m.
- 29 - PHASE 3: In-Person Hybrid Model Begins for Identified A-Day Students in Grades 3, 4, and 5
April
- 1 - PHASE 3: In-Person Hybrid Model Begins for Identified B-Day Students in Grades 3, 4, and 5
- 2 - Spring Break - Schools and Offices Closed
- 5 - Spring Break - Schools and Offices Closed
- 6 - Spring Break - Schools Closed
- 14 - End of 3rd Quarter Marking Period - Schools Close 3 Hours Early
May
- 19 - Science Fair
From School Administration
I hope the weather will begin to cooperate and we see those springtime temperatures soon. We could all use a little more sunshine in our lives. As we move into the first official month of Spring, it is a perfect time to focus on growth. There has been so much growth from our students, teachers, and staff as we navigate the 2020-2021 school year. Their dedication and persistence as we all grow in this virtual learning world amaze me every day! As a school, we were excited to welcome more students into the building over the past few weeks. With more 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade students returning to Clemens Crossing, the building is even more lively. We love seeing smiling faces, and yes, we can tell they are smiling behind their masks.
Next Friday, is the start of our shortened Spring Break. This year's Spring Break was shortened due to the extra time schools needed to prepare for the start of the school year in August and September. Spring Break is Friday, April 2 through Tuesday, April 6. This newsletter will be taking a break as well. The next Cougar Comments will be issued on Friday, April 9.
I hope you can take some time to enjoy the weather and the Spring Break coming up! Thank you for all of your continued support.
Mr. Cosentino, Principal
NEW INFORMATION
Pandemic Parenting: Supporting Teen Mental Health
Families for Depression Awareness is presenting our free Pandemic Parenting: Supporting Teen Mental Health webinar on Thursday, April 8, 2021 from 7:00 to 8:15 PM ET/ 4:00 to 5:15 PM PT. We would greatly appreciate your continued support in sharing our resources with your department and community contacts. In this webinar, Dr. Archana Basu, discusses how the pandemic is affecting teen, parent, and family mental health. Dr. Basu will provide practical evidence-based ways to manage parental stress and share tips for communicating with and supporting teens and young adults. This program is designed for parents, guardians, family members, youth workers, and any caring adults interested in teen mental health. Register to join us for a live webinar discussion or watch on demand after it airs. After the webinar, complete our online evaluation and you'll be entered for a chance to win a free educational book on the topic of teen depression.
Can't attend the live webinar? Register today to submit your questions and watch the recorded webinar after it airs.
PTA Event: EcoAdventures
The CCES PTA is happy to offer another virtual program for our community! EcoAdventures will offer a live animal program virtually on Wednesday, April 14th at 1:00 pm. The virtual program will be Fear Factor! To describe the program EcoAdventures says, “Don’t make eye contact...think good thoughts...cross your fingers. Please, please, please, not the spider!” These are all thoughts that might run through your mind as you experience Fear Factor! In this new virtual version of Fear Factor, participants will be picking coconuts and our instructor will flip it over to see what animals they will meet. Will it be a creepy tarantula? Or glow-in-the-dark scorpion? Snake or cute creature?? OR will it be a dare or trivia question that you are willing to do? Join us in this game of “Fear Factor” where participants decide which way the presentation will go.” More information about EcoAdventures can be found here: https://ecoadventures.org/
In order to sign up, please RSVP on the Evite at http://evite.me/jmTvjXzee6. Please be specific about the exact number of people who will be on the screen. Space is limited, so please sign up as soon as possible. A Zoom link will be sent out to participants the day prior to the event. Please email Allie at mcdonald.allie@gmail.com with questions.
2nd HoCo VIRTUAL Rainbow Conference
Please join us virtually to learn more about how to be better advocates for the LGBTQ+ Community at our second HoCo Rainbow Conference. With over 24 concurrent sessions and local as well as national speakers, we have a full day of fun and learning lined up for Saturday, May 15, 2021. Session speakers include Jane Clementi and Joshua Patel of the Tyler Clementi Foundation, Rae Sweet of the It Gets Better Project, Maryland House Majority Leader, Eric Luedtke, Kevin Naff of The Washington Blade, Ying Matties and Robyn Page of Community Allies of Rainbow Youth (CARY), and many more! Registration for this FREE conference will go live on Friday, April 2nd. Until then, you can browse our conference website to learn more about the sessions and view the conference schedule here. We hope many of you will join us!
From Student Services
Talk With Me will be presenting a workshop for Spanish speakers on April 14, at 7 PM. Please share with families. Carmen Alverio, Bilingual Speech-Language Pathologist on the HCPSS assessment team, will be presenting along with parent Paola Uriza. Thank you for helping us to spread the word!
- Regístrese ahora: Taller virtual de Habla Conmigo Miércoles, 14 de abril a las 7:00 PM https://howardcounty.librarycalendar.com/events/habla-conmigo-condado-de-howard-virtual-o-en-linea-0 ¿Sabía usted que hablarle, leerle, y cantarle a los bebés y niños pequeños ayuda a desarrollar el cerebro de los niños y los prepara para ir a la escuela? Este taller es para madres, padres y cuidadores de bebés y niños pequeños hasta la edad de tres años y para padres que tendrán un bebé pronto. Por favor, se requiere que se registre. Habla Conmigo * Condado de Howard, es una iniciativa comunitaria en consorcio con el Sistema de Escuelas Públicas del Condado de Howard. El programa usa el poder que tienen las interacciones con los bebés y niños pequeños desde los primeros momentos de vida para construir las bases del aprendizaje temprano y preparar a los niños a ir a la escuela.
- (Translation) Register now: Talk With Me Virtual Workshop! Did you know that talking, reading, and singing to our babies, toddlers, and preschoolers develops their brains so they can be ready for school? https://howardcounty.librarycalendar.com/events/habla-conmigo-condado-de-howard-virtual-o-en-linea-0 For parents and caregivers of children ages infant - 3 and expectant parents. Registration required. A community partner with the Howard County Public School System, Talk With Me • Howard County uses the power of interactions to build foundations for early learning, preparing children for school.)
United Healthcare Community Plan presents on Sickle Cell Disease & Sickle Cell Trait - May 19, 2021 3:00 - 4:00 PM
INFORMATION WORTH REPEATING
Our Students Are Our Foundation
To help get plenty of pictures for our ‘20/‘21 Yearbook, the PTA has decorated eight Clemens Crossing bricks and placed them all around our school building for families to hunt for. When you have found a brick, take a picture of your child/children with it, and place the brick back where you found it for the next family to find. Then send in your pictures to president@clemenscrossingpta.org so that it can be included in our Yearbook.
Pictures will need to be received by March 26th.
Changes to the HCPSS Technology Support Center
Effective Monday, March 22, the HCPSS Technology Support Center site at the ARL will close for device exchanges, returns and support. A new support center will open at the nearby Old Cedar Lane building in Columbia.
At that time, devices may be exchanged or returned at any of the following Technology Support Centers:
- Old Bushy Park Elementary School, Room E2 (door to the left of the front entrance),
2690 Route 97, Glenwood (Building is between Glenwood Middle School and Bushy Park Elementary School) - Old Cedar Lane, Gymnasium (door on the left side of the building; follow the signs),
5451 Beaverkill Road, Columbia (Building shares a parking lot with Harper’s Choice Middle School)
Note! Both locations are in old school buildings that are not located at the same sites as the new schools with similar names. Anyone seeking assistance should go to the locations listed above and not go to or call the current schools regarding the Technology Support Center.
Hours of operation are Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 7:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m., and Tuesday and Thursday from 2-5 p.m. Please note that Technology Support Centers are closed any day that HCPSS offices are closed.
CCES VIRTUAL SCIENCE FAIR 2020
Your child is invited to participate in this year’s Virtual Science Fair on Wednesday, May 19 from 6:30-8:00 p.m.
If your child is interested in doing a Science Fair Collection, Investigation, or Invention at home, please download the corresponding attachment below. Students may do projects individually or as a group. Once your child has identified a project, please complete the online, “Intent to Participate form.” More details will be shared once participants register. We are excited to highlight the commitment shown and the hard work done by the CCES students this year. Many thanks for all of your support at home and in the building this year.
Community News and Programs
Please find the link to the Howard County Public School System's Community News and Programs page.
In alignment with Howard County Board of Education Policy 10010, Distribution and Display of Materials and Announcements, the following announcements have been approved by the Public Information Office for distribution. Please visit Distributing Community Information through the School System or contact the Public Information Office at 410-313-6682 if you have any questions.
The below community notices are neither sponsored nor endorsed by the Howard County Public School System.