VES Newsletter EAGLE EXPRESS
FEBRUARY 19, 2022 - Vol.15 Issue #24
NO WALK-IN VISITORS DURING THIS TIME
Robert Bruce, Principal - robert_bruce@hcpss.org
Alexcia Redd, Assistant Principal - alexcia_redd@hcpss.org
OFFICE HOURS
8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Please call ahead 410-313-1700
SCHOOL IN-SESSION HOURS
9:25 A.M. - 3:55 P.M.
Youmi Jun, Principal Secretary - youmi_jun@hcpss.org
Jane Pak, Teacher Secretary - jane_pak@hcpss.org
Maria Martinez, Teacher Secretary - maria_martinez@hcpss.org
Dulce Boyer, Teacher Secretary .5 - dulce_boyer@hcpss.org
Email: robert_bruce@hcpss.org
Website: ves.hcpss.org
Location: 4355 Montgomery Road, Ellicott City, MD, USA
Phone: 443-864-6808
INTERNATIONAL AND FAMILY SERVICE LINKS:
Para información y apoyo adicionales, por favor, llame al 410-313-1591.
欲知详情或想获得更多支持,请电 410-313-5920.
보다 자세한 문의와 지원을 원하시면, 410-313-1592 로 연락 주시기 바랍니다.
For all other language needs please contact Monica Ranta at 410-313-7102.
Perform Daily Health Checks
Parents/guardians should keep their children home if they are experiencing symptom(s) associated with any communicable disease. In addition, parents/guardians are to perform daily health checks for COVID-19 symptoms before the student leaves home.
Weekly Message from our Principal
Robert C Bruce
Principal- Veterans Elementary School
410-313-1700
Every Day Counts!
Connectedness Strategic Responsibility Arranger Intellection
* CAR LOOP ISSUES:
We still have several parents who insist on pulling their cars into the 2nd or 3rd row of the school parking lot, sometimes blocking traffic from departing. This is an unsafe practice which complicates driver's leaving the car loop lane. Unless you can find an actual parking spot in the 2nd or 3rd row of parking then you must join the car loop lane for parent pick up if you are here to retrieve a child. You may not park or stop in front of parked cars to wait for your child. You also create a dangerous situation for your child and yourself.
Our school is very busy. We are sorry the Parent Pick Up Lane sometimes moves slowly but this is necessary for student safety. Most of our children are bus riders. The pandemic has increased the car ridership at Veterans. Join the Parent Pick Up Lane to retrieve your children. You have someplace to get your child to after school, that is fine, so do many other parents. If this is the case, arrange for an early dismissal before 3:30 pm if you can not wait. Please know that rainy or snowy weather makes this lane move even slower.
I urge your cooperation in this matter.
Academic Calendars Approved
Academic calendars were approved for the 2022-2023 and 2023-2024 school years. The 2022-2023 school year will begin for students on Monday, Aug. 29 and on Thursday, Aug. 18, for school staff. Winter break will be December 26-30, with schools reopening on Tuesday, Jan. 3. Spring Break will run from April 3-10. The last day of school is scheduled for Tuesday, June 13. Five days at the end of the school year are designated for potential use to make up inclement weather closing days.
As we continue to celebrate and support cultures, we‘d like to focus this month on Black History.
Both HCPSS and NEA have released proclamations in support of Black History Month.
FEBRUARY: Black History Month
21 - *HCPSS OPEN: School and Offices in session on President's Day (Related Arts: RED Day)
22- 2/22/22 : TWOsDAY TUESDAY Spirit Day - Dress in 2's ...
22 - CogAT Testing for Grade 5: 9:45 a.m. - 11:15 a.m.
22 - CogAT Testing for Grade 3: 1:45 p.m. - 3:15 p.m.
23 - CogAT Testing for Grade 3: 1:45 p.m. - 3:15 p.m.
MARCH:
7 - Kindergarten and New Grade 1 Registration OPENS for SY2022-2023
16 - Schools Close 3 Hours Early/ Dismissal at 12:55 p.m. for Professional Work Day
NEW INFORMATION
HAPPY TWOsDAY!
2/22/22
The year is 2022
February is the 2nd month of the year
22nd day of February
The day of the week is Tuesday
Essay Contest to Celebrate Ellicott City’s 250th Anniversary!
In honor of the 250th Anniversary of Ellicott City, students are invited to participate in an essay contest.
There will be three divisions:
· High School- students in grades 9-12
· Middle School- students in grades 6-8
· Elementary School- in grades PreK-5
Contest Topic:
Over the past 250 years, Ellicott City has had a rich history. Write an essay on an aspect of life in historic Ellicott City. Some possible topics include, but are not limited to: the founding specific to the Ellicott’s involvement, interactions with Native Americans; B & O railroad; Thomas Isaac Log Cabin; the Civil War, the National Road, current and past restoration efforts; influence of past and current immigrants, advances in communication, transportation, or technology.
Contest Rules:
· Entries MUST address a historical aspect of Ellicott City.
· The essay must be written in English
· The title of the essay and division level should be on the top of the first page
· Length of submissions for each division are: Elementary: 1-3 pages; Middle School: 5-7 pages; High School: 8-10 pages
· For the elementary division, students may dictate and have an adult type; however, it should not be altered or edited by the adult.
· Entries must be saved in a document file or in a pdf.
· Entries must be submitted by Tuesday, April 19th. · Entries should be submitted at: https://tinyurl.com/250-essay
Prizes:
There will be three winners for each division with the following prize money:
· Elementary School: 3-$100 prizes
· Middle School: 3-$200 prizes
· High School: 3-$350 prizes
Sponsored by Historic Ellicott City, Inc.
Flyer attached
Questions?
To learn more about Ellicott City’s 250th Anniversary celebration, visit: https://ec250.com. For additional questions, please contact Kim Eggborn at KimEggborn@gmail.com with any questions you may have.
Learning Together Program – Pre-Kindergarten
The Veterans Regional Early Childhood Center (RECC) pre-kindergarten 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 3yo by September 1st or are already 4yo may request an application.
Applications will be available and accepted in mid February and priority will be given to applications received by April 1st.
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, in person, or class quarantine).
If you have any additional questions, please contact Mary Jens at (410) 313-1700
Mary_Jens@hcpss.org
2022 Summer Programs Registration Open
2022 Summer Programs Registration
Open Through February 15 at 6 p.m.
Gifted and Talented (GT) Summer Institutes for Talent Development
The Gifted and Talented (GT) Summer Institutes for Talent Development offers additional advanced-level instruction and enrichment experiences not regularly available during the academic school year for students entering grades 1-8. Rigorous instruction focusing on talent development is offered in mathematics, science, social studies, language arts, technology and fine arts.
No testing nor prior GT coursework is required for enrollment in these enrichment offerings.
Students may attend for Session 1, Session 2, or both sessions. While the program is half-day, before and after care is available on site via Howard County Recreation and Parks.
For more information, please visit the HCPSS Summer Programs page.
Registration is through HCPSS Connect Parent Vue.
Contact: GTSummer@hcpss.org or 410-313-6671More News | Event | Reminders
2022-2023 Middle School Course Registration Now Open
Current 5-7th grade students can view their teachers’ course recommendations and submit course placement requests for the 2022-2023 school year through Feb. 22. Full details on middle school course registration are available online.
Updated Spectator Limits at Athletics Events and Fine Arts Performances
Capacity limits of spectators at athletics contests and fine arts performances have been lifted. The allowable spectator limits at these events will now be 100% of the capacity for the facility, which are posted at each location.
The Board-approved calendars are available online.
Academic calendars were approved for the 2022-2023 and 2023-2024 school years. The 2022-2023 school year will begin for students on Monday, Aug. 29 and on Thursday, Aug. 18, for school staff. Winter break will be December 26-30, with schools reopening on Tuesday, Jan. 3. Spring Break will run from April 3-10. The last day of school is scheduled for Tuesday, June 13. Five days at the end of the school year are designated for potential use to make up inclement weather closing days.
The 2023-2024 school year is scheduled to begin for students on Monday, Aug. 28 and on Wednesday, Aug. 16 for school staff. Winter break will be December 25-29 with schools reopening on Tuesday, Jan. 2. Spring Break will run from March 25-April 1. The last day of school is scheduled for Friday, June 7.
REMINDERS
Universal Indoor Masking Remains in Place
Families are reminded that the universal indoor masking requirement in HCPSS schools, offices and on school buses remains in place based on guidance from the Howard County Health Department, Maryland Department of Health, and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Upcoming COVID Vaccine Clinics
Through a partnership with the Howard County Health Department and several local pharmacies, HCPSS is providing students and staff opportunities to get vaccinated and/or receive a booster, including at some clinics hosted in HCPSS schools. Information about upcoming clinics, including one for ages 12+ from 3-6 p.m. today at Long Reach High School, can be found online and will be updated as new clinics become available.
2021-2022 Academic Calendar Updates
In anticipation of possible future inclement weather days, and in response to the declaration of June 19 as a federal holiday, the Board of Education has approved several modifications to the 2021–2022 current school year academic calendar:
- Monday, Feb. 21 - Schools and offices OPEN (previously closed for Presidents Day)
- Monday, June 20, - Schools and offices closed in observance of the Juneteenth holiday.
- Wednesday, June 22 - Added as an additional inclement weather day, if needed.
The HCPSS calendar is updated online.
COMMUNITY NEWS
Please visit the HCPSS website Community News and Programs site for upcoming events and programs sponsored by non-profit organizations.
VIRTUAL GAME NIGHT - BINGO! - March 25 - 7pm
Special Guest Host - Mr. Viets!
See sign up for details. We will not be reprinting cards for the whole school. Please use the cards you have or use the site in the sign up to print new ones at home.
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/20F094AA5AF23A2F85-ptafamily4
Email doctorcia@gmail.com with questions or if you need a new pre-printed bingo card.
VES STEM Fair is coming! May 12
Registration forms will come home with your students soon. You can check out details on our website. veterans.memberhub.com We will need volunteers to help with this event. Sign up to come out soon.
PTA OFFICER PROFILE: Delegate
Attends the county PTA meetings once a month (or splits months with the other delegate). Meetings are the first Monday of every month at 7:30pm at Homewood School. At the county level, many issues are discussed such as redistricting, school funding, future school site planning, legislation affecting education and so on. Reports the information at the monthly meetings at Veterans. Votes on issues presented at County PTA meetings. Email Ana, our current delegate, if you would like to ask more questions about this position or want to volunteer for this position for next year. anamaldonado2001@yahoo.com
JOIN US FOR A PTA MEETING (Virtual) - Tues, March 8 - 7pm
Interested in learning more about the officer positions that help our PTA run? We need new officers for next year. Please join us and we will allow time at the end of the meeting for any questions you may have. Or email Cara at doctorcia@gmail.com if you want more info.
Join Zoom Meeting: https://discovery.zoom.us/j/98093284149?pwd=QWptQXUxN2xxMWhrRXh2T0c5ZTJtZz09
Meeting ID: 980 9328 4149
Passcode: 094353
SIGN UP TO VOLUNTEER!
Are you great with numbers? Do you know how to do taxes? We are in need of a treasurer for the PTA next school year. Reach out if you would be interested in chatting with our current treasurer about this opportunity. Email Kim at Kimberlydavis410@gmail.com for more info.
Use this link to see your other volunteer options.
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/60B0549A5A62EA4FE3-ptacommittee
VES REMINDERS: Worth Repeating . . .
We are seeking substitute teachers to work with our students
We are seeking substitute teachers to work with our students when teachers are absent. Below, please find some details regarding the position.
The Substitute Teacher instructs students during the absence of a regular teacher. Substitute Teachers are expected to maintain a professional attitude toward their work and support the mission and goals of the school system. Substitute Teachers are assigned on an as needed basis and are temporary employees.
Substitute Teachers hours are 9:05 AM - 4:10 PM each day.
Daily Rate of Pay
Non-degreed (Minimum of 60 credits) $100.00 per day
Degreed (Bachelors or higher) $110.00 per day
Retired Teacher (Must provide verification) $125.00 per day
Long-Term Pay
Non-degreed (Minimum of 60 credits) $125.00 per day
Degreed (Bachelors or higher) $135.00 per day
Retired Teacher (Must provide verification) $135.00 per day
Communication, initiative, and flexibility are important attributes for those filling the position(s).
Interested applicants can go to the following link below to begin the application process. Contact Alexcia Redd at alexcia_redd@hcpss.org when you have competed all parts of the application.
Stay Informed via HCPSS News and Text Alerts
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.
Early Dismissals must be prior to 3:30 pm
* Please bring your phone to scan the QR code to sign out student(s) for Early Dismissal.
** Please also be prepared to present your Photo ID
At this time, we can't allow students to take a different bus other than their assigned bus due to COVID.
After 3:30pm, students will be dismissed at VES normal 3:55pm dismissal with the Car Riders.
* ATTN: PARENTS/GUARDIANS ARE RESTRICTED FROM BOARDING SCHOOL BUSES *
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.
PARENTS/GUARDIANS, YOU DO NOT HAVE PERMISSION TO BOARD SCHOOL BUSES.
See an Administrator or Front Office Secretary for assistance!
Volunteer/Observer Vaccine Requirements
All volunteers and chaperones who interact with students, as well as current HCPSS students who attend a field trip or volunteer at a different school during the school day, are required to use the PinPoint platform to show proof of full vaccination at least five school days in advance. This requirement does not apply to HCPSS students who are going to another school as part of their academic schedule. Vaccination and testing requirements for other community stakeholders are outlined online.
No Transportation Changes can be accommodated During Dismissal
*Please reserve any last minute requests for
EMERGENCIES ONLY*
~Help us keep your children safe ~
Making these requests causes confusion and leaves a lot of room for errors during the mass exodus!
Any transportation changes made after 3:30pm is disruptive to the VES dismissal process.
Please do not call or enter the school building requesting a staff member to pull your child from their normal dismissal plan.
ARRIVAL DOORS OPEN AT 9:15AM
Late Arrivals by car-riders:
Beginning at 9:25 a.m., Parent/guardian must sign-in the student(s) "TARDY".
* Notify by 2:00PM
** At this time, we can't allow students to take a different bus other than their assigned bus due to COVID.
Please send any dismissal changes for the day no later than 2:00 p.m. to VEStransportation@hcpss.org.
Include
student's name, date(s), and the details of the changes
(ex: will be a car rider instead of the bus, early pick-up, etc).
* cc the homeroom teacher on the email.
VESabsence@hcpss.org
Send Student Attendance-related notifications directly to: VESabsence@hcpss.org
when student will be absent due to illness, appointments, religious, or travel obligations.
Submit copies of doctor/appointment excuse note here as well.
HCPSS EXTENDED or DISCRETIONARY STUDENT ABSENCE FORM
ADDRESS CHANGE FORM: FILLABLE_Change_of_Address.pdf
MOVING into VES: FILLABLE_VES RequestforRecords.pdf
We can assist you to obtain student records from their prior school by filling out the
Request for Records form and emailing it back to the registrar.
MOVING AWAY/ Withdraw from VES: FILLABE_Withdrawal form
Please initiate the process by filling out the HCPSS Withdrawal Form and email it back to the registrar.
HCPSS COUNSELING SERVICES for Students, Families, and Staff
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.
LOCAL COMMUNITY RESOURCES & EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITY POSTS
Okinawan Karate
Girl Scouts
For more information, contact Lauren Oviatt at VeteransGS@gmail.com
Cub Scout Pack#305
For information, please contact Heidi Potter at heidi@shmoo.com
EE ARCHIVE - Previous Issues SY2021-22
Issue #23 - February 12, 2022
Issue #22 - February 5, 2022
Issue #21 - January 29, 2022
Issue #20 - January 22, 2022
Access complete archive on the main school website: VES.hcpss.org