Lisbon Elementary
August 26, 2022
Lisbon Elementary School
Mr. Bradley Scobie, Assistant Principal
15901 Frederick Road
Woodbine, MD 21797
(410) 313-5506
(410) 313-5508 - Fax
les.hcpss.org
From School Administration
Dear Lisbon Families,
It’s been a fantastic week at Lisbon! This morning we met our newest families and are welcoming 42 new Lions in grades 1st-5th! We are also excited about our smallest Lions with 85 kindergarten students joining us this year! It was great to see so many families and students this past week at our New Family Orientation, Open House, and Back-to-School Nights. We hope that those of you who joined us in-person this past week, enjoyed meeting your child’s teacher and are excited about a great new beginning!
We are so READY to welcome our students on Monday! The Lisbon teachers and staff have been working hard these past two weeks, and we appreciate them. We would like to thank our custodial team who has spent the summer cleaning and moving furniture. We would also like to thank our partners, Lisbon United Methodist Church, Liberty Baptist Church, and our Lisbon PTA for the delicious meals this week. Finally, we would like to thank Mrs. Johnson and Mrs. Drews, our front office staff, for all their invaluable support registering new students and getting us ready for a fabulous new school year!
This week's newsletter is packed full of a lot of information. Please pay particular attention to arrival and dismissal procedures so we can establish safe routines on the first day of school. Please expect lengthy arrivals and dismissals for the first few days. If everyone follows the procedures, we can have a very safe, efficient, and speedy arrival and dismissal time. Please be patient with us during the first few days of school.
On that note, we highly recommend sending your child to school on the first day in the same way as will be their normal daily routine. Save the goodbyes for home, and make sure kids are in the school building by 8:35 a.m. and in their classroom seats at 8:40 a.m.
I want to thank our community for the excellent response rate for completing your Family File. At the start of this week, we had 84% of our Family Files complete. This is outstanding!
Please watch for our next school newsletter, The Lisbon Lines, on Friday, September 2nd. If you need anything or have any questions, please call the front office next week Monday-Friday 8:00-4:00 p.m. or email us.
Thank you for trusting us with your amazing and awesome children! We hope you and your family have a restful and wonderful weekend!
Warmly,
Mrs. Debra Anoff, Principal (debra_anoff@hcpss.org)
Mr. Bradley Scobie, Assistant Principal (bradley_scobie@hcpss.org)
Important Upcoming Dates and Events
For a complete list of dates and events visit les.hcpss.org/calendar
August
- 29 - First Day of School for Students
September
- 5 - Labor Day - Schools and Offices closed
- 7 - PTA Virtual Kick-Off Meeting, 6:30 p.m. (code: lisbonPTA)
- 16 - PTA Welcome Back Family Picnic, 5:30 - 7:30 p.m.
- 20 - GT (Gifted & Talented) Information Night, 5:30 - 6:30 p.m.
- 26 - Rosh Hashanah - Schools and Offices closed
October
- 5 - Yom Kippur - Schools and Offices closed
HCPSS Calendars
There will be no printed 2022-2023 calendars. Staff, students, and families may add our online calendar to their own mobile/online calendar by
- Going to https://www.hcpss.org/calendar/
- Scrolling down to Subscribing to a Calendar
- Right-clicking on the calendar you wish to subscribe to
- Selecting Copy Link Location/Address/Shortcut
- Adding to your calendar of choice (See your calendar for specifics on adding a new calendar)
You also may view and/or download printable PDFs of the full calendar and/or important dates only. Updates to the PDFs will be noted on the HCPSS calendar page.
PLEASE NOTE! The calendar is subject to change. The online calendar reflects the most recent version.
Calendars in Spanish, Chinese, and Korean
School Hours
Arrival:
First Bell: 8:30 a.m. Students enter building. Car riders, please wait for a staff member to arrive in the car rider loop before exiting your car.
Late Bell: 8:40 a.m. Academics begin. Students arriving after 8:40 a.m. are considered late and must be signed in by a parent or guardian in the front office.
***Please note, grace is given the first week of school. Please do not worry if your bus is running late or you or the car loop is moving slowly. Students arriving late on buses are always excused.
Dismissal:
3:00 p.m. Students stack and pack their materials
3:05 p.m. Car riders, after care, and after school activities are dismissed
3:08 p.m. Bus riders begin dismissal (K, 1, 2)
3:10 p.m. Bus riders continue dismissal (3, 4, 5)
First Day of School
"Kiss and Wave" : We ask parents to say goodbye at home and at the front door of the school. We do not permit parents in the building during the drop-off times.
Please do not drop your child off without supervision prior to 8:30 a.m.
There is no supervision of students before 8:30 a.m.
Kindergarten Students: All Kindergarten students will be met at the front main doors and hallways. Kindergarten students only will be gathered in the cafeteria and will be escorted to their classroom together with their teacher for the first three days of school.
Please leave the bus tag on their backpack. This helps us help students get on their buses in the afternoon throughout the school year. Additionally, students in Kindergarten will have a luggage tag attached to their backpack. The luggage tag helps bus drivers know which students are Kindergarten students so they can help them situate on the bus in the morning and get off the bus in the afternoon at the correct bus stop.
BUS RIDER INFORMATION
Bus Routes
We highly encourage you to send your child to school by bus if you are in the transportation zone. Utilizing the bus helps reduce the number of cars in our car loop. Bus routes are available using the following link https://www.hcpss.org/schools/transportation/.
Once you click the link above, click the Bus Stop Locator link, and then enter your child/children’s grade, and your home address. The bus number, bus stop location, and pick-up/drop-off time will be listed.
Students who receive specialized transportation through their IEPs will be contacted by their bus driver with bus numbers and pick-up/drop-off times.
For all bus riders, please plan to arrive at the bus stop 10-15 minutes early during the first two weeks of school, to allow the bus the flexibility needed to pick up and drop off all students.
Car Loop Arrival and Dismissal Guidelines
Welcome to another school year at Lisbon Elementary School. In an effort to make the drop off and pick up of students flow as smoothly and safely as possible, we have the following guidelines. We would appreciate your adherence as a consideration to others:
1. When entering the loop, please drive all the way forward. You do not need to wait until you are at the front of the line to allow your child out of the car – we can unload 2-3 cars at one time.
2. Please DO NOT PASS another vehicle while in the carpool line unless directed to do so by a staff member. It is extremely dangerous for vehicles to pull around other vehicles. We appreciate your patience.
3. Please DO NOT LEAVE YOUR CAR UNATTENDED EITHER FOR ARRIVAL OR DISMISSAL. If you need to get out of your car, you should park your car in the overflow lot and walk your child over to the school. Please kiss your children and give them their lunch money before you get into your car at home. The drop off loop needs to run safely and efficiently, therefore, take care of good-byes and last minute issues ahead of time.
4. Students should only be dropped off & picked up curbside. Please do not allow your children to exit or enter the vehicle on the driver’s side. Students are not permitted to walk across the carloop without a staff member to meet you on the other side.
5. Please do not back up or do a “U turn” at the entrance to the loop.
6. Exit by driving straight out of the loop to either Church Alley or Rte. 144. DO NOT drive thru the bus lanes.
7. Parents with handicapped students should park in the designated handicapped parking spaces if the student needs assistance entering or exiting the car.
8. For the safety of our students, please do NOT drop them off prior to 8:30 a.m.
Lunch Information
Lunch
For the 2022-2023 school year, students whose families do not qualify for free or reduced lunch will be required to pay the daily meal price.
- Breakfast - $2.00
- Lunch - $2.80
Menus
The menu for Lisbon is located on the HCPSS Food Services website.
https://hcpss.nutrislice.com/menu/lisbon
We are fortunate to have a tent outside our Kindergarten classrooms and close to the cafeteria for students to eat outside. If students want to eat outside, they simply need to go out there with their lunch. We are not reserving spaces outside like we did last year. Please note, we only have 36 seats outside, and outdoor seating is on a first-come first-serve basis. Outdoor eating is contingent upon the weather and proper staffing. We will not be notifying families by email if the tent is closed due to inclement weather or insufficient staffing. When the tent is closed, all students will eat in the cafeteria.
LES Master Schedule 2022-23
Related Arts
Related Arts and the Color Calendar Schedule
Students participate in Related Arts daily for one hour. There are five related arts classes: Art, Media, Music, Physical Education, and Technology. During the pandemic year, we moved from a set or fixed daily related arts schedule to a rotating related arts schedule. The rotating schedule is called the Related Arts Color Calendar. We rotate days using the color calendar because there are a disproportional number of days off on Mondays and Fridays. This used to mean students would have up to 6 fewer Monday or Friday related arts versus the other classes and days of the week. Your child's teacher will share their specific color calendar schedule with you and your child. You can refer to the color calendar below. It is very important to make sure your child dresses appropriately for the classes he/she has for related arts, especially for physical education.
GIFTED AND TALENTED CORNER
Welcome and Parent Orientation to the Gifted and Talented Education Program
Welcome to our returning and new families. Mrs. O’Connor and Mr. Nath, G/T Resource Teachers, are looking forward to a great school year with your children!
Did you know that all children at LES can be involved in the Gifted and Talented Education Program? To find out how, please join us on Wednesday, September 20th from 5:30-6:30p.m. in the LES Media Center for a brief G/T Parent Information Night. ALL parents are invited and encouraged to attend. This session is especially valuable for families new to HCPSS or the Lisbon community. We hope to see you there; however, if you are unable to attend, the presentation slides will be available on the Lisbon Elementary School website. In the meantime, please visit http://www.hcpss.org/academics/gifted-and-talented/ for information about the Gifted and Talented Education Program. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Mrs. O’Connor at Jodi_OConnor@hcpss.org or Mr. Nath at Anjan_Nath@hcpss.org or call 410-313-5506.
Medication Drop Off Information
Medication Drop Off will be available starting August 22nd
If your child requires medication (prescription or over the counter) during the school day, your child’s health care provider must complete a medication order form and/or Epi Pen Care Form dated after July 1, 2022. Forms have been included below. All prescribed medications must be in properly labeled containers that include the following information:
- Student name
- Medication name
- Dose to be given
- Time & Frequency of medication
- Prescriber’s name & signature
- Date of medication order
Pharmacy labels will usually contain this information. Over-the-counter medications should be new, unopened containers labeled with the student’s name.
Please feel free to contact the health room with any additional questions at 410-313-5555.
Information and Application for Free and Reduced Meals (FARMs)
Over the past two years, all students were able to access meals through the school. Federal Funding for free meals for all students ended on June 30. Therefore, to qualify for Free and Reduced Meals, families will need to apply for that benefit.
HCPSS participates in the National School Lunch and Breakfast Programs, which provide families with significant benefits to help save money. Qualification is based on family size and income, and enrollment is confidential. All children in households receiving benefits from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) can get free meals regardless of income, and students from households that meet federal income guidelines are eligible to receive free or reduced-price meals. Those eligible for reduced-price lunch pay $0.10 and breakfast is free.
Free and Reduced Meals eligibility provides discounts for summer programs, SAT, recreation programs, Maryland Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), and internet programs.
Health & Safety
Currently, protective face masks are voluntary in all HCPSS buildings and on school buses. The state does not require proof of COVID-19 vaccination for public school students nor is the school system providing mass COVID-19 testing opportunities for staff or students.
The most up-to-date health and safety information can be found online and will be continually updated. Please note that health and safety protocols are subject to change, pending guidance and recommendations from federal, state, and local health officials, among other sources.
Chromebooks Changes
The current HCPSS device deployment implementation plan is:
For the past two years, we have been a one-to-one school with Chromebook computer devices.
This year, students will be sharing devices in kindergarten through fifth grade.
Chromebooks that were assigned to students in the past have been unassigned.
If your child had an assigned Chromebook to use during a HCPSS summer program, please return the Chromebook and charger to Mrs. Bennett, Instructional Technology Teacher, on the first day of school.
Bus Responsibilities for Parents and Students
Parents
HCPSS works with parents to further the safety of all children by making certain that students know the bus rules that are there to provide a safe and enjoyable bus ride for everyone. Parents ensure that students know their bus number, which is located on each side of the bus. For younger children (elementary students), HCPSS recommends that parents/guardians or another trusted adult wait at the bus stop with the students to supervise their behavior and to help with any problems that may arise, such as a delayed bus or injury while waiting. Both adults and students should stand at a safe distance from the roadway.
Bus stops are chosen to provide both safety and convenience for students as well as to economize on fuel and minimize the time that students spend on the bus. Parents, please do not request bus drivers to make additional stops. This puts our drivers in a difficult position, as our regulations prohibit bus drivers from making extra stops between the designated bus stops in place. Many bus routes are designed so that students do not need to cross a major roadway to use the bus. Parents should never allow their students to bypass this safety measure by walking across the street to use a different bus stop.
Helpful tips
- Remind children that playing near or running toward a moving bus is dangerous.
- Remind children to never retrieve items that fall under the bus or next to the bus wheels.
- Make sure children are at the bus stop at least five minutes prior to the established pick-up time.
- Emphasize the need to follow the bus driver’s directions and to follow all bus rules.
- Help children remember landmarks that identify their bus stop.
- Make sure children do not have any hanging objects or materials that potentially could become caught or lodged in handrails or other tight spaces.
- Provide morning and afternoon supervision at bus stops, particularly for primary-aged children.
Before the First Day Checklist:
- I have discussed basic safety practices with my child.
- I have reinforced the importance of using extra caution during bad weather.
- I am aware of proper procedures for use of parent pick-up and drop-off area.
- I have made a visit to the bus stop with my child.
- I have checked and selected the safest and most direct route to and from the bus stop.
- My child is aware of the danger zone.
- My child is aware of where he/she needs to go when leaving the bus.
- I have discussed with my child what to do if she/he misses the bus.
- My child knows the location of his or her bus stop.
Students
Students are responsible for their behavior while on the bus and at bus stops.
School buses are an extension of school. As such, students are expected to adhere to the same standards of behavior on a school bus as they do the classroom. And just like students obey teachers and instructors while at school, so also are they expected to obey the bus driver who are their instructors while on the way to and back from school. Remember, riding the school bus is a privilege for most students, but it is not a right. That privilege can and will be revoked if the student fails to observe the basic standards of conduct and safety required of them.
Helpful Tips
- Leave home early enough to arrive at your bus stop at least five minutes prior to the expected pick up time.
- Wait for your bus in a safe place, well off the roadway.
- Enter the bus in an orderly manner and take your seat.
- Follow the instructions of the school bus driver.
- Remain in your seat while the bus is in motion.
- Keep the center aisle clear at all times.
- Remain quiet and orderly.
- Be courteous to your school bus driver and fellow passengers.
- Be alert to traffic when leaving the bus.
Avoid the Danger Zone
- Take 10 giant steps away from the bus when getting off.
- Always cross in front of the bus.
- Look at the bus driver and wait for the driver’s signal before crossing the road.
- If you drop something outside the bus, leave it. Get permission from the driver before picking it up. Never go under the bus, the driver will help you.
PTA Welcome Back Family Picnic
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/