Clemens Crossing Cougar Comments
March 5, 2021 - Volume 42, Issue 27
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
- 8 - Kindergarten Registration Begins for SY2021-22
- 9 - Phase 2 Virtual Orientation (check your email for Group A&B returning week of 3/15)
- 15 - PHASE 2: In-Person Hybrid Model Begins for Identified A-Day Students in Grades K, 1, and 2
- 18 - PHASE 2: In-Person Hybrid Model Begins for Identified B-Day Students in Grades K, 1, and 2
- 17 - School Picture Day (Information and sign-up info in this newsletter)
- 24 - Phase 3 Virtual Orientation (check your email for Group A&B returning week of 3/29)
- 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
February 2021
March 2021
April 2021
From School Administration
Phased-in Bridge To Normalization
This past week, we welcomed 35 students back into the school building. This part of the phased-in reopening plan is Phase 1, Group E. We learned a lot this week, and we intend to take what we learned to help with the next phase of reopening.
Families in Phase 2, Groups A & B received an email about our virtual orientation on March 9. If you are part of Phase 2, Groups A & B, please look for that email and join us on March 9 to help you prepare your child for his/her return during the week of March 15.
Shortly after we welcome the Phase 2 groups, we will continue to prepare for the return of Phase 3 students. Please be on the lookout for a group-specific email by March 17 notifying you of the March 24 virtual orientation for Phase 3 students.
If you are interested in being on the waitlist for in-person instruction, please call or email me (Mr. Cosentino). Furthermore, if you decided to change your mind, and you want your child to remain virtual, please notify me ASAP.
We hope everyone had a successful week with the new schedule.
The Big Picture with Social Emotional Learning
The COVID-19 crisis and civil unrest around our country have opened our eyes to the many challenges facing our society. One major question is: How do we raise a whole child? The current state of society has forced us to look at our children in a whole different way. This moment requires that we, as parents, teachers, and primary care providers, must look very deeply into the development of the whole child. So, as a school, we are taking this pandemic as an opportunity to focus on what matters most - the Social Emotional Learning (SEL) of our students.
Social emotional learning is the motor that fosters the movement and development of the whole child. “Social-emotional learning is a broad term referring to how students regulate their emotions, communicate with others, use compassion and empathy to understand the needs of other people, build relationships and make good decisions,” says licensed psychologist Jennifer B. Rhodes. To Dr. Rhodes’ point, if we want a better society we must equip our children with what they need to navigate life today in an effort to make a better tomorrow. The question is: What is our school community doing about this?
You may have noticed that something happening as soon as your child logs in for school at 9:35 am (or later times now that the schedule changed). We call it SEL Time or Community Circles. SEL/Community Circles are gatherings in which all students sit in a circle facing each other to facilitate open, direct communication. This concept is used virtually as well. Community circles provide a safe, supportive space where all students can talk about sensitive topics, work through differences, and build relationships. The bottom line is this, there will be life after the pandemic. Our children will be in the position of leading the real work that will take place to heal our country.
After all, we can have great cardiologists, carpenters, lawyers, and teachers; but, if we do not have great people who care about themselves and others, then as a society we have collectively missed the mark. We must focus on the development of the whole child. Let something good come from this crisis. Let us through this crisis emerge better than ever before.
Take care,
Mr. Cosentino
NEW INFORMATION
Supporting Well-Being During School Re-Entry
Join a panel discussion with HCPSS staff and community agencies to learn about guidance, coping strategies, and resources to support your child's social emotional needs during school re-entry.
- Saturday, March 6th, 9-10:30 am
- For parents/guardians of children PreK-12th grade
- Register at: http://hcpssne.ws/SupportWell
Road to Kindergarten
Kindergarten Registration kicks off the week of March 8, 2021.
The HCPSS Getting Ready for Kindergarten page, which includes resources to support kindergarten readiness and online registration, has been updated with additional information and resources for families. This includes information that is typically covered in the Road to Kindergarten live event, such as kindergarten readiness, the kindergarten program, and registering children for school. The live Road To Kindergarten events will not take place this year due to the pandemic. We also encourage families to visit the HCPSS Grade K Family and Community Resources page for more information about the kindergarten instructional program and ways families can support their children at home. The Prekindergarten Family and Community Resources page also contains resources for families and providers for children currently in their prekindergarten year. The Transition to Kindergarten Workgroup is working on additional readiness resources that can be implemented at home or in early learning centers - these resources will also be posted on the Getting Ready for Kindergarten page this winter.
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.” Students who elect to participate will have their name read on the morning announcements and their name printed and hung on a hallway wall display. Directions on where and when to bring in the projects will be shared individually with participants and in future Cougar Comments and by email correspondences. 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.
INFORMATION WORTH REPEATING
PICTURE DAY - March 17, 2021
Great news! It is time for our annual Picture Day at Clemens Crossing. Picture Day will take place on Wednesday, March 17. A photographer from Strawbridge Studios will be at Clemens Crossing all day for individual pictures.
On March 17, be sure to arrive at the scheduled time and follow appropriate directions.
Use the link below to choose your appointment time.
New Student Meal Procedures
Effective March 1, meals for seven days per week will continue to be provided at no cost to families and students; however, the days and times meals will be provided will change. Meals will be available in most schools, including those that have been closed for construction and those closed due to inadequate staffing.
Students returning to school buildings will have the option of receiving school meals any day they are at school. In addition, meals will be available for pickup from 7:45 a.m. - 8:45 a.m. at elementary school locations and 9 a.m. - 10 a.m. at middle and high school locations on the following weekdays:
- Mondays – Students in Group V and/or non-HCPSS students age 18 and under
- Wednesdays – Students in Groups E, A, or B
- Thursdays – Students in Group V and/or non-HCPSS students age 18 and under
There will be no pickups on Tuesdays and Fridays.
Pick-up times/locations are subject to change based on individual school needs and/or staffing. Full details on student meals for the remainder of the 2020-2021 school year are available online.
Updates to Attendance Procedures
Some students returned to school buildings beginning March 1. On the days hybrid students are not assigned to be in the school building or for students who are remaining fully virtual, students will be expected to participate virtually using Google Meet for each of their classes.
Full details are available online.
The CCES PTA is taking our Annual Talent Show Virtual in 2021!
We invite ALL Clemens Crossing students to participate.
The CCES Virtual Talent Show will be on Friday, March 26th at 7:00 p.m. on Zoom, with a possible overflow date on Wednesday, March 30th if we receive too many entries for a single show.
Students can submit a short video showing off any talent, whether that is playing a musical instrument, singing a song, dancing a Tik Tok dance, telling great jokes, solving a Rubik's cube, reciting poetry, acting, karate, sports tricks, juggling, magic and more. We are also looking for amazing student volunteers to help announce each act at the show itself!
The deadline to submit your sign-up form and your video is Friday, March 19.
Please note that if your child participates, his/her performance will be viewed electronically by those that attend the Virtual Talent Show. By submitting the sign-up form, you are granting permission to the CCES PTA to show your child's video during the show.
CCES Virtual Talent Show Rules:
- One act per student, unless the student is approved for an additional group act.
- Group acts may include family members!
- Videos should be 3 minutes or less.
- Make sure your act is rehearsed and prepared before you record it. You should practice it multiple times before you record your video.
Remember that all acts should demonstrate ROARing behavior (Respectful, Organized, Achieving, and Responsible). Please make sure that your act demonstrates responsible behavior, is well-rehearsed, and is appropriate. This includes the music that you select! All videos will be screened for quality, safety, and appropriateness, so please avoid using songs with explicit lyrics, etc. Note that we reserve the right not to show any videos that are deemed inappropriate or do not demonstrate ROARing behavior. If there is any problem with your video, we will contact you before the show.
We will have a lot of fun at the show and would LOVE for all participating students to talk about their talent at the show!
We are looking for:
- Musicians and Singers
- Dancers
- Comedians
- Magicians
- Actors
- Poets
- Jugglers
- Mimes
- Sports Tricks (includes karate feats, gymnasts, ball tricks and more)
- Human Tricks
- Student Announcers to help at the Talent Show
- Any other creative talents!
Please contact us with any questions at culturalarts@clemenscrossingpta.org. We can't wait to see your acts!
Bridge to Normalized Instruction - Hybrid Instructional Model
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.