Clemens Crossing Cougar Comments
May 10, 2019 - Volume 40, Issue 31
Clemens Crossing Elementary School
Sonia Hurd, Assistant Principal
Website: cces.hcpss.org
Location: 10320 Quarterstaff Road, Columbia, MD, United States
Phone: 410-313-6866
Facebook: facebook.com/ClemensCrossingElementary
Twitter: @hcpss_cces
Upcoming Events
May
- 14 - Spring Chorus Concert, 7:00 p.m.
- 15 - Schoolwide Showcase (GT Enrichment Fair, Science Fair, Classroom Displays) 6:30 p.m.
- 16 - Interim Reports Issued
- 17 - Professional Learning/Articulation Day - School Closes 3-Hours Early, 12:45 p.m.
- 17 - Kindergarten Preview Day 2:00 p.m.
- 17 - PTA Spring Carnival (May 24 - rain date) - 5:00 p.m.
- 21 - Fifth Grade visits Wilde Lake Middle School, 9:15 a.m.
- 22 - String Concert, 6:30 p.m. -and- Band Concert, 7:30 p.m.
- 23 - Field Day (May 24 - rain date)
- 27 - Memorial Day - Schools and Offices Closed
- 29 - In-School Banking
June
- 3 - Fifth Grade Simulated Congressional Hearings
- 3 - SPIRIT DAY- Wear Red, White, and Blue
- 4 - Early Dismissal 12:45 p.m. - Professional Work Day
- 5 - Career Day (Grades 3-5) Morning Only
- 5 - SPIRIT DAY - Dress for Success Day
- 6 - 2nd Grade Entomologist Visit
- 7 - Kindergarten End of Year Celebration, 10:00 a.m. Followed by Picnic, 11:00 a.m.
- 10 - Volunteer Appreciation Celebration, 2:30 p.m.
- 10 - Howard County Library Visits all grades for Summer Reading Program
- 17 - 2nd Grade Picnic, 12:35 pm
- 17 - Full Day of School
- 18 - Full Day of School
- 18 - 5th Grade Promotion Ceremony, 9:30 a.m. - Just added
- 19 - 3rd Grade Picnic, 10:30 a.m.
- 19 - 1st Grade Picnic, 11:00 a.m.
- 19 - School Closes 3-Hours Early, 12:45 p.m.
- 20 - 4th Grade Picnic, 12:05 p.m.
- 20 - School Closes 3-Hours Early, 12:45 p.m.
- 21 - 5th Grade Picnic, 11:30 am
- 21- LAST DAY OF SCHOOL: School Closes 3-Hours Early, 12:45 p.m.
For a complete list of dates and events visit cces.hcpss.org/calendar.
To subscribe to the CCES calendar on your smartphone, electronic device, or email system click the +Google Calendar icon in the bottom right-hand corner to add our calendar to your personal device. By subscribing to the calendar, school events and activities will always be up-to-date.
From School Administration
Teacher Appreciation Week - THANK YOU!
On behalf of our entire staff, we would like to thank our community for the incredible outpouring of love, support, and appreciation this past week. The PTA did a fantastic job planning for Teacher Appreciation Week, and our community responded. Thank you.
Holidays and Diversity in Clemens Crossing and Howard County
Each season of the year brings dates of holidays and celebrations observed by our diverse community. This spring season includes not only the holidays of Easter and Passover, but Ramadan as well. Clemens Crossing has a number of students and families who are celebrating Ramadan through the evening of June 4th. Throughout our school communities, we welcome families who celebrate Ramadan and are interested to come to school and share family traditions and information about the holiday, much like families do with Divali, Hanukkah, Lunar New Year, and many other holidays throughout the year. In addition, our classrooms and libraries contain literature and information about the diversity of families and people, and these resources are often woven into our classrooms as an integral part of the student experience.
If your child/ren need(s) an accommodation that requires daily fasting or a separate location from the cafeteria during lunch relating to a holiday in connection with the upcoming Ramadan holiday or for any holidays that your family celebrates, we encourage you to reach out to your child/ren(s) teacher or our school counselor, Mrs. Rogers.
It is our goal for everyone to feel welcome, comfortable and safe in our school.
Upcoming Spirit Days
HELP WANTED: Field Day Volunteer Sign-Up
Dear Parent/Guardian:
Our Annual Field Day will take place on May 23, 2019 with a rain date of May 24th.
Each year we require many parent volunteers to run our events. Please indicate below if you would like to assist us. You will receive notification from us to let you know we received your correspondence. Plan to arrive at school at 9:00 a.m. and no later as your punctuality is imperative to a successful start!
Our Field Day emphasizes team spirit and good sportsmanship. The morning events will end at 12:40 p.m. If you are selected for Scores table, you will be required to stay until at least 1 p.m.
You are welcome to bring your own lunch and eat with your child once Field Day is over.
The students are being asked to wear the color T-Shirt that matches the squad color they sit in during PE. (Red, Green, Blue, Yellow, Purple, or Orange).
Mr. Robinson/Mr. Griffis
From the Health Room
SPRING ALLERGIES! Is your child suffering from itchy eyes, sneezing, and runny nose?
The following are some things you can do to help your child during the allergy season:
- Regularly give allergy medication as prescribed by the doctor
When your child comes in from outdoors: - Wash hands with soap and water.
- Wash face, including glasses, with a wash cloth or splash water on face.
- Wipe down from head to toe with the wet cloth (hair, ears, neck, front, arms).
- Change clothing, if not going back outside.
FINAL WEEK! Consideration Form Open for 2019-2020 School Year
As the fourth quarter continues, the Clemens Crossing Staff is looking ahead to the 2019-20 School Year. As part of this process, we would like to give you the opportunity to share some information that you would like for us to consider as we begin to make class groupings for the next school year. This consideration form is for you, as parents, to relate specific information about your child that you feel would be beneficial as our teachers meet to determine next year's placement.
When placing students, the staff, and administration utilize a wide range of criteria which are supportive of the Howard County philosophy of heterogeneous grouping. Some of these criteria include, but are not limited to:
- the personality of the child
- the balance of female and male students
- math strengths and needs
- written output
- test results
- reading strengths and needs
- special education requirements; IEP goals
- structured versus non-structured needs
- information from previous teachers and school counselor
There are certain concerns that we cannot consider as part of this Consideration Form, therefore, we ask that you not use this form to propose the following:
- specific teacher requests
- grouping based on siblings’ experience
- grouping based on friends
- grouping based on hearsay
Your input on this form will be used in our planning for your child rather than a letter requesting a specific teacher. Your response is OPTIONAL but is a very valuable source of information to the school staff and to the next teacher.
The form is embedded in this newsletter program below. If you cannot see the form below, you may need to use a computer.
The form closes on May 17th. Thank you for your help at this busy time of year.
Are You Moving?
If you have moved or are moving soon, please notify us as soon as possible.
We are available to assist you with transitioning to your child's new school. Whether it be another HCPSS school, private school, or to a school out of the HCPSS district, we are here to help. If you are transferring to another HCPSS school, our registrars will partner to make the transition as smooth as possible.
If you have an address change, bring your new residency documents to the front office and we will update your address in the system. If you have any questions, call Jennifer Aballo, our Registrar.
Career Day 2019 – Volunteers needed!
Clemens Crossing Career Day is Wednesday, June 5, 2019. Would you like to spark an interest in the next generation? Do you have a job that you like to talk about? Can you spare an hour or two? We invite you to be part of this exciting day! We are in need of parents to speak to students in Grades 3-5 about their careers. Presenters will speak to individual classes during 30-minute blocks. You may sign up for as many or as few blocks as you like. Our goal is to expose students to a variety of occupations. Whether your child is participating or not, we would love to have you! Please consider sharing your experiences and helping the children to begin thinking about the world of work. If you would like more information, please email our School Counselor, Ann Rogers at ann_rogers@hcpss.org.
PARCC Testing Dates at Clemens Crossing, Grades 3-5 Only
Grade 3
ELA: May 6th, 7th, 8th
Math: May 28th, 29th, 30th, 31st
Grade 4
Math: May 16th, May 20th, May 21st, May 22nd
Grade 5
Math: May 10th, 13th, 14th, 15th
CCES Carnival Next Friday, May 17
We have lots to entertain including: inflatables, carnival games, Abrakadoodle art projects, performances by Dance Connections, Howard County Fire & Rescue – with their truck, Howard County Police Department, Balloons by Brenda (graciously provided by Patient First), face painting and MORE!
We will also have some tasty goods including Boardwalk Fries, snowballs & pizza for purchase. The lucky first comers (until supplies run out) will receive a free cupcake from Flavor Cupcakery thanks to a generous donation from Vanguard Orthodontics!
THERE WILL ALSO BE AN AMAZING RAFFLE with items like a night's stay at Turf Valley Resort, Golf Lessons, Gift Certificates, Event Tickets, Tools, etc. You must see!
We want you to come out and have a fabulous time with us, but don’t forget we need help. If you are able to assist, please check out our SignUp Genius link: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/409044ca8a72aa20-spring
The carnival will be held at CCES from 5pm-8pm on Friday, May 17 (remember this is a half day). If it rains, our make-up date will be the following Friday, May 24.
*Admission is $5 per child (kindergarten and up), max $10 per family. Raffle tickets will be available, so be sure to bring extra cash.
Thanks so much for your support!
Questions? Contact Christy Pine (thegapines@gmail.com) or Tamara Bishop (bishop_t@icloud.com).
*Scholarships available, please inquire with Christy.
Community News and Programs
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.