When you receive the Eagle Express Newsletter, open the newsletter.

Cuando reciba el boletín Eagle Express, abra el boletín.

Look to the right-hand side and hit the "Translate" button and all languages will drop down. Select your preferred language- "Spanish" and it will translate the newsletter for you.

Mire en el lado derecho y presione el botón “Traducir" (Translate) y el menu de todos los idiomas apecera. Seleccione su idioma preferido: "Español" (Spanish) y traducirá el boletín para usted.

On your phone, you look for "person" icon at the bottom of the screen. Click on the icon and select "Translate", select your preferred language- "Spanish" and it will translate the newsletter.

En su teléfono, busque el icono "persona" (Person) en la parte baja de la pantalla. Haga clic en el icono y seleccione “Traducir" (Translate), seleccione su idioma preferido - “Español" (Spanish) y se traducirá el boletín.

Dear Parents,

Next Wednesday March 15th will be a 3Hr. Early Closing day. School will dismiss at 12:55 pm on Weds. Also on Wednesday, our PTA will have a Restaurant Night at Yama Sushi in the Dorsey Search Village Center and will donate 25% of orders made that day by Veterans staff and community to the PTA. Actually, this will be an all day event from 11:00 am to 9:00 pm.

Last Saturday I had the honor to be a cake judge at Cub Scout Troop's 305 Bridging Ceremony at St. John's Parish Day School. All of the cakes looked fantastic. It is always such an honor to do these outside school events. I salute all of our students involved in scouting. The Bridging Ceremony is such a wonderful recognition of their growth.

On Thursday evening, our PTA treated us to our Cultural Night here at VES. There was food, performances, country displays, and oh did I say there was food? Everyone seemed to have an enjoyable time sharing the rich cultural heritages that make up our student population. I am thankful for the PTA and their Cultural Night Committee for a fantastic event.

On Tuesday March 14th , there will be a Parent Engagement and Wellness Night at Veterans from 6:30-8:00 pm in the cafeteria. Childcare will be provided but you must RSVP to the school by Monday March 13th. Topics covered for this meeting will be technology, behavior supports, and healthy habits.

A simple reminder to parents, please do not allow your students to bring toys and other playthings to school. This can cause issues for the staff when disagreements arise about what belongs to whom. It also creates some safety concerns. Another reminder, Pokemon and other trading cards are also not allowed in school. These items should remain home.

Thanks, have a great weekend !!!

Parents, please understand that weapons of any kind are prohibited from school. Students in possession of a weapon or any item used as a weapon are subject to disciplinary action. The safety of your children is crucial to us. Any information relating to the possession of a weapon will be investigated. Please understand that students who possess items that can be used as weapon as a result of scouting activities and they bring the item to school, is still in violation of our weapons policy. Threats to bring a weapon are also serious. Our students need to feel safe and secure to learn. Parents, please help us to educate your child that in today's environment it is our responsibility to make everyone feel safe and secure.

The picture above was updated as of Friday 3/10/23 . A new collection of Lost & Found has begun and we already have some new items. We kindly ask all parents to please label the belongings of your children, regardless of age. We were able to track down two students due to labeling. This is especially true for jackets and coats as we get to the unpredictable temperature season. These are the current items on our Lost & Found stand. If something looks familiar, please claim it. Any items not claimed by Thanksgiving Break, Spring Break, and the end of the year will be donated to an area charity. We will bag these items to clear our Lost & Found area, these items will still be available at school until the end of March.

Synergy online enrollment requests for currently enrolled HCPSS students will reopen Wednesday, March 1 at 6 p.m. for the BSAP Summer Institute, Gifted and Talented Summer Institutes for Talent Development, Innovative Pathways High School (all courses except credit recovery and Gear Up for 9th Grade), and Summer Math Scholars programs.

HCPSS staff will provide in-person assistance for current HCPSS families who need help submitting their Synergy online enrollment requests for the registration-based summer programs. Support will be provided on Thursday, March 9 from 6:00-7:30 p.m. at the following elementary schools: Bollman Bridge ES, Swansfield ES, Talbott Springs ES, Waterloo ES, and Waverly ES.

Families can find up-to-date course information and enrollment directions on the Summer Programs web page (https://www.hcpss.org/summer-programs/). Contact the individual program offices with additional questions.

• BSAP Summer Institute (SummerInstitute@hcpss.org)

• G/T Summer Institutes for Talent Development (GTSummer@hcpss.org)

• Innovative Pathways High School (IPSummer@hcpss.org)

Summer Math Scholars Program (LCB@howardcountymd.gov)

Are you a 3rd, 4th, & 5th Grade Girl? Sign up for Girls On the Run is now open. We will meet right after school on Mondays and Thursdays with our first session starting March 20. Please register for the Veterans Elementary School GOTR team here: https://www.gotrcentralmd.org/3rd-5th-grade-program-details .

ALSO SEE BELOW FOR MORE INFO...

Thank you!

Coach Megan and Coach Thao

Recess Update: The Office of School Safety and Security and Risk Management, in collaboration with School Management and Instructional Leadership, reviewed county wide practices regarding school visits and it has been determined that parents are not able to attend recess. Parents can continue to eat lunch with their child(ren) if they complete the following:

• Go to the HCPSS Web site to review information about the school system volunteer process.

• Review the “Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Procedures Online Training” PowerPoint.

• Sign the Certificate of Completion for the “Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Procedures Online Training” form and provide it to the school when signing in.

• Review the "Confidentiality Training for Volunteers" PowerPoint

• Sign the Confidentiality Agreement and provide it to the school when signing in.
• Sign in at the front office using the Lobby Guard sign-in system (a valid photo I.D. must be provided).

Thank you for your understanding and cooperation.

Work with Special Needs students to meet requirements of their IEP plan, under the direction of a Special Education Team Leader. Some experience working with children or disabilities is preferred. Some college coursework is helpful in Education, Psychology, Social Work, Sociology or related fields. Please contact Mrs. Liwosz or Mrs. Redd on 410-313-1700 for more information. Use this link to begin your application.

We are looking for caring and compassionate individuals to assist students with disabilities who require direct adult supervision throughout the school day. The position works under the daily supervision of the school administration and under the direction of a special education teacher and/or a classroom teacher. Some experience working with children is preferred. Below are details regarding the position.

• Temporary Employee (TE) positions are with Social Service Consultants, Ltd.

• Compensation is $15.00 per hour

• The hours are 9:25 AM – 3:55 PM Monday-Friday

To apply, please email Robert Tencher at rtencher@gmail.com to request an application packet. Please specify that you are interested in working at Veterans Elementary School. Contact Alexcia Redd at alexcia_redd@hcpss.org when you have completed all parts of the application.

Parent-Guardian is responsible for their child's supervision until the VES school doors open 9:15 a.m. in the morning.

Do not leave your child unattended prior to 9:15 a.m.

Greetings!

Please take a moment to review our car loop procedures below.

All cars entering our car loop lane are expected to follow the procedures outlined below. Additionally, parents should not park in the car loop line or walk their child through moving traffic. Please insist that your child exit and enter your car on the passenger side only so that he/she never crosses between cars. If you have ever used our car loop, you know everyone must act with care and patience. Please follow the directions of the staff and kindly abide by our safety practices for everyone’s sake. Thank you for your support!

Drop off & Pick-up Rules and Courtesies

It is crucial that parents picking up students adhere to the following rules in order to maintain the highest level of safety for the students and courtesy to those behind you:

1. When approaching the carloop, please stay in a single lane (the right lane) until you reach the school parking lot. We need our buses to pull out of the lane when given the opportunity.

2. If you intend to get out of your car, please use a parking space. If you are in the line, stay in your car. The adults on duty at carloop are there to support you. Feel free to ask them for help.

3. Wait until you are in the loop to drop off or pick up your student(s). You can drop off your child(ren) at any point once you enter the car loop. You do not need to wait until they are close to the door.

4. Mind the gaps. Pull all the way to the end of the loop before loading, out of courtesy to those behind you.

5. ALWAYS pay attention to what’s happening around you/your car.

If you decide to park your car to drop off or pick up your child, please park in a parking space. For everyone's safety, please refrain from double parking or blocking the lane in the parking lot.

Safety and courtesy will be maximized if all drivers follow these rules. Staff on duty are happy to help your student(s) exit or enter the car. Also, please remember that the instructional day starts at 9:25AM.

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.

REPEAT...
PARENTS/GUARDIANS, YOU DO NOT HAVE PERMISSION TO BOARD SCHOOL BUSES.

See an Administrator or Front Office Secretary for assistance!

Transportation :

Intent for Transportation for 2022-2023 School Year

HCPSS posted online and emailed all families a request that they indicate their transportation intentions for the 2022-2023 school year. This information will help guide transportation initiatives, hiring of drivers, planning routes and more.

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.

Frequently Asked Questions about Enrollment and Registration

See Policy 9000, Student Residency, Eligibility, Enrollment and Assignment

For additional information or questions, please contact your anticipated school of enrollment.

PREPARE FOR THE FIRST DAY:

• School Start Times
• Before- & After-school Care Options
• School Meals
• Transportation
• Find out what your child will learn at HCPSS

Please note: Bus routes for the 2023-2024 school year will not be published until mid-August.

Parents of students who will be riding the bus are invited to check the Bus Locator tool on the HCPSS website. To use the tool, type in your home address. The cross on the map represents your child’s bus stop. On the left-hand side of your screen, you will see the bus stop location, contractor information, bus number, and morning arrival/afternoon drop-off times for your child’s bus. This tool will also tell you if your address falls in our walk zone.

Families of students who receive specialized transportation will receive information about your child’s bus schedule directly from the bus contractors.

Come experience all that Mt. Hebron High School has to offer! Please join us for HebronFEST 2023 on Thursday, March 9th starting at 6pm. HebronFest showcases all that student and parent groups have been working on beyond the classroom. There will be trivia, games, displays, performances and much more! Make sure to join in on the fun! Everyone is welcome!

Mt. Hebron Viking Backers Summer Camp Registration Now Open!

The Mt. Hebron Viking Backers are excited to announce online registration for Summer Camps is OPEN! Click this link to see all of the details and to register your student now.

We kick-off the summer camp season in early June while school is still in session, and new camps will be offered each week until early August. Please note, the volleyball and football camps in early June will be conducted in the evenings.

We welcome campers entering kindergarten through 9th grade for the 2023-2024 school year (check our website for specific camp requirements), and we invite "Future Vikings" as well as students that will attend other high schools to sign up. Varsity coaches will run the camps, and each camper will receive a 2023 summer camps t-shirt. Details are also available on our website regarding a sibling discount as well as a discount for HCPSS staff with campers in their household.

Specific Camp Questions? Each coach's email address is listed on the Viking Backers website, and to receive the quickest response we request camp-specific questions be sent directly to them. Any general questions about camps can be sent to summercamps2023@vikingbackers.org.

Other Questions? If you are interested in learning more about the Mt. Hebron Viking Backers, or if you are interested in getting involved right now, next year, or beyond ... in any way ... small or big ... please don't hesitate to visit our website or email Zack Rose at president@vikingbackers.org.

Registration for our Spring season opened on February 19, so we wanted to touch base with you to make sure you’re aware that we have a Girls on the Run team at your school starting the week of March 19. The Veterans Elementary team will meet on Mondays and Thursdays from 4:00 – 5:15 pm.

At Girls on the Run of Central Maryland, we want to ensure that EVERY girl has the opportunity to participate in Girls on the Run. We specifically focus on creating opportunities for girls from the lowest-income families (FARM-eligible) to participate at no cost and offer a sliding scale fee for families who don’t qualify for FARM services but still can’t afford our full-price fee.

With that in mind, we want to make sure that you are aware of the many ways we are working to make our program accessible for more children at your school.

• Online registration is available in English and Spanish for those who have computer access. Link to online registration Technically it can be done on a phone, but it's not the most mobile-friendly software, so if a phone is the guardian's only internet access, a paper form will probably be easier for them.
• Our online registration process offers a sliding scale fee for those who request financial assistance during the registration process. After entering their child’s information, adults will be asked “Do you need financial assistance?” If they answer yes, they will be prompted to enter their household income and size, which will generate an adjusted fee based on our sliding scale, which will be visible during registration checkout.
• If the sliding scale fee is still out of reach, guardians can contact our Director of Operations, Susan Michel (susan.michel@girlsontherun.org) for a unique discount code that will reduce the fee to an amount that works for the family, or waive it completely.

· We pledge to never turn a girl away from participating in Girls on the Run programming due to her family’s financial situation. If a child wants to participate in our program, we will make it possible for her to participate regardless of her family’s ability to pay the fee.

FARMS Applications: Applications for the Free and Reduced Meals program for the school year 2022-2023 are available online in multiple languages and paper copies are available at all meal sites, effective 9/8/20. Please use this document for strategies for increasing FARMs awareness and participation.

SNAP BENEFITS

SNAP Benefits-Emergency Allotments Flyer-English

Apply for SNAP Benefits today-Flyer-English

Apply for SNAP Benefits Today-Flyer-Spanish

Grocery Delivery Flyer-English

Grocery Delivery Flyer-Korean

Grocery Delivery Flyer-Spanish

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.

Will your child be 3 years old by September 1, 2023?

Do they want to go to Veterans Elementary School, just like their siblings and neighbors?

Learning Together Program – Prekindergarten

The Veterans Elementary Regional Early Childhood Center (RECC) prekindergarten programs are making preparations for classes for the upcoming 2023-24 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 3 by September 1st( born between 9/2/19– 9/1/20 ) may learn more about the program by reviewing the Learning Together Program (LTP) Flyer (English).

• Learning Together Program (LTP) Flyer (Chinese)
• Learning Together Program (LTP) Flyer (Korean)
• Learning Together Program (LTP) Flyer (Spanish)
  
  If you need assistance to complete the application, please contact Early Intervention Services at earlyinterventionservcies@hcpss.org or at 410-313-7017.

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, or in person). If you have any additional questions, please email Mary Jens at mary_jens@hcpss.org