Clemens Crossing Cougar Comments
April 9, 2021 - Volume 42, Issue 31
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
April
- 14 - End of 3rd Quarter Marking Period - Schools Close 3 Hours Early
May
- 13 - School closed for students - Professional Learning/Articulation Day
- 19 - Science Fair
- 31 - Memorial Day - Schools and Office Closed
June
- 10 - Professional Work Day - Schools Close 3 Hours Early
- 11 - Professional Work Day - Schools Close 3 Hours Early
- 14 - Professional Work Day - Schools Close 3 Hours Early
- 15 - LAST DAY OF SCHOOL Professional Work Day - Schools Close 3 Hours Early
From School Administration
Fourth Quarter Starts Next Week
It is hard to believe that we are about to enter the 4th Quarter of this school year. We have come so far over the course of this year. This has been a year of flexibility and change.
I appreciate your ongoing support as we navigate this pandemic life together.
Third Quarter ends next week on Wednesday, April 14. We have one quarter left in the school year! It is going to take collaboration, grit, and determination in order for our children to experience continued success and growth. As the days get warmer and summer break gets closer, we will need to be extra vigilant, supportive, and proactive in ensuring our students are engaged in learning. Let’s end the year strong!
Thank you for all that you do! Words can't express my gratitude for all that you do each and every day, and all that you have sacrificed over the course of this year for your child.
Consideration Form - Planning for 2021-2022
The Clemens Crossing staff is looking ahead to the 2021-22 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 that 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 gender balance in each classroom
- 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 12th. Thank you for your help.
NEW INFORMATION
2021-2022 Digital Education Center - Log In to Express Interest
The Howard County Public School System is planning for a virtual school option for students entering grades K-12 who wish to learn virtually for the 2021-2022 school year. Once finalized, the Digital Education Center (DEC) program will give students the opportunity to take all classes and earn credits virtually, while receiving support services from the student’s designated home school. The DEC is intended to function as an additional, separate K-12 center, which will continue to operate even after fully in-person learning resumes throughout the county. The final DEC scope and options are subject to funding, staffing, and final Board of Education approval. If the program is not funded, students who enroll in the DEC instead will access instruction through their designated home school.
The Digital Education Center is scheduled to begin in the 2021-2022 school year. Any student entering grades K-12 during the 2021-2022 school year will have the opportunity to enroll in the Digital Education Center. Students must commit to the DEC for the full school year to participate. Students who want to return to in-person learning at an HCPSS school location during the 2021-2022 school year should not sign up for the DEC. Decisions on the 2021-2022 academic year—in terms of students returning in person, hybrid, or virtually—have not yet been determined, and will be communicated as soon as possible.
Via HCPSS Connect Synergy, HCPSS is seeking to understand families’ intentions regarding enrolling their children in a virtual school option (if that option becomes available) or having their children attend their traditional HCPSS school. This form is separate from the hybrid survey that families received earlier this school year and is not a commitment for the 2021-2022 school year. Parents/guardians will be asked to commit to enroll their children in the DEC at a later date. Your interest at this time will help facilitate planning.
Please complete this form no later than 4 p.m., Wednesday, April 14. Contact if you require assistance completing the form.
To complete the form:
- Log in to HCPSS Connect Synergy
- Select More Options from the left panel
- Select Digital Education Center Interest Survey from the bottom of the menu
- Complete the question in the form for each child. Families may select different school options for each child.
Details on the Digital Education Center can be found online. Additionally, answers to frequently asked questions regarding the DEC can be found online and are being continually updated as new information becomes available.
INFORMATION WORTH REPEATING
PTA Event: EcoAdventures
The CCES PTA is happy to offer another virtual program for our community! EcoAdventures will offer a live animal program virtually on Wednesday, April 14th at 1:00 pm. The virtual program will be Fear Factor! To describe the program EcoAdventures says, “Don’t make eye contact...think good thoughts...cross your fingers. Please, please, please, not the spider!” These are all thoughts that might run through your mind as you experience Fear Factor! In this new virtual version of Fear Factor, participants will be picking coconuts and our instructor will flip it over to see what animals they will meet. Will it be a creepy tarantula? Or glow-in-the-dark scorpion? Snake or cute creature?? OR will it be a dare or trivia question that you are willing to do? Join us in this game of “Fear Factor” where participants decide which way the presentation will go.” More information about EcoAdventures can be found here: https://ecoadventures.org/
In order to sign up, please RSVP on the Evite at http://evite.me/jmTvjXzee6. Please be specific about the exact number of people who will be on the screen. Space is limited, so please sign up as soon as possible. A Zoom link will be sent out to participants the day prior to the event. Please email Allie at mcdonald.allie@gmail.com with questions.
2nd HoCo VIRTUAL Rainbow Conference
Please join us virtually to learn more about how to be better advocates for the LGBTQ+ Community at our second HoCo Rainbow Conference. With over 24 concurrent sessions and local as well as national speakers, we have a full day of fun and learning lined up for Saturday, May 15, 2021. Session speakers include Jane Clementi and Joshua Patel of the Tyler Clementi Foundation, Rae Sweet of the It Gets Better Project, Maryland House Majority Leader, Eric Luedtke, Kevin Naff of The Washington Blade, Ying Matties and Robyn Page of Community Allies of Rainbow Youth (CARY), and many more! Registration for this FREE conference will go live on Friday, April 2nd. Until then, you can browse our conference website to learn more about the sessions and view the conference schedule here. We hope many of you will join us!
From Student Services
Talk With Me will be presenting a workshop for Spanish speakers on April 14, at 7 PM. Please share with families. Carmen Alverio, Bilingual Speech-Language Pathologist on the HCPSS assessment team, will be presenting along with parent Paola Uriza. Thank you for helping us to spread the word!
- Regístrese ahora: Taller virtual de Habla Conmigo Miércoles, 14 de abril a las 7:00 PM https://howardcounty.librarycalendar.com/events/habla-conmigo-condado-de-howard-virtual-o-en-linea-0 ¿Sabía usted que hablarle, leerle, y cantarle a los bebés y niños pequeños ayuda a desarrollar el cerebro de los niños y los prepara para ir a la escuela? Este taller es para madres, padres y cuidadores de bebés y niños pequeños hasta la edad de tres años y para padres que tendrán un bebé pronto. Por favor, se requiere que se registre. Habla Conmigo * Condado de Howard, es una iniciativa comunitaria en consorcio con el Sistema de Escuelas Públicas del Condado de Howard. El programa usa el poder que tienen las interacciones con los bebés y niños pequeños desde los primeros momentos de vida para construir las bases del aprendizaje temprano y preparar a los niños a ir a la escuela.
- (Translation) Register now: Talk With Me Virtual Workshop! Did you know that talking, reading, and singing to our babies, toddlers, and preschoolers develops their brains so they can be ready for school? https://howardcounty.librarycalendar.com/events/habla-conmigo-condado-de-howard-virtual-o-en-linea-0 For parents and caregivers of children ages infant - 3 and expectant parents. Registration required. A community partner with the Howard County Public School System, Talk With Me • Howard County uses the power of interactions to build foundations for early learning, preparing children for school.)
United Healthcare Community Plan presents on Sickle Cell Disease & Sickle Cell Trait - May 19, 2021 3:00 - 4:00 PM
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.” More details will be shared once participants register. 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.
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.