The Lisbon Lines
December 11, 2020
Lisbon Elementary School
We are here to help!
Principal, Mrs. Anoff Debra_anoff@hcpss.org
Assistant Principal, Ms. Wright Lashonne_wright@hcpss.org
Principal's Secretary, Mrs. Johnson Christine_Johnson@hcpss.org
Teachers' Secretary, Mrs. Linda Drews Linda_drews@hcpss.org
Teachers' Secretary, Mrs. Johnson Karen_johnson@hcpss.org
Website: les.hcpss.org
Location: 15901 Frederick Road, Woodbine, MD 21797, USA
Phone: (410) 313-5506
Twitter: @hcpss_les
FROM SCHOOL ADMINISTRATION
A School Culture that Welcomes Every Child
“Our diversity won’t be a barrier but rather a reason for our success” -Unknown
Do you remember being in elementary school? Did you ever go back to your old elementary school? How did you feel entering your child’s school for the first time? When I think back to my own school experiences, I can recall all those feelings, and as principal, I am committed to ensuring that every child has positive memories of their school-age experiences. Unfortunately, the reality across our nation is not every school or classroom welcomes diverse learners. As for this school, we measure excellence in how we form relationships and connections with each child and their family. To be a school of excellence, there must be a focus on the development of the whole child. As a result, a strong academic culture results and ultimately, our student’s success.
Whether we are face to face or virtual, school culture is critically important. The culture and climate of a school is visible and it is felt. A positive school culture says, “I am growing smarter every day." “I belong here.” In addition, by focusing on high academic standards, students have goals that they can and want to achieve.
This past week was Inclusive Schools Week. It was one week where we highlight and celebrate our continued commitment to every child, every day throughout the entire school year. Lisbon Elementary School is that place of inclusivity. The place where every child is valued. The place where every child is respected. The place where every child is loved. The place where every child is welcome.
During this holiday season, I want you to know how much I enjoy serving you and the Lisbon community.
Mrs. Anoff, Principal
IMPORTANT UPCOMING DATES AND EVENTS
For a complete list of dates and events visit les.hcpss.org/calendar.
- 14 - School Spirit Day - PJ Day
- 15 - School Spirit Day - Bring you favorite stuffed animal to class Day
- 17 - School Spirit Day - Hat Day
- 18 - School Spirit Day - Wacky Tacky
December 24 - January 1 - Winter Break - schools closed
January
- 4 - Schools Reopen
- 6- Lisbon Parent Night (Virtual) 6:30-7:30 pm
- 13 - PTA Meeting (Virtual)
- 18 - Martin Luther King Jr. Day - schools & offices closed
- 29 - Professional Work Day - schools closed
NEW INFORMATION
Elementary Student Workload during Virtual Instruction
Families, particularly of primary students, have expressed concerns about the virtual elementary workload including the complexity of asynchronous lessons, the number of content areas taught, and the number of weekly asynchronous assignments. In order to support elementary students with successfully navigating during virtual instruction, the following adjustments have been made:
- Students will only have asynchronous assignments in social studies, science, or health during a given week. There will not be an overlap of instruction or assignments for these content areas.
- Health lessons will be taught for one week during the marking period and include two synchronous lessons and two asynchronous lessons instead of five asynchronous lessons as assigned in the first quarter.
- The length and complexity of social studies, science, and health asynchronous assignments have been reduced.
- Related arts asynchronous assignments have been streamlined.
Instruction During the Week of December 21
During the week of December 21st, no asynchronous assignments in Content, ELA, Math, or Related Arts should be assigned to students. This includes Dreambox and LexiaCore.
Students will have synchronous Related Arts as scheduled but no asynchronous Related Arts assignments. Likewise, synchronous Social Studies instruction will occur on Monday, December 21 for grades K, 2, and 4 and on Tuesday, December 22 for grades 1, 3, and 5; however, there will not be Social Studies asynchronous follow up lessons.
Week of December 21... Great Time to Catch-Up
Do your kids have any missing work to still complete for school? Are they caught up on all assignments for ELA, math, science, social studies, health, art, music, PE, media, and technology? With no asynchronous work assigned during the week of December 21, this is a GREAT time to catch-up on any missed work. Teachers will be able to answer questions during the short week.
Students can submit assignments throughout the Winter Break, but teachers will not be able to check their work or respond to email until January 4.
Please do not wait until the end of the quarter to complete asynchronous work.
Lisbon Parent Night~ Wednesday, January 6th from 6:30-7:30pm
We are so excited to invite all parents and caregivers who support students at Lisbon to our LES Parent Night on Wednesday, January 6th from 6:30-7:30pm. The LES Parent Night is an opportunity for families to connect in order to learn about available supports that will help make this school year successful. We will focus on topics such as Behavioral Health, Family-School Connectedness, and Social Emotional Skills including Resiliency, Positive Self-Image, and more! This presentation will be facilitated by our School Psychologists, Mary Nalepa and our School Counselor, Jessica Massey, using the Google Meet code: lesparentnight. Please remember, in order to join, you will need to use your child's HPCSS login information.
We hope you can join us! Please reach out to Ms. Massey if you have any questions.
Jessica Massey, School Counselor
jessica_massey@hcpss.org
Winter Break Meal Services: Adjustments for December 21, 2020–January 4, 2021
Howard County public schools will be closed for winter break from Thursday, December 24, 2020 through Friday, January 1, 2021. There will be no meal service during this time. To ensure children have access to essential nutrition during the holiday period, families may pick up additional meals in advance of the break.
The following adjustments will be made to meal services:
- There is no meal service Thursday, December 24 through Friday, January 1. Meal service will resume on Monday, January 4, 2021.
- Meals for December 23–27 will be available for pickup at any HCPSS meal site on Wednesday, December 23.
- Pre-ordering will not be available for meals picked up December 21–23 or January 4–6. Walk up (non-pre-ordered) meals may be picked up those and other days schools are in session.
- Pre-ordering services will resume Monday, January 4 for meals to be picked up beginning Thursday, January 7.
Meals are provided at no cost to any HCPSS student or any child under age 18. More information about 2020-2021 meal services is provided online.
How HCPSS Supports Mental Health
HCPSS promotes the mental health and wellness of each of our students to develop their unique strengths, abilities, and characteristics towards success and well-being. Staff consider the variety of factors that impact a student’s functioning such as age, cultural background, social-emotional skills, academic outcomes, and access to resources.
Ideas to Make Holidays Meaningful during COVID
Discuss how it may need to be different, manage expectations, focus on what we can do
Decide which traditions are most meaningful, focus on keeping those happening
Read chapter books together as family over several nights
Tell stories of where family is from and what life was like there; take virtual tour
Games with family members across Zoom
Winter hikes with hot chocolate to warm up after!
Crafts for fun or as gifts for family
Rearrange your room (or any room in house) for a new view
Buy old games at Goodwill and play something new
Interview older family members about life when they were young, maybe record it
Make your own sundae bar
Watch old holiday movies, start all at same time with family over Zoom
Watch a new holiday movie
Family Olympics - Minute to Win It Games
Walk or drive around to see local lights, bring hot cocoa
Home holiday scavenger hunt
Make gifts for neighbors and put on porches
Bake and eat all the things!
Create an imaginary vacation with online virtual tours
Secret present exchange with family or friends
Grow something
Coupon presents (one coupon for a hug, or a chore completed, etc)
Put up festive lights in a room that usually does not have them
Home butterfly house with online butterfly kit - release them in spring
Take turns hosting mini online celebrations with family or friends
Send care packages to loved ones
A progressive project that starts at one home, next home adds on, then next…
Family competition at home for singing, acting, drawing, athletics, etc
Shop online and ship early together!
Trim a winter tree outdoors for all to enjoy
Calendar with daily special small activities to look forward to
Zoom ugly sweater contest
Build winter forts/snowmen; can use food coloring for added decoration
We will remember this year for a long time to come - make the most of it!
INFORMATION WORTH REPEATING
Monday, December 14th is PJ DAY!
Student's Preferred Names to be Displayed
Display of Student Preferred Name in Google, Synergy, and Canvas:
A new process will be enabled in January 2021 to allow students to show a preferred name in Synergy, Canvas and Google. Students can follow this process:
- Go to hcpss.me
- Go to Synergy
- Click on “Student Info” in the lower left
- Look for the “Preferred First Name” field to see what is there now.
- This name will show in Canvas and Google beginning the first week of January, 2021
- If you do not want this name to show or would like something else to show, contact your administrator by December 21, 2020.
- If you do want this name to show, you don’t need to do anything.
Note: The preferred name will carry over from year to year unless a change is requested. Once a requested change is made, that preferred name will remain for the student’s HCPSS career unless another change is requested through the school secretary/administrator.
For students who are transgender or gender non-binary, there is an additional procedure to mask their legal name and/or gender assigned at birth, providing additional confidentiality. If you think this may apply to you, please reach out to your school counselor to discuss. Let your counselor know that you are interested in learning about the presenting name option/masking process.
If you have any questions, please contact Mrs. Anoff (debra_anoff@hcpss.org)
PTA Directory Available through Family File
LISBON PTA INFORMATION
GIFTS OF GRATITUDE!!
Thanking a Lisbon Lions Staff member has never been easier!
Lisbon Elementary PTA is starting a new tradition to thank our staff members, The Gift of Gratitude Program.
This program is a convenient way for you to express your gratitude to the hardworking and dedicated staff members at Lisbon Elementary. As you know, we do not have indoor access to the school, so we are accepting online contributions through Memberhub. You may also drop off a check or cash in the Lisbon PTA lock box in the LES vestibule. A donation form can be found on LisbonPTA.org under documents.
Simply enter the amount you would like to gift (min $1 per person/$5 per gift), provide the staff member(s) name and the amount you would like to designate to each member. If you wish to contribute to more than 5 staff members, just add another Gift of Gratitude to your cart.
Staff members will receive an Amazon Gift Card equal to the total contribution from all families that designated to gift to them. Your families name will be on the gift but not the donated amount.
We will send out the 1st gift cards to staff on December 23rd in time for the winter holidays, to be included in this gift please submit online by December 21st and cash/check by December 18th. If you should have any questions, please email Heather Godwin, PTA treasurer at treasurer@lisbonpta.org
MemberHub Click this link to go to Gifts of Gratitude on Memberhub
FUN RUN COMMITTEE
MEETS : 12/15 at 6:00 p.m. 12/16 at 7:00 p.m. LISBONPTA2020
We will be changing the main PTA fundraiser this year. We would like to have a Virtual Fun Run or Race and we are looking for parents to give us advice and information, and perhaps a few to chair the event. We will be having a few meets to get ideas, discuss companies that organize programs, and to help get us started. You do not need to attend all meets, but your more than welcome to.
EVERYTHING PTA
· We will be collecting pet food and pet items for the Morgan Chapel UMC pet and food pantry through 12/22. If you have pet food that is open, but you will not use, you can tape it shut and the Pet pantry will give it to a family. Food for all types of pets and pet needs are needed. Items can also be dropped off at Books with a Past at Glenwood during business hours.
· Lisbon White Pages. We are getting a Lisbon White Pages together to support our families and help when you are looking for a product or service and would like to support local businesses. This is free and will be available on the LisbonPTA.org site. If you would like to submit your business, service, product to the LWP or would like to maintain the LWP please email President@LisbonPTA.org and you will be sent the information needed.
· Donations to community outreach can be made anytime at MemberHub. Community outreach will provide food to Lisbon families whenever possible and we will continue to throughout the year.
· The PTA has a Scrips account that allows you to purchase E-gift cards that also have givebacks to the LES PTA to sign up open the shopwithscrip site and use the Lisbon PTA code. 65DCA4DB74233
· In our Member hub Store, there are many store gift cards that can be purchased, and the PTA receives a give back. There are also a lot of items that can be purchased that giveback. Scroll through our givebacks portion of our Memberhub store.
· Bushy Park ES has invited Lisbon students to join free afterschool clubs run by Glenwood Jr. Scholars. Clubs include cooking/Baking, Lego, STEM/Engineering, Chess, and Drawing/painting. The google doc to signup can be found on our Facebook Group.
· Become a PTA member!! Volunteering is not required (but we would love if you did). Your membership and donations support Community Night, teacher reimbursements, Stem Night, cultural books and activities, and events that we can hold in-person and virtually. Please support your PTA at https://lisbonpta.new.memberhub.store/store. To pay by check or cash please print out the form at LisbonPTA.org. You can mail it to LES or drop off at the PTA drop box in the vestibule during school hours.
· Lisbon PTA has a clothing and textile bin at the LES parking lot. Getting rid of old, worn, useable, and unusable clothes, textiles, shoes? Put them in the white clothing bin and the Lisbon PTA gets money for every pound. The organizations with the top 2 weights for the month get an additional $100.
· Next PTA general meeting is on January 13, 2021 at 7:00 p.m. Meet Code LisbonPTA
· JOIN OUR FACEBOOK PAGE: A way to connect with other parents and interactive posts. Lisbon Elementary School PTA https://www.facebook.com/LisbonESPTA
· Documents and information at LisbonPTA.org
HCPSS News
Parents/guardians new to the system are automatically enrolled for email notification, however must opt in to receive text alerts
CONNECT WITH LES AND STAY INFORMED
Website
- Our website, les.hcpss.org, is updated regularly.
- Important news and information is located on the main page of the site including an archive of our weekly newsletter, Lisbon Lines.
- Staff information and email is located under the "Our Staff" tab.
- A subscribeable google calendar is located on the "Calendar" tab.
- Email is our main form of communication.
- You will receive news and information automatically to the email address you provide in your Family File. We will not inundate your inbox with email. Look for the weekly Lisbon Lines on Fridays.
- If you would like email sent to different email addresses, update your email in Family File with the email address you prefer.
- You can subscribe additional email addresses by visiting the HCPSS News site here. http://www.hcpss.org/hcpss-news/
- Weekly announcements, important information, updates, and more will primarily be sent through email.
- You also have the opportunity to opt-in for text messaging