Lisbon Elementary
April 3, 2020
Lisbon Elementary School
Ms. LaShonne Wright, Assistant Principal
15901 Frederick Road
Woodbine, MD 21797
(410) 313-5506
(410) 313-5508 - Fax
les.hcpss.org
Coronavirus COVID-19 - Information Link
Continuity of Learning Resources - Information Link
HCPSS Grab-N-Go Meal Information Link (see info below for more details)
From the Desk of the Principal
Hello Lisbon Community,
I hope everyone is well in your household. This week was busy as we continued in Phase 2 of the Continuity of Learning Plan. I had two virtual staff meetings with the entire LES staff.
It was so nice to see everyone, even if it was online. Your teachers are excited to learn about our new resources and methods to teach and learn in our new virtual world. Additionally, all teachers spent time in a meeting online to learn from curricular specialists about the instructional plan for the week of April 20 (and possibly beyond).
Please note that teachers will be celebrating the spring holidays for an adjusted spring break on April 9, 10, and 13. They may not respond to email communications during that time.
Earlier in the week, teachers reached out to students and parents by email. Please respond back to them so we know you are there and receiving the communication from them.
To bridge the gap before Phase 3 distance learning begins, a set of resources is posted to the HCPSS Continuity of Learning website. These resources are organized by grade and/or course. Multiple languages are available. These additional materials will not be collected or graded.
Phase 3 begins for elementary schools on April 20th. Please also review the information below to help you learn about the plan and get yourself oriented with our Learning Management Platform, Canvas.
As we close out the third week apart, I wanted to check-in with all of our families once again and make sure you have what you need to stay safe and healthy while you are at home. If your family is experiencing a need resulting from the COVID-19 school/work closures and need access to food, basic supplies at your home or other necessities, please reach out to Debra Anoff at 443- 864-6708 or debra_anoff@hcpss.org, so I can help connect your family with available resources. We know this is a very difficult time and families may be experiencing unexpected hardships. This is a time when we can come together and ensure that every family is supported and cared for within our LES community.
Mrs. Bane's Office Hours
Dear Lisbon Students and Families,
I hope you are doing well. I have been thinking about you and missing you! I look forward to reconnecting with you!
I will have office hours available daily from 9:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. and from 12:00 p.m. - 1:00 p.m. starting Tuesday, April 14th. I will be scheduling appointments to meet during that time. We can meet virtually (I’d love to see you) or on the phone. A link to schedule these appointments will be sent out on Tuesday, April 14th.
The School Counseling Department will also be making announcements and posting materials and our class lessons on Canvas in the upcoming weeks.
I look forward to talking with you in the upcoming days and weeks. Please know that I am still here to talk with you. Stay safe and well.
Fondly,
Mrs. Bane
School Counselor
County making Technology Acquisition a priority to facilitate Virtual Learning
Technology: Last week, HCPSS ordered 20,000 new Chromebooks and directed staff to begin gathering over 15,000 Chromebooks from our schools so that we can equip as many students as possible who may not have a device at home. The new purchases are backordered and we do not expect to receive them all until mid-May. There is a needs survey currently underway and additional information regarding device distribution is included in the plan detailed below. These purchases were not funded in our current budget so we will be looking for savings in other areas of our budget, redeploying existing funds where possible, and continuing to monitor the possibility of state reimbursement for these purchases. It is also likely that we may need to use funds from the HCPSS unassigned fund balance. These savings were intended to reduce our historic Health Fund Deficit and we have informed the Board and the County of this possibility.
We also ask that you help us prepare by completing the online HCPSS Student Technology Survey so that we can assess where we are as a community, and how to best distribute the limited devices we have available for student use. More information on student technology and device distribution is available online. Ms. Wright. Mrs. Gjerde, and our front office staff have been reaching out to families, with a specific focus on families who may require interpretation services or may not have internet access to complete the survey online. We also plan to provide print copies at meal distribution sites and have staff available to assist families in survey completion.
Comcast Internet
To help connect more families to the internet at home, Comcast is offering two months of free internet to new Internet Essential customers. more information
Check Your Canvas Notifications
Parents/guardians should check your Canvas notification settings to ensure you are receiving announcements, assignments, and messages from teachers.
Directions on updating your parent profile and notification settings are available online.
Parents/guardians unfamiliar with Canvas may find it helpful to review the features in this Canvas Orientation.
Student hcpss.me Access
Over the past few weeks, Mrs. Anoff helped a number of families by providing student usernames and passwords in order to access hcpss.me. You can continue to email Mrs. Anoff to request your current username and password if you need help.
3rd Quarter Grading Period
This message provides an update on grading for the 3rd quarter marking period, which was previously scheduled to end this Friday, April 3. Our decisions on how grading will be handled for this quarter are based on three primary goals, which are consistent with our goals for the overall instructional program:
- Providing meaningful feedback on student achievement
- Ensuring equity of opportunity for all students, by removing barriers to success
- Ensuring fairness in assessing student work for the quarter
For all students, 3rd quarter grades will be based on work assigned on and prior to March 13, 2020, the last day schools were in session, because the majority of the quarter had already taken place when schools were closed.
- Teachers will continue to grade work assigned prior to March 13 that has been received, and will continue grading through April 24, allowing students to submit 3rd quarter work that was due by March 13 but had not yet been submitted. This will allow students to improve their grades, if desired.
- IEP and 504 plans will be honored in the completion of all work.
Simulated Congressional Hearing
I am extremely saddened to share that our Simulated Congressional Hearings program has been canceled for this school year. This program is a cornerstone of our 5th Grade social studies curriculum and a highlight of the year for many in our school system and community, including myself. Unfortunately, we will not be able to hold the hearings this year: a decision that was made with heavy hearts, like so many of the difficult decisions that have become necessary in the wake of the COVID-19 crisis. We understand how hard students and teachers have worked throughout the year to prepare for the hearings. We are very proud of your commitment, and know that the skills and knowledge about our government that you have been building all year will continue to serve you well in the years to come.
Continuity of Learning Website
I want to remind families to access the learning resources that are provided for each grade level on the HCPSS Continuity of Learning website for the period between March 30 and April 10 for high school students and for the period between March 30 and April 17 for middle and elementary students. These resources were developed to ensure continuity of learning for our students while our teachers, administrators and staff complete professional development training to prepare to provide the next phase of distance learning.
Access to Learning Fund
Bright Minds Foundation has launched an emergency Access to Learning Fund to raise money for critical education access supports for HCPSS students during the extended COVID-19 school closure. Find more information on the Bright Minds website.
Waiver Granted for Statewide Assessments
The U.S. Department of Education approved Maryland's waiver request for 2019-2020 Assessment and Accountability Requirements. With this federal approval, Maryland will not need to administer its statewide assessments to all students in the 2019-2020 school year, or make 2019-2020 accountability determinations.
Statewide Assessments
- The Maryland Integrated Science Assessment (MISA) - Grade 5, 8 and 11
- Maryland Comprehensive Assessment Program (MCAP) English Language Arts and Mathematics - Grades 3-8, Algebra I/II and English 10.
- MCAP Social Studies - Grade 8
- High School Assessment (HSA) for American Government
- Dynamic Learning Maps (DLM) - Alternate Assessments
- Maryland School Survey
HCPSS ON-LINE REGISTRATION OPEN
Step by step details on enrolling your child along with all necessary documents are available on the HCPSS school district website at: https://www.hcpss.org/enroll/ .
Parents who have already registered online, please remember that registration is not complete until you come to school and meet with one of our secretaries. We will need to check the parent’s photo i.d. and student’s original birth certificate, so please be prepared to bring that with you along with all of the documents that were not uploaded during your online registration process.
This will be facilitated once we our schools reopen. We look forward to meeting you!
Counseling Services for Students, Families and Staff
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.
HCPSS FREE GRAB-N-GO MEALS
Additional Meal Pick Up Sites Added this week!
Expanded Meal Distribution
HCPSS is providing free Grab-N-Go meals through April 24 to anyone age 18 and under and/or any HCPSS student, regardless of age, at locations countywide.
Deep Run Elementary will be added to site locations beginning Thursday, April 2. Meals are available from 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m., weekdays. Participants receive a snack, lunch, and dinner for that day as well as a breakfast for the following day, and are encouraged to bring a bag to carry home meals each day. Friday distributions at school locations also will include weekend meals. Parents have the option of collecting meals for their children, who do not need to be present.
**There will be no meal service Friday, April 10 or Monday, April 13. Meals for those days will be distributed Thursday, April 9, with instructions for storage and preparation. A list of additional food distribution locations, not sponsored by HCPSS, is available online (Links to an external site.).
- Additional Food Distribution Sites were added as of Monday, March 30 (please share with your community):
- Wilde Lake Middle School
- Talbott Springs Elementary School
HCPSS is pleased to announce the following expansions of our meal distribution program:
- Beginning March 30, HCPSS food distribution is expanding from nine to 12 locations, and now will include snacks in addition to three meals per day.
- Beginning April 3, meals to sustain children through the weekend will be provided on Fridays at all locations except Forest Ridge and Monarch Mills apartments, and Bethel Christian Academy.
There is no application, enrollment, or fee for this program. This meal service extension replaces HCPSS' previously scheduled spring break meal program, as those locations are now closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
HCPSS Free Meal Service:
- Ongoing, weekdays through Friday, April 24**
- 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m.
- Locations (Links to an external site)
Supporting Learning at Home
A new resource to help students and parents adjust to continuing learning from home is provided on the HCPSS Continuity of Learning website. Suggestions are provided for establishing a schedule, creating an environment conducive to learning, and transitioning to distance learning.
Frequently Asked Questions
The COVID-19 FAQ section of the website has been expanded and is being updated regularly with additional answers to questions. Please visit the FAQ page on a regular basis for additional information.
Community News and Programs
The link below will take you to community notices are neither sponsored nor endorsed by the Howard County Public School System.
http://www.hcpss.org/community-news-and-programs/