Clemens Crossing Cougar Comments
November 15, 2019 - Volume 41, Issue 12
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
Important Upcoming Dates and Events
November
- 15 - PTA Book Fair Starts
- 15 - PTA Bingo Night (moved from 11/8), 6:30 p.m.
- 18 - American Education Week Begins
- 20 - In-School Banking
- 20 - Kindergarten Library Field Trip (McCue/Thomerson)
- 21 - Kindergarten Library Field Trip (Ludicke/Hodgins)
- 22 - Conference Scheduling Window Closes
- 25 - Schools Close 3 Hours Early for Students - Parent-Teacher Conferences
- 26 - Schools Close 3 Hours Early for Students - Parent-Teacher Conferences
- 27 - Schools Closed for Students - Parent-Teacher Conferences
To subscribe to the CCES calendar on your smartphone, electronic device, or email system use the calendar ID sqspkjkbr6v6arss44js3n21eg@group.calendar.google.com.
From School Administration
If you have not done so already, please be sure to sign-up for a parent/teacher conference in Family File by Friday, November 22. On that date, teachers will finalize their schedules and plan for conferences. Requests for conferences beyond that date may not be accommodated. In case of an emergency, please contact the Front Office. Directions are below or on our website.
New Information
Congratulations Marco Platino!
Marco Platino is the winner of the 2019 Bonnie Plants Cabbage Program contest for the state of Maryland. He grew a beautiful, HUGE cabbage and was selected by Maryland’s Agriculture Department as this year's winner. He will receive a $1,000 savings bond towards education from Bonnie Plants.
Later this year, all third graders will have the opportunity to grow their own cabbage. Stay tuned!
Holiday Help
With the holidays approaching, we would like to reach out to families in need. If you could use some financial support this holiday season, please contact Mrs. Rogers, our School Counselor, via email (ann_rogers@hcpss.org) or phone (410-313-6866). We will do our best to provide you with some gift cards to help with holiday meals and gifts.
Information Worth Repeating
Fundraiser Update schoolstore.com
As we are approaching the holiday season, please encourage family members, friends, and colleagues to use schoostore.com for gift purchases.
Weather Guidelines for Outdoor Recess
Exercise outdoors is healthy and is strongly encouraged. It provides a break from the regular school routine, a chance to get some outside air, and an opportunity to run off excess energy.
If conditions preclude the full recess time, even a five-minute break can revitalize children and prepare them for more sitting and academic learning. Children are expected to wear warm clothing to protect them during cold weather when participating in recess or outside activities.
The decision to go out or stay in for recess is the decision of the Administrator at individual schools. However, the following are to be considered in determining whether recess is to be held outside:
- Temperature and Windchill
- Age of students
- Length of time outdoors
- Adequacy of the children’s clothing
- Condition of the playground
- Falling precipitation (more than a sprinkle or mist)
Generally, it is assumed that students will be outside for recess when the temperature combined with the wind chill is not less than 20 degrees Fahrenheit. Children with certain health conditions may need special accommodations during extremely cold weather. Parents of those children should provide medical documentation and may be consulted to determine if other arrangements are necessary.
Unscheduled Weather-Related Late Openings and Early Closings
It’s hard to believe that winter is upon us already. With the threat of inclement weather, there may be occasions when unscheduled closings or delays take place. If you have subscribed to HCPSS School Messenger, you will receive official school system notifications of school closings, delayed openings, or early closings. Please review the phone numbers attached to your School Messenger account to ensure that they are up to date. Be sure to OPT IN to text messaging by providing your mobile phone number. To check your account settings on School Messenger, click here.
Our students’ safety is tremendously important. Although early dismissals rarely occur, it is important that plans for this type of dismissal be updated as they change. Please check your child's Family File found in HCPSS Connect to make sure that the information that you have entered is correct. To access Family File on HCPSS Connect, click here. In addition to checking for updated unscheduled early dismissal plans (located under the Arrival/Departure section), please be sure that phone numbers and emergency contacts are current. This extra step on your part will provide assurance to us that we may follow your directives knowing that you will have discussed this with all parties involved. Please share these procedures with your child(ren) so that they are aware of the plans for unscheduled early dismissals.
For more information on HCPSS emergency/weather closings, click here.
Lost and Found
Are you missing a jacket or sweatshirt? There is a very good chance your child's missing clothing is in our Lost & Found. The Lost & Found is located in the front hallway across from the Music Room. Please be sure to check the Lost & Found soon. We will donate all items to a local charity on November 27.
American Education Week
Reach, Educate, Inspire
During American Education Week, November 18—22, 2019, Americans nationwide will join the National Education Association (NEA) in raising awareness about the need to provide every child with a quality public education. The celebration highlights the importance of bringing together educators, parents, students, and communities in a unified effort to build great public schools. It also reflects NEA's vision of calling upon America to provide public school students with quality schools so that they can grow and achieve in the 21st century. As part of the celebration, we provide parents and guardians the opportunity to visit their child’s classroom during the week. Feel free to visit your child's classroom any day during the week. Please refer to the CCES Master Schedule below to help you guide your visitation.
When you visit, please be prepared to sign-in through the Lobby Guard kiosk in the office. You will need your driver's license to sign-in with Lobby Guard. As a reminder, we do not allow younger children in the classrooms when parents visit. Additionally, we ask for visitors to refrain from using their phones in the classroom. Please put your phone on silence or vibrate. If you need to use your phone or devise for any reason, please go to the front lobby or outside the building.
We look forward to our continued partnership in your child's education, and we are excited to see you in school during American Education Week.
CCES Master Schedule 9:00 a.m. - Noon
CCES Master Schedule
CCES Master Schedule Noon - 3:45 p.m.
Fall Parent-Teacher Conferences
Parent/Teacher Conferences are scheduled for November 25, 26, and 27.
Conferences will be with homeroom teachers and will focus on Language Arts.
To schedule conferences, you will need to login to HCPSS Connect.
Please take the time to schedule your conference while the conference scheduling window is open via HCPSS Connect from Monday, November 11 through Friday, November 22. It is very difficult to accommodate last-minute appointments once the scheduling window closes.
The directions for parent conference registration linked here from the HCPSS website. You can also download the directions from the icon below.
If you have any questions, please call the front office at 410-313-6866.
Please note: This is the first of two conference periods for the school year. There will be conferences following the end of the second quarter in February. The focus of those conferences will math where you will be able to meet with your child's math teacher.
Arrival and Dismissal Reminders
Right-Hand Turns PLEASE!
REMINDER
Quarterstaff Road and the crosswalk are not drop off locations. If you park on Quarterstaff Road, it is expected that you walk your child to the front of the building in the morning and meet your child at the front doors for afternoon pick-up. As adults, we have to create safe and predictable routines for our children. The way we have designed our arrival and dismissal helps to create safe routines. Thank you for your help.
Cougar Feedback
Fall Book Fair - Volunteers Needed
The Book Fair is coming! It will be open in the Media Center during Bingo Night on November 15, November 18-22 from 4 pm -7 pm, and November 25 and 26 from 1pm -7 pm during conferences. This is a big fundraiser for the PTA and a lot of fun so, please come shop and support CCES! We could use help with set-up and shifts throughout the week. Please sign up here: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/30E0D4FAEA62BA6FF2-cces