Clemens Crossing Cougar Comments
February 5, 2021 - Volume 42, Issue 23
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
February
- 5 - Parent Teacher Conference scheduling window Closes
- 5 - Report Cards Issued at 4:00 p.m.
- 5 - SURVEY DUE for Instructional Preference for Remainder of 20-21 School Year
- 10 - ELA MAP Testing, 9:00 a.m.
- 10 - Parent-Teacher Conferences
- 11 - Half Day Schedule - (Orange Day): Parent-Teacher Conferences
- 12 - School Closed for Professional Work Day
- 12 - Lunar New Year
- 15 - Schools and Offices Closed for President's Day
- 17 - PTA Meeting, 7:00 p.m. - Google Meet code: cces-pta
March
- 1 - NEW Schedule will Start
- 1 - Hybrid Model Begins for identified students (5 days a week)
- 8 - Kindergarten Registration Begins
- 15 - Hybrid Model Begins for identified students in grade K, 1, and 2
- 17 - School Picture Day
- 29 - Hybrid Model Begins for identified students in grade 3, 4, and 5
April
- 2 - Spring Break - Schools and Offices closed
- 5 - Spring Break - Schools and Offices Closed
- 6 - Spring Break - Schools Closed
- 14 - End of 3rd marking period - Schools Close 3 Hours Early
FROM SCHOOL ADMINISTRATION
Third-quarter is here. Report cards can be accessed in Family File at 4:00 p.m. on 2/5 and we are preparing for parent conferences next week. On top of the traditional third-quarter milestones and routines, we are very busy planning and preparing for the new hybrid model. As of Thursday afternoon, over 85% of our students have completed surveys indicating their preference for the start of in-person instruction or the continuation of virtual learning. In the coming weeks, I will be sharing a lot of information and logistics in preparation for our new hybrid model. In the meantime, the givens are as follows:
- Hybrid Model - The new hybrid model will start on Monday, March 1 with Group E students starting in-person instruction at school. Students in Group E are students who have individualized learning plans and/or other needs identified by our student support team.
- New School Hours - Starting March 1, CCES will have new school hours for all students both in-person and at home in the virtual setting. Our new hours will be 9:35 a.m. to 4:05 p.m.
- Extended and Updated Schedule - Starting March 1, we will operate using a schedule that looks very similar to our pre-COVID school schedule. The new school schedule will be for both in-person and virtual students. Classes will take place on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays for all students; Asynchronous Wednesdays.
Group E students will have in-person instruction in the mornings on Wednesdays. We will share the schedule for the entire school very soon. Additionally, grade-level teams and teachers will communicate details for breaks, small group meetings, independent work within the larger schedule window.
Once we process all of the survey preferences, we will cohort students in order to implement the phased-in start for hybrid learning. The phase-in approach for CCES is as follows:
- Phase 1 - Group E starts in-person March 1
- Phase 2 - Group A/B in Kindergarten, 1st grade, and 2nd grade start March 15
- Phase 3 - Group A/B in 3rd, 4th, and 5th grades start March 29
Students who are not opting to come into school are called Group V (virtual). Group V will start following the new schedule on March 1 just like Group A, B, and E.
Prior to the start of each phase, we will have online orientations for students and their families.
Mr. Cosentino
This is the perfect time to assess where your child is academically so that you can work with her or him to establish or reestablish goals for the second half of the school. Please read the selection below from the National Association of Elementary School Principals.
REPORT TO PARENTS: GOAL SETTING
The middle of the school year is a great time for families to check in with students on goals. Setting academic and personal goals helps motivate, energize, and focus students, and it is a valuable skill that will benefit learners throughout their lives. Parents can help students set and achieve these goals.Goal-setting can be tedious, even intimidating, for some students. Parents can support students in this process by following these steps: pick it, map it, do it, own it, and celebrate it.
Pick it. Encourage your child to consider his or her dreams and passions and pick goals that are important and meaningful. Guide your child to think about, “What motivates me? What would inspire me to give my best effort? What would make me feel good while I’m doing it? What achievement would make me feel proud?”
Map it. After your child picks a goal, help map the path from where he or she is now to where the child wants to be. Offer the following analogy: If we want to drive across the country from New York to California, we don’t just get in our car and start driving—we get a map, pick a route, and follow it until we get to California. With your child, analyze different approaches and define clear steps to reach their goal. For instance, if the goal is to get a higher test grade in a tough subject, each quiz or project is a step on the path to the higher goal: earning an A.
Do it. Once you and your child have mapped a path to their goal, encourage him or her to take action, focus on the first step, and give it his or her best effort. Remind your child that no goal is ever reached without focused action.
Own it. As your child makes progress toward their goal, help him or her to take responsibility for making it happen. Teach the mantra, “If it’s to be, it’s up to me!” Reflect with your child. Ask, “How are you doing? What’s working? What’s not working? What can you or your family change to get to this goal?” From there, analyze the map and make changes to the plan if necessary. Help your child keep a positive attitude and own mistakes as well as successes. Remind your child that if something comes along that holds him or her back temporarily to look at the experience as feedback. Failures, or bumps in the road, can provide us with information we need to succeed. Reinforce the message that we can learn from our mistakes and move on with new, valuable knowledge.
Celebrate it. Acknowledgment and celebrations are huge parts of achieving goals. Acknowledge every effort and celebrate your child’s mini-successes along the way to achieving a goal. This builds his or her confidence and motivation. Your child will feel good and understand that perseverance will result in another mini-success, and finally, goal achievement. Try going through the goal-setting process as a family. Pick a family goal (perhaps a charitable activity) and work together to achieve it. After the family experience, have each family member pick a personal goal. Support and acknowledge one another as you move through the above steps. Success is assured when students believe in themselves and in their ability to achieve. Parents are key to helping them believe and succeed. The middle of the school year is a great time for families to check in with students on goals. Setting academic and personal goals help motivate, energize, and focus students, and it is a valuable skill that will benefit learners throughout their lives. Parents can help students set and achieve these goals.
Report to Parents, written to serve elementary and middle-level principals, may be reproduced by the National Association of Elementary School Principals members without permission. It can be posted to school websites, blogs, or sent via email. Back issues are available to members at naesp.org.
NEW INFORMATION
Early Dismissal Schedules for February 11
Since all students are engaged in virtual learning through the end of February, the early dismissal schedules for February 11 will follow the same schedule as previous early dismissal days. The master schedule for early dismissal is displayed below. February 11 is an orange day, so Grades 1, 3, and 5 have orange day related arts. Grades K, 2, and 4 have content.
No Asynchronous Related Arts Assignments for the Week of February 8
Spelling Bee
Congratulations to all of the spellers who participated in the 2021 CCES Spelling Bee. I am delighted to announce that the winner is Marco Platino, a fifth grader, and the runner-up is John Genovese, also a fifth grader. Marco will participate in the Howard County Spelling Bee, which includes winners from the county in grades 4-8. Good luck Marco!
COVID-19 Vaccinations for Staff
If their appointment conflicts with a synchronized lesson, they have been approved to take that available time slot. They will do their best to avoid any conflict. If their vaccination appointment does conflict with their teaching schedule, teachers will create a video lesson and/or asynchronous work, and they will clearly communicate that change to students and parents/guardians ahead of time. Thank you for your flexibility and understanding.
Black History Month
Black History Month was created to focus attention on the contributions of African Americans to the United States. It honors all Black people from all periods of U.S. history, from the enslaved people first brought over from Africa in the early 17th century to African Americans living in the United States today. This newsletter has resources that can be utilized in the classroom or at home to celebrate Black History Month. Throughout the month of February, Clemens Crossing Elementary School will recognize Black History Month and highlight the many accomplishments of African Americans.
There are a number of resources our teachers use throughout the school year and in February. There quite a number of excellent resources including the PBS Kids video below that are examples of resources teachers use during their instruction.
We also want to share read aloud books for kids from Netflix Jr. Many of these books can be found in our library and the Howard County Public Library. Last year, when our entire staff took a field trip to the National Museum of African American History and Culture, we processed our experience as individuals and a collective group. One outcome was the expectation that we share a wide and diverse range of literature with our students. We want our students to see themselves and their friends in the literature that is used for instruction and for reading pleasure.
Read Alouds
- "I Love My Hair" read by Tiffany Haddish,
- "I Am Enough" read by Grace Byers,
- "Crown: An Ode to the Fresh Cut" read by Caleb McLaughlin,
- "Sulwe" read by Lupita Nyong'o,
- "ABCs For Girls Like Me" read by Marsai Martin,
- "I Am Perfectly Designed" read by Karamo Brown,
- "Pretty Brown Face" and "Brown Boy Joy" read by Jill Scott,
- "Firebird" read by Misty Copeland,
- "Let's Talk About Race" read by Common,
- "The Day You Begin" read by Jacqueline Woodson,
- "Antiracist Baby" read by Kendrick Sampson, and
- "We March" read by Marley Dias.
HELP WANTED: Lunch and Recess Monitors & Classroom Monitors
We would like to make our community aware of several temporary positions that will be available.
- Lunch/Recess Monitor- These individuals supervise students at lunch and/or recess, under the supervision of CCES staff.
- Classroom Monitor- If a teacher is unable to return to teaching in person due to health issues, a monitor would be hired to supervise the classroom of 6-7 students while the teacher continues teaching virtually.
These are temporary employment positions with no benefits except for Sick and Safe Leave.
The normal rate is $11.75 but this will be increased during this hybrid period to $14.25 per hour for LRM's and Classroom Monitors.
If interested please file an application at the Human Resources, https://www.hcpss.org/employment/
CCES Students Win Top Prizes in Howard County!
The PTA is proud to announce that four Clemens Crossing students have taken top prizes in Reflections at the Howard County Level.
- Marco Platino won 2nd prize (Award of Excellence) at the Howard County Level in Intermediate Film Production.
- Amy Kikanzira won 1st prize (Outstanding Interpretation) at the Howard County Level in Primary Literature.
- Harrison Abbamonte won 2nd prize (Award of Excellence) at the Howard County Level in Primary Literature.
- Stella Platino won 1st prize (Outstanding Interpretation) at the Howard County Level in Primary Visual Arts.
All of these entries will now go on to compete at the state level. Congratulations to all! To see all of the amazing Reflections entries from Clemens Crossing, please take a look at our Virtual Art Gallery: https://www.emaze.com/@AOTORRTFT/reflections-art-show
Do you need to exchange or return your Chromebook?
Devices may be exchanged or returned at any of the following Technology Support Centers:
- Old Bushy Park Elementary School, Room E2 (door to the left of the front entrance), 2690 Route 97, Glenwood (Building is between Glenwood Middle School and Bushy Park Elementary School)
- Applications Research Laboratory (ARL), Room B37 (door to the right of the front entrance), 10920 Clarksville Pike
Hours of operation are Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 7:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m., and Tuesday and Thursday from 2-5 p.m. Please note that Technology Support Centers are closed any day that HCPSS offices are closed.
Math MAP - February 10
On Wednesday, February 10th, students in grades 1-8 will take the Measured Academic Progress (MAP) assessment for Math. The data from the MAP assessment will help schools and teachers measure where your child is starting the year academically. The HCPSS intends to also give the assessment in winter and spring to measure how your child’s learning is progressing throughout the year. The MAP test does not affect grades and the difficulty adjusts depending on how your child responds. It is normal for students to only answer about half of the questions correctly. To learn more about the MAP assessment, please visit https://www.nwea.org/the-map-suite/common-questions-families/.
The Math test will be offered on February 10th from 9 am-11 am. Homeroom teachers will send a reminder through Canvas Announcement, including the Google Meet code, which will be the normal code students use to sign in to their homeroom class each day. If your child is unable to attend, makeup testing will be offered on February 17th. More information about make-up testing times and codes will be sent next Friday through Cougar Comments and Canvas announcements. If you have questions regarding testing, please email Sonia Hurd, School Testing Coordinator.
2nd Quarter Report Cards Available 2/5/21 at 4:00 p.m.
You may recall that due to the challenges with adjusting to virtual learning, the Howard County Public School System made some temporary changes to grading that may have been reflected on your child’s Q1 Report Card. Specifically, students in primary grades earned either an I (Independent) or W (With Assistance) if they had engaged in synchronous instruction, and students in intermediate grades received A, B or C grades if they had engaged in synchronous instruction.
As was mentioned at the time, those changes were put in place for the 1st quarter only. For Q2 SY20-21 grades, teachers will assign the appropriate grade based on student performance. In the primary grades that means students may receive an I (Independent), W (With Assistance), or N (Not Apparent at this Time). In the intermediate grades, students may receive any grade from A to E.
The end of the 2nd quarter was Thursday, January 28th and report cards will be available for viewing online tomorrow, Friday, February 05. Parents/guardians may view/download report cards by taking the following steps:
- Log in to HCPSS Connect Synergy
- Select More Options from the left panel
- Select Report Cards from the middle
- Select the report card you wish to access
If you have any questions about 2nd quarter grading, please contact your child’s teacher.
INFORMATION WORTH REPEATING
February PTA Meeting
Please use your child's Chromebook to access the Google Meet. The code is cces-pta.
Wednesday, Feb 17, 2021, 07:00 PM
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February is Kindness Month at CCES
We are declaring February to be Kindness Month! February 17th is “Random Acts of Kindness Day.” Although we cannot all be together this year to celebrate, we are providing our families with a calendar of kind ideas: CCES Kindness Calendar. Doing something kind for others can brighten up our days and lift our spirits!
As your child completes activities, feel free to send photos to Mr. Cosentino (ecosentino@hcpss.org) so that he can share on our social media accounts.
Road to Kindergarten
Kindergarten Registration kicks off the week of March 8, 2021.
The HCPSS Getting Ready for Kindergarten page, which includes resources to support kindergarten readiness and online registration, has been updated with additional information and resources for families. This includes information that is typically covered in the Road to Kindergarten live event, such as kindergarten readiness, the kindergarten program, and registering children for school. The live Road To Kindergarten events will not take place this year due to the pandemic. We also encourage families to visit the HCPSS Grade K Family and Community Resources page for more information about the kindergarten instructional program and ways families can support their children at home. The Prekindergarten Family and Community Resources page also contains resources for families and providers for children currently in their prekindergarten year. The Transition to Kindergarten Workgroup is working on additional readiness resources that can be implemented at home or in early learning centers - these resources will also be posted on the Getting Ready for Kindergarten page this winter.
"Books & Bundts" Reading Program
Nothing Bundt Cakes at 10730 Little Patuxent Parkway in Columbia is offering a youth reading incentive program for Grades Pre-K to 5th from January 15 to March 31, 2021! Click the flyer below describing the program.
Just use the attached Book Tracker to keep track of the books and minutes your child reads. When they reach 400+ minutes, take the tracker to Nothing Bundt Cakes and your child will receive a free "Bundtlet" and an award certificate.
Happy Reading!
The Virtual Magic Show from the CCES PTA
The PTA is excited to offer students the opportunity to attend The Virtual Magic Show with Jay Mattioli on Thursday, February 11th at 1 pm. This is a half-day for students. The interactive show will last 55 minutes and take place via Zoom. Please RSVP to the Evite here http://evite.me/jHUPfVAYFx
The Zoom link for the show will be emailed through the Evite prior to the event.
Please email any questions to Allie at mcdonald.allie@gmail.com
HELP WANTED FOR PTA
The PTA is looking for some help. We need volunteers for the following committees: Nominating, Bylaws, and Auditing. All of these will meet virtually just a few times in the spring. Please email president@clemenscrossingpta.org or vicepresident@clemenscrossingpta.org for more info.
MAP Testing Reminder
On Wednesday February 3rd and 10th, students in grades 1-5 will take the Measured Academic Progress (MAP) assessment. The data from the MAP assessment will help schools and teachers measure your student’s academic progress. The MAP test does not affect grades and the difficulty adjusts depending on how your child responds. It is normal for students to only answer about half the questions correctly. To learn more about the MAP assessment, please visit: https://www.nwea.org/the-map-suite/common-questions-families/
The reading test will be offered on February 3rd from 9-11 am. The math test will be offered on February 10th from 9-11 am. If your child is unable to attend, makeup testing will be offered during asynchronous learning times. Teachers will share Google Meet information and your student’s testing group through Canvas.
End of 2nd Quarter and Grading
Grading
Grades for all classes are a combination of assignments in class and online, observational data, and assesments. Please note, at the elementary level the gradebook may not reflect the final grade for a particular class as teachers collect many data points during class that are not always captured in the Canvas gradebook.
If your child receives a grade lower than a C, the teacher will have notified you prior to receipt of your student(s) report card. Again, grades are a reflection of completed assignments both online and in class, observations and assessments. Teachers have reached out to families where there have been concerns with completion of assignments, participation and/or attendance. Please let your teacher(s) and/or administration know if you need assistance with completion of any assignments or have attendance issues. We are here to support all students in achieving success in this virtual learning environment.
Related Arts -- Please make sure your student(s) has all assignments for all Related Arts completed and submitted before the end of the semester (January 28). Please access the gradebook in Canvas to verify all assignments are turned in. If you have any questions about Related Arts grades or assignments, please email or use Canvas Inbox to contact your child’s Related Arts teachers.
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.