Veterans Elementary Eagle Express
September 6, 2019 - Volume 1, Issue 2
Soar to Excellence!
School Mission
Veterans Elementary School promotes life-long learning by embracing its diversity, providing students with dynamic classroom experiences and exposing them to the cultural arts in a climate that is rigorous, safe, nuturing and respectful.
Veterans Elementary School
Amy Green, Assistant Principal
Derek Lewis, Assistant Principal
School Start and Dismissal Times: 9:25 a.m. - 3:55 p.m.
Send Transportation Changes for your child to: vestransportation@hcpss.org
Send Attendance Notes to school via vesattendance@hcpss.org
Email: robert_bruce@hcpss.org
Website: ves.hcpss.org
Location: 4355 Montgomery Road, Ellicott City, MD, USA
Phone: 410-313-1700
From the Principal
School started on Tuesday September 3rd. All of our students came ready to learn. We want all of our students to have a great school year. There are several documents which are no longer printed by the county. They include the 2019-2020 HCPSS School Calendar and the 2019-2020 Student-Parent Handbook. Both are available to be printed online at https://www.hcpss.org
or see links below.
Important Upcoming Dates and Events
September
- 6 - School Begins for RECC and Prekindergarten students.
- 16 - Back to School Night for Kindergarten and Grade 1
- 18 - Back to School Night for Grade 2 and Grade 3
- 19 - Back to School Night for Grade 4 and Grade 5
- 30 - Schools and Offices Closed
HCPSS Calendars
There will be no printed 2019-2020 calendars. Staff, students, and families may add our online calendar to their own mobile/online calendar by
- Going to https://www.hcpss.org/calendar/
- Scrolling down to subscribe to a Calendar
- Right-clicking on the calendar you wish to subscribe to
- Selecting Copy Link Location/Address/Shortcut
- Adding to your calendar of choice (See your calendar for specifics on adding a new calendar)
You also may view and/or download printable PDFs of the full calendar and/or important dates only. Updates to the PDFs will be noted on the HCPSS calendar page.
PLEASE NOTE: The calendar is subject to change. The online calendar reflects the most recent version.
Important Links for Attendance Notes and Transportation Changes
Attendance Notes - Please send all attendance notes to VESattendance@hcpss.org. Please include first and last name. If your child will be absent for more than 3 days, please come to the school to fill out an extended absence form.
Transportation Changes - Please send all transportation changes to VEStransportation@hcpss.org.
The school should be notified whenever a child’s transportation changes at the end of the School day. Early dismissal is not a transportation change. It is an attendance issue. Please send transportation changes no earlier than the day before and no later than 2:00 p.m. of the same day. It is very difficult to keep track of changes of almost 1000 children outside of this time frame.
2019-2020 Student Parent Handbook
The 2019-2020 Student Parent Handbook will be available by mid-September online as well. You may reach the Student Code of Conduct now at the following link:
https://www.hcpss.org/f/aboutus/student-handbook/student-code-of-conduct.pdf
Cell Phones:
Parents are reminded that cell phones may not be carried by students during the school day. We ask that students place cell phones in their backpacks in the “off” mode.
Ringing cell phones cause a distraction to the instructional day. Parents usually provide a cell phone concerned about student safety on the way to and from school. The phones are for emergency use only. Due to concerns about inappropriate cell phone use on the bus, we ask students to keep these in their backpacks while on the bus as well.
HCPSS Student Registration Information
School Bus Riders
Bus Locator: http://hcpss-gis.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=06528401636a4a48b1ef681c66a61a07
Riding buses to which you are not assigned can cause capacity issues on the bus. The Transportation Office must approve any deviations from the established assignment.
School Lunch
If you owe money to the school system, your child will be served an alternative lunch which is at a reduced rate. Please keep your child’s lunch/breakfast accounts up to date:
https://www.myschoolbucks.com/ver2/login/getmain?requestAction=home
Elementary School Lunch – $2.75
Middle/High School Lunch – $3.25
Reduced Price Lunch – $0.30 (Find out how to qualify)
Milk (1/2 pint) – $0.50
For information related to setting up your child’s lunch account and how to apply for Free or Reduced Priced Meals, please go to:
https://www.hcpss.org/food-services/
Procedure for morning breakfast: Upon entering the building at 9:15 a.m., the student is to go directly to the Cafeteria to get their breakfast and take it to their classroom.
School Parking Lot Tips:
1. When you drive onto the lot and see the school electronic sign, all school buses will turn to the right. No cars should go to the right. Parents wishing to drop students off go to the left-hand side along the curb.
2. Students stay in the car until they reach the curb of the front door. Students exit the car from the curbside, never on the driver’s side.
3. Do not drive down another aisle. Students would have to cross significant traffic as car traffic is diverted once individuals drop their child off at school to these aisles.
4. Please be patient. Everyone waits in the same line. Everyone is trying to get to work. If you have a concern about waiting, please place your child on the school bus. The line will move if everyone cooperates.
5. Do not park along the curb in the parent drop off lane or bus loop. Park in an officially designated spot if you must leave your car.
6. Never leave a car unattended in the parent drop off lane.
7. Please drive no faster than 10 mph. We are a school zone.
8. The Howard County Police do enforce the spots for Handicapped Parking. Please do not park here unless you have an active permit visible.