VES Newsletter EAGLE EXPRESS
NOVEMBER 6, 2021 - Vol.15 Issue #12
Perform Daily Health Checks
Parents/guardians should keep their children home if they are experiencing symptom(s) associated with any communicable disease. In addition, parents/guardians are to perform daily health checks for COVID-19 symptoms before the student leaves home.
NO WALK-IN VISITORS DURING THIS TIME
Robert Bruce, Principal - robert_bruce@hcpss.org
Alexcia Redd, Assistant Principal - alexcia_redd@hcpss.org
Jaime Gittleson, Administrative Intern - jaime_gittleson@hcpss.org
OFFICE HOURS 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Please call ahead 410-313-1700
Youmi Jun, Principal Secretary - youmi_jun@hcpss.org
Jane Pak, Teacher Secretary - jane_pak@hcpss.org
Maria Martinez, Teacher Secretary - maria_martinez@hcpss.org
Dulce Boyer, Teacher Secretary .5 - dulce_boyer@hcpss.org
Email: robert_bruce@hcpss.org
Website: ves.hcpss.org
Location: 4355 Montgomery Road, Ellicott City, MD, USA
Phone: 443-864-6808
INTERNATIONAL AND FAMILY SERVICE LINKS:
Para información y apoyo adicionales, por favor, llame al 410-313-1591.
欲知详情或想获得更多支持,请电 410-313-5920.
보다 자세한 문의와 지원을 원하시면, 410-313-1592 로 연락 주시기 바랍니다.
For all other language needs please contact Monica Ranta at 410-313-7102.
Weekly Message from our Principal
Dear Veterans Community,
The recent message from Superintendent Dr. Michael Martirano drives home the point that we are certainly "in this together". We have all been impacted by the pandemic and we have handled it as best as we can. The important thing to remember is that we must work together to ensure your children get the best education possible. School system policies govern much of our decision making at the school level. Our decisions are based on the wisdom of teaching children over the years. We may not always agree but we must disagree in a civil manner and follow the appeals process if necessary. Generally speaking, the Veterans community has always been supportive of school efforts, we appreciate the civility shown by our community. This is not always the case, even our school is not immune from the issues discussed in Dr. Martirano's statement. I am including the text of Dr. Martirano's statement just in case you missed it.
Robert C. Bruce
Principal- Veterans Elementary School
410-313-1700
Every Day Counts !
Connectedness Strategic Responsibility Arranger Intellection
Statement by Michael Martirano, HCPSS Superintendent
The following statement was issued to Howard County Public School System staff, students, families and community by HCPSS Superintendent Michael Martirano during the Board of Education meeting Nov. 2, 2021. Read the Superintendent’s full remarks online.
Civility Reminder
We have all been under a huge strain for many months, with the heavy weight of a seemingly endless pandemic piled on by a contentious political environment, natural disasters, and periods of social unrest.
Many are feeling exhausted and overwhelmed by stress, fear and conflict, and it’s understandable that nerves are frayed. But what is not acceptable is when people release their angst by lashing out at others. It is particularly disturbing that too many have lashed out at a member of the school health team, a teacher, front office staff, bus driver or other staff member to express their indignation or disagreement about our safety protocols or any number of other issues.
I am greatly dismayed that many dedicated staff members have been the target of verbal abuse and angry emails and social media posts from unhappy parents or community members. Disagreement is acceptable and collaboration with parents is essential to the educational process, but I urge everybody to please refrain from vitriolic language and actions towards our hardworking staff. It is demoralizing and counterproductive to our mission of educating and nurturing students.
Please understand, school health staff, teachers, bus drivers and other staff members are exceptionally dedicated individuals doing their best and working their hardest to nurture, educate and protect students during extremely challenging circumstances. Quite simply, they are heroes, and they deserve our gratitude and respect at all times, even when they must carry out a protocol or practice that someone doesn’t agree with.
Since the start of the school year, we’ve observed that many students are needing to relearn acceptable behaviors and appropriate social skills. Please remember, parents and guardians are our children’s first and most important teachers. Your child is always watching and modeling your behavioral cues. Make sure your actions and words reflect the kind of behavior you want your child to learn.
NOVEMBER: Native American Heritage Month
3 - End of 1st Marking Period
4 - NO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS - PD Day (Prof. Work Day)
10 - Report Cards Issued via posting in HCPSSConnect Synergy
22 - Schools Close 3 Hours Early Dismissal at 12:55 p.m.: Parent-Teacher Conferences
23 - Schools Close 3 Hours Early Dismissal at 12:55 p.m.: Parent-Teacher Conferences
24 -NO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS: Parent-Teacher Conferences
24 - Schools and Offices Closed for Thanksgiving Holiday (State mandated)
25 - Schools and Offices Closed for Thanksgiving Holiday (State mandated)
Academic Resources for Quarantined Students
If your child needs to quarantine, we have instructional materials for them to stay engaged in academics while they are away from the classroom. These materials include the following:
Robust Instructional Packets - These large packets will be sent home with students are on quarantine. These packets are grade level specific.
Synchronous Support Sessions - Each ELA and Math teacher will offer synchronous sessions that quarantine students can access. Teachers will send the dates/times and login information for these sessions.
Canvas Materials - There may be activities on Canvas that students can complete. Your child's teacher will communicate this to parents when a student is quarantined.
Dreambox, Typing Agent and LexiaCore will be available for students to utilize.
Evening School - This program offers academic enrichment for those students who are put on quarantine. If you want your child to participate in this, please email Alexcia Redd. Her email address is alexcia_redd@hcpss.org.
If your child is quarantined and left their Chromebook at school, please call the front office to arrange a pick-up time to get your child's device. This will allow them to access the above supports. If your child does not have a Chromebook assigned to them, a Chromebook will be assigned to them if they need to be quarantined. In the event that your child is not in school when they are placed on quarantine, you can contact the front office to arrange a pick-up time to get a device.
Please contact your child's teacher or the front office if you have any questions or concerns.
Early Dismissals must be prior to 3:30 pm
* Please bring your phone to scan the QR code to sign out student(s) for Early Dismissal.
** Please also be prepared to present your Photo ID
At this time, we can't allow students to take a different bus other than their assigned bus due to COVID.
After 3:30pm, students will be dismissed at VES normal 3:55pm dismissal with the Car Riders.
* ATTN: PARENTS/GUARDIANS ARE RESTRICTED FROM BOARDING SCHOOL BUSES *
For the safety and security of the children - parents/guardians are not allowed to board and pull their child/children from a school bus at any time, especially during our dismissal.
PARENTS/GUARDIANS, YOU DO NOT HAVE PERMISSION TO BOARD SCHOOL BUSES.
See an Administrator or Front Office Secretary for assistance!
No Transportation Changes can be accommodated During Dismissal
*Please reserve any last minute requests for
EMERGENCIES ONLY*
~Help us keep your children safe ~
Making these requests causes confusion and leaves a lot of room for errors during the mass exodus!
Any transportation changes made after 3:30pm is disruptive to the VES dismissal process.
Please do not call or enter the school building requesting a staff member to pull your child from their normal dismissal plan.
Accessing Quarter 1 Report Cards
Report cards will be issued Wednesday, Nov. 10 and accessible via HCPSS Connect Synergy. Parents/guardians may access them following the instructions for accessing report cards online. Answers to frequently asked questions on grades and testing can be found online.
Hey, VES Family!
READ-A-THON IS ON! 1 Week Left!
This week Ms. Lim's class jumped in the lead followed by Ms. Grady-Johnson's and Ms. Kleinow's classes for fundraising! Ms. Yi's class is almost in the top 3! Can you help your class catch them!
Join us for our annual Read-A-Thon and fundraiser through Read-A-Fun (formerly Whooo's Reading). Reach out to us if you didn't receive your log in info.
Get ready to read, connect with your friends, and decorate your owl!
Read-A-Thon runs October 25 - November 14
Contact Nelly if you have any questions at Nellyaw@yahoo.com
BOOK FAIR STARTS MONDAY!
Our Scholastic book fair is moving online this year! It will run from Nov 8 - Nov 21.
Look for the launch email on Monday!
SPIRITWEAR PICK UP
We got over 80 orders! That's a lot of school spirit!
Amie has reached out to each family who ordered. Please email her your child's name and class so she may drop off orders at school and send them home with your child. They will arrive by early December at the latest.
Email Amie if you have any questions amiekhouse@hotmail.com
STAFF WISH LIST - NEW REQUESTS LISTED
Take a peek at the link and see if your teacher needs any supplies for the kids.
A drop off bin is available in the school lobby or send supplies in with your kids. Please put donations in a bag labeled with the teachers/staff name. You may also directly ship supplies to the staff at school.
Our community is so generous! Thank you in advance for being so dedicated to our school.
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1QhMIVuFgMNzBcAUZonvHwliMREk78RXap9wqkDxnM2I/edit?usp=sharing
Thank you to the following families for your donations already:
Hull, Winchester, Donovan, Chase, Moore, Johnson, Escobar, Adornetto, Borries, Fessler, Georgetti, Chao, Kashalkar, Barth, Maiti, and Park Families.
Contact Cara Adornetto at doctorcia@gmail.com if you have any questions.
REFLECTIONS NATIONAL ART CONTEST - 2 weeks left to submit!
"I Will Change the World By"... is the 2021-2022 Contest Theme
Veterans Elementary will participate in this year's "Art Reflections Contest led by the National PTA. All students are encouraged to explore and express themselves using the theme "I Will Change The World By...
Categories include: Dance Choreography, Literature, Music Composition, Photography, Visual Arts.
Submission deadline will be November 22
Submission forms were sent home last week or can be printed from here:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1wx6eT9iFTuDJhffi31XPc94wBeoREO7x/view?usp=sharing
If you would like to participate, but art supplies are a financial burden please reach out to the PTA at reflectionsves@gmail.com.
If you would like to join the Reflections Committee, we will need 2-3 more parents to help us judge the artwork and send it into the county level. Email reflectionsves@gmail.com if interested.
HOWARD COUNTY PTA
Want to keep up to date on issues affecting Howard County Schools? Check the meeting minutes from the County PTA meetings. They are very informative.
http://www.ptachc.org/?page_id=547
SIGN UP TO VOLUNTEER!
We have committee openings to help plan events for the kids!
Use this link to see your options.
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/60B0549A5A62EA4FE3-ptacommittee
JOIN THE PTA! Our Goal is 300 families! veterans.memberhub.com/store
We would love 100 more families to join this year! Help us hit our goal!
Parents, please join the PTA using the website above. Membership dues allow us to fund all the activities we run! You do not have to volunteer when you join.
Questions: Email Kim Davis at kimberlydavis410@gmail.com
Follow us on Facebook
Volunteer/Observer Vaccine Requirements
All volunteers and chaperones who interact with students, as well as current HCPSS students who attend a field trip or volunteer at a different school during the school day, are required to use the PinPoint platform to show proof of full vaccination at least five school days in advance. This requirement does not apply to HCPSS students who are going to another school as part of their academic schedule. Vaccination and testing requirements for other community stakeholders are outlined online.
COVID-19 Self-Screenings
All parents/guardians are to perform a COVID-19 health check every day before your student leaves home. Students are not to come to school if they are experiencing any symptom(s) associated with COVID-19 or other communicable disease.
COMMUNITY NEWS
Please visit the HCPSS website Community News and Programs site for upcoming events and programs sponsored by non-profit organizations.
HCPSS 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.
ADDRESS CHANGE FORM: FILLABLE_Change_of_Address.pdf
MOVING into VES: FILLABLE_VES RequestforRecords.pdf
We can assist you to obtain student records from their prior school by filling out the
Request for Records form and emailing it back to the registrar.
MOVING AWAY/ Withdraw from VES: FILLABE_Withdrawal form
Please initiate the process by filling out the HCPSS Withdrawal Form and email it back to the registrar.
VES REMINDERS: Worth Repeating...
A Message from the Counseling Office
Holiday gift card drive and raffle
We are going to be doing a holiday gift card drive and raffle this year at VES. We are looking for donations of Amazon, Target, or Walmart gift cards in a suggested amount of $25.
Gift cards that we collect will be given to families in our community who are in need this holiday season. If your family is interested in donating a gift card and have any questions, please contact Julie Wentz (julie_wentz@hcpss.org) or Jessica Wilson-Carr (jessica_wilson@hcpss.org). Please send any gift cards to Youmi Jun in the front office by Monday, December 6, 2021.
If your family is interested in entering the raffle to receive gift cards (to either Target, Amazon, or Walmart), please let us know HERE. While we cannot guarantee that we will be able to support every family who enters the raffle, our goal is to support as many families as we can.
School Rainbow Representatives
Safe Space Posters
Around our school, you will see some "Safe Space" posters. Sometimes, for a variety of reasons, a person, or certain group of people, might feel unsafe to show their true colors for fear that others might treat them differently, or refer to them in an unkind way.At HCPSS, it is our priority to make sure every student not only is safe, but also feels safe to be their authentic and true selves. We hope our Safe Space posters serve as a reminder that there is a trusted adult you can go to who is an ally to the LGBTQ+ community, who will affirm a student's chosen name and pronouns, and who will not disclose information to others about identity and orientation if a student shares that information. Teachers who have this poster in their classrooms have declared their space a safe space for ALL students.
Below are the SY2021-22 standardized testing window dates:
Grade specific dates and testing details are communicated in advance of each assessment. Dates subject to change.
Grades 1-8 MAP Reading/Math: Oct. 18 - Nov. 5
Grades 3 & 5 CogAT: Jan 18 - Feb. 4
Grades K-5 Access for ELLS: Jan. 10 - Feb. 18
Grade 5 MISA: March 14 - 25
Grades 1-8 MAP Reading/Math: April 4 - April 29
Grades 3-5 MCAP ELA/Math: May 4 - June 3
ARRIVAL DOORS OPEN AT 9:15AM
Late Arrivals by car-riders:
Beginning at 9:25 a.m., Parent/guardian must sign-in the student(s) "TARDY".
* Notify by 2:00PM
** At this time, we can't allow students to take a different bus other than their assigned bus due to COVID.
Please send any dismissal changes for the day no later than 2:00 p.m. to VEStransportation@hcpss.org.
Include
student's name, date(s), and the details of the changes
(ex: will be a car rider instead of the bus, early pick-up, etc).
* cc the homeroom teacher on the email.
VESabsence@hcpss.org
Send Student Attendance-related notifications directly to: VESabsence@hcpss.org
when student will be absent due to illness, appointments, religious, or travel obligations.
Submit copies of doctor/appointment excuse note here as well.
HCPSS EXTENDED or DISCRETIONARY STUDENT ABSENCE FORM
Stay Informed:
HCPSS electronic School Messenger
Once you have created an HCPSS Login Account/ ParentVue upon completing the student registration, you will automatically be part of our email communication, School Messenger.
We are “green” and do not send hard copies of newsletters and other notices, so your electronic connection to the school is important even over the summer.
Email & Text Alerts
HCPSS News emails and text alerts keep families up-to-date on news and events, and deliver real-time notices of emergency closings and information. All HCPSS News subscriptions are generated from the information provided in Family File. Parents/guardians of previously enrolled HCPSS students do not need to sign up for, or manage an HCPSS News account. Parents/guardians who are new to the system are automatically enrolled for email notification and must opt in to text alerts.
Emergency Notifications
In times of emergency situations, information will be shared with the community through our website, social media, text, email and weather hotline. All parents automatically receive email messaging and new parents need to opt in to text messaging (see above). Unsubscribing from any school or district email or text will unsubscribe a user from all messaging, including emergency notifications.
EE ARCHIVE - Previous Issues SY2021-22
Issue #11 - October 30, 2021
Issue #10 - October 24, 2021
Issue #9 - October 16, 2021
Issue #8 - October 9, 2021
Issue #7 - October 2, 2021
Access complete archive on the main school website: VES.hcpss.org
LOCAL COMMUNITY RESOURCES & EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITY POSTS
Okinawan Karate
Girl Scouts
For more information, contact Lauren Oviatt at VeteransGS@gmail.com
Cub Scout Pack#305
For information, please contact Heidi Potter at heidi@shmoo.com