Clemens Crossing Cougar Comments
January 12, 2018 - VOLUME 39, ISSUE 15
Clemens Crossing Elementary School
Elizabeth Yankle, 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
Events Coming Up
visit cces.hcpss.org/calendar.
January
- 15 - Schools Closed - Martin Luther King Jr. Day
- 17 - Family Fit Night, 6:00 p.m. (snow date 1/24)
- 17 - CCES Community Outreach, 6:00 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. - CCES Cafeteria
- 18 - Clarksville MS 6th Grade Orientation, 6:30 p.m.
- 19 - Change Matters Presentation - during lunch shifts
- 19 - Geography Bee, 2:30 p.m.
- 22 - The Great Kindness Challenge Starts Spirit Day #1: Crazy or Colorful Sock Day
- 22 - Change Matters Collection starts for Grassroots Homeless Shelter
- 23 - PTA Restaurant Night at Grotto's Pizza
- 23 - Spirit Day #2: Kindness Counts - wear something with numbers
- 23 - Wilde Lake MS 6th Grade Orientation, 7:00 p.m.
- 23 - Dr. Martirano Town Hall Meeting, 7:00 p.m. at OMHS,
- 24 - Spirit Day #3: Wild About Kindness - dress like an animal or wear animal print
- 24 - Family Fit Night snow date
- 25 - Spirit Day #4: Respecting Differences - wear clothes with different patterns or colors
- 25 - Winter Concert - Strings, 6:30 p.m. & Band, 7:30 p.m. (also Live on Twitter)
- 26 - Spirit Day #5: We Can Work Out Problems - dress in work-out clothes
- 26 - End of Second Quarter
- 26 - Early Dismissal, 12:45 p.m.
- 31 - In School Banking, 9:00 a.m.
From School Administration
The purpose of IXL is to reinforce and review skills learned. Unlink worksheets," IXL provides immediate feedback when students answer questions correctly. If students answer a question incorrectly, IXL provides a re-teaching explanation about the skill and problem. Another feature of IXL is the customized notification settings for parents. Parents can customize their settings and get email notifications and certificates when children master skills. We hope you find this program helps as a supplement to learning in school and a way to reinforce and review important skills at home.
Staff Spotlight - Mr. Lee
Mr. Lee is an avid reader. He thoroughly enjoys reading Sci-Fi, comics, novels, medieval fantasy, and classics. He also enjoys learning about history and social psychology. In his spare time, he enjoys many sports, running, biking, and playing ultimate frisbee.
Mr. Lee is very busy outside of school with two young children. His son is turning four years old soon, and his daughter is two years old. His wife is an art teacher at Triadelphia Ridge Elementary in Western Howard County. He also has two dogs - a Jack Russell Terrier/Min Pin mix and a Chorkie. He would love to visit Spain and England at some point since those two countries are rich in history.
Changes In the Health Room
The new model will be flipped with one nurse per building with health assistant split between more than one building. Due to staffing changes at Wilde Lake Middle School, we will be able to implement this new model now.
Mrs. Grzybinski, will be the full-time nurse at Wilde Lake Middle School.
Mrs. Tyler will be the health assistant shared between Clemens Crossing Elementary and Wilde Lake Middle School.
Please welcome Lessley Stackpole who will be our new full-time nurse in our CCES Health Room starting Tuesday, January 16.
Winter Instrumental Music Concerts on Twitter/Periscope on January 25
The Great Kindness Challenge is Coming
Your child is part of a powerful and positive bullying prevention initiative that will lead to more kindness, unity, and respect at school and beyond. To help build upon this momentum, we are participating in a unifying service project, Change Matters!
Change Matters! is a collection of spare change to benefit our local homeless shelter, The Grassroots Crisis Intervention Center.
All students are invited to participate by giving their extra coins! The money we raise will go towards supporting this important service in our own neighborhood. This is a great opportunity for our students to respond to the needs of others, which teaches empathy and compassion.
Additionally, we are going to have a fun spirited week during The Great Kindness Challenge. Each day is designated as a Spirit Day with a theme (see below).
For more information on The Great Kindness Challenge, please visit: www.greatkindnesschallenge.org. Thank you in advance for helping to create a culture of kindness and compassion in our community and beyond!
Wilde Lake Middle School Orientation
WLMS will be holding an orientation for the parents of our incoming 6th Graders on Tuesday, January 23rd from 6:30 p.m. – 7:15 p.m. Additional information for parents of students in the
GT (Gifted and Talented) Program will begin immediately following the general orientation. Staff will be present to give an overview of WLMS programs and answer questions. The snow date will be January 30th, same time. We hope to see you here for this information session.
Road to Kindergarten January 24-29, 2018
Do you have a child who will be 5 years old by September 1, 2018?
Is there a family in the neighborhood who has a child who will be 5 years old by September 1, 2018?
Please join us for an information session about Kindergarten in the Howard County Public School System.
At this workshop you will learn:
- Expectations for school readiness (and receive a Ready for Kindergarten toolkit).
- Details about the kindergarten program.
- Information about HCPSS kindergarten registration.
- Ways that families and children can be supported during the transition to kindergarten.
Choose a session that is convenient for you. No registration required.
Child care is available at each session for children ages 2 and older;
the session is designed for adults only. Doors open at 6 p.m. to allow time for parking, child care drop off, and check-in.
If Howard County public schools are closed for inclement weather, the session is canceled.
Sessions
All sessions will begin promptly at 6:30 p.m.
Wednesday, January 24
Oakland Mills High School, 9410 Kilimanjaro Road, Columbia
Thursday, January 25
Centennial High School, 4300 Centennial Lane, Ellicott City
Monday, January 29
Hammond High School, 8800 Guilford Road, Columbia 21046
For more information, please visit our “Getting Ready for Kindergarten” page
PLEASE NOTE:
Families in the River's Edge neighborhood will need to go to Pointers Run Elementary School to register for Kindergarten.
Front Office Notes
Early Dismissal Reminder
before 3:15 p.m.
Visiting or Picking-up Students at CCES
All visitors to Clemens Crossing must bring a driver’s license and sign in on our LobbyGuard visitor management system. Details regarding this mandatory process are explained in Superintendent Michael Martirano’s blog.
Additionally, we require a picture ID when you pick-up your child early from school.
Feedback From the CCES Community
The electronic feedback form below goes directly to Mr. Cosentino, Clemens Crossing Principal. For any urgent issues, call the school at (410) 313-6866 or email Mr. Cosentino directly at ecosentino@hcpss.org. Thank you for your feedback!
From Our Business Partner, Patient First
Winter and flu season are in full swing. Flu activity continues to increase across the Mid-Atlantic and much of the country, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). What are the best ways to fight the flu, colds, and other infections? These five tips can help you avoid the bug:
1. Wash Your Hands – This is the single most important way to stop the spread of flu and colds. According to the CDC, about 80% of infectious diseases are spread through touch alone. Scrub with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. Hand sanitizer containing at least 60% alcohol is a good substitute if soap and water are not available.
2. Cover-Up When You Sneeze and Cough - Many of us were taught to cover our mouths and noses with our hands when sneezing and coughing. However, a better option is to use the crook of your elbow or a tissue when available. This way the germs will not get onto your hands and spread through contact with others.
3. Disinfect – Flu and cold germs can live on surfaces for hours. Disinfecting items like remote controls, doorknobs, table tops, keyboards, phones, and toys can kill germs and stop them from spreading.
4. Don’t Share Your Germs - Take steps to stop the spread of flu and colds at home and work. Stay home from work when you know you are sick. The same goes for sending sick children to school. Keep them home. If you have the flu, be sure to stay home until you have been fever-free without medicine for at least 24 hours to avoid making others sick.
5. Live Healthy - Help yourself win the battle of the bug by eating healthy, getting a good night sleep, exercising, and reducing stress. These things can help strengthen your immune system and potentially make your body more capable of fighting a cold or virus.
The flu is different from a cold. Flu symptoms usually come on suddenly. They are more severe and may last two weeks. People who have the flu often feel some or all of these symptoms:
- Fever
- Muscle or body aches
- Fatigue
- Headaches
- Cough
- Sore Throat
- Runny or stuffy nose
About Patient First
All Patient First Medical Centers are open 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. every day of the year, including holidays. Patient First provides non-appointment urgent care for routine injuries and illnesses, as well as primary care for patients who do not have a regular physician. Each Patient First center has on-site digital x-ray, on-site laboratory, and on-site prescription drugs. Patient First currently operates medical centers in Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey.
The closest Patient First to Clemens Crossing is located at 5900 Cedar Ln, Columbia, MD 21044.
Fit Family Night
Mark your calendars for a free family wellness event:
Clemens Crossing's Family Fit Night!
January 17, 2018 from 6:00 to 8:00 pm.
Highlights include Martial Arts, Yoga, Zumba, kid-friendly Boot Camp, Wellness Tables, Parent Nutrition Workshop and a Dance Party Finale!!
Registration Link below!
Community Service Event During Family Fit Night
Please come help put together snack mixes to put in bags to donate to Grassroots.
Please sign up to bring an item or two. Use the link below to sign-up and help.
Thank you!
Time: 6:00pm - 7:30pm EST
Location: CCES Cafeteria
Great Wolf Lodge Discount for CCES Families! Deadline Jan 26!
Thinking of taking a mini-vacation at Great Wolf Lodge in Williamsburg? For a limited time, there is a block of rooms available the weekend of March 9-11 (family suites that sleep 6) for Clemens Crossing Families. Reservations must be made by January 26.
The discount rate is $159.00/night/room ($211.78/night/room after tax and service fees).
Call 1-800-551-9653 or reserve online at www.greatwolflodge.com/Williamsburg.
Use discount code 0318CLEM.
International Night
Mark your calendar for the biggest cultural event of the school year. CCES International Night will be held on March 2nd, 6:30pm in the Gymnasium. For the first hour, families get a chance to visit different country tables and experience various foods, traditions, music, henna, and crafts. At 7:30pm in the Cafeteria, there will be an Indian Bhangra Dance Performance and workshop by JHU's Blue Jay Bhangra. Last year we had tables representing Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Belarus, Canada, China, Colombia, Denmark, Germany, India, Israel, Japan, Moldova, Nepal, Pakistan, Puerto Rico, Romania, South Korea, and Taiwan. If you are able to host a table or help with the event, sign up through this link: http://www.signupgenius.com/go/4090448a4a928a46-international2. Feel to send any questions about the event or volunteering to jkashim@gmail.com or katjevans@yahoo.com.