Veterans Elementary Eagle Express
October 10, 2019 - Volume 13, Issue 6
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, Administrator
School Start and Dismissal Times: 9:25 a.m. - 3:55 p.m.
Email: robert_bruce@hcpss.org
Website: ves.hcpss.org
Location: 4355 Montgomery Road, Ellicott City, MD, USA
Phone: 410-313-1700
FROM THE PRINCIPAL
Interim Progress Reports went home on Tuesday. This is a golden opportunity to discuss school progress with your child. It may be an opportunity to set some goals. Parents often use this time to reinforce to their children that school is their job and their grades represent their pay for a job well done. Of course, poor grades also say that there is room for improvement and luckily we are only in October. Students are learning not only curriculum that will help them be successful but also social and emotional skills which are so crucial to our success. Report conferences will come very quickly. Our November conference season will be an opportunity where all of us can confer about your child's success. Most teachers will include students in on their November conferences. It is crucial for every student to realize their strengths and weaknesses, so they can share them in November. We hope all of you take a few minutes and chat about your child's or your childrens progress so far this year.
Important Upcoming Dates and Events
OCTOBER
- 8 - Q1 Interim Report Cards sent home
- 8 - Field Trip - RECC Classes to Clark's Elioak Farm (Classes: Singo, Beaucage, Kisamore, McLaughlin, Clink)
- 9 - Schools and Offices Closed
- 10 - Field Trip - RECC Classes to Clark's Elioak Farm (Classes: Wandell, Jens, Reggie)
- 10 - PTA Board Meeting, 7pm Media Center
- 16 - Flu Clinic
- 18 - School Closed for Students/ Professional Work Day
- 23 - Fall Picture Day
- 31 - Annual Children's Celebrations
FROM THE HEALTH ROOM
Flu vaccines coming to our school! It's not too late to sign up online!
This year's VES Flu Vaccine Clinic will be on Monday, October 16. If you would like your child to receive the flu vaccine, you may sign and return the paper consent form that will go home with your child OR you may register before October 4 online at www.vaccineconsent.com
Please do NOT do both the paper and the online registration.
Please contact the Health Room with any questions.
Thank you and here's to a healthy school year!
2019-20 HCPSS Calendar - Monthly Format
Click to download and print the HCPSS calendar in a monthly format. The calendar will no longer be distributed in first day folders. The 2019-2020 School Calendar is available to be printed online: https://www.hcpss.org/calendar/
current events
Flu Clinic Volunteers
The Heath Room is asking for a few volunteers to help with the upcoming flu vaccine clinic on October 16th.
Please sign up if you are able: https://signup.com/go/VhmhWpE
Gifted and Talented Education Program Overview
HCPSS families interested in the Gifted and Talented (G/T) Program are invited to come learn about the advanced-level offerings available through the G/T Education Program and how their students can become involved.
The evening will begin with an overview of the G/T Education Program offerings at the elementary, middle, and high school levels.
Following the general session, parents and community members will have an opportunity to meet for a question and answer session by school level.
Full Schedule:
7:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.: G/T Education Program Overview Presentation – Auditorium
8:05 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.: Question and Answer Sessions:
- Elementary G/T Program Offerings: Auditorium
- Middle G/T Program Offerings: Classroom A127
- High School G/T and AP Courses: Classroom B115
For more information, please email hcpssgtac@gmail.com or alyson_tommins@hcpss.org or call 410-313‐6800.
Wednesday, Oct 16, 2019, 07:00 PM
Long Reach High School, Old Dobbin Lane, Columbia, MD, USA
FALL AND WINTER CLOTHING GIVE AWAY!
North Laurel Community Center
Saturday, Oct 26, 2019, 09:00 AM
Healthy Howard -North Laurel Community Center, Whiskey Bottom Road, North Laurel, MD, USA
afterschool sponsored activities
supersquads cheerleading team
Our SuperSquads Cheerleading Team starts Tuesday, September 24
After school cheerleading starts 9/24 at Veterans Elem for the Fall Session!
HCPSS SCHOOL GUIDE RULES
Volunteer Information
This is an annual requirement and only takes 5 minutes per training.
Food Services
https://hcpss.nutrislice.com/menu/veterans?mode=browse
Please keep your child’s lunch/breakfast accounts up to date:
https://www.myschoolbucks.com/ver2/login/getmain?requestAction=home
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/
HCPSS Dress Code Standards
Important Links for Attendance and Transportation Changes
Attendance Notes: Please send all attendance notes to VESattendance@hcpss.org.
Extended Absences: If your child will be absent for more than 3 days, please fill out an HCPSS Extended Absence Form and send it to the front office: https://www.hcpss.org/f/aboutus/absence_request.pdf
Note that an Early Dismissal is not considered a transportation change.
Early Dismissals are considered an Attendance issue.
DISMISSAL TRANSPORTATION CHANGES: VEStransportation@hcpss.org
The school should be notified whenever a child’s dismissal transportation changes.
Please send all Transportation Changes on the day it applies to by 2:00 p.m.
Accommodations for Religious Observance:
If a religious observance requires a student to miss all or part of a school day, parents should complete the Religious Obligation: Request for Absence form and submit the request to the principal/designee documenting the need for the absence.
Join the PTA
https://www.veterans-pta.com/membership.html
The VES PTA works to support the students, teachers and families by sponsoring activities to enrich, educate and bring our community together. Click here to view their website!
PTA MEMBERSHIP DRIVE - Still Ongoing
Thanks to all who have signed up already! Becoming a member (just $10 per adult) ensures we are an official PTA organization within the national structure and helps support all that we do here at the school.
Membership forms came home last week. If you can’t find yours, it’s available online (and you can sign up online too if you prefer). Just copy and paste the link below into a browser window.
https://www.veterans-pta.com/online-membership-form.html
Our goal is to get 300 PTA members at VES this year - please help us get there!
13th Annual Children's Celebration
CHILDREN’S CELEBRATION - OCTOBER 31st
On Thurs. October 31st we will have our annual Children’s Celebration. If you allow your children to celebrate the day, I know that children have already started asking about their costume. The Children’s Celebration consists of classroom refreshments and a parade in our parking lot. We ask that parents secure costumes for children that do not involve masks or heavy duty make up in school. Please also realize that any costume that involves a prop that is weapon-like, the prop may not be brought to school. Usually the parade begins outside at about 2:40. Staff will ask for about 2-3 pre-selected parents who will assist in the classroom. Additional parents will not be needed inside and for security reasons will not be allowed in the school for the event. All parents are allowed to watch the parade outside of the building. Please return the slip at the end of this newsletter if you DO NOT want your child to participate.
Dear Parents,
October 31st is widely recognized as a children’s holiday. The day presents a golden opportunity for us to reinforce a celebration of the child in all of us. With this in mind, I am proclaiming Thursday October 31st our 13th Annual Children’s Celebration here at Veterans Elementary School. We will adjust the schedule that day so that we can have a Children’s Celebration Parade beginning at 2:30 p.m. followed by classroom parties at 3:00 p.m.
All festivities will end by 3:30 p.m. This should allow enough time for parents to depart and our bus dismissal process to begin. There is no parking at the YMCA.
We are asking parents to use the Long Gate Shopping Center parking lot for overflow parking and not park in the parent pick-up lane. The parade will occur in the coned off bus loop.
All parents will need to depart by 3:40 p.m. to help us facilitate dismissal.
Due to security concerns, each classroom teacher will identify 1-2 volunteers to assist with the party refreshments inside the building. These individuals will be issued visitors passes upon their arrival and shall have access to the building. All other individuals who wish to observe the parade will do so outside and will not enter the building. Parents should line the sidewalk along the bus loop. At the conclusion of the parade, only those parents identified to help in the classroom will come inside the school. In the event of inclement weather, the outside parade will be cancelled.
The Children’s Celebration Parade will begin at 2:30 p.m. and will involve PM-PreKgn and Grades K - 5. Our morning RECC program will be doing their festivities on Tuesday morning and will parade the lower level of our school around 10:30 a.m.
Our preference for costumes is storybook characters. There is to be no make-up or hairsprays involved with any costumes. Lastly, masks are not allowed in school. We must be able to identify all individuals here. The same is true for adult visitors. Props that come with costumes that are play weapons are also not allowed in school. This includes but is not limited to swords, guns, knives, pitchforks, etc. Students should bring costumes to school and they should be able to slip their costume on in a matter of minutes by themselves. Please practice this at home. As with all matters pertaining to school, the appropriateness of a costume is ultimately the opinion of the principal. Parents who do not wish their child to take part in the celebration may return the tear-off below.
It is crucial that we know who these children are by Friday October 25th so we may plan for them. Each classroom teacher will arrange his or her own classroom parties. Parties will occur from 3:00 p.m. - 3:30 p.m. Of course, teachers will arrange parents to help and assist us. We must be cognizant of food allergies when devising classroom menus. We want October 31st to be a fun and safe celebration for everyone. Please discuss with your children appropriate safety rules for within your community. Luckily, daylight savings time ends Sunday, November 3rd so this should be helpful again this year.
Sincerely,
Robert C. Bruce
Principal
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Child’s Name: _____________________________________ Grade:________ Teacher:________________
My child may NOT participate in the Children’s Celebration.
I understand that the school will plan alternate activities to take place during the parade and party separate from other students.
Please return this slip to Mrs. Wentz or Mrs. Wilson by Friday, October 25.
Parent Signature: _____________________________________ Phone:____________________________
Robert C. Bruce
Principal- Veterans Elementary School
410-313-1700
Every Day Counts!
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