Clemens Crossing Cougar Comments
October 12, 2018 - Volume 40, Issue 7
Clemens Crossing Elementary School
Sonia Hurd, 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
Upcoming Events
October
- 15 - PTA Read-A-Thon Begins
- 17 - PTA Restaurant Night - Chick-fil-A All Day 6:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.
- 17 - Howard County G/T Program Parent Academy at Howard High School, 7:00 p.m.
- 19 - Schools Closed - Professional Work Day
- 24 - PTA Room Parent Meeting, Media Center 7:00 p.m.
- 25 - Pumpkin Run during Gym for Grades 3-5
- 31 - In-School Banking, 9:00 a.m.
- 31 - Halloween Parade 2:45 p.m.
November
- 1 - National American Indian Heritage Month Begins
- 2 - PTA Bingo Night 7:00 p.m.
- 5 - End of 1st Quarter
- 6 - Schools and Offices Closed - Election Day
- 7 - Schools Closed - Professional Work Day
- 8 - Picture Make-Up Day
- 12 - American Education Week Begins (more information will be in the Cougar Comments soon)
- 12 - Strings Bootcamp, 7:00 p.m.
- 12 - Book Fair Begins
- 13 - Band Bootcamp, 7:00 p.m.
- 16 - PTA Reflections: Heroes Around Me - Entries Due
- 19 - Parent Teacher Conferences - Schools Close 3-hours early, 12:45 p.m.
- 20 - Parent Teacher Conferences - Schools Close 3-hours early, 12:45 p.m.
- 21 - Parent Teacher Conferences - Schools Closed
- 22 - Thanksgiving - Schools and Offices Closed
- 23 - Schools and Offices Closed
- 28 - In-school Banking, 9:00 a.m.
For a complete list of dates and events visit cces.hcpss.org/calendar.
To subscribe to the CCES calendar on your smartphone, electronic device, or email system click the +Google Calendar icon in the bottom right-hand corner to add our calendar to your personal device. By subscribing to the calendar, school events and activities will always be up-to-date.
From School Administration
I hope everyone is doing well as the school year is in full swing in October. I want to take a moment to remind everyone about supportive conversations you can have with your children at home. As a father and an educator, my hope for my children is to always be hard workers and to treat others with kindness and respect. I can't stress enough the importance of reminding your children of how to treat others no matter what their differences might be. Kindness costs us nothing! Additionally, we need to continuously instill the idea of a Growth Mindset with our kids. Every time you hear the word "cannot", add a "yet" in after it. I cannot yet...
A few things I like to remind my children and others:
- You don't have to be the smartest kid in your class or the best athlete on your team, but you can be the hardest worker. Do not let someone outwork you.
- A's and B's mean nothing if you don't know how to work hard. School and life in general can and will be tough at times, so you have to be ready for it.
- Hard work beats talent when talent doesn't work hard.
- Hard work and how you treat others will take you far in life.
- Be better today than you were yesterday and be better tomorrow than you were today!
- Be the kid who stands up for others.
Kindness, respect, persistence, and determination are part of our core values at
Clemens Crossing, and they are embedded in what it means to show ROARing behaviors (Respectful, Organized, Achieving, and Responsible). We hope you can continue to help us out at home by reinforcing these values.
Growth Mindset is a belief that intelligence can be developed, and it was studied by the psychologist, Carol Dweck. To learn more about Growth Mindset you can view the quick YouTube video below or read the book, Mindset: The New Psychology of Success.
HALLOWEEN CELEBRATION - OCTOBER 31
The Annual Halloween Parade and parties are scheduled for Tuesday, October 31. The parade will begin at 2:45 p.m. with our Kindergarten students leading us out the Kindergarten side doors onto the blacktop. We will proceed through the blacktop to the sidewalk in front of the school building and then back into the school through the 5th-grade doors.
Parent viewing areas will be in the center of the blacktop or the bus loop area.
Please see the Halloween Parade Route & Viewing Area map below.
Each grade level will communicate their party times and needs through their room parent. Due to space limitations, only two predetermined parent volunteers per class will be permitted in the building during classroom parties.
Parents/visitors will not be permitted in the school building after the parade.
We ask that you avoid any costumes that perpetuate violence, have any blood, gore, scary masks, or contain any type of weapons. Props that come with costumes that are play weapons are not allowed in school. This includes, but is not limited to, toy guns, knives, swords, sickles, pitchforks, etc. Please send costumes in a bag for the students to put on independently over their clothing before the parade.
Students are not allowed to wear their costumes to school.
Parking will be limited. Please park at the Clemens Crossing Pool or walk to the parade. Parking will be permitted in the bus loop until 3:10 p.m.
All cars must be gone from that area by 3:10 p.m. so our buses can park when they arrive for dismissal.
If there is rain, there will not be a rain date for the parade, but the classroom parties will proceed.
As always, if you prefer that your child does not take part in the Halloween Parade and/or party, please send a note to your child’s teacher or contact Mr. Cosentino or Mrs. Hurd.
DISPLAY ITEMS NEEDED FOR NATIVE AMERICAN HERITAGE MONTH
Thank you to those who contributed to our first display, and please be sure to stop by the front lobby to see our collection celebrating National Hispanic Heritage Month. It’s already time to start thinking about our next display, which will be for Native American Heritage Month in November. We are once again encouraging the community to participate by sending in anything that represents this culture. You may begin sending in your items as soon as possible. Please be sure to label with your child’s name and homeroom so we may return it. We will need items by October 19. Thank you in advance!
Cultural Awareness Schedule 18-19
- Dec: Holidays Around the World
- Jan/Feb: Black History Month through 2/15
- Feb: Black History (cont)/CCES 40th
- March: Women's History Month
- March: Youth Art Month
- April: Arab American Heritage Month
- May: Asian Pacific American Heritage Month
PTA Read-A-Thon Starts Monday
CCES PTA Read-A-Thon, October 15-26.
This year’s Read-A-Thon starts on Monday! Information and forms are coming home in folders. You can also download them by clicking the download links below. This is the primary fundraiser for the year. We hope to have high participation from our community and their family members. Please share!
All students who participate earn a dollar off of their purchases at the upcoming Book Fair and the grade with most participants will receive a Popsicle Party!
We hope you’ll join us on October 25th for a Pajama Party and Story Time to celebrate all of our terrific readers.
PTA Directory
Don't Delay, Join Your PTA
After trying a lot of different fundraisers over the years, the CCES PTA’s major fundraiser is a direct donation program (and later in the fall, a Read-a-thon). Rather than sell candles or other merchandise, we ask each family to contribute $50 (or whatever you can afford) in addition to their membership dues to support the programs we sponsor throughout the year.
Our PTA membership rates are $15 for a family and $10 for an individual.
Consider all the programs your PTA brings to the school -- Cultural Arts assemblies, after-school classes, field trip support, the Science Fair, International Night, Visiting Author, after-school classes, Talent Show, Spring Carnival, etc., etc., etc., and support your PTA!
You can sign up online at http://clemenscrossingpta.org/family-membership/
Or, you can print the membership form attached below, and write a check payable to
CCES PTA. Send the form and check back to school with your child.
Thank you so much!!
Please mark your calendars for CCES PTA’s first restaurant event at Chick-Fil-A (10975 Johns Hopkins Rd) on October 17, 2018 between 6:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m. (that’s all day!)
Chick-Fil-A will contribute a percentage of the money raised that day to the CCES PTA which will be used to fund the fun PTA events throughout the year. You can dine-in, carry-out, or use the drive through! No flier is necessary, but BEFORE you order, you must advise them that you are there for CCES’ Spirit Day so CCES will get credit.
Please help us spread the word to your family and friends and we look forward to seeing you there!
Every student that enrolls will get a role in the play. On the evening of the final performance, the students get to celebrate by having a cast party after the performance.
Registration for 4th and 5th graders will begin Monday, October 8th and registration will be open to 3rd grade (if there are openings) starting Monday, October 22nd.
The deadline for registration will be Wednesday, November 14th.
Rehearsals will be on Wednesdays after school starting November 28th. The dress rehearsals and performances will be held at Wilde Lake Middle School this year. The dress rehearsals will be in the evening at 6pm. The performances will be held in the evenings on 1/24/19 and 1/25/19.
Stay tuned to Cougar Comments for more information and to register once registration begins! For more information, contact Jennifer Molinari at joshandjasek12@gmail.com
NATIONAL PTA REFLECTIONS
Creative Arts & Writing Contest
Reflections is a National PTA program to encourage all children to participate in the arts for fun and recognition. Students work independently to present their artistic interpretation of this year's theme. Works can be literature including prose, poetry, drama, reflective essay, narrative, short story; visual art such as drawing, painting, collage; and musical composition.
There is also a Special Artist Division for students with disabilities who receive services under
IDEA or Section 504.
HOW TO ENTER:
1. Reflect on the theme “Heroes Around Me” & create an original work in one (or more!) of the following categories: Literature, Music, or Visual Arts
Please check Rules for your Category to be sure your entry can be accepted!
2. Fill out an Entry Form, and be sure to include your Artist’s Statement (that is 50% of your score from the judges!).
3. Turn in your artwork and entry form to the Front Office by November 16, 2018!
QUESTIONS?
Contact Risa Carlson, Reflections Chair at reflections@clemenscrossingpta.org
Artwork will be judged in 3 categories:
- Primary (Grades K-2)
- Intermediate (Grades 3-5), and
- Special Artist (for students with challenges as covered in the ADA).
Entries will be reviewed by experienced arts and education judges. All participants will be celebrated with certificates of participation, the top three entries will receive ribbons and the first place entry will receive a medal. The top three entries in each category will move on to the Howard County Reflections Contest; the top three County entries will move on to the Maryland State Reflections Contest, and State winners in each category will compete in the National PTA Reflections Contest.
EVERY entry will be displayed and celebrated at the Annual Schoolwide Showcase in May.
Community News and Programs
Interested in Cub Scouts?
CCES Cub Scout Pack 618 now includes Girls and Boys in Grades K-5. All CCES families are invited to join us for our October Pack Meeting, Wednesday, Oct 17th at 6:30 p.m. in the CCES Cafeteria. This month we are building neckerchief slides to wear with our uniforms. Last month we went camping at Washington Monument State Park and had over 40 families join us.
The Scouts went on a 2-mile hike, visited the monument dedicated to George Washington, played field games, and participated in skits and songs at our campfire. This month we are visiting the Coast Guard Yard in Baltimore and next month we are marching in the Howard County Veterans Day Parade and having another campfire. For more information, please visit www.pack618md.com, or email cubmaster@pack618md.com