Clemens Crossing Cougar Comments
May 19, 2017 - Volume 38, Issue 18
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
May
- 19 - School Closed - Professional Work Day
- 22 - Feeder High Schools Graduations - AHS at 11:00 a.m., WLHS at 2:00 p.m.
- 22 - 4th grade - Days of Taste Presentation
- 23 - 5th grade visits middle schools
- 24 - Interim Reports issued
- 25 - Strings Concert, 6:30 p.m. & Band Concert, 7:30 p.m.
- 26 - 2nd grade - Wildlife Habitat Presentation
- 29 - School Closed - Memorial Day
- 30 - Library books are due
- 30 - Chorus Concert, 7:00 p.m.
- 31 - Field Day (rain date 6/1)
- 31 - In-school Banking, 9:00 a.m.
June
- 1 - Rain Date for Field Day
- 2 - 4th grade field trip - Mary's Land Farm
- 4 - CANCELED - PTA Cougarthon 5K and Fun Run - CANCELED
- 5 - 4th grade - Days of Taste Presentation
- 6 - Volunteer Breakfast
- 7 - 5th grade - Simulated Congressional Hearing
- 7 - Spirit Day - Patriotic Day
- 8 - End of Year Kindergarten Program, 10:00 a.m.
- 9 - 3rd grade picnic
- 9 - 4th grade picnic
- 12 - 5th Grade Farewell Ceremony, 9:45 a.m.
- 13 - 1st grade Author's celebration and picnic
- 13 - 2nd grade picnic
- 13 - Early Dismissal, 12:45 p.m.
- 14 - Last Day of School, Early Dismissal, 12:45 p.m.
- 15 - 4th quarter Report Cards mailed
To subscribe to the CCES calendar on your smartphone, electronic device, or email system use the calendar ID sqspkjkbr6v6arss44js3n21eg@group.calendar.google.com.
From Administration
In the coming weeks, our fifth graders will conduct their simulated congressional hearings as a culmination of their social studies units this year.
Our students participating in instrumental music and chorus are busy rehearsing for their respective concerts over the next two weeks. We are sure the concerts will be a hit!
In addition to finishing strong academically, we are excited about the fun events that the end of the year brings. Field Day, field trips, and picnics, to name a few, are memorable events in the waning days of the school year. We hope you can join us and experience the exciting events that make elementary school so special.
Mr. Cosentino & Mrs. Yankle
The Rube Goldberg Challenge
Congratulations to Rube Goldberg Challenge Winners
Congratulations go out to R.E.D.S. Masters for earning second place for the Most COMPLICATED Award!
View the winning entries below!
Field Day - May 31, 2017
Our annual Field Day will take place on May 31, 2017 with a rain date of June 1.
Each year, we require many parent volunteers to run our events. Please use the Google form below if you would like to assist us. You will receive notification from us to let you know we received your correspondence. Plan to arrive at school at 9:00 a.m. and no later as your punctuality is imperative to a successful start!
Our field day emphasizes team spirit and good sportsmanship. The morning events will end at 12:40 with the students gathering together at 3:00 for the awards ceremony. (Space limitations allow students only for the awards ceremony.) If you are selected for Scores table you will be required to stay until at least 1:00 p.m.
The students are being asked to wear the color T- Shirt that matches the squad color they sit in during PE. (Red, Green, Blue, Yellow, Purple, or Orange).
Mr. Robinson/Mr. Griffis
CCES Volunteer Breakfast - Save The Date
Media Books Will Be Due Soon!
All Media books are due back to the Media Center on Wednesday, May 31. Please start looking for all those missing books! Final bills for lost materials will be sent home in June.
Reminder About Breakfast and/or Lunch Money
As we approach the end of the school year, please ensure that your student(s) have funds available on their accounts. Parents and families can upload funds electronically at the MySchoolBucks website. With your partnership, we want to ensure that every student has funds in his/her account to purchase breakfast/lunch for the remainder of the school year. Students can also bring cash to school to add to their account. Ms. Turner will add those funds to their account. Any outstanding balances need to be paid in full by May 22. Any leftover money in accounts will carry over next year.
Are You Moving and Not Returning to CCES for the 2017-18 School Year?
If you know that you will be relocating over the summer, please notify CCES Front Office as soon as possible at 410-313-6866 or email Mrs. Barnhouse at ann_barnhouse@hcpss.org. During the summer, CCES transfer packets and records may take longer to get to the new school(s) as we do not have a full registration staff.
At your earliest opportunity, go to the new school to fill out a Request for Records form to ensure that your child’s new school receives the records from CCES before the beginning of the 2017-2018 school year.
iXL Active All Summer!
Did you know, all current CCES students will have access to their iXL account through the end of the summer? This includes fifth graders and students in kindergarten through fourth grade who are moving to new schools next year. Students returning to CCES for the 2017-18 school year will have continuous access to their iXL account without interruption. We encourage students to practice iXL Language Arts and Math throughout the summer!
Why Do They Do That? How Does That Work?
This week’s question is about our Gifted and Talented program; specifically about how selections are made for student inclusion in GT Curriculum Extension Units (CEUs) and Instructional Seminars. CEUs are enrichment units designed for students in grades 1-5. There are two CEUs each in grades 2-5 and 1 or 2 in grade 1. Before the start of each CEU, we use a detailed selection process to determine the most appropriate students for inclusion. The data we use is a combination of “hard data” (MAP scores, PARCC scores, and Above/On/Below grade level information), and “soft data” (teacher recommendation and results of a interest/knowledge inventory that we give to students before the unit starts). We compile all that data into a formula, and the students who score the highest are part of that CEU. During the year, the weight given to different factors changes. Near the beginning of the year, we give much less weight to teacher recommendation, since the teachers do not know the students as well, and we give more weight to MAP and PARCC scores since those are more recent. As the year progresses, the teacher recommendation becomes more important, and the older standardized test scores become less important.
The selection for Instructional Seminars is much simpler. If a student wants to participate in an Instructional Seminar, they are included in that seminar. Most seminars take place during recess times, so students need to be willing to commit to them, but we will run as many sessions of seminars as are needed to service all interested students. For all Instructional Seminars (which are for students in grades 2-5), the GT teachers will make a presentation to the entire grade explaining the seminar, and then leave permission slips for students to take home. If you want to know more about CEU and Instruction Seminars here at Clemens Crossing, there is a GT Parent Orientation meeting which takes place every September. This year’s GT Orientation will take place on Tuesday, September 19 at 6:00 p.m.
Thank You from Grassroots!
Way to go Clemens Crossing Elementary School for being true Change Matters Superheroes! Grassroots can’t thank you and the CCES community enough for your efforts and donation of $520.87.
PTA Cougarthon CANCELED
Toys in School
We've had a number of students bring spinners and other "fidget" items to school recently. These are classified as toys and should not be brought to school. Students needing the support of this type must have a specific need documented on an IEP or 504 plan. Teachers will provide "fidgets" to students needing them at school.
As a reminder, students are not to bring to school anything such as toys, electronic games, sports equipment, trading cards, iPods, MP3 players, etc., unless their teachers have instructed them to do so for a specific purpose. If an item is brought to school, the student and parent/guardian assume all responsibility for that item.
Howard County Library System - Kindergarten, Here We Come!
Howard County Library System - Kindergarten, Here We Come! is a 45-60 minute class for children entering Kindergarten this fall. The class features stories and activities to help mark that important first day, including boarding a real school bus. Registration is required. Cosponsored by Friends of HCLS and Howard County Public School System. Call your local branch to register. For more information see the HCLS website: http://hclibrary.org/classes-events/kindergarten-here-we-come/
COMMUNITY NEWS for Parents
Please visit the Community News and Programs page at http://www.hcpss.org/community-news-and-programs/ for announcements of upcoming events and programs sponsored by non-profit organizations.
COMMUNITY NEWS: Clemens Crossing Cyclones
It's almost time for Summer Swim Team! If you want to learn more about the Cyclones swim team, please come join us this Wednesday night (5/24) to MEET THE COACHES at The Meadows (in the Hickory Ridge Village Center). Stop by between 6:00 and 8:00 pm to say hi to Coach Alicia, Coach Danny, & Coach Kelly. Team Managers will also be there to answer questions about swim team. The swim season begins on Tuesday (5/30) with Time Trials on Saturday (6/10). Come be a part of a great community! More information can be found on the Columbia Neighborhood Swim League website.
Adding CCES's Google Calendar to Your Personal Online/Email Calendar
Did you know you can subscribe to CCES's Calendar and see events on your computer and/or smartphone? Why subscribe to the calendar? You will have all of CCES's events embedded in your calendar. If events change, the calendar will be updated immediately.
The calendar ID is: sqspkjkbr6v6arss44js3n21eg@group.calendar.google.com. There are many "how to" tutorials online you can view to learn how to properly sync your calendar. It depends on your email provider, computer platform, and brand of smartphone.