Newsletter 9/16/21
Tue, 09/21/2021 - 2:39pmSeptember 16, 2021
follow us on twitter: @hcpss_ples
Important Dates
September 20 6:00pm GT Back-to-School Night
6:30pm 5th Grade Back-to-School Night
September 28 PTA Ledo’s Dine Out Night
October 6 7:00pm PTA Meeting
October 7 6:00-7:30pm Food Pantry
October 13 5:00-10:00pm PTA Victoria’s Dine Out Night
October 14 6:30-7:30pm Watch Dogs Pizza Kick-Off
October 15 No School – Professional Work Day
October 28 6:30-7:30pm PTA Trunk-or-Treat
November 3 7:00pm PTA Meeting
November 4 6:00-7:30pm Food Pantry
From the Principal. . .
Dear Phelps Luck Families,
Thank you to all of our families for continuing to be vigilant with checking your child’s symptoms each day. If your child has any symptoms, please keep your child home and call the school and ask to speak to the Health Room. All families are reminded to perform COVID-19 health checks each day before sending students to school. Students may not come to school if they exhibit symptoms associated with COVID-19 or any communicable disease. It is important that we all continue to work together to keep the students and staff safe! Thank you!
Please make note of the dates above and read the updates below. As always, please contact me at michelle_leader@hcpss.org or one of our Assistant Principals, Connie Fowlkes at connie_fowlkes@hcpss.org or Sandra McGraw at Sandra_mcgraw@hcpss.org if you have any questions!
Sincerely,
Michelle M. Leader
Principal
School News
Back-To-School Night Information:
We have our last Back-to-School Nights next Monday. We have been offering virtual options which have seemed to support many of our families! Thank you to those families who attended in person or virtually. Please use the links below to attend virtually if you wish. The evenings will begin with school-wide information and then grade-specific information. We are unable to provide childcare this year. Since these nights are for adults only, the virtual option may assist you if you are unable to secure childcare.
In case you were unable to attend, all PowerPoints from these evenings will be posted on our website.
GT: Monday, September 20 at 6:00pm
Grade 5: Monday, September 20 at 6:30pm
Family File Information:
Every year HCPSS parents must complete a Family File (electronic emergency card) for each child. HCPSS utilizes Family File for parents/guardians to complete emergency information. Parents/guardians must verify and/or update information for each child, and can do so by logging in to HCPSS Connect and selecting the “More Options” tab on the left and then clicking on “Family File” from the list. If your child was in an HCPSS school in previous years, you only need to update any changes. Please update/provide the info ASAP! Thank you!!!
Opting In to Text Messages:
Calling for the WATCH D.O.G.S.!
WATCH D.O.G.S. is one of the nation’s largest and most respected school-based, family, and community engagement, organizations in the country. In 1998, the very first WATCH D.O.G.S. program launched at Gene George Elementary in Springdale, AR. Today, more than 6,800 schools across the country have launched a WATCH D.O.G.S. program of their own. Each school year hundreds of thousands of fathers and father-figures make a positive impact on millions of children by volunteering millions of hours in their local schools through this amazing one-of-a-kind program.
Our school's PTA will be sponsoring the WATCH D.O.G.S. program again this year. Our WATCH D.O.G.S. Top Dog with be Richard Wacha. Please mark your calendars for the WATCH D.O.G.S. Pizza Kickoff on Thursday, October 14, 2021, at 6:30pm. We are inviting our fathers/father-figures to register with your children for the kickoff. Please look for the flyer that will come home with your child.
From the Music Department
It’s time to sign up for band and orchestra!
Students in 3rd and 4th grade will be attending assemblies about the band and orchestra instruments that they can learn to play this year. Students in 3rd grade may participate in orchestra, and students in 4th and 5th grade may participate in band or orchestra. Enrollment forms are going home this week, but if your child would like to play an instrument, you can also sign them up online at https://sites.google.com/site/msstrawleysmusicsite/enrollment-form-2012-2013. Please make sure to read the informational letter before enrolling in these classes! The deadline to sign up has been extended till next week (September 17). Please contact Ms. Strawley (karissa_bryant@hcpss.org).
CAR LOOP Information:
Parents, you will notice car signs coming home with your child. Please place the car signs on your dashboard for the staff in the car loop to see. Each grade has its own color so if you have more than one child, please place all the car signs on your dashboard. For security, when not using the signs, please turn the sign over or place out of sight.
In addition, please do not park along High Tor Hill and then walk up to get your child. This is adding to the congestion and people are walking in the street without crossing at the crosswalk. We are worried about safety. Thank you!
Community Center Next to PLES:
We are working diligently to shorten the time of our drop-off and pick-up. We know that it has been very backed up but the process gets shorter each day! Please do not park in the community center next PLES. This is not part of our school property and the people using the facility have been unable to find parking there. We appreciate your assistance!
Free and Reduced Meals Information:
Each year, families are required to complete the Free and Reduced Meals application. Information can be found at the link below:
https://www.hcpss.org/food-services/farms/#opportunities
Grade-Level Instructional Packets:
Last week, your child brought home a grade-level packet. Please keep this packet in a safe spot in case your child needs to use it if they are required to quarantine. Thank you!
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TECHNOLOGY ACCOUNTS FOR NEW STUDENTS
Families with students new to HCPSS and whose registration has been finalized will receive an email from noreply@hcpss.org with the subject “Technology account information for new HCPSS student.” The email will be sent to the email address used during the student registration process. The email contains personalized and important information regarding new students’ technology accounts. If you have a child new to HCPSS and do not receive the email and/or cannot locate the email in the junk/spam folder of the email account you used during registration, you can use the Forgot Password or Username button on the hcpss.me student landing page to retrieve both your child’s username and password. Directions for Account Self Service directions are posted online.
ALL ABOUT GT:
Curious about what is going on in GT at PLES? Follow us on twitter!
GREEN SCHOOL:
PLES became a certified GREEN SCHOOL on Earth Day this year! We are so proud of our school and excited for what green efforts are to come. We are planning many projects, one of which is to work with the Community Ecology Institute to add a pollinator garden! Ms Jones and team look forward to working with the students and families to continue our GREEN practices!
Girls on the Run:
Phelps Luck will once again host the Girls on the Run program on Tuesdays and Thursdays after school for interested 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade girls. Girls on the Run encourages girls of all abilities to recognize their individual strengths and celebrate connections with others. The tested curriculum blends physical activity with skill development that enables girls to adapt to whatever comes their way. In today’s unpredictable world, the strategies learned at Girls on Run are more important than ever.
Registration opens Sunday, August 22nd. Register & Get Scholarship Information Here
News from the PTA:
PLES Spirit Wear!!!!
Get your PLES gear! Use the link below to order gear for the whole family. Adult and kid sizing. All items get shipped directly to your home. Proceeds go to the PLES PTA! Shop until September 24th!
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED FOR PTA TRUNK-OR-TREAT
Hello Falcons! Our annual PTA Trunk-or-Treat is coming up the evening of Thursday, October 28th. Volunteers are needed from 6 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Volunteer to come, decorate your own trunk and hand out candy. OR volunteer trunk space, Halloween decorations, decorating skills, and/or candy. Please email vp2@phelpsluckpta.org if you are interested in volunteering.
Clothing Bin:
Our Clothing Bin is still accessible all year long! Please feel free to donate any items to our Clothing Bin in our school parking lot. This is a fundraiser and supports our PTA! Please place all items in a closed trash bag before placing the bag in the bin. Thank you!!!
From the Community
Columbia Community Care:
This group gives out food at the Long Reach Village Center, Wilde Lake Interfaith Center, and Oakland Mills Middle School on Wednesdays from 5-8pm and Saturdays 10:30am-1:30pm. If you need food delivered fill out the form for food and they can deliver or you may have someone pick up for you as well.
Website: http://columbiacare.live/
Form for food:
New HCPSS Community News and Programs Site:
In response to community requests for resources, HCPSS’ new Community News and Programs website makes it easy for families to find educational and recreational resources, events and after-school programs beyond the school day by non-profit organizations. Community organizations requesting their announcements be shared in school newsletters should visit community-programs.hcpss.org for more information. Questions should be directed to the Public Information Office at publicinfo@hcpss.org.
Boy Scout Project:
My name is Thomas Shupps, and I’m a life scout in troop 361, working on my eagle project. I was a Phelps Luck student. This project is focused on creating little libraries. These little libraries will be designed to provide a variety of books geared towards elementary-middle school aged children in the Phelps Luck Community, to encourage a love for reading. This is especially important for those who can’t keep an extensive personal library at home. These little libraries will be placed in popular areas near schools, to allow anyone to walk up and grab a book. They will hopefully allow people who struggle to get books/entertainment to be satisfied. We are also collecting books for elementary aged students that can be dropped off at Phelps Luck Elementary School during business hours. If you care to help fund this project, you can make donations through PayPal at https://scoutsales.org/?885.96.8764
Thank you,
Thomas Shupps
School’s Out Ninja Day Camps! HCPSS will be closed Sept 7 & 16, Oct 15, Nov 4, and Dec 23. Make sure to reserve your child’s spot with our business partner - The Okinawan Karate Dojo! The OKD’s "School’s Out Ninja Day Camp" has you covered from 9 AM to 4 PM...or...8 AM to 6 PM (with available before/after care)! OKD's year-round camps are action-packed, tons of fun, and will keep your kids happy, entertained, challenged and moving all day! Not only that, they are licensed as a Child Care Provider by the state of Maryland. The staff is highly trained and certified to give your child a safe, enriching, AWESOME, COVID-safe camp experience! Voted #1 Martial Arts School in HoCo and one of the best ChildCare Providers in 2021, this will be OKD's 22nd annual camp season! Find additional information about the camp, online registration, and OKD's COVID safety policy at: OKDkarate.com. Space is Limited. Questions? Call: 443 574 8999 or Email: info@okinawankaratedojo.com.
Come learn about Cub Scouts with Pack 678
Is your child interested in outdoor activities, learning new skills, and
going on adventures with friends? If so, come learn about Cub Scout Pack
678 during PLES Back to School nights, and then join us for our big
recruiting event at 7pm on September 29 at Phelps Luck Elementary
School. Pack 678 meets most Wednesdays at the PLES cafeteria and accepts
boys and girls from kindergarten through 5th grade. We have a fun year
ahead of us filled with hiking, camping, and the always popular Pinewood
Derby. We can’t wait to meet you! Email scoutpack678@yahoo.com if you
have any questions.