January 7 PTA Dine-Out at Kelsey’s – No flier needed!
January 8 PLES Spirit Day: Blue Day!!!
January 18 No School – MLK Jr. Day
January 22 PLES Spirit Day: Green Day!!!
January 28 End of Quarter 2
January 29 No School – Professional Work Day
Dear Phelps Luck Families,
Happy New Year!!! I hope that everyone had an enjoyable winter break! We were so excited to welcome the students back earlier this week!
The end of the second quarter is at the end of this month. Please be sure to check your child’s grades in Canvas and reach out to your child’s teacher with questions. Grades will include participation and work completion in class google meets as well as completion of asynchronous work.
Sincerely,
Michelle M. Leader
Principal
Student Absences: If your child needs to be absent, please send an email to PLESAbsence@hcpss.org and include the
student’s first and last name, date of absence, and reason for absence. Like when we are in the school building, an absence note is required for all absences. Thank you!
Computer Support:
If you are experiencing issues with your child’s Chromebook, please use the link below to s
ubmit the issue to our PLES staff. A staff member will contact you to support you with the issue.
Link: PLES Technology Support
PLES Lunch Bunches:
During this unprecedented time, many of our students are in need of additional social interactions. If you feel your child could benefit from a lunch bunch with Mrs. Jones, School Counselor, or Mrs. Croushler, Social Emotional Learning Lead Teacher, please feel free to email them with your request. These lunch bunches would be a time for a few students to “hang out” together, talk and relax with other students from their grade. Mrs. Jones and Mrs. Croushler will work with you to determine a time that best fits your schedule and your child's needs. We know that our students are seeking these interactions and we are here to help! Please email them at jessica_jones@hcpss.org or sarah_croushler@hcpss.org if you wish to schedule one for your child!
Young Author’s Contest Winners & Participants:
Congratulations to the following students for participating in our Young Author’s Contest!!! We were
excited to have so many students participate. *** denotes the winner for each grade.
Grade 1 – Short Stories:
Aviana O.*** Coco's Amazing Day
Habiba M. Traveling to New Jersey
Sarena S.My Puppy and I
Grade 3 – Short Stories:
Juhyeon S.*** Bun Bon
Tess M. Desert and Death
Emma C. The Animal Rescue
Sage M. The Autobiography of a Penguin
Grade 3 - Poetry:
Eleanor M. *** Sounds of Jackson Pond
Lexi N. Christmas Tree
Grade 4 – Short Stories:
Piper B.*** Finding Stuffy
Kakra A. A Day At The Beach
Gianna C. The Snow Day
Joanna L. The Fish's Point of View
William B. The Magic Chest
Abigail D. The Dragon That Didn't Listen
PLEASE COMPLETE: 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!!!
PLEASE COMPLETE: Free and Reduced Meal Application: Once you have completed your Family File Information, a screen will pop up asking you to complete the Free and Reduced Meal application. Please complete the FARM application if you think you will qualify or if you have qualified in the past. Qualifying for FARMs provides benefits for meals, reduced Comcast internet fees and much more! Please find the FARM application here.
FREE Grab-and-Go Meals
Grab-and –Go breakfasts and lunches are served Monday through Friday from 8-9am and 10:45am-12:45pm respectively at Phelps Luck. All breakfast and lunch grab-and-go meals are FREE to all students!! Free meals will be provided through the end of the 2020-2021 school year for all children 18 and under.
News from the Media Center!
Come one, come all...BOOKS that is! Please take a moment to look around your homes for any PLES Media Center books. We would love to get them ready for other students to read when they check them out with our Contact-less Book Check Out system. That's right!! YOU CAN STILL CHECK OUT BOOKS from the PLES Media Center. Cozy up with a good book from our Media Center by following the directions on this link: Requesting Books at PLES You may also take advantage of the great books at the HC Library by clicking on this link: HC Library 2020 Book Lists
Happy Reading!!
Social Emotional Learning Corner:
Getting Back At It!
Happy New Year! January 2021 is here, and we are back in school. How’s it going? Trouble getting up on time, or to bed on time? Struggling to get your young person to complete their tasks, stay on their meets? Does it feel like September? I hope not, but I suspect for some there are times it does. Here are some ideas to help you slide back into a schedule, and help your young person focus on learning.
Remember - positive language, praise, and clearly stating what you want to see.
· Say what you want to see or hear. “Destiny, it’s time to log on for ELA.” It’s more effective to tell them exactly what you want to see.
· Keep it simple and look at your young person when you are talking with them.
· Show you accept their feelings, which might be heavy right now. “Shawn, I hear you feel tired and don’t want to get up. It’s a school day, you can rest after the school day is over.” Offer something you can do to help soothe them.
· Tell them what they have done well! “Juan, I see you signed into Math on time. Way to go!”
· Post a schedule, refer to the schedule and stick to a schedule. This can be hard for all of us!
· Monday through Friday wake up at the same time. Set an alarm, making sure there is time to dress, eat breakfast, brush teeth, collect supplies….. Be ready to join their meet at 9:00am.
· Have a place to display a school schedule. Visuals can help keep us all on track.
· Close the technology at 4:00pm, at the end of the school day. If work is not quite done, take a break, move, or play. Finish work after a break.
· Have a set bedtime. Even if sleep does not come right away, being in a sleeping place and settled cues the body it is rest time.
Help your young person take break. Early in the year, we talked about a place for your young person to calm down, organize thoughts or feelings. Use this spot when your young person shows frustration, appears tired or overwhelmed. A quick 3-5 minute break is sometimes all we need. Next week I will reshare how to create a calm down space.
Give yourself, your young person, and your family some grace during this time. Everyone is trying hard.
Be well.
Mrs. Croushler
Clothing Bin:
Our Clothing Bin is still accessible during the school closure. 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!!!
Here is a list of food sources for you to access:
COVID 19 Rent Assistance:
Beginning October 5, 2020, Howard County residents may contact one of the participating providers to complete an application for assistance to pay past due rent and/or mortgage payments and/or to prevent eviction. Maximum assistance per household is 3 months of housing expense. Click here for details.
OMHS Food Pantry
OMHS Food Pantry will be open next week for distribution. For the foreseeable future, we will be distributing on the last WEDNESDAY of every month from 3:00-5:00 p.m. Our upcoming dates are:
Friday, December 18 (3:30-5:30pm)
Wednesday, January 27
Wednesday, February 24
Wednesday, March 31
Columbia Community Care:
This group gives out food at Howard High, Swansfield Elementary, and Oakland Mills Middle on Wednesdays from 5-8pm and Saturdays 10:30am-1:30pm. You can also fill out their form for food and they can deliver as well. Website: http://columbiacare.live/
Form for food: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScJIRfYmnGVs1KNEvq0mfqL8qoOJtlV...
HCC Kids on Campus:
HCC’s well-known Kids on Campus program provides enrichment education for youth ages 8 to 17. Topics range from Art from Around the World, Roblox, Nature Explorers, Math enrichment, World Languages, and SAT Prep. HCC Kids on Campus has something for every interest! This could be a great opportunity for students to supplement around content areas they want to learn more about or need support in! Upcoming available courses can be found here. A limited number of scholarships are available for families who need financial aid. If you believe you may be eligible for financial aid, please complete this application and submit via email to NoncreditFinAid@howardcc.edu as soon as possible.
More Than Karate!
During the Day!! The solution for virtual school assistance for your kids!
Now Enrolling for 2021!
Our business partner, The Okinawan Karate Dojo, is a fully licensed ChildCare Center by the Maryland State Department of Education. Voted as the #1 Martial Arts School and (one of) The Best ChildCare Facilities in Howard County, they are excited to provide your kids (kindergarten thru 8th grade) a healthy, safe, and enriching environment where they can receive virtual schooling assistance, spend time with peers, stay physically active, AND have fun! Most important, the dojo's COVID-cautious practices and reviews from current parents who use this service are - EXCELLENT! Program hours are 8 am to 4 pm, Monday through Friday. After Care is available from 4 to 6 pm. In order to keep group sizes small, enrollment is limited. Secure your child’s spot NOW! Email: info@okinawankaratedojo.com Call: 443 574 8999 Website: OKDKarat