Paw Prints

Fri, 10/08/2021 - 2:45pm

 

Trish Lannon, Principal

LaRae Guide, Assistant Principal

 

October 8, 2021

 

DATES TO REMEMBER:

October 11-15    National School Lunch Week

October 14         Chat & Chew w/ Administrators 5:30 - 6:30pm via Google Meet

October 15         Schools Closed for Students

October 16         PTA Fall FLowers Pickup

October 18         Fall School Pictures Day

October 19         Flu Vaccine Clinic for Students and Staff

 

A Message from the Principal

Guilford Family and Friends,

I have been loving all the Fall weather we have been having and am so happy we are able to have students dining outside and doing outside recess. Everywhere you look, it is starting to even look like Fall now! We have had a busy week here at GES. Our students completed MCAP testing, our 4th graders went on a wonderful field trip for Days of Taste, and we were visited by our Community Superintendent and our Performance Director.

Celebrations were in store this week for several of our students. Congratulations to our students who auditioned and made it into the Howard County Lyric Chorus (4th/5th Grade GT Chorus):

Kakra A., Nishma K., Belzarena K. and Brianna P. A big shout out to those students who auditioned and made it into the Howard County Cantus Chorus (2nd/3rd Grade GT Chorus): Harper B., Mia O. and Selina W. The entire Guilford ES community is so proud that you all will be representing our school. 

Now that the school year is in full swing, we will be holding our first Chat & Chew of the year. We hope you all can join us virtually on Thursday, October 14th. All the information for logging in is below in our newsletter, including a way for you to submit questions ahead of time that you would like to have answered. We hope to see you all there!

As always, our doors are open. If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to reach out to Mrs. Guide or myself at any time and we will get back to you immediately. Thank you for being such an amazingly supportive community.

                                                                                        

Mrs. Trish Lannon, Principal

Mrs. LaRae Guide, Assistant Principal

 

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

Virtual Community Academy: Navigating HCPSS

There will be a virtual session co-sponsored by HCPSS and The Council of Elders on Saturday, October 9, from 9:00-10:30a.m. This free session will focus on HCPSS resources that are available to help families support their child’s education. Parents/guardians of students at all levels are invited to attend. Register online to receive a confirmation email with login information. Direct questions to Ron Morris at ron_morris@hcpss.org

Resources

Please join The Council of Elders of Howard County for an engaging session regarding the numerous web-based and staff resources the Howard County Public School System has to assist families in supporting their children. HCPSS staff will be on hand to review these resources, including the Canvas platform. Additionally, participants will learn effective strategies to maintain communication between home and school. This session is for families of students at elementary, middle, or high and will be held virtually. Saturday October 9, 2021.  Register here: https://tinyurl.com/4s2tfj2x

Fall Individual Student Portraits October 18th 

Strawbridge Studios will be at GES on October 18th to photograph students for individual fall portraits.  Please review the information on THESE FLYERS  if you are interested in ordering photographs of your child.  Additionally, if you would like to receive electronic updates from Strawbridge regarding your child’s school portraits, you may sign up at: https://strawbridge.fotomerchanthv.com/clients/guilford-elementary-school/fall-pictures-10-18-2021-12/optIn

Flu Vaccination Information

Flu vaccinations are coming to Guilford Elementary on Tuesday, October 19, 2021.  They will be given at NO CHARGE TO YOU.  Now, more than ever, it is important to protect your family through vaccinations. If you would like your child to be vaccinated, please register online BEFORE Friday, October 8.

 

Fill out the consent form online at:

https://tinyurl.com/HoCPSSFlu2021

 

  1. Type your child’s school name in Search by Name then press the blue Search button.

  2. Click on the Sign Up for Flu Vaccinations button for your child’s school.  OR

 

Fill out a paper consent form:

  1. Read the Vaccine Information Statement (VIS) and talk to your health care provider or the school nurse about any questions you have. VIS: https://tinyurl.com/FluVIS2021-E

  2. Fill out every section of the paper Consent Form. 

  3. Use your insurance card to fill out your insurance information accurately. Your insurance company will be billed. There is no copay or deductible. You will NOT be charged by us or your insurance company. 

 

Influenza, also known as the flu, is a serious illness that affects people of all ages.  One of the best ways to prevent the flu is through vaccinations.  We are pleased to join with the Maryland Partnership for Prevention (MPP) to offer flu vaccinations at our school.

 

You may give permission for your child to be vaccinated using (1) an online form at https://tinyurl.com/HoCPSSFlu2021 or obtain a paper copy from the school if you cannot fill out an online consent form.

 

We urge you to protect your family from the flu. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that everyone ages 6 months and older get a flu shot. Please visit www.cdc.gov/flu/index.htm for more information about the flu vaccine.

Chat & Chew with Administrators

Please join us on Thursday, October 14th for a virtual “Chat & Chew” with the community. We would like to provide you with the opportunity to submit questions you would like us to address during our Chat & Chew. Feel free to use THIS LINK to provide us with them. Join us on our Google Meet by using the following link: http://meet.google.com/ktx-mwne-hdu

Use of Fidgets/Pop Its/Toys in School

As we mentioned in last week’s newsletter, students are not permitted to bring in toys or recess equipment from home. This has been the policy for years but we are continuing to see Pop Its being brought in. These toys are very distracting to learning and should remain at home. Please make sure your child does not bring in fidgets/toys of any kind. We thank you for your support.

Cellphones

Per the parent/student handbook, elementary school students MUST keep their cellphones off and in their backpacks at all times during the school day. We are finding that many students are keeping them in their pockets and taking them out to recess. Please know that if this occurs, we will first instruct them to turn it off and put it in their backpack. If it continues, we may take the phone and hold it in the front office until the student leaves at dismissal. We would appreciate it if you would review the school policy with your child and reinforce that it needs to be off and remain in their backpack. Thanks.

Close Adult Support for Special Needs Students

We are in need of 3 adults to hire for this position. For the close adult support position, you would apply through an outside agency that staffs these positions in our schools. The position is for 6-hours each day, Monday-Friday and we currently need to hire 2 people. We also frequently need subs for this role, as well. Click here to learn more and apply.

GT Program Parent Academy

Howard County GT Program Parent Academy, October 13 and 14, 2021

HCPSS families interested in the Gifted and Talented (GT) Program are invited to come learn about the advanced-level offerings available and how their students can become involved. The evening will begin with an overview of GT Education Program offerings followed by a question and answer session with Central Office GT Education Program staff. Elementary and Secondary programs will be covered on separate days. Families may attend one or both nights. Registration is required for these events.

 

Elementary Focus: Wednesday, October 13, 7 – 8:00 p.m., being held virtually via Microsoft Teams

Secondary Focus: Thursday, October 14, 7-8:00 p.m., being held virtually via Microsoft Teams

 

For more information and to register, please visit the HCPSS GT Program Parent Academy announcement HCPSS GT Program Parent Academy announcement.  HCPSS GT Program Parent Academy announcement

Jewelry and Shoes in PE

Howard County has guidelines for Safe Dress and participation in PE.  You can find this document on your students' PE homepage.  All students must wear sneakers or tennis shoes on PE days.  The only jewelry that students are permitted to wear are stud earrings and fitness trackers.  Please see your students' PE home page for PE days and a color calendar for the year.  Thank you for your support!

Water Bottles and Masks

Please make sure you send your child with a refillable water bottle each day so they have access to water throughout the day. In addition, every child should bring a mask to school and we highly suggest you pack them some extras in their backpack. Thanks.

HEPA Filters

Air purifiers have been installed in all classrooms throughout our building. This is another preventative measure our school system and GES has taken to keep our students and staff as safe as we can. 

Resources for Quarantined Students

In the event that your child needs to quarantine, there have been instructional materials developed for their use.  Your child’s teacher will contact you with directions regarding these materials and supports. 

This will include:

  • Instructional Packet (paper copy) - These packets were sent home with ALL students at the beginning of the school year. Please put them in a safe place in the event that your child may need them in the future. 

  • Robust Instructional Packets - These large packets are ent home with students who end up on quarantine and are grade level specific.

  • Synchronous Support Sessions - Each ELA and Math teacher will offer synchronous sessions that quarantine students can access.  Teachers will send the dates/times and login information for these sessions. In addition, our special ed staff will also have support sessions.

  • Canvas Materials - There may be activities on Canvas that students can complete.  Teachers will communicate this with parents. 

  • Dreambox, Typing Agent and LexiaCore will be available for students to utilize. 

  • Evening School - This program offers academic enrichment for those students who are put on quarantine. If you want your child to participate in this, please email our school counselor, Michelle Clarke, directly. Her email address is michelle_clarke@hcpss.org

If your child left their laptop at school, please call the front office to arrange a pick-up time to get your child's device. This will allow them to access the above supports. If your child does not have a device assigned to them, a device will be assigned to them if they need to be quarantined. If your child is not in school when they are placed on quarantine, you can contact the front office in order to arrange a pick-up time to get a device for your child.  

Thank you for your understanding, support and continued collaboration as we stay safe, healthy and able to focus on teaching and learning.  As always, please feel free to reach out with any additional questions. 

 Absences

If your child is absent at any point this school year, please send an email to gesabsence@hcpss.org and your child’s homeroom teacher. In your email please include your child’s first and last name, date of the absence and the reason.

Providing Consent for In-School COVID Testing

HCPSS offers free, voluntary COVID tests for students and school-based staff who develop COVID-like symptoms or are identified as close contacts while they are in a school building. Parents/guardians who have not already done so can provide consent in HCPSS Connect Synergy to enable your child to participate in this testing program.

Quarantining Procedures

The close contact and quarantining procedures that were put into place last year will remain this fall. Only unvaccinated students and adults who are identified as close contacts must quarantine. Vaccinated students and staff will not be required to quarantine unless they receive a positive test or are displaying symptoms, but are expected to monitor their symptoms closely for the 14 days. Instructional supports are in place for students who must quarantine.

Update Your Family File

Thank you to those families who have already completed their Family Files! Currently, we are at 60% completion and need 199 more Family Files to be completed. We need every parent/guardian to update each of their children’s Family File. This will give us the information about who we are permitted to release your child to for early dismissal, how they will arrive and be dismissed from school (car, walk, bus, daycare, etc.), how to contact you in the event of an emergency, and so much more. To update the Family File for each of your children, please go to ​​https://www.hcpss.org/connect/ prior to August 30th.

  1. Log in to HCPSS Connect Synergy using parent/guardian credentials

  2. Select “More Options” from the left navigation

  3. Select “Family File” at the top of the page

  4. Complete each page of Family File

  5. On the last page, select the blue Submit button

If you have any issues, please contact the front office and someone will be able to assist you.

Additional Benefits of FARMS (Free and Reduced Meals)

FARMS eligibility provides discounts for summer school, recreation programs, Maryland Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), internet programs, SAT and ACT tests, and much more. Families must submit a new application every school year.

Any student who has not filled out an application up to the 30th school day will have their prior year status changed until a new application is received. 

Parents/guardians are highly encouraged to fill out the applications by October 15th. Apply for school meal benefits the easy way. MySchoolApps is the fast and secure way to apply for free and reduced meals online. www.myschoolapps.com

Guilford Elementary School PTA

Stay connected with our amazing PTA by joining their Facebook page. You can join by clicking on THIS LINK. You can also follow them on their website HERE. One of the most important things the PTA does for Guilford ES, is to support our students with fun events, assemblies and activities. In order to do this, they need you to join the PTA! You can join by going HERE.

COMMUNITY NEWS & EVENTS

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.

 

TITLE 1 INFORMATION

Guilford Elementary School is a Title I School-wide Program school. Title I is a federally funded program designed to close achievement gaps and ensure all children have an opportunity to access a high-quality education by providing funding for supplemental academic services and supports. 

A Family-School Compact & Plan is an agreement between families, students, and teachers that is jointly developed and distributed to all families. It explains how families, students, and teachers will work as a team to make sure all students meet with success and get the support they need to achieve grade level goals.  

The Guilford Elementary School Family School Compact and Calendar of Events can be found here http://ges.hcpss.org/sites/default/files/ges-title-I-compact-calendar.pdf for English; http://ges.hcpss.org/sites/default/files/ges-title-I-compact-calendar-spa.pdf for Spanish and on the Guilford Elementary School Title I can be found here  http://ges.hcpss.org/about/title-i-program

If you have any questions, please ask your child’s teacher at your upcoming parent teacher conference.  If you have any input or feedback, please contact Donna Bethune Brown at donna_bethune-brown@hcpss.org.