Clemens Crossing Cougar Comments

Edward Cosentino, Principal

Jaime Gittleson, 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

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All Howard County public schools and offices are closed Friday, December 23, 2022.

All evening activities involving HCPSS students and staff are canceled. In addition, all community-sponsored programs in HCPSS buildings are canceled.

Additional information for HCPSS staff can be found online.

December

• December 24- January 2 - Winter Break

January

• 3 - School Reopens
• 6 - School Spirit Day - Hat Day
• 11 - PTA Meeting, 7:00 p.m.
• 16 - No School - Martin Luther King Jr. Day
• 18 - Schools close 3 hours early, 12:45 p.m. (Professional Work and Wellness Day)
• 19 - Wilde Lake Middle School New Student & Parent Orientation/Information Night, 6:30 p.m.
• 19 - Road To Kindergarten workshop at Centennial High School, 6:30-7:30 p.m.
• 20 - End of 2nd Marking Period
• 20 - Cougar Pride Spirit Day - wear CCES apparel
• 20 - PTA Bingo Night
• 23 - No School for students - Professional Work Day
• 24 - The Great Kindness Challenge begins - Spirit day #1 - Kindness Day
• 24 - Road to Kindergarten workshop at Wilde Lake High School, 6:30-7:30 p.m.
• 25 - The Great Kindness Challenge Spirit day #2 - Color Day
• 25 - Harper's Choice Middle School New Student & Parent Orientation/Information Night, 6:00 p.m.
• 26 - The Great Kindness Challenge Spirit day #3 - Mix & Match Day
• 26 - Road to Kindergarten workshop at Oakland Mills High School, 6:30-7:30 p.m.
• 27 - The Great Kindness Challenge Spirit day #4 - Workout Day
• 30 - Report Cards issued in Family File

To subscribe to the CCES calendar on your smartphone, electronic device, or email system use the calendar ID sqspkjkbr6v6arss44js3n21eg@group.calendar.google.com.

Happy Holidays!

It is hard to believe this is the final Cougar Comments of this calendar year! The past few weeks have been filled with a lot of fun and memorable experiences for our students.

As we conclude 2022 and break for the winter holiday, I want to take a moment to express my heartfelt gratitude to all who help make Clemens Crossing Elementary an amazing place to learn for our children. We are a community with many gifts and talents, which we share daily with one another and, most importantly, our students.

In the spirit of this holiday season, I want to extend my thanks to all of you for everything you do for our school. As we enjoy the upcoming holidays, I wish each of you receives and returns the seasonal bounty of blessings and good tidings that make these days truly special.

During this time, I am also reminded of my good fortune to serve as the proud principal of Clemens Crossing Elementary. Indeed, my career as a public school educator has afforded me vast, varied, and richly rewarding opportunities to teach and to learn from young people.

Of course, I believe our children's faces best express the true meaning of this holiday season. They radiate a sense of enthusiasm, hope, and joy for life and the opportunities that await them. To the parents, families, and friends of the Clemens Crossing Elementary Community, please have a safe and joyous holiday season.

Mr. Cosentino, Principal

Our Winter CCEStival Winter Concerts were amazing. Thank you to Mrs. Ritchie, Mrs. Yeager, and our incredible musicians for a fantastic evening.

The Road to Kindergarten information sessions will be held for families of children who will begin kindergarten in Fall 2023.

The Howard County Board of Education is considering making a significant change in start times for schools. How does that impact our CCES community? One scenario has Clemens Crossing Elementary School starting school at 8:00 a.m. This means doors open at 7:45 a.m., and the late bell would be 8:00 a.m. Our school would dismiss at 2:30 p.m. in that scenario.

The communication office sent the following email to the community on 12/20/22 outlining the entire plan and process. It is recommended to review the information and be part of the process if you feel necessary.

The Howard County Board of Education is offering multiple opportunities for all stakeholders to engage in the decision about whether to shift school start times for the 2023-2024 school year. Information related to this process and the Board’s upcoming decision may be found on the school system’s website. Additionally, two potential school-by-school start times charts are available online for community members to review.

The Board has scheduled public hearings on January 17, 2023, and January 26, 2023. Both hearings will begin at 7 p.m. and community members wishing to testify at public hearings must pre-register via online form. Registration opens three weeks prior to a hearing and closes at 4:30 p.m. on the last working day prior to a meeting.

Individuals may also submit written testimony via USPS mail (Board of Education, 10910 Clarksville Pike, Ellicott City, MD 21042) or via email to starttimes@hcpss.org. All testimony submitted for public hearings via email or regular mail will be uploaded as submitted to BoardDocs.

Additionally, the Board will hold public work sessions on January 19, 2023, and February 15, 2023. Members of the community may watch work sessions online or in person but may not participate. The Board is scheduled to make a final decision on whether to change school start times for the 2023-2024 school year on February 23, 2023.

A huge SHOUT OUT and THANK YOU to all of our students who participated in the Howard County Literacy Association Young Authors’ Contest this year! We had a total of 43 entries from our students in grades 1-5. All students who participated will receive a certificate. We are so proud of each of our Cougars for their hard work and creativity!

Winning entries at the school level will be announced after winter break. There will be one winning entry for each category (short story and poem) for each grade. These entries will be submitted to the county level. Congratulations to all of our students on a job well done!

Here are the winners and the titles of their submissions for the Young Author's Contest.

1st Grade

Poem- Colors of Life (Abha S.)

Short Story- When the Dinosaur Came to the Rainbow Forest (Elias R.)

2nd Grade

Poem- Love (Anna M.)

Short Story- The Fairy and the Princess (Emilia L.)

3rd Grade

Poem- The Dream (Lulu S.)

Short Story- The Little Fox Changes (Ruari H.)

4th Grade

Poem- Swimming is Fun (Amy K.)

Short Story- Project Make A Friend (Kate R.)

5th Grade

Poem- This Dog (For Benny) (Yocheved E.)

Short Story- Here in Maryland (Leonie B.)

Patient First is a primary and urgent care facility off Cedar Lane, within the boundaries of our school attendance area. They have always supported our school. In addition to an incredible monetary donation of $1,000, they offer outreach and education opportunities for our school. Thank you, Patient First, for being an outstanding business partner for CCES!

Thank you to the sponsors below for donating gifts and gift cards to our school to help our staff have fun with holiday games and activities over the past couple of weeks. Their contributions helped spread cheer all around our school.

Our two feeder middle schools, Harper's Choice Middle and Wilde Lake Middle will host parent information nights in January. Please save the dates below.

Approximately 80% of our 5th graders are assigned to go to Wilde Lake Middle School, and 20% are assigned to Harper's Choice. What middle school are you assigned to? You can look up your assigned school based on your address. Please use the following school locator link for your middle school assignment.

My name is Mr. Allen, and I am a 4th-grade teacher at Clemens Crossing! I will host an after-school program for you to attend called Parent University. Parent University is designed to help you, the parent, help your child at Clemens Crossing and in their time in the Howard County Public School System. During the sessions, I will be able to provide you with resources that will allow your child to receive the best education possible here at Clemens Crossing. These sessions will take place in February and March.

Session 1 (February 23rd, 2023, 7 pm-8 pm) - Overview of K-5 Curriculum with a preview of what to expect in middle and high school - This session will allow you to prepare for what is to come throughout your child's experience at HCPSS.

Session 2 (March 9th, 2023, 7 pm-8 pm) - Navigate Canvas and the many online resources - This session will provide you with an opportunity to explore the available resources our county has available for you to use.

Session 3 (March 16th, 2023, 7 pm-8 pm) - Digging Deeper into Math Standards - This session will allow you to take a look at the math common core standards that your child is and will be working on.

Session 4 (March 23rd, 2023, 7 pm-8 pm)- The Importance of English Language Arts - This session will develop your understanding of the English Language Arts common core standards that your child is and will be working on.

Don’t miss these sessions, as they will be essential to giving your child the best possible education. Please fill out this survey to RSVP for the sessions. If you have any questions, please feel free to email me at dale_allen@hcpss.org.

Thank you so much!

Mr. Allen

We are seeking substitute teachers to work with our students when teachers are absent.

Below, please find some details regarding the position.

The Substitute Teacher instructs students during the absence of a regular teacher. Substitute Teachers are expected to maintain a professional attitude toward their work and support the mission and goals of the school system. Substitute Teachers are assigned on an as needed basis and are temporary employees. Substitute Teachers hours are 8:55 am - 4:00 pm each day.

A minimum of an Associates Degree or successful completion of 60 credit hours is required.

An official college transcript is required and must be uploaded to the online application.

Daily Rate of Pay

Non-degreed (Minimum of 60 credits) $100.00 per day

Degreed (Bachelors or higher) $110.00 per day

Retired Teacher (Must provide verification) $125.00 per day

Communication, initiative, and flexibility are important attributes for those filling the position(s).

Interested applicants can go to the following link below to begin the application process. Please contact Jaime Gittleson at Jaime_Gittleson@hcpss.org or at 410-313-6866 when you have completed all parts of the application.

https://www.applitrack.com/hcpss/onlineapp/default.aspx?Category=Substitute%2fTemporary+Employment&all=cat

We are looking for caring and compassionate individuals to assist students with disabilities who require direct adult supervision throughout the school day. The position works under the daily supervision of the school administration and the direction of a special education teacher and/or a classroom teacher. Some experience working with children or individuals with disabilities preferred. Below, please are details regarding the position.

• Temporary Employee (TE) positions are with Social Service Consultants, Ltd.

• Compensation is $15.00 per hour

• The hours are 9:15 AM – 3:45 PM Monday-Friday.

To apply, please email Robert Tencher at Rtencher@gmail.com to request an application packet. Please specify the school you are interested in. You can also apply using this link. Please contact Jaime Gittleson at Jaime_Gittleson@hcpss.org or at 410-313-6866 when you have completed all parts of the application.

Recently, we have noticed a lot of unsafe practices when dropping off and picking up students, mainly past the crosswalk and crossing guard. Children and parents are walking through cars and nearly getting hit. If a child gets away from a parent, cars do not anticipate that and may not have time to stop. This is unsafe and could lead to an accident. Although children are under a parent's supervision, we highly recommend crossing at the crosswalk during every arrival and dismissal.

Dropping children off and picking them up is prohibited along Quarterstaff Road. That includes at or near the crosswalk. Our car loop is the only place to pick up and drop off your child without getting out of the car. The car loop is efficient despite the long line! Parents/Guardians must park legally and walk to the front of the building to drop off or pick up their child(ren).

Please review our arrival and dismissal procedures and help keep all kids safe. Additionally, if your child normally rides a bus, and you periodically drop off or pick up your child in a car, please review the procedures before you drop off your child. People who are not used to the routines typically create unsafe situations.

Thank you for your donations this fall to help CCES students in need of food assistance on the weekends! We need more food to sustain us this winter/spring. Please consider donating shelf-stable, individually packaged snacks/meals if you can. A list of suggested items can be found on the linked Backpack Bundles page of our PTA Website. Please visit the site to see how you can help in the following ways:

• Order items directly from our Amazon Wishlist.

• Purchase food donations on your own & drop off in the foyer

• Donate monetarily to PTA (please note that the donation is for Backpack Bundles)

If you feel your child could benefit from this program, please contact Ann Rogers, school counselor (ann_rogers@hcpss.org). If you have questions about donations/volunteering, you can contact Lisa Scata (lisa_scata@hcpss.org) or Jenny Lease (jenniferfisher4@gmail.com).

Recently, we have had several situations where we have been trying to reach parents and found that either their voice mailbox was full or not set up receive messages. We also have several cases where the emergency number(s) we have on file is/are no longer in service.

We would appreciate it if you could take a moment and make sure of the following:

1. Please have a voice mailbox in place that can receive messages. If need be, please clear the messages in your mailbox so that your mailbox can receive new notifications.
2. Please take a moment and update any emergency numbers that may need to be updated in Family File.

This is very important, especially if we have an unscheduled emergency closing.