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

December

• 5 - PTA Holiday Shop begins
• 5-7 - Cognitive Abilities Test (CogAT) for grades 3 and 5
• 6 - PTA Restaurant Night - Chick-Fil-A Johns Hopkins Road
• 7 - PTA Meeting, 7:00 p.m.
• 9 - 3rd grade field trip to National Aquarium
• 14 - Professional Work and Wellness Day - Schools close 3-hours early at 12:45 p.m.
• 16 - 5th grade field trip to Robinson Nature Center
• 21 - CCEStival - Winter Chorus and Instrumental Music Concerts @AHS
• 22 - Spirit Day - Holiday Sweater Day
• 23 - Spirit Day - Pajama Day
• December 24- January 2 - Winter Break

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

I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving Break. The time between Thanksgiving and Winter Break is a very productive period of time with 20 consecutive days of school. It is the longest uninterrupted span of school in the second quarter. We hope to see our students in school each day (unless they are ill) until the Winter Break. Attendance is incredibly important, as we have stated in previous newsletters. Our first-quarter attendance rate was 94.36%. This is much lower than our first-quarter attendance rate in a typical year. Our goal is to have an attendance rate of 96% or higher. Additionally, please remember that students should arrive at school no later than 9:13 a.m. and be in their seats ready to learn at 9:15 a.m. when the bell rings. We look forward to a productive December!

We truly live in a world surrounded by technology and this technology is growing every day!

It is becoming very clear that whatever field our students choose to go into as adults, their ability to succeed will increasingly depend on understanding how technology works and/or their career will most likely be affected by technology in some way.

Interestingly however, only a tiny fraction of us who use technology are actually learning HOW our technology works and how creativity fosters the continuing advancement of technology.

This is why our entire school is again joining the largest learning event in history: The Hour of Code during National Computer Science Education Week December 5th-9th.

By participating in the Hour of Code, Clemens Crossing Elementary School is making a statement that we are ready to introduce these foundational 21st-century skills even to our youngest learners. During our Hour of Code every student at Clemens Crossing will be given the opportunity to learn, try and enhance their coding skills.

Be sure to ask your child about their experience with the Hour of Code!

See the link below for more details and a chance to try coding as a family.

https://hourofcode.com/us/learn

The cafeteria manager notified us that they are selling snacks again after not selling snacks for the past two years. Students may purchase snacks after lunch is served. Snacks cost either $.050, $.075, or $1.00. Anyone purchasing a snack may pay by using cash, or the pre-loaded My School Bucks. Please note, if students qualify for free or reduced meals, that does not include the a la carte snacks.

Our Student Support Team (SST) supports families in need during the holiday season. The SST is in need of gift cards in the amount of $10 or $20 from Giant Food, Safeway, WalMart, or Target. Those gift cards will be distributed to families in need during the week of December 19. If you can donate a gift card, please give it to Mrs. Ann Rogers, School Counselor, by December 19. Thank you so much!

Need labels? The PTA will receive 20% of proceeds if you elect to purchase these using this link: https://www.namebubbles.com/?rfsn=6990970.50f282

Our family uses this brand and I can confirm they are dishwasher safe - I like to create a small one with our last name and a cell phone number so I can use for both kids and receive texts locating our many wandering water bottles.

(If you leave the site and return to it later, remember you will have to use the above link to navigate to ensure your purchase counts.

Cub Scouts are doing a Used Book Drive next Wednesday, 12/7. Children can come and donate books and pick 2 "new-to-them" books. It will be in the CCES cafeteria at 7:30 pm.

We're also doing a Used Coat Drive on Saturday, December 10th at 2:00 pm at the playground.

*School will dismiss early and students will report directly to the art room at dismissal - be sure to send a note to remind your child's teacher on that day.

Pick up/Sign out will be from the front of the school at 4:00pm.

KidzArt is proud to partner with the PTA to bring you another exciting half day workshop! Students will work with a variety of mediums and complete several projects. Each workshop will be different, so join us for one or both! All materials are included. $60

https://campscui.active.com/orgs/KidzArtMaryland?orglink=camps-registration#/selectSessions/3212831

Magnus Chess Academy (Silver Knights) has taught chess to 100,000+ children including national champions! A great camp for everyone from brand new beginners to tournament players. Activities include learning the rules, openings, tactics, strategy, endgames, playing games and outdoor breaks. Students will have two lessons and a bunch of practice games each day. All equipment provided. $49

https://chessacademy.com/products/clemens-crossing-school-break-camp

This year, the Howard County Public School System will be administering the Cognitive

Abilities Test (CogAT) to all students in grades 3 and 5. The CogAT is a group-administered

abilities test that measures students’ reasoning abilities, which they develop through in-school and out-of-school experiences. It is not designed to test a student’s academic achievement, but their potential.

All students in Grades 3 and 5 will participate in the testing. The CogAT will be administered

on December 5, 6, and 7th. No special preparation is required. Just send your child to school ready to learn as you do daily.

The Gifted and Talented Education Program will use the data from the CogAT as one criterion

for placement into fourth grade Gifted/Talented mathematics classes and middle school

Gifted/Talented content classes. Students’ individual scores will be reported to parents in late

February/early March.

12/5-12/9 4 pm-7 pm in the CCES Music Room

Holiday Shop is next week. This a wonderful opportunity for kids (CCES students & their siblings) to shop for the holiday that's special to their family and choose gifts for their family, friends, and other loved ones. The Shop will run after school, the week commencing December 5th. Gifts will range in price from $0.50-$10, with the vast majority of gifts costing less than $5.

We need plenty of parent helpers to help set up, assist students in shopping, manage cash sales and do a quick pack-up each evening to keep the music room functioning normally during the school day. This event will be hugely popular and loads of fun - please lend a hand! Thank you! Click here to sign up as a helper https://www.signupgenius.com/go/30E0D4AAEAD29ABFE3-cces1