It has been another great week at Manor Woods! Our students are settling into their routines and demonstrating DUCK expectations by Doing their Best, Being Upstanders, Showing Compassion and Being Kind. While the weather resulted in some changes in routine this week, indoor recess and inclement weather bus dismissal, our students adjusted and continued to do their best. We are so proud of our Mighty Ducks!  Be sure to ask your child(ren) ways to be a Mighty DUCK at MWES. 

Wednesday, September 13th at 6:30 pm is the first PTA meeting of the school year. This year our PTA will continue to offer a hybrid option for attending. You can join the meeting in-person at MWES in the Media Center or virtually with the Zoom link that will be sent by the PTA prior to the meeting.  We are so appreciative of our PTA and everything they do for our students, staff and Manor Woods community. Did you know the funds raised by our PTA support so many activities and events for our students, staff and families such as the Duck Dash, Paint Night, Multicultural Night, Bedtime Stories, Blacktop Carnival and more? Our PTA is made up of hard-working parents and staff who pool their talents to provide practical support for our school. The goal of our PTA is to create opportunities for families to connect with and support our students and staff. The PTA hosts enriching events for our students and families, fundraises and hosts some fun parties to get families and staff engaged outside of the classroom. Our PTA needs you! Without PTA membership and parent and staff involvement, the events and activities are not possible. We hope you can join the first meeting of SY23-24!

Please don’t hesitate to reach out with any questions or concerns. 

We hope you have a fantastic weekend! 

 

Kelli Jenkins, Principal
Jennifer Zinn, Assistant Principal

 

 

2023-2024  IMPORTANT DATES AND EVENTS

 

SEPTEMBER

• 12 - Individual Student Pictures
• 12- Hispanic Heritage Month Starts (9/12-10/15)
• 15 - Rosh Hashana - Schools and Offices Closed
• 20 - K-2 Standards Based Instruction and Reporting Family Night, 5:30-6:30 p.m.
• 25 -Yom Kippur - Schools and Offices Closed
• 28 - PTA Restaurant Night ~ Crazy Mason, 4:00-7:00 p.m.

OCTOBER

• 9 - Schools Closed for Students, Professional Learning Day
• 20 - Schools Closed for Students, Professional Work Day
• 25 - Flu/COVID Vaccine Clinic (more information to come)
• 31 - End of Q1, 3hr Early Dismissal at 12:45 p.m.

 

                                    

 

INFORMATION TO SHARE

 

School Picture Day

Save the date: September 12, 2023 (Tuesday)

Click here to view the order form: Picture Forms

View How To Place Your Order Here 

 

Mandatory PE Attire

For a link to the HCPSS Physical Education guidelines for mandatory PE class attire, CLICK HERE.

The Importance of Attendance 

September is Attendance Awareness Month! Attendance in school is extremely important for student success. To stay on track in school, students need to be present every day. Missing 18 or more days of school in a year puts a child’s high school graduation at risk.  Being absent for just two days every month of the school year can put a child behind academically. 

Students with regular attendance are more likely to read well by third grade and score higher on tests. They also tend to be more engaged in school and feel better about themselves. 

Make school a priority. Every absence (excused or not) can impact a child’s academic achievement. Talk to your child about how important their education is. Make daily routines for homework and waking up on time for school. Maintain communication with teachers and keep an eye on your child’s academic progress.

Schedule wisely. Know your school’s calendar, and arrange doctor and dentist appointments after school, on weekends, or during holiday breaks, if possible. Resist the urge to schedule vacations when students will miss school. This could give students the impression that school is not a priority.

Important Reminders About Absences Reporting absences To report a student’s absence, please email the following group email address:  MWESabsence@hcpss.org. In your message please include the student’s first and last name, grade, teacher, why they are absent and the days absent.  The school must receive a note, handwritten or emailed, from the parent or physician explaining the absence/tardiness of a student within two school days of the student’s return or the absence/tardiness will be unlawful/unexcused. When a doctor’s certification for chronic illness has been required and not provided within two school days of the student’s return, the absence/tardiness will be recorded as unlawful/unexcused until a doctor’s certificate is provided. For absences of up to 3 days per year, the principal may determine whether the absences will be lawful/excused or unlawful/unexcused. Completed the Discretionary Absence Form. Submit the form to MWESabsence@hcpss.org for the principal’s approval. For absences in excess of three days, the principal in consultation with the administrative directors will determine if the absences will be lawful/excused or unlawful/unexcused. If the request is for 15 consecutive days or more, the written request should be submitted 2 weeks in advance. Students with unlawful absences of 10 consecutive school days or more will be withdrawn from school and may be allowed to re-enroll, provided they meet enrollment requirements, upon their return. Students returning from lawful absences have an equal number of days to complete make-up work.

School Counseling News

Welcome back! We're off to a great start to the 2023-24 school year here at Manor Woods. Ms. Heinlein and Mrs. Salapata, School Counselors, are here to support our students and families. Mrs. Heinlein works with grades K, 1, 4 and 5. Mrs. Salapata works with grades 2 and 3. Please reach out to us through email or by calling 410-313-7165 if we can be of assistance.  monica_heinlein@hcpss.org; christina_salapata@hcpss.org 

PTA NEWS

September 13th, 6:30PM  - First PTA Meeting

Help us kick off the new school year by joining us for our first PTA meeting of the year WEDNESDAY, September 13th at 6:30pm in the media center (Zoom link will also be sent out next week)! This is a great opportunity to learn more about the PTA, hear from our administration and meet other Manor Woods families. We will be voting in our new PTA Board members at this meeting as well. Per our bylaws, a quorum of 15 past PTA members will need to be present to vote in the 2023-2024 PTA board, so please stop by to help get the school year started! Hope to see you there!

JOIN THE PTA!

If you haven't already, please take a moment to join the PTA! It's quick, easy and membership funds help to support our school! The PTA funds and supports school-wide presentations, family fun events, teacher appreciation activities, items needed by the teachers for their lessons and classrooms and much more!

Join Today!
https://www.mwespta.com/

Did you know the PTA has a Facebook group to stay up to date with PTA events? Join here today!

 

Community News & Events

HCPSS News                      

Families are encouraged to visit the HCPSS website for all your needs, including:

• HCPSS website

• HCPSS News

• HCPSS Help 

• HPSS Community News and Programs

HCPSS Student & Parent Handbook

Click HERE for the county's 2022-23 handbook

 

WEEKLY DUCK ~ REPEATED INFORMATION 

Click here to access the 9/1/23 Weekly Duck

Lunch Information

New! Student Meals & Payments

New for the 2023-2024 school year, HCPSS no longer will use Nutrislice for school menus or MySchoolBucks for payment. Instead, we have a new parent site for all things food and nutrition. LINQ Connect is a secure, online portal that allows families to make online payments to their child’s meal account, monitor their child’s account, schedule automatic recurring payments, set up low balance alerts, submit a Free and Reduced Meals program application, and more.
Please note: MySchoolBucks meal balances were automatically transferred to LINQ Connect. If your child had a balance at the end of the 2022-2023 school year, when you add your child to your profile, that meal balance will be displayed. To request a refund of meal balances at any time, complete this brief online form.

For the 2023-2024 school year, students whose families do not qualify for free or reduced lunch will be required to pay the daily meal price.

• Breakfast - $2.00

• Lunch - $2.80

MWES Breakfast and Lunch Menus

Information and Application for Free and Reduced Meals (FARMs)

The HCPSS participates in the National School Lunch and Breakfast Programs. Students from households that meet federal income guidelines are eligible to receive free or reduced-price meals. Qualification is based on family size and income, and enrollment is confidential. All children in households receiving benefits from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) can get free meals regardless of income, and students from households that meet federal income guidelines are eligible to receive free or reduced-price meals. Those eligible for Free and Reduced Meals receive both breakfast and lunch for free.

Parents/guardians must submit a new application every school year to maintain their student’s eligibility. Click the button below to apply.

https://www.hcpss.org/food-services/farms/

HCPSS Student & Parent Handbook

The Student & Parent Handbook can be found online and outlines districtwide practices and policies related to parents and students, including the Student Code of Conduct, school procedures, student responsibilities and more. 

HCPSS Student Code of Conduct

The Howard County Public School System is committed to providing a safe, engaging and supportive learning environment where all policies are enforced fairly and consistently. HCPSS policies and regulations emphasize instruction and rehabilitation rather than punishment and are designed to foster and reward appropriate behavior and keep students connected to school so they can graduate college and career ready. Please read and review the HCPSS student code of conduct with your child(ren) before the school year begins:

https://www.hcpss.org/f/aboutus/student-handbook/student-code-of-conduct.pdf

Volunteers ~ Reminders/Information

All visitors and volunteers must complete the following documentation prior to volunteering: Confidentiality Training Course and Child Abuse Training course. Parents should print out the certificates associated with these trainings (below) and hand them in to the Front Office.  Confidentiality Training Certificate and Child Abuse Training Certificate

Howard County Recreation and Parks

Fall 2023 Howard County Recreation & Parks After School classes for students at Manor Woods ES. 

These classes provide fun, structured, educational, and enriching activities for students, benefitting both the child(ren) and parents!

Please click here to view classes:  Manor Woods Elementary Fall After School Flyer (1).pdf  

Sensory Friendly Story Time 

Thanks to a continued partnership between OEIS, the HCPSS Family Support & Resource Center, and the Howard County Public Library System, we are pleased to announce the return of the Sensory Friendly Story Time & More series. These monthly classes provide an opportunity for families to experience stories, music, and movement in a supportive environment. Classes will rotate throughout the County at different HCPL branches each month. Space is limited and registration is required. The first classes are coming up on 9/13/23 and 10/11/23, please see these fliers for details & share with families! Sensory Stories_September 2023 and Sensory Stories_October 2023

Cub Scout Pack 333 – Please join us!

Is your son or daughter interested in becoming a Cub Scout? Here’s a great opportunity at the Pack 333 Meeting on Tuesday, September 19th at 6:30pm (St. James United Methodist Church at 12470 Old Frederick Road). Your entire family is welcome to join.

Adult leaders will be there to answer questions and talk with you about the fun plans that are lined up for the year and our Webelos (4th graders) will be hosting a CARNIVAL for all cubs/prospective cubs. Boys and girls K through 5th grade welcome! For more info, contact Becky Ciecka (bciecka@c-cured.com) or sign up here: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/70A0C4EA8AD2FA6FA7-iamintereste