The Weekly Duck
Fri, 01/12/2024 - 3:49pm
Dear Manor Woods Families,
It has been great to be back in the building 4 full days this week. The consistency and structure of the week was appreciated by all. While the weather had a lasting impact on outdoor recess this week, we remain hopeful for 5 consecutive days of school with outdoor recess every day next week!
Yesterday marked the end of the adjusted second quarter and the school year's mid-point. Now that we are at the mid-point of the school year, it is a great time to reflect on the first part of the school year and set goals for the second half of the school year.
Report cards for the second marking period will be available for parents to view on HCPSS Connect on February 5th. As a reminder, you can view the resources and guides to understanding your child’s report card on the HCPSS website. Should you have questions about your child’s report card that are not answered on the parent guides, please contact the teacher for that class. Information is included in this newsletter about scheduling for the February parent/teacher conferences as well.
Parent/Teacher conferences are approaching quickly. The sign-up for a math conference will remain open through February 2 at 4:00 p.m. We are excited to share the successes so far this year and plan for continued growth during the second half of the school year.
We are looking forward to a great upcoming third marking period at MWES!
Wishing everyone a fabulous weekend! GO RAVENS!!!
Kelli Jenkins, Principal
Jennifer Zinn, Assistant Principal
IMPORTANT DATES AND EVENTS
January
29 - Hearing and Cision Screening for Kindergarten, First and New Students
31 - Band Concert at Manor Woods ES, 6:30 PM
February
2 - Parent Teacher Conference Scheduling Window CLOSES in Synergy
5 - Report Cards Issued Electronically at 4:00 p.m.
5 - Re-screening for Hearing and Vision
7 & 8 - 3 Hours Early Dismissal - Parent/Teacher Conferences
9 - Schools closed for students - Professional Work Day
12 - PTA Meeting, 6:30 PM
13 - PTA Valentine’s “Art with Heart” Night
19 - Schools and Offices Closed - Presidents Day
INFORMATION TO SHARE
MWES Spelling Bee
Congratulations to Thanvi Gatamaneni for winning the MWES Spelling Bee! She will advance to the Howard County Spelling Bee which will take place in March. Congratulations to Nitya Kakaraparthy for coming in 2nd place. The following students took part in the MWES Spelling Bee on January 24th.
Thanvi Gatamaneni
Nitya Kakaraparthy
Ishayu Kar
Evan Tan
Olivia Gurvits
Aditi Katte
Zameer Aslam
Catherine Bangsboll
Maiysha Hussain
Charlie Giro
Meera Bhatia
Jiwoo Kim
Noah Choi
Leena Baqir
Ava Lugo
Andrew Pointe
Spencer Wei
Hayden Khadem
Nicole Li
Harii Subramaniam
Thanvi and Nitya and Spelling Bee Group
Kids Heart Challenge
Kids Heart Challenge- During Related Arts on February 8, 2024, all students will participate in the American Heart Association's Kids Heart Challenge. To support the event, register at https://www2.heart.org/site/TR?company_id=460329&fr_id=9739&pg=company. For more information, please visit (pdf attached). Manor Woods Kick Off
Congratulations Manor Woods - PBIS School Award Winners!
Manor Woods ES has been recognized by PBIS Maryland in the following areas: Instructional/Restorative Relationships, Teamwork and The Power of Teaching! Thank you to Mrs. Peksa and Mrs. Croughn for your leadership of our PBIS program!
Read more about Maryland’s PBIS program here:
https://www.hcpss.org/parents/pbis/
Safe and Supportive Environment
As we approach the second half of the school year, we wanted to remind you that HCPSS is dedicated to providing a safe and supportive environment that focuses on student well-being. We are taking this time to uplift the importance of reporting any type of bullying that has occurred. We will be reviewing this with our students and staff as we start the second half of the school year, and hope that you too can uplift this at home.
For children facing the emotional toll of bullying, a supportive individual can make all the difference. Please encourage your children to reach out to a trusted staff member at school should they need to report anything. As parents and guardians, you will use the same reporting form as students by following the steps outlined below.
How do I report bullying?
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When you believe bullying has taken place, you should report it through the Bullying, Cyberbullying, Harassment and Intimidation (BCHI) reporting form. Reporting can take place in one of three ways:
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Complete a BCHI online reporting form
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BCHI paper reporting form (available in the main office, staff workroom, school counseling office, media center, and health services office
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An oral report to a staff member
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It is important to note that policy states “in the event the reporting party does not complete a BCHI Reporting Form, school administrators/supervisors will take the appropriate steps to address and document the incident.” Therefore, if you or someone else makes an oral report, it then must be documented (i.e. through a BCHI reporting form) by the administrator.
Thank you for your partnership and attention to this important topic.
WINTER PARENT/TEACHER CONFERENCES ~ FEBRUARY 7th & 8th
Winter Parent/Teacher Conference Details:
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HCPSS elementary schools will close 3 hours early on Wednesday, 2/7 and Thursday 2/8 for parent/teacher conferences. MWES will dismiss students at 12:15 PM on both days..
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HCPSS schools are closed on Friday, 2/9 for a Professional Learning Day.
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The parent/teacher conference sign-up window opens on Monday, January 22 at 8 AM and closes on Friday, February 2 at 4 PM. Each conference will be 15 minutes. On Monday, January 22, please login to HCPSS Connect to sign up for a conference time.
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Wednesday, 2/7 - all afternoon conferences (12:45-3:30 PM) will be in person only.
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Teachers will host afternoon conferences in person at Manor Woods and parents/guardians may only attend their scheduled conferences from 12:45-3:30 in person on this day.
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Wednesday, 2/7, all evening conferences (starting with the 3:45 time slot) will be virtual only via google meet if teachers choose to host conferences on Wednesday evening.
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Please check teacher schedules in Synergy.
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On Thursday, 2/8, afternoon conferences (12:45-3:30 PM) will be virtual only if teachers host conferences on Thursday afternoon.
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Please check individual teacher schedules in Synergy.
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Winter Parent/Teacher Conference Sign-up:
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Winter parent/teacher conferences will take place with your child’s Math teacher.
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Ms. Parker and Ms. Broadhurst will conference with their grade 5 math classes.
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Families wishing to conference with any of our related arts teachers can email the teacher(s) directly to set up a mutually agreeable time during the conference window.
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The HCPSS Family Engagement Committee has developed a Parent-Teacher Conference Tip Sheet (English, Spanish, Chinese, Korean) to support families in preparation for February conferences.
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Click here for directions to schedule a parent teacher conference
If you need assistance with scheduling conferences, please feel free to contact your child’s teacher or our front office staff.
Counselors Corner
NAMI Howard County
The mission of the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) is to improve the lives of individuals with mental illness and their families through education, advocacy and support, and to increase awareness of mental illness throughout the community. Visit NAMI Howard County for more information about support group offerings.
Howard Count Recreation and Parks Afterschool Classes
These classes provide fun, structured, educational, and enriching activities for students, benefitting both the child(ren) and parents!
Link for parents to view & register for the Manor Woods ES After School classes:
PTA NEWS
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
Maryland State Boys
Quality music education and outstanding opportunities for performance and travel await boys who become members of The Maryland State Boychoir. Auditions are now being scheduled. Please call 410.554.8644 for more information or visit: www.marylandstateboychoir.org
The Maryland State Boychoir is now in its 37th season of providing quality music education and outstanding opportunities for boys who love to sing.
We are looking for boys between the ages of six and seventeen who love to sing, have a good ear, and possess a natural singing voice.
We will audition boys privately in person in low-key small groups. A call to our office or reaching out to us by email is all that is necessary.
HCPSS and The Council of Elders (TCOE) Community Academies
HCPSS and The Council of Elders of the Black Community of Howard County (TCOE) have partnered to sponsor the following parent workshops series:
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January 27: Processes for Parent Empowerment
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March 9: Healthy and Unhealthy Relationships
Each engaging session is held virtually on Saturdays from 9-10:30 a.m. Please see the save the date flyer for more information.
HCPSS News
Families are encouraged to visit the HCPSS website for all your needs, including:
HCPSS Student & Parent Handbook
Click HERE for the county's 2022-23 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
WEEKLY DUCK ~ REPEATED INFORMATION
Click here to access the 1/5/24 Weekly Duck