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Hello SJLES Community, 

The PTA Staff Appreciation Committee will be hosting a Back-to-School Breakfast for the amazing SJLES staff on Thursday, August 17, and we are looking for some items to be donated. If you would like to contribute, please use this link to sign up for items: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10c0949adae2ca02-back#/

Can’t donate any of these items but still want to help? You can also make a monetary donation which will go to support our many Staff Appreciation efforts throughout the year. To make a monetary donation, please visit: https://sjles.memberhub.com/store?limit=21&live=true&category=Donations

Please follow this Link to complete the Donation Form to accompany your item donation. This form will allow us to issue you a receipt for your tax purposes. You can submit this Donation Form directly with your donation or via email to the PTA VP of Finance and Compliance, at sjlesptavp1@gmail.com. 

Thank you for helping support the PTA and the SJLES Staff!

–SJLES PTA

Dear SJLES Families,

I’d like to thank everyone who helped to make all of our PTA events and programs possible.  We’ve been lucky enough to have an exceptional group of Board Members, Committee Chairs, and consistent volunteers.  Together, with the community’s fundraising support, we’ve accomplished so much this year…

• Hosted 12 fun events for students and families
• Funded 4 school-wide cultural arts assemblies
• Free Field Day T-shirt and Snowball to all students and staff
• Free Class T-shirt to all 5th Graders, plus funds for end-of-year pool party
• Purchased a brand-new Gaga Ball Pit for the playground
• Bought a class set of ukuleles for the Music Department
• Purchased new carpets for every First Grade classroom
• Provided funding for over $9,300 worth of new books for the Media Center
• Framing and materials for over 1,400 artwork displays for the Art Department’s Art Shows
• Funded improvements to the Motor Room for the Special Education Department
• Purchased a class pack of coding robots for the Technology Department
• Bought supplies to convert chalkboards into dry-erase boards for all classrooms
• Funded materials for new Beginning Band Method Books to be provided to all Beginning Band students in the future
• Provided meals on 7 different occasions for 100 teachers and staff members
• Supplied coffee and creamer for the staff lounge and tissues for every classroom all year long
• Gifted each staff member a new bluetooth speaker
• Coordinated, set up, and staffed the Book Fair
• Implemented the Book Fairy program to expand access to the Book Fair for students who would not be able to make a purchase otherwise
• Coordinated and produced a yearbook
• Bought a new Harry Spotter mascot costume
• Funded the Howard County Conservancy Owl Outreach on-site Field Trip for 5th Grade
• Bought baseball caps for end-of-year gifts for Kindergarten students
• Provided prizes for the Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) program to fill the Spot-O-Gram store
• Funded the lunch for the Simulated Congressional Hearing Judges
• Collected 1377 items for the food drive, 234 toys for students in need, and 52 coats, scarves, hats, and gloves for the coat drive
• Donated to the PTACHC Scholarship Program and to Homewood Center
• Provided supplies for the Jaguar Garden Days, a letter writing project for students, and individual white boards for student use, and countless classroom supplies 

As you can see, the PTA is an important support for SJLES and the benefits to the students and staff are immensely impactful.

I’ve reached my term limits for serving as your President, but I’m excited to share that a wonderful new group of parents have stepped forward for next year.  Please join me in welcoming our New Board:

• Katie Brewer – President
• Chinedu Agbakwuru – Vice President 1
• Christian Buzzerd – Vice President 2
• Claire Mathews – Treasurer
• Sarah Day – Corresponding Secretary
• Sarah Sherry – PTACHC Representative
• Seba Kurian – PTACHC Representative

(If anyone is interested in learning about joining this amazing team as the Recording Secretary, reach out to SJLES.PTAmail@gmail.com with any questions.)

We sincerely thank everyone who gave membership dues, volunteered their time, loaned us equipment for events, and encouraged us with your feedback!

With sincere gratitude,
Meg Halvorsen
PTA President 2021-2023

You don’t have to spend a summer day driving from store to store to purchase school supplies…because now you can get everything you need in one easy box! The PTA is offering a pre-packaged school supply box that includes the exact items requested by your child’s teachers. Check out pricing here and order online at www.shopttkits.com using account number 19690. The kit will be in your child’s classroom in time for the “welcome back” Open House this fall. Orders are due by June 16! ***NOTE about GT boxes: If your 4th or 5th grade student is in GT classes, be sure to select their grade’s GT box only. You do NOT need to buy both grade-level boxes for your student.***

HCPSS Kindergarten registration for the 2023-2024 school year is open! Parents/guardians of children who will be five on or before September 1, 2023, must enroll their children in kindergarten for the 2023-2024 school year. Please help spread the word! By registering for Kindergarten as early as possible, you’re helping to ensure that SJLES will have the staffing and resources in place for the incoming class of Kindergarteners well in advance. Working in advance also helps SJLES recruit the best teachers! Registration info can be found here. In addition, we hope to see many of our new SJLES Kindergarteners and families at our Kindergarten Sneak A Peek on 5/24/23 at 4:00 p.m. Please spread the word and complete this RSVP form if you plan to attend.

Scientific Minds of America (SMOA) is a nonprofit with a mission to provide free online tutoring sessions to students K-8 from high school volunteers nationwide. Mount Hebron students participating in this program have reached out to us to share more information with SJLES families. SMOA offers free, personalized tutoring in Math, English, Science, and History by dedicated high school volunteers, at the pace you need–such as weekly, or on an as-needed basis. You can learn more about SMOA here, or use this link to sign up. Again, these tutoring services are free of charge.

We literally could not have held this event without your time, effort, and generosity. To those who helped set up and clean up, made calls to businesses for the auction, volunteered at a station, brought baked goods, or loaned us a canopy, table, or cooler – we can’t thank you enough. We are also grateful to the area student groups who performed! Share your photos here for the (new!) digital portion of the yearbook. The funds raised from May Day will make up a large part of the 2023-2024 budget, which will be allocated in the fall, when the new school year begins. Thank you for your support!

HCPSS Kindergarten registration for the 2023-2024 school year is open! Parents/guardians of children who will be five on or before September 1, 2023, must enroll their children in kindergarten for the 2023-2024 school year. Please help spread the word! We hope to see many of our new SJLES Kindergarteners and families at our Kindergarten Sneak A Peek on 5/24/23 at 4:00 p.m. Please spread the word and complete this RSVP form if you plan to attend.

Coming together as a community at Saturday’s May Day Festival was an amazing experience! Like this one, many of the school year’s memorable events are run by the PTA. The time has come to elect a new Board of Directors to carry the torch for 2023-2024. There are still a number of open positions, and as a result, there will not be a PTA next year unless volunteers come forward on Wednesday night.

Please join us for an in-person meeting this Wednesday 5/10 at 6:30 p.m. in the SJLES Media Center to discuss the future of the PTA. Pizza will be provided! ***If you cannot attend the meeting, but would like to fill a Board position, please reach out to Meg Halvorsen at SJLES.PTAmail@gmail.com to indicate your interest!***

Parenting doesn’t come with a road map. Luckily, there are many FREE resources available to help you navigate the journey.

SOCIAL MEDIA CONCERNS

Howard County Health Department presents: “Social Media for Parents: Solutions for Summer and Beyond”

The pervasive presence of social media in the lives of today’s youth can be a cause of concern for parents who often have questions about appropriately regulating their child’s use and keeping their children safe online. The Howard County Health Department is pleased to offer a series of 1.5 hour Social Media for Parents – Guide to Healthy Summer Habits.

These sessions will address the mental health implications of social media use, personal safety and privacy, as well as tips for healthy use that will help your child establish a positive digital footprint. This research-based psychoeducational session is tailored to meet the needs of parents who want to prepare kids for a healthy and productive life on social media before they ever begin using it and also the needs of parents whose older children are experiencing problems with social media and need to learn how to manage these issues.

This program is run by Erin Castleberry, a clinician and adjunct professor at Johns Hopkins University. She has taught a graduate-level course on the effects of social media on mental health and has presented on this topic internationally.

• May 9th – Presentation + Q&A for Parents of Children ages 3-8
• May 10th – Presentation + Q&A for Parents of Children ages 9-12
• May 11th – Presentation + Q&A for Parents of Children ages 13-17

Participants can register for more than one session. All sessions run from 6:30 to 8:00 pm on the respective evenings. Register here.

PM Pediatric Care presents: “When likes & shares aren’t likable: Dangers of social media for our children”

Join this free, one hour webinar to hear evidence and perspective from a pediatrician, pediatric psychologist, and pediatric psychiatrist with PM Pediatric Care on how social media can affect children’s physical and mental health. Pulling examples from clinical experience, they will review some of the common scenarios that have impacted patients they’ve cared for and give practical advice parents can use to safeguard their children and help them manage the challenges they may face.

Tuesday, May 16, 8:00 pm. Register here.

National PTA & Forest Ridge Elementary PTA present: “Ready, Tech, Go!”

Is your child asking for their own phone? Do they want more freedom online? How will you know if they are ready? Come to the Forest Ridge Elementary Cafeteria for a new National PTA program: Ready, Tech, Go! During this educational event, parents and caregivers will:

1. Learn about & reflect on various aspects of phone readiness.
2. Become familiar with tools & resources that help families discuss digital life.
3. Gain ideas & tips to promote a healthy & safe digital home.
4. Interact with each other & experts in a comfortable setting. Dinner, door prizes & informational tables will be provided – all free of charge!

We welcome all Howard County PTA neighbors to join us for this special event! Come meet and chat in-person with National PTA leaders. 

Wednesday, May 24, 6:30 pm. In-person at Forest Ridge Elementary School. Register here.

MENTAL HEALTH AND GROWTH

Howard County Office of Children and Families presents the following programs…

• For assistance with registering for any of the programs below, call 410-313-5992 (voice/relay) or email children@howardcountymd.gov
• To request sign language, interpreter or other accommodations to attend, call at least one week in advance.  

Navigating Your Child’s Mental Health Journey 

Presenters: Candace Ball from Howard County Local Children’s Board & Kala Jenkins, Howard County Health Department

Whether it is knowing the best ways to support your child’s social emotional health, having concerns about your child’s behaviors, or feeling like something is seriously wrong, knowing where to go for answers is a top issue for parents. Those first steps of navigating mental health supports are a challenging and daunting task. Come to this presentation to learn about the stages of mental health and the local resources and supports that will guide your understanding, provide you with choices, and help you learn the steps to start helping your child. Leave with tangible tools for education and intervention as well as where to go for assistance if you hit roadblocks to services.

Monday, May 8, 7:00 to 8:00 p.m. Free Virtual Workshop. Register here

Helping Children Be Proud Of Who They Are!

Gender identity is a complicated topic that is often misunderstood and confusing to many people. Join us for an informative workshop that will help you understand gender identity development from infancy to five years old. You will learn tips to support healthy development, how to apply a gender-neutral approach to daily life, and how to look for the teachable moments.

Tuesday, May 9, 7:00 to 8:00 p.m. Free Virtual Workshop. Register here

Developing your Child’s Emotional Intelligence

A critical skill for children to learn and a top skill kindergarten teachers look for in students is emotional intelligence. Children who have developed emotional intelligence can be seen as those with good listening skills, accept criticism and responsibility, solve problems, move on after making a mistake, and have empathy for others. Attend this workshop to learn successful practices and the tools you need to support your child’s social-emotional development in the early years. Explore the meaning of emotional literacy and learn practical strategies to teach children how to recognize and label emotions as well as appropriate ways to manage those big emotions. 

Wednesday, May 17, 7:00 to 8:00 p.m. Free Virtual Workshop. Register here

Discussing Your Child’s Mental Health with Your Primary Care Provider

Presenter: Dr. Jessica Winkles

We discuss the importance of mental health for everyone, yet rarely do we treat behavioral health like physical health. If your child is ill, you contact your primary care provider (PCP) for a sick visit. But what if you notice ongoing changes in your child’s emotional well-being or behaviors? All children can go through periods of anger, anxiety, frustration, and sadness but what is a concerning level? Attend this session to:

• See examples of typical vs. concerning behaviors and understand why the PCP can be a great place to start when questions arise
• Become familiar with some of the most common behavior concerns seen by pediatric PCPs
• Understand what may happen after raising a concern with a PCP, including what to expect if you see a behavioral health provider
• Become aware of methods for making the most of your visit to your child’s PCP

Thursday, May 18 7:00 to 8:00 p.m. Click here for registration to virtual workshop

Eat, Learn, Grow For Families – STEM

Focus on Early Learning Literacy and Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM). Young children have a natural curiosity about the world around them and through STEM exploration, children begin to wonder, explore, and investigate their environment.  Gain skills and knowledge to explore STEM topics at home with your children. This workshop will highlight STEM-focused children’s literature and explore ways to incorporate creative and fun STEM activities into everyday life.

Wednesday, May 24, 7:00 to 8:00 p.m. Free Virtual Workshop. Register here

Nothing I Do Works: A Parent’s Guide to Challenging Behaviors (in person session!)

The Pyramid Model is a comprehensive, research based approach that considers all the factors that impact a child, family and influence a child’s behavior. Learn how to help decrease negative behaviors from happening and/ or what to do when they do occur. Attend this session and ask questions and leave with skills and resources that you can use immediately to help you feel more confident in your parenting. For children ages two to eight. 

Wednesday, May 31, 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. /9830 Patuxent Woods Dr, Columbia 21046/ Free  Register here