The Spirit Wear store is open for a quick sale! This is your last chance to get Spirit Wear this year, and the store will only be open through 4/28.  Orders will be delivered around mid-May.

Buy Spirit Wear Here

Now is the time to get involved! Our PTA is accepting nominations for next year’s board! Elections take place at the May meeting (which will be in person), so the time to nominate is now! Our open positions are:

• President
• 1st Vice President
• Recording Secretary
• PTA Council of Howard County Representatives (2 positions open)

Nominations are accepted via this online form – click here to access!

The PTA’s work helps build a sense of community among SJLES families and create lasting memories for students! And surprise… Volunteering for the school in this way is so rewarding!

As a more somber recruitment pitch, without a president, our school will not have a PTA at all next year. That will mean no teacher/staff appreciation events, no funds for teachers and grade-level teams, no family fun events like Turkey Trot or May Day, and no representation of SJLES at the county PTA council.

You can do it! When Katie took this position last year, she thought “What am I doing?!”. But now she thinks “I love what I’m doing! It’s fun, we have a strong school community, and my PTA work fills me with pride (and it was not as time consuming as I had thought….)!” If you have questions or want to talk it over, please reach out to her (current President Katie Brewer) at SJLES.PTAmail@gmail.com.

Saturday 5/11  •  1PM – 5PM

Our beloved tradition at St. John’s Lane for over 55 years is back again this year! It is a festival event with games, prizes, inflatables, delicious food, entertainment, and a silent auction.

All are welcome! Please spread the word to family, friends, and neighbors!

Ticket Information

EARLY BIRD pre-sales will be available until Friday, April 26 Purchase with Order forms sent home or at the PTA online store.

• Admission is free!  Tickets are required for games and attractions.
• Wristbands available for all-day, unlimited access to games and inflatables (not food)
  • EARLY BIRD pre-sale wristband price: $20 
  • Wristband price on the day of May Day: $25
• Tickets can be used to play games, play on the inflatables, and purchase PTA-provided food (i.e., excludes Food Trucks)
  • EARLY BIRD pre-sale ticket price: 5 for $1.00
  • Ticket price on the day of May Day: 4 for $1.00

EARLY BIRD pre-sales will be available until Friday, April 26 and can be done with Order forms sent home or online at the PTA store via our PTA online store. 

2024 May Day Participant Waiver

By purchasing tickets and/or wristbands for use at the 2024 May Day Festival sponsored by the SJLES PTA, you are aware of the inherent risks in participating in such an event, you assume all risks in connection with such participation, and you agree to discharge and hold harmless the SJLES PTA and its members from all claims which may arise from such participation.

Online Silent Auction Begins May 6

• Bidding has ended

You can also access the auction and view a list of all the amazing prizes in the gym during May Day as well.

All bidding will be online.  The auction will open on May 6th and will close at 8:00pm on May Day (5/11).  Here are some of the options there will be to bid on!

• A family membership to the Howard County Arts Council
• 10-person tasting event at Elk Run Vineyards
• Photoshoot and Fine Art Portrait from Refocus
• $200 Gift Certificate to The Big Screen Store
• A “Tour and Tasting for 8” at Black Ankle Vineyards
• Four Dance or Tumbling Classes at B. Funk Dance Company
• Four 1-hour admission tickets to the ZavaZone
• Gift Cards for local restaurants and businesses including White Oak Tavern, Sweet Elizabeth Jane, LaPalapa, and more!
• $100 worth of Axe Throwing at Axgard on Main Street in Ellicott City
• Priceless experiences with the awesome staff at SJLES
• And more!

Volunteers Needed!

• We need your help to make May Day run smoothly! Choose a time slot to help with the games, prize tables, and silent auction. Click here to sign up. Thank you!
• We are also looking for Bake Sale volunteers and Items for Loan. Thank you!

Games & Food

Here’s the list of games and food that will be available at the May Day Festival! Delicious menu options include:

• Kona Ice Truck
• Beltway Bistro
• Snow blast DMV
• Mike’s Gelato
• Truck for Popcorn and Cotton candy
• Ring toss, wheel of fortune, tin can alley, frog launcher, penny drop…. just to name a few!
• And more!

Play for prizes! Each game gives you a chance to win Yellow Prize tickets that can be redeemed for fabulous prizes!

Our PTA just launched ‘Healthy Minds, Healthy Me’, a program that connects our SJLES families to meaningful resources that help build the mental well-being of our kids and ourselves, one step at a time. Access the program website and be sure to stop by the ‘Healthy Minds, Healthy Me’ table on May Day for a fun craft that supports mental wellness!

Live Entertainment

• We are pleased to welcome several great community groups, including a Cub Scouts opening ceremony, BFunk Dance Studio, Kangaroo Kids, and a magic show by Heroes on Call! 
• A live DJ and musical entertainment will provide the perfect soundtrack for the day!

Rain Date Information

Saturday, May 18, 1:00 – 5:00 PM

In the event of rain on BOTH days, the event will be moved inside on May 18, 1-5 PM.

Questions? Send a note to SJLES.PTAmail@gmail.com

Yearbook price is $20 each. Ordering available online Deadline: April 12th. You can follow the directions to order below:

• Go to the SJLES Yearbook Order Page
• Enter your name and email, then select “Access Yearbook”
• Enter your student’s information, then click “Submit Details”
• Choose “Select,” adjust number of yearbooks if desired, and then “Add to Cart”
• Click “Add a Student” if applicable, follow the prompts, repeating the above steps. 
• Click “View Cart” to review your order.
• Click “Checkout” to enter billing information and complete your order.

If you have any questions please send an email to  jmi624@gmail.com

We are looking for photos from as many Jaguars as possible! Contributing your photos will help us remember all the fun we had this year. All you need to do is click the link and upload them here (Please send your pictures to the appropriate link): 

• Kindergarten: https://plicbooks.com/go/9QN56J
• 1st Grade: https://plicbooks.com/go/TK93WY
• 2nd Grade: https://plicbooks.com/go/CCQ28V
• 3rd Grade: https://plicbooks.com/go/8FC3FF
• 4th Grade: https://plicbooks.com/go/Z4AD3T
• 5th Grade: https://plicbooks.com/go/ZL2X9B
• Back to School Picnic: https://plicbooks.com/go/2VX47H
• Trunk-or-Treat – https://plicbooks.com/go/52BC6H
• Turkey Trot https://plicbooks.com/go/X2PK7Y
• Cozy Reading Day – https://plicbooks.com/go/WH7B9N
• Multicultural Night – https://plicbooks.com/go/EY4NH8
• Life at SJLES – Recess, Lunch, etc. – https://plicbooks.com/go/BQVU1C
• Orchestra/Band/Chorus – https://plicbooks.com/go/MUYPU4
• Misc: https://plicbooks.com/go/X333DJ

If you’ve been wanting a chance to see how happy your Jaguar is during the school day, volunteering at the Book Fair is the perfect opportunity!  Volunteers will assist children with shopping, fulfill book orders, and stock and straighten shelves. Click the sign up below to help from March 14th through March 20th.

🌞Book Fair Volunteer Signup – SJLES 2024🌞

All Volunteers MUST Complete These Requirements (once each school year):

(1)  Confidentiality Training Course 

(2) Child Abuse and Neglect Training 

The PTA is excited to offer discounted tickets to Hershey Park again this year! Now through April 12, you can purchase tickets to Hershey Park for just $45 each (a $5 savings per ticket)! Order forms were sent home with students, you can download the form here, or you can order online at the online PTA store.

Great News! Our “BOLDER, PROUDER, STRONGER READERS!” Scholastic Book Fair is on its way to SJLES Media Center and will be open for students during their media classes from March 14-21. 

Special Evening Hours for Family Shopping will take place on Wednesday, March 20, from 3:55-7:30 PM. Families may also choose to shop online from March 13 – March 26. Proceeds from this fundraiser help support the SJLES PTA’s mission and programs.

To make this possible, we need volunteers to help students find and purchase their books.  Please check out our sign up! Thank you for helping make sure this is a success! Contact the book fair team with any questions at sjlesbookfair@gmail.com.

Book Fair Volunteers MUST Complete These Requirements:

1. Confidentiality Training Course and certification form; and 

2. Child Abuse and Neglect Training and certification form.  

Help Spread the Word about our Book Fair!

Make a Poster for our “BOLDER, PROUDER, STRONGER READERS!” Scholastic Book Fair and earn a Charm! Students can get posters and directions from outside Mrs. Peddicord’s art room. Posters are due back to Mrs. Peddicord by Friday, March 1st. All posters will be displayed around the school the week before the Book Fair.

Multicultural Night is an opportunity for SJLES families to celebrate and share their unique heritage with the community and for everyone to celebrate the rich diversity at our school. This special night promotes empathy, acceptance and unity for us in our SJLES community.

• Date: Thursday, February 22nd (snow date: Thursday, February 29th)
• Time: 6:00-8:00 PM 

Please consider signing up to share about your culture, ethnicity, heritage and/or country of origin. Feel free to join together with other families and let us know how we can support you. See sign up for more details.

Q: What is Read-a-thon?

A: Read-a-thon is a reading fundraiser that makes it easy, fun and rewarding to practice reading at home and at school! There is no required number of books to read, and no specific time requirement. The goal is simply to have fun reading! Family and friends are invited to support students with a one-time donation.

Q: How long is the event?

A: The Read-a-thon officially begins on Monday, January 8, and runs through Friday, January 26, 2024. All Jaguars will have the opportunity to celebrate the start of Read-a-thon at the in-school Cozy Reading Day event assemblies, with an exciting and inclusive in-school event on Monday, January 8.

Q: How do I sign up?

A: Create your account right here by entering your student’s homeroom teacher code, listed below. Then invite family and friends to support your child’s Read-a-thon with a donation. It only takes a few minutes! During the registration process, you’ll have the option to send emails and texts to family and friends directly from the site, or you can have an email sent to your inbox that you’ll be able to forward as you wish. There is no requirement to read a certain number of books or minutes-per-day. However, reading minutes can be logged easily through your account if you wish to track and encourage your child’s reading.

Q: How does my child earn prizes?

Your child will earn 15% of all donations that they receive to spend in the prize store. Choose from more than 200 fun prizes! Stay tuned for more details about redeeming prizes.

Q: Are there sponsorship opportunities for businesses?

A: Do you own or manage a business that you’d like the SJLES community to know about? Read-a-thon offers ad sponsorships so your company’s information can be displayed on all the fundraising pages throughout the program. Go to Click HERE or go to https://www.read-a-thon.com/donate  and enter SJLES’ code: 58529 to learn more.