St. John’s Lane Elementary School School Office 410-313-2813 www2.hcpss.org/sjles https://twitter.com/hcpss_sjles September 25, 2015 DATES TO REMEMBER 9/28 Author Visit for all grades – Sneed Collard, III 10/1 Interim Reports 10/2 Schools Closed for Students – Staff Professional Learning Day 10/7 Interim Reports 10/15 Fifth Grade Field Trip – Philadelphia 10/23 First Grade Field Trip – Toby’s Youth Theatre 10/30 Schools Close 3 hours early. SJLES dismissed at 12:15 The SJLES PTA needs your help! Historically, the PTA has relied on voluntary membership dues and donations to fund over 20% of its programs for the school year, including in-class field trips and the upcoming visit of children's author Sneed Collard. This year, however, the PTA is facing an unexpected shortfall. To date, fewer than a third of SJLES families have joined the PTA or renewed their memberships. If you haven't done so already, please consider joining the PTA so that we may continue hosting these activities for our children. The membership form can be found here on the SJLES PTA website. Please submit the completed form (along with dues and/or donations) in an envelope marked "PTA" in your child's communication folder. Thank you! Coffee & Conversation The Board of Education of Howard County regularly holds Coffee & Conversation sessions at schools throughout the county. These meetings provide citizens with an opportunity to share a cup of coffee and chat informally with Board members. The meetings are held in various regions of the county; however, interested persons from throughout the county are invited to attend any or all of the meetings. The next Coffee & Conversation with the Board of Education will be held Saturday, October 24, 2015, 9:30 – 11:00 a.m. at Deep Run ES Cafeteria, 6925 Old Waterloo Road, Elkridge, MD 21075 9th Annual ADHD Awareness Evening The Howard County Public Schools (HCPSS) will be holding its 9th Annual ADHD Awareness Evening on October 8, 2015 from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. in the Centennial High School auditorium. Our guest speaker will be Dr. George McCloskey a professor in the Psychology Department at the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine. Dr. McCloskey's presentation "Executive Functions and the Gap between Knowing and Doing" will provide participants with information regarding executive functions and strategies to improve them. This event is free to the public and there is no registration required. For more information, please contact Sally Dorman at 410-313-1252 or e-mail [email protected] Community News The following events are neither sponsored nor endorsed by the Howard County Public School System. Mount Hebron Pancake Breakfast October 17, MT HEBRON HIGH SCHOOL @ 7:30AM! 9940 Old Fredrick Road, Ellicott City Mount Hebron High School is preparing for 2015 Homecoming! On October 17th, the day will begin with our annual pancake breakfast followed by the parade and then the Vikings Homecoming Football Game. Support the Vikings by attending the annual Viking Homecoming Pancake Breakfast. Tickets are $5.00 in advance and $6.00 at the door. Tickets can be purchased from members of the Mount Hebron Football team and October 2nd home game vs. Glenelg. Proceeds from the Viking Homecoming Pancake Breakfast benefit the Mount Hebron Football Program. For more information, please contact Dawna White; [email protected] The Glen Mar Community Church Family 5K and 1-Mile Walk will be held on Sat., Oct. 3, 9 a.m. at Glen Mar United Methodist Church, 4701 New Cut Road, Ellicott City. The event will benefit the Howard County Food Bank. To register visit, www.glenmar.org/gmcevents/5k/. For more information, call Connie Ballenger at 410-796- 0290 or Dave Eddy at 410-465-2976. Howard County Police Department Survey on Community Policing in Howard County The Howard County Council has asked the Citizens’ Advisory Council of the Howard County Police Department to research a number of topics on the effectiveness of Community Policing in Howard County. Much research is underway and part of their work is to get feedback from you, Howard County citizens. Would you please take a moment and complete this short survey? You can find it here www.tinyurl.com/HoCoCitizenSurvey ; www.tinyurl.com/HoCoCitizenSurvayEspanol www.tinyurl.com/HoCoCitizenSurveyKorean Smashing Ants Amazing Futures Foundations Kids Empowerment Fall programs, 20 HCPSS locations, after school Grades 2 and 3, evening programs grades 1-5. Details and registration www.smashingants.com HC Drugfree National Drug Take Back Day. Once again HC DrugFree is partnering with the Howard County Police Department for National Drug Take Back Day on Sat., Sept. 26, 10 a.m.- 2 p.m. Watch for more information coming soon, or visit www.hcgrugfree.org/drug-take-back-day NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt will be hosting a free open house event on Sat., Sept. 26. This will be our first open house since 2011. The event is an opportunity for the pubic to get up close and learn more about NASA’s work. Virtually all of Goddard’s biggest projects will have some kind of display, demonstration or tour. One of its primary objectives is to get the next generation of scientists and engineers exposed to possible careers in engineering and space exploration. All guests will have the chance to speak directly to NASA scientists and engineers. www.nasa.gov/explorenasagoddard Oakland Mills Community Center Fall Festival, Sat., Oct. 3, 11 a.m.- 4 p.m. Bring your family, friends, and neighbors - rain or shine - to a festival where admission and fun is always free. For schedule of events and details, call 410-730- 4610 or visit www.oaklandmills.org. NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) Howard County will begin its free 6-session Basics course for parents and primary caregivers of children and adolescents living with mental illness. On Oct. 13, 7-9:30 p.m., this supportive educational course is taught by trained volunteers who have personally experienced the impact of mental illness on their children and the family. For more information, Contact: Leslie Kain, [email protected] 410-772-9300. Columbia Association The Columbia Art Center offers a variety of Art Classes for children of all ages and a new Youth Artistic Masters Certificate Program! Check out the Fall Brochure on www.columbiaartcenter.org for more information. For inquiries or to register, please call Columbia Art Center at 410-730-0075 or email [email protected]. Howard County Government HC DrugFree is a non-profit in Howard County contracted by the Howard County Health Department to provide substance misuse prevention educational programs and services in the County. Sign up for HC DrugFree’s FREE electronic newsletter to learn about local drug/alcohol issues affecting everyone in Howard County. Learn about safe medication disposal and storage, policy changes and prevention programs to build community awareness in the County. To sign up for our electronic newsletter, please forward your email address to [email protected] I call 443-325-0040 or sign up online at www.hcdrugfree.org and click on the "Join Our Mailing List" box. Champions Against Cancer Golf Classic, Mon., Oct. 19,. Champions Against Cancer Inc. is a Howard County based charity established to provide financial support and resources to the children and families of those effected with Cancer in Howard county. This first annual golf classic at Hobbit's Glen Golf Club will tee off at 10 a.m., and will raise funds to offer scholarships to seniors in the HCPSS. You can support this charity by sponsoring this Golf event and/or by golfing for as little as $200. Contact David Borucki with questions at 410-977-0160 or register at: www.champsagainstcancer.org. Columbia Orchestra Sat., Oct. 10, at 7:30 pm. at the Jim Rouse Theatre with Shostakovich’s legendary Fifth Symphony. Katherine Needleman, Young Artist Competition winner at age 13 and now a world-renowned artist, returns to perform a concerto by Pulitzer Prize-Winner Jennifer Higdon. As part of the “New Music for America” Consortium, we give the Maryland premiere of a work by Grammy-nominated composer Christopher Theofanidis inspired by ancient myths of Aboriginal Australia. Visit www.columbiaorchestra.org/hcpss HC Drugfree Parents: Sign Up for HC DrugFree's Electronic Newsletter. To sign up for our electronic newsletter, please forward your email address to [email protected] call 443-325-0040 or sign up online at www.hcdrugfree.org and click on the "Join Our Mailing List" box. Robinson Nature Center Scope out The Night Sky, Sat., Oct. 3, 6:30- 9:30 p.m., 6692 Cedar Lane, Columbia, MD. Preregistration is highly encouraged to save your family’s spot. Call 410-313-0400 to www.howardcountymd.gov/RNCprograms.htm Contact: 410-313-0400 Sundays At Three Chamber Music Series begins its 19th year of concerts with the Kobayashi/Gray Duo. The internationally distinguished violin and piano team will perform music by Beethoven, Dvorak, Debussy, Piazzolla, and three pieces by little known women composers, Rosalind Ellicott, Emilie Mayer and Marie Clémence de Grandval. Sun., Oct. 4, 2015, 3:00 p.m. at Christ Episcopal Church, 6800 Oakland Mills Rd, Columbia. Adults $15. Age 17 and under admitted free with an adult. www.SundaysAtThree.org or 443-288-3179. Howard County Department of Fire and Rescue Fire Prevention week, Sat. Oct. 10, 12-2 p.m., the Mall in Columbia. More information www.hcdfrs.org Ellicott City Volunteer Fire Department Open House, Oct. 10, 1-4 p.m. 4150 Montgomery Road. CrossLife Community Church Summer’s End Jam 2015, Oct. 10, 11 a.m.-3 p.m., Green Valley Marketplace, 7280 Montgomery Rd., Elkridge, MD, this event is a festival to raise funds for Elkridge Food Pantry & Garden.