Dear Atholton Families,
We are excited! September is here, and we would like to welcome new and returning Atholton families to a new school year. We hope that you are recharged and ready to get started.
All signs point to a great school year! Our skilled and devoted super hero staff are planning and preparing for your children. The enthusiastic office team is registering new families, ordering needed materials, and updating student files. The hard-working custodians are putting the finishing touches on cleaning the building, and the floors are shining. Our awesome PTA is gearing up to welcome families, provide volunteer opportunities, and offer exciting events and programs for all.
This year, we will work to Embrace Opportunities…Unlock Potential…and Inspire Excellence for All. We will use this theme throughout the school year to highlight our approach to teaching, learning, school culture, and to celebrate our successes. Together we will make this year one of growth and achievement.
Again, we welcome you to Atholton and to our wonderful learning community. It is indeed a place where opportunities abound! Here’s to an awesome new school year as we work together to make our school community a great place to work and learn each day!
Important Dates – Please mark your calendar
Back To School Nights
September 18th Kdg – Gr. 2 6:30pm
September 19th Gifted and Talented 5:45pm
September 19th Grades 3 – Grades 5 6:30pm
Dr. Holden and Ms. Secula
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New Staff
Each year brings change and this includes additions to our staff. Individually and collectively they bring a solid skill set and a gentle approach to meeting the needs of students.
Mary Ann Amponsah – Special Education Paraeducator
Stephanie Crawford – Grade 4 Teacher
Mary Cutaiar – Occupational Therapy
Andrew DiMaggio – Gifted and Talented
Claudia Eckstrom – Math Support Teacher
Monica Ivy – ESOL Teacher
Debra Kaminski - Pre-Kindergarten Teacher
Sandra Kleinberger – Student Assistant
Peter Parlette – Technology Teacher
Emily Roberts – Kindergarten Teacher
Katherine Rolfe – Kindergarten Teacher
Carolyn Smalls – Physical Education Teacher
Staff members with NEW assignments at AES:
Joshua Castelbaum - Grade 4 – Josh previously taught 3rd grade.
Stacey Fishman - Grade 1 Instructional Team Leader
Cheri Grant - Media Paraeducator – Cheri previously served as a special education paraeducator.
Ashlee Hoffman - Grade 4 Instructional Team Leader
Alicia Laboissonniere - Special Education Teacher for kindergarten and 1st grade. Alicia previously provided services and support to students and teachers in 2nd and 3rd grade.
Christine Park - 3rd Grade - Christine previously taught 1st grade.
Jason Schoenhut - 5th Grade – Jason previously taught 4th grade.
Sheila Shaw - 1st Grade – Sheila previously taught 4th grade.
Molly Tourison - 2nd Grade – Molly previously taught kindergarten.
Gage Trawick - (1.0) Physical Education Teacher – We previously shared Gage with Manor Woods and Waverly.
Pat Vorel - Special Education Teacher for 2nd and 3rd grade. Pat previously provided services and support to students and teachers in kindergarten and 1st grade.
Mary Wagner – (.5 am) Kindergarten Paraeducator – Mary previously served as a special education paraeducator.
Samantha Wiley “Sam” - Temporary Employee - Sam previously served one of our lunch and recess monitors.
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HCPSS Connect is your one stop shop to stay connected with all of your student’s assignments, report cards, attendance information and much more. The site provides single sign-on access to a variety of student information and classroom instructional tools, offering personalized communication and timely, relevant, and easily accessible information relating to your student. For more information please take a look at the HPCSS Connect Flyer.
Family File NEW - 2017-2018 Teacher Assignments and Transportation Information
Post cards with teacher assignments will not be mailed this year. Your child’s homeroom teacher and transportation information will be available at 9am Wednesday, August 30th after you update and SUBMIT the information in your Family File.
Directions: Please log in to your HCPSS Connect account and in the left-hand task bar go to the Family File. Be sure to go through each screen to update the information for the current school year. When you are finished, click submit. By completing this task, it will permit you to see your child’s homeroom teacher and transportation information after 9:00am on 8/30/17. This information must be updated for each child. Please do not hesitate to contact the school if you have questions, need assistance, or would like to use one of our computers.
Immunizations
Per HCPSS procedures, proof of current immunizations are required at the time of registration. Students whose immunizations are not current on the first day of school and who do not present proof of an appointment within twenty days from their first day of school are to be excluded on the first day of school. Excluded students will be re-admitted to school when they provide proof of current immunizations or proof of an appointment with a provider for vaccine administration by September 25, 2017. Attached is the flyer that lists the new vaccines needed for students in kindergarten and 7th grade, as well as the Howard County Health Department free walk in clinics.
New - Food and Nutrition
Recognizing the importance of improving school food and its potential role in enriching education, HCPSS Food and Nutrition Services Department is pleased to announce the launching of a “Healthy Meals” initiative. All elementary schools will have a salad bar. The AES salad bar serving line will provide our students with a larger variety of fresh fruit and vegetables. Please contact the Food and Nutrition Office at (410) 313-6736 if you have any questions.
School Meals
All students and their families can find meal prices, payment information, menus, nutrition and allergen information through the HCPSS Food and Nutrition Services. Parents may prepay for student meals by setting up an online account at myschoolbucks.com. There is a $2.25 processing fee for each transaction. Each transaction can be up to $120.00. Parents of families who qualify for Free and Reduced Meals (FARMs) must submit a new application every school year. For more information about the HCPSS FARMs program, please click this link. During the first 30 school days, returning HCPSS students with free and reduced-price meal eligibility from the prior school year will be carried over. After October 18th, prices revert to the standard price of $2.75 for lunch and $2.00 for breakfast. Please contact us if you have any questions or need access to a computer to complete the application.
Please stay tuned for more specific first day of school information!