Deep Run Digest 8-26-2022

Thu, 08/25/2022 - 9:59pm

Important Dates

August 26         New Student and DEC Orientation for Grades 1-5  10:00

August 26         Prek and K Orientation 1:15

August 26         Open House for all grades  2:00-3:00

August 29         First Day of School K-5  Doors Open at 9:10

September 1     First Day of School for Prekindergarten Programs

September 9     PTA Back to School Picnic  6:00-8:00

Welcome to the 2022-2023 school year!  We are looking forward to welcoming all of our Deep Run Rangers in K-5th grades back to school on Monday, August 29th.  We'll see our younger prekindergarten Rangers on September 1st.  Please read this newsletter for important information to start the school year.

News

Deep Run Staff

Our fabulous Deep Run staff has been busy getting ready for the start of the school year. We are fully staffed!  We wished a fond farewell to a few staff members and welcomed some wonderful new educators to our Deep Run family.  Please see the staff list on our website for the full listing.

Breakfast and Lunch

Breakfast is free for all students.  Lunch is only free for students who are eligibile for the Free and Reduced School Meals program.

2022 - 2023 Daily Meal Prices

Student Breakfast - $2.00

Student Lunch - $2.80

On-site payments and prepayments may be made using cash or check. Families may prepay with a credit card by setting up an online account at myschoolbucks.com, which also allows parents to view account activity and receive balance alerts. 

Additional information is on the HCPSS website.

Many HCPSS families are eligible to participate in the Free and Reduced Price Meals (FARMs) program, which provides children with a wide range of benefits. Families are urged to check their eligibility and complete a FARMS application as soon as possible. Families must submit a new application every school year. Details on the Free and Reduced Meals program, including a link to apply, are available online.

HCPSS Health and Safety Procedures for 2022-2023

We look forward to welcoming all our students and families back to Deep Run Elementary for the 2022-2023 school year.  Please refer to the HCPSS Website for specific information about masks, testing for Covid-19, Health Checks at Home, and other Covid-19 procedures.   Covid test kits will be sent home with students the first week of school. 

DRES Transportation Forms--Due Sunday, August 28

It is important that we know how every DRES student will go home from school.  All families should complete the DRES Transportation Form by Sunday, August 28th.  If you are attending our Open House on Friday, you can complete the paper version in your child's homeroom classroom before you leave the event.  If you cannot attend the Open House,  please complete this Digital Transportation Form no later than Sunday, August 28th.

Díganos el transporte de su hijo por la mañana y por la tarde.  El autobús es solo para niños que viven en el área de autobuses.  Complete un formulario por cada niño. Digital Transportation Form 

Arrival and Dismissal Procedures

School hours are 9:25-3:55

The safety of our students and staff is our number one priority.  In order to ensure their safety during arrival and dismissal, please adhere to the following guidelines.  

We use the following terms to identify how students are dismissed at DRES.  Understanding these terms will create a more efficient dismissal.

  • Car Rider-  A student whose parents use the carloop to pick up or drop off. Parents DO NOT park, get out of their car, or walk up to the school building.  They remain in the car and students are brought to the car by school staff.
  • Walker– A student who walks to or from the school building. If a parent drives to the school, then parks and walks up to the building to retrieve a student, this student is considered a WALKER.  These students will be dismissed out of the front door or side door.
  • Bus Service—We strongly encourage students who live in an area served by bus transportation to ride the bus to and from school.  Please enter your address in the HCPSS school and bus locator to find your assigned stop and bus information.

We highly encourage our families to walk to school if they live in our walker zone.  If you drive, please review the attached Deep Run Car Loop flyer, available in English & Spanish, for an overview on how to ensure safe, friendly, and efficient arrival and dismissal procedures for our school community.

Morning Arrival and Car Loop

Students may begin arriving at Deep Run at 9:00.  Please stay with your children until the school doors open at 9:10.  Walkers in PreK, 2, 3, 4, 5 will line up in front of the school.  Walkers in K and 1 will line up on the left side of the school.  School staff begin supervising students at 9:05.  If you drive your children to school, use the car loop explained in the above flier.  Cars are not able to enter the bus loop after 9:00 and there is very limited parking at school. We ask that you use the car loop.  Staff will assist your children out of the car. Pull up along side the school as far as you can.  Follow staff direction.  Please do not pass other cars in line and drive slow.  Students are tardy after 9:25.  If you arrive after 9:25, please bring your child into school.

Afternoon Car Loop.

We dismiss our walkers and car riders at 3:55. Please be alert for directions from our staff. We begin by loading students into cars on Old Waterloo Road along side the school.  As soon as buses leave school, parents will be directed to drive to the curb in front of the school.

Please be on time to pick up your children.  Dismissal is at 3:55.  Additionally, students should be in school until the very end of the day. The only reason to leave early is for an occasional doctor's appointment.  There are no early dismissals after 3:30 pm.

Wednesday Folders

Deep Run Elementary will continue to send Wednesday folders home each week with students.  The first folder will go home on Wednesday, August 31st.  Please review the papers in the folders each week and return the empty folder to school the next day.  Place any forms that you completed back into the Wednesday folder.  

La información importante se enviará a casa con los estudiantes los miércoles en una carpeta. Rellene los formularios y colóquelos en la carpeta. Lea los papeles y devuelva la carpeta vacía a la escuela los jueves.

HCPSS Student Code of Conduct

The HCPSS Student Code of Conduct provides a framework to support behavioral goals and disciplinary policies. While students are expected to be aware of and abide by this Student Code of Conduct, we all play a part in ensuring our school is a safe place where all students can learn. We look to partner together as families and school staff to support the social-emotional skill development of our students.  At Deep Run Elementary School, we implement programs such as Caring School Communities and PBIS to help teach and reinforce school-appropriate behaviors and build community amongst our students and staff. We thank you in advance for your partnership in working together to create a safe learning environment for all of our students. Please learn more about the HCPSS Student Code of Conduct by clicking the link below.

HCPSS Student Code of Conduct

Vision and Hearing Screening for Prek, K and 1

Students in Kindergarten and 1st grades will have their hearing and vision screened on September 14th.  Students in PreK without special needs will have their vision screened.  More information will be sent home the first week of school. 

Vision and Hearing Information English

Vision and Hearing Information Spanish

Repeated News

Personal Technology Devices/Cell Phones

Families are reminded that students must abide by Board of Education Policy 8080 Responsible Use of Technology, Digital Tools, and Social Media, and specifically Standard E. Student Use-Technology, which states that “HCPSS permits students to bring personal technology devices to school, according to the following rules:

  • Elementary Schools – Students will keep personal technology devices in backpacks during the school day, unless otherwise authorized by school administrators or instructional staff.

At Deep Run we encourage students to keep personal devices at home.  We also encourage families to wait until their children are older to purchase them a cell phone.

Student and Parent 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.

Howard County Library Mejora tus habilidades en ingles/English Classes

Clases en la biblioteca del condado de Howard para mejorar las habilidades en inglés.

Deep Run Wellness Center

The Howard County Health Department in partnership with the Howard County Public School System has selected Deep Run ES to be one of the eleven schools to have a school-based wellness center. 

Complete Your Family File Now

Families who attended a Howard County Public School last year, and families who completed the registration process, should complete the Family File now.

Bus Transportation

Deep Run is mostly a school where students walk to and from school. Students who live in neighborhoods where the walking distance is over a mile, may be eligible for bus transportation. 

Free and Reduced Meals Program

Free or reduced price lunch will only be available to eligible students. Families must complete the FARMS application to determine eligibility.