HAMMOND NEWS
HAMMOND ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
8110 Aladdin Drive Laurel, MD 20723
410-880-5890
Safe-to-School 301-725-9250

OCTOBER 5, 2007

October 5 Interim progress reports issued

Sally Foster orders due

October 8 Volunteer training session 6pm Media Center

PTA Executive Board Meeting 6:30pm following volunteer training session

October 9 Small Talk classes begin

October 12 Opera Night – 7pm Hammond Middle Gym

October 15 Family Night at Fuddruckers 4pm-9pm

October 18 Sharps Farm – Kindergarten 9:15am

Spirit wear order forms due (see information in PTA newsletter, coming home today)

October 22 Fall Fun Run

October 25 Individual school pictures

October 26 Sock Hop 7pm – 9pm – Hammond Middle Gym

OCTOBER 19 SCHOOLS CLOSED FOR STUDENTS – MSTA CONVENTION

NOVEMBER 2 SCHOOLS CLOSED FOR STUDENTS – PROFESSIONALDEVELOPMENT DAY

November 10 HES PTA Craft Show 10am – 4pm – Hammond Middle Gym

November 12-19 Book Fair

November 12-16 Spirit Week

November 13 PTA Executive Board Meeting – 6:30pm Media Center

HES VOLUNTEER TRAINING SESSIONS
In order to ensure that all parents, grandparents and community members who volunteer at Hammond are aware of HES and HCPSS policies and procedures, we will be offering a series of volunteer training sessions. If you would like to volunteer in school this year, you must attend one of the training sessions. The third and final session is scheduled for: Monday 10/8 at 6pm.

Doggie Etiquette
We are sending out a community plea. Anyone that owns a dog be sure to clean up after them if you are going to walk them on school grounds. If you have neighbors that are walking their dogs on school property, remind them that our children play on this property! We are having increasing problems with students tracking dog waste into the school. Thank you for your help with this unpleasant problem.

We would also like to ask parents and caregivers not to bring their dogs on school grounds during school hours or when they are picking up and dropping off students. Some children can be allergic or just frightened of dogs.

Walk Up Conferences
Recently we have noticed an increase in the number of parents requesting "Walk Up" conferences with teachers. By this we mean parents who walk up to teachers and want to ask a few questions about their child. These requests typically happen when parents are volunteering, visiting, dropping students off, or picking students up or when teachers are at after school PTA sponsored activities. At these times the teachers are not able to give parents their full attention and they often have other meetings or responsibilities to attend to. If you have a question or a concern you want to discuss with your child's teacher, please feel free to call the school and either set up an in person meeting or have a phone conference with the teacher. Thank you very much for your cooperation with this request.

Small Talk Foreign Language Program
Spanish classes are back at HES. We are starting Spanish classes on Tuesday, October 9th. Hasta Luego!

CONGRATULATIONS!
To those students that completed their Summer Success Books! There were almost 300 of you! Great job! A big thank you to Toni Ames, Linda Corso, Shari Obler, Liz Krutz and Toni Morgan for their hard work reviewing the books.

eSchoolnewsletter
If you would like to sign up to receive this newsletter and other important HES and HCPSS information via email, go to www.eschoolnewsletter.com . When you get to the webpage just follow the directions for new user sign up. If you decide you don't need a paper copy please send an email to julie_o’hagan@hcpss.org with the name and grade of your child.

THE OPERA IS COMING – STARRING YOUR CHILD!
The PTA along with the Howard County Council of the Arts is proud to bring you Opera Night (October 12) at Hammond Elementary. Everyone is invited to dress in their opera best for this very special evening! A reception will follow, complete with a cake decorating contest tied into each grade level’s opera theme. Many volunteers are urgently needed for the night, if you are interested and available, contact Karen Isailovic at kisailovic@msn.com.

Halloween Parade
The annual Hammond Elementary Halloween parade will take place Wednesday, October 31st at 2:00pm. All families are invited to join us on the blacktop and fields for this fun event. We do ask that only the parents who are helping with the Halloween activities join us in the school after the parade ends. A few reminders about Halloween:

• Please make sure the costume is appropriate for school - weapons of any kind (real or fake) are not allowed
• Students need to come to school in regular clothing. They will have an opportunity to put their costume on over top of their clothes before the parade.
• Please do not send students to school wearing face paint. Up until the parade at 2:00 we will be having a regular day.
• Masks are not allowed for safety reasons. We want to avoid students bumping into each other during the parade.

FROM THE GUIDANCE DEPARTMENT
Developmental Assets
Many factors influence why some young people have successes in life and why others have a harder time. Research has identified 40 concrete, positive experiences and qualities – “developmental assets” – that have a tremendous influence on young people’s lives. They are qualities that people from all walks of life can help nurture, and we at Hammond Elementary are committed to developing these assets in our students. Each week, I will send home suggestions that you can try at home to help nurture the assets in your child and the children around you! Enjoy your week!

* Show courtesy to family members in public and at home.
* Let your child participate in community and family events.

CHANCE TO APPLY FOR FREE INSURANCE
Kaiser Permanente is offering health insurance to 175 uninsured Howard Co. residents. One can apply at the local libraries or on line at www.hchealth.org. Deadline for application is October 9th at 8pm.

FREE PARENTING CLASS
FREE six week parenting class: How to Motivate Your Difficult Child. Starts Tuesday, 10/9 from 6-7:30pm at Oasis Youth Services in Laurel, MD. Call 310-498-4500 for information and to register.

SALLY FOSTER ORDERS ARE DUE NOW
All order forms were due today; if you haven’t sent yours in, please send it in on Monday. Thanks for your support!

HES PTA/Scaggsville Fire Station #11 Reading Incentive Program
The Scaggsville Station Fire Truck Ride Is Back! Each month starting in October, students who read 20 minutes beyond their daily reading time are eligible to fill out a reading coupon and turn it in for a lottery drawing. The lucky students will be picked up at their home, arrive at school and be greeted by all HES students! Our first ride is scheduled for 11/19.

Burger Night at Fuddruckers!
Join the feast at Fuddruckers, Monday, October 15th between 4pm and 9pm and help raise money for the Hammond Elementary PTA. Enjoy the Worlds Greatest Hamburgers made with 100% USDA fresh ground beef, exotic hamburgers, specialty chicken sandwiches, great side dishes, kid friendly menu and home made desserts. Fuddruckers is located in Columbia on Dobbin Way near the intersection of Dobbin Road and Route 175. Don’t forget to mark your calendars! Look for the Fuddruckers Family Burger Night flyer coming home today.

THE WINNERS OF PTA MEMBERSHIP DRIVE ARE:
The PTA membership contest has ended and we are pleased to announce that we have a group of winners. The cool Tuffy tattoos will go to Third Grade! They will receive their awesome Tuffy tattoos during Spirit Week next month!

WANT TO KNOW WHAT’S GOING ON IN OCTOBER?
Please check out the PTA website at www.hespta.org. The site includes a full year activity calendar!

SOCK HOP
Let’s go to the Hop! Mark your calendars for Hammond's Hallow Hop, Friday, October 26th from 7:00 - 9:00 p.m. DJ music, contests and giveaways. Dress up in your favorite costume (nothing to scary or gory) and come out for a night of fun! Sponsored by the HES PTA.

ATTENTION KINDERGARTEN AND FIFTH GRADE PARENTS – LOOKING FOR YEARBOOK PHOTOS!
If you are planning on attending the Sharps Field Trip on 10-18, please take your camera and send some of your best shots from the Farm, or if you have photos from the Genesee Valley Field Trip please email to bckleinhen@yahoo.com.