Knightly News 6-8-2020

Mon, 06/08/2020 - 12:43pm

Thank you to our PTA and families

Our PTA and many families have been volunteering at the local Pop-Up Pantries. These critical resources support families in our community during this unprecedented time. Thank you, PTA and families...we are #OnePatapsco. 

Congratulations to the Mount Hebron Class of 2020

We would like to send a heartfelt congratulations to all of the Vikings who graduated last week! Your Patapsco family is proud of you!

Additional Yearbook Orders

We have received additional requests to purchase yearbooks. Jostens has re-opened for online sales and the store will close this Wednesday, June 10 at 3:00 PM. We anticipate yearbooks being available for pick-up this Friday for those who purchase yearbooks this week. 

https://www.jostens.com/

Eighth Grade Celebration

We look forward to celebrating our amazing eighth grade knights as the Class of 2020 this year with a virtual video. The video will be released on June 22 at 9 AM on our website. The video will feature the favorite student slideshow, staff farewells, and a few surprises. In addition, each eighth grade student will receive a virtual certificate and a gift in the mail from the PTA. Our eighth grade knights are wonderful students...we are going to miss them!

If you have not submitted a photo for the slideshow, please do so this week! To contribute to this bank of photos, please visit the 8th Grade Community Course Homepage and look for an assignment titled, “Celebration Video Pictures”. All photos can be uploaded to that “assignment” to be included in the photo bank.

From the Media Center

The 2020 Suggested Summer Reading list for Middle School is now available online!  Students may find the list at https://www.hcpss.org/f/academics/media/middle-school-summer-reading-list-2020.pdf  The list has been created collaboratively with input from HCPSS Library Media Specialists and HCPL Librarians. The titles on the Middle School list are intended as suggestions for rising 6th, 7th, and 8th graders.  

The Howard County Public Library Summer Reading Game has officially begun for all ages.  This year when readers complete the Summer Reading game, they earn a donation to support the Community Action Council of Howard County!*  Readers can register online at hcls.readsquared.com 

Readers will track their reading, play fun educational mini-games, and find missions full of activities! Earn points and unlock badges as you go. A new Mission will be added every Monday.

  • Earn 1 point for each Mission you complete or book you log.
  • Complete three Mission activities or reading activities to complete a Mission.
  • Substitute reading for any activity.
  • Missions may be completed in any order.
  • Each book logged earns 1 bonus point.
  • When you reach 10 points, you have officially completed Summer Reading 2020

Reminder:  Every student has a public library card that can be accessed by going to the hcpss.me page and clicking on the HC Library button.  To learn more about the amazing online offerings from HCPL visit their Niche Academy   http://hclibrary.org/research/learn-to-use-hcls-now-online-tools-with-niche-academy/

HCPSS Calendar Updates

The Maryland State Department of Education approved HCPSS' request for a waiver of five school days. As a result, the last day of school for students is Tuesday, June 23, 2020.

The final, updated calendar for the 2019-2020 school year includes:

  • Thursday, June 18: Last day for half-day Pre-K/RECC
  • Friday, June 19; Monday, June 22; Tuesday, June 23: Half-days (more information below)
  • Tuesday, June 23: Last day of school for students (including full-day Pre-K) 

More specifically:

  • June 8 - 12:  This is the last week that teachers will assign students new work, and assignments will be due on June 12.
  • June 15 - 18:  Given the late school closure date, coupled with the tremendous emotional toll of the pandemic, we want to close out the school year providing ample opportunities to focus on our students' social-emotional well-being and a structure for summer support.  From June 15 - 18,  student activities during check-in times will focus on well-being, including self-care and support, making explicit connection to summer learning and well-being opportunities. Students will continue to receive academic and service-goal support during designated periods that exist in the current schedule, such as IEP, 504, EL, reading intervention and optional office hours. 
  • June 19, 22 and 23:  The last three days - June 19, 22 and 23 - will be half-days, and students will receive adjusted online schedules for those days.  The specific schedule for Patapsco Middle is forthcoming. We look forward to ending the year strong with our students!

4th Quarter Grades 

Fourth quarter began April 27. The Board of Education on April 16 unanimously approved recommendations for fourth-quarter grading for the 2019-2020 school year.

  • Students will earn a grade of Pass or Incomplete for each graded subject or course.
    • A Pass is earned for completing at least 50% of Quarter 4 assignments and will count as an A (4.0 points) for the purposes of final grade, GPA calculations, and high school athletic eligibility.
    • An Incomplete is earned for completing less than 50% of quarter 4 assignments. Students will have until the 15th day of the following marking period (or September 15, 2020) to complete missing assignments.

Complete details on fourth-quarter grading  are available online. Español | 中文 | 한국어

Community News

For more Community News visit the Community News and Programs page http://www.hcpss.org/community-news-and-programs/ on the HCPSS website for announcements of upcoming events and programs sponsored by non-profit organizations.