Dear Manor Woods Families,
We had another great week at Manor Woods! As we near the end of the school year, we have so many wonderful events, activities and celebrations planned for our students. Yesterday, our 5th grade students participated in one of these amazing 5th grade events ~ Simulated Congressional Hearings.
CONGRATULATIONS to our 5th grade students! We proudly celebrate the outstanding efforts of our students who showcased their knowledge, poise, and civic understanding through their simulated congressional hearing presentations. Each group demonstrated a deep commitment to research, critical thinking, and respectful discourse as they addressed constitutional issues. Their articulate arguments, thoughtful responses to challenging questions, and teamwork were a testament to their hard work and dedication. A HUGE THANK to our staff for all your hard work in preparing students for their presentations!
Wishing everyone a wonderful weekend!
Kelli Jenkins & Jennifer Zinn
Principal & Assistant Principal
2024-2025 IMPORTANT DATES AND EVENTS
May
- 26 - Schools and Offices Closed (Memorial Day)
- 30 - PTA Blacktop Carnival
June
- 3 - Orchestra concert, Tuesday at 7:00 PM @ Marriotts Ridge HS
- 3 - PTA Yogi Castle Restaurant Night
- 5 - Band concert, Thursday at 7:00 PM @ Marriott Ridge HS
- 6 - Schools Close 3 Hours Early, Professional Work Day, 12:15 PM
- 11 - PTA Orioles Fundraiser Night
- 12 - 5th Grade Promotion ~ Details shared by 5th grade teachers
- 16 - Schools Close 3 Hours Early, Professional Learning Day, 12:15 PM
- 17 - Schools Close 3 Hours Early, Professional Work Day, 12:15 PM
- 18 - Last Day of School, Schools Close 3 Hours Early, Professional Work Day, 12:15 PM
Related Arts Color Calendar Schedule
MWES NEWS
SAYING FAREWELL TO SOME MANOR WOODS
STAFF FAMILY MEMBER RETIREES
We want to give a huge SHOUT OUT and THANK YOU to each of our retirees for their many years of tireless work and dedication to the Howard County Public School System! They have shaped young minds, encouraged curiosity, and nurtured the growth of future leaders. Their dedication to educating and inspiring generations of students will leave a lasting legacy!
WE SAY THANK YOU and CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR RETIREMENT!
Kathy Fremuth
Please join us in saying farewell to Ms. Kathy Fremuth who is retiring from the Howard County Public School System. Ms. Fremuth worked for 10 years in the corporate world prior to working in the school system where she has served for 25 years, all at Manor Woods Elementary in some capacity including working in the Front Office as well as the majority of years as a Paraeducator. Ms. Fremuth is looking forward to volunteering, traveling, kayaking and spending time with her 3 adult children (all Mighty Ducks!) and, come September, she will be spending time with her new granddaughter. Thank you, Ms. Fremuth, for your tireless work and dedication to our Manor Woods students and families and to Howard County! We wish you the best!
Denice Hennessey
We also bid farewell to Ms. Denice Hennessey who is also retiring from the Howard County Public School System after serving 42 years. Ms. Hennessey has worked in various schools throughout the county teaching preschool and for the majority of her years of service working with infants and toddlers. Ms. Hennessey is going to miss the children and families as well as so many wonderful coworkers. She is looking forward to more travel adventures, yoga, walks, gardening, and spending time with her family. Thank you, Ms. Hennessey for your commitment and dedication to our HCPSS students and families. May you have a wonderful retirement. We wish you the best!
Lauri Hornicek
We also bid farewell to Ms. Lauri Hornicek who is also retiring from the Howard County Public School System after serving 41 years. Ms. Hornicek began her teaching career at Swansfield Elementary where she spent 14 years. Then Ms. Hornicek joined Manor Woods Elementary where she has worked for 27 years primarily teaching 3rd, 4th and 5th grades. Ms. Hornicek is looking forward to traveling the world, relaxing, and writing a children’s book series featuring mathematics. In addition, she has plans to spend quality time with her family near and far, friends, and embracing ordinary moments. Thank you, Ms. Hornicek for your commitment and dedication to the Manor Woods students and families. May you have a wonderful retirement. We wish you the best!
Deb Livak
Please join us in saying farewell to Ms. Deborah Livak who is retiring from the Howard County Public School System. Ms. Livak worked for 2 years in a private setting prior to working in Howard County where she has served 39 years for a total of 41 years as an educator (26 years at Manor Woods ES).
Ms. Livak is looking forward to traveling and enjoying time with family and friends at the beach. She is also looking forward to creating lasting memories with her grandchildren, Rhett Michael and Rowan Stephen. Thank you, Ms. Livak, for your tireless work and dedication to our Manor Woods students and families and to Howard County! You have made a difference in the lives of so many students! We wish you the best!
Deb Mathews
We also bid farewell to Ms. Deborah Mathews who is also retiring from the Howard County Public School System after serving 35 years. Ms. Mathews worked for 3 years at Swansfield Elementary, 6 years at Pointers Run Elementary and 26 years at Manor Woods Elementary where she taught Kindergarten, 1st and 2nd grades. Ms. Mathews is looking forward to traveling and spending quality time with her family. Thank you, Ms. Mathews for your commitment and dedication to the Manor Woods students and families. May you have a wonderful retirement. You will be missed but never forgotten. We wish you the best!
Jill Napolitano
Please join us in saying farewell to Ms. Jill Napolitano who is retiring from the Howard County Public School System. Ms. Napolitano has served for 17 years starting as a Special Education Paraeducator for a total of 9 years between Dayton Oaks Elementary and Forest Ridge Elementary and then transitioned to Manor Woods Elementary as a Special Educator for 8 years. Ms. Napolitano is looking forward to spending time with her family and friends as well as her visits to the beach. Thank you, Ms. Napolitano, for your tireless work and dedication to our Manor Woods students and families and to Howard County! May you be proud of the work you have done and the difference you have made in the lives of so many children. We wish you the best!
Linda Wilson
We bid farewell to Ms. Linda Wilson who is retiring after 31 years of service in the Howard County Public School System as well as 3 years teaching in Northern NJ for a total of 34 years as an educator. Ms. Wilson has been at Manor Woods Elementary for 22 years teaching in grades 3, 4, and 5. Ms. Wilson is still working to determine her future plans but she is definitely looking forward to spending quality time with her family and friends, traveling and pursuing other interests that there’s not been much time for until now. Ms. Wilson, may you be proud of the work you have done for the students and families of Manor Woods Elementary and the difference you have made. Thank you. May this next chapter of your life bring you endless time to do the things you love!
SAYING FAREWELL TO SOME OF OUR
STAFF FAMILY MEMBERS WHO ARE LEAVING MANOR WOODS
Kiah Chatt
Please join us in saying farewell to Ms. Kiah Chatt who is resigning from the Howard County Public School System. Ms. Chatt has served for 6 years starting as a Temporary Employee for one year followed by a Special Education Paraeducator at Dayton Oaks Elementary for one year. Then Ms. Chatt transitioned to Laurel Woods Elementary for 3 years as a classroom teacher and one year at Manor Woods Elementary. Ms. Chatt is leaving the HCPSS to work at The Journey School, a Montessori school in Columbia where she will be teaching 7th and 8th graders. In addition, Ms. Chatt’s sons will be attending Kindergarten and Preschool at The Journey School. Thank you, Ms. Chatt for your commitment and dedication to the Manor Woods students and families. We wish you the best!
William Jordan
Please join us in saying farewell to Mr. William Jordan, our part time Physical Education Teacher, who is resigning from the Howard County Public School System. Mr. Jordan started this year in the HCPSS and worked two days/week at Manor Woods Elementary. Mr. Jordan is leaving the HCPSS to continue to further his education at The University of Maryland. Thank you, Mr. Jordan for your commitment and dedication to the Manor Woods students and families. We wish you the best!
Soyoun Choi
Please join us in saying farewell to Ms. Soyoun Choi who will be on a leave of absence for the 2025-2026 school year. Ms. Choi has served the Howard County Public School System for 20 years including the past three years at Manor Woods Elementary as a Multilingual Achievement Liaison. Ms. Choi shared that she is grateful for the wonderful students, families, and staff she has worked with along the way and she knows Manor Woods is a special place. She truly values the connections she has made while working here. Ms. Choi is hopeful to return to the HCPSS when she returns in the 2026-2027 school year. Thank you, Ms. Choi for your commitment and dedication to the Manor Woods students and families. We wish you the best!
Kelly Shealer
Please join us in saying farewell to Ms. Kelly Shealer who is resigning from the Howard County Public School System. Ms. Shealer has served as a classroom teacher for 6 years with 5 of these years at Manor Woods Elementary. Ms. Shealer is leaving the HCPSS to be closer to home and will be working in the Frederick County Public School System as a English Language Development Teacher. Thank you, Ms. Shealer for your commitment and dedication to the Manor Woods students and families. We wish you the best!
CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR 4TH & 5TH CHORUS
Congratulations to our 4th & 5th grade Chorus on the performance of the National Anthem at the start of the Bowie Baysox game on Friday, May 16th! The storm did not stop our students and families from attending and OUR STUDENTS WERE SHINING BRIGHT!
It was an awesome turnout—we had over 430 MWES family members attend the event! Thank you to everyone for your support in helping make it such a memorable night.
Here is a video with some pics and the Chorus singing the anthem at the start of the game. Enjoy!
MWES ANTHEM PERFORMANCE 2025 VIDEO
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED
INFORMATION WORTH REPEATING
MWES IMPORTANT SUMMER UPDATE: MWES CAMPUS CLOSURE FOR
HVAC RENOVATION
We hope this message finds you well. As we approach the end of the school year, we want to inform you about an important update regarding our campus during the upcoming summer months.
Our school and campus will be closed this summer due to Phase 2 of a major HVAC renovation project that is scheduled to begin shortly after the school year ends. Phase 3, the final phase of the HVAC renovation, will take place in the summer of 2026. This essential work will ensure a more comfortable and efficient environment for our students and staff.
For safety reasons, the campus grounds will not be accessible to the community at any time during the summer. We appreciate your cooperation in helping us maintain a secure environment for all involved in the renovation process.
Our front office staff and administration will be working from an alternate location during this time. We will share details about this temporary location and how to reach us in the coming weeks.
In preparation for the renovation, staff will begin packing up their classrooms and workspaces. To support this effort, our wonderful PTA will be sending out a survey soon for parents interested in volunteering to help staff with packing tasks. Your assistance would be greatly appreciated!
Thank you for your continued support and understanding as we make these important improvements to our school. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out.
May Celebrations
May is Jewish American Heritage Month (JAHM) and Asian American and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander Heritage Month (AANHPI).
10-May Jewish American and AANHPI.pdf
Early Pickup Reminder
To ensure smooth end-of-day procedures, please plan to pick up your child no later than 2:55 pm. This helps us maintain a focused learning environment and ensures the safety and smooth dismissal of all students. Picking up students after this time can disrupt classroom activities and interfere with dismissal procedures. Early dismissals cannot be conducted after 2:55 pm.
We appreciate your cooperation in helping us provide the best possible environment for all students!
Reporting Student Absences
If your student is absent or will be absent, please contact us at the following email address to explain the reason: MWESabsence@hcpss.org. In the email, please Include the following information:
- Student First and Last Name
- Teacher
- Grade
- Date of Absence
- Reason for absence (e.g., illness, bereavement, observance of a religious holiday, lack of transportation). You may copy your child’s teacher on the attendance email if you’d like.
Even if you have notified MWES of your upcoming absence, HCPSS will send out an automated email message whenever a student is absent. MWES will make sure your child is marked accurately on their attendance record.
*****Important Note*******
If you know your child will be absent for more than 3 days or would like to request days, please fill out an EXTENDED ABSENCE DISCRETIONARY ABSENCE Form. Feel free to email the completed form to caroline_chisholm@hcpss.org
Please click here for the form: https://www.hcpss.org/about-us/forms/
~ For other school forms please visit: https://www.hcpss.org/about-us/forms/
Absences for Religious Obligation:
Religious Forms Click here: https://www.hcpss.org/f/aboutus/fillable-religious-absence.pdf
MCAP
The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) requires that states administer annual state assessments to all students in English Language Arts (ELA) and Mathematics in grades 3-8 and once in high school.
Manor Woods students in grades 3, 4, and 5 will take the Maryland Comprehensive Assessment Program (MCAP) in both ELA and math. The MCAP provides information to educators, parents, and the public on student progress towards proficiency on the Maryland College and Career Ready Standards. For more information, visit https://www.hcpss.org/academics/testing/mcap/.
The MCAP assessment window is Monday, April 7 - Friday, May 30. Specific testing dates are below for each grade level. Please make every effort to have your child attend school on testing days and to refrain from scheduling any appointments during these times to minimize missing instruction due to make-up testing. There is no need to study for the MCAP. To prepare, have your child get a good night’s sleep, eat a healthy breakfast, and arrive at school on time.
MCAP Math
3rd Grade - May 13, 14, 19, and 20
4th Grade - May 5, 6, 9, and 12
5th Grade - May 5, 6, 9, and 12
PTA News
Upcoming Events ~ Save the Date
Promo Code: HYDE
PTA Calendar: https://www.mwespta.com/calendar
Please visit the PTA website at https://www.mwespta.com/
HCPSS NEWS
Click here for the latest updated hcpss news.
HCPSS Student Code of Conduct
The Howard County Public School System is committed to providing a safe, engaging and supportive learning environment where all policies are enforced fairly and consistently. HCPSS policies and regulations emphasize instruction and rehabilitation rather than punishment and are designed to foster and reward appropriate behavior and keep students connected to school so they can graduate college and career ready. Please read and review the HCPSS student code of conduct with your child(ren) before the school year begins:
HCPSS Student & 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.