From School Administration
Dear Manor Woods Families,
It was a wonderful week here at Manor Woods. Our PTO sponsored Duck Dash was a HUGE success! The weather was perfect and the support was amazing! As shared by our PTO President, Hannah Zirolli, “What a day, what a dash!” THANK YOU to our students, families and community! Your generous donations raised $33,330 making it possible for our PTO to provide so many amazing things for our school and community. Every contribution made comes right back into strengthening our school community and creating opportunities that benefit every student. It was great to see our students throughout the day smiling, laughing and enjoying this fabulous event!
As we approach the end of October, we are excited to share some important updates and reminders for the month ahead. Fall is in full swing, and as previously shared, we encourage you to dress your child in layers to accommodate the cooler weather. In addition, please label your child’s clothes with their name. Our lost and found bin is growing by the day and when clothing items are labeled with a child’s name, our staff can quickly return the item rather than being added to our lost and found bin. If your child is missing something, please tell them to take a look at the lost and found area outside of the cafeteria.
The end of the first quarter is Friday, October 31st with a 3-hour early dismissal and report cards will be viewable for parents via HCPSS Connect the afternoon of November 10th. Families can monitor student progress and grades through Canvas.
Parent-teacher conferences are approaching on November 24th - 26th, and the scheduling sign-up will open for parents/guardians on Friday, November 7th and close on Thursday, November 20th. More details on scheduling will be shared soon.
The Annual Trunk-or-Treat event, sponsored by our PTO, will be held on Thursday, October 30, 2025 from 5:15-6:30 PM at Burleigh Manor MS (**PLEASE NOTE the change in location this year). Please be aware that our school does not host a Halloween celebration during the school day. As such, students are not permitted to wear costumes on Thursday, October 30, 2025, or Friday, October 31, 2025 (see additional information below).
We wanted to share a few reminders. The MWES Front Office hours are 8:00-4:00 PM. Recently, we have noticed many students returning to school after our front office is closed and requesting to enter the building for items they forgot to bring home. Please know that our front office is not staffed after 4:00 PM and we are unable to open doors, walk students to classrooms or instruction areas for items left at school. Students will need to access the items the following school day.
In addition, please be advised that teachers/staff have up to 48 hours to respond to emails during the school week. If you have reached out to a teacher and/or staff member, please allow this time for a reply before following up. If you have an urgent matter, please call the front office. During the school day, our staff are engaged with our students and often are unable to read and/or respond to email.
Thank you for your continued understanding and support.
Have a fantastic weekend!
Kelli Jenkins, Principal
Jennifer Zinn, Assistant Principal
Important Dates
October
30 - PTO Sponsored Trunk or Treat, Burleigh Manor MS, 5:15-6:30 PM
31 - Schools Close 3 Hours Early (Professional Work Day), Dismissal Time: 12:15 pm
31 - End of 1st Quarter
November
2 - Daylight Savings Ends
7 - Parent Teacher Conference Scheduling Window Opens
10 - 1st Quarter Report Cards ~ Viewable via HCPSS Connect @ 4:00 PM
12 - Schools Close 3 Hours Early
17-21 - American Education Week
20 - Parent Teacher Conference Scheduling Window Closes
24 - Schools Close 3 Hours Early
24 - Parent Teacher Conferences ~ IN PERSON ONLY
25 - Schools Close 3 Hours Early
25 - Parent Teacher Conferences ~ VIRTUAL ONLY
26 - 28 - Schools Closed for Thanksgiving
26 - Parent Teacher Conference ~ VIRTUAL ONLY
RELATED ARTS ~ COLOR CALENDAR SCHEDULE
MWES NEWS
NATIONAL SCHOOL BUS SAFETY WEEK
KEEPING OUR STUDENTS SAFE ON THE ROAD
This week, we joined schools across the country in recognizing National School Bus Safety Week — a time to reinforce the importance of keeping all students safe while riding the bus to and from school.
As part of our commitment to student safety, we conducted school bus evacuation drills on Wednesday. These drills help students learn what to do in the unlikely event of an emergency while riding the bus. Practicing how to safely and calmly exit the bus ensures that all students are prepared to respond quickly if needed. We are proud of how responsibly and respectfully our students participated in this important safety exercise.
We’d also like to remind families about a few key bus safety expectations that help every ride stay safe and positive:
Thank you for partnering with us to promote safety, responsibility, and respect on and off the bus!
MESSAGE ABOUT HALLOWEEN ACTIVITIES
At MWES, we strive to ensure that all our students and families feel included. In order to support our school system’s commitment to equity and inclusion for all students, MWES continues to follow the parameters listed below for Halloween activities:
- We celebrate Halloween after school hours with the PTO at the Trunk or Treat ~ Thursday, October 30th @ 5:15-6:30 PM. ** PLEASE NOTE ~ This year the location is at Burleigh Manor MS which will allow for more space. **
- No Halloween activities will occur during the school day (i.e parades, parties).
- Students and staff should not wear Halloween costumes to school.
We appreciate your understanding and support with the above parameters. Thank you for supporting our efforts to create an inclusive learning environment for all MWES students. Please don’t hesitate to contact Mrs. Jenkins (kelli_jenkins@hcpss.org) with any questions.
The Young Authors’ Contest
The Howard County Literacy Association invites students in grades 1-5 to submit their original poems and/or short stories to the annual writing contest called The Young Authors' Contest. Please see the attached Young Authors Contest Guidelines for information about the rules and guidelines. Stories and poems must be typed and saved as a Word Doc or Googledoc. All entries must have a completed YAC Cover Sheet sent as a PDF. Submissions may be emailed to natalie_miskimins@hcpss.org by December 15, 2025. Contact Mrs. Miskimins with any questions. All Young Authors’ Contest information can be found on the HCLA website.
Howard County Literacy Association welcomes parents as members. Visit the HCLA Welcome Page for information about joining.
PTO NEWS
PTO Trunk or Treat
Get ready for some spooktacular fun at the 3rd Annual Trunk or Treat!
Thursday, October 30th
Event opens at 5:15 PM and ends at 6:30 PM
NEW LOCATION: Burleigh Manor Middle School
Trunk Volunteers Needed!
We’re still looking for a few more families to host trunks and help make this a magical evening for our students.
Candy Donations
We’d greatly appreciate any candy or non-candy donations. Please send them in to the front office by Wednesday, October 29. Every piece helps make sure our trick-or-treaters go home with sweet memories!
Sign up to decorate a trunk, donate candy and register for the event!
Link: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/4090849AEA62FA5FC1-59072246-mwes
Thank you for helping make this tradition a success — we can’t wait to see everyone’s creativity shine at this year’s Trunk or Treat!
Duck Dash ~ A Huge Success
A huge thank you to our parents, volunteers, teachers, admin team, and especially our amazing Duck Dash Chair, Heather Pugh, for making this year’s Duck Dash such a success!
We’re thrilled to share that we exceeded our fundraising goal—an incredible achievement made possible by everyone’s hard work and enthusiasm.
Even having to use our rain date couldn’t dampen our school spirit—and we were rewarded with perfect weather and an unforgettable day together!
A special shoutout to our Duck Dash sponsors for their generous support:
Moran Real Estate, Heron's Hollow, Fitness Together, Kumon Learning Center, Porta Construction, RAE Aesthetic, C-Cured Consulting L.L.C, Little Oak Nursery School, Best Brains Learning Center, Peak Kitchen & Bath, PPC Pitbulls, B. Funk Dance Company, Cockey's Enterprises, Inc., Jen Acupuncture, Soft Stuff Ice Cream, Smiles4Children, and Turf Valley Resort
🏆 Duck Dash Winners & Prizes
Top Fundraiser from Each Grade
K – Rohan Gray
1 – Elicia Na
2 – Olivia Scruggs
3 – James Archibald
4 – Bradley Liang
5 – Charlotte Balighian
🎉 Each winner receives a Sweet Gift Card to Soft Stuff Ice Cream!
Top Overall Fundraiser
🥇 Elicia Na
You’ll be Principal for the Day plus enjoy a Sweet Gift Card to Soft Stuff Ice Cream!
Grade with Highest Participation
👏 It was a tie! Both 1st and 2nd Grades had an outstanding 98% participation!
You’ve each earned a Donut & Dance Party for your grade!
Class with Highest Fundraising
🏅 Ms. Tanis’ 2nd Grade Class
Enjoy a Sweet Treat Party for your entire class!
Thank you all for your dedication, energy, and school spirit. What an amazing community we have!
With gratitude,
Manor Woods PTO
Important PTO Links:
PTO Website: https://www.mwespto.com/
Trunk Or Treat Volunteer Sigh Up(Oct 30)
Community News
Early Childhood Events
The events below are for families of children birth-5 with an IFSP or IEP. Please see individual linked fliers for details about each activity and share with your families and others that may wish to attend.
- Seansory Friendly Trick-or-Treat on Wednesday 10/29/25, stop by anytime between 10:00 - 11:30 AM
- Fall Family Fun Party on Saturday 11/8/25, drop-in anytime between 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM. Enjoy free crafts, play, & movement in a fun and supportive environment.
- The Let's Learn! Series presents Let's Eat! on 11/11/25 from 12:00-12:45 (virtual event, registration required). Get the tricks of the trade in a 30-minute presentation followed by Q&A. This session will focus on practical strategies to deal with the power struggles that come with mealtime.
Any questions can be directed to EISFamily@hcpss.org -- we hope to see you there!
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 Code Of Conduct
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.
Family Guides: What your Child Will Learn this Year
Do you want to get a head start on the school year? We encourage all parents/guardians to visit the link below to learn what your child will learn this year in grades PreK-5! Once you click on your child’s grade level, use the yellow “course navigation” box in the top right corner to navigate standards, free games, and family activities for each subject area. Happy learning!
What Your Child Will Learn Guides
HCPSS / Community News and Programs
https://community-programs.hcpss.org/
HCPSS NEWS