The Weekly Duck | Manor Woods Elementary School

From School Administration

Dear Manor Woods Families,

The month of November is GIVING SEASON at Manor Woods Elementary and we are thrilled to kick-off our Food Drive starting Monday, November 10th! Donation boxes can be found in our front lobby. Please help us reach our goal of at least 100 items!

In addition, this is always a great time to share our appreciation, thanks and gratitude. Reflecting on our many blessings and sharing our gratitude with others can truly make a difference. The staff at Manor Woods works so hard every day to make sure our students and families are happy and successful and we would love your help in recognizing our staff during this month of Thanksgiving. Will you join us in recognizing a staff member? Will you recognize any staff member who is making a difference for your child(ren)?

Please take a moment to recognize a staff member who is making a positive difference. Use this link to SHOUT OUT a MWES staff member: #MWES STAFF SHOUT OUT . We will share the SHOUT OUT with individual staff members as they are received. Thank you for your support in recognizing our amazing staff!

Have a fantastic weekend!

Kelli Jenkins, Principal
Jennifer Zinn, Assistant Principal

Important Dates

November

7 - Parent Teacher Conference Scheduling Window Opens
10 - 1st Quarter Report Cards ~ Viewable via HCPSS Connect @ 4:00 PM
11 - Veteran’s Day ~ Wear Red, White & Blue
12 - Schools Close 3 Hours Early
17-21 - American Education Week
18 - PTO Meeting, Media Center, 7:00 PM
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

MAP Test

How can I access my child’s MAP test results?

MAP test results are entered in Synergy at the conclusion of the testing window. It can take up to a week to become visible for an individual student.

To access previous test scores:

Log in to HCPSS Connect
Select More Options from the left panel
Select Standardized Test Scores from the middle

Detailed PDF home reports are available in Synergy. To access home reports:

Log in to HCPSS Connect
Select More Options from the left panel
Select Report Cards from the middle
Select the applicable report from the Student's MAP Reports section.

Note: Students in Algebra I/II or Geometry, and English 8 G/T do not participate in MAP testing and will not have a report displayed. If your child did not participate in the most recent administration, a report may still appear based on the previous administration.

Additional information on MAP testing and how to interpret the report can be found online.

November Parent-Teacher Conferences

The Parent-Teacher Conference scheduling window will open on November 7th. Conferences will take place on November 24 through November 26.

In- person conferences will be held on Monday, November 24th only;
Virtual conferences will be held on Tuesday, November 25th and/or Wednesday, November 26th only depending on teacher availability
For fall conferences:
- Homeroom/Language Arts teachers will be available for all grades.
- Mrs. Parker will also be available for Math conferences for 4th Grade GT Math only. (Math conferences for all other grades/teachers will be available in February.) This will help allow for more teacher availability to meet with families in February when slots are limited.

Families will sign up for conferences using Synergy beginning November 7th. Here’s how to schedule a conference:

Go to https://www.hcpss.org/connect/
Select “Conference” from the left menu.
Choose “Parent Scheduled Conferences” at the top right.
Pick a convenient time slot.

Please view the following helpful guides:

https://www.hcpss.org/connect/guides/

https://help.hcpss.org/when-and-how-can-i-register-for-parent-teacher-conferences

If you cannot access HCPSS Connect, please contact the school at 410-313-7165 for assistance. The scheduling window will remain open from Friday, November 7th, at 8:00 am through Thursday, November 20th, at 4:00 pm. After Nov. 20th, families must call the front office secretaries directly to check availability and schedule a conference.

Community Support

Howard County Community Resources November 2025

Free Bikes 4 Kidz

This organization provides free, refurbished bikes for kids in Howard County. All bikes are distributed with a helmet and parents must be able to transport the bikes when picked up at the event in December. Use this Bike Request Link to request a bike for your child(ren). The deadline to request a bike is November 12, 2025.

Toys for Tots

Howard County
10th Annual Howard County Toys for Tots Campaign!
Now, the moment we’ve been waiting for:
🎉 Registration is officially OPEN! 🎉
Families can begin signing up today using this link: https://aatft.formstack.com/forms/ifrformhoward2025

Howard High School Food Pantry

The Howard H.S. Food Pantry will open twice this month to support families affected by the government shutdown and delays in SNAP benefits.

Flyers are attached. November 6th/20th

& November 20th Grab and Go Thanksgiving Meals

Emergency Food & Support Resources for Howard County Residents

Resource Sheet.pdf

Howard County Government Office of Agriculture Food Assistance Resources

Information Worth Repeating

SAVE THE DATE!

The MWES Food Drive is back! Beginning Nov. 10 through Nov. 17 we'll be collecting non-perishable food items for Ho. Co. families in need. Donations can be sent to school with your child(ren) and dropped off in the collection bin in the front lobby. The most needed items can be found here.

Report Cards - Quarter 1

2025-2026 Quarter 1 Report Cards will be available at/after 4 pm, Monday, November 10th.

Parents/guardians may view/download report cards by taking the following steps:

Log in to HCPSS Connect Synergy using parent/guardian credentials
Select More Options from the left panel
Select Report Cards from the middle
Select the report card you wish to access
Screencast for How To Access Your Child's Report Card In Synergy

Standards-Based Instruction and Reporting PK-5th grade (SBIR)

Elementary Standards-Based Instruction and Reporting for Families(Click) Canvas page

The updated https://www.hcpss.org/report-cards/ site is now LIVE.

Intermediate SBIR slides for parents

Grades PreK-2:

Grade 3-5:

Standards-Based Instruction and Reporting (SBIR) provides information about how a student is progressing with grade-level standards. Evidence gathered over time helps articulate a student's relative strengths and growth areas compared to the grade-level standards.

504/ML/IEP accommodations and instructional supports ensure access to grade-level instruction but do not reduce, change, or lower grade-level learning or performance expectations.

Academic Performance Codes represent what has been learned and where the student is relative to the expectation of the grade-level standard. It is intended to reflect the progress toward meeting the Maryland College and Career Readiness Standards for their current grade level.

For students with Individualized Education Programs (IEPs), detailed progress toward IEP goals is provided in the Annual Goal(s) Progress Report, which is sent at the same time as the HCPSS report card. A student’s IEP goals address the identified skills that support their progress toward meeting grade-level standards.

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.

Community News

HCPSS Pre-K Program

Families that have been affected by the federal government shutdown and who would not ordinarily qualify for the Pre-K program could now be eligible due to their current loss of income. Howard County families who have lost pay due to the shutdown, even those families who have previously applied and did not meet Tier I eligibility, may apply. If your family qualifies, the Pre-K program would be offered at no cost to your family for the remainder of the school year. Please submit a completed application and the required income documentation to: hcpss_pk@hcpss.org. Application submissions must include the required income documentation in order for our office to determine eligibility. If you have any questions, please contact the Office of Early Childhood Program by email at hcpss_pk@hcpss.org or by phone at 410-313-6836.

Early Childhood Special Education News

Click Here For Flier

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

https://news.hcpss.org/