From School Administration
Dear Manor Woods Families,
Can you believe there are only FOUR (4) days left in this fantastic school year? Time flies when you're having fun and learning! As we approach the finish line, we are grateful for your incredible support and active involvement this year. Let's make these final days count! Please note this is the final Weekly Duck for the school year.
Here's what you need to know:
- Lost & Found: Have your child check the lost and found for any missing items. We have lost & found items displayed in the main lobby area for all students to see as they enter the building each day. Unclaimed items will be donated after June 18th.
- Early Dismissal Reminders: Mark your calendars! We have 3-hour early dismissals on June 16th-18th. Students will be dismissed at 12:15 p.m.
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, June 5th! The event was well-attended and the performance was AMAZING! WAY TO GO MIGHTY DUCKS!
We had a wonderful Chorus concert Tuesday night! The concert theme was “Many Voices. One Earth.” Through music from a variety of cultures and perspectives, our students explored themes of unity, community, hope, and caring for one another and our world. Congratulations to all of our students on an excellent concert! THANK YOU to Mrs. Shawyer for working so hard with our 4th & 5th grade chorus students! YOU ROCK! And thank you to all of our staff volunteers for your support and dedication to our music program and helping to make the night a huge success.
CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR KINDERGARTEN STUDENTS
CONGRATULATIONS to our Kindergarten students who celebrated a GREAT year of success today at our Kindergarten closing and celebration! It was a wonderful ceremony and it was great to see our Kindergarten students SHINE! We are beyond proud of each student. We thank our awesome Kindergarten team for the hard work and dedication to our students to ensure their success during their first-year at Manor Woods. In addition, we thank Mrs. Shawyer for all the hard work with our Kindergarten students to learn and sing the awesome songs. The performance was fantastic! It was truly a wonderful celebration!
CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR 5TH GRADE STUDENTS
CONGRATULATIONS to our 5th grade students who will celebrate the SUCCESSFUL completion of 5th grade and their promotion to 6th grade on Monday the 15th! We are beyond proud of each student and we know our 5th grade students will continue to be Mighty Ducks by demonstrating MIGHTY HEARTS, MIGHTY MINDS, and MIGHTY ACTIONS in middle school and beyond! May we forever be connected! We thank our awesome 5th grade team for the hard work and dedication to our students to ensure their success during their final year at Manor Woods.
As we prepare for summer, we hope each of you takes time to relax, rejuvenate, and reflect on all that was accomplished this year. Our students have worked hard, and they deserve a break filled with fun, family, and exploration. For those of you who will be moving on to middle school or another school community, we wish you the very best in your new chapter. For those of you continuing with us at Manor Woods, our journey continues—and we are confident the best is yet to come.
On behalf of the entire Manor Woods staff, thank you for a MIGHTY year! We are very proud of each of our Mighty Ducks!
Kelli Jenkins & Jennifer Zinn
Principal & Assistant Principal
June
15 - 5th Grade Promotion Ceremony, 9:15 AM ~ (MUST HAVE A TICKET)
16 - 3 Hour Early Dismissal - Professional Learning Day, 12:15 PM Dismissal
17 - 3 Hour Early Dismissal - Professional Work Day, 12:15 PM Dismissal
18 - Last Day of School / 3 Hour Early Dismissal - Professional Work Day, 12:15 PM
19 - Schools & Offices Closed - Juneteenth
23 - Schools & Offices Closed - Primary Election Day
2026-2027 IMPORTANT DATES AND EVENTS
August
21 - Kindergarten Orientation, 9:30 AM
21 - New Student Orientation for New Students & Parents Grades 1-5, 1:30-2:00 PM
21 - Open House for Grades 1-5
- New students and returning students ~ Last names A-L, 2:15-2:45 PM
- Returning students ~ Last Names M-Z, 3:00-3:30 PM
24 - First Day of School!
September
- 2 - PTO Meeting, Media Center, 7:00 PM
- 7 - Schools & Offices Closed ~ Labor Day
- 9 - Kindergarten Back to School Night, 5:30-6:15 PM (Parents/Guardians ONLY)
- 9 - 1st & 2nd Back to School Night, 6:30-7:15 PM (Parents/Guardians ONLY)
- 10 - 3rd & GT Math Back to School Night, 5:30-6:15 PM (Parents/Guardians ONLY)
- 10 - 4th & 5th Back to School Night, 6:30-7:15 PM
- 21 - Schools & Offices Closed - Yom Kippur
30 - 3 Hour Early Dismissal - Staff Professional Day, 12:15 Dismissal
UPDATED HCPSS CALENDAR
https://www.hcpss.org/calendar/
MWES NEWS
PLEASE JOIN US IN SAYING FAREWELL
Please join us in saying farewell to Ms. Deb Ostericher who is retiring from the Howard County Public School System. Ms. Ostericher has served the school system for 33 years (32 years at Manor Woods ES, an opening staff member). Prior to working for the school system, Ms. Ostericher worked in corporate America in accounting and sales management for 7 years. Ms. Ostericher is looking forward to traveling with her husband, and cat, in her new travel trailer and exploring all of the wonderful national parks. Ms. Ostericher, we wish you the best!
We bid farewell to Mr. Albert Packan who is retiring from the Howard County Public School System after serving 35 years. Mr. Packan worked for 3 years at Hammond Elementary teaching kindergarten and 1st grade. He opened Manor Woods 32 years ago and has been here ever since. He has taught Kindergarten, 1st, 2nd, 4th and 5th grades at Manor Woods. Mr. Packan will truly miss the community that he has been a part of for so many years. Mr. Packan plans to spend a lot of time getting up early and heading to the great outdoors. When he is not doing this he will be looking forward to spending more time with his family. He is hoping to still be around the school as a substitute teacher. Mr. Packan, we wish you the best!
We bid farewell to Lynn Frost, Adapted P.E. Teacher. Ms. Frost has served the Howard County Public School System for 41 years. For the first 15 years, Ms. Frost was the Adapted Physical Education Program Head and in 2000, Ms. Frost decided to work full time with students traveling to various schools. Ms. Frost is looking forward to traveling, spending time with her kids & grandkids, spending time at her camp in the Adirondacks, camping, and just being outdoors more. Ms. Frost, we wish you the best!
We wish the following staff members best of luck in their new role or next chapter!:
- Hyun Song
- Kalyna Nedilsky
- Heather Graham
- Emily Francavilla
- Cari Haas
MANOR WOODS CLASSROOM TEACHERS ~ 2026-2027
SPRING MAP SCORES
Spring MAP scores for Grades 1–4 are now available for parents in HCPSS Connect. Directions for accessing Spring MAP reports
I have worked in Howard County for 41 years. The first 15 years I was the Adapted Physical Education Program Head and in 2000 I decided to work full time with students traveling to various schools. I'm looking forward to traveling, spending time with my kids & grandkids, time at my camp in the Adirondacks, camping, and just being outdoors more.
MWES IMPORTANT SUMMER UPDATE:
MWES CAMPUS CLOSURE FOR HVAC RENOVATION
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 3 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.
From June 22, 2026, through August 10, 2026 Manor Woods Elementary School will be temporarily relocated to Bushy Park Elementary School, 14601 Carrs Mill Road, Glenwood, MD 21738. To reach Manor Woods this summer, please call our main number 410-313-7165. 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.
MWES 2026-2027 STUDENT SUPPLY LIST
Please find the 2026–27 school supply lists for each grade level on our website (link below) as well as the HCPSS website. We’re sharing this information early to help everyone plan ahead and be prepared for a successful start to the school year!
SUMMER CURRICULUM RESOURCES
The elementary curriculum offices have compiled several activities and strategies for students to enhance their learning during the summer. The resource can be found on the Canvas Parents Pages linked below. Resources can be viewed by grade level and subject. Additional resources and suggestions can also be found on the Parent Pages. These resources include games, strategy instruction tips, field trip suggestions, and much more. Please feel free to share this information with your families.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION FROM THE HEALTH ROOM
25-26 Mandatory Medication Pick-Up
Any student medication or supplies kept in the Health Room during the 25-26 school year must be picked up by a Parent/Guardian no later than 12:15 PM on the last day of school, 6/18/26. All medication/supplies not picked up by 6/18/26 at 12:15 PM will be disposed of per HCPSS policy. Please note that students are not authorized to take medication home in their backpack.
DID YOU MOVE? ARE YOU MOVING?
According to HCPSS Policy 9000 - Student Residency, Eligibility, Enrollment, and Assignment, "A student attending a public school in Howard County will attend the designated school serving the school attendance area in which the parents have bona fide residence."
If you have moved or are moving soon, please notify us immediately. We can assist you with transitioning to your child's new school. Whether it be another HCPSS school, a private school, or a school out of the HCPSS district, we are here to help. If you are transferring to another HCPSS school, our registrars will partner to make the transition as smooth as possible.
If you have an address change, please fill out the attached fillable Address Change below and email it back to us with your new deed or lease. This way, we can electronically verify your school district and update your new address on file. If you have any questions, contact our front office staff or visit our website for more information.
It is very important for us to have the most accurate information about your residency.