TERPS TIDBITS

Dear Arnold Families,

Welcome Back! I hope you had the opportunity to relax and enjoy time with family and friends. Thank you to all the visitors who came to school the Friday before Thanksgiving to celebrate American Education Week! We hope you enjoyed participating in our arts integration lessons with us. This Thursday will be Picture Retake Day and on Friday we will have a school spirit day: Pajama Day! Students and staff are encouraged to wear their cozy and warm pajamas to school.

Shauna Kauffman

Principal

Kristin Addleman

Assistant Principal

Picture Retakes

Picture retakes will take place on Thursday, December 5, 2024. If you purchased a picture package and are not satisfied, please return the package on picture retake day so your child's picture will be retaken. Any student that was absent on our original picture day will get their picture taken as well.

Dear Parents/Guardians, 

The Start Talking Maryland Act requires public schools to offer drug education that includes the dangers of heroin and other opioids, starting as early as third grade.  

Beginning the week of December 9th, I will provide classroom lessons in accordance with the Start Talking Maryland Act.  Specifically, students in grades 3-5 will receive lessons which focus on:

Third grade: Recognizing prescription vs. non-prescription drugs - safe use, choices and problem-solving, and an introduction to what opioid drugs are. They will be using a book: Charlie and the Curious Club: Candy or Medicine.

Fourth grade: Learning about the physical effects of drugs, understanding why substance abuse is a problem and what addiction is, and identifying how they can contribute to solving the problem of substance abuse on a community level. They will be working with materials from KidsHealth.com and/or a recent news clips to define the problem and design a PSA, video clip, poster, etc. to address the problem.

Fifth grade: Learning and practicing strategies to deal with peer pressure, using refusal skills to build confidence to deal with situations when they might be asked to do drugs, recognizing the effects opioids can have on the brain. Students develop strategies and receive a pocket card with strategies and resources on it.

These lessons are important because school provides a safe place where children can learn what to do in unfamiliar or uncomfortable situations. Trusted adults provide students with an opportunity to practice handling situations related to substance abuse, so that the first time a young person is faced with an unsafe situation, he or she knows what to do and has practiced doing it.

You can make arrangements to preview the lessons with your child's school counselor, or you can view them on the AACPS  website.  Go to https://www.aacps.org/documents/services/assistance-for-families/school-counseling/required-elementary-lessons/626222 

If you have any questions about the lessons, please contact me at dlsmith@aacps.org.

Thank you for your support.  

Ms. Smith

School Counselor

Arnold Elementary

FEDERAL IMPACT PROGRAM SURVEY

Parents who are active military or who live or work on Federal Property in Maryland are asked to complete this year’s Federal Impact Aid Survey that became available on September 30, 2024. You will be asked to verify your home address and identify if it is located on federal property. You will also complete sections identifying if a family member is in the military or works on federally owned property in Maryland. The survey should only take a couple of minutes to complete and, be assured, all data collected is kept completely confidential. Why Complete This Survey Anne Arundel County Public Schools, like many local school districts across the United States, include within our boundaries parcels of land that are owned by the Federal Government or that have been removed from the local tax rolls by the Federal Government. Federal property is exempt from local property taxes. By submitting an application to the Department of Education each January, AACPS receives approximately $2 million to assist in educating all our students.

Information and log-in can be found on the AACPS website at: https://secure.aacps.org/webapps/SEFP/OOF/Federal.

Volunteer and Chaperone Information

Thank you for showing interest in chaperoning/ volunteering at Arnold Elementary! We appreciate you taking the time to help our school, however, in order to volunteer/ chaperone, you must complete either a commercial background check or get fingerprinted at the Board of Education. Here’s some information on what you should do!

All applications should be submitted electronically at least 3 weeks prior to the intended school event.

Best practice is to complete a background check at the beginning of the school year!

Commercial Background Checks

Who needs a commercial background check?

• All chaperones and volunteers without one-on-one unsupervised or unrestricted access to students

• Must be done through AACPS, regardless of clearance or completion through another provider.

• If you already have a fingerprint card, you do not need to complete a commercial background check! Please bring the fingerprint card to the school so that we can make a copy of it to have on file.

How long does a commercial background check last?

• Two (2) years

How much does it cost to complete a background check?

• They are free to apply/complete!

How do I apply for a commercial background check?

• Go to https://onboard.screenid.net/gen/inquiries/ and select continue.

• Input the information required and select submit.

• Once you press submit, go to your email and continue with the process via the link in the email from ScreenID

Fingerprint Cards

Who needs to get fingerprinted?

• All overnight volunteers or chaperones

• All drown proofing volunteers or chaperones.

• All Polar Bear Plunge volunteer and chaperones

• Any volunteer or chaperone with one-on-one unsupervised/ unrestricted access to children

• Student teachers

• All Student Services Interns/ Practicum students

• Any intern with one-on-one unsupervised/unrestricted access to children

How long does a fingerprint card last?

• Forever/ We keep fingerprint cards on file for as long as your students are in the school.

• Keep your fingerprint card where you can find it

• Once you receive it, stop by the school so we can make a copy of it to have on file.

How much does it cost to get fingerprinted?

• Sixty-five dollars ($65.00)

How do I get fingerprinted?

• Fingerprint-supported background checks must be scheduled through the Fingerprinting Office at 410-222-5045.

• The Fingerprinting Office is located at the AACPS Central Office on Riva Road and is open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, and 8 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. on Wednesdays, during the school year.

Volunteer/ Chaperone Video

Where can I find the video?

• You can find the Sexual Harassment/ Child Abuse Training Video here at https://www.aacps.org/Page/2460

Do I need to fill out the Volunteer Video Verification form?

• Yes! Please fill out the form after watching the video and submit the form to the main office!

Please contact Ms. Valerie at vaholland@aacps.org with any questions regarding your background check.