Red Pump Happenings

Monday, January 6, 2025

Good evening and Happy New Year, Red Pump Elementary families,

Happy 2025! We were so excited to welcome our Red Pumpers back last week into our 2025 adventure! We hope you have enjoyed the snowy days, as well! Schools and offices are closed tomorrow, Tuesday, Jan. 7th due to inclement weather.

January Reading Month: We kicked off January Reading Month last week. We have planned fun activities for our students to celebrate our love of reading at Red Pump. Our January Reading Month activities are outlined on the flyer in the Monday Happenings email and homeroom teachers have emailed the flyer to parents. This Friday is Read me Day and Monday, Jan. 13^th is Cozy Up to a Good Book!

PTA Meeting 1/7: Our next PTA meeting is tomorrow from 6:00-7:00pm and this meeting is VIRTUAL only on Teams, since schools are closed. PTA will email PTA members the Teams link to participate virtually.

Patriot Program Kickoff! We are excited to kick off our Patriot Program this month for kindergarten through 4^th grade. 5^th grade students do not need to submit a permission slip or packet as the 5^th grade social studies curriculum includes the content, therefore all 5^th graders will participate in the Patriot field trip.

In the Wednesday folder this week, all kindergarten through 4^th grade students will receive the Patriot Program packet and permission slip. All students in grades K-4 who would like to participate in the Patriot Program must return their signed permission slips by January 31^st. Patriot testing for K-4 students will begin January 13^th for those ready and with permission slip on file. The last day to accept Patriot Packets and for Patriot testing is Friday, March 7^th. All K-4 students must submit their Patriot Packets by this date to qualify as a Patriot, no date exceptions.

Patriot Program IMPORTANT DATES for Gr. KDG-4:

Patriots have from January 8^th through March 7^th to complete their requirements.

1/8- Patriot Packet sent home in Wednesday folder
1/13- Patriot testing begins (Must have permission slip on file)
1/31- Permission slip DUE- Last day to hand in permission slip to participate (Students without signed permission will not be tested)
3/7- K-4 Patriot Packets/Requirements DUE, no late exceptions.
3/27- 9:45am, Schoolwide Patriot Assembly to celebrate Patriot Completers

And LOOKING AHEAD…

1/17 Early Dismissal: Next Friday, January 17^th is a 1:00pm early dismissal for all students. Please secure your dismissal plan for this day.

1/20 School Closed: Schools and offices are closed on Monday, January 20^th in observance of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.

This week is a B week!

Heather Skopak, Principal

Calendar Reminders:

Patriot Program IMPORTANT DATES for Gr. K-4:

Patriots have from January 8^th through March 7^th to complete their requirements.

1/8- Patriot Packet sent home in Wednesday folder
1/13- Patriot testing begins (Must have permission slip on file)
1/31- Permission slip DUE- Last day to hand in permission slip to participate (K-4 students without signed permission will not be tested)
3/7- K-4 Patriot Packets/Requirements DUE, no late exceptions.
3/27- 9:45am, Schoolwide Patriot Assembly to celebrate Patriot Completers

JANUARY

1/7 RPES PTA VIRTUAL Meeting 6-7pm on Teams

1/8 Patriot Program Permission Slips & Patriot Packets come home today for grades K-4!

1/10 January Reading Month: Read Me Day

1/13 January Reading Month: Cozy Up to a Good Book; Patriot Program Testing Begins

1/17 January Reading Month: Reading Takes a TEAM Effort; 1:00pm Early Dismissal for all students; HAC Posting grades 3-5

1/20 School Closed for staff & students in observance of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day

1/24 January Reading Month: Campfire Reading

1/29 END of Quarter 2

1/30 BEGIN Quarter 3

1/31 January Reading Month: Book Character Dress Up Day; Patriot Program Permission Slips DUE TODAY!; HAC posting grades 3-5; PTA Virtual Paint Night

FEBRUARY

2/4 RPES PTA Meeting 6-7pm Media Center

2/5-7 PTA Smencil Sale

2/7 PTA Valentine Dance 6-8pm

2/14 1:00pm Early Dismissal Day for all Students; Quarter 2 Report Cards Available on HAC for families after 5pm

2/14-20 RPES Random Act of Kindness Week!

2/17 Schools & Offices CLOSED in observance of President’s Day

2/28 1:00pm Early Dismissal Day for all Students; HAC Posting Grades 3-5

MARCH

3/4 RPES PTA Meeting 6-7pm Media Center

3/7 Patriot Packets DUE TODAY!

3/12 PTA Movie Night at Horizon Cinema at 5:30pm

3/14 HAC Posting Grades 3-5; Happy Pi Day!

3/20 Lifetouch SPRING PICTURE DAY (Individual & Class Groups)

3/27 Patriot Program Assembly Celebration 9:45-10:45am

3/28 1:00pm Early Dismissal Day for All Students; HAC Posting Grades 3-5

3/31-4/4 Scholastic Book Fair

4/4 1:00pm Early Dismissal for all Students

Attachments:
January_Reading_Month_2024.JPG (100.9 KB)

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Red Pump Elementary School | 600 Red Pump Road, Bel Air, MD 21014 | 410-638-4252

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Monday, December 16, 2024

Good evening, Red Pump Elementary families,

Happy almost Winter Break!

This Week Winter Spirit Days: Our last spirit days this week- Wednesday, ELF DAY and this Friday is PJ Day!

12/20 1pm Dismissal: A reminder that this Friday, December 20^th is a 1pm early dismissal for all students as we head into our winter break. All students and staff will be dismissed at 1pm therefore please secure your dismissal plan for this day.

Winter Break! We are then on winter break and schools and offices are closed December 23^rd through January 1^st. We will welcome our students and staff into 2025 on Thursday, January 2^nd.

And LOOKING AHEAD…

January Reading Month: Upon our return in January we will kick off the month with January Reading Month! We have planned some fun activities for our students to celebrate our love of reading at Red Pump. Please see the Reading Month flyer attached to this email.

On behalf of the RPES faculty and staff, we wish our families and students a joyous and restful winter break filled with fun and family time. We look forward to continuing our adventure together in the 2025 year ahead!

This week is a B week! Have a fantastic winter break!

Heather Skopak, Principal

Calendar Reminders:

DECEMBER:

Winter Spirit Days: (Mondays/Wednesdays/Fridays in December)

MONDAY

WEDNESDAY

FRIDAY

12/16 Holiday or winter hat, tie, scarf, and/or socks day!

12/18 ELF DAY! Dress like an elf

12/20 Winter or Holiday Pajama Day!

(1:00pm Early Dismissal)

12/18 Winter Spirit Day: ELF DAY! Dress like an elf

12/20 Winter Spirit Day: Winter or Holiday Pajama Day!; 1:00pm Early Dismissal for Students & All Staff- Happy Winter Break!

12/23 – 1/1 WINTER BREAK- Schools & Offices Closed

1/2 Welcome Back & Happy New Year!

1/3 January Reading Month: Decorate a Tissue Box

1/7 RPES PTA Meeting 6-7pm Media Center

1/8 Patriot Program Permission Slips & Patriot Packets come home today!

1/10 January Reading Month: Read Me Day

1/13 January Reading Month: Cozy Up to a Good Book; Patriot Program Testing Begins

1/17 January Reading Month: Reading Takes a TEAM Effort; 1:00pm Early Dismissal for all students; HAC Posting grades 3-5

1/20 School Closed for staff & students in observance of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day

1/24 January Reading Month: Campfire Reading

1/29 END of Quarter 2

1/30 BEGIN Quarter 3

1/31 January Reading Month: Book Character Dress Up Day; Patriot Program Permission Slips DUE TODAY!; HAC posting grades 3-5; PTA Virtual Paint Night

Attachments:
Jan_2025_Reading_Month_Activities.pdf (78.6 KB)

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Monday, December 7, 2024

Good evening, Red Pump Elementary families,

This Week Winter Spirit Days: Join in to show your school and winter spirit each week on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. On Wednesday, Dress in red and white like a candy cane and this Friday is Holiday, Winter or Ugly Sweater Day!

Winter Concerts: Our 4^th & 5^th grade Winter Concerts will get us ready for the season! 4^th & 5^th grade families, please join us in the RPES gym this Thursday, December 12^th at 6:00pm for our Grade 4 WINTER CONCERT & 7:00pm for our Grade 5 WINTER CONCERT.

December Character Trait: Our December Spot-On Character trait is Empathy. Empathy is understanding how someone else is feeling or understanding the situation they are in. "Putting yourself in someone else's shoes." Empathy helps you become a better friend, classmate and citizen. Attached is an empathy calendar with ideas for your family to enjoy.

We will continue to collect soda pull tabs for the Ronald McDonald House. Holiday gatherings with family and friends are a great time to collect these!

For our service-learning project this month, we are supporting Forest Hill Heights Assisted Living with coloring placemats and notes to brighten the day of their residents.

Social Emotional Resource: Attached is information for families about an upcoming Social Emotional Learning and Support Family Workshop.

And LOOKING AHEAD…

Early Dismissal 12/20: All students and staff will be dismissed at 1pm on Friday, December 20^th to begin the winter break. Please secure your dismissal plan for this early dismissal.

Winter Break: Schools and Offices are closed December 23^rd through January 1^st. We will welcome our students and staff into 2025 on Thursday, January 2^nd.

This week is an A week! Have a fantastic week!

Heather Skopak, Principal

Calendar Reminders:

DECEMBER:

Winter Spirit Days: (Mondays/Wednesdays/Fridays in December)

MONDAY

WEDNESDAY

FRIDAY

12/9 Jingle Bell Day! Wear bells

12/11 Dress in red and white like a candy cane

12/13 Holiday, Winter or Ugly Sweater Day!

12/16 Holiday or winter hat, tie, scarf, and/or socks day!

12/18 ELF DAY! Dress like an elf

12/20 Winter or Holiday Pajama Day!

(1:00pm Early Dismissal)

12/11 Winter Spirit Day: Dress in red and white like a candy cane

12/12 6:00pm Grade 4 WINTER CONCERT & 7:00pm Grade 5 WINTER CONCERT

12/13 Winter Spirit Day: Holiday, Winter or Ugly Sweater Day!; HAC Posting Gr. 3-5

12/16 Winter Spirit Day: Holiday or winter hat, tie, scarf, and/or socks day!

12/18 Winter Spirit Day: ELF DAY! Dress like an elf

12/20 Winter Spirit Day: Winter or Holiday Pajama Day!; 1:00pm Early Dismissal for Students & All Staff- Happy Winter Break!

12/23 – 1/1 WINTER BREAK- Schools & Offices Closed

1/2 Welcome Back & Happy New Year!

Attachments:
Empathy_Calendar_for_December.pdf (241.6 KB)
2025_Pyramid_Model_Training_for_Families_Flyer.pdf (3.2 MB)

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Monday, December 3, 2024

Good evening, Red Pump Elementary families,

We hope our families had a restful and enjoyable Thanksgiving break!

This Week Winter Spirit Days: Join in to show your school and winter spirit each week in December on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. This week, on Wednesday, Shine bright and Wear Silver or Gold and this Friday is Wish for a Snow Day and wear all white!

PTA Meeting: RPES PTA meeting tomorrow Tuesday, December 3^rd from 6-7:00pm in the RPES Media Center.

Lifetouch Picture RETAKES: Our Lifetouch Picture re-take day is this Wednesday, December 4^th. If your child was absent on fall picture day, a NEW picture flyer was backpacked home last Monday. Any students absent on fall picture day will have their retake this Wednesday.

1pm Early Dismissal 12/6: This Friday, December 6^th is a 1:00pm early dismissal students. Please be sure to secure your dismissal plan for this day.

Student Holiday Shop: Our PTA is hosting our annual Student Holiday Shop where students can shop for family members with the help of PTA volunteers. The Holiday Shop is during the school day for students only and will be this week on December 4^th & 5^th. Your student received a flyer with the date their class is scheduled to shop at the Student Holiday Shop.

RPES PTA Holiday Festival: PTA is hosting our annual Holiday Festival this Saturday, December 7^th from 11:00-2:00pm. Join your fellow Red Pumpers and shop local and kid vendors for the holiday season.

Mental Health Resource: Please find attached a parent resource outlining mental health resources.

And LOOKING AHEAD…

Winter Concerts: Our 4^th & 5^th grade Winter Concerts will get us ready for the season! 4^th & 5^th grade families, please join us in the RPES gym on Thursday, December 12^th at 6:00pm for our Grade 4 WINTER CONCERT & 7:00pm for our Grade 5 WINTER CONCERT.

Early Dismissal 12/20: All students and staff will be dismissed at 1pm on Friday, December 20^th to begin the winter break. Please secure your dismissal plan for this early dismissal.

Winter Break: Schools and Offices are closed December 23^rd through January 1^st. We will welcome our students and staff into 2025 on Thursday, January 2^nd.

This week is a B week! Have a fantastic week!

Heather Skopak, Principal

Calendar Reminders:

DECEMBER:

Winter Spirit Days: (Mondays/Wednesdays/Fridays in December)

MONDAY	WEDNESDAY	FRIDAY
12/2Holiday or Winter Pajama Day!	12/4 Shine bright and wear silver or gold!	12/6 Wish for a Snow Day and wear all white!
12/9 Jingle Bell Day! Wear bells	12/11 Dress in red and white like a candy cane	12/13 Holiday, Winter or Ugly Sweater Day!
12/16 Holiday or winter hat, tie, scarf, and/or socks day!	12/18 ELF DAY! Dress like an elf	12/20 Winter or Holiday Pajama Day! (1:00pm Early Dismissal)

12/2 Winter Spirit Day: Holiday or Winter Pajama Day!

12/3 RPES PTA Meeting 6:00-7:00pm

12/4 Winter Spirit Day: Shine bright and wear silver or gold!; Lifetouch Fall Picture RETAKES

12/4-5 PTA Student Holiday Shop

12/6 Winter Spirit Day: Wish for a Snow Day and wear all white!; 1:00pm Early Dismissal for Students

12/7 11:00-2:00 RPES PTA Holiday Festival

12/9 Winter Spirit Day: Jingle Bell Day! Wear bells

12/11 Winter Spirit Day: Dress in red and white like a candy cane

12/12 6:00pm Grade 4 WINTER CONCERT & 7:00pm Grade 5 WINTER CONCERT

12/13 Winter Spirit Day: Holiday, Winter or Ugly Sweater Day!; HAC Posting Gr. 3-5

12/16 Winter Spirit Day: Holiday or winter hat, tie, scarf, and/or socks day!

12/18 Winter Spirit Day: ELF DAY! Dress like an elf

12/20 Winter Spirit Day: Winter or Holiday Pajama Day!; 1:00pm Early Dismissal for Students & All Staff- Happy Winter Break!

12/23 – 1/1 WINTER BREAK- Schools & Offices Closed

1/2 Welcome Back & Happy New Year!

Attachments:
Holiday_Festival_12-7-24.jpg (84.1 KB)
Service_Tabs_Collection.JPG (81.1 KB)
Harford_Resource_Flyer_%284%29.pdf (1257.0 KB)

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Monday, Nov. 25, 2024

Good evening, Red Pump Elementary families,

As we approach Thanksgiving, I want to take a moment to express my sincere gratitude to each of you. Your unwavering support, trust, and partnership make Red Pump Elementary a wonderful and very special place for students to learn and grow.

We are thankful to work alongside you to help your children thrive, both in and out of the classroom. Your involvement and care truly make a difference, and we are grateful for everything you do. Wishing you all a joyful and restful Thanksgiving!

This Wednesday 1pm Dismissal: November 27^th is a 1:00pm early dismissal for all students and staff. Please be sure to secure your dismissal plan for this day. Then schools are closed on Thursday, November 28^th and 29^th for Thanksgiving.

Fall Picture RETAKE Day: Our Lifetouch Picture re-take day is scheduled for next week on Wednesday, December 4^th. If your child was absent on fall picture day, a NEW picture flyer will be backpacked home TODAY in their folder. They will have their picture retake next week.

RPES PTA Holiday Festival: Our PTA is hosting our annual Holiday Festival on Saturday, December 7^th from 11:00-2:00pm. Join your fellow Red Pumpers and shop local and kid vendors for the holiday season.

PTA Student Holiday Shop: Our PTA is also hosting our annual Student Holiday Shop where students can shop for family members with the help of PTA volunteers. The Holiday Shop is during the school day for students only and will be open on December 4^th & 5^th. Your student will receive more information about the date their class is scheduled to shop at the Student Holiday Shop. A flyer and information will be sent home in the Wednesday folder.

And LOOKING AHEAD…

PJ Day! Upon our return on Monday, December 2^nd, we will begin our Winter Spirit Days on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays in December. See the Happenings calendar for more information. Our first spirit day will be Monday with holiday/winter PJ day!

PTA Meeting: Mark your calendar for our next RPES PTA meeting scheduled for Tuesday, December 3^rd from 6-7:00pm in the RPES Media Center.

This week is an A week! Have a fantastic week!

Heather Skopak, Principal

Calendar Reminders:

NOVEMBER:

11/27 1:00pm Early Dismissal for Students & All Staff- Happy Thanksgiving!; HAC Posting Gr. 3-5; Schoolwide Wing Parties!

11/28 School Closed for Students & Staff – Happy Thanksgiving!

11/29 School Closed for Students & Staff – Happy Thanksgiving!

DECEMBER:

Winter Spirit Days: (Mondays/Wednesdays/Fridays in December)

MONDAY	WEDNESDAY	FRIDAY
12/2Holiday or Winter Pajama Day!	12/4 Shine bright and wear silver or gold!	12/6 Wish for a Snow Day and wear all white!
12/9 Jingle Bell Day! Wear bells	12/11 Dress in red and white like a candy cane	12/13 Holiday, Winter or Ugly Sweater Day!
12/16 Holiday or winter hat, tie, scarf, and/or socks day!	12/18 ELF DAY! Dress like an elf	12/20 Winter or Holiday Pajama Day! (1:00pm Early Dismissal)

12/2 Winter Spirit Day: Holiday or Winter Pajama Day!

12/3 RPES PTA Meeting 6:00-7:00pm

12/4 Winter Spirit Day: Shine bright and wear silver or gold!; Lifetouch Fall Picture RETAKES

12/4-5 PTA Student Holiday Shop

12/6 Winter Spirit Day: Wish for a Snow Day and wear all white!; 1:00pm Early Dismissal for Students

12/7 11:00-2:00 RPES PTA Holiday Festival

12/9 Winter Spirit Day: Jingle Bell Day! Wear bells.

12/11 Winter Spirit Day: Dress in red and white like a candy cane.

12/12 6:00pm Grade 4 WINTER CONCERT & 7:00pm Grade 5 WINTER CONCERT

12/13 Winter Spirit Day: Holiday, Winter or Ugly Sweater Day!; HAC Posting Gr. 3-5

12/16 Winter Spirit Day: Holiday or winter hat, tie, scarf, and/or socks day!

12/18 Winter Spirit Day: ELF DAY! Dress like an elf.

12/20 Winter Spirit Day: Winter or Holiday Pajama Day!; 1:00pm Early Dismissal for Students & All Staff- Happy Winter Break!

12/23 – 1/1 WINTER BREAK- Schools & Offices Closed

1/2 Welcome Back & Happy New Year!

Attachments:
Holiday_Festival_12-7-24.jpg (84.1 KB)
Service_Tabs_Collection.JPG (81.1 KB)

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Monday, Nov. 19, 2024

Good evening, Red Pump Elementary families,

Q1 Report Cards: Quarter 1 report Cards will be available on Home Access Center (HAC) this Friday, November 22^nd. New this year, report cards will be emailed to all parents/guardians on file on November 23^rd.

Parent Dreambox & First in Math Resource: Last week at our PTA meeting our teachers presented parent information and resources for our two math initiatives, Dreambox and First in Math. The presentation is attached below for parents to access this information in order to help your child at home in math.

Lost & Found: Our Lost and Found is packed! PLEASE check to see if you are missing any coats, sweatshirts, etc. All remaining lost and found items will be donated on December 2nd. Please use this and next week to gather any items before our donation day!

Lifetouch Fall Pictures: Don't Forget to Order This Year's School Pictures & ENJOY 10% OFF your order! CODE: F202410OFF (EXPIRES: July 31, 2025). Use this link to Redeem Now.

ACRT- Active Critical Response Lessons: This Wednesday, all students will participate in our ACRT school safety presentation where we discuss the variety of ways in which we stay safe at school. Students will learn why we practice safety drills in school, what objects are safe and unsafe to have at school, who we need to listen to during our drills, and our actions that can keep us safe, such as, Run, Hide, Fight. If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to your child’s teacher or our Assistant Principals, Mrs. Godfrey or Mrs. VanRuiten.

And LOOKING AHEAD…

Early Dismissal 11/27: Next Wednesday, November 27^th is a 1:00pm early dismissal for all students and staff. Please be sure to secure your dismissal plan for this day.

Schools Closed ~ HAPPY THANKSGIVING! Schools are closed on Thursday, November 28^th and 29^th for Thanksgiving. HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Winter Spirit Days: Upon our return on December 2^nd, we will begin our Winter Spirit Days on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays in December. See the Happenings calendar below for more detailed information,

PTA Meeting: Mark your calendar for our next RPES PTA meeting scheduled for Tuesday, December 3^rd from 6-7:00pm in the RPES Media Center.

This week is a B week! Have a fantastic week!

Heather Skopak, Principal

Calendar Reminders:

NOVEMBER:

11/20 4:05-5:30 PTA Chess Club Begins (Permission slip required)

11/22 Quarter 1 Report Cards available on HAC for parents to view

11/27 1:00pm Early Dismissal for Students & All Staff- Happy Thanksgiving!; HAC Posting Gr. 3-5; Schoolwide Wing Parties!

11/28 School Closed for Students & Staff – Happy Thanksgiving!

11/29 School Closed for Students & Staff – Happy Thanksgiving!

DECEMBER:

Winter Spirit Days: (Mondays/Wednesdays/Fridays in December)

MONDAY	WEDNESDAY	FRIDAY
12/2Holiday or Winter Pajama Day!	12/4 Shine bright and wear silver or gold!	12/6 Wish for a Snow Day and wear all white!
12/9 Jingle Bell Day! Wear bells	12/11 Dress in red and white like a candy cane	12/13 Holiday, Winter or Ugly Sweater Day!
12/16 Holiday or winter hat, tie, scarf, and/or socks day!	12/18 ELF DAY! Dress like an elf	12/20 Winter or Holiday Pajama Day! (1:00pm Early Dismissal)

12/2 Winter Spirit Day: Holiday or Winter Pajama Day!

12/3 RPES PTA Meeting 6:00-7:00pm

12/4 Winter Spirit Day: Shine bright and wear silver or gold!; Lifetouch Fall Picture RETAKES

12/4 & 5 PTA Student Holiday Shop

12/6 Winter Spirit Day: Wish for a Snow Day and wear all white!; 1:00pm Early Dismissal for Students

12/7 11:00-2:00 RPES PTA Holiday Festival

12/9 Winter Spirit Day: Jingle Bell Day! Wear bells

12/11 Winter Spirit Day: Dress in red and white like a candy cane

12/12 6:00pm Grade 4 WINTER CONCERT & 7:00pm Grade 5 WINTER CONCERT

12/13 Winter Spirit Day: Holiday, Winter or Ugly Sweater Day!; HAC Posting Gr. 3-5

12/16 Winter Spirit Day: Holiday or winter hat, tie, scarf, and/or socks day!

12/18 Winter Spirit Day: ELF DAY! Dress like an elf.

12/20 Winter Spirit Day: Winter or Holiday Pajama Day!; 1:00pm Early Dismissal for Students & All Staff- Happy Winter Break!

12/23 – 1/1 WINTER BREAK- Schools & Offices Closed

1/2 Welcome Back & Happy New Year!

Attachments:
Math_Presentation_PTA.11.12.24.pdf (2.7 MB)
Holiday_Festival_12-7-24.jpg (84.1 KB)
Vendor_Holiday_Festival.png (393.7 KB)

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Monday, Nov. 4, 2024

Good evening, Red Pump Elementary families,

Happy November!

Pajama Day 11/6: Don’t forget your PJs on Wednesday! This Wednesday our students earned Pajama day for exceeding our Dalmatian Dash goal!

Morning Drop Off Reminder: A reminder that during morning drop off, we ask for your continued support in refraining from using the bus loop from 9:00 am to 9:30 am. We have buses that arrive with students at various times that require the use of the bus loop. A staff member monitors the bus loop entry and will redirect all cars that attempt to enter the loop before 9:30am. To ensure the safety of all, please utilize the car rider parking lot for morning drop off during the time frame of 9:00am to 9:30am. Thank you for your continued respect for this protocol and your cooperation!

November Character Education: Our "SPOT on Character" trait for November is Gratitude. Gratitude is being thankful and showing appreciation for what we have and finding JOY in the little things. Gratitude helps people feel more positive emotions, brings on more happiness, improves your health, helps you deal with adversity, and builds strong relationships with others. Students will participate in activities all month, including our service-learning project of writing gratitude notes to classmates, school staff and/or family members. Attached is a parent letter on gratitude and a gratitude jar printable you can complete at home to instill an "attitude of gratitude".

End of Quarter 1 & Report Cards: Our first quarter closed this Friday, November 8^th. This is a time to celebrate your child’s accomplishments and set goals for quarter 2. Report Cards will available on the Home Access Center (HAC) on Friday, November 22^nd. This year, new, report cards will also be emailed to parents on November 23^rd. A reminder that students are considered chronically absent when they miss 10% or more of school days. In the first quarter, your child may have a comment code for chronically absent if he/she has missed more than 5 days.

Schools and Offices Closed 11/5: Schools and offices are also closed tomorrow, Tuesday, November 5^th for election day.

Beechmont Corn Maze 11/8: Join your fellow Red Pumpers this Friday for our PTA family night at Beechmont Corn Maze from 6-9:00pm.

PTA Reflections Program: The National PTA Reflections program is beginning again! This year's theme is "Accepting Imperfection." For more information, visit https://www.fspta.org/reflections.

Service-Learning Pull tab Collection: Don’t forget to send your pull-tabs from soda, soup and food cans into school. To support our schoolwide, year-long service project to benefit The Ronald McDonald House!

And LOOKING AHEAD…

Schools/Offices Closed 11/11: In observance of Veteran’s Day, schools and offices are closed on Monday, November 11^th.

PTA Meeting: Join us for our VIRTUAL PTA meeting on 11/12 from 6:00-7:00pm.

ACRT- Active Critical Response Lessons: On November 13th, all students will participate in our ACRT school safety presentation where we discuss the variety of ways in which we stay safe at school. This includes discussion of our variety of safety drills, such as evacuation, lockdown, and modified lockdown. Students will participate in a grade level presentation with administration and school counselors focusing on our ACRT, Active Critical Response Training, for our students. Students will learn why we practice safety drills in school, what objects are safe and unsafe to have at school, who we need to listen to during our drills, and our actions that can keep us safe, such as, Run, Hide, Fight. Teachers will also complete a small group lesson with their class which is a walk-talk through. If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to your child’s teacher or our Assistant Principals, Mrs. Godfrey or Mrs. VanRuiten.

This week is a B week! Have a fantastic week!

Heather Skopak, Principal

Calendar Reminders:

NOVEMBER:

11/5 Election Day- School Closed for students & staff

11/6 Schoolwide PAJAMA DAY!!!

11/8 End of Quarter 1; 6:00-9:00 PTA Beachmont Corn Maze Family Event

11/11 Schools & Offices closed in observance of Veteran’s Day

11/12 Begin Quarter 2; 6-7pm PTA Meeting (Virtual Only)

11/14 PTA Spirit Dine at Chic-fil-a

11/15 2:45-3:45 Grade 1 Learn With Me (Preregistration Required); HAC Posting Gr. 3-5

11/20 4:05-5:30 PTA Chess Club Begins (Permission slip required)

11/22 Quarter 1 Report Cards available on HAC for parents to view

11/27 1:00pm Early Dismissal for Students & All Staff- Happy Thanksgiving!; HAC Posting Gr. 3-5

11/28 School Closed for Students & Staff – Happy Thanksgiving!

11/29 School Closed for Students & Staff – Happy Thanksgiving!

DECEMBER:

Winter Spirit Days: (Mondays/Wednesdays/Fridays in December)

MONDAY	WEDNESDAY	FRIDAY
12/2Holiday or Winter Pajama Day!	12/4 Shine bright and wear silver or gold!	12/6 Wish for a Snow Day and wear all white!
12/9 Jingle Bell Day! Wear bells	12/11 Dress in red and white like a candy cane	12/13 Holiday, Winter or Ugly Sweater Day!
12/16 Holiday or winter hat, tie, scarf, and/or socks day!	12/18 ELF DAY! Dress like an elf	12/20 Winter or Holiday Pajama Day! (1:00pm Early Dismissal)

12/3 RPES PTA Meeting 6:00-7:00pm

12/4 Lifetouch Fall Picture RETAKES

12/6 1:00pm Early Dismissal for Students

12/7 11:00-2:00 PTA Holiday Festival

12/9 & 12/10 PTA Holiday Shop for Students (Schedule & information forthcoming)

12/12 6:00pm Grade 4 WINTER CONCERT & 7:00pm Grade 5 WINTER CONCERT

12/13 HAC Posting Gr. 3-5

12/20 1:00pm Early Dismissal for Students & All Staff- Happy Winter Break!

12/23 – 1/1 WINTER BREAK- Schools & Offices Closed

1/2 Welcome Back & Happy New Year!

Attachments:
Parent_letter-_Gratitude.pdf (108.8 KB)
Gratitude_Jar.pdf (27.5 KB)
Chess_Form_4.pdf (1211.2 KB)
Red_Pump_PTA_Chic_fil_A_11.14.24.pdf (928.4 KB)
Reflections.pdf (370.3 KB)
Parent_Session.png (766.0 KB)

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Monday, Oct. 28, 2024

Good evening, Red Pump Elementary families,

Dalmatian Dash: THANK YOU!! Our Dalmatian Dash was a huge success because of our amazing Red Pump community, families, staff, students, community partners, and the best PTA! We exceeded our goal of $40,000! This is our PTA biggest fundraiser of the year, and all donations go right back to our students to fund field trips, classroom grants, assemblies, and so much more! Thank you for your support of our Dalmatian Dash and students! Our students earned PAJAMA DAY since we exceeded our goal! Pajama Day will be Wednesday, November 6^th!

Red Robin Spirit Dine: Join your fellow Red Pump families tomorrow Tuesday, October 29^th for our PTA spirit dine at Red Robin all day at 602 Bel Air Rd.

Dalmatian Day 10/31: This Thursday, October 31^st we are excited to celebrate Dalmatian Day at Red Pump! Students and staff will show our school spirit by dressing like our favorite mascot, Spot! Wear spots, paint on a nose, wear school colors, and dress like a dalmatian!

Schools and/or Offices Closed: This Friday, November 1^st and Monday, November 4^th schools are closed for students to hold staff professional learning. Schools and offices are also closed on Tuesday, November 5^th for election day.

PTA Chess Club: Red Pump's PTA Chess Club is back! Starting on November 20th, the chess club will meet twice a month. A Chess Club permission slip was backpacked home in the Wednesday folder. Please return the form by November 13^th if your child is interested in participating. The club will have matches for players as well as teach Red Pumpers new to the game how chess works. All ranges and ability levels are welcome.

PTA Reflections Program: The National PTA Reflections program is beginning again! This year's theme is "Accepting Imperfection." If your child is interested in making a submission for this program, look for the flyer that went home in last week's Wednesday folder. The deadline for submitting the interest form is October 31st. Those who are interested will then receive more information in the following weeks. For more information, visit https://www.fspta.org/reflections.

Red Ribbon Week: This week we continue to celebrate Red Ribbon! Red Ribbon Week is a national campaign to remind youth to live a drug-free, healthy, happy life by making good choices. The focus is eating healthily, exercising, getting enough sleep and maintaining healthy relationships with others.

National Bully Prevention Month: We also celebrate National Bully Prevention Month to prevent childhood bullying and promote kindness, acceptance, and inclusion. Our motto at Red Pump is to Be a BUDDY, not a bully! Please see the attachments below to learn about our October service project which is collecting first aid items for Harford Family House.

October Character Education: Our character trait for October is Acceptance! Our October service project is collecting first aid items for Harford Family House. Please see the flyer attached for more details.

And LOOKING AHEAD…

Schools/Offices Closed 11/6: Schools and offices are closed on Monday, November 11^th in observance of Veteran’s Day.

ACRT- Active Critical Response Lessons: In November, all students will participate in our ACRT school safety presentation where we discuss the variety of ways in which we stay safe at school. This includes discussion of our variety of safety drills, such as evacuation, lockdown, and modified lockdown. Students will participate in a grade level presentation with administration and school counselors focusing on our ACRT, Active Critical Response Training, for our students. Students will learn why we practice safety drills in school, what objects are safe and unsafe to have at school, who we need to listen to during our drills, and our actions that can keep us safe, such as, Run, Hide, Fight. Teachers will also complete a small group lesson with their class which is a walk-talk through. If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to your child’s teacher or our Assistant Principals, Mrs. Godfrey or Mrs. VanRuiten.

This week is an A week! Have a fantastic week!

Heather Skopak, Principal

Calendar Reminders:

OCTOBER:

10/23-10/31 Red Ribbon Week!

10/29 PTA Spirit Dine at Red Robin (602 Bel Air Rd) All Day

10/30 1:45-2:30pm Grade 2 Learn with Me (Preregistration Required)

10/31 Dalmatian Day!!! Dress like a Dalmatian!; 9:45-11:00am Kindergarten Learn With Me (Preregistration Required); 2:00-2:50 4^th Grade Learn With Me (Preregistration Required); Gr. 3-5 HAC Posting

NOVEMBER:

11/1 Schools closed for students

11/3 Daylight Savings Time!

11/4 School closed for students

11/5 Election Day- School Closed for students & staff

11/6 Schoolwide PAJAMA DAY!!!

11/8 End of Quarter 1; 6:00-9:00 PTA Beachmont Corn Maze Family Event

11/11 Schools & Offices closed in observance of Veteran’s Day

11/12 Begin Quarter 2; 6-7pm PTA Meeting (Virtual Only)

11/14 PTA Spirit Dine at Chic-fil-a

11/15 2:45-3:45 Grade 1 Learn With Me (Preregistration Required); HAC Posting Gr. 3-5

11/20 4:05-5:30 PTA Chess Club Begins (Permission slip required)

11/22 Quarter 1 Report Cards available on HAC for parents to view

11/27 1:00pm Early Dismissal for Students & All Staff- Happy Thanksgiving!; HAC Posting Gr. 3-5

11/28 School Closed for Students & Staff – Happy Thanksgiving!

11/29 School Closed for Students & Staff – Happy Thanksgiving!

DECEMBER:

Winter Spirit Days: (Mondays/Wednesdays/Fridays in December)

MONDAY	WEDNESDAY	FRIDAY
12/2 Holiday or Winter Pajama Day!	12/4 Shine bright and wear silver or gold!	12/6 Wish for a Snow Day and wear all white!
12/9 Jingle Bell Day! Wear bells	12/11 Dress in red and white like a candy cane	12/13 Holiday, Winter or Ugly Sweater Day!
12/16 Holiday or winter hat, tie, scarf, and/or socks day!	12/18 ELF DAY! Dress like an elf	12/20 Winter or Holiday Pajama Day! (1:00pm Early Dismissal)

12/3 RPES PTA Meeting 6:00-7:00pm

12/4 Lifetouch Fall Picture RETAKES

12/6 1:00pm Early Dismissal for Students

12/7 11:00-2:00 PTA Holiday Festival

12/9 & 12/10 PTA Holiday Shop for Students (Schedule & information forthcoming)

12/12 6:00pm Grade 4 WINTER CONCERT & 7:00pm Grade 5 WINTER CONCERT

12/13 HAC Posting Gr. 3-5

12/20 1:00pm Early Dismissal for Students & All Staff- Happy Winter Break!

12/23 – 1/1 WINTER BREAK- Schools & Offices Closed

1/2 Welcome Back & Happy New Year!

Attachments:
Service_Tabs_Collection.JPG (81.1 KB)
Chess_Form_4.pdf (1211.2 KB)
Red_Pump_PTA_Chic_fil_A_11.14.24.pdf (928.4 KB)
Reflections.pdf (370.3 KB)
Service_Project_Oct._2024.pdf (94.5 KB)
Red_Robin_10-29-24.jpeg (111.4 KB)
Beachmonth_Corn_Maze_11-8-24.JPG (80.2 KB)

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Monday, Oct. 21, 2024

Good evening, Red Pump Elementary families,

Red Ribbon Week 10/23: This and next week we celebrate Red Ribbon Week which begins on Wed., Oct. 23! Red Ribbon Week is a national campaign to remind youth to live a drug-free, healthy, happy life by making good choices. The focus is eating healthily, exercising, getting enough sleep and maintaining healthy relationships with others.

National Bully Prevention Month: We also celebrate National Bully Prevention Month to prevent childhood bullying and promote kindness, acceptance, and inclusion. Our motto at Red Pump is to Be a BUDDY, not a bully! Please see the happenings email to learn about our October service project which is collecting first aid items for Harford Family House.

Service-Learning Pull tab Collection: Don’t forget to send your pull-tabs from soda, soup and food cans in to school. To support our schoolwide, year-long service project to benefit The Ronald McDonald House!

Fall PICTURE DAY! Get ready to capture that beautiful smile this THURSDAY! Our fall Lifetouch picture day is scheduled for this Thursday, October 24^th. Information about picture day and packages was sent home in the Wednesday folder last week. You can place your order on mylifetouch.com using your Picture Day ID: EVTDSTXC6. Order before midnight on Picture Day to get FREE shipping! Your child can also bring their completed flyer with cash or check on Picture Day.

Dalmatian Dash: Only 4 days until the Dalmatian Dash! We are SO close to reaching our big goal of $40,000! Attached below is the Dalmatian Dash schedule for the event. Parents are encouraged to attend to cheer on their student! Also included is the QR code for those last donations! Thank you for supporting our PTA’s biggest fundraiser of the school year!

Family Math Resources: The HCPS Office of Mathematics website has been updated with links to grade level specific enVision Mathematics Family Engagement Resources. The Family Engagement Resources includes an overview of resources, content and standards, and Topic / Lesson specifics supports. The Topic / Lesson specific supports include a family friendly overview, sample worked problems, and related home activities. Please access these resources on the Office of Mathematics Website or using the link above.

And LOOKING AHEAD…

Red Robin Spirit Dine: Join your fellow Red Pump families next Tuesday, October 29^th for out PTA spirit dine at Red Robin all day at 602 Bel Air Rd.

Dalmatian Day 10/31: On October 31^st we are excited to celebrate Dalmatian Day at Red Pump! Students and staff will show our school spirit by dressing like our favorite mascot, Spot! Wear spots, pain on a nose, wear school colors, and dress like a dalmatian!

Schools and/or Offices closed: Friday, November 1^st and Monday, November 4^th schools are closed for students to hold staff professional learning. Schools and offices are also closed on Tuesday, November 5^th for election day.

This week is a B week! Have a fantastic week!

Heather Skopak, Principal

Calendar Reminders:

OCTOBER:

10/23-10/31 Red Ribbon Week!

10/23 2:00-3:00pm Grade 3 Learn with Me (Preregistration Required)

10/24 Fall Lifetouch PICTURE DAY!

10/25 Dalmatian Dash!

10/29 PTA Spirit Dine at Red Robin (602 Bel Air Rd) All Day

10/30 1:45-2:30pm Grade 2 Learn with Me (Preregistration Required)

10/31 Dalmatian Day!!! Dress like a dalmatian!; 9:45-11:00am Kindergarten Learn With Me (Preregistration Required); 2:00-2:50 4^th Grade Learn With Me (Preregistration Required); Gr. 3-5 HAC Posting

NOVEMBER:

11/1 Schools closed for students

11/3 Daylight Savings Time!

11/4 School closed for students

11/5 Election Day- School Closed for students

11/8 End of Quarter 1; 6:00-9:00 PTA Beachmont Corn Maze Family Event

11/11 Schools & Offices closed in observance of Veteran’s Day

11/12 Begin Quarter 2; 6-7pm PTA Meeting

11/14 PTA Spirit Dine at Chic-fil-a

11/22 Quarter 1 Report Cards available on HAC for parents to view

Attachments:
Dalmatian_Dash_Schedule.png (151.2 KB)
Service_Tabs_Collection.JPG (81.1 KB)
Red_Pump_PTA_Chic_fil_A_11.14.24.pdf (928.4 KB)
Fall_Picture_Day.JPG (31.5 KB)
Service_Project_Oct._2024.pdf (94.5 KB)
Red_Robin_10-29-24.jpeg (111.4 KB)
Beachmonth_Corn_Maze_11-8-24.JPG (80.2 KB)

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Monday, Oct. 14, 2024

Good evening, Red Pump Elementary families,

Unity Day 10/16: This Wednesday is Unity Day at RPES. We will wear orange to show we are united in kindness, acceptance and inclusion. Attached is a Diversity challenge board and Parent letter on Acceptance with ideas on how to continue learning at home!

Trunk or Treat 10/16: We are excited to host our annual Trunk or Treat this Wednesday, October 16^th from 5-7pm in our Red Pump parking lot. Trunks will be open for treating during the event and there is NO NEED to wait in a line to go through car by car. Families may move openly between cars. The hope is that this will reduce waiting and allow more flexibility and reduce lines. We look forward to an enjoyable evening with our RPES families!

Online FORMS: All online Parent/Guardian Permissions forms are due by tomorrow, October 15, 2024. Please access the link to complete the forms via https://registration.hcps.org/.

Early Dismissal & Closure this week: This Thursday, October 17^th is a 1:00pm early dismissal for students and school is closed to students on Friday, October 18^th.

Dalmatian Dash: Only 9 days until the Dalmatian Dash! We are SO close to reaching our next goal of $30,000! Students with a donation on their page by this evening will be entered in a drawing to win ice cream with the principals! We are also heading towards that goal of $40,000. Please remember to share the link that came home and a QR code is attached! Thank you for supporting our PTA’s biggest fundraiser of the school year!

October Character Education: Our character trait for October is Acceptance! During the month of October, we will also celebrate National Bullying Prevention Month and Red Ribbon Week which is where we make healthy choices. We will also have Friendly Fridays this month and students will be given a challenge for the day to help them be good friends. Lastly, our October service project is collecting first aid items for Harford Family House. Please see the flyer attached for more details.

Service-Learning Pull tab Collection: Don’t forget to send your pull-tabs from soda, soup and food cans in to school. To support our schoolwide, year-long service project to benefit The Ronald McDonald House!

And LOOKING AHEAD…

Fall PICTURE DAY! Get ready to capture that beautiful smile! Our fall Lifetouch picture day is scheduled for next Thursday, October 24^th. Information about picture day and packages will be sent home in the Wednesday folder this week. You can place your order on mylifetouch.com using your Picture Day ID: EVTDSTXC6. Order before midnight on Picture Day to get FREE shipping! Your child can also bring their completed flyer with cash or check on Picture Day.

Wellness Needs Assessment Grades 3-5: As communicated by HCPS on a Sept. 25^th call/email, all students in grades 3-5 will be administered the annual Wellness Needs Assessment. At RPES, teachers will administer this on October 21 or 22. The assessment results determine how we can provide more direct and specific support to our students. We hope you will encourage your child to share their true thoughts and feelings as we look to provide as supportive and nurturing a school environment as possible for all students. Students do not have to participate in the Wellness Needs Assessment and can let their teacher know at the time of the assessment if they do not want to participate. You may also send an email to your student’s school counselor to make them aware if you do not want your child to participate.

This week is an A week! Have a fantastic week!

Heather Skopak, Principal

Calendar Reminders:

OCTOBER:

10/16 5:00-6:00pm Trunk or Treat

10/17 1:00pm Early Dismissal for Students

10/18 School Closed for Students

10/23-10/31 Red Ribbon Week!

10/23 2:00-3:00pm Grade 3 Learn with Me (Preregistration Required)

10/24 Fall Lifetouch PICTURE DAY!

10/25 Dalmatian Dash!

10/29 PTA Spirit Dine at Red Robin (602 Bel Air Rd) All Day

10/30 1:45-2:30pm Grade 2 Learn with Me (Preregistration Required)

10/31 Dalmatian Day!!! Dress like a dalmatian!; 9:45-11:00am Kindergarten Learn With Me (Preregistration Required); 2:00-2:50 4^th Grade Learn With Me (Preregistration Required); Gr. 3-5 HAC Posting

NOVEMBER:

11/1 Schools closed for students

11/3 Daylight Savings Time!

11/4 School closed for students

11/5 Election Day- School Closed for students

11/8 End of Quarter 1; 6:00-9:00 PTA Beachmont Corn Maze Family Event

11/11 Schools & Offices closed in observance of Veteran’s Day

11/12 Begin Quarter 2; 6-7pm PTA Meeting

11/14 PTA Spirit Dine at Chic-fil-a

Attachments:
Fall_Picture_Day.JPG (31.5 KB)
Service_Project_Oct._2024.pdf (94.5 KB)
Beachmonth_Corn_Maze_11-8-24.JPG (80.2 KB)
Dash_QR_Code.png (208.5 KB)
Service_Tabs_Collection.JPG (81.1 KB)
Red_Robin_10-29-24.jpeg (111.4 KB)
Diversity_And_Inclusion_Challenge_Board_.pdf (99.4 KB)
Acceptance_Parent_Letter.pdf (284.3 KB)
Unity_Day.jpg (24.4 KB)

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Monday, Oct. 7, 2024

Good evening, Red Pump Elementary families,

October Character Education: This Friday we will announce our new character trait for October which is Acceptance- recognize, appreciate and respect those who are different from you because we are all different and unique! During the month of October, we will also celebrate National Bullying Prevention Month and Red Ribbon Week which is where we make healthy choices. We will also have Friendly Fridays this month and students will be given a challenge for the day to help them be good friends. Lastly, our October service project is collecting first aid items for Harford Family House. Please see the flyer attached for more details.

Service-Learning Pull tab Collection: Don’t forget to send your pull-tabs from soda, soup and food cans in to school. To support our schoolwide, year-long service project to benefit The Ronald McDonald House!

Online FORMS: Families are requested to complete the online Parent/Guardian Permissions form by October 15, 2024. Please access the link to complete the forms via https://registration.hcps.org/.

MCAP Reports: A message for our 4^th & 5^th grade parents. In your Wednesday folder this week, you will receive your child’s 23-24 MCAP Individual Score Reports. This report provides you with your child’s performance on the MCAP assessments in reading and mathematics.

CANVAS Access & Parent Resources: The Office of Innovation in Learning in partnership with HCPS Parent Academy has created parent videos to log onto Canvas and download the Canvas app, helping parents to be able to monitor their students’ courses and classwork. Please view the first of three videos here: https://youtube.com/shorts/Jh1QmNViAqw?feature=share. The videos will also be shared via HCPS social media and in the October Parent Connection newsletter.

2024 Dalmatian Dash! Only 18 days until the Dalmatian Dash! Congratulations on reaching our second goal of $20,000! This means that this Friday we have earned our next spirit day! Students voted today and this Friday, 10/11, will be Pink Out day- wear pink to show your spirit! We are also heading towards that goal of $40,000. Please remember to share the link that came home in the packets last week. Thank you for supporting our PTA’s biggest fundraiser of the school year!

And LOOKING AHEAD…

Trunk or Treat: Our Annual Trunk or Treat is coming! Please join us on Wednesday, October 16^th from 5-7pm in our Red Pump parking lot. Please send your candy donations in by October 14^th. We ask for 1 bag of candy for each child that will attend Trunk or Treat. Please see the attached flyer. If you plan to attend, please return the bottom portion of the form with your donated candy or RSVP using the Forms QR code.

Early Dismissal & Closure: Calendar reminders- Thursday, October 17^th is a 1:00pm early dismissal for students and school is closed to students on Friday, October 18^th.

This week is an B week! Have a fantastic week ahead!

Heather Skopak, Principal

Calendar Reminders:

OCTOBER:

10/16 5:00-6:00pm Trunk or Treat

10/17 1:00pm Early Dismissal for Students

10/18 School Closed for Students

10/23-10/31 Red Ribbon Week!

10/23 2:00-3:00pm Grade 3 Learn with Me (Preregistration Required)

10/24 Fall Lifetouch PICTURE DAY!

10/25 Dalmatian Dash!

10/29 PTA Spirit Dine at Red Robin (602 Bel Air Rd) All Day

10/30 1:45-2:30pm Grade 2 Learn with Me (Preregistration Required)

NOVEMBER:

11/1 Schools closed for students

11/3 Daylight Savings Time!

11/4 School closed for students

11/5 Election Day- School Closed for students

11/8 End of Quarter 1; 6:00-9:00 PTA Beachmont Corn Maze Family Event

11/11 Schools & Offices closed in observance of Veteran’s Day

11/12 Begin Quarter 2; 6-7pm PTA Meeting

11/14 PTA Spirit Dine at Chic-fil-a

Attachments:
Service_Project_Oct._2024.pdf (94.5 KB)
Service_Tabs_Collection.JPG (81.1 KB)
Dash_QR_Code.png (208.5 KB)
Trunk_or_Treat_2024.JPG (87.1 KB)
Red_Robin_10-29-24.jpeg (111.4 KB)

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Monday, Sept. 30, 2024

Good evening, Red Pump Elementary families,

Parent Teacher Conferences: At Red Pump Elementary, we are committed to a school culture that partners with families for the success of our students. This year each student’s parent/legal guardian will be offered at least one 15–20-minute Parent Teacher Conference. Teachers have limited availability; therefore, conferences will be spread out across quarters one, two, and three. Your child’s homeroom teacher will determine the best time of year to attend a conference based on each student’s individual needs. If you would like to conference with staff members such as, Unified Arts teacher, Gifted & Talented teacher, English Language teacher, School Counselor, or Reading Specialist, please reach out to that teacher/staff directly to make them aware of your desire to conference. Then, they will schedule a date and time and communicate that with you. Conferences will be held in person or virtually using Microsoft Teams. Times will be available during the school day and beyond to meet the various needs of our parents and guardians. This individualized time will be dedicated to celebrating academic performance and social emotional successes, addressing academic, social, and/or emotional challenges, and providing suggestions for support and growth. We look forward to this opportunity this year!

Service-Learning Pull tab Collection: Our character trait for September is integrity. Once again, this year, we are participating in a year-long service project to benefit The Ronald McDonald House. We will be collecting pull-tabs from soda, soup and food cans. Besides benefiting the families of Ronald McDonald House, collecting tabs for recycling is an environmentally friendly practice as well! There is a box in the lobby for the pull tabs. Please see the attached letter for more information. Thank you for your continued support of our service projects.

PTA Meeting: Please join us tomorrow, Tuesday, October 1^st in our Media Center for our PTA meeting at 6:00pm. PTA members may also join virtually on Teams.

School Closed 10/3: A calendar reminder that schools and offices are closed this Thursday, October 3^rd in observance of Rosh Hashana.

Spirit Wear Sale: Don’t forget to order your RPES spirit wear! Our PTA spirit wear sale is open through October 6^th. Please see the flyer attached to the Happenings email.

2024 Dalmatian Dash! Only 25 days until the Dalmatian Dash! Congratulations on reaching our first goal of $10,000! This means that this Friday our students will have their first spirit day! Students voted on the spirit day and this Friday will be Maryland Day! Wear your Maryland gear this Friday, 10/4! We are also heading towards that goal of $40,000. Please remember to share the link that came home in the packets last week. Thank you for supporting our PTA’s biggest fundraiser of the school year!

And LOOKING AHEAD…

Service Dog Visits: We are excited to share that Willow, our therapy dog, will be back at Red Pump visiting our students this year! Our students and staff enjoy Willow's visits. Please reach out to your child's teacher if you have any concerns such as allergies or fears. Thank you!

Trunk or Treat: Our Annual Trunk or Treat is coming! Please join us on Wednesday, October 16^th from 5-7pm in our Red Pump parking lot. Please send your candy donations in by October 14^th. We ask for 1 bag of candy for each child that will attend Trunk or Treat. Please see the flyer included in this week’s Wednesday folder. If you plan to attend, please return the bottom portion of the form with your donated candy or RSVP using the Forms QR code.

Early Dismissal & Closure: Calendar reminders- Thursday, October 17^th is a 1:00pm early dismissal for students and school is closed to students on Friday, October 18^th.

This week is an A week!

Heather Skopak, Principal

Calendar Reminders:

OCTOBER:

10/1 6:00-7:00pm RPES PTA Meeting in the Media Center;

October is National School Bus Safety Month

10/3 Schools & Offices Closed in Observance of Rosh Hashana

10/4 Gr. 3-5 HAC Posting; Hearing & Vision Screening Grades K, 1, 4

10/16 5:00-6:00pm Trunk or Treat

10/17 1:00pm Early Dismissal for Students

10/18 School Closed for Students

10/23-10/31 Red Ribbon Week!

10/24 Fall Lifetouch PICTURE DAY!

10/25 Dalmatian Dash!

10/30 1:45-2:30pm Grade 2 Learn with Me

10/31 Dalmatian Day!!! Dress like a dalmatian!; 9:45-11:00am Kindergarten Learn With Me (Preregistration Required); 2:00-2:50 4^th Grade Learn With Me (Preregistration Required); Gr. 3-5 HAC Posting

NOVEMBER:

11/1 Schools closed for students

11/3 Daylight Savings Time!

11/4 School closed for students

11/5 Election Day- School Closed for students

11/8 End of Quarter 1; 6:00-9:00 PTA Beachmont Corn Maze Family Event

11/11 Schools & Offices closed in observance of Veteran’s Day

11/12 Begin Quarter 2; 6-7pm PTA Meeting

11/14 PTA Spirit Dine at Chic-fil-a

Attachments:
Beachmonth_Corn_Maze_11-8-24.JPG (80.2 KB)
Dalmatian_Dash_2024_Flyer.pdf (516.3 KB)
Dash_QR_Code.png (208.5 KB)
Spirit_wear_9-2024.jpg (157.9 KB)
Trunk_or_Treat_2024.JPG (87.1 KB)
Service_Tabs_Collection.JPG (81.1 KB)

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Monday, September 23, 2024

Good evening, Red Pump Elementary families,

A special thank you to our PTA and parents for the delicious cookie treat this past Friday for our staff! It was very much appreciated by all!

Scholastic Book Fair: The Scholastic Book fair continues through this Thursday. Please refer to the email sent from Mrs. Coyne and Mrs. Klein for the date and time your child will attend. Your child received a flyer last Wednesday with a sampling of titles that will be offered. Happy Reading and thank you for your support!

Early Dismissal Day: This Friday, September 27^th is our first 1:00pm early dismissal day. Please secure your dismissal plan for your students for this day. Any changes in dismissal plan must be communicated prior to the homeroom teacher.

Morning Bus Loop: A gentle reminder that only buses are permitted in the bus loop between 8:45-9:30am to ensure the safety of our arriving students and bus traffic. To support this, we have a staff member at the top of the parking lot daily to remind any cars that come towards the bus loop during those times. Thank you for your collaboration and understanding as we work to ensure our morning drop-off time is smooth and safe.

2024 Dalmatian Dash! Our PTA is getting ready to host our annual Dalmatian Dash on Friday, October 25th! Our students will dash during their grade level special area class time on this day. The Dalmatian Dash packet will be backpacked home today, Monday, Sept. 23^rd. Thank you for supporting our PTA’s biggest fundraiser of the school year!

PTA Spirit Wear Sale: Our PTA spirit wear sale is open, and spirit wear can be purchased through October 6^th. Please see the attached flyer.

LOOKING AHEAD…

PTA Meeting: Next Tuesday, October 1^st in the media center at 6pm. PTA members may join online/Teams for virtual option.

School Closed: For students and staff next Thursday, October 3^rd in observance of Rosh Hashanah.

This week is B week!

Heather Skopak, Principal

Calendar Reminders:

SEPTEMBER:

9/20-9/26 Scholastic Book Fair

9/23 PTA Spirit Dine at Vagabond

Harford Glen: 9/23, 24, 25- Bush, Kropp, Hunsinger Homerooms
Harford Glen: 9/25, 26, 27- Richardson & Geis Homerooms

9/27 Early dismissal for students at 1:00pm & Paws Wing Parties!

OCTOBER:

10/1 6:00-7:00pm RPES PTA Meeting in the Media Center;

October is National School Bus Safety Month

10/3 Schools & Offices Closed in Observance of Rosh Hashana

10/4 Gr. 3-5 HAC Posting; Hearing & Vision Screening Grades K, 1, 4

10/16 5:00-7:00pm Trunk or Treat

10/17 1:00pm Early Dismissal for Students

10/18 School Closed for Students

10/23-10/31 Red Ribbon Week!

10/24 Fall Lifetouch PICTURE DAY!

10/25 Dalmatian Dash!

10/30 1:45-2:30pm Grade 2 Learn with Me (Preregistration required)

10/31 Dalmatian Day!!! Dress like a Dalmatian; Gr. 3-5 HAC Posting

11/1 Schools closed for students

11/3 Daylight Savings Time!

Attachments:
Spirit_wear_9-2024.jpg (157.9 KB)
Dalmatian_Dash_Coming_Soon.pdf (1043.0 KB)

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September 16, 2024

Good evening, Red Pump Elementary families,

Thank you to our PTA for an outstanding and fun back to school family picnic! A special shout out to Michelle Prieto and our wonderful parents who helped prepare our schoolyard for the event.

Breakfast Time: A morning reminder, if you plan to have your child eat breakfast at school, please ensure they arrive between 9:00-9:20am. Breakfast time ends at 9:30am and arriving to school early allows our students the time to eat, unpack, and prepare for their school day.

Hello Spirit Week: This week we celebrate Hello Week! Tomorrow we will celebrate the E in HELLO. Light up someone’s world! Wear bright colors to show everyone that they are seen and included. This is a special week designed to help create a culture of kindness, inclusion, belonging and making connections. Please see the flyer attached for the special days and activities planned for the week.

RPES Service Project: Our Red Pump kindness extends to the community with service projects. All throughout this school year, we will be collecting pull tabs for the Ronald McDonald House. We thank you in advance for your voluntary participation in our service projects!

Attention new RPES families! We are excited to welcome you to Red Pump and will be hosting a virtual New Family Orientation tomorrow, Tuesday, September 17^th at 6:30pm. Please see the attached flyer for the teams meeting link to join.

Scholastic Book Fair: The Scholastic Book fair begins this Friday and runs through next Thursday. Please refer to the email sent today from Mrs. Coyne and Mrs. Klein for the date and time your child will attend. Your child will receive a flyer on Wednesday with a sampling of titles that will be offered. Happy Reading and thank you for your support!

LOOKING AHEAD…

Harford Glen: Our 5^th graders are preparing to head to Harford Glen. Mrs. Bush, Kropp, and Hunsinger’s homerooms are at Harford Glen September 23-25. Mrs. Richardson and Geis’ homerooms are at Harford Glen September 25-27.

Vagabond Spirit Dine: Join your fellow Red Pumpers at Vagabond on Monday, September 23^rd for our PTA family spirit dine night.

Early Dismissal Day: Friday, September 27^th is our first 1:00pm early dismissal day. Please secure your dismissal plan or your students for this day. Any changes in dismissal plan must be communicated prior to the homeroom teacher.

This week is an A week!

Have a great second week of school!

Heather Skopak, Principal

Calendar Reminders:

SEPTEMBER:

9/16-20 Hello Spirit Week!

9/17 New Family Virtual Orientation 6:30pm

9/20 HAC posting grades 3-5

9/20-9/26 Scholastic Book Fair

9/23 PTA Spirit Dine at Vagabond

Harford Glen: 9/23, 24, 25- Bush, Kropp, Hunsinger Homerooms
Harford Glen: 9/25, 26, 27- Richardson & Geis Homerooms

9/27 Early dismissal for students at 1:00pm & Paws Wing Parties!

OCTOBER:

10/1 6:00-7:00pm RPES PTA Meeting in the Media Center;

October is National School Bus Safety Month

10/3 Schools & Offices Closed in Observance of Rosh Hashana

10/4 Gr. 3-5 HAC Posting; Hearing & Vision Screening Grades K, 1, 4

10/16 5:00-6:00pm Trunk or Treat

10/17 1:00pm Early Dismissal for Students

10/18 School Closed for Students

10/23-10/31 Red Ribbon Week!

10/24 Fall Lifetouch PICTURE DAY!

10/25 Dalmatian Dash

10/30 1:45-2:30pm Grade 2 Learn with Me

10/31 Dalmatian Day!!!; 2:00-2:50pm Grade 4 Learn with Me; Gr. 3-5 HAC Posting

11/1 Schools closed for students

11/3 Daylight Savings Time!

Attachments:
Start_With_Hello_2024.pdf (261.8 KB)
New_Family_Orientation_Flyer_2024.pdf (99.2 KB)
Dalmatian_Dash_Coming_Soon.pdf (1043.0 KB)

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Monday, September 9, 2024

Good evening, Red Pump Elementary families,

We had an outstanding and successful opening week of school! Our Red Pumpers brought the sunshine into RPES and made us shine even brighter!

Safety & Security: Our hearts continue to be with our Joppatowne community during this tragic and difficult time. Please reach out to our school counselors should your child need any additional emotional support. The safety of our students is first priority and comes before learning. We implement clear procedures and protocols around safety and security with our students and staff. This week, as we do each year, we will begin our required practice drills with an evacuation/fire drill. Our students learn the procedures for a variety of required drills which we schedule throughout the year. Please remember that when you visit our building all guests must be signed in through our visitor management system. Please remember to have your photo identification with you every time you come into school whether you are picking up your child, signing in for a meeting, or volunteering.

Forms and more forms! Please be sure to review and return all first day folder forms and this includes the Parent/Guardian Permissions online form and the device agreement and protection plans.

Back to School Night Parent Resource: Our S’more link is uploaded with our grade level team presentations as a resource you may access at any time. Click here to access: RPES Virtual Back to School Night (smore.com)

Hello Spirit Week: Our 1st SPIRIT Week of the new year will be Monday, September 16th thru Friday, September 20, 2024. We will participate in Start with Hello Week. This is a special week designed to help create a culture of kindness, inclusion, belonging and making connections. It is a great kick-off to our new school year and October's character trait- Acceptance. Please see the attached flyer for the special days and activities planned for the week.

Character Ed for September: Our "SPOT ON Character" program is up and running! On Friday, our character trait for September will be announced. Our September trait is Integrity- doing the right thing even when no one is looking. When you do what is right, even when others may not agree with you, you are showing integrity. When you keep your word and do what you say, you are showing integrity. Integrity means trying hard to be the best person you can be! Throughout the month, students will read books and do activities focused on integrity.

RPES PTA Meeting: Tomorrow, Tuesday, September 10^th from 6-7pm in the RPES media center or PTA members can join virtually on Teams.

PTA Back to School Picnic: Friday, September 13^th from 5:00-7:00pm to celebrate the start of our school year!

Attention new RPES families! We are excited to welcome you to Red Pump and will be hosting a virtual New Family Orientation on Tuesday, September 17^th at 6:30pm. Please see the attached flyer.

This week is a B week!

Have a great second week of school!

Heather Skopak, Principal

Calendar Reminders:

9/10 PTA Meeting 6-7pm in the media center

9/12 Grade 5 Fall Learn with Me 2:45-3:30 (RSVP/Registration Required)

9/13 PTA Back to School Picnic 5-7pm; SPOT ON Character Trait: Integrity

9/16-20 Hello Spirit Week!

9/17 New Family Virtual Orientation 6:30pm

9/20 HAC posting grades 3-5

9/20-9/26 Scholastic Book Fair

9/23 PTA Spirit Dine at Vagabond

Harford Glen: 9/23, 24, 25- Bush, Kropp, Hunsinger Homerooms
Harford Glen: 9/25, 26, 27- Richardson & Geis Homerooms

9/27 Early dismissal for students at 1:00pm & Paws Wing Parties!

Attachments:
Start_With_Hello_2024.pdf (261.8 KB)
Dalmatian_Dash_Coming_Soon.pdf (1043.0 KB)
New_Family_Orientation_Flyer_2024.pdf (99.2 KB)
Parent_Resource.jpg (139.1 KB)
September_PTA_Meeting.png (188.2 KB)
Picnic.png (326.9 KB)

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Monday, September 2, 2024

Good evening, Red Pump Elementary families,

We are very excited to welcome our Red Pumpers in grades 1 through 5 back to school tomorrow, Tuesday, September 3^rd. KDG will join us for their scheduled Gradual Entrance appointment tomorrow. Wednesday, August 4^th will be the first full day of school for kindergarten.

Daily Schedule

9:00 AM: Doors open

9:25 AM: School wide morning announcements

9:30 AM: Instructional day begins

4:00 PM: Dismissal

1:00 PM: Early Dismissal days

Students who arrive to school before 9:00 AM wait outside. Please understand that because there is no adult supervision of students until the doors open, we ask that students arrive as close to 9:00 AM as possible. Therefore, students should not be dropped off before 8:50AM.
Announcements are 9:25 AM and serve as a positive, school wide start to the day.
The instructional day begins at 9:30 AM and students arriving after the 9:30 bell are signed in late. Please have your student at school as close to 9:00 AM as possible as this provides him/her with a wonderful opportunity to unpack and prepare for a positive and productive day of learning.

Dismissal

We have 3 dismissals running simultaneously. Dismissal announcements begin at 3:58 PM with walkers, Parent Pick Up, commercial daycare bus riders and students who attend the afterschool Y program. Bus riders are dismissed once buses are lined up and ready.

Bus riders, Parent Pick Up and Walkers are dismissed from 4 different areas of the building. The transportation form completed by you as well as the procedures we have in place on the first couple of mornings helps us to confirm dismissal transportation home. We develop and maintain lists throughout the year of how each of our students travels home from school. If plans change either temporarily or long term, please send in a note indicating any change in dismissal plans.

Walkers:

If you would like your child to walk home independently or would like to meet your child at a designated meeting spot, use the Walker doors.

Teachers in Fourth and Fifth grade will dismiss students out of the Art Wing door (on the same side of the building as the gym).
Teachers in Kindergarten through Third Grade will dismiss students out of the door near the side playground.
Students will be released by a teacher out of the building.
Please utilize the crosswalks.

Parent Pick-Up (Gym Door):

If you would like to physically pick up your child, parents may walk to school or park their cars in one of the parking lots along Dalmatian Drive. Cars will not be allowed in the loop in front of the gym.

Parents must get a hang tag from the front office. If you do not have a hang tag, you may not use the Parent Pick Up door.
If someone is picking up your child, make sure he/she has the hang tag. Without a hang tag, people will be directed to the front office.
Bring the hang tag to the gym door and show it to the appointed Red Pump staff member.
A line will form outside the gym for pickup of students.
The staff member will verify the name on the tag, call the student(s) for dismissal, and the parent will walk the student out of the building.

RPES PTA Meeting: Our first PTA meeting will be held in the RPES media center on Tuesday, September 10^th from 6-7pm.

PTA Back to School Picnic: Friday, September 13^th from 5:00-7:00pm to celebrate the start of our school year!

Attention new RPES families! We are excited to welcome you to Red Pump and will be hosting a virtual New Family Orientation on Tuesday, September 17^th at 6:30pm. Please see the attached flyer.

Forms, forms, & more required forms! Please refer to the HCPS.org website to complete your back to school required forms. Please note that it is recommended that students opt in to the Device Protection Plan as devices will be used at home and school this year for math homework.

This week is an A week!

We are looking forward to welcoming our Red Pumpers and families back to Unleash Your Adventure at Camp RPES!

Have a great first week back to school!

Heather Skopak, Principal

Calendar Reminders:

9/2 School Closed for Labor Day

9/3 First day of school for grades 1-5; Gradual Entrance Appointments for KDG; Begin Quarter 1

9/4 First full day of school for kindergarten

9/10 PTA Meeting 6-7pm in the media center

9/12 Grade 5 Fall Learn with Me 2:45-3:30 (RSVP/Registration Required)

9/13 PTA Back to School Picnic 5-7pm

9/17 New Family Virtual Orientation 6:30pm

9/20 HAC posting grades 3-5

9/20-9/26 Scholastic Book Fair

9/23 PTA Spirit Dine at Vagabond

Harford Glen: 9/23, 24, 25- Bush, Kropp, Hunsinger Homerooms
Harford Glen: 9/25, 26, 27- Richardson & Geis Homerooms

9/27 Early dismissal for students at 1:00pm & Paws Wing Parties!

Attachments:
New_Family_Orientation_Flyer_2024.pdf (99.2 KB)

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Monday, August 26, 2024

Good evening, Red Pump Elementary families,

Welcome back to the 2024-2025 school year! It is with great excitement that I write our first Red Pump Happenings to share with you our pre-school and opening day information. We hope that you are having a restful and relaxing summer, filled with family and fun and continue to enjoy the remaining days of summer!

Homeroom Assignments: Homeroom assignments were posted to the Home Access Center (HAC) on Friday, August 23. In addition, all families should have received a homeroom email on August 18.
Open House & Virtual Back to School Night: Please join us for our annual Open House and Virtual Back to School Night on Thursday, August 29th from 4:00-5:00pm. This is an opportunity for your child to sneak a peek at their new classroom, as well as drop off their school supplies prior to the first day of school. This is followed by our Virtual Back to School Night from 5:30-6:30pm. You will receive a special Happenings Call and Email on Wednesday with the grade level Teams links to join and learn about the year ahead.
First day of School: Mark your calendar for our first day of school for students in grades 1-5 is Tuesday, September 3. KDG will join on this day for their scheduled Gradual Entrance appointment. Wednesday, August 4^th will be the first full day of school for kindergarten
Attention 5^th grade families! We are excited to watch our 5^th grade leaders soar this year! Our 5^th grade team will share with you the structure of our departmentalized grade level this year. In addition, please mark your calendars for our Harford Glen trip which is quickly approaching.

Homerooms Bush, Kropp & Hunsinger attend September 23, 24,25.

Homerooms Richardson & Geis attend September 25, 26, 27.

More will be shared at Back to School Night.

PTA Events: Our RPES PTA is ready for s’more fun this year! Join your fellow Red Pumpers for our first spirit dine at Menchies on August 27^th & 28^th from 12:00pm-10:00pm. Our first PTA meeting will be held in the RPES media center on Tuesday, September 10^th from 6-7pm. And get ready for our annual PTA Back to School Picnic which will be held on Friday, September 13^th from 5:00-7:00pm to celebrate the start of our school year!
Attention New RPES Families- We are excited to welcome you to Red Pump and will be hosting a virtual New Family Orientation on Tuesday, September 17^th at 6:30pm. Flyer attached.
Forms, forms & more forms! Please refer to the HCPS.org website to complete your back to school required forms. Please note that it is recommended that students opt in to the Device Protection Plan as devices will be used at home and school this year for math homework.
We will begin our year on an A week!

We are looking forward to welcoming our Red Pumpers and families back to Unleash Your Adventure at Camp RPES!

Heather Skopak, Principal

Calendar Reminders:

8/27 PTA Spirit Dine at Menchies 12pm-10pm

8/28 PTA Spirit Dine at Menchies 12pm-10pm

8/29 Open House 4-5pm & Virtual Back to School Night 5:30-6:30pm

9/2 School Closed for Labor Day

9/3 First day of school for grades 1-5; Gradual Entrance Appointments for KDG; Begin Quarter 1

9/4 First full day of school for kindergarten

9/10 PTA Meeting 6-7pm in the media center

9/13 PTA Back to School Picnic 5-7pm

9/17 New Family Virtual Orientation 6:30pm

9/20 HAC posting grades 3-5

9/23 PTA Spirit Dine at Vagabond

Harford Glen: 9/23, 24, 25- Bush, Kropp, Hunsinger Homerooms
Harford Glen: 9/25, 26, 27- Richardson & Geis Homerooms

9/27 Early dismissal for students at 1:00pm & Paws Wing Parties!

Attachments:
New_Family_Orientation_Flyer_2024.pdf (99.2 KB)
Menchies_Red_Pump_Elem__Fundraising_8-24_%281%29.pdf (231.2 KB)

Red Pump Elementary School“History Begins with Me at Red Pump Elementary”

Red Pump Happenings

Red Pump Elementary School

Red Pump Elementary School
“History Begins with Me at Red Pump Elementary”