Sept 6 No School--Labor Day
Sept 7 No School--Rosh Hashanah
Sept 9 Back to School Picnic 6:00-7:30
Sept 13 Back to School Night Prekindergarten-2 @ 6:30 pm
Sept 14 Back to School Night 3-5 @ 6:30 pm
Sept 16 No School--Yom Kippur
Sept 21 PTA Meeting 7pm
Sept 22 GT Virtual Back to School Night 6:30 pm
Sept 30 Vision and Hearing Screening
Important Reminders for the 21-22 School Year
Providing Consent for In-School COVID Testing
HCPSS offers free, voluntary COVID tests for students and school-based staff who develop COVID-like symptoms or are identified as close contacts while they are in a school building. Parents/guardians who have not already done so can provide consent in HCPSS Connect Synergy to enable your child to participate in this testing program.
Procedures for Vistors and Volunteers
Parents and visitors who are entering the school for a brief visit to pick up or drop off their child, or for other reasons, are not required to show proof of vaccination or testing. They are, however, required to be masked regardless of their vaccination status.
Parents are not permitted to eat lunch in the school cafeteria with students at this time. Parents who are conducting classroom visits or observations must provide proof of vaccination status or a negative COVID-19 test (within seven days of the current date) to school administration when they check in at the front office.
Visitors should perform a COVID-19 health check every day before coming to an HCPSS building and should stay home if they are experiencing any symptom(s) associated with any communicable disease.
Effective Monday, Sept. 20, all volunteers who enter HCPSS schools to interact with or support students must provide proof of vaccination status or a negative COVID-19 test (within seven days of the current date) to school administration when they check in at the front office.
Volunteers must be masked regardless of their vaccination status. Volunteers may be able to access the free weekly testing offered within school and office buildings, subject to availability of tests. Volunteers should perform a COVID-19 health check every day before coming to an HCPSS building and should stay home if they are experiencing any symptom(s) associated with any communicable disease.
Additionally, all volunteers must complete a Confidentiality Training Course about protecting the privacy of our students, staff, and schools, and the Child Abuse and Neglect Training about reporting any suspicion of child abuse or neglect to Howard County Department of Social Services
Instructional Supports for Students in Quarantine
While a student is in quarantine, there are several opportunities for them to remain engaged in learning and receive supports. Read more
Covid-19 Self Screenings
All parents/guardians are to perform a COVID-19 health check every day before your student leaves home. Students are not to come to school if they are experiencing any symptom(s) associated with COVID-19 or other communicable disease.
Students in Prekindergarten, K and 1st
Students in PreK, K, and 1st grade should return any Chromebooks they used last school year. Please bring the Chromebook and charger to school.
Family Involvement Team at Deep Run
You are invited to attend the DRES Family Involvement Team (FIT) meetings. All of the HCPSS Title I schools including DRES have Parent/Community Involvement Committees or a Family Involvement Team. It is our goal to include parent voices in the monthly FIT meetings to guide decision making to improve outcomes for our students through a true connection between home, school and the community. Regardless of your ability to attend FIT meetings, please feel free to share comments, questions or ideas anytime. All meetings will be held at DRES from 8:40am-9:10am.
If you are interested in participating, please use this form to let us know if you can join us for FIT meetings.
Back to School Nights at Deep Run
Our Back to School Nights will be both in-person and virtual for our parents. Teachers will offer presentations to their homeroom classes at school. A virtual google meet will be offered at the same time for parents who prefer to virtually attend.
Prekindergarten--2nd Grades---September 13 from 6:30-7:15
3rd-5th Grades--September 14th from 6:30-7:15
Virtual GT Information Night--September 22 from 6:30-7:15 Click here to learn more.
Google Meet codes will be shared in next week's Digest.
Receive Emails and Text Messages from HCPSS and DRES
Read this information if you are not receiving text and/or emails from HCPSS and Deep Run. Read more
Hearing and Vision Screening at Deep Run
Hearing and vision screening will take place at Deep Run on September 30th and rescreening on October 12th. Read more
Mask Update--Types of Masks
Mask Update: All face masks should be multiple layers (at least 2). Students may wear gaiters if they are doubled over to make two layers, worn with another mask, or have a pocket that holds a filter. Please review this link (Links to an external site.) for more information.
Technology Support Centers Open Now
We are pleased to announce that the Technology Support Center at the Old Cedar Lane building in Columbia has reopened.
Staff and students needing device support can go to any of the following Technology Support Centers:
Note! Both locations are in old school buildings that are not located at the same sites as the new schools with similar names. Anyone seeking assistance should go to the locations listed above and not go to or call the current schools regarding the Technology Support Center.
Technology Support Center hours are:
Please note that Technology Support Centers are closed any day that HCPSS offices are closed.
Technology Support Center hours and location details also are online at www.hcpss.org/devices/#support.
Complete the Family File Now
HCPSS Family File is where parents input and find all of the information located on their child's Emergency Procedure Cards, contact information and medical considerations. For the safety of your child/children, it is very important that this information remains current. This information must be updated every year. Please ensure that it is completed prior to the start of school. Once logged in, parents/guardians will be asked to verify or update the following information: Student Information, Parent/Guardian Contact, Emergency Contact, Medical Information, Arrival/Dismissal Procedures, Photo Approval, Data Confidentiality, and PTA/PTSA Directory.
Please read these Family File directions to begin. To update your Family File, go to https://www.hcpss.org/connect/.
Parents who may have forgotten their log-in credentials can request assistance using the help link in the HCPSS Connect page. If you need help, click here. Please revise and/or complete your family contact information as soon as possible. We appreciate your efforts to complete this important task right away.
Cafeteria/Lunch Updates
To uplift Covid-19 safety, Deep Run Elementary will offer limited outdoor eating spaces during each lunch shift to reduce the number of students in the cafeteria.
Outdoor seating option
Tables and chairs will be provided
A tent will arrive in September
Space for about 36 students per lunch shift
Assigned lunch monitor
Assigned seats
Available as weather and staff permit
Parents may request their child be considered to eat outside
Indoor seating
Assigned seating
Limits to the number of students at a table
Plexiglass shields
Masks will be worn at all times except when eating
Assigned lunch monitors
Please complete this form if you want your child considered for outdoor seating. To accommodate all requests, we may not be able to offer it to your child all 5 days each week. Complete the form by close of business on 9/10.
Student/Parent Handbook
The 2021-2022 Student and Parent Handbook is now available on the HCPSS website. This resource is helpful for navigating the school year and includes information about HCPSS practices, policies and services available to support and enrich learning. A printed version of the handbook is no longer provided.