About Us
Connie Stahler
I am honored to be the principal of LWES. I am excited to start my sixth year serving the LWES community. Each year, I look forward to knowing and building relationships with our new families and deepen relationships with our current families.
Prior to coming to LWES, I served as an assistant principal at three elementary schools including Guilford, Waverly and Forest Ridge. In addition, I have been in the role of a first, second, and fourth grade level teacher, and a special education teacher at Ilchester and Clemens Crossing Elementary Schools.
My husband and I have two children, Caelin and Sean. Caelin is in high school in Howard County and Sean is attending a Maryland state college. When I am not at school, I enjoy listening to music, reading and spending time with my family.
Khalilah Braxton
Greetings! My name is Khalilah (Kah-LEE-lah) Braxton. I am excited to begin my second year serving the Laurel Woods Elementary School community as your Assistant Principal! The 2023-2024 school year marks my 25th year as an educator in the Howard County Public School System. My journey began at Hammond Elementary, as a classroom teacher for 17 years, where I taught first and second grades, as well as kindergarten. I was also the kindergarten Instructional Team Leader. I joined Talbott Springs Elementary in 2016 to begin a new chapter as Title I Interventionist, balancing multiple roles including first grade Instructional Team Leader, Diversity Equity and Inclusion Liaison, and Evening School Point of Contact. I hold a Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary Education from Radford University in VA and a Master’s Degree in Administration and Supervision from Loyola University in Maryland. I grew up in the majestic Blue Ridge Mountains of Covington, Virginia. For the last 25 years, I’ve called Laurel, Maryland my home! I look forward to another amazing year of collaborating and supporting the Laurel Woods students, staff, and community!
School Overview
LWES – Looking Within Every Student encompasses the essence of our vision statement. Laurel Woods is a community school who builds relationships to create a successful learning environment where students will excel. It is our mission to develop productive and responsible citizens in a positive and challenging environment that accelerates achievement, and encourages enthusiasm for lifelong learning.
Our students benefit from the many programs and resources available within our school. Literacy and math coaches offer continuous assistance to students and staff. The teaching staff provides daily instruction that is specific to individual student needs. Our Student Support Team work with families to acccess resources and supports to ensure the well-being of our students and families.
Laurel Woods continues to implement restorative justice practices to support our students, families and staff. We believe that all people in our LWES community are worthy and relational. We have committed to our Success Factors to ensure we are providing opportunities for everyone to be successful. Our Success Factors include Honesty, Kindness, Empathy, Creativity and Accountability. We remain committed as a school community to provide our children with the opportunity to excel with academics while learning essential social skills that will lead to success in the years ahead.
Our PTO, community, volunteers and business partners come together to provide a positive, exciting and joy-filled school community. We recognize our responsibility to develop students who are competent with essential skills, able to use information to solve real-world problems and capable of working together in a rapidly changing and diverse world.
School Profile:
Laurel Woods Elementary School
Fast facts about Laurel Woods ES listing special programs, total enrollment, accomplishments and more.
MSDE School Report Card
The Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) School Report Card reflects overall
school performance using a combination of academic and school quality indicators.
Community Superintendent
With a focus on instruction as a birth-through-graduation continuum, Community Superintendents better position the school system to support students throughout their entire journey with HCPSS. View community superintendents by regional area.
Community Superintendent Area 2: Jennifer A Robinson
Board of Education Representative
Howard County public schools are divided into school clusters, which are assigned to individual Board members to facilitate school visitations, attend special events, and provide a point of contact for each school community. View all BOE school cluster assignments.
LWES BOE Representative: Jacky McCoy