10-31 Newsletter - Bellows Spring Elementary School

CHEETAH NEWS
Principal’s Desk
We did it!
Today is the end of the first quarter of the 2014 – 2015 school year. The time has gone by very quickly!
Teachers will now begin preparing report cards that will reflect the children’s efforts since the beginning of
school. As I look back, there are many moments to celebrate:
•
The Walking School Bus on Fridays is rolling.
•
Students earning many Paws for Praise and spending them at the school store.
•
Girls on the Run and Chasing Cheetahs are getting ready for their races.
•
Watch DOGS are at school and working throughout Bellows Spring.
•
Teachers have planned for the second quarter and collaborated together.
Candy collection on Thursday, November 6th!
Want to rid your house of those unwanted treats? We will collect candy that is still wrapped to send to the
troops. This benefits our service people and it helps us not have so many temptations in our houses. An
announcement is in the Friday folder. We will sort the candy into “meltable” and “unmeltable” and treat our
armed forces later in the month.
THANK YOU! We have many parent volunteers to thank for two wonderful events in the past week. Last Friday,
we saw many of our families at the fabulous Fall Festival. Lots of fun was had and many pumpkins were
decorated. Then finally, on Wednesday, the Cheetah Chase Challenge was run by all grades except fifth. Due to
rain, fifth grade did the Challenge on Thursday. The children had fun and loved getting their new cheetah print
shoelaces. Both events were successful because of our dedicated parent volunteers. We appreciate your service
to our school. You helped to make many happy school memories!
Parent conferences are coming up in November. Parents will schedule their conferences in Pick-A-Time. Be on
the look out for the information. Meeting with your child’s teacher is important in maintaining the connection
between home and school.
Remember to turn your clocks back on Saturday night. Enjoy the extra hour of sleep!
Important Upcoming Dates
Nov 2nd
Daylight Savings
Time Ends
Nov 3rd
No School
for students
Nov 4th
All Offices
Closed
Nov 10th
Turkey Trot
PTA Meeting/7pm
Nov 12th
Report Cards
Issued
Nov 13th-14th
School Play/7pm
Nov 14th
Flu Mist
Our Vision
Every classroom in Bellows
Spring Elementary will be a
place of excellence in
teaching and learning. Our
staff will demonstrate
leadership, caring and
respect in all that we think,
say and do. Through
collaboration and rigorous
instruction, we will help all
students reach their full
potential and eliminate the
achievement gap.
Announcements
Federal Impact Aid Survey
The annual Federal Impact Aid Survey came home today in your
child’s Friday Folder. Please fill out the form and return in to
school by Wednesday, November 12th. Forms on which parents
have indicated they are employed on federally owned property in
the State of Maryland or are an active duty member of the
military anywhere in the world are considered eligible. This
information from eligible surveys provides education funding
from the Federal Government.
Front Office: Pick-A-Time/Conferences
It is that time of year again… Parent/teacher conferences will be
Nov 24th-26th! Please look in your student’s Friday Folder on Nov
7th for the pink paper with your child’s information on it so you
can log on the system to schedule the appointments. The pickA-time website will open Nov 7th at 7pm and will close on Nov
17th at 9 am. The link will be available on hcpss.org.
Lost and Found
Many articles of clothing and other items have accumulated in
Bellows’ Lost and Found. Please encourage your student/s to
check for their lost items. Parents and/or other family members
are welcome to check in at the front office and look in the Lost
and Found for missing items. All Lost and Found items will be on
display during Parent/Teacher Conferences (November 24th,
25th &26th) for your convenience with searching for lost items.
After Parent/Teacher Conferences are over, all items that have
been left behind are donated to a charitable organization.
Notes from the Health Room
--This is a reminder that we are administering the Flumist to
students on Friday, November 14th. All consent forms must be
returned no later than November 7th.
--As the colder weather approaches, please remember that your
child will still be going outside for recess. Be sure they are
coming to school with the necessary coat/jacket/hat/etc.
--All medications kept in school are to be accompanied by the
appropriate documentation signed by their physician. Please call
the nurse’s office for the proper form if your child needs to have
medication in school.
--Please remember …Stay at home when you are sick. This is
important to prevent disease transmission in schools. This
means stay home from school/work for at least 24 hours after
you no longer have a fever (temperature of 100.4°F/ 38°C),
without the use of fever-reducing medicines. Wash your hands
often. Cover your cough/sneezes with your elbow or tissue, and
keep your hands away from your face. Get your family
vaccinated against the flu. Speak with your health care
provider regarding any needed medical attention and/or
treatment necessary for symptoms.
EMERGENCY SCHOOL
CLOSING
ANNOUNCEMENTS
In the event of bad
weather, please check your
local TV and/or radio
stations including Verizon
Channel 42 for any
emergency school delays or
closings. In addition, any
school delay or closing
news will be announced via
the HCPSS website,
www.hcpss.org, or HCPSS
newsletter. Please note
that no announcement will
be made if schools are
opening on time.
HCPSSNEWS
Make sure you subscribe to
receive the BSES
information via e-mail, by
visiting
www.hcpssnews.com. This
is the subscriber/user site
and the only place you can
sign up to receive
newsletters from any of the
HCPSS schools or special
offices.
INFORMATION ABOUT
CHECK PAYMENTS
The HCPSS Finance Office
has contracted with the
Envision Payment
Solutions, Inc. for the
electronic collection of
check payments. If the
check is returned unpaid,
Envision Payment
Solutions, Inc. will assess a
$35 fee allowed by
Maryland state law and
charged as an electronic fund transfer.
Announcements
supporting our BSES Student
& Staff Fitness and Wellness
programs: Turkey Trot, Field
Day, Chasing Cheetahs,
GOTR, new PE Equipment,
Staff Wellness Incentives,
etc.
Pie pick-up will be at BSES
on Monday November 24th
from 6:30-7:30pm in the
cafeteria. This is during
Turkey Trot Times for each
the first evening
grade level:
conferences.
· Third Grade 9:30am
As a bonus…for every 5 pies
· Fourth Grade 10:30am
each
person sells, you get
· Fifth Grade 11:45am
the opportunity/pleasure of
· Second Grade 12:45pm
throwing a pie in our faces
· Kindergarten 1:45pm
(Mr. Kuehne/Mrs. Schultz)
· First Grade 2:45pm
***Prizes***
*Person
in each grade who
Please remind students to
sells the most pies will win a
wear comfortable shoes and
clothes on this day. Students prize.
*Class with the most pies
will also need a coat or
sold (RECC, K-2 & 3-5) 60
sweatshirt, as it may be
minutes BONUS PE time!
chilly! Parents are welcome
Any questions please
to come and run/walk with
their child or cheer on all the contact:
Elizabeth_schultz@hcpss.org
students as they complete
the event. Please check in Elizabeth Schultz
Bellows Spring Phys Ed
at the office before you
Teacher
meet your child on the field
Health & Wellness Chair
by the baseball diamond.
GOTR & Chasing Cheetahs
We’ll walk the classes out
once they arrive to Phys. Ed. http://bsesphysed.weebly
.com/
Students will receive water
and a healthy snack at the
end of the event. We want
to celebrate the aerobic
endurance and fitness
they’ve been working on in
class and allow them to enjoy
the experience with their
peers!
PE Department: BSES
Turkey Trot 2014
When: Monday November
10th (Rain date: Friday
November 14th) All students
in K-5 will participant in the
BSES Turkey Trot. It’s a fun
run at school during their
grade level related arts class.
The holidays can be stressful,
let us help make it easier for
you…. Buy Market Day
Pies! All money raised from
the pie sale goes toward
PTA
Our next PTA meeting is
Monday, Nov. 10th at
7pm in the Media
Center.
Kidstuff Books:
Thank you to all parents
and families who sold
Kidstuff books. We
earned over $2,000 for
BSES PTA. If you have
not returned the book or
the $25 payment,
please do so no later
than Wednesday,
November 5th.
Our 2014-15 PTA
Executive Board is:
President: Ronnie
Miller
VP of Fundraising
Events: Charissa
Rothman
VP of Activities &
Programming: Jen
Mertes
Treasurer: Laurie
Ramey
Corresponding
Secretary: Erin Adero
Recording Secretary:
Angela Perez
PTAC Delegate:
Debbie Eikenberg
Art Department
Coming home to you soon is a school-sponsored fundraiser called Square 1 Art.
This fundraiser takes your child’s artwork and makes it into great products for you to
purchase. These products are wonderful keepsakes and gifts for family and friends. Your child has
been busy making beautiful artwork that can be made into many fun products such as magnets, tshirts, mouse pads, ornaments and much more!
The money raised from this fundraiser will enable the school to continue its efforts in supporting our
students. Your help is needed for us to continue offering these opportunities to our school.
Two Easy Ways to Order:
1. Paper order form located on the back of the catalog coming home to you soon. Your child's
very own artwork and name will be printed on the front!
2. Online at www.square1art.com/shop Create an online art gallery using the access code
located on your catalog. Shop useful custom products that display your child's artwork!
Community Information
Elementary/Middle School Fine Arts Night 2014
The Howard County Public School Fine Arts Advisory Council is sponsoring the Middle School Fine
Arts Night, an evening for elementary and middle school parents and students, interested in
pursuing Dance, Music, Theater, or the Visual Arts in High School. The program will be held on
Tuesday, November 11, 2014 from 7 – 8:30 pm @ Wilde Lake High School, 5460 Trumpter Rd.,
Columbia, MD 21044. The evening will consist of student performances, course and registration
information, as well as a question & answer session. Student artists and teachers from dance,
music, theatre, and visual arts will share their insights and experiences and offer rising and current
middle school students information regarding fine arts programs in high school.
Soccerdome
Attention All Soccer Enthusiasts - It's Time for Winter Indoor Soccer - Register Your Youth Soccer
Team Now with Maryland Sports Services at Soccerdome. U7 through HS teams can choose from
two sessions. See all the details at www.soccerdome.com or call Jody Boyer at 443-668-6019 for
assistance.
Howard County General Hospital
Annual Symphony of Lights, Symphony Woods off of Broken Land Parkway in Columbia, Md.
Wed.-Mon., 6-10 p.m. starting Nov. 17 -Jan. 4. In addition to nightly drive throughs, Symphony of
Lights offers special events. Event information is available by calling the Symphony of Lights
Information Line at 410-740-7666 or by visiting www.hcgh.org/symphonyoflights.
Counselor’s Corner
Want an easy way to support
BSES? When you shop at
Giant, Safeway and Target
you can support our school.
With the exception of Target,
please be sure to re-designate
your store cards each year.
Please send in your saver card
numbers, with store names
and your name and address
or call Mrs. Stickles to request
a form.
Howard County Public Schools have full time counselors in every
elementary school - our more highly enrolled buildings have an
additional half time counselor as well! This is definitely not the
case in all areas; I feel fortunate to live in a place where
children's mental health and emotional development is so highly
valued. School counselors provide a variety of services to
students, staff, and parents. For more information on the schoolcounseling program here at Bellows Spring, please check out my
website: http://bsescounselor.weebly.com
Here you'll find general information about my program, as well
as what I'm currently teaching at each grade level, a monthly
Home/School Connection newsletter, and a few other things of
interest. As always, please feel free to contact me at any time if
I can be of support to your child and/or family!