Bellefonte Elementary News

September 12, 2008

 

NOTICE FROM THE YMCA:  TONIGHT’S KIDS NIGHT OUT IS CANCELLED

 

PTO Opportunities – September 18th at 6:30 PM

Our first PTO meeting will be held on Thursday, September 18th at 6:30 PM.  This is the shortest meeting of the year, so please join us to meet the PTO officers and all the teachers before the Back to School events.  We will have information on PTO committees and activities.  We look forward to having you join the PTO!

           

Back to School Night – September 18th,  7:00 PM to 8:00 PM

Back to School night will also be held on Thursday, September 18th from 7:00 PM to 8:00 PM.  This is an opportunity to meet your child's teacher and to sign up for the Parent-Teacher conferences to be held in November.  Please remember, Back to School Night is a show-and-tell opportunity for your child.  They love introducing you to their new teacher and showing you the classroom.  If you would like a conference before November, please let the teacher know so he or she can schedule a time to meet. 

 

SCHOOL NEWS

            We've had a great week!  Classroom routines are becoming established.  The children know where they are going, so we’re asking that you no longer accompany your child to class.  (We will still have personnel monitoring to make sure everyone is all right.)

Ms. Cutler and Mr. Vancas have been meeting with classes to discuss physical and emotional safety at school.  Our weapons and harassment policies are very important.  Weapons of any kind, even toy weapons, are not allowed at school.  Bullying leads to harassment and neither are allowed.  If your child is being bullied or harassed, please notify the office as soon as possible.

            At the elementary level, discipline is handled as problem solving.  We help the student identify the inappropriate behavior and why it's a problem.  Then we review what the child should have done instead.  The younger children need more practice with this, but they soon begin to catch on.  Does that mean children never misbehave?  No!  But we continue to work with them so that over time, behavior improves.

            Most often, discipline involves age appropriate - school inappropriate behaviors.  We must deal with name calling and safety issues.  It is more difficult to deal with disruptive behavior in the classroom.  We've asked teachers to notify the office immediately if a child disrupts instruction so we can remove that child and begin problem solving.

            Remember that all visitors (including parents) must report to the office, sign in, and get a visitors pass.  Please send a note if your child will be picked up by someone new or if dismissal arrangements will change in any way.  Children must have a bus pass to ride a bus other than his/her regular bus.  Bus passes are issued only for emergencies.    

 

CONGRATULATIONS!  YOU’VE BEEN CAUGHT BEING KIND! 

            It’s truly amazing to see how kind our students are!   We’ve seen good evidence that students are aware of and trying to follow the School Rules Against Bullying.

  1. We will not bully others. 
  2. We will try to help students who are bullied. 
  3. We will make it a point to include students who are easily left out.
  4. When we know somebody is being bullied, we will tell an adult at school and an adult at home. 

 

Students who were caught being kind this week include:

 

PTO CONCESSION STAND

We can always use extra help in the concession stand!  Our remaining home games are on:

·         September 19 - Hollidaysburg

·         October 3 – Dubois

·         October 17 – Penns Valley, Homecoming

·         October 24 – Indian Valley, Senior Night

We may also have a playoff game in November.  The games begin at 7 pm and we ask people to be there around 6-6:30 pm. 

There are other ways to help even if you can’t work the stand.  We always love to sell individually wrapped homemade goodies such as brownies or chocolate chip cookies.  If anyone would be interested in helping in any way at all, please call Becky Dean at 404-7334 or email her at becky@stamps.org.

 

WORDS THAT COOK – PARENTING WITH CHILDREN’S BOOKS

            Join us for this lunchtime parenting series to be held at the Bellefonte Family Resource Center on Tuesdays from 12:15 – 1:00 PM, starting on September 23 and continuing until December 16th.  Bring your own lunch!  The BFRC is located at 310 North Allegheny Street, across the street from Bellefonte Elementary.  Call Sue Seely at 353-2415 for more information and to register.

 

PARADE OF HOMES & LANDSCAPES 2008

            The Builders Association of Central Pennsylvania will hold their annual Parade of Homes on Friday, September 12 from 3 to 8 PM; on Saturday, September 13 from 10 AM to 5 PM; and on Sunday, September 14th from noon until 5 PM.  Tickets are $5 per adult.

            100% of the ticket sales will be donated to the new Centre County Child Access Center.  This program, located at the Bellefonte Family Resource Center, will provide a safe, secure, neutral location with trained staff enhancing the safety of all participants in high conflict custody exchanges.  The Center opens October 3, 2008.

 

IMPORTANT DATES

 

 

KINDNESS PLEDGE

I pledge to myself this day,

To try to be kind in every way.

To every person, big and small,

I will help them if they fall.

When I love myself and others too,

That is the best that I can do