Bellefonte Elementary News
September 5, 2008
Welcome Back to School!
We had a busy start to the new year with many new students!! We’re feeling a little disorganized because we are working with a new child accounting computer system. We think we’ve worked all the bugs out!
The children are settling in very nicely. Now that we're ready to start our second week, we encourage you to let your child go to class without your help. Administrators and staff members will continue to meet the buses and help students in both the cafeteria and the hallways. We have scheduled extra help in the cafeteria so lunchtime is much quieter than it has been in the past. (You might even consider volunteering with your child’s class at lunchtime!)
Safety is our greatest concern, especially at the beginning of the year. Administrators and staff members will continue to meet the buses and help students in both the cafeteria and the hallways. If your child is a walker, please remind him/her to cross with a crossing guard. If your drive your child to school, the borough and the district request that you use the black top for dropping off and picking up your child. Please make sure your child knows how he/she is getting home.
The bus schedules take a week or two to get firmly established. Times will begin to be much more firm this week. Please remind your child to report to the office if he/she misses the bus or if his/her ride does not arrive on time. We will keep them safe. Sometimes it's possible for us to send a child who's missed the bus home by van, but most often, we must call you to pick your child up. Our bus drivers will not drop off a kindergartener if there is no one to meet the child. When that happens, the child will be returned to Bellefonte Elementary or will be dropped off at the Middle School where they will be kept safe until you can pick him/her up.
We understand how worrisome it is for you when your child isn’t where he or she should be at the end of the day. It may take us a few minutes, but after checking with your child’s teacher, the teachers on bus duty, and often the bus drivers (who we can reach by radio), we will find him/her. Please remind your child to go home the same way each day.
Children must have a bus pass to ride a bus other than his/her regular bus. Because of potential overcrowding on the buses, bus passes are issued only for emergencies.
Please send a note if your child will be picked up by someone new or if dismissal arrangements will change in any way.
The dress code can be tricky in a building without air conditioning! Please make sure your child is wearing appropriate clothing for the weather. Spaghetti straps, large armholes, mesh tops, halter tops, and bare midriffs are never appropriate for school. Our biggest problem is footwear! With the number of stairs in this building, the safest shoes are sneakers. Flip-flops, sandals or clogs without a heel strap, and platform shoes can be unsafe on both the stairways and on the playground! Make up is not appropriate for elementary school.
As we move into autumn, it is helpful if your child wears layers. The mornings can be chilly while the afternoons can be quite warm. Last year, the PTO bought fans for each of the classrooms. Thank you, PTO!!!
We encourage your children to bring water bottles!
Remember that all visitors (including parents) must report to the office, sign in, and get a visitors pass.
PTO NEWS
Thank you to the volunteers who helped at the PTO Concession stand last week! Mike Frazier, Brenna Shutika, Sharon Landon, Christa Spratt, Jeff Mudry, Gwen McGovern, and Karen Knisely started the football season for us!
The PTO Concession stand is a big fundraiser for us---and people really enjoy working there. 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. We can always use extra help. The games begin at 7 pm and we ask people to be there around 6-6:30 pm. If we have enough volunteers, working half the game may become a reality. Otherwise, you will probably be there until 10pm---having fun, of course!
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.
ATTENDANCE POLICY CHANGES
Please review the Attendance policy in the Elementary School Handbook. There have been some important changes; school personnel and parents need to work together to find solutions when there are attendances problems. We are now required to meet with parents to develop a Truancy Elimination Plan after the third unlawful absence.
Another change is with Family Educational Trips. We recognize that families sometimes need to take trips during the school year. Educational trips must be approved in advance or the days missed will be considered unlawful. Only five days per year will be considered, and the paperwork must be received three weeks before the date of departure.
For students in grades three, four, and five, no educational trips can be approved during the PSSA test windows. The test windows for this year are:
The Pennsylvania Department of Education has discussed changing the testing windows for the 2009-2010 school year. We know that many families book these trips a year in advance. We will let you know of any changes as soon as we hear from PDE.
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.
PLEASE CALL OR EMAIL US WITH ANY QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS
School Nurse
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
KINDNESS IS CONTAGIOUS
Sticks and stones can break your bones
but words can break your heart.
If you listen to these words then you can play a part.
To make this world a better place each and every day
You can be a special friend by watching what you say.
Kindness is contagious!
Catch it now! Catch it now!
Kindness is contagious!
Do you know how? Do you know how?
To your father, to your mother,
To yourself and one another
Kindness is contagious!
Catch it now!
SCHOOL RULES AGAINST BULLYING
· We will not bully others.
· We will try to help students who are bullied.
· We will make it a point to include students who are easily left out.
· When we know somebody is being bullied, we will tell an adult at school and an adult at home.