BES Newsletter

End of Second Marking Period - Friday, January 16

No school for students - Monday, January 19

No school for students - Monday, January 26

Report cards distributed - Wednesday, January 28

If you or someone you know will be registering a student for kindergarten for next year, please mark these dates down. We, along with Benner Elementary, will be completing Kindergarten Registration at the new elementary school building.

You may contact the Main Office for more information. We will begin scheduling appointments in the near future. The dates we will hold Kindergarten Registration are below:

Thursday, April 9 from 11:30 am to 6:00 pm

Wednesday, May 13 from 8:30 am to 3:00 pm

The dates for PSSA testing are below simply for informational purposes. Please remember that the district does not approve educational trip requests that fall on PSSA testing days. More information can be found on page 18 of the Handbook.

English Language Arts - April 20-22

Math - April 27 - 28

Science (5th grade only) - April 29, 30

Spring is...almost right around the corner. That means that many of you are probably signing up for tee ball or little league. If you need a Little League Baseball and Softball School Enrollment Form signed, just get them to our secretary, Michelle Pincus in the Main Office. Please have the top section filled out and we will do our part and get it back to you. If you have any questions, just email me at mbaughman@basd.net.

As we start a new calendar year, please remember to be patient and courteous during dismissal. We have seen a pretty significant increase in the number of cars that are dropping off and picking up students this year. As with many other aspects of this building and the area surrounding it, nothing was designed to handle to demands placed upon it at this point.

We have tried to comply with requests from Bellefonte Borough Police to not have cars line up on Allegheny Street, which creates traffic flow issues. The recommendation is to have cars line up on East Lamb St. This a reminder to follow that recommendation throughout the rest of this school year.

Click here to access the Food Services section of the district website which contains information about free and reduced lunches, lunch payments and more!

The lunch menu for this month is below:

• The Snip-It: The goal of Arts & Letters is to move beyond simple recall to critical thinking and making connections. Good questions help your child analyze the text.

• The Tip: Move Beyond "What happened?" Instead of only asking basic questions, try these comprehension starters:

  • Inferring: "What clues tell you how the character is feeling, even if the book doesn't say it?"

  • Connecting: "How does this story remind you of something you've learned in science or social studies?"

  • Analyzing: "Why do you think the author chose to end the chapter this way?"

• The Snip-It: Vocabulary is the bridge between decoding a word and understanding its meaning. Arts & Letters introduces rich, contextual vocabulary, often using Knowledge Deck Cards and visual art to deepen understanding.

• The Tip: Create a "Word Wall" on Your Fridge. When your child encounters an interesting new word in a book or hears it in conversation, write it on a sticky note. Discuss the student-friendly definition, use the word in a new sentence, and even try to draw a small picture to represent it (connecting to the art-based approach in Arts & Letters). Challenge the family to use the word throughout the week.

If your student is in need of any winter clothing to help keep them warm please contact Mr. Baughman. We have hats, coats and gloves that are donated. We are happy to get them to you if you need them!

We know that there is a lot of uncertainty right now regarding of the status of SNAP benefits. Below is a list of documents where you can access food resources if needed.

Food Pantries List 2025

Food Distribution Locations 2025

Thanksgiving Blessing in a Box

Attending school regularly is the first thing that everyone can do to help ensure success in the classroom. However, life happens and we know that there are times when students should stay at home, especially if they are sick. A complete overview of our attendance guidelines can be found on pages 16-18 of the Student Handbook. Below are some main points to remember.

• Remember to turn in a written excuse anytime your student is absent. Sending an email to our Attendance Clerk at beatt@basd.net is usually the easiest way. Even if you call in, we still need a written note for our records.
• Always get a note from your doctor when your child is absent for an appointment. Most offices will fax excuses directly to the school. If they do this, give us a call the next day to make sure we received it.
• Students are marked late/tardy if they arrive between 8:10 and 8:45 am. After 8:45, students will be marked absent for either a whole day or half day am. If students are tardy 15 times in a school year, truancy proceedings may be initiated with the District Magistrate.
• If a student is absent and no excuse is turned in, or the reason for an absence is not one of the valid reasons we can excuse, the absence will be marked as illegal. If a student accumulates 3 illegal absences, a meeting will be called to allow us to work together and avoid any further illegal absences. If a student accumulates 6 illegal absences, truancy proceedings may be initiated with the District Magistrate.

Ultimately, our goal is to make sure that our students are in school and that we are working with you to make that happen and also help you to make sure that their absences are recorded correctly. Please reach out to us with questions and allow us to help you if needed.

Educational Trips:

We see the value in traveling as a family and taking your children to see and experience different places and events. Below is information on how to make sure these absences are accounted for.

• Students can now take up to 10 days of Educational Trips each school year.
• An Educational Trip Form must be submitted at least seven calendar days prior to the trip. You can send that form to our Attendance Clerk at beatt@basd.net.
• This form can be found on the District Website, I will also include the link our back to school newsletter.
  

• BASD Website > Menu> Attendance > Educational Trip Request Form

Please click on the files below to learn more about Cartwheel. We partner with Cartwheel to provide mental health services to students and families.

Anyone who plans on volunteering in our buildings during the school day or at school-sponsored events, must become a registered volunteer and be approved by the School Board. Examples of volunteering opportunities that you must be an approved volunteer for include but are not limited to:

• Field Trip chaperones

• School dance chaperones

• Classroom/building helpers

• Volunteering at classroom parties

• Field Day volunteers

• Holiday Shop volunteers

• PTO/Parent Group events in the buildings during school hours

Registered volunteers will be approved by the Bellefonte Area School District Board of Directors after they have submitted the following documents:

1. Volunteer Form

2. Statement of Confidentiality

3. Residency Affidavit & Arrest/Conviction Report

4. PA Child Abuse History Certification

5. PA Criminal History clearance

All registered volunteers will need to update their clearances every five years.

If you plan on volunteering at all during the school year, it is best to get this process completed early. Please contact the main office or our volunteer coordinator, Liz Stone (lstone@basd.net) if you have any questions.

Click Here for the Volunteer Program section on the BASD website.

Be sure to like and follow us on Facebook for more updates and information on all of the great things happening here at BES!

https://www.facebook.com/bellefonteelem

100 W. Linn Street

Bellefonte, PA 16823

Website: https://www.basd.net/Domain/388

Phone: 814-355-5519

Fax: 814-353-5338

Attendance Email: beatt@basd.net