Principal Weekly Update to Families

Our October monthly fire drill was held on Tuesday, October 20th. Students did a great job following routines and procedures to help keep everyone safe. Thank you to our students and staff for their cooperation and continued commitment to school safety!

School Choice Window

The Delaware School Choice window opens on Monday, November 2nd at 8:00 AM and runs through Wednesday, January 13th at 11:59 PM.

Families of 5th grade students who wish to attend BSS for Middle School must complete a Choice Application.
While current BSS students have priority seating, a Choice Application is still required.

We hope many of our families will continue their journey with us at BSS and take advantage of everything we offer as a unique K–8 learning community.

Save the Date! BSS Middle School Choice Open House

Please save the date for our BSS Middle School Choice Open House on Tuesday, December 1st, from 6:00–7:30 PM!

Families of current 5th-grade students are encouraged to join us to learn more about our middle school programming and the opportunities available to students at Brandywine Springs.

More information will be shared soon. We look forward to welcoming you!

As we enter the Holiday Season, the Staff and Families of BSS want to prioritize supporting our BSS community. If your family needs assistance with Thanksgiving dinner supplies and/or Holiday gifts, please complete the Google Form below. This form is confidential and should only be filled out once per family. Please complete the form by November 13, 2025. If you have any questions, contact Taryn Smith at (302) 636-5681 or via email at taryn.smith@redclay.k12.de.us.

Form has been updated!

See information below.

Get your BSS Swag here! Use this link all year to get your BSS Spiritwear!

BSS Spiritwear

QuaverReady is an online platform designed to help all students succeed in school. The activities and lessons in QuaverReady support and build on creating a caring, school-wide community for your child. Lessons will be facilitated by classroom teachers in Grades K-5, with support from the elementary counseling team.

Congratulations to our Middle School Cross Country Team!

Congratulations to our MS Cross Country team members on their performances at the Red Clay Championship at Banning Park on Wednesday, October 21st! It was a beautiful day for cross country, and our Bobcats had lots of personal bests.

Our top BSS finishers were Zoe Bailey and Luke Benoit. We are proud of all our runners for their hard work and dedication throughout the season.

Great job, Bobcats!

Congratulations to all of our fall sports teams on a fantastic season!

Next week, the Red Clay Playoffs begin! We are excited to cheer on our Bobcats as they compete for a championship.

Monday, October 26

• Girls Volleyball: #4 BSS @ #1 HB DuPont

• Game time: 3:45 PM

Tuesday, October 27

• Field Hockey: #3 BSS @ #2 Conrad

• Game time: 4:30–4:40 PM, immediately following the Conrad vs. Newark Charter varsity game.

8th Grade Field Hockey Recognition will begin at 4:00 PM at Conrad.

Good luck to both teams! Let's show our Bobcat pride and support our student-athletes as they represent BSS in the playoffs!

Students who plan to ride the 4:30 activity bus must sign the sheet posted outside the main office each morning.

Please note: The activity bus does not drop students off at their regular assigned bus stops. Instead, the bus stops at the following locations:

• Dollar General (Maryland Ave)

• Brandywine Springs Park (parking lot)

• Cynwyd Club Apartments

• Entrance to Crossgate

• Entrance to Mitchell Estates

• Loveville & Westgate

• Stonewold

• N. Dupont & Dickinson

• N. Dupont Rd & Greenwood Rd

• Kennett Pike @ Presidential Drive (Greenville Place)

Brandywine Springs Follows the Secondary Lunch Menu

Students in grades 2–8 have recently completed their fall i-Ready diagnostic assessment. This tool helps us better understand your child’s strengths and areas for growth in reading and math, and it guides teachers in planning instruction throughout the year.

At Brandywine Springs, we are encouraging students to set personal goals to work toward meeting their reading stretch growth goal by the spring diagnostic. Stretch growth is an ambitious target designed to help students make strong progress beyond typical yearly growth.

We invite you to learn more about how i-Ready is used in Red Clay by exploring the resources linked below. For details specific to your child’s progress and goals, please reach out directly to their teacher.

See the following information as it pertains to student communication devices:

Red Clay Cell Phone Policy

Please read the document in its entirety so that you are familiar with our policy. It can also be found on page 10 of the 2025-2026 Student/Family Handbook

Schools Without High School Grade Configurations

Students whose parents require that they have a cell phone or other personal electronic device at school are to keep them off and away at all times during the instructional day. Use of these devices at any point during the school day is considered “unauthorized.” These devices must be kept in a clothing pocket, secured bookbag, or locker (locked when possible) at all times.

We continue to improve our car line every morning and afternoon! Thank you for your cooperation in car line.

Car Riders:

Cars will enter through the main driveway off Duncan Road and proceed up the drive. Please pull all the way forward to help reduce traffic backup on Duncan Road.

• Parents should remain in their vehicles at all times.

• Children should exit from the right side of the car.

• Staff will be present to assist students as needed.
  After drop-off, cars should proceed to the front of the circle and exit by turning left to head back down the driveway.

• Parents using Delcastle for drop-off and pick-up: please drive slowly and respect the park. This option has been a big help in reducing our car line traffic, and we want to keep it available.

Bus Riders:

Buses will use the back driveway for both entering and exiting. Students will unload at the back of the building where staff are stationed to greet and guide them.

Safety Reminders

• Stepping Stones: Stepping Stones is a daycare center and is not an authorized drop-off or pick-up location for our students. Please respect our neighbors by following this directive.

• Technology Lot: The Technology Office parking lot is not an authorized drop-off location. Technology staff arrive during our morning arrival time, and it is important that we respect their parking spaces.

• Back Driveway Stop Sign: Please remember that the stop sign at the back driveway is not a four-way stop. You must stop and check for cars continuing straight toward the Stepping Stones parking lot. This is especially important during after-school events when traffic in that area increases.

Dismissal Reminders

• Car Line Timing: Please do not arrive in the car line before 2:30 PM. First grade students will not be dismissed from their special until 2:40 PM, so parents of first graders should plan their arrival accordingly and avoid being at the very front of the line too early.

• Patience and Safety: We appreciate your patience as everyone adjusts to arrival/ dismissal procedures during the first few days of school. Our top priority is student safety, and with everyone’s cooperation, the car line will run smoothly in no time.

During the 2026–2027 school year, only students in grades 6–8 will take their Chromebook devices home.

Families of students in grades 6–8 MUST enroll in the Chromebook Protection Plan to be eligible to take their Chromebook home. Please see the flyer below for enrollment information and to pay the $20 online fee.

$20 now could save your family hundreds of dollars later if your student’s Chromebook is damaged.

Please make sure you have paid the Chromebook Protection Plan fee so your student can take their Chromebook home and bring it back to school each day.

If your family needs financial assistance, we are here to help! Please reach out to the main office to discuss available assistance options.

Every Day Counts!

Regular school attendance is an important part of student success. Every day a student is at school is another opportunity to learn, grow, and connect with teachers and classmates. Consistent attendance helps students stay on track academically, build strong routines, and feel connected to their school community.

At BSS, every day, and every Bobcat, counts!

Planning a vacation? Need to schedule an appointment? We encourage families to use our BSS Events Planner when making plans so you can prioritize student attendance and schedule appointments, vacations, and other commitments during already scheduled days off whenever possible.

Student attendance is an important part of being a successful learner. Each day in the classroom provides valuable opportunities for students to engage in instruction, collaborate with classmates, and continue to grow academically and socially.

We appreciate your partnership in making attendance a priority and ensuring that every Bobcat has the opportunity to Learn, Grow, and Own It!

Please use our new shared email address whenever you need to contact a school nurse. This will ensure that both nurses receive important medical information, even when one of us is absent.

Thank you for helping us ensure that important medical information is received and addressed promptly.

BSSNurses@redclay.k12.de.us

Car Rider Application 26-27

Please complete this form if you plan to pick up your student from school.

Older students are encouraged to use Delcastle Park for drop-off and pick-up. Utilizing this location helps reduce traffic in the main car line and improves the overall flow of dismissal. Staff members are stationed at both Delcastle Park and along the walking path to ensure students transition safely to and from the Brandywine Springs School circle.

Once your form has been submitted, you will be assigned a car rider hang tag with a unique number. Please display the hang tag from your rearview mirror with the number facing outward whenever you are picking up your student.

If you are using the front circle for dismissal, your hang tag number will be entered into our dismissal system, which will alert your student to report to the front car line.

To help make dismissal as efficient as possible, please practice with your student so they know their assigned car rider number. Familiarity with the number will help ensure a smooth and timely dismissal process, especially as routines become established throughout the school year.

Please reach out to MaryKate Sharp for information on before or after care.

msharp@bgclubs.org

Brandywine Springs School

Asst. Principal: Dr. Kirsten Belair

Asst. Principal: Mr. Lucio Costantini

Website: https://bss.redclayschools.com/
Location: 2916 Duncan Road, Wilmington DE 19808
Phone: (302) 636-5681
Facebook: https://facebook.com/brandywinespringsschool