Welcome back to everyone's favorite newsletter, The Paw Print! After a speedy summer, not only are we returning to the Paw Print, but we also returned back to school! We are sure the first day left us all with some jitters as we trickled into our new classes, met new people, or started new schools even! The best thing about first days, though, is that they are also a new start!

Your Paw Print Pals implore that you all work to improve yourselves this school year, whether that be in your grades, sports, or just an aspect of your personality! The first weeks of school are the perfect time to start. :-) As always, Stay #BearBuilt!

The Paw Print newsletter features sports updates, events in the community, and fun activities for the family... so stay tuned!

Sitting, front row, Seniors, McKenzy Wimberly and Logan Wright

second row, Seniors, Kaleigh Jackson, Saira Castro, Ashtynn Sullivan

third row, Sophomores, Caitlyn Roberson, Jada Smith, ZaMeria LaCue

Juniors, Kennedi Dukes, Maritza Rivera, Lydiia McBride

Freshman, Dayla Yancey, Amoura Sherrod, Kalynn Hankerson

Monday, September 2
Labor Day - Holiday

Tuesday, September 3

Light vs. Darkness:

Disney Theme: Princess vs Villain Day

Homecoming Tea/Practice :

4:30 p.m.
Teaching & Learning Building, BCHS

Wednesday, September 4

Survival of the Fittest:

Camo Day

Powder Puff Game - 6:30 - BCHS Football Field

Thursday, September 5

“School Spirit” Day

Homecoming Parade - 5:00 p.m. - Downtown Waynesboro

Parade line-up - 4:00 p.m.

Friday, September 6

Learn From Home Day

Football Game - Bears vs. Warren Co. Screaming Devils

Kickoff at 7:30 p.m

BC Alumni Tailgate 2024
Slots are $150 each: Sales will end on 9/4 at noon.
ALL rules are still the same as in previous years.
Drugs, alcohol, weapons, and glass containers are prohibited.
For more information, please contact Sharon Williams at Burke Co. High, (706) 554-6691

Burke County wishes a big congratulations to our 24-25 Teachers of the Year! We are all so appreciative of all that you do for our students and our community. We are grateful that you all have led by example to provide your students with the education they deserve!

(Pictured left to right, front row)

Tara Gilpin (Burke Co. High) and Emily Williams (Blakeney Elementary)

Kacey Mitchell (Waynesboro Primary), Jeremy Brown (Burke Co. Middle) and

Jodi Jarvis (SGA Elementary)

Don't Miss It: On Friday, September 13th, we'll be recognizing our Teachers of the Year and naming the District Teacher of the Year during halftime of the BC Bears vs. Northside, Warner Robins Eagles football game.

To enhance our athletic program and overall spectator experience, we kindly request that you adhere to the following guidelines:

• Student Attendance: All students under 14 must be accompanied by a responsible adult.

• Parental Supervision: Parents are encouraged to assist young children in navigating the stadium, including restroom and concession areas.

• No Loitering: The Bear Den strictly prohibits loitering. Fans, both students and adults, are not permitted to linger in the stadium walkways or concession area without actively watching the game or moving to/from the restroom or concession area. Students who violate this policy will be asked to leave the stadium.

For any questions or concerns, please contact BCHS Principal Dr. Walter Seabrooks.

The safety of our fans, staff, and student-athletes is our main priority," said Dr. Angela Williams, Burke County Schools Superintendent. "This has become a standard around the state, and our new policy is comparable with other regional schools.”

Allowed will be:

• Clear Bag, maximum of 12 inches x 12 inches x 6 inches
• One-gallon clear plastic resealable bag
• Small clutch or purse, no larger than 8.5 inches x 5.5 inches
• Bag necessary for medical purposes
• Diaper Bag (with an age-appropriate child present)
• Blanket
• Stadium Seat (cushions or seats with backs)
• Binoculars and cameras without cases

All items are subject to inspection by security personnel. Alcohol and other non-permissible items will be prevented from being carried into the stadium. No items can be left or stored at the gates. Attendees are asked to leave their bags and/or backpacks at home or in their vehicle.

Tickets can be purchased online at gofan.co or at the gate at the gate - CASH ONLY.

Each sport listed below is linked to its gofan ticket page:

Football, $10.00

Softball, $7.00

Volleyball, $7.00

The Bears Broadcast Team is back and better than before! Catch our live stream every Friday night for the same radio-quality experience you love, available nationwide.

Student attendance matters and we would like all students to be at school as much as possible every day.

Did you know that First National Bank of Waynesboro has a custom Burke County debit card that earns money for our schools?! With EVERY swipe of the Burke County School Spirit Debit Card, FNB donates $0.05 cents to our school.

On Friday, August 16th, FNB representatives Nan Palmer-Lynch and Tasha Sanders presented Superintendent Dr. Angela Williams with a check for $11,564.10. This impressive amount was earned through over 231,000 swipes made in the past year alone.

You can visit First National’s Main Office or 6th Street Branch to get your Burke County School Spirit Debit Card printed instantly & start raising money for Burke County Schools!

We are excited to announce our Current Student Information Update is underway! This online process replaces the paper forms sent home at the beginning of each school year to update returning student information. Click on the button below to update your contact information today!

For further information, please refer to the PS Parent Portal and PS Mobile App Informational slides located below.

As always, we are here to help. If you have questions, please contact our Student Information Department at (706) 554-5101 or click here to email the SIS Department.

Dear Parent or Guardian:

We are pleased to inform you that Burke County Public Schools is participating in an option available to schools as part of the National School Lunch and National School Breakfast Program called the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) for the 2024-2025 School Year.

By participating in the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) and eliminating the need for meal applications, Burke County Public Schools will reduce administrative and printing costs. Families also benefit from the elimination of completing and submitting meal applications.

Children need healthy meals to learn. Burke County Public Schools offers healthy meals every school day at no charge to your child(ren). Our food service receives support from the U.S. Department of Agriculture through the National School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs.

The following schools will be participating in this alternative provision and provide meals at no charge to children:

Waynesboro Primary School, Blakeney Elementary School, SGA Elementary School, Burke County Middle School, Burke County Life Center, and Burke County High School

_________________________________________________________________________

Nondiscrimination Statement: This explains what to do if you believe you have been treated unfairly.

In accordance with federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex (including gender identity and sexual orientation), disability, age, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity.
Program information may be made available in languages other than English. Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication to obtain program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language), should contact the responsible state or local agency that administers the program or USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TTY) or contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339.
To file a program discrimination complaint, a Complainant should complete a Form AD-3027, USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form which can be obtained online at: https://www.usda.gov/oascr/filing-program-discrimination-complaint-usda-customer , from any USDA office, by calling (866) 632-9992, or by writing a letter addressed to USDA. The letter must contain the complainant’s name, address, telephone number, and a written description of the alleged discriminatory action in sufficient detail to inform the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights (ASCR) about the nature and date of an alleged civil rights violation. The completed AD-3027 form or letter must be submitted to USDA by:

1. mail:
U.S. Department of Agriculture
Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights
1400 Independence Avenue, SW
Washington, D.C. 20250-9410; or

2. fax:
(833) 256-1665 or (202) 690-7442; or

3. email:
program.intake@usda.gov

855-977-0602 is the phone number for the Burke County Public School Mass Notification System.

Unfortunately, some cell phone providers may send our notification number to a spam folder, which means you will miss out on all of the news and updates sent by your school and district.

To prevent missing important messages…….

Simply save (855) 977-0602 to your cell phone Contacts!

As long as we have your correct phone number listed in PowerSchool, you will receive all of our informational updates.

* If you haven't received any notifications, you may need to update your contact information in PowerSchool, or our number may be blocked. You can ensure we have the correct contact information by checking with your school office staff, parent coordinator, student information specialist, or public information office.

The app is compatible with both iPhone and Android. Just search Burke Bears in your phone's respectable app store!

Stay in the know with the Burke County Public Schools Google Calendars! There is a calendar for every school in the district as well as a larger district calendar that covers all district-wide events.

All calendars are accessible at the link below. Simply click which calendar you would like to notify you and it will then be added to your own Google calendar.

The Word of the Day is Implore! Implore is a verb that means to beg someone earnestly or desperately to do something. As we mentioned before, the first couple days of school are a great time for self improvement. One way to improve yourself is to become more present. So, on this lazy day, your Paw Print Pals implore you to unplug from your devices and just experience life outside of the screen even if it's just for a couple of minutes. Mental health is very important. :)

We challenge you all to use this word as many times as you can this week, extra points if you use it in the right context, and EVEN MORE points if you have to explain to somebody what it means!

From oceans to lakes to streams to swimming pools, water is everywhere: 71% of the Earth’s surface is covered in it! And while water can be an irresistible place for kids to explore, play and enjoy splashy fun, it can be risky for those who haven’t yet developed their water smarts. Check out these awesome water safety resources provided at the links below!

As the halls of our schools come alive with the excitement and anticipation of a new academic year, we are thrilled to welcome you to the latest edition of The Bear Necessities. Continue reading the Teaching & Learning Department's newsletter using the link below:

Looking for a previous edition of The Paw Print newsletter? Each edition of The Paw Print is archived and can be found by clicking this 'Paw Print Archive' button.