Paw Prints
Barlow Mountain Elementary School Newsletter
A Message From the BMES Admin Team
Dear Barlow Mountain Families,
November is in full swing, and our school community continues to shine with energy and connection. We had so much fun celebrating Halloween together recently, and it was wonderful to see the creativity, smiles, and school spirit shared across all grade levels. A sincere thank you also goes out to Martha Hegley and all of the volunteers who helped make last week's Fall STEAM Night such an engaging success for our students. In addition, our candy collection for Friends of Karen remains underway, and we appreciate our community's thoughtful generosity.
This week, we are bringing our school values into action during an all-school meeting that connects the "A" in Bobby CARES (Advocacy) with our No Place For Hate initiative. Led by Mrs. Ashlie Miller, BMES students will practice how to speak up for one another and help ensure our school remains a welcoming environment where every student feels valued and respected. You can find more details regarding No Place For Hate below.
Looking ahead, we have a busy and exciting few weeks! We are eager to see many of you at our upcoming parent-teacher conferences, the next PTA meeting, and the Book Fair. We hope to connect with many families at these events.
Dismissal Procedures and Safety Reminders
We recognize that we share reminders about our dismissal procedures frequently, and we do so because student safety is simply that important. While we are grateful to the many families who navigate arrival and pick-up smoothly each afternoon, ongoing reminders remain necessary because we continue to see instances where established routines are not being followed. In particular, our main office receives a high volume of last-minute phone calls requesting end-of-day dismissal changes. These mid-day adjustments disrupt classroom instruction during vital wrap-up time and divide the attention of our office staff and School Security Officer right as they prepare to supervise student dismissal. Maintaining consistency across our entire school community is essential to eliminating these safety risks and ensuring every child gets home safely, smoothly, and efficiently.
To ensure that dismissal runs smoothly and securely for all students, all families must observe the following procedures:
Car Pick-Up Timing: Parent pick-up begins at 3:50 PM. Please do not arrive at the car line before 3:40 PM to prevent campus traffic congestion.
Office Pick-Up Cutoff: Student pick-ups from the main office must take place before 3:30 PM. After 3:30 PM, students will be dismissed via the parent car line or their assigned bus. Pick-ups between 3:30 PM and 3:50 PM pull office staff and our School Security Officer away from dismissal preparations and disrupt classroom transitions. We will not make exceptions, and we appreciate your cooperation.
School Dismissal Manager (SDM): Transportation updates in SDM must be completed by 1:30 PM on regular dismissal days and 10:30 AM on early dismissal days. With our Fast Lane system, office staff cannot make adjustments after 1:30 PM except in a genuine family emergency. Please establish your child's dismissal plan at the start of the day.
Ensuring each student departs campus safely each afternoon requires the shared vigilance and cooperation of our entire school community. We deeply appreciate your care in planning ahead and following these routines each day. Thank you for your ongoing partnership in keeping Barlow Mountain safe, orderly, and caring for all of our Bobcats.
Warm regards,
Becky & Liz
The Scholastic Book Fair is Coming!
Mon 11/16 – Fri 11/20
Mon: Book Fair Opens
Mon & Tue: Classroom Preview Days
Wed, Thurs, & Fri: Classroom Shopping Days
GIVE THE GIFT OF READING
At checkout, round up your purchase or donate your spare change to Books 4 Everyone, which brings books to underserved communities across Fairfield County. All donations will help BMES purchase and personally deliver books to children in need. Last year, we donated over 50 books. Let’s beat that this year! Please note, Barlow Angels ensures that no student leaves the Book Fair without a book - every child gets to share in the joy of reading.
SET UP AN eWALLET
Creating an eWallet is preferred, but cash and checks are accepted on classroom shopping days.
Credit cards are accepted at Family Night and Bagels & Books, with Apple and Google Pay preferred.
NOV 12 is the Last Day to Donate Candy
Our candy monster is still hungry!
Drop off your leftover Halloween candy in zip-locked bags in the school lobby by Thurs 11/12.
All candy will be donated to Friends of Karen, supporting children with life-threatening illnesses and their families.Turn your extra treats into something sweet for a great cause!
Join Barlow Families at Danbury Hat Tricks Game
Danbury Hat Tricks - Sat 1/9 at 7 PM
Students attend FREE with an accompanying adult ticket and receive an arcade card, plus each family gets a skating pass! Even better, 50% of ticket sales using promo code BARLOW goes directly back to our school!
Have more than one child? Complete a separate ticket transaction for each student, using code BARLOW to redeem their free ticket. Click here for tickets
Order Pies, Support 5th Grade
Lyman Orchards Pie & Cookie Dough Fundraiser supports our 5th graders.
Stock up on pies, cookie dough, popcorn and more!
Click here to order by Mon 11/16
Pickup on 12/17 at school, before or during dismissal
*Please note: Families are responsible for pickinga up and distributing all items sold by their student.
Shop Minted, Save 20% & Support 5th Grade
Shop at minted.com/holiday from 11/11–12/20 and use code FUNDRAISEBARLOW to enjoy 20% off your order. Plus, Minted will donate 15% of your purchase to support Barlow’s 5th Grade activities.
Dine-in or Takeout at The Mariner, Support BMES
Join us for BMES PTA’s first Restaurant Night fundraiser of the year.
Tues 12/1 - The Mariner Tavern
Enjoy lunch, dinner, or takeout, and a portion of the proceeds will benefit BMES. Reservations encouraged for dinner.
IMPORTANT: Mention BARLOW when making reservations, ordering takeout, or dining in to ensure your purchase counts!
Shop Books on Common, Support BMES
Sun 12/6 & Mon 12/7
Show the attached voucher at checkout (printed or on your phone), and 20% of your purchase will be donated to the BMES PTA.
Volunteer at the Library
Helping out at the library during your child's class is one of Barlow's favorite volunteer opportunities and ways to connect with your kids while they are in school.
Volunteer at the Barlow Garden
Wednesdays Help plant, weed, and harvest this fall while connecting with Barlow families. No experience needed—just come enjoy our zen space (with snacks and tunes!).
3:30–4:30 PM
Barlow Mountain Elementary School
Email: rlaus@ridgefieldps.net
Website: https://bmes.ridgefield.org/
Location: 115 Barlow Mountain Road, Ridgefield, CT, USA
Phone: 203-894-5800