The Weekly Paw Print

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Bear Nation,

I hope all is well. We are asking for your partnership in helping us reinforce safe and respectful behavior on our school buses. Recently, we have seen an increase in inappropriate behaviors, including horseplay, students standing while the bus is in motion, fighting, and the use of inappropriate language.

At Bear Creek Middle School, the safety of our scholars is always our top priority. We will continue working closely with our Transportation Department and scholars to ensure expectations are clearly communicated and consistently followed. We also ask for your support at home by having a conversation with your scholar about the importance of bus safety.

Please remind your scholar to:

• Remain seated at all times while the bus is moving
• Keep hands, feet, and objects to themselves
• Use respectful and appropriate language
• Follow the directions of the bus driver and staff at all times

Our bus drivers play a critical role in getting our scholars to and from school safely each day. By working together, we can ensure every bus ride is safe, respectful, and positive for everyone on board.

As always, Bear Nation is strongest when we partner together. Thank you for taking a few moments to speak with your scholar and help reinforce these expectations. Together, we can make every ride reflect “The Bear Way”.

Thank you for your partnership,

Principal Armstrong

As we continue to monitor enrollment and class sizes, schedule changes may occasionally be necessary to ensure balanced classrooms and provide the best learning environment for all scholars. While a scholar's class schedule may be adjusted, they will remain on their current team. We understand that schedule changes can be an adjustment for both scholars and families, and we appreciate your flexibility, partnership, and understanding as we work to support the needs of all learners.

We are excited to share that Bear Creek Middle School has been recognized by the Alliance for a Healthier Generation as one of America’s Healthiest Schools for 2026. This national recognition honors schools that demonstrate exceptional commitment to supporting the health and well-being of students, staff, and families through evidence-based policies and practices.

This year, 44 Fulton County Schools earned this prestigious distinction, with recognition in the category of Improving Nutrition & Food Access. The award highlights our school’s efforts to ensure students have access to nutritious food options, encourage healthy eating habits, and create an environment that supports student wellness and academic success.

This achievement reflects the hard work and dedication of our entire school community, including administrators, teachers, support staff, cafeteria personnel, students, families, and community partners.

The Alliance for a Healthier Generation will publicly announce the 2026 America’s Healthiest Schools recipients today. Additional information and the complete list of 2026 America’s Healthiest Schools will be available August 26, 2026, online at www.healthiestschools.org.

Stay connected and informed by activating your Infinite Campus Parent Portal account. The portal provides access to important student information, school updates, grades, attendance, and electronic forms that require parent signatures throughout the year. If you have not yet activated your account, please do so as soon as possible to ensure you don't miss important communications and updates about your child's education.

Bear Creek Middle School is seeking a community member to serve on our School Governance Council (SGC). This is a great opportunity to support our school, collaborate with stakeholders, and help make a positive impact on student success.

If you are interested in serving as a community member on the SGC, please email Ms. Rashida Armstrong at armstrongr@fultonschools.org.

We look forward to hearing from you!

As we continue to integrate technology into every facet of our educational experience, the safety and security of our students in the digital space remains a top priority for Fulton County Schools.

This week, the district is launching a new digital safety initiative: Qustodio, a free app designed to help parents monitor and manage their child’s online activity. This powerful tool provides families with greater visibility into how students use both district-issued and personal devices.

On school-issued devices, parents and guardians can view the amount of time their child spends online, the applications being used, and the searches conducted throughout the day. After school hours, they can also set limits and manage usage to support healthy digital habits.

For student personal devices (optional), parents can choose to install Qustodio to monitor usage and set limits at home. The district does not have any visibility or access to data from student or parent/guardian personal devices — that information is visible only to the parent or guardian who installs the app.

This initiative reflects our deep commitment to fostering a safe and responsible digital environment. By encouraging the use of Qustodio, we aim to strengthen the partnership between schools and families, empowering parents with the tools they need to support their children’s online well-being.

We will continue to invest in programs, technologies, and policies that protect our students and promote responsible digital citizenship. Thank you for your continued support as we work together to ensure a secure and enriching learning experience for all.

Activate Your Free Account

Get started today by visiting www.qustodio.com/my-school.

For more information on how to get started, visit the Qustodio Help Center for School-managed devices.

We are excited to announce that Fulton County Schools is transitioning from Online School Payments (OSP) to SchoolCash Online as our new online payment platform.

We encourage all families to register for a SchoolCash Online account as soon as possible and add your student(s) to your account.

Register here:

https://fultonschools.schoolcashonline.com/

Once your student is linked, you will be able to view and pay for school fees and activities online.

PLEASE NOTE: If you are new to Fulton County Schools, it may take a couple of days for your student to appear in the SchoolCash system after enrollment.

IMPORTANT DIFFERENCES BETWEEN SCHOOLCASH ONLINE AND OSP

• With OSP, parents could select a school and view all available school fees and activities.
• With SchoolCash Online, fees and items are assigned directly to individual students.
• When you log in to SchoolCash Online and select your student, you will see all BCMS items currently available for that student.

You may see two types of items on your student's account:

Mandatory Items (examples below)

• Band, Chorus and Orchestra Activity Fee (for the students enrolled those classes)
• Other required course or program fees, as applicable

Optional Items (examples below)

• School dances
• Field trips
• Special events and activities

Please be aware that optional items will automatically be removed from your account once the event date has passed, so we encourage families to make payments before registration deadlines.

We appreciate your patience and support as we make this transition.