BES Newsletter

PTO Meeting: Thursday, April 9 at 6:30

Kindergarten Registration: Thursday, April 9 at BAHS (11:30-6)

1st Grade Field Trip: Friday, April 10 - Reptileland

Kindergarten Field Trip: Monday, April 13

Book Fair (online): March 30 - April 12

Spring Dates:

Career Day - Thursday, May 7

Curiosity Cube - Friday, May 15

BES Farewell Event - Thursday, May 21

K-2 Field Day - Thursday, May 28

3-5 Field Day - Friday, May 29

5th Grade Breakfast - Tuesday, June 2 (last day of school)

We know that some students benefit from having tools to help them focus. We both support and encourage that practice. However, we have seen an increase in students using them as "toys" during class rather than "tools" to help them focus. We ask that if your child is bringing fidgets to school, you please reinforce with them to use them appropriately and also bring appropriate tools to school. Below are some general guidelines to help everyone understand what is appropriate for school:

• Silent: Should not click, pop or make noise that can distract others
• Discreet: Should fit in the palm of the hand and preferably remain out of sight
• Non-Distracting: Should not be something that is thrown, traded, or played with like a toy. Items like this distract the student learning and cause additional issues in class.

If a student has an item that is distracting themselves or others from learning during class, they will be asked to put it away and not bring it back to school. Thank you for your help with this!

Thank you to everyone who came out to Math and Art Night last week! We had a great time seeing everyone. We do have some extra math activity bags if anyone would like one. Each bag has some materials to do math activities with your kids at home and directions on how to use each set. If you would like one sent home with your student, please email Mr. Cipro at ccipro@basd.net and we will get one sent home.

Unfortunately, we have not received the official occupancy permit for the building yet. We are told however that we are close. As a result, we have to move kindergarten registration to the high school. This will allow the staff members of both Bellefonte and Benner to come together to put on the event and meet all of the students. We are hopeful that we will still be able hold the second date in May at the new building.

Most of the furniture is now put together. Once things get a little more organized I'll share some classroom pictures with you. I have included three more pictures for you below:

We want you to enjoy the sun, but we have to talk about the downside: sunburns. They are more than just a temporary sting.

Did you know? The risk of melanoma (the deadliest type of skin cancer) triples if you get sunburnt just once every two years. Sun damage also causes skin to age faster and is the leading cause of the three most common types of skin cancer.

Your Sun-Safety Checklist:

Before you head out to the park or the pool, follow these pro-tips to keep your skin protected:

Sunscreen is a Must!

• Go Broad-Spectrum: Look for "broad-spectrum" labels with SPF 15 or higher.

• Apply Thick & Often: Apply a generous layer to all exposed skin. Reapply every 2 hours, or immediately after swimming, sweating, or toweling off.

• Check the Date: Sunscreen expires! If there’s no date on the bottle, it’s usually only good for 3 years. When in doubt, swap it out.

Dress the Part

• Cover Up: Choose long sleeves, long pants, or a beach cover-up when possible.

• The Right Hat: Pick a hat made of tightly woven fabric (like canvas). Avoid hats with holes that let light through—and don’t forget to put sunscreen on your ears and neck!

• Protect Your Eyes: Wear sunglasses that block both UVA and UVB rays.

Seek the Shade

Even if you’re wearing sunscreen and protective gear, your best bet is to hang out in the shade whenever you can!

Stay safe, stay hydrated, and have a fantastic (sunburn-free) summer!

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 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 21-23

Math - April 27 - 28

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

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