Branchville Bulletin

Dear Branchville Community,

We ran, we celebrated, we ate, and most importantly, we…Boogied. The Beaver Boogie, this parent and PTA-run event, is not just a fundraiser; it is our rallying point! Thank you to the scores of parent volunteers and the PTA Beaver Boogie committee led by Emily Levi and Kelly Blue. They have spent a year getting this event ready, and it was a resounding success. To celebrate our success, we will hold a whole-school PJ Day on November 6th!

Halloween this past Friday, our Veterans Day celebration on 11/10, our Town Hall celebration on 11/13, and parent-teacher conferences around the corner, we have a lot going on over these weeks. We love these opportunities to honor others, celebrate our community, and share your child’s day with you.

Please read the new articles below carefully. They include opportunities, good-to-knows, important safety messages, and a lot of new content.

Happy November, and thank you for your partnership,

Keith L. Margolus

Principal

Dear Branchville Community,

As was described in the October 4th Branchville Bulletin, all Ridgefield elementary schools participate in the No Place for Hate (NPFH) program, sponsored by the Anti-Defamation League (ADL). We are proud to join our middle and high schools, which have participated in this initiative for several years. No Place for Hate empowers students to help create a safe, inclusive school community where everyone feels valued, respected, and a sense of belonging. This mission aligns beautifully with our schoolwide approach to behavior and our slogan, BES C.A.R.E.S. to Choose Kind! C.A.R.E.S. stands for Cooperative, Assertive, Responsible, Empathetic, and Self-Control—values that guide how we treat one another and contribute to our school community.

As we kick off this year's No Place for Hate initiative at Branchville, we are excited to introduce our first activity, which invites students to learn about their own family traditions, celebrate what makes each of us and our families unique, and build meaningful connections with others.

We will kick off this initiative at our inaugural Town Hall meeting on November 13, which coincides with World Kindness Day. During the assembly, we will explore what it means to “Be a Branchville Beaver,” discuss how we can put our C.A.R.E.S. values into action, and reflect on the important role each of us plays in making Branchville a No Place for Hate school. Each student in class will follow up with an opportunity to sign a pledge to be a school that C.A.R.E.S and that we are a school where there is No Place to Hate.

We invite all Branchville families to participate! We encourage you to talk together at home about a special family tradition, celebration, favorite meal, holiday, or activity that is meaningful to your family. We encourage students to share their traditions with their classmates so we can learn about one another, celebrate the many experiences that make our community special, and discover the connections we share. Traditions can reflect cultural backgrounds, family histories, or everyday routines. There is no one right way to participate—every family has a story worth sharing! We look forward to beginning this important work together and continuing to build a Branchville community where everyone feels welcome, included, and valued.

Beavers Choose Kind. Beavers Show C.A.R.E.S.

Warmly,

The BES 1RPS Teacher Committee

School starts at 8:35. The parent drop-off window is 8:25-3:35.

After 8:35, staff need to report to classrooms and support students, so we cannot staff the arrival area. With that in mind, if you drop off after the drop-off lane closes, please park in a parking spot and walk your child to security. It is not safe to drop off your child and have them walk to the front door alone.

If you plan to visit BES

Limited parking is often available in the front lot.

• Consider parking on the grassy area to the left of the front entrance.

• When necessary, you may park (head-in or tail-in) on the incline grassy area as you approach BES, adjacent to the playground (ensure your car is entirely off the road; consider setting your parking brake).

• For events, we will open the front playground auxiliary parking lot and back playground parking lot when possible.

• If you park on the street, RPD may ticket you. Parking on the street is at your own risk; any expenses, tickets, towing, damages, etc., are the vehicle owner’s responsibility.

• Cars that block traffic may be towed at the owner's expense.

• Parking on the NON-school side is strictly prohibited.

• Carpooling is encouraged.

In November, we will hold formal parent-teacher conferences.

Our parent-teacher conferences will occur on November 20, November 23, and November 24. The elementary schools have early dismissal on these dates to hold conferences. We also have an evening option for conferences on November 23. Fall conferences are scheduled for twenty-minute sessions. Teachers will reach out in the coming week to plan your conference.

Cold season is here. See below for symptoms that mean your child should stay home from school. If you are seeking futher guidance, here is a good resourece for parents.

Please remember that children typically go outdoors every day for recess unless the weather/temperature is unusually severe, with a "real feel" nearing the single digits.

When temperatures drop below 40 degrees, students should wear a warm top layer (coat, heavy sweater, thick hoodie with underlayers), hats, and gloves. Pants or shorts with underlayers should also be worn. Dressing in layers is the best option.

While this not in the forcast, when snow is on the ground, snow pants and boots are required for students to play in the snow (basically anywhere other than the pavement).

If desired, please complete the Medical Permissions section of PowerSchool (shown below) granting permission for your child(ren) to receive acetaminophen (Tylenol) and/or ibuprofen (Motrin / Advil) if needed at school. Please note: This is an annual election and must be renewed each year, for each child individually.

Please contact our school nurse Katie Rohrer krohrer@ridgefieldps.net or call the main office at 203-894-5853 if you have any questions about medication.

Please ensure that your contact and emergency contact information in PowerSchool is complete, accurate, and up to date. It will be used to contact you in the event of an emergency, illness or injury at school.

Each November, we honor the veterans who have touched our lives with an assembly.

Branchville will hold a Veterans Day ceremony in the cafeteria on November 10th at 9:00 a.m. Students are encouraged to wear red, white and blue.

Students in kindergarten and first grade will sing to our veterans as they parade out of the library. Students in grades 2-5 will participate in a ceremony lasting approximately one hour.

This ceremony is open ONLY to students, staff, and the family of a veteran being honored. We do not have the capacity to welcome other parents.

Branchville school psychologist Dr. Matt Annunziata and district evaluator, psychologist, and lead facilitator Katie Greges will shared strategies to help children manage BIG feelings. Above or here you can view their presentation including the slides that have helpful strategies for parents.

RPS distribution flyers for outside groups via a Digital Backpack.

Organizations that meet the RPS policy may submit their request for inclusion in the digital backpack. Please help us in our effort to go green by checking students' Digital Backpacks Organizations that meet the RPS policy may submit their request for inclusion to cmelagrano@ridgefieldps.net. Thank you!

Visiting BES

If you are visiting BES, one way to expedite the entry process is to fill out this form or use the QR code in advance of your planned visit (e.g., teacher meeting, PTA meeting, mystery reader, library, or art volunteer). Your badge will be waiting for you when you arrive. If you have something to drop off for your child during the school day, such as a forgotten lunch or instrument, please place the item on the table located outside the entrance.

• When you arrive to enter the building, we ask that you press the video doorbell button and identify yourself. You will then be granted access to the vestibule.
• Once in the vestibule, please do NOT hold the door open for a different guest entering the building. We cannot open the second set of doors until you are inside the vestibule. While this may be inconvenient and feel impolite, we are standardizing access to the buildings across the district so that everyone knows what to expect.

For visits to BES during the school day, I recommend arriving early, as it takes some time to process your visitor badge. For a visit that is not arranged in advance, calling the main office ahead of time is a helpful practice.

For a comprehensive list of upcoming events, please see the calendars below.

RPS Events Calendar

Rotational Calendar

PTA Events Calendar

To withhold directory and media publications (including Instagram) please follow this path when you are logged in to PowerSchool.

• On the left-hand side please click on "Demographic Change."

• A number of tabs will appear. Click on "Directory & Media OptOut.

Keith L Margolus

Principal

kmargolus@ridgefieldps.net

Website: https://bes.ridgefield.org/Home
Location: 40 Florida Road, Ridgefield, CT, USA
Phone: 203.894.5850