BES Newsletter

Costume Parade and Classroom Parties - Friday, October 30 (1:15 pm)

PTO Trunk or Treat - Friday October 30 (6-7:30)

Picture Makeup Day - Friday, November 6

On Friday, October 30, your child may bring their costume to school for the parade. Students will be given time to change into their costumes prior to the parade and classroom party. Parents are not permitted to come in to help their child change into their costumes.

All Halloween costumes should still follow the school dress code. The dress code can be found on page 39 of the BASD Elementary Student/Parent/Guardian Handbook.

No weapons or replica/look alike weapons of any kind can be part of a student's costume here at school. This includes all types of toy guns, swords, projectiles, etc... For more information on this topic, you can view the district weapons policy by clicking here.

We also ask that costumes avoid excessive makeup and that costumes are able to be put on quickly overtop of clothes and do not require a change of clothing. Our bathrooms cannot accommodate large numbers of students needing to change in a short period of time.

If you are unsure of whether your child's costume or an item on their costume is appropriate for school, or just have any general questions, please contact Mr. Baughman or Mr. Park.

Weather permitting, our annual costume parade will be held outside with parents/guardians/family members being invited to observe. If weather does not allow for this, the parade will be held inside and will be for students only. We will communicate with you closer to the date. The details are below:

Time: Approximately 1:15 pm

Length: Approximately 20-25 minutes

Location and route: Bellefonte Elementary School, parade route is outlined in orange below. Students will come out through the main entrance, marked by the pumpkin, and go left around the building. They will enter the building through the door at the end of the third grade wing, where the arrows end. Students will make one pass around the parade route before re-entering the building and returning to their classrooms for their parties.

Parade Order: Kindergarten will lead the parade with each grade level following in order through 5th grade. The students will make one loop and then go back into the school for their classroom parties.

Parking: Parking is limited, so if you come to view the parade, you can park in the grass along the road where you are able to. You may also park at Governor's Park and walk over.

Live Streaming: If you are unable to make it here for the parade, we will be streaming it live on our Facebook page. If the parade gets moved inside due to weather, everyone will be able to view the parade on the live stream.

Refreshments: We will have free cups of apple cider for anyone who comes to view the parade. If it's a chilly afternoon, which sometimes it is here in late October, it will be warm apple cider.

Security: Officer Rossman coordinates additional police presence for events like these that take place outside.

Dear Bellefonte Elementary Families,

We are excited to share some information about this year’s Winter Concert! Because our school has grown so much, we are making some changes to the format of the concert so that we can provide meaningful performance opportunities for all of our students while also working within the space available to us.

Grades 3–5

Students in grades 3–5 will participate in an evening concert similar to those we have held in the past.

Date: December 16
Time: 7:00 p.m.
Location: Bellefonte High School Auditorium

Each grade will perform a song, followed by a group finale. Fifth grade students will also have the opportunity to audition for speaking roles as part of the performance. Students will travel to the high school for a rehearsal during the school day on December 16.

Grades K–2

This year, students in grades K–2 will participate in a daytime Winter Concert performance rather than a separate evening concert.

On the afternoon of December 16, K–2 students will travel to the Bellefonte High School Auditorium for a special performance during the school day. Families will be invited to attend and watch their children perform!

We recognize that this format is different from our traditional evening concerts, but we are excited about the opportunity to give our youngest students a performance experience in a way that works well for our growing school community. The K–2 performance will also be recorded for families who are unable to attend in person.

More specific information, including the performance time and additional details about attendance and parking, will be shared with families as we get closer to December 16.

Thank you for your flexibility and support as we make these changes. We are looking forward to sharing our students’ hard work with you this winter!

Sincerely,
Miss Arnoldi
Bellefonte Elementary Music

The rubber surface is finally down on the playground. The contractors just have to put a final coating on it and let it cure. We are told that the kids should be able to be on it by the end of the week or early next week. Fingers crossed!

This is just a reminder to use beatt@basd.net for all attendance matters. The old bnatt@basd.net is no longer monitored.

You can also send a check in with your student made out to Bellefonte Area School District. Please send these checks in an envelope clearly marked for the cafeteria.

Free and reduced lunch applications will be accepted throughout the school year. Even if you have completed this form in the past, you will need to complete it at the beginning of each school year. You only need to fill out one form per family. You can find it by going to the BASD website: Menu > Parents > Food Services > Free and Reduced meals.

The school lunch menu for October is posted below.

Big Smiles Coming to Our School!

The Smile Programs Mobile Dentist is pulling up to our school soon, bringing convenient, top-quality dental care right to our doorstep!

Having healthy teeth is essential for overall wellness and helps our students stay focused, confident, and ready to learn. Best of all, this in-school program saves parents time and time off work by taking care of routine checkups during the school day.

Services Offered:

• Comprehensive dental exams and gentle cleanings

• X-rays

• Fluoride treatments and protective sealants

• Restorative care (like fillings), if needed

Dates & Location:

• When: December 4th

• Where: Right here at Bellefonte Elementary School

How to Sign Up: Participation is completely optional, but permission forms must be submitted in advance.

1. Online: Visit My School Dentist to fill out the digital consent form in just a few minutes.

2. Paper Form: Fill out and sign the permission form sent home in your student’s folder, then return it to your child's teacher or the school nurse by October 30th.

Payment & Coverage: The program accepts Medicaid, CHIP, and most private insurance plans, which often cover these preventive services at 100%. Don't have dental insurance? Financial assistance programs are available to ensure every child can participate.

Don't miss this easy opportunity to keep your child's smile bright and healthy. Sign up today!

The updated 2026-27 Student/Parent/Guardian Handbook can be found by clicking below:

Elementary School Handbook

• Remember to turn in a written excuse any time 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.
• If your child will have any sort of extended absence, it is helpful to email their teachers to make them aware.

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 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

• 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

108 Governors Park Road

Bellefonte, PA 16823

Website: https://www.basd.net/Domain/388

Phone: 814-355-5519

Fax: 814-353-5338

Attendance Email: beatt@basd.net