BPES Little Titans Newsletter

Dear BPE Families-

We had a great first three days! We are ready to Unleash the Titan Within and have an amazing year. It was extra special today having our Little Titans join us!

A great big thank you to our incredible BPE PTSA for all they do for a staff and students. They started the year off with our Back to School Fest! They are working on our school shirts for the year- we are excited to see them and they were so very helpful with our Little Titans at lunch today and recess.

Seeing all the smiles and hearing all the laughs made our hearts full and set us up for a great year of learning and memories.

BPE Titans- are the BEST!

Mrs. Schneid

Ms. Frimel

Mr. Carnabuci

Attendance Matters

All schools in our district are focusing on attendance because missing even 2 days in September can affect a student’s success for the rest of the year. We’re reaching out early to help families notice absences, identify barriers, and find support. Together, we can build strong attendance habits that lead to academic success!

10 Facts About School Attendance

1. Poor attendance can influence whether children read proficiently by the end of third grade or be held back. Read more... (Elementary)

2. By 6th grade, chronic absence becomes a leading indicator that a student will drop out of high school. Read more… (Middle)

3. When students improve their attendance rates, they improve their academic prospects and chances for graduating. Read more… (High)

4. Absenteeism in the first month of school can predict poor attendance throughout the school year. Half the students who miss 2-4 days in September go on to miss nearly a month of school. Read more...

5. The most recent federal data show that in the 2020-21 school year, at least 14.7 million students nationwide were chronically absent. This means that chronic absence has almost doubled from the more than 8 million students, pre-Covid-19, who were missing so many days of school that they were academically at risk. Read more...

6. Absenteeism and its ill effects start early. Read more...

7. Research shows that missing 10 percent of school days, or about 18 days in most school districts, negatively affects a student’s academic performance. That’s just two days a month and that’s known as chronic absence. Read more...

8. Students who live in communities with high levels of poverty are four times more likely to be chronically absent than others, often for reasons beyond their control, such as unstable housing, unreliable transportation and a lack of access to health care. Read more...

9. Attendance improves when schools engage students and parents in positive ways and when schools provide mentors for chronically absent students. Read more...

Most school districts and states don’t look at all the right data to improve school attendance. They track how many students show up every day and how many are skipping school without an excuse, but not how many are missing so many days in excused and unexcused absence that they are headed off track academically. Read more...

School Fees will be added to student accounts on October 1, 2025. Payments may be made in person at BPE using Cash or Check , or through Infinite Campus. Instructions are provided below.

Families are asked and encouraged to complete the Income Eligibility Verification Application to access additional benefits, including increased state and federal funding for staff, equipment, and supplies; discounts on fees for academic assessments; and access to local scholarships, tuition assistance for dual credit and AP courses, and discounts on college application fees. By completing the application, you help the district continue to provide valuable resources and opportunities for every student.

Online Payments

Online payment is our preferred method for parents and guardians to pay for school fees, cafeteria payments, and more.

The Infinite Campus Online Payment system is a payment processing

solution that allows you to submit food service and school-related fees 24/7

via the Parent Portal. Payments can be made for one child or the entire

household.

The Fees tool provides a list of all fees assigned to you. Fees may include things like a lab fee for a science course, a fee for a field trip or the cost of an athletic activity. Fees that are still owed and fees that were paid appear in this list, followed by the ongoing balance for all fees.

View the Fee Payment tutorial

If you are unable to use the online payment system, please contact the

treasurer's office at (216) 898-8300.

Compass360 PBIS SEL Lessons for K-8

For the 2025-2026 school year, our K-8 classrooms will continue to implement Compass360 lessons as a part of our District's Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) framework. These weekly lessons are specifically designed to nurture our students' emotional growth and interpersonal abilities.

Compass360 directly aligns with the five core competencies identified by the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL):

• Self-Awareness: Students will learn to recognize their emotions and thoughts, understanding how these internal states influence their behavior.

• Self-Management: We'll equip students with practical tools to manage stress, control impulses, and effectively set and achieve personal goals.

• Social Awareness: Lessons will cultivate empathy, encouraging students to understand and appreciate diverse perspectives and backgrounds within their community and beyond.

• Relationship Skills: Students will develop essential communication strategies, learn to work effectively in teams, and gain valuable conflict resolution techniques.

• Responsible Decision-Making: We'll guide students through processes that help them make constructive and ethical choices regarding their personal and social conduct.

Through engaging activities, thoughtful discussions, and regular reflection, Compass360 lessons create a supportive and positive environment where students can grow, both academically and emotionally.

If you have any questions or would like to learn more about the Compass360 lessons, please don't hesitate to reach out to:

• Lori Sancin: lsancin@bereaschools.org

• Meredith Ondak: mondak@bereaschools.org

Breakfast: Breakfast is available from 8:35 AM till 9:00 AM daily

• Students wishing to eat breakfast can enter the building at 8:35 a.m. through the back doors if you are a car rider- Just get out of your car and come on in OR through the front doors if you are a walker

• Bus riders who will be getting breakfast will be released from their bus at 8:40 a.m. If the buses arrive before 8:40 , they will be released at that time.

BPE Arrival: The school day starts at 8:50 a.m. All car riders should wait in their cars until a BPE staff member either opens the door or signals them to exit the car. This typically will be at 8:40. Please pull all the way up so the line keeps moving. We also ask that you DO NOT hop out of line and cut through the parking lot. The traffic flow takes every car around the loop. We would greatly appreciate it everyone could follow this. We all have places to be, please be good role models for our kids.

• Walkers will enter the building through the front doors @ 8:50 and should not arrive to school prior to 8:40- At 8:40 we have staff members on duty.

• Bus Riders will be dismissed from their bus at 8:40 a.m.

• Late students must have an adult come to the office and sign them in.

• The tardy bell rings at 9:00 AM

Dismissal: Student dismissal will begin at 3:40 p.m.

• All walkers will exit the building through our front doors. Students meet their adults out front or follow the sidewalks and cross at the designated and safe crossing areas.

• Parents, please wait off to the side away from the front doors.

• All bus riders will exit as the buses arrive. Students will walk safely in a line following their Safety Patrol Leader to get on their bus.

• Cars should not arrive any earlier than 3:15 p.m. for dismissal. Parents must remain in their car. Car riders will start to exit in the back at 3:40. The students remain inside in the gym as we call their car number.

• All drivers must have a car number tag

• Parents REMAIN in their cars- do not get out, the kids come to you and get in the card

• PLEASE note- getting over 400 car riders out safely is something we take very seriously. The line is long! It does mover quicker each day, as the Kindergarten students know the routine and learn their numbers. But, it will take time. If your child is able to take the bus, we highly encourage you to have them ride the bus.

• I always share- if we can wait in line at Cedar Point for Top Thrill 2 for 3 hours , we can wait 25 minutes or less in the car line for our most precious thing- our kids.

• Please be kind !

If you are changing a dismissal plan on any given day, please call the office before 3:00 so that we make sure your child knows in a timely manner.

• If you had a car tag last year, you are expected to use it again this year. It stays with your child(ren) their entire time at BPE. If you are new to BPE or have a Kindergarten student, Mr. Carnabuci has been connected car riders with new tags. They would have gone home with your child during our 1:1 . If you did not receive one, please contact the office.

• If you were not a car rider last year and need one this year, contact the office and we will get you one. On the reverse, if you do not need your tag we would appreciate it if you turned it into the office ASAP or send it into school with your child.

Highly Suggested

• We highly suggest that parents park across the street and have students walk to them if they are planning to not be in the pick up line. They must cross at the crosswalk with the crossing guard. ALL parents, when parking in the front lot must be legally parked in a spot and the child must be walked by the adult/guardian to the car if they are parked in a spot.

Walking

• We suggest you set up a safe routine with your child(ren) from day 1 that follows our school wide expectations. We want all our children to exit the building each day safely and arrive home safe.

BIKES

• If riding their bike, it is highly recommended that they wear a helmet. All bike riders MUST walk their bike while on school property and have a lock to secure their bike during the day

For the safety of students, staff and visitors, no dogs are permitted on school property during regular school hours or during arrival/dismissal times unless they are part of an approved visit/program. Families walking students to and/or from school should not bring dogs on the property to drop students off or pick them up.

9/2 NO SCHOOL - Labor Day

9/8 School Picture Day- see details below

Click the Link for Important Chromebook Information

Important Chromebook Information for Parents and Students

The OLR annual update MUST be completed!

To do so, access the Infinite Campus Parent Portal through the Berea City Schools website and click on POPULAR in the upper right hand corner.

After logging into the Parent Portal, click on MORE in the lower left corner; then scroll down to choose Online Registration and Update. We ask that you go through each section of the application updating all data or missing information. Once complete, click on the SUBMIT button.

Thank you for your attention to this important information. If you have any questions about your Parent Portal account or the Online Registration and Update, please call our school office.

Infinite Campus Annual Update Help

1. Go to https://www.berea.k12.oh.us/

2. Click on the POPULAR link on the upper right and select the Parent Portal icon.

3. Log in to the portal

4. Once logged in, click on More

5. Choose Online Registration and Update
6. Click here to go to Existing Student Registration

7. Read and Confirm the information by typing your name in the box.

8. Use the mouse to sign your name on the line below the box.

9. Click "Submit" and "Begin"

10. Review, update and add information at each prompt using the Next and Save/Continue buttons to proceed.

11. Complete/update each existing student's information.

12. Add any non-enrolled children that will be starting school during the 2024-25 SY,

13. If any of your information on the summary page is highlighted in yellow, you have missed a required field and must edit to go back in and update.

14. Once Done. Click "Submit." There is an option to print the registration on this page.

15. You will receive an email confirmation shortly after your registration is submitted.

NOTES: Since this is an Annual Update, unless you have moved or legal custody has changed, you do not need to upload any documents. All other uploads are only for an existing family adding a new student.

The process CANNOT be successfully completed on a mobile or tablet device.

**If you need assistance, please call the Office of Registration 216-898-8300 or complete the Portal Request form icportalsupport

All students will once again receive free breakfast and lunch, regardless of income.

This is a continuation of the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) of the National School Lunch Program and School Breakfast Program, and all students will be automatically enrolled.

The CEP is free for eligible public school districts to participate in. Districts must apply through the state, which involves calculating and submitting a percentage of students who are identified as eligible for school meals for any reason other than a free and reduced student meal application. If the percentage is 25% or higher, the district is eligible. Schools participating in the program will be partially reimbursed for each meal served. The CEP also eliminates any stigma associated with free or reduced-price meals, promoting equality and fostering a supportive atmosphere for all students.

The free meal will be the set meal for each day, although additional items will still be available for purchase. Parents are encouraged to contact Carrie Beegle at cbeegle@bereaschools.org or 216-267-2142 to discuss food allergies, special dietary needs, and any specific requirements their children may have.

This initiative reflects Berea City School District's dedication to ensuring that every student has access to nutritious meals, which is essential for their health and academic performance.

Parents may continue to deposit money into their students’ accounts using Infinite Campus Food Service at any time during the school year. Please make checks payable to the school cafeteria, and funds can be dropped off in the school office or sent in with your student. Funds may also be added to your student’s account using the online site. There is a minimal charge to use this feature. It is always free to view your student’s account. Please allow at least 30 minutes for the online payment to appear in your student’s account.

Families are asked and encouraged to complete the Income Eligibility Verification Application (FORM WILL BE AVAILABLE IN AUGUST) to access additional benefits, including increased state and federal funding for staff, equipment, and supplies; discounts on fees for academic assessments; and access to local scholarships, tuition assistance for dual credit and AP courses, and discounts on college application fees. By completing the application, you help the district continue to provide valuable resources and opportunities for every student.

We will be serving the warm breakfast choice downstairs and the additional option, such as, cereal with cheese stick or Pop Tart with cheese stick upstairs. Please take time to discuss with your child which option they may be selecting so that they know to go upstairs or downstairs.

Our BPE staff will be there to assist and direct students daily.

Breakfast/Lunch Menu

Welcome back!!!! I hope everyone had a great summer with friends and family!!!!

We wanted to take some time to cover our expectations in Physical Education this year. To

keep everyone safe in the gymnasium environment students are not allowed to have gum,

candy, water bottles, or any type of food while participating in PE. Students will not be allowed

to wear any type of hat or hood in class unless students are participating in a school wide event

such as hat day. We also encourage that all parents know which days your child has Physical

Education (see chart below), so they can wear proper clothing and shoes for class. Items like

dresses, crocs, skirts (please wear shorts under them), and jeans make it very difficult to

participate in class. We are also hoping you can support our curriculum by reminding your child

that PE class is not a competition, but a learning environment where students can build

confidence and knowledge in our content area.

We are very excited about the school year and we are looking forward to having fun and

learning all the routines and procedures over the next couple of weeks. If you have any

questions or concerns please feel free to contact us here at BPE or email anytime.

Welcome back!!!!

Mr. S and Ms. Weiss

Brook Park Elementary

Physical Education

Ext. 7202

aschieferstein@bereaschools.org (Mr. S)

cweiss@bereaschools.org (Ms. Weiss)

If you have medication to drop off to our school clinic, please have this form completed and bring the medication in to the nurses from 8:45am-3:45pm . Prescription and Nonprescription Medication/Treatment Authorization Form

Right- At- School-Before&After

Berea City Schools partners with Right At School to provide before and after school enrichment for grades K-5 at our 3 elementary buildings. Right At School provides safe, engaging and meaningful in-school and extracurricular programs to enrich the lives of students, give parents peace of mind and enable schools to focus on their academic mission. The fee-based services offer a curriculum that features hands-on learning, multi-sensory activities, child-driven projects, daily fitness, team building, and leadership development. There are a variety of options offered to accommodate family needs.

For more information or to enroll, please visit the Berea City School District Right At School information website https://www.rightatschool.com/districts/berea-oh/