Bobcat Bulletin
April 2026
Principal's Message
Good Afternoon Ballenger Creek Families!
It’s hard to believe that we have completed three quarters thus far and after a well needed break, we return for a busy final two months of school. We wrapped up the quarter with our Special Awards, where students and classes were recognized for their efforts each day during specials, this is always a time to celebrate our students. In addition, we celebrated our third quarter Bobcat Best Award winners, thank you to all the families who attended and celebrated our students’ efforts.
I am hopeful that you and your family are able to enjoy a slower pace next week as well as spend some extended time with your family. Spring Break is always a time for me to reflect and recharge, and our family will be heading to the beach for a few days of relaxation.
Please join me in supporting the PTA Booster-thon, which kicks off this week. We are excited for all the exciting activities they have planned as part of the fundraiser. The glow run sounds amazing for our students and all the funds go directly to support the students at Ballenger Creek. Take a minute to read the updated information from the PTA listed below.
As a reminder FCPS has officially identified Tuesday, June 16th as the last day of school, ending with a 2-hour early dismissal. Please mark your calendars of this update. After spring break, we will be sharing a detailed calendar of end of the year events with families, the calendar is full and we want each of you to be aware of all that’s happening. Have a wonderful spring break!
Sincerely,
Jonathan Davis
Principal, Ballenger Creek Elementary School
Important School Dates
- April 2: Report Cards Issued
- April 3 - April 10: Spring Break, Schools Closed
- April 14: PTA meeting 6:30-7:30
- April 17: Booster-a-Thon Glow Celebration All Day Celebration
- April 24: Spirit Day: Crazy Hair and/or Socks
Ballenger Creek GlowRun Fundraiser
Ballenger Creek Elementary Families,
We are excited to announce the upcoming kickoff of our Ballenger Creek GlowRun fundraiser! This fundraiser serves as the school PTA's main funding source of the year. The fundraising link will be open on April 3rd, and our goal is to raise $12,000 for our school’s resources, event support, and to provide our students with the best possible educational experience.
This year, we are raising funds for student assemblies, teacher appreciation, field trips, and end-of-year events for students and staff.
Students and families will raise money through MyBooster.com, and on race day, each grade level will participate in a GlowRun. If we collectively hit our $15,000 goal, all students will be treated to a Popsicle Party on our Boosterthon race day, April 17th!! (PLUS many other prizes are up for grabs!)
We NEED all families to…
1️⃣ Sign up TODAY at MyBooster.com
2️⃣ Share about our fundraiser with friends and family
3️⃣ Donate if you are able
T-shirts for the event will be provided for each student and will be arriving in time for the kids to wear.
Stay tuned for more information and the full list of prizes! We’re excited to see the kids GLOW!
MCAP Testing
Dear 3rd, 4th, and 5th Grade Families,
We want to inform you of the upcoming dates for the Maryland Comprehensive Assessment Program (MCAP) for all 3rd-5th grade students. The MCAP assessment window will begin the week when students return from Spring Break, which will occur April 16th - May 15th. The MCAP assessments will consist of four, 40-minute math sessions and four, 70-minute ELA sessions.
During the MCAP testing window, we kindly ask that you help your child get plenty of rest each night and arrive at school on time. If a student is absent or unable to complete a session, they will be required to make up the missed portion on a later date.
We appreciate your continued support during this important testing period. If you have any questions regarding the assessment, please feel free to contact Candace King, Assistant Principal, at candace.king@fcps.org.
Select the button below to join in our BCES spirit wear fun throughout the year!
Select the buttons below to read more about the importance of attendance!
Family Handbook & Monthly Grade Level Newsletters
2025-2026 FCPS Volunteer Training and Registration is Open
Frederick County Public Schools (FCPS) is thrilled to partner with family and community members who are interested in joining efforts to support our students and schools with their time and talents by way of volunteering. Last year, we welcomed over 12,700 volunteers into our school system contributing over 76,550 volunteer hours. THANK YOU!
This year, FCPS collected the feedback from our volunteers and staff to modify the volunteer process, while prioritizing the safety and security of our students, staff and community. As a result, we have streamlined the process of registration and training to be completed by all volunteers across the county. All volunteers will be equipped with the necessary information they need to partner with our schools.
Family and community members interested in volunteering should begin the volunteer process by visiting our FCPS Volunteer Webpage (select the sta image to access the webpage). Applicants will be directed to:
1. Complete a registration form.
2. Complete a training module on Unified Talent.
3. Await school approval on application.
4. Sign-up for volunteer opportunities facilitated by individual schools.
*Complete ONE registration form only per person. Additional school selections may be added after original approval.
Please note: To avoid delays, you must complete the registration form and training using the exact same full name and email address each time. Do not use nicknames, abbreviations, hyphen variations, or alternate spellings or email addresses.
The volunteer registration and training process is completed annually for each school year. Volunteers must complete the process before being signed up for volunteer opportunities. FCPS encourages family and community members interested in volunteering to complete the process early as processing times can vary.
For technical support in Unified Talent, volunteer applicants may contact unifiedtalent@fcps.org. For all other volunteer related questions, volunteer applicants may contact: FCPSVolunteers@fcps.org. FCPS is grateful for the generous support from our family and community volunteers.
For more information on the volunteer program and process, please see our FCPS Volunteer Handbook.
Ballenger Creek Administration
Email Contact Information:
- Jonathan Davis, Principal- Jonathan.Davis1@fcps.org
- Candace King, Assistant Principal- Candace.King@fcps.org
Website: https://education.fcps.org/bces/home
Location: 5250 Kingsbrook Drive, Frederick, MD, USA
Phone: 227-203-1880