Bethany Community School

We had a great start to the week! On Tuesday, our students and staff completed a successful fire drill, moving calmly and safely just as we practiced. Thank you to everyone for taking these important routines seriously.

We also want to share how much joy we see every day! Each morning, our students are coming in happy and ready to learn, and it makes a wonderful difference in our classrooms and hallways. Thank you for the support you give at home!

Reminders for Next Week:

Parent-Teacher Conferences: Conferences take place next week. Please check your scheduled conference time. This is a great chance to connect with your child’s teacher and celebrate their progress.

Scholastic Book Fair: The Book Fair is coming to BCS next week! Students will attend the book fair with their classroom to find their next favorite book. It’s a perfect pairing with conferences, so be sure to browse while you’re here. As a reminder, if your student forgets money on their classroom's scheduled day, don't worry, the Book Fair is open Tuesday-Friday morning. Your student can fill out a wish-list and then go back when they bring in their money.

Thank you for being such a vital part of our school community. We look forward to seeing you next week!

Our very own BCS kindergarten student, Gabriela “Gabby” Hom has been diagnosed with leukemia and is hospitalized after also developing complications. We are encouraged to hear that her condition is improving everyday. With her family’s permission, we are sharing this news and asking our BCS community to surround Gabby and her family with care. A donation, a message of encouragement, or simply keeping them in your thoughts can offer support during this difficult time. Thank you BCS 💙

If you would like to submit a Wall of Honor picture, don't forget to email a picture of your Veteran and the following information:

Military Branch

BCS student's name & their relation to our BCS student

Additional information: Rank, job, awards

email: ahubball@bethany-ed.org

We are thrilled to share that the ESS Art Contest 2027 is officially live and we are taking submissions for your students’ creative artwork and ideas!

Contest Details at a Glance:

• Who Can Enter: Public and charter school students in grades K–12 across the continental United States.
• This Year’s Theme: “Once upon a school day, a fairy tale came to life. What happened next?” This theme can be interpreted anyway students like and in any media they choose!
• How to Enter: Students can submit an original traditional or digital drawing or painting inspired by the theme.
• Submission Deadline: December 13th at 8:00 PM ET.
• Public Voting: The top five finalists in each grade group will be featured on ESS’ Facebook and Instagram during the week of January 25th, with voting closing January 31st at 8:00 PM ET.
• Winners Announced: February 3rd!

And the best part? Winning students will receive a $500 American Express gift card, and their school will receive an additional $500!

Mrs. Hubball's email: ahubball@bethany-ed.org

Treasurer Erick Russell, Trustee of the Connecticut Higher Education Trust (CHET), has announced that the 2026 CHET Dream Big! Competition will run from August 19, 2026, through November 6, 2026. The competition is open to all Connecticut residents in grades K-12. As part of the Dream Big! Competition, students in grades K-12 submit essays, videos, and artwork based on a question about their dreams or how they can help their communities. This year, $350,000 in prizes will be awarded as CHET 529 College Savings Plan Account contributions, along with technology prizes to Connecticut schools. Three students will each be awarded $20,000 prizes, 24 will each be awarded $5,000 prizes, and 240 will each be awarded $500 prizes. Please visit chetdreambig.com and click on Official Contest Rules (PDF) for more information on prize structure and awards.

The PTO has a wide variety of fun events planned this year—and we’d love for you to be part of it! Whether you're looking to volunteer, meet other families, or just stay in the loop, there are so many ways to get involved.

To stay up to date on upcoming events and volunteer opportunities, be sure to sign up on our PTO Board: https://bcspto.ptboard.com/, and follow us on Facebook.

If you’re interested in volunteering or have an idea to share, please don’t hesitate to reach out. I’d love to hear from you and help you find opportunities that match your interests and availability.

Thank you to everyone who supports our PTO by staying involved—we truly appreciate you!

Bethany Community School

44 Peck Road

Bethany, CT 06524

Phone (203) 393-3350

Website - https://www.bethany-ed.org/

Principal - Jackie Nathman jnathman@bethany-ed.org

Assistant Principal - Alesha Hubball ahubball@bethany-ed.org