Bobcat Bulletin

Good Afternoon Ballenger Creek Families!

What a wonderful way to wrap up a busy May with an outstanding Field Day! We could not have done it without the support of so many parents and former students who volunteered to run our 30 different stations. Your enthusiasm and encouragement helped make the day such a fun and memorable experience for our students. Thank you for helping make Field Day such a success!

As a reminder, the last day of school is June 16th, with a two-hour early dismissal at 1:45 PM. We have many exciting events planned over the next few weeks, including Penny Wars, Bobcat Best Celebrations, cultural arts programs, the PTA Spring Carnival, “Mr. Davis Gets Duct Taped to the Wall,” and end-of-year class parties (additional information will be shared by classroom teachers).

We are looking forward to a fun-filled and memorable end to the school year!

Sincerely,

Jonathan Davis

Principal, Ballenger Creek Elementary School

• June 1- June 5: Penny Wars!
• June 4 & June 5: Smile Mobile Dentist
• June 5: PreK Field Day; PTA: Spring Carnival 5:30-7:30 pm; Spirit Day: Sunglasses and vacation shirts
• June 9: Bobcat Best Celebration: Kindergarten, 5th, and 2nd grade; PreK Promotion
• June 11: Bobcat Best Celebration: 3rd, 1st, and 4th grade; 5th grade Picnic at Ballenger Park
• June 15: 5th Grade Promotion 4:45-5:45 pm
• June 16: Last Day of School for Students; 2 Hour Early Dismissal
• June 17: Last Day for Teachers

Quarter 4 Bobcat Best Celebrations

We are thrilled to host our Quarter 4 Bobcat Best Celebrations! These special grade-level events will honor the remarkable accomplishments and growth of our students, as well as the invaluable support and dedication of our families. Please note that invitations will be sent to the families of the students who will be receiving an award.

• Tuesday, June 9th

  • 9:20 AM - Kindergarten

  • 10:00 AM -Pre-K Promotion and Bobcat Best Celebration

  • 2:00 PM - 5th Grade

  • 2:50 PM - 2nd Grade

  
  

  Thursday, June 11th

  • 10:00 AM - 3rd Grade

  • 2:00 PM - 1st Grade

  • 2:50 PM - 4th Grade

  • 
    

Thank you for being an integral part of your child’s education. We look forward to celebrating together and honoring the outstanding efforts of our BCES Bobcats!

Dear BCES Families,

As the school year comes to a close, the BCES PTA would like to thank our amazing students, families, staff, volunteers, and school community for an incredible first year working together. We are truly grateful for all of the support, encouragement, and partnerships throughout the year. Thank you for helping make this year so special for our school community! As we wrap up the school year, we wanted to share information about our final two PTA-sponsored events and activities of the year.

BCES PTA Penny Wars
The BCES PTA Penny Wars fundraiser starts Monday, June 1 and runs through Friday, June 5! Students can help their grade level climb the leaderboard by bringing in spare change each morning during Penny Wars week. Total school goal is $3,500.00. Students will bring change to their classrooms daily, and PTA volunteers will collect donations from each classroom between 9:15–10:00 AM each morning. Electronic payments are also accepted by Zeffy. A live grade-level tracker will be displayed in the front office windows, so students can watch the competition grow throughout the week! Each student in the winning grade gets a gift card for a free two-scoop ice cream.

BCES Spring Carnival
Join us on Friday, June 5 from 5:30 PM – 7:30 PM for the BCES Spring Carnival! We will have a foam station, food trucks, games, crafts, resource tables featuring summer activities and information for families, and more. Stay tuned for additional details as the event gets closer. All are welcome!

Thank you again for an amazing school year, BCES Bobcats!

BCES PTA

Dear families,

Get ready—the Scholastic Book Fair is coming to our school June 1st - 5th! This is a great opportunity to build your child’s home library with new books they’ll dive into again and again. The easiest way to let your child shop the Fair independently is by creating an eWallet. It’s easy to set up and easy for others to add funds. Create an eWallet, and you’ll also have the opportunity to contribute to Share the Fair - the giving program that supports students at our school who need help buying books. Consider participating so that no child leaves the Fair empty-handed!

Students will be able to make purchases during school hours. A wish list will be sent home with the day their class can make purchases. Cash and credit will be accepted, no checks please. Additionally, Pre-K students will not be making purchases during school hours, please come during the hours after school.

Families are invited to shop Monday and Tuesday from 4:30 - 5:30 pm. Come around the bus loop by the gym to the side Media Door to enter - follow the signs. We will be open during the PTA Spring Carnival on Friday 5:30 - 7:30.

• For full details, and to create an eWallet, visit our school’s Book Fair homepage: https://bookfairs.scholastic.com/bf/ballengercreekelementarysch
• Lastly, this is a great opportunity to be a Book Fair volunteer! Sign up here: https://signup.com/go/OEqhpzN

Happy reading,

Jacki Wood, Media Specialist

jaclyn.wood@fcps.org if you have any questions

Ballenger Creek families can now apply for Pre-Kindergarten and Kindergarten using the link(s) below:

PRE-Kindergarten-

https://www.fcps.org/academics/early_childhood_education/pre-_k_application_process

Kindergarten- https://www.fcps.org/academics/early_childhood_education/kindergarten_enrollment

Please review the eligibility criteria in the application link before completing the application. You can also give our school a call if you have any questions.

Kindergarten Applicants: You do not need to provide proof of income.

PreK Applicants: You will be notified if your application was approved.

If you have moved during the school year or plan to move over the summer out of the Ballenger Creek school district please give us a call. We will work directly with the new school to provide all necessary information and documentation to support your student’s enrollment. Our goal is to ensure a smooth and seamless transition for your family.

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.

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