Bethesda Elementary
December Staff Bulletin
Upcoming Events
Saturday, December 1st
BCC Rotary Holiday Outing
Monday, December 3rd
3:35 Staff Meeting - Team leader led data chats around PARCC
Tuesday, December 4th
6:00 PTA Meeting
Friday, December 7th
3rd Grade Mad Science
4:00 Staff Holiday Party
Monday, December 10th
3:35 Leadership Meeting
Wednesday, December 12th
3rd Grade Mad Science
2:15 Instrumental Music Concert Assembly K-5
6:30 Instrumental Music and Chorus Concert
Friday, December 14th
3rd Grade Mad Science
Monday, December 17th
Student Council Spirit Week
3:35 Staff Meeting HOLD
Friday, December 21st
Staff Festive Holiday Attire Contest
Last Day Before Winter Break
Reminders
Digital Citizenship Update from the Media Center
- Students at Bethesda Elementary will be learning about digital citizenship and how to be responsible users of technology. Students will learn about rules for using the computer safely, effective online searching, cyberbullying, and creative credit and copyright. Lessons are from the Common Sense Media website which also includes tips and strategies for parents. To learn more visit: https://www.commonsensemedia.org
Lion's Pride
- Just a reminder, these are given out sparingly for students who show outstanding citizenship.
- At the end of each month, teacher's select ONE winner from their classes Lions Pride winners and this person is awarded a "Seymour Buck."
- Teachers "Seymour Bucks" were placed in your mailboxes. Please start this at the end of the month!
All Staff
- Refer to the Bethesda Calendar function in Outlook to access the most up-to-date school calendar.
- Begin to hand out Lion's Pride Coupons - Remember to pick your monthly winner and award them a Seymour Buck!
- PTA Membership on the part of the staff sends a strong message of support to the school community. Please consider joining.
If you have parent volunteers, please remind them to sign in and out. This is needed every time, as we report our volunteer hours on a monthly basis to the county.
Remember to enter all technology needs via the UniCenter – directions are located on Bethesda Private.
Remember that Copy Plus should be used as often as possible. Sending documents electronically is also recommended (current turnaround time is 9 days). http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/copyplus/
Reimbursement Reminder
- Remember to turn in receipts to PTA for reimbursement of classroom materials.
Many Thanks!
- To Jill, Kathy, Linnea, Jake, Megan, and Marissa for volunteering at Special Education Night.
- To the social committee for planning the holiday party and the festive attire contest.
- To Jake, Gerri, Marissa, and Julie for reading at Milk & Cookies Night.
- To Becky and Lin for opening up the media center for Book Fair.
- To all teachers for making the Book Fair a success.
- To all teachers for welcoming parents in for parent teacher conferences.
- To all teachers for keeping their grade books up to date and having grades done on time.
- To Stephen Boyd for organizing happy hours and other festive events.
- To staff for planning activities that foster inclusion.
Inclusion Month
December is Inclusion Month at Bethesda Elementary. The theme this year is “Kaleidoscope of Friends.” If you look into a kaleidoscope, you see an infinite array of patterns of brilliant light created by repeated reflection. That is the vision of inclusive education; it drives decisions, actions, and core beliefs. Repeated reflection helps shape effective practices to meet the needs of all students. When we add the word “friends” to that image, the result is a myriad of relationships that provide opportunities for the support and growth of all children.
Ideas and Activities for Class Meetings and Morning Meetings that you can choose with your team:
• Many Hands: One Community
o Activity will be in your mailbox
• Gab About Your Gifts
o Activity will be in your mailbox
• Gift Pattern
o Activity will be in your mailbox
• Poem: I Am Diversity, Please Include Me
o Activity for grades 4 & 5, will be in your mailbox
o Read aloud and break down poem for discussion
• Build Your Own Snowman
o Activity will be in your mailbox
o Give each student a manila folder with their name and snowman. Students can write positive comments and words of encouragement for their classmates during the week
• If I were a Super Hero worksheet
o Activity will be in your mailbox
o Identify a few well-known superheroes with your students and brainstorm adjectives that describe these superheroes and their actions. Review the list and have students identify people in their real lives that possess these characteristics
• Ask students to create Inclusive Schools Month cards including reasons why they like being a part of an inclusive school
o The 4th grade completed a similar project, which is displayed on the bulletin board by room 130. Take your classroom to see the bulletin board to get inspired!
• Have students develop a list of the variety of ways that people can communicate. Help them expand the list by discussing different forms of communication, including sign language, foreign languages, assistive technology devices, etc.
• Ask students to write about a time that they didn't feel included in a group. Talk about how it made them feel.
• Invite students to write a list of all of their unique characteristics under a picture of themselves. Display student work.
My classroom lessons for the month of December will relate to Inclusion. Books I may be using:
K-Be Kind by Pat Zietlow
K-The Kindness Quilt by Nancy Wallace
1-Have You Filled a Bucket? by Carol McCloud
1-The Band-Aid Chicken by Becky Rangel Henton
2-The Jelly Donut Difference by Maria Dismondy
2- The Brand New Kid by Katie Couric
3-Enemy Pie by Derek Munson
4-The Invisible Boy by Trudy Ludwig
5-The Juice Box Bully by Maria Dismondy
Festive Attire Contest
Tis the season to spread holiday cheer, and at BE we celebrate by wearing festive attire the Friday before break.
Join the BE Staff in spreading holiday cheer on Friday, December 21st. Wear festive attire and vote for our most festive participants.
Participants will be voting on the following categories:
Best Overall Sweater
· Vote for the person you feel is wearing the SWEATER with the most holiday spirit!
Most Likely to Spread Holiday Cheer Award
· Vote for the person whose attire brings a holiday smile to your face!
Festivus Flair Award
· Vote for the person displaying seasonally festive attire that is unique and appealing!
Social Corner
Staff Holiday Party
- Friday, December 7th from 4-7:00 upstairs at Caddies on Cordell Avenue
- If you have paid your social dues there is no charge for the party.
- If you have not paid your social dues it is $10.
- If you would like to bring a guest it is $5.
- The social committee will be providing appetizers for the party.
- If you have any questions please see Stephen.
Social Dues/Water Club
Social dues for the year is $35 for full time (6 hours or more) and $25 for part time.
Remember that part of your social dues goes to cover the water coolers around the school.
Checks can be made out to Bethesda Elementary and given to Stephen Boyd for both.
Upcoming Breakfasts
- Dec. 7th brought to you by: Second Grade Team, Ms. Carne, Ms. Ashtary, and Ms. Koutsouli
- Dec. 21st brought to you by Wonders Staff
December Birthdays
12/2 Nick Masick
12/9 Becky Kohlbrenner
12/10 Ray Immerman
12/14 Cathleen Piemme
12/24 Niloofar Ashtary-Yazdi