BG eNews
August 18, 2023
Notes from Mrs. Klueppel...
8/25 - New Family Breakfast
8/28 - Picture Day
8/30- 2:10 Early Dismissal
SEPTEMBER
9/1 - No School (Institute Day)
9/4 - No School (Labor Day)
9/7 - Back to School Picnic 5:30-7:30 PM
9/27 - 2:10 Early Dismissal
9/28 - BG Shopping Day for Grades K, 2, 4
OCTOBER
10/5 - No School (Parent/Teacher Conferences)
10/6 - No School (Parent/Teacher Conferences)
10/9 - No School (Columbus Day)
10/10 - Picture Retake Day
10/20- No School (School Improvement Day)
10/25 - 2:10 Early Dismissal
10/26 - BG Shopping Day for Grades 1, 3, 5
ARRIVAL TIME
Students are in attendance from 8am-3pm. Doors open at 7:45am. Students may not exit their cars until 7:45 am or until morning supervisors are visible.
EARLY RELEASE
One Wednesday per month, students will have an early release and dismissal will occur at 2:10pm. Please refer to the district website and future Early Release dates.
Donation to BG Store
Why Behind the Recess Zones:
Calling in an Absence:
Prearranged Absence Form:
Prearranged absence forms are to be used for absences known in advance such as a planned vacation.
PICKING UP YOUR CHILD EARLY?
Please call the office when you are 5 minutes away and we will have your child ready and waiting for you at the office. You will have to press the buzzer to come inside the vestibule to sign them out on our iPad. 331-228-2100
A Few Fun First Week Photos
Picture Day: 8/28
This is a prepay site and ordering will be closed at Midnight the day of Picture Day, 8/28, to process the orders.
*Click on image below for directions and event code
If you miss prepaying you will have a chance to order pictures with your child's Ticket Code. When placing an order after Picture Day with a Ticket Code a SHIPPING FEE will be added on and picture packages will be shipped directly to the home.
Ticket Codes will be delivered with the bulk picture package order approximately three weeks post Picture Day.
Please email Color Portraits directly with any ordering questions.
Picture Day Volunteers Needed
Attention 5th Grade Families!
We are starting band lessons very soon and we want your child to be part of the D303 Band Family! Not only is band fun, collaborative, and creative but Band is so good for your child's brain development. Check out this 5 minute video on how and why!
For more information check or the D303 Elementary Band website or contact Ms. Rice, 5th grade band director: marianne.rice@d303.org
To enroll your child in the band program complete the Band Enrollment Form
Water Bottles
Health Office
REMINDER!
Please turn in your required health forms to the Health Office! If you are missing any health records you will be contacted in the next week.
Kindergarten and Students new to Illinois- Physical, Vision, Dental, Health survey Students who are new to Illinois need to have these on Illinois
2nd Grade- Dental
3rd Grade- Updated Health Survey
All of the forms are linked here for your convenience or you can go to the District Website and find them in the parent section under Forms. We will be sending home letters to the students who have missing medical records after Labor Day weekend.
Please reach out if you have any questions. Feel free to send any communication, including health forms, to bel-nurses@d303.org to ensure that all of our Bell Graham nurses receive this important information pertaining to your student(s)The health office direct line is 331-228-2104.
Thank you!
Kerisa Martini Espinosa, RN
LeeAnna Anzaldi,MSN, RN, PEL-ILSN
BG PTO
NEW FAMILY WELCOME BREAKFAST - 8/25
Families who are new to Bell Graham are invited to breakfast on Friday, August 25th at 9:00 a.m., hosted by the BG PTO. Coffee and breakfast items will be served and information will be shared about how to become an active member of the PTO and BG. Small children are welcome as well.
AUGUST PTO MEETING - 8/30
Our first PTO Meeting of the new school year will take place on Wednesday, August 30th. Please join us in the teacher's lounge at 1:00 p.m. (changed from the calendar-we forgot about early release. Whoops!) to learn more about what we have planned for this school year and how you can help!
ART CLUB
NEW THIS YEAR! Art Club is a weekly class held after school where students learn how to
draw complex objects by breaking them into foundational shapes. Children will learn how to
deconstruct an image and then reconstruct it. It runs from September 5th to October 24th and is open to K-5. Classes are on Tuesdays from 3:05-4:05 p.m. Please sign up here using the below flyer for instructions on how to register through our vendor Young Rembrandts.
FRONT OF THE PICK UP LINE/ PARKING SPOT RAFFLE
Tired of waiting in the BG pickup line? Cruise to the front of the school each day right at pick up time by entering to win a FRONT of the line pick up spot for dismissal!!! Tickets are $20 each. We are also raffling off a VIP parking spot for BG events to one lucky family! No more parking in the lawn if you win! Tickets are $10 each. Drawing will take place after the Welcome Back Picnic. Enter as many times as you'd like! Sale ends Thursday, September 7th.
HEAD ROOM PARENT
Are you looking for an opportunity to become more involved in the BG community? We are
looking for a room parent volunteer from each classroom to act as a liaison between the teacher and other classroom parents. Responsibilities include organizing class parties and class gifts for the teacher.
If you are interested in submitting your name for your child’s class, please fill out this form Head Room Parent Signup. The deadline to complete this form is Thursday, August 31st. If multiple volunteers are submitted for a classroom, the names will be put in a hat and a volunteer will be randomly chosen.
SPIRIT WEAR
The annual BG Spirit Wear Sale is here and it’s time to get your BG Bobcat spirit wear! Spirit
wear is great for school events, school spirit days and to make those morning outfit decisions easy. Volunteer at the school? What a great way to show BG love while you’re there! And the best part...proceeds from the sale will go to the BG PTO! Now that’s a win-win.
The web store is open and accepting orders...but act fast, as the sale won’t last long!
https://bellgraham0923.itemorder.com/shop/closed/
PTO DUES
Please don't forget to pay your PTO Dues on PushCoin. PTO Dues are $25 per FAMILY. These
dues help fund so many of the programs that the PTO sponsors throughout the year. Paying your PTO dues also grants you access to DirectorySpot. Thank you for your support!
WEBSITE
For additional information on the PTO please visit our website or our Bell Graham Elementary PTO Facebook page.
________________________________________________________________________________________
Any questions or comments? Please contact our PTO President Kate Bennett at kate.bennett82@yahoo.com or 630.461.7606.
BACK TO SCHOOL PICNIC: 9/7
Morning Arrival Therapy Dogs
We had great success with our therapy dogs last year. Please reach out to Dr. Dieckman or Julianna Harmon if you have any questions.
Student Handbook & Electronic Devices in School
2023-24 Elementary School Handbook
Phones/Smart Watches
Students are extended the privilege of possessing phones/smartwatches on school grounds; however, their use is limited to after-school dismissal and non-school days. These devices must be in the off position, or not used once the student arrives on campus until the end of the school day.
Arrival and Dismissal Reminder:
ARRIVAL
In the morning, buses will unload in the bus circle. No cars are permitted in the bus circle. If your child is a car rider, we ask that you utilize the drop off lane. Parents are discouraged from parking and walking their children up to the school. Students will be expected to safely walk on the sidewalks from their drop off spot (whether they are exiting a car or walking from the bike racks) to the front of school. Staff will be stationed along the sidewalk and in the front of the building to assist students as needed.
All students should arrive between 7:45- 8:00 and will enter the building through the front doors. Doors open for arrival at 7:45 am. Please do not drop your child off or let your child out of the vehicle prior to this time. In the event students arrive after 8:00 am, parents will need to walk their child up to the front entrance to sign their child in.
DISMISSAL
Buses will be loading in the front of school in the bus circle again this year. Therefore, the bus circle will not be available for parking at dismissal.
Parents who are picking up their children (car riders) are asked to not get out of their cars at the front of the school. This includes parking in the lot and getting out. We do not want additional adults waiting on the sidewalks. Students will be supervised in the car line by staff members until they get into their cars.
Bell-Graham has a Visor Tag System for car riders. Families are provided a Visor Tag with their name on it. This tag is to be displayed on your passenger visor, visible to BG staff as you pull through the pick-up line. Visor Tags will be given to all families within the first week of school. If you need additional visor tags please let the front office know. The use of the visor tag helps to expedite our car pick-up line, as it allows staff members to get the students ready as the cars arrive.
If a child is a walker/biker/scooter and meeting an adult to walk home, the designated walker meeting spot is the bike racks near Carl Sandburg Road and Fox Mill Blvd. Parents will not be permitted to walk up to the front of school for dismissal.
Kindergarten and First Grade students will be provided backpack tags. If you still have your backpack tags from previous years that you will no longer be using, please feel free to return any extra backpack tags to the Front Office.
Bell-Graham Resources
Bell Graham Elementary School
Website: bellgraham.d303.org
Location: 4N505 Fox Mill Blvd St. Charles, IL 60175
Phone: 331-228-2100
Facebook: facebook.com/BellGrahamElementary
Twitter: @BellGrahamD303