Bushy Bear Tales
Volume 13 - March 22, 2019
Bushy Park Elementary
Terri Via, Assistant Principal
Email: molly_ketterer@hcpss.org
Website: bpes.hcpss.org
Location: 14601 Carrs Mill Road, Glenwood, MD, United States
Phone: (410) 313-5500
Twitter: @hcpss_bpes
From Mrs. Ketterer:
Our students took home their 3rd Quarter Interims recently. There is so much they have accomplished! Thank you for your support in talking with your child about celebrations and setting goals together! The third quarter ends next Friday, April 5th. Report Cards will go home on Wednesday, April 24th. As far away as that sounds, it is the second day back to school after Spring Break which begins April 13th. We are taking advantage of every learning moment!
UPDATE on Inclement Weather Make-Up Days
As of Wednesday, February 20, Howard County public schools will have closed due to inclement weather five days this school year: November 15, January 14 and 30, February 11 and February 20. That is one day more than the four inclement weather days identified on the 2018-2019 academic calendar. The last day of school is currently scheduled to be Friday, June 21, with the final three days dismissing three hours early.
The Board of Education will have discussions on how to account for the fifth inclement weather day used, and any necessary subsequent days, at a future public meeting. Maryland state law requires schools to be in session for a minimum of 180 days each year, and waivers to this requirement must be approved by the Maryland State Board. These are not automatically granted even when a State of Emergency is in effect.
March
- 25-29 Spring Book Fair
- 27 Family Book Club: Meeting II 6:00-7:30 p.m. in the Media Center
- 28 Kindergarten Field Trip to Glenwood Library @ 9:45-11:30 a.m.
- 28 PTA Ice Cream Social & Spring Book Fair
April
- 3 Family Book Club: Meeting III 6:00-7:30 p.m. in the Media Center
- 5 EARLY DISMISSAL: School Closes at 12:47 p.m. End of 3rd Quarter
- 5 HC Library: 5th Grade Battle of the Books @ RHHS @ 7:00 p.m.
- 9 4th Grade Field Trip: Skate Zone Crofton 10:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m.
- 10 Room Parent Meeting 9:30-10:30 a.m. in the Cafeteria
- 12 Cultural Arts Assemblies: Billy B RECC-2nd @ 9:25 a.m. / 3rd-5th @ 10:25 a.m.
- 13-22 SCHOOL CLOSED: Spring Break
- 23 2nd Grade HC Library Presentation 2:10 p.m. in the Mini-Auditorium
- 24 3Q Report Cards Issued
- 25 Cultural Arts Assemblies: Prakriti Dance RECC-2nd @ 9:25 a.m. / 3rd-5th @ 10:25 a.m.
- 26 PARCC Testing: 5th Grade- Day 1 ELA
- 29 PARCC Testing: 5th Grade- Day 2 ELA
Spotlighting Classroom DOJO Students
The following students were recognized for March 15th. Congratulations to:
- KINDERGARTEN
- Mrs. Bohn's Class- Myra Akla
- Mrs. O'Leary's Class- Cora Scott
- Mrs. Powell's Class- Arta Dejavani
- Mrs. Wilson's Class- Luca Ciconte
- 1st GRADE
- Mrs. Bruner's Class- Madeleyn Sanchez
- Mrs. Hintz' Class- James Bowen
- Ms. Huyetts' Class- Brady Quay
- Mrs. Lambros' Class- Onur Kabacan
- Mrs. Payne's Class- Rowen Simpson
- 2ND GRADE
- Mrs. Follmer's Class- Matthew Melki
- Mrs. Hogan's Class- Zane Mouchantaf
- Mrs. Keats' Class- Colton Kavakos
- Mrs. Stumpfl's Class- Zachary Nestor
- 3RD GRADE
- Ms. Griffin's Class- Julian Wilding
- Ms. Hewitt's Class- Vanessa Sines
- Mrs. Hovis' Class- Mason Berger
- Mrs. Pickett's Class-Lauren Rizzutto
- 4TH GRADE
- Ms. Lyter's Class- Hasnain Rizvi
- Mrs. Perry's Class- Katie Berne
- Mrs. Richmond's Class- Maggie Wheeler
- Mr. Wilson's Class- Charlie Wilmeth
- 5TH GRADE
- Mrs. Cole's Class- Dylan Cleary-Daniel
- Ms. Landry's Class- Reagan O'Donovan
- Mrs. Little's Class- Siena Bammel
- Mrs. Stanton's Class- Amelie Touze
- Mrs. Yakscoe-Markle/Ms. Morstein's Class- TBD
Spotlighting Classroom DOJO Students
The following students were recognized for March 29th. Congratulations to:
- KINDERGARTEN
- Mrs. Bohn's Class- Aubrey Newmann
- Mrs. O'Leary's Class- Corinna Deptola
- Mrs. Powell's Class- Parker Edmonds
- Mrs. Wilson's Class- Colin Smith
- 1st GRADE
- Mrs. Bruner's Class- Allison Smith (Madeleyn Sanchez)
- Mrs. Hintz' Class- Olivia Kurtz
- Ms. Huyetts' Class- Ashley Nolan
- Mrs. Lambros' Class- Teagan Hennessie
- Mrs. Payne's Class- Meghan VanNewkirk
- 2ND GRADE
- Mrs. Follmer's Class- Gemma DeWitt
- Mrs. Hogan's Class- Michael Oakes
- Mrs. Keats' Class- Hailey Cohen
- Mrs. Stumpfl's Class- Naisha Nagpal
- 3RD GRADE
- Ms. Griffin's Class- Lakshmi Almli
- Ms. Hewitt's Class- Naqiya Fakhri
- Mrs. Hovis' Class- Sabeen Jan
- Mrs. Pickett's Class- Trey Kennedy
- 4TH GRADE
- Ms. Lyter's Class- Liliana Despres
- Mrs. Perry's Class- Bryant Harms
- Mrs. Richmond's Class- Yara Arif
- Mr. Wilson's Class- Emmet Connolly
- 5TH GRADE
- Mrs. Cole's Class- Natalie Nestor
- Ms. Landry's Class- Kaitlyn Talley
- Mrs. Little's Class- James Latchis
- Mrs. Stanton's Class- Siri Gottipati
- Mrs. Yakscoe-Markle/Ms. Morstein's Class- Olivia Rivera
Feature: Family Book Club
Over the past year, BPES Staff, Ms. Griffin, Ms. Hewitt, Dr. Jones, Mrs. Martinec and Mrs. Richmond have collaborated to facilitate Book Clubs that offer families the opportunity to gather to reflect on a socially conscious book. This week, we began our third book club.
This three session Family Book Club features, "Finding Langston." Over 30 families signed up and attended the first evening. The children made predictions of the book from the book cover. Families heard from the author, Lesa Cline-Ransom, in a special video. She describes how she researches in order to develop her characters. The Book Club will read half the book by March 27 and the other half by April 3. There are rich opportunities to explore cultural, regional, and historical perspectives in this book.
It's YEARBOOK Time !!
BPES Science Fair was Amazing!
Golden Scissors Box Top Champions
The PTA would like to thank everyone who participated in the Golden Scissors Box Top Champion competition. We had over 80 students participate and together we raised more than $700!
Congratulations to the Golden Scissors Box Top Champion student, Liam Dunlop, who contributed almost 400 Box Tops. Congratulations to Ms. Payne’s class, who is the Golden Scissors Box Top Champion Class. First grade is the Golden Scissors Box Top Champion grade.
The PTA would also like to recognize the following students who provided the greatest number of Box Tops for their grade:
- Pre-Kindergarten: Mila Louro
- Kindergarten: Titus Peters
- 1st Grade: James Sanborn
- 2nd Grade: Jordyn Miller
- 3rd Grade: Lucian Derenick
- 4th Grade: Liam Dunlop
- 5th Grade: Dylan Pratilas
In addition, Alex Starling (1st) and Chloe Huxford (4th) were in the Top 5 for the most Box Tops submitted.
Thanks again for your participation and support. Special Thanks to Mrs. Regester who offered her organization and creativity! Please keep cutting those Box Tops!
Protecting Your Child's Heath: Notes from the Health Room
Illnesses
Cold and Flu season is upon us. Students who are ill and have a fever should remain at home until the temperature has been normal for 24 hours, without the use of fever reducing medications such as Acetaminophen or Ibuprofen. Students with symptoms of acute illness such as fever, vomiting, diarrhea, rashes, and persistent coughs should be observed at home and evaluated by their health care provider. If your child is diagnosed with a contagious illness (such as the flu, strep throat, pink eye, Fifth’s disease, etc…), he / she may not return to school until they have been on antibiotics for 24 hours or until cleared by the health care provider in writing. We also request that you please inform the Health Room staff of these diagnoses, so that we may observe for additional cases.
It is also requested that parents refrain from bringing their sick children to after school events or into the school building or office, when the child is too ill to attend school. Children with symptoms of acute illness such as fever, vomiting, diarrhea, rashes, and persistent coughs are considered contagious and should not be brought into the school building.
Medications
All medications, even over-the-counter medications, require a complete written order form from the student’s physician or health care provider. Parents / guardians are required to have this form completed and signed by the health care provider. The appropriate, properly labeled, unopened supply of medication must be provided to the Health Room staff. If medication will need to be administered to your child during the school day, please contact the Health Room staff for additional information.
For 2019-2020 School Supply Kit Ordering Information
The School Supply Kit online sale is live. This is one-stop shopping for your school supplies!! We will be working with The Write Stuff to host this year’s school supply kit sale.
Click on the green link button below and start shopping. Kits will be delivered directly to school in June. Free shipping to school ends on April 26, 2019! After that, a home delivery option will be available for orders placed until July 15th, but standard shipping rates will apply – so place your orders by April 26!
Parent Volunteers Needed
Walking Wednesdays Resumed Wednesday, March 27th
Walking Wednesdays relies on parent volunteers to help supervise the walking and counting of laps. Five laps around the recess play field is ONE MILE.
Thank you to our PTA Chair, George Connolly, for his encouragement and enthusiasm for this wellness initiative!
Please promote Walking Wednesday with your children and consider joining us to support them as they walk on Wednesdays. Our goal is 100% student participation and parent volunteers are essential to reaching that goal. Plus, walking releases endorphins, which improves wellness and overall health. Everyone could benefit from taking a lap!
Here are the Walking Totals from the Fall (Top 3 Per Grade):
- Kindergarten
- Nishadhi Tennakoon - 16 laps
- Cora Scott - 15 laps
- Breanne Horsman - 11 laps
- Ryan Sexton - 11 laps
- 1st Grade
- Owen Kerber - 23 laps
- Ben Camilli - 13 laps
- Sofia Civallero - 13 laps
- Thomas Furlong - 13 laps
- Hudson Kerber - 13 laps
- 2nd Grade
- Katelyn Hannan - 20 laps
- Ansh Bhutani - 14 laps
- Mary Garcia - 13 laps
- 3rd Grade
- Bailey Low - 10 laps
- John Beall - 9 laps
- Connor Belmore - 8 laps
- Charlotte Gibson - 8 laps
- Ronia Kazemi - 8 laps
- Alya Primrose-Loveland - 8 laps
- 4th Grade
- Max Beares - 46 laps
- Jake Stein - 32 laps
- Emmet Connolly - 23 laps
- 5th Grade
- Daniela Mendez-Hernandez - 20 laps
- Jayden Michael - 20 laps
- Siri Gottipati - 15 laps
Message from BPES Regional Early Childhood Center (RECC) Learning Together Program – Preschool & Prekindergarten
The Bushy Park Regional Early Childhood Center (RECC) preschool and pre-kindergarten programs are making preparations for classes for the 2019-2020 school year. These classes include children with and without disabilities. The program’s focus is helping all children develop communication, literacy, math, problem solving, motor, and social skills.
Parents of children who will be 3 or 4 by September 1st may contact Katie Hereth at Bushy Park Elementary for an application package beginning February 15, 2019. At this time, there are a few available 4-year-old learning together peer spots for the 2019-2020 school year.
The Howard County Public School System continues to offer a Pre-Kindergarten program for income eligible children who will be four years old by September 1. This program is also at Bushy Park RECC in the afternoon 5 days a week. Please contact Katie Hereth at 410-313-5500 for additional information and an application.
All Learning Together Peer applications must be returned by the last Friday in March 2019 or bring completed application to the playgroup April 5, 2019 from 10am-10:45am at Bushy Park RECC. A limited number of openings are available for children without disabilities. Children are selected based upon screening information given on the application form and the “Ages and Stages Questionnaire,” as well as observations of the child’s participation in a playgroup on April 5, 2019 from 10am-10:45am at Bushy Park RECC. If necessary, a lottery process is conducted.
If you have any questions, please contact Katie Hereth at (410) 313-5500.
Kindergarten & New First Grade Registration Starts March 11
A new online registration process will open on March 1 where much of the process can be done online. You should plan still plan to visit their assigned school during the week of March 11-15, 2019 to finalize your registration
You will need to bring the following documents:
- Birth certificate, birth registration or passport.
- Current immunization record - must be a print out from the pediatrician and signed.
- Deed or lease to your home
- Current utility bill
- Photo ID of parent/guardian registering the student
Please visit the Howard County Public School System website for complete information about enrollment and registration.
There is also great information on Getting Ready for Kindergarten to give you ideas!