Bushy Park PTA Newsletter

Leading with Kindness | December 18, 2019

Warm Holiday Wishes & Thank You

Tonight, is our in-person PTA meeting and conference call from 6:30-7:30pm in the Media Center. Conference Call Number: +1 646 558 8656 / Meeting ID: 599 970 6446. All are welcome. Our next in-person PTA meeting will be in March.


We have so much to celebrate and be thankful for. On behalf of the PTA leadership team, I would like to thank the following members of our community: Mrs. Bialeski and Mr. West for their ongoing support, leadership and collaboration; Our staff: for everything they do for our children and community; Our volunteers: who make everything the PTA does possible; Our families: for their participation and energy; Our community partners: for their support our school.


If you thought 2019 was fun, wait until 2020. To start, in January we have Family Bingo (1/10), Story-time & Snacks (1/13) and International Night (1/23).


Please note that there will be no PTA Newsletter on January 1, 2020. Our next newsletter will be sent on Wednesday, January 15, 2020.


Warm Holiday Wishes,

Randee Wilding


BPES PTA Leadership Team, 2019-20

Randee Wilding, President

Kristin Baker, Treasurer

Voula Augustin, First Vice President

Gina Lease, Second Vice President

Michelle Sexton, Secretary

Jaime Belmore, Corresponding Secretary

PWNP December: From our Kitchen with Love

PWNP December: From our Kitchen with Love

Thanks to your generosity, we collected and delivered over 20 frozen casseroles! 10 were delivered to Grassroots Crisis Center in Columbia and the remaining amount to shelters around Baltimore. That's approximately 170 servings of homemade love.


In 2020, People Who Need People (PWNP) will be introducing us to organizations they work with and their communities.


PWNP is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization established in 2006 to serve the needs of women and children who are homeless by partnering with established charities in Maryland. For more information, please visit https://www.pwnp.org.

PWNP December: From our Kitchen with Love
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International Night

International Night

International Night (Thursday, January 23, 2020) is an evening where we come together as a school to share our unique heritage with each other. A collection of countries will be represented and WE NEED YOU!


Your participation comes in the form of populating a table with anything that represents your country! Think poster board with statistics about your people; dressing you and your kid(s) in traditional outfits; sharing a favorite food! Anything that communicates what your country means to you will work.


If you want to share your culture with us, please fill out the following:

https://forms.gle/Z4P6MKLfG1EV3TsZA


We will put you on our International Night email list and let you know additional details as they come available. If you have any additional questions please contact Fatima Rizvi at smfrizvi28@gmail.com or (417) 234-9860 or Giles Gibson at gilesgibson@gmail.com or (443) 345-6173.

International Night
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Family Science, Technology, Engineering & Math (STEM) Night

Family Science, Technology, Engineering & Math (STEM) Night

Thank you attending our Family STEM Night!

We hope you and your family had an amazing time! Do you have any photos from the event you'd like to share? Are you interested in presenting next year? Please email bpesptapres@gmail.com.


With next year's Family STEM Night in mind, please take a moment to provide feedback with the following two question anonymous form: https://forms.gle/GeJ867kLpFYg38KY6.


What's Next?

So, you and your children just had an amazing STEM-filled evening. Now what? The PTA has created a follow-up landing that page that includes background information, activities and next steps provided by our presenters. It will be updated as we receive more information from our presenters. Enjoy!

Family Science, Technology, Engineering & Math (STEM) Night
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Winter Potluck, Hearts Up Awards & Reflections

Our Winter Potluck, 2019 Hearts Up Awards & Reflections Showcase was fun for the everyone. Damon Foreman (of Damon Foreman Music Academy) and one of his students played guitar, Walker's Tap & Table donated and hand-delivered their signature pizzas and Wheelhouse Farm Market donated a cheese, cracker and homemade pickle tray!


The Hearts Up Award is presented to PTA members who exemplify "Leading with Kindness." The recipients of the award have significantly impacted our organization and made our school and community a better place.


Congratulations to our 2019 Hearts Up Award Recipients (Brianne Miller, Christina Lawrence, Stacie Morris and Cheryl Follmer)!

Reflections: LOOK WITHIN

Congratulations to our 2019 PTA Reflections student artists -- Honorable Mentions and Finalists. Thank you, for your creativity in interpreting this year's theme: LOOK WITHIN.


Special thanks to our Reflections Co-chairs: Elisabeth Baumwald, Sabera Husain and Erin Kerber.

Yearbook Cover Contest Winner & Runners-up

We asked Bushy Park students to design a custom cover for this year’s school yearbook! This year’s theme is belonging and inclusiveness (for example: ‘Everyone belongs at Bushy Park’. This theme will be discussed throughout the year in guidance lessons by Ms. Bengermino.) The winner’s entry will be featured as our front cover. The next top 4 entries will be featured on the back cover.


Special thanks to our Yearbook Committee chairs: Jenn George and Katie Witt.

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Girls on the Run (GOTR) 5K

Congratulations to our Girls on the Run (GOTR) team on completing their 5K! Girls on the Run is a physical activity-based positive youth development program for girls in 3rd – 5th grades. Meeting twice a week in small teams, Girls on the Run teaches life skills through dynamic, interactive lessons and running games. The season culminates with a Girls on the Run 5K event which gives participants a sense of achievement and a framework for setting and achieving goals. For more information about the program visit: https://www.gotrcentralmd.org.

Scholastic Bucks

Our Fall Book Fair was such a huge success that it earned $6,200 in Scholastic Bucks (or $3,100, if cashed-out). We were able to allocate $3,400 across Bushy Park (Culturally-Responsive Book Packs and funds to our Media Center and Reading Specialist).


In line with our "Leading with Kindness" initiative, our PTA was able to donate the remaining $2800 to Running Brook Elementary in Columbia. As part of this and future efforts, Stacie Morris, our Book Fair Chair has graciously agreed to extend her reach to Running Brook where she will be serving as the Scholastic relationship manager for Running Brook.


The money we have donated will be used to support Running Book's efforts in establishing lending libraries in leasing offices/community rooms and their mobile lending library. We are so proud that Stacie's success with our Book Fair is able to help our school and another community at such great lengths. Thank you Stacie!

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(Above: Abigail Morris; Liz Shaffer, Reading Support Teacher at Running Brook Elementary School; Stacie Morris -- Below: Pictures of Running Book's lending libraries in leasing offices/community rooms and their mobile lending library)

Running Brook Elementary: Blessings in a Backpack

From our friends at Running Brook Elementary in Columbia, Maryland -- Please share as appropriate:


"I hope this email finds you well as we approach this holiday season. Running Brook Elementary is a Title 1 school that has a large Free and Reduced Meal program population. Over half of our students rely on eating breakfast and lunch at school 5 days a week.


Each weekend we send a bag with kid friendly snacks and entrees to ensure that our students have food over the weekend. The kids love the snacks and our hard working, single parents love the brief respite that a kid friendly entree can bring.


I am amazed how this small gesture helps develop and strengthen relationships with both students and parents. My personal goal is to be able to continue to offer this program to every income qualified student who attends Running Brook.


This program is entirely funded by private donations. I hope you will consider donating to the Running Brook Blessings in a Backpack Program. It costs a little more then $100 to feed a child for the entire school year but any amount is truly appreciated.


Right now anyone who sponsors a student for an entire year ($100 or more) will receive a Vera Bradley backpack! (While supplies last) You can get yours when you drop a check (made to to Blessings in a Backpack) off at Running Brook Elementary or donate directly on-line to the Running Brook Elementary School account, at: https://secure.givelively.org/donate/blessings-in-a-backpack-inc/running-brook-elementary/bushy-park-pta. Please forward your confirmation to andrea_frank@hcpss.org and make arrangements to pick up your Thank You Vera Bradley Backpack!


We currently have Paisley, Butterfly or Grey Denim. They make great holiday gifts! Attached are pictures to help you make your decision.


Charges appear on your credit card statement as Blessings in a Backpack/Blackbaud Merchant Services.


We invite all donors to allow us to thank them publicly through our school newsletter, school functions and blasts to our community partners. We invite all corporate donors to be recognized formally though our HCPSS Partnership Program.


Warmest Regards,


Andrea Frank
Andrea_Frank@hcpss.org
Blessing in a Backpack Program Coordinator
Running Brook Elementary School"

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December Membership Drawing

"Be Kind" by Pat Zietlow Miller (Author), Jen Hill (Illustrator)


"From asking the new girl to play to standing up for someone being bullied, this moving story explores what kindness is, and how any act, big or small, can make a difference―or at least help a friend."


The book is offered on AmazonSmile and by order at Books with a Past.


The PTA will be doing a drawing from all family memberships at the end of December.

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Volunteer Opportunities

Do you have an hour to volunteer at school? Can you make an hour to volunteer? If you are able, please visit our Volunteer page for updated opportunities.


We have everything from event-specific to seasonal opportunities.

2020 Carson Reading Room Schedule

2020 Carson Reading Room Schedule

Fourth Grade Team January 6-10

ELA time 10:40 - 12:30

https://signup.com/go/TGjNjQF


Fifth Grade Team January 13-17

ELA Time: 10:55 - 11:40 & 2:30 - 3:45

https://signup.com/go/krVtUWn


Kinder Team January 28 - 31

ELA Time: 9:40 - 11:30

https://signup.com/go/zXcWJnu

2020 Carson Reading Room Schedule
Volunteer Opportunities

Our Volunteer page is updated frequently. Please check back often.

Online Fundraiser: Mabel's Labels

Online Fundraiser: Mabel's Labels

From Mabel's Labels:


"Our Holiday 2019 line just went live, and parents in your organization will love supporting your fundraiser by simply purchasing all their holiday wrapping and labeling products online through Mabel’s Labels.


Supporters of your fundraiser can go online to browse the adorable festive designs, customize them as they like, then receive everything in the mail, ready for use throughout the holiday season!"


  1. Visit http://campaigns.mabelslabels.com
  2. Enter "Bushy Park Elementary PTA"
  3. Shop


That's it! The PTA will receive 20% of all sales and you will know that your towels, lunch bags and water bottles will always be labeled!


This fundraiser will close at the end of December 2019.


Amount raised as of 12/17: $165.98

Number of orders as of 12/17: 16

Online Fundraiser: Mabel's Labels

Upcoming Events

December 2019

18 PTA Meeting (in-person and conference call) 6:30-7:30pm

20 Spirit Day: Pajama Day


January 2020

9 PTA (Online) Meeting 7pm

10 Bingo Night 6:30pm

13 Family Fun Night (FFN) Story-time & Snacks 7pm

23 International Night 6pm


Website PTA Calendar: https://www.bushyparkpta.org/calendar

Facebook PTA Events: https://www.facebook.com/pg/BushyParkPTA/events/

Community Partners

The Bushy Park Elementary PTA would like to acknowledge our community partners and their generous support. Thank you!
Become a Community Sponsor

Are you a business owner or a sports league? The Bushy Park Elementary PTA invites you to become a business or sports sponsor. Our community sponsor program provides an opportunity to support the staff and students of Bushy Park Elementary.

Yearbook Cover Contest Winner & Runners-up

Visit the BPES PTA Website

Bushy Park Elementary PTA

Our PTA is here to build a bridge between home and school, integrating the efforts of parents, teachers, staff and our community. It is an integral part of the Bushy Park community by offering many activities and programs to our families.


Our mission is to promote a positive partnership among our educators, children, and community-at-large through advocacy efforts and programs focused on the education and well-being of our children.


Our vision is simple. Lead with kindness and let everything follow.

14601 Carrs Mill Rd, Glenwood, MD 21738 bpesptapres@gmail.com 410-313-5500 bushyparkpta.org