Bushy Bear Tales
Volume 6- December 1, 2017
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:
December
- 1 PTA Cultural Arts Author Visit: Jennifer O'Connell
- 4-8 Cog-AT Testing in Grades 3 and 5
- 6 Ident-a-Kid
- 7 3rd Strings Evening Concert @ 7:00 p.m. in the Cafetorium
- 11-15 CEU Ancient Civilization Presentations in the Mini-Auditorium
- 11 4th-5th Band Concert @ 7:00 p.m. in the Cafetorium
- 12 PTA Meeting @ 7:00 p.m. in the Media Center
- 20 1st Grade Gingerbread House Making
- 22 SPIRIT DAY- Pajama Day
January
- 9 Chorus & 4th-5th Strings Concert @ GHS 7:00 p.m.
- 9 PTA Meeting (will ask to reschedule)
- 15 Martin Luther King Jr. Day- No School
- 18 Leo Club Meeting @ 8:30 a.m. / Hearing & Vision Screening
- 19 PTA Bingo Night @ 6:30-8:30 p.m. in the Cafetorium
- 25 International Night @ 6:00-8:00 p.m. throughout the school
- 26 SPIRIT DAY- Jersey Day
Bear Hug Winners - November 17th
- Kindergarten- Dominic Coffman, Claire Zito
- 1st Grade- Sejan Beitzell, Shaan Desai
- 2nd Grade- Griffin Berkowicz, Jeremiah O'Donovan
- 3rd Grade- Marci Frye, Katie Nack
- 4th Grade- Vishnu, Almli
- 5th Grade- Kaitlyn Lovette, Melina Toronto
Bear Hug Winners - December 1st
- Kindergarten - Gavin Lynch, Noah Vick
- 1st Grade - Katelyn Hannan, Sravya Jatti
- 2nd Grade - Maggie McLemore, Sam Tong
- 3rd Grade - Kaitlyn Carr, Matthew Hannan
- 4th Grade - Harry McGill, Amelie Touze
- 5th Grade - Henry Kvech, Claire Thomas
CogAT TESTING COMING for GRADES 3 and 5 NEXT WEEK
The Cognitive Abilities Test (CogAT) will be administered to all third and fifth graders at Bushy Park on the mornings of December 4, 5, and 6, 2017.
CogAT is a group-administered abilities test that measures students’ reasoning abilities, which they develop through in-school and out-of-school experiences. It is not designed to test a student’s academic achievement but rather their potential.
CogAT will help educators understand a student’s cognitive strengths and weaknesses and assists with adapting instruction to meet the needs and abilities of each student. It will also provide data for students’ placement into fourth grade G/T mathematics classes or middle school G/T content classes.
The test consists of three batteries – Verbal, Quantitative, and Nonverbal. Each section takes approximately 30 minutes to complete.
A good night’s sleep and a nutritious breakfast are the only preparation necessary. All test administrators will review sample items with the students before administering each part of the test.
If you have additional questions, please contact Dr. Terri Via at 410-313-5500. Additional information can be found in the FAQ's below.
IDENT-A-KID Safety Program Comes to BPES on December 6th
The IDENT-A-KID Child Safety Program will be at our school on Friday, December 6th to PHOTOGRAPH, FINGERPRINT, WEIGH and MEASURE children. Parents will receive an ID card (recognized by the U.S. Government’s SSA as a form of identification). ID cards are often needed for sports registration, travel, student discounts, and in emergencies.
To participate, please fill in the Application Envelope which will come home with your child and have your child return it to school. Applications are also available on line at www.identakid.com. It is recommended that each parent keep a card with them at all times and additional cards should be given to anyone who regularly cares for your child.
Participation in the program is at the individual Parents’ option. The cost per child is $8 for one card, $12 for two cards (includes eKid-ID), and $15 for three cards (includes eKid-ID). An eKid ID is the electronic Ident-A-Kid card sent to your cell phone via text/picture message and is free when ordering multiple cards. Please feel free to contact your local program director, Kim Jackson, at 410-360-1000
The Carson Scholars Program recognizes and rewards academic excellence in young students (4-11 grade) who also have strong humanitarian qualities. Schools may nominate ONE student who demonstrates both of these criteria.
Fourth and fifth graders who meet the criteria are invited to apply to be Bushy Park’s Carson Scholarship nominee. Your response will be needed by Friday, December 8, 2017.
For more information contact Mrs. Bengermino.
WEATHER GUIDELINES FOR OUTDOOR RECESS
Exercise outdoors is healthy and is strongly encouraged. It provides a break from the regular school routine, a chance to get some outside air, and an opportunity to run off excess energy.
If conditions preclude the full recess time, even a five-minute break can revitalize children and prepare them for more sitting and academic learning. Children are expected to wear warm clothing to protect them during cold weather when participating in recess or outside activities.
The decision to go out or stay in for recess is the decision of the Administrator at individual schools. However, the following are to be considered in determining if recess is to be held outside:
- Temperature and Windchill
- Age of students
- Length of time outdoors
- Adequacy of the children’s clothing
- Condition of the playground
- Falling precipitation (more than a sprinkle or mist)
Generally, it is assumed that students will be outside for recess when the temperature combined with the wind chill is not less than 20 degrees Fahrenheit.
Children with certain health conditions may need special accommodations during extremely cold weather. Parents of those children should provide medical documentation and may be consulted to determine if other arrangements are necessary.
Parent Volunteers Needed
The Carson Reading Room sign up is now available for December and January. We encourage you to sign up for consecutive times with different grade levels. Thank you for your support!
Our website has a new Highlight Section on Curriculum Support for Parents. This section offers QR codes and links to the Parent Pages on CANVAS. There are also brochures to offer examples of Computational Fluency and information on the Standards for Mathematical Practices.
Standards for Mathematical Practices- page 1
The 8 Standards for Mathematical Practice describe the behaviors of mathematically proficient students.
Standards for Mathematical Practices- page 2
HCPSS educators conduct mini-lessons to help students and families understand today’s mathematics concepts being taught in classrooms.
PTA Cultural Arts Event: Author Jennifer O'Connell Visits December 1st
Keep an eye out for book order forms coming soon. We need 2 weeks to get the books ordered, so forms will be due on Thursday, November 16th
Jennifer O’Connell writes and illustrates picture books. Her titles include Ten Timid Ghosts, a New York Times, Publishers Weekly, USA Today and Amazon bestseller.
Jennifer’s nonfiction book, The Eye of the Whale – A Rescue Story, tells the true tale of a whale entanglement rescue and the humpback’s extraordinary behavior toward the divers who freed her. The book received the 2014 Green Earth Book Award, a Moonbeam Gold Award and was named a Maryland Blue Crab Honor Book, among other honors. To research the book, Jennifer traveled to San Francisco, were she interviewed crew members and rode the rescue boat, Superfish, out into the Pacific Ocean to the area where the rescue took place. This experience fueled her inspiration as she created the images and words of this remarkable story.
Jennifer is a graduate of The University of the Arts, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She and her husband, Kevin, have two grown children and live in Bethesda, Maryland.
For more information, please visit www.JenniferOConnellArt.com.