Bushy Bear Tales
Volume 1- September 15, 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:
We are so excited to have our students with us! They are actively engaged in learning and making you proud!
Thank you for taking your time to be with us, prior to school beginning, at our Back-to-School meetings. Over 150 parents were trained as parent volunteers during that time!
We also appreciate your support these first two weeks of school! Parents have stepped in to assist students arriving on buses the first day, filled Monday Folders and reached out to offer time in the future!
- 18 Carson Reading Room Parent Training @ 3:00 p.m. in the Mini-Auditorium
- 21 Schools and Office Closed
- 22 Schools Closed for Students - Professional Learning Day
- 25-29 PTA Cultural Arts Steel Drum Residency for 4th Grade
- 29 PTA Cultural Arts Assembly - HCC Theatre Production of "The Frog Prince
October
- 5 Flu Clinic
- 10 PTA Meeting in the Media: 6:30 for New Families / 7:15 for General Meeting
- 12 Picture Day: Individual Photos by Strawbridge
- 13 PTA Fall Fest
- 18 Field Trip: 4th Grade to Annapolis
- 20 Haunted Gym Begins
- 27 Glenelg Choral Day for ES/MS/HS Chorus Students
- 31 Halloween Parade and Classroom Celebrations
Let Us Hear Your Voice: Back-to-School Survey
This year, we offered our Back-to-School Meetings prior to the beginning of school on Thursday, August 31st.
HCPSS designates weeks in September for back-to-school events to be held in order to ensure that parents are able to attend meetings at all levels. The week elementary schools were given would have been in the third week of September. As a staff, we felt this was a long time to wait for program information. The later start time in the school calendar offered time for us to be available to provide the opportunity to meet with all parents prior to the school year beginning.
The idea for this change was communicated at PTA Meetings in May and August with written communication sent through HCPSS Messenger to those families with a Family File account. It was communicated by email to new families who had not yet enrolled in Family File. The change was also approved by HCPSS.
Having our Back-to-School gatherings at this early time was a change in the way we have met together in past years. We would like to ask for your feedback to help us reflect on the timing and communication for our events for next year. Thank you for taking your time to offer your voice, the link is above.
Bushy Park ES has 80% of our Family Files Updated! Our goal is 100%.
Thank you for taking your time to offer or update your family’s information!
If you haven’t done so already, please complete the Family File
for your child(ren) now.
Information on completing or updating your Family File is below:
- Log into HCPSS Connect and select the Family File tab and then click on Family File. You will be asked to update or provide the following information:
Parent/guardian contact information. Please provide the most current contact information.
Emergency contacts. Who do you want to pick up your child in case you cannot?
Medical information
Arrival and dismissal procedures. How will your child arrive to school and be dismissed on a daily basis? Additionally, provide what procedure your child should follow in case of an unscheduled early closing of schools.
Media coverage. This includes students being photographed for ACE awards.
Data confidentiality.
PTA directory. What information do you want included in our BPES PTA Directory?
Resources on how to access Family File may be found online. Parents who have forgotten their login credentials may click the “Forgot Password” link on the sign in page. If you need additional assistance, please fill out this Connect Help Form.
Parent Volunteer Requests
For the Carson Reading Room:
We are looking for volunteers to help out in the Carson Reading Room. This is a great opportunity to get to work with children at school and promote literacy in our beautiful Carson Reading Room. Mrs. Smith will be offering a parent training for new volunteers on Monday, September 18th, from 3:00 - 3:30. Please RSVP to Laura_M_Smith@hcpss.org if you will be attending. We hope to see you there!"
For the Media Center:
Our Media Center would like volunteers on Mon-Fri to help gather books and shelf books. Volunteers are welcome to be with us every other week or weekly to fit your schedule. The time needed is about an hour. Please contact carol_loveless@hcpss.org
For the 40 / 10 BPES Celebration:
We are excited to commemorate the 40th Birthday of Bushy Park ES and the 10th Anniversary of being in our current building! The date set for this celebration is Friday, April 20th. We are looking for folks to help us plan an amazing celebration! This group will have both BPES staff, parents, students, alums and other community members involved. We plan to meet once a month to plan for the event. Please email Mrs. Ketterer if you would like to be involved at molly_ketterer@hcpss.org.
Early Dismissal Requests Until 3:15 p.m.
Please help us have an even more orderly dismissal. We are asking that all Early Dismissal requests are completed by 3:15 p.m.
If a parent arrives after 3:15 p.m. to pick up their student, we will ask them to wait until Dismissal at 3:45 p.m. Thank you for spreading the word and for your support!
Car Loop Information and Safety Reminders
Our car loop procedures were designed so students can be dropped off quickly in the morning and picked up quickly in the afternoon. The procedures always keep the safety of our students as a first priority, and it is important for everyone to remember that during arrival and dismissal.
Please review our Car Loop Information and Safety Reminders below. For your benefit, these can also be found on our website.
Guidelines for School Visitation
The Howard County Public School System welcomes visitors to our schools. To limit interruptions and distractions to teaching and learning, and to maximize safety for everyone, persons who wish to visit a school building or classroom are asked to comply with the following procedures:
- Anyone wishing to visit a school is asked to contact the Principal to discuss the purpose of the visit and to establish a convenient time for both the visitor and the school.
- A teacher will be notified, either orally or in writing, in advance by a school administrator that a visit to their classroom has been requested. The teacher may request that the visit be rescheduled.
- Upon entering a school, all visitors must sign in at the main office and receive a visitor badge.
- To avoid interrupting instruction, no students are allowed to shadow HCPSS students.
- Understandably, interactions between visitors and school staff and students will be limited.
- If a follow-up meeting with school staff is desired, the visitor will schedule it for a mutually convenient time.
Howard County Library 2017 Summer Reading Club
We would like to congratulate and recognize some of our students who participated and completed the Summer Reading Club. Students completed various reading related activities all geared to helping them maintain reading levels and academic progress while they were home for the summer.
Our Bushy Park students who have been recognized in our PA Announcements and here in our newsletter are:
- Alfred Civallero
- Sofia Civallero
- Emma Friedman
- Liam Friedman
- Mason Jones
- Blake Levin
- Dylan Levin
HCPSS Redistricting Information
On June 22, the annual Feasibility Study was presented by HCPSS staff to the Board of Education. During the summer, a committee of parent volunteers from around the county served (and continue to serve) on the Attendance Area Committee (AAC). The AAC is charged with providing feedback and possible alternative plans for redistricting to the Superintendent. In October, Attendance Area Adjustment recommendations are made by the Superintendent and presented to the Board of Education meeting, taking into consideration the input from the AAC and the public.
Below, you will find a list of important dates over the next two months after the Superintendent makes his recommendations to the Board of Education.
Superintendent’s Redistricting Recommendations
- Tuesday, Oct. 3, 7:30 p.m. - Presentation to the Board of Education of Attendance Area Adjustment Plan
Board of Education Public Hearings and Work Sessions
- Thursday, Oct. 26, 7 p.m. - Public Hearing I
- Wednesday, Nov. 1, 7:30 p.m. - Work Session I
- Thursday, Nov. 2, 7:30 p.m. - Work Session II
- Tuesday, Nov. 7, 7 p.m. - Public Hearing II
- Thursday, Nov. 9, 7:30 p.m. - Work Session III
- Tuesday, Nov. 14, 7:30 p.m. - Work Session IV
Approval of Attendance Area Adjustment Plan
- Thursday, Nov. 16, 7:30 p.m. - Approval
Please look for information in future editions of the Bushy Bear Tales related to the implications of redistricting on Bushy Park Elementary.
HCDrugFree: Together We Can Save Lives
What is HCDrugFree?
HCDrugFree partners with the Howard County Public School System and Parent Teacher Associations to provide drug and alcohol resources to school staff, students, parents and the community. Together We Can Save Lives.
What does HCDrugFree Focus on?
HCDrugFree focuses on ALL drugs including alcohol; however, this message is about the current opioid epidemic in Howard County. Opioids are legally prescribed pain medications as well as illegal drugs such as heroin and fentanyl. The County is experiencing an increasing number of fatal and nonfatal opioid overdoses and too many families are feeling the devastation from the loss of a child -- or a parent. As with any epidemic, we need to educate ourselves and protect our families.
What Can YOU Do?
What Can YOU Do?
- Talk with your doctor! When prescribed pain medication, ask if it’s an opioid, if you can take a lower dose, if non-opioid options are available.
- Keep unnecessary medications out of your home. You can ask the doctor for 3 rather than 30 pills.
- Monitor your medications. Do you know how many pills you have, where the pill bottles are, or who has access to them?
- Safely secure all medications. Purchase a medication storage box. If you don’t have a storage box, lock your medications in a safe, closet, or filing cabinet.
- Properly dispose of unwanted and expired medications throughout the year or take medications to a drive-thru medication collection event. Twice a year,