Bethel Springs Elementary School
April 1, 2019
After Spring Break Visitors Must Present and Scan ID, Such As Driver's License, As New Security Measures Are Implemented in GV Elementary Schools
Dear School Community,
Garnet Valley School District is pleased to announce that we will begin using the Raptor Visitor Management System in all of our schools to strengthen our program of campus safety for students and faculty. Although Raptor is already used at the secondary level, all elementary schools will begin implementation after spring break. Part of keeping students and faculty safe is knowing who is in our buildings at all times, and the Raptor system will allow us to do that. The Raptor system will better allow us to screen visitors, contractors, and volunteers in our schools and provide us with a safer environment for our students and staff.
Upon entering a district building, visitors will be asked to present an ID such as a Driver’s License, which can either be scanned or manually entered into the system. If a parent or guardian for any reason does not have a US government-issued ID, the school staff member can use any form of identification and manually enter the person’s name into the Raptor system. The Raptor system will check to ensure that registered sexual offenders are not entering our school campuses without our knowledge. The Raptor system checks the visitor's name and date of birth for comparison with a national database of registered sex offenders. The registered sex offender database is the only official database checked by the Raptor system. No other data from the ID is gathered or recorded and the information is not shared with any outside agency. Once entry is approved, Raptor will issue a badge that identifies the visitor, the date, and the purpose of his/her visit. A visitor’s badge will not be necessary for those who visit our schools simply to drop off an item in the office or pick up paperwork.
The safety of our students is our highest priority and the Raptor visitor management system allows us to quickly identify those that may present a danger to our students. Thank you in advance for your understanding and your support in enhancing the school safety protocols in our district. Especially at the elementary level, our principals will continue to communicate with parents as we implement the system after spring break.
Sincerely,
Dr. Marc Bertrando, Superintendent
Garnet Valley School District
Nature Trail Clean-up: Saturday, April 6th from 9:00-11:00AM
BSES 4th Graders Participated in DCIU STEM Design Challenge on March 22nd!
Students were challenged to build an object with a certain theme with K'NEX building materials. At the challenge, they presented a narrative report, submitted blueprints/cost sheets, and built their object within a certain time limit. Students had to create a machine that moved 3 objects (as selected by the team) at least 6 inches across a table. The "crane" had to pick up each object, move it at least 6 inches, and set it back down.
Destination Imagination
To learn more about Destination Imagination, click below:
Sumdog Math Contest
https://www.sumdog.com/contests/PA-DELAWARE-COUNTY_REGIONAL_20190315080000/results
Mrs. Levey's 4th grade Class (pictured below) placed first in the county!
The Musical Adventures of Flat Stanley
Spring Picture Day Thursday, April 4th!
Individual student pictures will be taken. In addition, 5th grade class picture will be taken at 8:45 AM. Please make sure your 5th grader is on time!
Spring Mileage Club
April Fitness Challenge
Trailblazers Club, Camps, and Events
Dear Garnet Valley Families,
With spring migration on the horizon, we are super excited to announce three programs for the upcoming season: BSES Birding Club, GVES Nature Club, and Spring Birding for Adults! Check out specifics of each below:
Programs
Trailblazers BSES Birding Club
Join Trailblazers for an exciting after-school environmental education experience! We will spend our sessions on the BSES Nature Trail studying the birds found in our local ecosystem. We will collect scientific data using the websites eBird and iNaturalist to study populations and migration patters of species on the BSES Nature Trail. Students should be prepared to venture on our wonderful nature trail on a weekly basis! Please note this club is only available for students in grades 2 through 5.
Leaders: Mr. BQ
Location: BSES Room 220
Meets on the following Tuesdays: 4/2, 4/9, 4/23, 4/30, 5/7, 5/14, 5/28
Club Tuition: $125.00
Check out a flyer for more information and how to register here:
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1FeFfnf8pwTAw2HwK76PCiVGX6kHrk-ZITrailblazers Spring Birding for Adults
Learn all about the birds found in our area! Participants will learn how to identify birds by both sight and sound on the BSES Nature Trail. Any level of birding experience welcome, but one should be able to walk on the nature trail for approximately one mile during a session. Binoculars are available for borrow as well! Participants in this course must be at least 18 years of age.
Leaders: Mr. BQ
Location: BSES Nature Trail Entrance
Meets on the Following Wednesdays from 6:00pm – 7:30pm: 5/1, 5/8, 5/15, 5/22
Program Tuition: $40
Check out a flyer for more information and how to register here:
https://drive.google.com/open?id=17fF9i3u7BVbUSqpglukJq9GbRuABprt8
We also have a brand new event for the spring:
Trailblazers Mommy & Me Mother's Day Weekend Bird Walk
Saturday, May 11, 9am – 11am
Join Trailblazers as we celebrate spring migration and Mother's Day at the same time! We will be spending our Saturday morning on the BSES Nature Trail in peak spring migration as we learn about the migrating bird species that visit the nature trail. Be prepared with proper footwear and clothing to walk on the BSES Nature Trail. Also, you can bring your own binoculars or borrow a pair from Trailblazers! Leaders: Mr. BQ
Location: BSES Nature Trail Entrance
Meets on Saturday, May 11th, 2019
Activity Tuition: $15.00 per family
Check out a flyer for more information and how to register here:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1MIuiVrwEwauBjFYfTeYyoDB1rtk50HCW/view?usp=sharingSummer Camps
Our summer camp offerings are filling up quickly! Here are the dates of all three sessions of camp along with a link to the flyer with more information on each:
Trailblazers Adventure Summer Camp - June 25th-29th, 2019 - 9am-3pm
Trailblazers High Adventure Summer Camp - July 22nd-26th, 2019 - 9am-4pm
Trailblazers High Adventure Summer Camp - August 5th-9th, 2019 - 9am-4pm
Check out the flyer here for more information and how to sign up:
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1rf8eziphAMkC8BHpuV0UO0Ki3br4m8FuFree Events
Over spring break, I will be speaking at the Academy of Natural Sciences in Philadelphia! Come check out this free talk for the Delaware Valley Ornithological Club, where guests are welcome (especially when it's not a school night):
"Birding with BQ in Arizona" by Mr. BQ at the Delaware Valley Ornithological Club
Thursday, April 18, 7:30pm – 9:00pm
The Academy of Natural Sciences - 1900 Benjamin Franklin Pkwy, Philadelphia, PA 19103
Southeastern Arizona is a birder's paradise! On my first-ever trip to this region, my friends and I made the most of our time exploring as many hotspots as we could fit into our five days. Through photography and digiscoping, we were able to observe many of the species that make Arizona a premier birding destination in the United States!
Looking forward to our most exciting spring yet!
As always, please let me know if you have any questions,
Brian "Mr. BQ" Quindlen, M.Ed.
Bethel Springs Elementary School
5th Grade Teacher
610-579-3040
Get involved with GV Trailblazers!
Summer Camp Opportunities in Garnet Valley!
Below is a link to all camps taking place in the district:
https://www.garnetvalleyschools.com/news/what_s_new/summer_programs
Pictured below are camps taking place at Bethel Springs:
PSSA Testing Dates for Students in Grades 3, 4, 5
Math: April 29,30
Science (Grade 4 only): May 1, 2
Make-up Dates: April 29-May 3
It is important that students be present in school during testing dates. Thank you.
Link to Bethel Springs Weekly Announcements on Website!
School Calendar
https://bses.garnetvalleyschools.com/calendar
The link for the calendar "School Calendar" is in the drop-down menu under "Our School" on the Bethel Springs website.
BSES Family Fun Nigh at Oasis on Wed. April 3rd!
Important Info for 5th Grade Parents!
Jaguar Color Dash Kick-off Meeting on Mon. April 29th!
Please Read These Important Announcements from the BSES HSA!
OASIS FUN NIGHT: The HSA will be hosting an Oasis Family Fun Night this Wednesday, April 3rd from 5:00-8:00pm!! Come out and enjoy playing at the Oasis Family Fun Center (35 Lacrue Ave, Glen Mills) while helping to support Bethel Springs! We will receive 50% of ticket sales as well as a portion of food sales. This is an optional drop off event so if you want to leave your kids and go run some errands, simply come inside and sign them in!
There are two ticket options for the event:
Option #1 - Combo Package ($10): Entrance to the soft playground and ballocity play area
Option #2 - VIP Package ($25): Entrance to all play areas, laser tag, rock climbing, basketball as well as a $5 game card!
If you don’t want to get the all-inclusive VIP package but want to add on an attraction and/or game card not covered in the admission option you’ve selected, Oasis has add-on options for an additional charge(s). Ask when you arrive and pay for your child.
*And don’t forget to wear socks*
GET YOUR YEARBOOKS HERE! Be on the lookout for the 2018-2019 Yearbook Order Forms coming home with all students! Yearbooks can be purchased for $20 up until Monday, April 29th, and payments can be made via checks written out to BSES HSA or MySchoolBucks. The order form portion of the flyer must be handed into school no matter which payment type you choose; please write your check number or MSB confirmation number on the order form when you submit it.
STAY IN THE LOOP, 5TH GRADE PARENTS!!
Questionnaires Needed!! While we have received baby pictures for ~90% of the 5th Grade Students, we have received less than 50% of the Questionnaires. It will be sad if there's nothing in the text box between your 5th grader's current and baby pictures in the yearbook, so please set a couple of minutes aside to answer the questions in this Google Form: 5th Grade Yearbook - Questionnaire Submissions.
Still accepting Baby/Group Pictures!! If you have not submitted baby/group pictures yet, please do so as soon as possible using the Google Form for Baby Picture/Group Photo Submission or refer to 5th Grade Yearbook/Video Informational Letter for alternative submission methods.
5th Grade Send-Off Info Needed by March 31st!! We have started preparations for the much anticipated 5th Grade Send-Off party that will be held at the JCC on June 3rd at 5:00 pm. The HSA plans to give each 5th grader a beach towel that will include the names of the students in the 5th Grade Class of 2019. We have sent out this CLASS ROSTER so that we can confirm all names are spelled correctly and that there are no omissions. If you have no corrections, there is nothing you need to do. If you would like to make a correction, please do so in the space provided next to your child’s name on the list. Please complete this by Sunday, March 31st! If you have any additional questions please contact Julie Sharp.
All of this info and more as it’s updated can be found on the HSA Website on the 5th Grade Events and Submission Page.
ORDER YOUR FIELD DAY T-SHIRT: If you are interested in ordering a T-Shirt for this year’s Field Day, please click HERE to view the order form! Please remember to submit ONE form for every T-Shirt ordered (siblings need to have seperate forms). Homeroom parents and volunteers are encouraged to order shirts if interested! Checks can be made out to BSES HSA. Forms are due Monday, April 8th!
Jaguar Color Dash: Keep an eye out, we will be putting out some information about the Color Dash in the next few weeks! Mark your calendars for the Jaguar Color Dash Kick Off Meeting for parents which will be held on Monday, April 29th in the BSES Library! Come find out how you can help and how the funds raised will be used to revitalize the library. We hope to see you there!
Volunteer Spotlight:
Nature Trail: Thank you to the Quinney Family for taking such great care of the Nature Trail this past week!
Upcoming Dates:
April 3 Oasis Family Fun Night
April 4 Spring Picture Day
April 8 Field Day T-Shirt Order Forms Due
April 15-22 No School Spring Break
For the most up to date information check the HSA Website: BSES HSA
Follow us on social media-
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bseshsa/
Instagram: @bethel_springs_hsa
Twitter: @bseshsa1
Discover Greece!
This Week's Fact About Greece: Greece’s currency, the drachma, was 2,650 years old and Europe’s oldest currency. The drachma was replaced with the Euro in 2002.
ARCHIVE OF FACTS ABOUT GREECE
GREEK FACT FROM 9-10-18
https://www.smore.com/zjy34GREEK FACT FROM 9-17-18
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Parent Education Opportunities
Important Dates Coming Up!
April 4: Spring Picture Day
April 15-19 and 22: Spring Break Students return on Tuesday, April 23rd
April 24-May 3: PSSA Testing for Grades 3, 4, 5