The Railroader Express
BES Family Newsletter - August 11, 2022
Dear BES Families,
We hope everyone has had an opportunity to respond to the "Transportation" messages that have been sent several times over the last few weeks. Your input is vital for our preparations as we create arrival and dismissal plans and procedures. Bringing over 700 students to school and sending them home again is a huge undertaking... and it is made even more intricate given the impact of construction. Information is included again in this newsletter in case you still need to provide us with information.
For those that are picking up students as car riders, please review the information below very carefully. There are new process details provided.
Our Open House events begin tomorrow. Check below to see when your child's grade is scheduled. We recommend families consider bringing your child's school supplies to Open House. This will limit what needs to be sent with your child on their first day of school.
At Open House, your child's teacher will be providing you with an information page including general information, as well as their Student ID number. Please save this important information. Your child’s Student ID is needed for things such as Transportation, School Cash, and initial Schoology access.
We invite all families to check out the new BES Family Handbook. We are in the process of moving the Family Handbook to a more accessible format. Come back occasionally to check for revisions! If you note any issues or have any questions about the handbook, please reach out.
Finally, we want to thank you all in advance for your patience. Construction has caused us to lose a large part of our side lot. It is unavoidable that we will see impact on our processes. We are keeping our eyes on the prize of a brand new building in only 1 year, but this year will have its challenges. Thank you for working with us!
Thank you,
BES Staff
OPEN HOUSE!
Save The Date
Friday, August 12th
4:15 - 4:45 PreK
5:00 - 5:45 Kindergarten
5:45 - 6:30 5th Grade
Monday, August 15th
5:00 - 5:45 2nd Grade
5:45 - 6:30 4th Grade
Tuesday, August 16th
5:00 - 5:45 1st Grade
5:45 - 6:30 3rd Grade
Families can plan to bring supplies to drop off at the Open House.
School supply lists can be found at
Family Handbook
Our Family Handbook has a new look!
Please review the Family Handbook for important information about BES. This is a one-stop place to find information on topics such as the BOE approved calendar, curriculum, assessments, attendance, transportation, volunteer opportunities and more. If you don’t see something that you believe should be included in the Family Handbook, please let us know. We make revisions and additions as appropriate.
BES 22-23 SY Car Rider Information
We're super excited about the new school year! As we continue to prepare for the first day, it will be helpful to know which families are planning on being car riders.
There will be two phases for car riders:
Phase A (3:30-3:45 pm) Students with the last names A-L
Phase B (3:45-4 pm) Students with the last names M-Z
As we did for the 21-22 SY, families will receive a number (visor tag) to help expedite the pick up process.
If you're planning on having your child (children) be a car rider on a regular basis, complete the form below (one form for each child). We need every family to re-register for this school year even if you were a car rider last school year. We will have new color tags to issue this school year.
Due to construction, the car rider lane will have a limited area for pickup/drop off. In order for this process to work as smoothly as it can, please:
Phase A- please arrive no earlier than 3:10 pm each day. Phase A pickup times are from 3:25-3:45 pm.
Phase B- please arrive no earlier than 3:40 pm each day. Phase B pickup times are from 3:45-4 pm.
Please be mindful of students who are walkers, as they will be using the crosswalk in the car rider lane. There will be a crossing guard for both AM and PM.
Make sure visor tags are visible (each family will receive 2 tags this year).
We will need everyone to exercise great patience with pick up and drop off, follow lane markings and turn around areas after students are dropped off/picked up.
If you are ever towing a trailer, it will be impossible to turn around in the car rider line. We recommend that you park at the Eagle’s lot and then walk over to car riders with your visor tag.
As with last year, due to everyone’s cooperation, the car rider process became incredibly smooth. If we need to modify/tweak the process, this will be communicated to families.
Looking forward to a great year! If you have further questions about car riders, please contact Jason Rubeling/Assistant Principal at thomas.rubeling@fcps.org.
Bus Information
Eligibility for Bus Transportation is determined by FCPS Policies and Regulations. Bus information will be available after 6 am on August 6. To find out if your student is eligible for bus transportation and what bus stop they will utilize, please use the following links:
Online Bus Stop Information - https://www.fcps.org/transportation/bus-stop-information-online (you will need your child's student ID and their birthdate) (Student ID information can be found on their report cards and we will be giving this information out during our open house)
Bus Status Information (Delays and Cancellations) - https://apps.fcps.org/transportation/status
It is a parent or guardian's responsibility to be sure there is someone at the bus stop to pick up young children.
Biker Rack
IMPORTANT MEAL INFORMATION
Meals are no longer free for all students.
Families must apply and be approved for Free & Reduced Meals. Stated meal prices will apply otherwise.
My School Bucks
2022 - 2023 Meal Updates
2022-2023 MEAL PRICES (Printable Price List)
ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
Breakfast $1.60
Lunch $2.65
Breakfast and lunch meals are free to students who qualify for free or reduced-price meals.
Milk purchased a la carte (not as part of a meal) is $0.60.
FREE AND REDUCED-PRICE MEAL BENEFITS
Meal Benefit applications for school year 2022-2023 will be available in July. We encourage all families who feel they qualify or are not sure if they qualify to fill out the electronic free and reduced-price meal benefits application online once it is available in July. We cannot accept a 2021-2022 application for the 2022-2023 school year. A paper application is available if requested.
Application Information
https://www.fcpsnutrition.com/index.php?page=lunchapps&sid=1496937421390
SchoolCash Online
Dear Parent/Guardian,
We are excited to inform you that Frederick County Public Schools offers SchoolCash Online as our preferred method of payment for all school fees, including everything from field trips to yearbooks. Our SchoolCash Online page can be found here: https://frederickcounty.schoolcashonline.com/.
Benefits to parents and schools
SchoolCash Online helps parents and community members pay school-related fees safely, quickly, and easily. In addition to convenience for yourself, you will help increase efficiency and security at your school by making payments directly into your school's bank account. This allows teachers and secretaries to focus on helping students, and not counting cash. In addition, you are immediately informed about school activities!
Register now!
Registering for your free SchoolCash Online account takes less than two minutes! Visit https://frederickcounty.schoolcashonline.com/ and click Register.
Should you encounter any difficulties, please contact the SchoolCash Online parent help desk by visiting schoolcashonline.com/Home/Support.
How it works
Powered by KEV Group, SchoolCash Online is the industry leader in the safe and secure management of school fees. This system puts all of the school-related fees for your student online for purchase. Schools post their items and activities and assign the relevant fees to your student, so you can then make purchases online using your credit card. This allows you to stay informed about upcoming school activities while keeping track of the school fees that require your attention.
Thank you for your support!
Find Out First
Your FindOutFirst (FOF) record will automatically reflect your child’s school and grade level.
From FOF you will receive instructions about how to log in to add a mobile phone number to get emergency-closing text messages. You will also receive instructions about how to sign up for system-level email such as calendar updates, newsletters, BOE action and more. If you change your email address during the school year, notify our school office so you will continue to get FOF emergency notices.
REQUIRED TRAINING For Volunteers and Chaperones
Volunteer and Chaperone Training (REQUIRED Yearly)
Before anyone is permitted to volunteer in the school, serve as a chaperone or attend an event during school hours, they must complete the Volunteer Training and Registration. This is a county requirement and must be done by individuals each year.
Once the training and registration form is completed, the process for approval takes several days. Please consider doing this at the start of the year to avoid last minute issues. Please share this information with any/all adults that may be involved at the school. We cannot make exceptions to this and we will turn individuals away who have not completed this and received approval from FCPS. This is mandatory for student and staff safety.
Volunteer Training and Registration - https://pubforms.fcps.org/view.php?id=78542
Upcoming Dates
August:
Friday, August 12: Open house: Pre-K 4:15 - 4:45; Kindergarten 5 - 5:45; 5th grade 5:45 - 6:30
Monday, August 15: Open house: 2nd grade 5- 5:45; 4th grade 5:45 - 6:30
Tuesday, August 16: Open house 1st grade 5 - 5:45; 3rd grade 5:45 - 6:30
Wednesday, August 17: 1st day of school for students (Pre-K and K students will stagger start)
September:
Monday, September 5: School Closed for Labor Day
New Hope United Methodist Church - Back-to-School Block Party
New Hope United Methodist Church invites you to their Back-to-School Block Party on Saturday, August 13 from 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM at the railroad square parking lot by the MARC train station.
Please see the flier for more information.
THANK YOU, BES PTO!
We look forward to a great collaboration this year!
Families... Please join the PTO. If you want to support BES and your child's class, this is an excellent way to do so. The PTO helps in so many ways... both visible and behind the scenes.
BES PTO INFORMATION
The BES PTO website includes information for volunteers, fundraising opportunities, PTO-sponsored events, membership forms, and much more! Join Today
Sign Up for Membership HERE
BES PTO Officers for the 2022-2023 School Year
Stephanie Ortega - President
Position needs filled - Vice President
Dee Dee Fowler - Secretary
Position needs filled - Treasurer
Lindsay Matthai- Fundraising
Christine Paugh - Volunteer Coordinator
Natasha Termohlen - Hospitality Coordinator
Alisa Bell - Social Media Coordinator / Hospitality
Brunswick Elementary School
Email: BrunswickES@fcps.org
Website: http://education.fcps.org/bes/
Location: 400 Central Avenue, Brunswick, MD, United States
Phone: 240.236.2900
Twitter: @DrMazaleski