BMES Family Weekly Update
Week of September 11, 2022
Message from Principal Wagner
I hope you all had a great weekend. We are transitioning into the third week of school and our staff and students have been working on getting into a school routine. Please don't forget to send in lunch money for your child this week.
Next week, we will have our fall book fair take place in the library. The students will be able to preview the books prior to purchasing. If you are interested in sending money in with your child to go shopping, please label those monies accordingly.
I want to also thank our families for your support of our PTA as we are looking at ways to create experiences for our students at BMES following the pandemic. We need your voice and support so if you haven't already joined the PTA, please continue to do so!
This school year, the PTA is looking for student entries through the PTA Reflection Contest. Does your child love to draw or paint? It’s not too late to create an entry for the PTA Reflections program. This year’s theme is “Show Your Voice...” Entries may be submitted to the front office until Friday, October 14th. Entry forms are available from the front office or you can access it here. Please e-mail bethelmanorpta@gmail.com with any questions. For official rules in each category please visit here.
Warm Regards,
Mrs. Wagner
Upcoming Events
Week of September 19-23
Fall Book Fair
Friday, September 30
Early Dismissal at 12:45 for K-5. Preschool will be dismissed at normal time.
Monday, October 3
Fall Picture Day at BMES
Wednesday, October 12
PTA Meeting at 6pm in the school library. We are looking for ideas to plan the Fall Festival, Teacher Helpers, Fundraisers, etc.
Friday, October 14
Deadline to submit entries for PTA Reflections.
Parent Resources
Safety Drills at BMES
BMES will participate in building wide safety drills throughout the month. Drills include:
- fire drills
- lockdown drills
- bus evacuation
Please reach out to our administration if you have any questions.
FEV Tutor
The York County School Division has partnered with FEV Tutor to provide students in grades 3-12 with free, 1:1 online tutoring. In addition to supporting coursework and homework in core subjects such as math, English/Language Arts, science and social studies, FEV Tutor offers support for Advanced Placement (AP) and International Baccalaureate (IB) courses.
Along with the on-demand support, FEV Tutor also offers weekly sessions between 7 and 10 p.m., Monday through Friday, and on weekends so families can select the times that work best for their schedule. To get started with e-tutoring, students should log in to Clever and locate the FEV Tutor app icon to get started. They can then schedule sessions and access live help at any time of the day.
While all support is live and personalized to each student's classes and needs, the program does not involve device cameras or microphones - instead all interactions involve a whiteboard and chat feature. Students will be able to share their screens and upload documents to review with tutors, and tutors only have access to student work provided by the individual student. Once a student is signed up for weekly sessions, FEV Tutor may periodically email families and students (aged 13 and older).
Learn more about FEV Tutor here:
- FEV Tutor Dashboard
- How to Share Content with Your Tutor
- Learning Style Options
- Program Overview Presentation
Here are some helpful resources on how to use FEV Tutor:
If you have any questions about this free virtual tutoring program, please contact FEV Tutor directly at: va@fevtutor.com or call 855-763-2607. FEV's Support Team is happy to answer any questions.
Rycor- Online Forms
We are asking all families complete the Student Handbook Acknowledgment Form and Student/Parent Technology Usage Form on Rycor. We highly encourage all families to visit Rycor, the division’s secure forms and payment system, to complete all required forms prior to the first day of school. We will not be issuing devices to our students in grades 3-5 during the first two weeks of school until those forms are completed.
All students in PK-2 also needs these forms completed in order to use YCSD devices while in the classroom as part of their instructional activities.
PALS (Phonological Awareness Literacy Screening)
Dear YCSD Families,
During the months of September and October, YCSD PreK through 3rd grade students will be taking an assessment called the Phonological Awareness and Literacy Screening (PALS). Students will take a mid-year PALS assessment in January and a final PALS assessment in April and May to allow teachers to continually monitor their students’ progress and meet their learning needs.
The PALS assessment is a screener that measures your child’s early literacy skills and vocabulary awareness. Results are used to aid teachers in developing individualized reading lesson plans for the students in their classroom.
One of the most effective strategies for preventing reading difficulties in early childhood and literacy development is accurate, early identification. PALS is a proactive and preventive screening measure that assists teachers in providing differentiated, targeted instruction to meet your child’s needs. PALS provides teachers with valuable information that they use to plan appropriate instruction for each reader.
The PALS also provides important information to you, the parent or guardian. It is important for each child to receive support in literacy education, both in the classroom and at home. Therefore, upon completion of PALS testing, your child’s scores will be sent home for your review.
Please do not hesitate to contact your child’s teacher if you have any questions or if you would like to receive additional information about the PALS assessment.
Breakfast and Lunch- Charged this year
If you need to load money into your child's lunch account, please visit MySchoolBucks.
Every Friday: we will sell ice cream for $1. The ice cream includes both dairy and non-dairy options. In order to prepare for your child to purchase ice cream, please send in money for their account or send in $1 to your child's teacher, labeled for ice cream.
Sodexo- So Happy App
So Happy... the app that tells you what’s on the menu today in your school’s cafeteria. Check out the menu items—including calories, nutritional information and allergens.
Consider downloading the App for more information.
PTA Updates
2022-2023 Reflections Contest
This is kickoff to the 2022-2023 Reflections Contest. This year’s theme is “Show Your Voice.” The PTA Reflections program is a way for students to showcase their talent in the areas of:
- Film Production
- Dance Choreography
- Visual Arts
- Literature
- Music Composition
- Photography
Entries may be submitted into the main office by Friday, October 14th . The entry form can be found here.
Contact Bethel Manor Elementary
Upcoming Absence
Let's Talk
The division’s customer service tool, Let’s Talk! – Ask YCSD has been expanded to include schools. Let’s Talk! – Ask YCSD can be conveniently accessed on the yorkcountyschools.org website or through the YCSD Mobile App using your smartphone, tablet or other mobile device.
To access the platform, click on the “Contact Us” button or simply click the Let's Talk! pop-out tab on the division website (the green tab on the right side of your computer screen or the green button on the bottom of your mobile screen). Then, select a topic to start a conversation and the appropriate staff member will respond.
Bethel Manor Elementary School
Email: cwagner@ycsd.york.va.us
Website: https://ycsd.yorkcountyschools.org/BMES
Location: 1797 First Street, Hampton, VA, USA
Phone: 757-867-7439
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BMESEagles/
Twitter: @BMESEagles