After School Clubs
- Chess Club meets after school.
- Green Team Meets after school. Also, our Green team is still collecting plastic bottle caps of all colors and sizes. There is a bin for collections by the Parent Center door. Students can drop off any donations on the way into the building. Thank you!
AKS at Home for Parents of Kindergarten and 1st Grade Students
As part of Gwinnett County Public Schools’ family engagement initiative, the school district seeks to empower parents with tools that allow them to help their children at home. Our AKS at Home project provides math and language arts resources to support families of children in grades K-5 so that they truly are partners in their children’s learning. This support is available for families to access in the format that suits them and their schedule best. They can attend live virtual meetings, view recorded information, and gain tools and suggestions on how to best help their children through tip sheets on a wide variety of topics.
We invite our families to sign up for a virtual session to learn more about how they can support their children.
Tip Sheets and Recordings can be accessed by selecting the appropriate grade level. Recordings will be available at the end of each session series.
Visit the AKS at Home webpage to learn more and to see session dates and times.
Play2Learn - 9:30 AM
This program is focused on building the capacity in parents to be their child’s first teacher as well as providing an opportunity for students to be in a group setting. Caregivers bring child(ren) (ages birth to five) to a 90-minute session each week. Activities are modeled and facilitated by a certified staff member utilizing best practices for readiness skills in Communication, Language and Literacy, Cognitive Development, Social-Emotional Development, Approaches to Play and Learning and Motor Skill Development.
Approximately 20 students are in the class and parents remain with children for the entire session.
AKS at Home for Parents of 4th and 5th Graders
Visit the AKS at Home webpage to learn more and to see session dates and times.
1st Day of Black History Month
Black History Month was created to focus attention on the contributions of African Americans to the United States. It honors all Black people from all periods of U.S. history, from the enslaved people first brought over from Africa in the early 17th century to African Americans living in the United States today.
Yearbook Discount Ends Today
Sale price is $30.00 for a yearbook. The price will go up to $35.00 until the sale ends April 19, 2023. Click here to order your child's yearbook today.
AKS at Home for Parents of 2nd and 3rd Graders
Visit the AKS at Home webpage to learn more and to see session dates and times.
Title I Parent Workshop at 6:00 PM, "Discipline That Teaches"
This workshop will be led by our school counselors in our media center on Thursday, February 2, from 6:00-7:00 p.m., with Spanish interpretation provided. A Zoom options will also be available with the Zoom Link will be sent via Class Dojo closer to the presentation date.
During the workshop you will:
Learn about how to use discipline that teaches children through choices, navigating regret, and how to properly apologize and make amends.
Learn about the Wheel of Connection and how it can be used at home.
Receive the tools you need to implement the Wheel of Connection at home.
We hope to see you here or online!
BINGO Night
Bingo Night is returning this March and we’re calling on all of our parent business owners to help donate prizes and gift baskets. If you would like to donate a prize or know of someone that would like to donate, please contact us at info@blespto.org.
We have some exciting news to share! The week before last, our robotics team competed in the Super-Regional Tournament at Lanier High School. Last week, we learned that our BearBots team will be advancing to the next level and will be competing at the State Tournament at the University of Georgia on Saturday, February 11th. Congratulations, BearBots. We know that you have worked hard, and we wish you the best of luck at the state tournament.
Here's what you need to know about our upcoming fair:
Every dollar spent will benefit our school directly
You can sign up for Book Fair eWallet on our Book Fair Homepage (link below). The Book Fair eWallet is a convenient digital payment account, so your child can shop the Fair cash-free. Family members and friends can contribute to the eWallet to help build your home library.
Save these dates for our in-person Book Fair, and view our school’s Book Fair site.
Monday, February 6th – Friday, February 10th, with online sales beginning on February 2nd.
The Book Fair will be open from 9:00 am - 2:30 pm throughout the week of Feb. 6-10 for students to shop. It will also be open from 6:00 pm - 7:00 pm on Thursday, February 9th during Literacy Night!
We need helpers: If you are interested in helping out as a Volunteer during our Book Fair at BLES, please click the link here to sign up for a time slot. We would like to have two volunteers for each time slot. We appreciate your help!
Mark your calendars. Parent-teacher conference week in Gwinnett will be the last week of February, with early release days being March 1st and 2nd. The button to sign up for conferences will go live on our website on February 10th so be on the lookout for that. Conferences will be required for parents of those students performing below grade level or upon parent request. Interpreters will be provided, if needed, and conferences will be through Zoom unless requested to be in-person by the parent. More information and reminders will be forthcoming.
The U.S. Department of Education (ED) approved Georgia's COVID-19 State Plan Addendum for the 2021-2022 school year on May 26, 2022. Because the approved changes through the Addendum are not limited to SY 2021-2022, the Georgia Department of Education (GaDOE) must submit an updated ESEA Consolidated State Plan that incorporates those approved changes.
Additionally, GaDOE is requesting the following changes to the state’s accountability system.
- Align the literacy indicator with the Georgia Milestones on-grade-level reading measure
- Expand the high school College and Career Readiness indicator to include military readiness as measured by performance on the ASVAB (Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery) as an additional option to demonstrate postsecondary readiness
- Include additional content areas (career exploratory, computer science) in the Beyond the Core indicator
- Eliminate the overall, single 0-100 score while maintaining 0-100 scores for all indicators and components
- Incorporate students with significant cognitive disabilities who participate in the Georgia Alternate Assessment (GAA) 2.0 in the ELA and mathematics Progress indicators
- Update the Closing Gaps improvement target formula to align with the maintenance level and to reward districts and schools that meet improvement targets for the most at-risk student populations (Economically Disadvantaged, English Learners, Students with Disabilities)
- Continue utilizing the staged Comprehensive Support and Improvement (CSI) identification approach approved in Georgia’s one-year addendum (2022), updated to include all components
- Eliminate the Promise Schools designation and replace it with a Universal Supports Schools designation to enable the state to support statewide improvement efforts to provide a high-quality education for all students in Georgia’s schools
Prior to submitting this Amendment, GaDOE is providing public notice to all interested parties in the state with a reasonable opportunity to comment on this request via this survey no later than 2:00 p.m. January 31, 2023.
Questions should be directed to Allison Timberlake, Deputy Superintendent for Assessment & Accountability, at atimberlake@doe.k12.ga.us.
Webinar Information: The Office of Assessment & Accountability will host a 2023 ESEA Consolidated State Plan Amendment webinar on Thursday, January 26 at 10 a.m. to review this amendment request. You can register for the webinar using this link.
If your child is receiving special education services from GCPS, then the state is asking you to participate in a parent survey to measure parent/family perceptions of the success of parents engagement between home and local schools. The survey is now available and will run through May 31st. Click here to access the survey.
All GCPS families are invited to attend our next Federal Programs Family-School Partnership Advisory Council (PAC) Meeting
Thursday, February 9, 5:30-6:30 PM
See the flyers below in different languages for more information.
A key improvement strategy calls on organizations to study the user experience. Therefore, it makes sense to include our students and parents in the work we are doing to improve our schools. The Educational Effectiveness Survey (EES) measures what students in grades 4-12 and their parents/guardians think about their school experience. Our 4th and 5th grade students are taking the survey during their tech special time.
The family survey that we are asking parents/legal guardians to take will run from February 28-March 10, so be on the lookout for it the last week in February.
Additional information about the surveys can be found here.
Each week, the GCPS Department of Family Engagement, sends out eTips for parents in both English and Spanish. The English tips are towards the front of the document and the Spanish on pages following the English.
Check out All eTips by week here.
These tips can also be found on our website under the Quicklinks area > Family Engagement.
When your child has well check appointments or dental appointments, please do not have them miss the whole day of school if not medically necessary. While providing a note from the doctor may excuse your child from school, it does not make up for the learning missed. Checking in and/or out of school on appointment days will minimize missed instruction and learning. Teachers always do their best to help students with missed work, but being with the class and in the moment of the lesson produces the best learning experience. Thanking for keeping the school schedule in mind when making appointments for your children.
Per the Student Handbook: Parents may provide snacks only, no drinks, favors, balloons, or flowers for the child’s birthday. Whole cakes that need to be sliced by staff are not permitted. All students should be included. Nutritious snacks are encouraged. Birthday treats should be handed out and eaten in the cafeteria during the last ten minutes of the lunch period. Please make sure that students mainstreamed in your classroom are included in the count for treats. Buying ice cream at school for each class member is encouraged. Students may not pass out invitations to parties at school unless all members of the class are invited.
Camp Invention will be held at our school again next summer, and if you register early, you can save money. The camp will be held from June 5-8 from 8:00 - 4:00PM. Extended day will also be offered from 7:30 - 5:30 PM for an additional $100. If you have any questions, please reach out to Trina Ashadele. See the bilingual flyer and image below for details.
The Care Team at BLES has many ways to support our families. We have a food pantry at school that you can come shop at, and we can also assist with helping provide school supplies, deodorant, and feminine hygiene products for your child. If you would like to access these resources please contact:
Lyndsay Murphy (K-2-4)
770-582-7523
Laura Marantz (1-3-5)
770-582-7522
Sandra Orci (Spanish)
678-291-4232
Afternoon Transportation Changes:
Parents, please remember that afternoon transportation changes must be made by 1:30 and there are only two ways for you to make an change for your child:
1. Use the PikMyKid app
2. Send in a signed note.
Dojos, emails, or phone calls to change afternoon transportation will not be accepted.
Thank you for helping us enforce this rule and keep our kids safe!
We Can Help
Many of us face economic hardships at various times in our lives. Due to these hardships, we may need additional help with basic needs like food. At this time, Berkeley Lake Elementary can help by providing a small amount of groceries for your family each week. They will be sent home in your child’s backpack on Fridays. The food is provided by donation. Your name and your child’s name will not be revealed to the donor. The Berkeley Lake Staff will get the food to your child in a discrete manner.
To participate, please email one of us, call either school counselor, or Mrs. Orci (Spanish speaker) to request participation.
Please call us with any questions or concerns:
Lyndsay Murphy
School Counselor
School Counselor
770-582-7523
Laura Marantz
School Counselor
770-582-7522
Sandra Orci (Spanish)
Parent Liaison
678-291-4232
Local School Plan for Improvement
Did You Know BLES is on Various Social Media Apps?
Do You Have a MyPaymentsPlus Account?
Gwinnett Public Schools uses MyPaymentsPlus as a site for school-related payments and documentation sign off. If you do not yet have an account with this site, you will need to set one up. Click here to learn more.
Berkeley Lake Recycles
Berkeley Lake recycles aluminum cans and old clothes and shoes (in any condition) in the two bins in the upper parking lot. The Green Team receives 10¢ per pound of donations, which helps pay the fee for the weekly paper and cardboard pick-up. The aluminum cans are recycled at Progressive Recycling on Simpson Circle. Please support our Green Team by recycling these items here at Berkeley Lake. Thank you!
Do You Have a Parent Portal Account?
If you need to register with the portal, please print and complete this registration form and turn it in to the main office. Along with the completed form, you are required to show a photo I.D. for verification.
We Collect Box Tops (Online)
Georgia After School Program (GASP)
Our Parent Center
The Berkeley Lake Parent Center is located across from the front office and it's providing services by appointment. For Parent Center support please call Ms. Sandra Orci, Parent Liaison, at 678-291-4232 or email her at Sandra.Orci@gcpsk12.org
We Thank Our Business Partners
- The Tutoring Center, Duluth, Ga.
- Mathnasium
- Ultra Baby LLC (Ultrasound and Photography)
- Atlanta Urgent Care - 5246 Peachtree Pkwy
