Bear Creek Bulletin
October 2022
From the Principal's Desk . . .
We have closed out September and it is already October. We are really getting into the groove of things and there is a lot of hard work being done by students and staff.
Reminder:
Please email bc_attendance@etownschools.org to report any transportation changes, absences, appointments, etc. Please include your name, your child's name, teacher's name, and the reason in your communication. You may also send an image of a doctor's excuse/note to the above attendance email address.
We have some exciting events in the month of October.
- Picture Day is Wednesday, October 5.
- We celebrate Red Ribbon Week at the end of the month. We will have spirit days all week. Please see below for those spirit days.
- Our PTO Book Fair takes place at the end of the month as well.
Please don't hesitate to contact me with any questions or concerns.
Mr. Jacques Viau - Principal
Mr. Jason Kingsborough - Assistant Principal
October Spirit Days
Thursday, October 6
Friday, October 14
Monday, October 24 (Red Ribbon Week)
Tuesday, October 25 (Red Ribbon Week)
Wednesday, October 26 (Red Ribbon Week)
Thursday, October 27 (Red Ribbon Week)
Friday, October 28
Monday, October 31
Bear Creek Picture Day
Order before Picture Day on mylifetouch.com
Picture Day ID: EVTVB73CF
Bear Creek Holiday Giving Tree Assistance
Dear Bear Creek Families,
This holiday season Bear Creek school, along with the PTO, would like to invite your family to participate in our Holiday Giving Tree Program. This program offers special assistance to some of our Bear Creek families who find themselves in great financial need during the December Holiday season. Our goal is to help provide gifts and items for a home-cooked holiday meal.
If you feel you could use this assistance and are not receiving help from another school or community organization, please use the link below to complete the registration form. Registrations must be completed by October 24th, 2022. All requests will be kept confidential.
Gifts and Meal Boxes will be available to pick up during Parent-Teacher conferences, on Thursday, December 8th, and Friday, December 9th.
If you have additional questions or do not have access to the internet, please contact one of our school counselors at 717-367-0210 or kirstin_reed@etownschools.org to assist you.
Sincerely,
Mr. Jason Bingaman
3rd Grade School Counselor
Mrs. Caitlin Wagner
4th Grade School Counselor
Mrs. Tamara Miller
5th Grade School Counselor
From the PTO
Follow Bear Creek on Social Media
Twitter: @bearcreekpto
Facebook: Bear Creek School PTO
District Website Page - Updated By-Laws (adopted on Sept. 19) will be posted on the district page soon.
Spirit Wear Sale is coming soon!
Look for more information about events taking place this school year in the future.
PTO Book Fair (October 24 - 31)
If you would like to volunteer to help at the Book Fair use the following link to the signup to help.
Use this link for the online version of the book fair.
Parent Cafe Series - Hosted by Community Action Partnership
Transportation Updates
- Walking Path - Please be aware that staff members are on the Walking Path starting at 8:25 am. Students getting dropped off at the Walking Path prior to that time will not have adult supervision. They still have enough time to get to school and not be late if they are dropped off at 8:25 am.
- Car Riders - The curb where car riders get dropped off and picked up has been painted BLUE. When dropping your child off in the morning, they can get out of the vehicle along the blue curb.
Upcoming Events and Important Dates
October 5 - Picture Day
October 6 -
- Early Dismissal
- Spirit Day - Pink Day - Breast Cancer Awareness Month
October 7 and 10 - No School for Students
October 14 - Spirit Day - Blue and White Day
October 24 - 28 - Red Ribbon Week
- Spirit Days
- Monday - Crocs and Crazy Socks
- Tuesday - Jersey Day
- Wednesday - Hat Day
- Thursday - Red Day
- Friday - Blue and White (and Red) day
October 24 - 31 - PTO Book Fair
Meals at School (updated)
Metz Culinary Management is our Food Services provider for the district. I have provided some information below about meals at school.
Information about Food Services at Elizabethtown Area SD is available using the following link (https://www.etownschools.org/Page/323).
Menu and Meal Prices - (Click here)
***Starting October 3, all Elizabethtown Area School District students will be eligible for one complimentary breakfast daily, regardless of a family's ability to pay. The District will charge full price for second breakfasts and a la carte snacks. Please note this state-sponsored program only includes breakfast. School lunches will continue to be offered at the regular price or the free or reduced price for those students enrolled in the Free and Reduced Price Meal program.
The complimentary breakfast program will run through the end of the 2022-2023 school year.
Breakfast and lunch menus for each school are available here.
If you have any additional questions, please contact Alison Kreider at 717-367-1521 ext 21060 or email alison_kreider@etownschools.org.
Attendance Information
- Families should email bc_attendance@etownschools.org.
If you are planning an extended trip please complete our Educational Trip Request Form for preplanned educational trips.
Community Portal Updates and Student Data Verification Form
The Elizabethtown Area School District has added the 2022-2023 Student Data Verification Form to the Community Portal. This form allows parents/guardians to electronically verify and update important information for your child, including critical emergency contact information. Additionally, each year, parents/guardians must submit the following online forms that can also be accessed from your Community Portal account: (Click here for more information)
- Parent/Student Handbook Acknowledgement Form
- Medical Permission and First Aid Form
- Military Family Survey
If you do not have a Community Portal Account, visit the EASD website at www.etownschools.org and navigate to the EASD Community Portal page by clicking on the A+ GRADE PORTAL icon in the top left corner of the website. You will be redirected to the Community Portal page, where you will find step-by-step instructions and tip sheets showing how to create the account.
District Wide Yearly Updates
Under various state and federal laws, as well as board-approved district policy, the Elizabethtown Area School District is required annually to share various notifications with parents and guardians that relate to different elements of our operations. We are communicating these notices electronically. In addition, we publish this electronic handbook to reduce the cost of printing a combined total of over 40,000 pages for all our students in addition to the countless staff hours to print the forms.
The Elizabethtown Area School District trusts that you appreciate its attempt to be fiscally responsible and at the same time transparent in our communication that is user-friendly to our families. We feel this online system of communication accomplishes both goals. If you do not have access to the Internet and need a paper packet sent home with your children or if you have questions about the District’s annual notifications, feel free to contact Troy Portser, Director of School and Community Information for the Elizabethtown Area School District, by phone at (717) 367-1521, ext. 10024 or by email at troy_portser@etownschools.org.
Community Portal
There are several items of importance on the Community Portal. The Community Portal is a connection to our Student Information System and a place online where families can access information, such as report cards, attendance, and other student information.
- For information on how to create your Community Portal account click here.
School Gate Guardian - Visitor Management System
When you come to Bear Creek, or any other building in the district, you will notice a red kiosk in the vestibule. This is our visitor management system.
The software will help us identify approved guardians so you can be assured we are placing your children in the proper hands. Another feature this new system offers is the protection of a child from a spouse with any type of custodial issue. Be it partial custody or no custody, if you provide our district with the proper court documents and the identity of the spouse, the software will alert district personnel of an attempted, non-authorized visit.
Ultimately, the system will print you a visitor badge that we ask you to wear throughout your visit to our school. As you leave our facility, we request you to leave through the main office to return your badge so we can scan you out of the system. This is just another step to ensure everyone's safety at our buildings.
Bear Creek School
We are growing together as a safe school community, where we persevere, feel loved, and love learning.
Email: jacques_viau@etownschools.org
Website: www.etownschools.org
Location: Bear Creek Elementary School, Sheaffer Road, Elizabethtown, PA, USA
Phone: 717-367-0210
Twitter: @BearCreekEtown