Evening Star Elementary
October 2022
A Note from Principal Williams:
Evening Star Families,
Can you believe it is already October? We truly have had a wonderful eight weeks of school. Our second in-person Walk In My Shoes night was an absolute success. Thank you to everyone who was able to join us. We hope you were able to learn a little more about Bentonville School's elementary curriculum. Our goal for Walk In My Shoes night was to communicate what your child is learning and ways you can support him or her throughout the year while also connecting you with other ESE families. A big SHOUT OUT to our PTO for helping organize the activities, ice cream raffle, food trucks, and a bounce house. Our raffle for the ice cream social was a success! Thank you to all who participated. We will announce our winners of the ice cream social this week and reach out to the families regarding a date and time. Stay tuned for more information.
As we head into the month of October and begin to finish up our first quarter of school, we start looking forward to Parent/Teacher conferences. In the next few weeks, you will receive information from your child's homeroom teacher regarding Parent-Teacher Conferences. Parent-Teacher Conferences will take place October 24th-27th during designated times. Each teacher has been asked to set aside 15 minutes per conference. We look forward to sharing with you your child's learning and progress for the first quarter. Reminder, parents, you can also access Teacherease anytime throughout the school year to track your child's progress. The Teacherease Parent Letter linked HERE provides directions for how to log into the program and check your child's progress.
As I shared in the PTO meeting this morning, starting Monday, October 3rd, you will receive a phone call every morning your child is absent without notification. For those who have students in junior high or high school, you are already familiar with this practice. The automated phone call is an added safety measure to ensure our students are always accounted for. As soon as you know your child will not be present, please email Mrs. Kendra Rogers at: esesattendanceclerk@bentonvillek12.org. Your email regarding your child's absence will ensure we have them marked appropriately and you do not receive a phone call that day.
Currently, we have almost 80 students who live in our walk zone. Most of our little walkers utilize the crosswalk at the corner of Pleasant Grove and Roberts Road. We also have students who walk across Pleasant Grove that live off of Gaston Road. Parents - we ask that you watch your speed closely as you drive down Pleasant Grove Road. Additionally, when you see flashing lights at the crosswalk, please stop. We have a crossing guard and a Community Resource officer assisting at this intersection to ensure our little owls' safety. However, parents, we need your help as well. We need your help by slowing down, being aware of little ones who may proceed across the road, refraining from the use of cellular devices while in the school zone, and really keeping all of our owls on foot between Gaston Road to Roberts Road safe and sound while they are walking to school. Furthermore, please keep our crosswalks (at Pleasant Grove/Roberts Road, the front entrance of the car line - near Gaston Road, and the crosswalk in the car line directly in front of the front doors) clear of traffic.
Speaking of car line. We are starting to notice large gaps during arrival. Today, our staff started staggering cars between the inside and outside lanes. By staggering the inside and outside lanes, we were able to fill the front half of our car line quicker, unload more cars, decrease wait time, and help our car rider line be more efficient while increasing safety for our owlets. When in the car line and you begin to approach the front of the building, please follow our staff's directions. We monitor the traffic closely, and there may be times that we shorten the car line. Watch for us to possibly stop you at the crosswalk at the front doors to unload.
Additionally, thank you to all the parents who are utilizing the car-rider line and following the procedures outlined by our school administration and district personnel. Your support has helped ensure our little owls' safety during arrival and dismissal. Safety is always our priority, so once again, thank you for using the car line, following the directions of the duty personnel, and putting your cell phones down while you are in a school zone. The use of cell phones in school zones is strictly prohibited and against the law. You will be asked to put your cell phone down if a staff member sees you on it. Thank you for your cooperation and understanding.
Car Rider Reminders:
- Make sure your car is in park.
- Your eyes are on the duty personnel.
- In the mornings, while in the car line, please only unload your child in front of the building where duty personnel is present. Staff is unable to ensure the safety of any child who is unloaded on the west side of the building.
- In the mornings, do not release your child from the car until all of the cars have come to a complete stop, and duty personnel have given you the direction to release your children.
- Please give us a thumbs up when your vehicle is unloaded or loaded.
- Unless you live in the walk zone, we ask that you utilize the car line to pick up and drop off your child; we want to be respectful of our surrounding neighborhoods.
- The use of handheld cell phones by drivers who are in a school zone or are passing by school buildings during school hours when children are present is prohibited. This includes while you are waiting in the car line for arrival or dismissal when children are present.
Over the school year, we will continue to send out monthly newsletters containing a variety of information regarding news from our auxiliary staff, updates from the office, and information from our PTO. Throughout the newsletter, you will notice multiple links to various websites, Google forms, and email contacts. Simply click on the blue hyperlink to connect with ease.
If you have not had a chance to join the Evening Star Parent Teacher Organization, we want to encourage you to do so. Our PTO will have regularly scheduled meetings to synergize and partner with school staff to create a school community that enhances our students' education and school experience.
As always, thank you for your continued support in your child's education! If you have any specific questions, please reach out to your child's classroom teacher or our front office. We hope everyone has a wonderful evening.
Future ESE Events:
Mark your calendars now and keep a watch out for more events over the course of the school year:
- Oct. 3rd - School Custodian Appreciation Day
- Oct. 4th - PTO Meeting 8:30 am
- Oct. 6th - Kindergarten Field Trip
- Oct.7th - School Psych Appreciation Day
- Oct 11 - Lunch & Learn: Internet Safety in a World of Snapchat, Instagram & Tiktok @ 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM at our Administration Building located at 500 Tiger Blvd.
- Oct. 17th -19th - Fall Break - School will not be in session.
- Oct. 20th - NWA Four Regional events for families of children with disabilities in the Northwest Arkansas area hosted at the Special Services Office in Bentonville,1000 SE 14th Street, from 6:00-7:30 PM. Child care will be available and snacks will be provided.
- Oct. 24th - Oct. 27th - Parent-Teacher Conferences
- Oct. 31st - Fall Parties (see grade level times below)
- Oct. 31st - Nov. 4th - Good Choices Week (see below)
- Nov. 3rd – ESE Pie Supper
- Nov. 4th – ESE “Owl Prowl” Fun Run 5 PM
- Nov. 5th - AIM Walk @ 10 AM at BWHS
- Nov. 7th - Parents' Night Out Hosted by the Benton County Sheriff's Department from 6:00-8:00 pm at Arend Arts Center, 1901 SE J St, Bentonville, AR 72712, USA. Registration is required.
- Nov.9th – Choose Love Bentonville Square 5:30 PM: The community is invited to join us and celebrate the Jesse Lewis Choose Love Movement in the Downtown Bentonville Square.
- Nov. 11th - School-wide Turkey Trot
- Nov. 15th – ESE PTO meeting at 1:00 PM
- Nov. 21-25th – Thanksgiving Break
- Dec. 10th – Bentonville Christmas Parade
- Dec. 20th – Winter Parties
- Dec. 22nd -January 4, 2023 – Winter Break
School Breakfast and Lunch:
Have you deposited funds into your child's school meal account? Students are charged for each meal they eat from the cafeteria. Breakfast costs $2.05 each day, and lunch costs $2.85 (K-6) or $3.05 (7-12) each day. Visit bentonville.familyportal.cloud to add money to your child's account or click on the "Apply for Benefits" button to find out if your family is eligible for free and reduced-price meals.
Emergency Drill Communication:
Our security practices and procedures require regular emergency drills in all of our schools. These drills are for your child’s safety, and we encourage you to talk to your student about them. Your child’s age will set the tone for these conversations. The safety of your child is our top priority, and we will always do everything we can to keep them comfortable and calm throughout the school day. If you have questions about how to talk through these drills with your child, please feel free to connect with our counselors or school administration. We are happy to assist you. We've shared some guidelines below to help you navigate specifically the subject of lockdown drills.
My Payments Plus & Permanent Car Tag Information:
Interested in a second, permanent tag? We are selling a second-tag option for $5. These will also be returned at the end of the year. Walkers, bus riders, and after-school care families, you are welcome to request your permanent tag from your classroom teacher or our front office. We understand there will still be rare instances when you need to use the temporary-paper tag issued at the beginning of the year. Kindly let us know in advance.
On the last day of school, a staff member will collect these for use next year. Lost or misplaced tags will result in a $5 charge to cover the purchase of a replacement.
In an effort to make paying fees more convenient, Bentonville Schools utilizes an online payment platform called My Payments Plus. Registration is simple. Go to mypaymentsplus.com and follow the on-screen instructions. You will need your child's student ID (4000#) to register. Once you've registered and linked your child(ren) to your account, you are all set. Your school will notify you when items are available for payment. Examples of items you will be able to pay online include additional car tags, musical recorders, field trips, t-shirt orders, and so much more. You can pay with your debit card, credit card, or directly from your checking account. The cost of processing is already included (and is the same whether you pay online or in-person), so you will not pay an additional fee to take advantage of the online system.
You shouldn't have any trouble, but if you do, a team of My Payments Plus professionals is standing by to help by phone at 877-237-0946 or by email at Support@MyPaymentsPlus.com
Fall Parties:
Our Fall party is coming up quickly. While party days are so much fun for our students, please know that your child’s safety is our primary focus. As always, our front office staff will screen all guests through our Raptor program to ensure we are keeping our little owls safe. We want to be proactive in our approach over the next few weeks. In hopes of speeding up access to the building, alleviating long waiting lines, and also ensuring the safety of everyone, we would like to encourage you to stop by the office to get your driver's license scanned in BEFORE our first Fall party. You need to have your driver's license or state ID in hand on the day of the party. On party day, staff will ask to see your driver's license to confirm that you have been scanned in, and then they will provide you with a Raptor guest sticker. Guests must have a current driver's license or state identification card that can be scanned into our Raptor system to access the building beyond the office doors. If a guest's ID is NOT scanned before the fall party, they will need to wait in the office to have their driver's license scanned before they will be given access to the classrooms. For parking purposes, we will have a staggered party schedule. Our Fall party times for each grade are listed below. These times include setup and clean-up. Your child's teacher will send additional information and specific party start times.
- 7:50-8:35 a.m. - 3rd Grade
- 8:45-9:30 a.m. - 4th grade
- 9:45-10:30 a.m. - 2nd grade
- 12:40-1:25 p.m. - 1st grade
- 1:45-2:30 p.m. - Kindergarten
Classroom Fall Parties are scheduled for Monday, October 31st. Monday, October 31st, is also an ESE Owls Make Strong Choices Day. Students are encouraged to dress up as their favorite mascot or favorite character or role model from a book, TV show, or movie. To make this a wonderful day for all students, non-scary and age-appropriate dress-up is expected (no blood, zombies, weapons, masks, or scary costumes of any kind). Students will be working for the majority of the day; therefore, what they wear should not interfere with school work. Additionally, students will be going outside to recess and attending activity classes. Please be advised there is always a possibility a student's costume may be damaged. Parents and guardians who choose to attend our Fall party may also dress up as their favorite character or role model as long as it is school-appropriate, non-scary, and faces are clearly visible.
News from Nurse Crutchfield:
Here are a few reminders from Nurse Crutchfield:
- Flu Clinic: Our Evening Star Flu Clinic is scheduled for Friday, November 4th, from 8:00-9:30 a.m. This week a Flu Clinic packet and a green School Immunization Record/FERPA form will be sent home with your child. Please read these forms carefully and complete the Immunization Consent Form (Front and back) and the green School Immunization Record/FERPA form. Both forms need to be completed, signed, and returned by October 14th, 2022, for your child to receive the flu shot this year. The Benton County Health Unit Nurses will administer all flu vaccines. This clinic is a great opportunity for your children to receive the flu shot conveniently while at school.
- Hearing and Vision: Hearing and vision screenings have been completed for Kindergarten, 1st, 2nd, and 4th grades. If your child did not pass after 2 screenings, they will be coming home with a referral to the doctor. Please make an appointment and return the referral completed by the doctor by the due date (60 days) listed on the referral. Thank you for your help!
Please reach out to me with any questions or concerns! Thank you for helping me keep every little owl safe and healthy.
Nurse Dana Crutchfield RN, BSN, CPN
Counselor Corner:
Happy Fall from the Counselors! October is National Bullying Prevention Month, so we are excited to start our October lessons which will focus on bullying prevention. We stress being kind and inclusive to everyone but also will teach students the difference between Rude, Mean, and Bullying and how to deal with all three.
The Difference between Rude, Mean, and Bullying
In November/December, we will be teaching Personal Body Safety using the district Empower Me Program. If you would like to know more about this curriculum, please watch this short video. You can always call us with any questions or concerns!
Please reach out to us for any needs you may have. We are always happy to help!
Pam Gaskin & Paula Kaufmann
479-360-7400
NATIONAL BULLYING AWARENESS MONTH:
October is National Bullying Awareness Month. We encourage everyone to wear ORANGE on October 20th; coming together in one giant ORANGE message of hope and support. WEAR AND SHARE ORANGE to color our school, nation, and even the world, visibly showing that our society believes that no child should ever experience bullying.
Math News:
This month's math focus is all about flexibility! As students grow as mathematical thinkers, we want them to think flexibly about numbers and have a growth mindset when it comes to problem-solving. That means we won't always see students solve problems the way that we might traditionally, and that's ok. If you are practicing math facts at home (addition and subtraction for K-2 and multiplication/ division for 2-4), don't focus on memorization but instead encourage students to share their mathematical thinking. For a younger student, that might sound like "4+9 is 13. I know that because I can take 1 from 4 and add it to the 9 to make 10. Then I just need to add 3 more!" For older students, it might sound like "4 x 6 is 24. I know that because 2 times 6 is 12, and I doubled that to get 24."
Here are a few ways to incorporate math in your fall family fun:
Visit a pumpkin patch! For K-1 students, ask them to count how many pumpkins are on the vine, how many you purchase, etc. For 2-4 students, have them calculate the cost of your purchases before you get to the register. You could also ask questions like "If I give you $20, how many pumpkins will you be able to purchase?" As you are carving pumpkins, have students describe the shapes they are using- think triangles, squares, ovals, rhombuses, etc.
Watch some football! For younger students, it can sound like " The team is about to score a field goal for 3 points. They already have 7 points, so what will their score be now?" For older students, ask questions like "What is the difference in the team's score? How many touchdowns does ___ need to score to pull ahead?"
Do some baking! Have students practice measuring ingredients, doubling recipes and answering questions such as "If we slice our pie into eight pieces and we have four family members, how many slices can each person have?"
Katie Curry
ESE Math Coach
Whooo Loves to read? Your ESE OWLS DO!
Our Owls are loving their time in the library, and I adore seeing them enjoy their space! The children are being introduced to this year’s Arkansas Diamond Award books and learning from one another through STEM projects and hands-down conversations! I am still trying to secure funding for a robotics club. 4th grade parents, I will keep you updated as soon as I have more information.
Thank you for allowing me to share in your child’s life!
Mrs. Watson
"Gym Shorts":
This month your little owls will finish up the bike stations outside. They are learning how to get low if they see a tree branch, glide over big rocks, and ride over different surfaces. They are doing AMAZING! Your older owls will learn to use their teamwork, communication, and strategy skills to build a boat together to get across the water. Your younger owls will not only start bikes but learn how teamwork and communication are important in our ultimate soccer game.
Keep moving for a healthy you!
Coach Kerkhover & Coach LaRocco
ART Studio:
During October, our Owls are settling into a routine in the art studio and learning to follow procedures. We will be introducing some new media as well this month. Poster contests and T-shirt contests are on the horizon as well. Mr. V is very impressed with the work ethic of our artists and the talent of our students.
Keep up the great work!
Mr. VanSlyke
Music Notes:
ESE owls get two music teachers this semester! Ms. Garrett is very excited to be interning in the music room at ESES. Click here to meet our guest teacher! This month, Kinder and First Grade are continuing to explore new instruments! Third grade is studying patriotic music and beginning to prepare for a trip to visit local veterans, and Fourth Grade is off to a great start learning how to play recorders.
The Second Graders are continuing to work hard for their upcoming musical Squirm, and we look forward to seeing everyone on October 12th! See details here: 2nd Grade Musical Parent Info.
I will be sharing information through the classroom teachers throughout the year, but if you ever have any questions regarding music activities, please contact me directly at esimpson@bentonvillek12.org.
Mrs. Simpson
Global Connections:
This month we will be concluding our first unit, South America. These owls have proudly shared with their class if they, or someone they know, has traveled to South America! Every day I’m learning new things from their personal experiences! Second, Third, and Fourth Grade will be working on a project focusing on an animal from the Amazon Rainforest, and Kinder and First Grade will be creating their own Brazilian carnival mask. Our next stop will be North America! Stay Tuned!
Sincerely,
Mrs. Connor
Digital Literacy
This month in Digital Literacy, we will be learning about our Digital Footprint and healthy screen time. Third and fourth grade will also be setting our typing goals and working on improving them.
Mrs. Castro
English as a Second Language:
Free Local English Classes for Adults:
Did you know Northwest Arkansas Community College offers free English classes for adults? The English for Language Learners (ELL) program offers instruction in English language skills for adult students whose first language is not English. Whether your goal is to sharpen your English-language skills to improve your career options, prepare to take your naturalization test or earn your GED credential, the ELL program will use a placement test to enroll you in the right courses.
For more information, check out the following:
Website:
https://www.nwacc.edu/adulteducation/ourprograms/englishsecondlanguage.aspx
Email: askadulted@nwacc.edu
Phone Number: (479) 986-6911
Melissa Tomblin
PTO NEWS:
We will kick off our first Hoot Hut on Oct. 14th between 7:00 and 7:30. Our PTO will be selling non-food items such as: Smencils, erasers, key chains, water bottle stickers, fidget items, and so much more.
Our Owl Prowl is just around the corner. Students and families can sign up to run a 1/2 mile and/or the 1-mile race. Sign-up is live now!
- Date: November 4, 2022
- Time: 5:00 p.m.
- Location: Fulbright Junior High School - Bentonville, AR
- ESE Owl Prowl Fun Run Registration Link
- $20 REGISTRATION FEE
All money raised from the Owl Prowl will be set aside for an ESE-shaded picnic area. Come join in the fun!
Staying connected with our PTO is easy! Click HERE to learn more about future meeting dates, meeting minutes, and more.
Thank you for joining PTO!
President - Katie Baumeister
Co-President - Tatum Aicklen
Vice President - Jordan Anglin
Treasurer - Jessica Daniels
Secretary - Jenna Woodard
SCHOOL BREAKFAST AND LUNCH MENUS:
As I mentioned in August, school breakfast and lunch is no longer provided for students for free. If you have not deposited funds into your child's account or applied for support for the cost of the meals, please log in to the Family Portal and do that. You will need your student's ID to log in.
If you would like to see what our cafeteria will be serving for breakfast and lunch for the month of October, simply click on the following link: https://www.bentonvillek12.org/page/food-and-nutrition