Berkeley Lake ES
"Bear Essentials" Weekly e-Newsletter, December 20, 2019
Principal's Message
Dear Parents,
As the first semester of the 2019-2020 school year draws to a close, I want to acknowledge the hard work of our faculty and staff! They are an amazing group of dedicated individuals, and our school would not be so successful without them. I also want to thank you, our parents and guardians, for all you do to support your child's learning by supervising homework, ensuring that they come to school on time, and reinforcing the importance of school in their future success.
I hope that you have a wonderful winter break and that your holidays are merry and bright! We will see you in 2020!
Your Principal and Partner,
Dr. Pendleton
Reminder About Bus Behavior Expectations
As we approach the middle of the school year, it's a good time to review procedures and expectations. Here's a quick reminder for our bus riders:
Phones and other devices should be turned off and in the book bag while students are on the bus. Students should remain seated in their assigned seat with book bag in the lap, and students aren't allowed to eat or drink on the bus. Voices should be off when crossing railroad tracks and when on school grounds. We appreciate our drivers and all they do to keep our students safe. If you have any questions about bus procedures or drivers, the number for the transportation department is 770-338-4800.
Imagine Learning Available to Students Over Winter Break
Attendance Counts
Every year, absences spike in the weeks before and after the winter holiday as families squeeze in a few more vacation days. It’s time to break that cycle. We know that just a few missed days here and there, even if they’re excused absences, can add up to too much lost learning time and put your child behind in school. This is as true in kindergarten as it is in high school. Put simply, too many absences at any age can affect a student’s chances for academic success and eventually for graduation.
We recognize that holidays are an important time for reconnecting with families far away. The costs of plane tickets often influence when you want to travel. But keep in mind the costs to your children’s education if they miss too much school— and the message you will be sending about the importance of attendance. Even if you’ve got a homework packet from the teacher, it doesn’t make up for the interaction and learning that happens in the classroom. Our teachers will be teaching, and our students will be learning, right up until vacation starts and the first day back. You can help us convey that message. This holiday season, give your children the gift of an education and the habit of attendance.
from attendanceworks.com
We Still Need Help With the Online Parent Survey from the State
Parents, please take the Georgia School Health Survey if you have not done so already. This state survey can be taken anywhere online but so far only 70 of our parents have taken the survey. This survey is anonymous and can be taken in English or Spanish. Here is the link to the state survey: https://gshs.gadoe.org/parents.
PTO News
Thank You
The PTO Photo Keepsake committee would like to thank the following volunteers for their help taking photographs and handling the sales desk for last week’s Candlelight Luncheons:
Josie Muriel
Ninoska Gonzalez
Jeannie Nguy
Samuel Singer
Amanda Tokarz
Pamela Smith
Alissa Berzen
Photographers: Jeffrey Wynia and Jill Rice
We Need Your Photos for the BLES Yearbook!
We have a few volunteer photographers dedicated for specific events. However, we really depend on parents and teachers to upload their photos taken throughout the year to create our yearbook. Below, you will find the instructions attached for how to upload your pictures to TreeRing, our yearbook vendor’s site. You can upload from your computer, your phone or your social media sites. Make sure to put them in “shared folders” so we know they are general pictures we can use to build this year’s book. Also, it would help us out a great deal if you label the photos so we know the pages where they should be published (for instance, 4th grade field day).
Positive Behavior Focus for this Week:
Digital Learning Days
The Gwinnett County Public Schools (GCPS) 2019-2020 school calendar includes two make-up days to address school days missed due to inclement weather. In addition to these days, GCPS also has the option of making up days missed due to inclement weather using Digital Learning Days.
A Digital Learning Day is considered a school day, so students will be accountable for completing the teacher assignments from home, just as they would do at school. The assignments will be found on the teacher’s eClass course page under the Digital Learning Day icon and will be checked by the teacher and considered in the grading process.
A Look Ahead...
Friday, January 3, 2020
Teacher Work Day
Monday, January 6, 2020
Students Return
Begin 2nd Semester
Mid Year DA Make Ups Continue
2:45pm Orchestra Club
3:00pm Chess club - Media Center
Tuesday, January 7, 2020
1st - 5th Grade Mid Year DA Make Ups Continue
2nd Semester DA/SPG Pretests -K
7:00am No I.T. Girls
9:00am Advanced English Class
3:00pm Green Team
3:15pm Drama Club in room 3.124
Wednesday, January 8, 2020
Mid Year DA Make Ups Continue
2nd Semester DA/SPG Pretests -K
7:15am Art Club
9:00am Beginner English Class
Thursday, January 9, 2020
Mid Year DA Make Ups Continue
2nd Semester DA/SPG Pretests -K
3:00pm Good News Club (Media Center)
Friday, January 10, 2020
Mid Year DA Make Ups Continue
2nd Semester DA/SPG Pretests -K
1st Semester Report Cards sent home
7:30am Witzzle Pro Club meets
Spring Milestones Schedule Released - 3rd, 4th, and 5th Grade Students
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 Have a School Store
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!
Remember to Save Those Box Tops!
One easy way to support your school is through the PTO Box Tops for Education collection. Send in Box Tops from products you purchase. To help with counting, you can download this Box Tops Collection Sheet.
Make sure to put your Box Tops on the sheet or in a bag with your name and teacher on it. Drop it into the wooden box in the main hallway near the water fountain. Doing this automatically enters you into a contest.
Each month, we’ll hold a random drawing of all students who submit Box Tops. Winners will be announced on the morning announcements at the end of each month. The prize? A coupon for a free ice cream or an item from the student store. This fundraiser has helped us earn hundreds of dollars for our school!
Our Parent Center
The Berkeley Lake Parent Center is open each day from 7:30-3:30. The Parent Center is located across from the front office. For Parent Center support please call Ms. Sandra Orci, Parent Liaison, at 678-291-4232.
Our Mission
To provide learning experiences in a secure and stimulating environment where every child can develop to his/her fullest potential academically, socially, and emotionally.
Our Vision
BLES is a positive safe, nurturing environment that fosters respect among all students, teachers, parents and community members, while forwarding world-class achievement that successfully maximizes each student's individual potential through engaging instruction.
Contact Us:
Berkeley Lake Elementary
4300 S. Berkeley Lake Rd.
Duluth, Georgia 30096
P: (770)446-0947
F: (770)582-7514