The Bethlehem Star

As we step further into February, the weather is fluctuating quite a bit. Please be weather-aware and have your child dress appropriately for outside play. We also would like to remind everyone that we have an abundance of items in our Lost & Found that will be donated at the end of the month. If you believe your child may have a sweatshirt, jacket, coat, or other items in the Lost & Found, please have him/her check or stop by the next time you are at BES. Thank you!

At the beginning of the year, families were given notice of our attendance protocols. It is very typical that we see an increase in absences during the Winter due to illness.

Please keep the following in mind:

• Barrow County attendance protocols require that we send notice of absences at 5 and 10 days absence to notify of state laws and to update how many days your student has missed.

• Chronic absenteeism is defined as being absent 10% of the time.

• Missing 10% of school (1 or 2 days every few weeks) can make it harder to: Gain reading and math skills, build relationships, and develop good attendance habits. Attending school regularly helps children feel better about school - and themselves (Attendance Works, 2024.)

• Sending an excuse with your child when they return from being absent allows us to consider the absence being excused. Parent notes are acceptable for up to 5 total absences.

• Good attendance patterns help students do well in school and eventually in the workplace.

Our goal with monitoring attendance is to ensure that your student receives every opportunity available for their continued academic growth and success. If you have any questions regarding attendance, please contact mary.griner@barrow.k12.ga.us

We have about 400 students and families signed up to join us for Donuts with Grown Ups! We look forward to seeing everyone who sent in their RSVP. Join us anytime between 8:00-9:00 AM!

February 13: Last Name A-F

February 14: Last Name G-N

February 15: Last Name 0-Z

It is survey season! We appreciate your feedback on several upcoming items. Please click on the active link to complete each survey.

• Superintendent Search Please give your opinion on qualities we deem important in our next leader.
• Georgia Health Survey Please give your opinion on our school's learning environment.
• BCSS Spring CNA Survey Please give your opinion on our school and district's strengths and weaknesses in an effort to help with improvement planning.

Wow! Your generosity is amazing! We appreciate all of the donations we have received for the canned food drive. We will be accepting donations for a few more weeks, so please feel free to keep them coming. We know there are many people in our community who will benefit greatly! Thank you!

Each year, our school participates in a Young Georgia Authors contest. The contest is held to recognize outstanding writers in our state. We are excited to celebrate our grade level winners at a Young Georgia Authors Tea that will be held on Friday, February 23 at 10:00 AM. Families of the winners will receive an invitation to this event. The grade level winners' writing pieces will move on to the district level competition. We wish our young authors the best as their work is judged at the district level. We hope to have some winners!

BES Winners:

Kindergarten – Lydia Shogren

First Grade– Sydney Almond

Second Grade– Daisy Shogren

Third Grade– Razaq Balogun

Fourth Grade– Penelope Sekula

Fifth Grade– Addie Perren

Each year, the special education department recognizes students who have made significant strides in their academics or social skills. We will be recognizing our school level Yes I Can award winners on Friday, February 23 at 8:00 AM. Families will receive an invitation to the event. The overall school-level winner will be announced at the event, and this student will move on to the district awards held in late April. We look forward to celebrating our outstanding students!

9: No School: February Break

12: Digital Learning Day: Students Learn from Home

13-15: Donuts with Grown Ups

14: Kindergarten Field Trip to INK

23: Young Georgia Authors Tea & Yes I Can Awards

24: Regional Spelling Bee: Good Luck, Alyssa!

Please be sure to follow us on Facebook and Instagram for photos of daily happenings, school events, and celebrations.

School-wide newsletters and other important announcements are sent to families via Remind and email.