BG eNews
February 16, 2024
Notes from Mrs. Klueppel
FEBRUARY
2/19- Presidents' Day (No Students)
2/21 - 2:10 PM Early Dismissal
2/22 - 1, 3, 5 BG Shopping Day
2/23 - End of 2nd Trimester
2/24 - 7:00 PM PTO Trivia Night @ Moose Lodge
2/26- Online Kindergarten Registration Opens for 2024-25
2/29 - PTO Panera Fundraiser in South Elgin
2/29 - 11:30 Dismissal K-5 Afternoon Parent/Teacher Conferences. No PM Attendance. Students WILL NOT eat lunch at school.
MARCH
3/1-Teacher Work Day (No Students)
3/5 - BG Town Hall 8:55 AM
3/6- Report Cards available on HAC
3/7- Bingo Night 6:00-7:30
3/10- PTO Restaurant Fundraiser @ Gia Mia
3/20- 2:10 PM Early Dismissal
3/21- K, 2, 4 BG Shopping Day
3/25-3/29 Spring Break (No Students)
Cold Weather, Outdoor Clothing, & Tardy Arrivals
Please be sure to send your child with appropriate outdoor clothing for recess. Students have outdoor recess unless the outside temperature is below 0.
Please label your child's jacket, gloves, hat, etc. whenever possible. It helps us return items to their owner when they end up in lost & found.
Student Handbook & Electronic Devices in School
2023-24 Elementary School Handbook
Electronic Devices in School
Phones/Smart Watches
Students are extended the privilege of possessing phones/smartwatches on school grounds; however, their use is limited to after-school dismissal and non-school days. These devices must be in the off position, or not used once the student arrives on campus until the end of the school day
WATCH D.O.G.S.
Questions about WATCH D.O.G.S? Contact Eric Martin at emartin@amsted.com.
Organic Life Lunchroom Supervisors Needed
Organic Life, the K-8 Food Service provider for CUSD 303 is looking for candidates to serve as Cashiers, Food Service Workers & Lunchroom Supervisors for the 2023-2024 school year.
Please contact Patricia Burton at 331-228-5242 or patricia.burton@d303.org for more information.
Bell-Graham Attendance Line
Call 331-228-2100 or email Mrs. Cloy
- Absences should be called in by 7:45 AM
- You can leave a message 24 hours a day
- State your child’s name, their teacher's name and the reason why your child is out.
- If they are ill, please list their symptoms.
You are also welcome to email absence information to Kristin Cloy in the main office.
Prearranged Absence Form:
Prearranged absence forms are to be used for absences known in advance such as a planned vacation.
BG Best Shop Needs your Help!
Volunteers Needed for BG Best Shop
Volunteer Process
We appreciate our volunteers and value your time. When you are in the building for any reason, please be respectful of classroom instruction and do not make unexpected visits to your child's classroom. Thank you for helping us minimize classroom disruptions.
Health Office
Cold & Flu Season
Cold and flu season is upon us! Recently, the nurses at Bell Graham Elementary School have been caring for a number of students experiencing fevers and other cold-like symptoms. We are also aware that some students are absent from school because they have been diagnosed with the flu and other influenza-like symptoms. During the months of October through April, each school in District 303 tracks influenza activity in cooperation with the Kane County Health Department. We consult with their staff to determine whether influenza activity in a school warrants additional follow up, and at this time, there are no additional interventions needed. Preventative measures remain the most effective way to reduce the spread of influenza.
Students who present to the Health Office with a fever or are feeling poorly are sent home. To prevent widespread flu in the school, we recommend that your child stay home from school if experiencing flu or cold symptoms. To decide whether or not to send your child to school, please consider the following guidelines:
Consider keeping your child at home for an extra day of rest and observation if he or she has any of the following symptoms:
● Very stuffy or runny nose and/or cough
● Mild sore throat (no fever, no known exposure to strep)
● Headache
● Mild stomach ache
Definitely keep your child at home for treatment and observation if he or she has any of these symptoms:
● Fever (greater than 100 degrees)
● Vomiting (even once)
● Diarrhea
● Chills
● General malaise or feelings of fatigue
● Frequent congested or croupy (barky) cough
● Lots of nasal congestion with frequent blowing of nose
To help prevent the flu and other colds, teach your children good hygiene habits:
● Wash hands frequently
● Do not touch eyes, nose or mouth
● Cover mouth and nose when sneezing or coughing, use a paper tissue, throw it away and then wash hands
● Avoid close contact with people who are ill
Colds are the most contagious during the first 48 hours. A child who has a fever should remain at home until "fever free" for a minimum of 24 hours without medication. A child who has started antibiotics needs to be on medication for 24 hours before being considered non-contagious and able to return to school. Keeping your ill child at home will minimize the spread of infections and viruses in the classroom.
ALL MEDICATION, including any and all over the counter medications, vitamins and cough drops
need a doctor’s authorization/order to be administered here at school. You can find the form(s) on the district website.
Thank you in advance for helping make this year at school as healthy as possible.
REMINDER!
Please turn in your required health forms to the Health Office!
Kindergarten- Physical, Vision, Dental, Health survey
2nd Grade- Dental
3rd Grade- Updated Health Survey
New students to Illinois: Physical and Immunization, Dental and Vision on Illinois forms.
All of the forms are linked here for your convenience or you can go to the District Website and find them in the parent section under Forms.
Remember to pack extra clothes if you do not want your child to wear school issued clothes in the event their clothes get soiled. Please send a spare in your child's backpack.
Thank you,
LeeAnna Anzaldi, RN, BSN, PEL-CSN
Kerisa Martini Espinosa, RN
HEALTH OFFICE EMAIL ADDRESS
Parents, please send any communication or test results to
bel-nurses@d303.org to ensure that all of our Bell Graham nurses receive this important information pertaining to your student(s)
BG PTO
COMMITTEE CHAIR SPOTLIGHT
Spirit Wear is BACK! - Ends 2/21
Don’t forget to check out our NEW selection of BG Bobcat Spirit Wear! Store closes on Wednesday, February 21st!
Our last sale was such a hit…you asked for more! We have glitter. We have camo. New styles of shirts, sweatshirts, and PJ pants…you will want to check this out! Spirit wear is great for school events, school spirit days and to make those morning outfit decisions easy. Volunteer at the school? What a great way to show BG love while you’re there! And the best part…proceeds from the sale will go to the Bell Graham PTO!
The webstore is open and accepting orders…but act fast, as the sale closes Wednesday, February 20th! Spirit Wear Store
ASE - VOLUNTEERS NEEDED!
We need your help making these classes run smoothly. We need lots of help after school, so please consider joining us. We cannot continue to offer these awesome classes without volunteer support. SIGNUP HERE
KANE COUNTY COUGARS READING CLUB
Bell Graham will be participating in Cougars Reading Club, a reading incentive program sponsored by the Kane County Cougars baseball team. Your child will have the opportunity to improve his or her reading skills while earning a free ticket to a Cougars game, enjoying a free hot dog and drink at the game and participating in a parade on the field before the game. It is an eight week program divided into four-two week segments. Your child needs to complete one hour of reading per week and record their accomplishments on the parent verification form that was sent home this week. After your child has completed the eight weeks of reading, he or she will get a voucher for games either on Friday, May 17 at 6:30 pm or Sunday, May 19 at 1:00pm. More information will be sent home regarding the games.
TRIVIA NIGHT - 2/24
Trivia Night is Saturday February 24th and will be held at the St. Charles Moose Lodge. Doors open at 6:00pm! The night will include brain tingling trivia as well as amazing Silent Auction and Raffle Baskets up for grabs.
Gather 4 - 10 people and create your team. Come up with a creative theme for your team and decorate your table for additional prizes!! Please fill out this form with your teams information.
This is a 21+ event. Tickets are $25 per person and include light appetizers. A CASH only bar will also be available.
We only have 150 tickets available, so get yours before they are gone!!! Tickets are on sale now, please click here to purchase.
SHOUT OUTS
Did your kiddo make an awesome play at their baseball game? Did they win an event in gymnastics? Is it their birthday? Do you just want to make a random day special for them? Send them a SHOUT OUT!! For $10 you can have 5 pictures along with a message displayed on the TV screen outside of the LRC for an entire day. After making your purchase in the Square Store, please send an email to Alicia Flint at aliciafulgencioflint@yahoo.com with your pictures, message and date to be displayed. Pictures MUST be sent 7 days prior to the desired display date or we cannot guarantee your message will be loaded in time.
https://bell-graham-pto.square.site
WEBSITE
For additional information on the PTO please visit our website or our Bell Graham Elementary PTO Facebook page
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Any questions or comments? Please email the PTO at bgeblast@gmail.com. All comments or questions will be discussed at our monthly Board meetings and responded to accordingly.
Leaving Early
PICKING UP YOUR CHILD EARLY?
Please call the office when you are 5 minutes away and we will have your child ready and waiting for you at the office. You will have to press the buzzer to come inside the vestibule to sign them out on our iPad. 331-228-2100
Lunch With a Loved One Guidelines
- 1 lunch with a loved one per student each year
- Only bring food for child and/or yourself
- Stay for lunch ONLY, recess is not included
- Bring your ID for check in
Car Tags
For car riders, we use a Visor Tag System. Each family should have received a car tag that has the family last name and the class codes of students in the family. The use of this visor tag expedites our car rider line tremendously as staff members are able to get students ready for their cars as the cars pull up! Please display the tag on your passenger side visor, or passenger side window, so that it is visible to the BG staff as you pull through the pick-up line.
If you need additional visor tags, please email Mrs. Kirincich.
Therapy Dogs
Morning Arrival Therapy Dogs
Please reach out to Dr. Dieckman or Julianna Harmon if you have any questions.
Upcoming Early Release
Bell-Graham Resources
Bell Graham Elementary School
Website: bellgraham.d303.org
Location: 4N505 Fox Mill Blvd St. Charles, IL 60175
Phone: 331-228-2100
Facebook: facebook.com/BellGrahamElementary
Twitter: @BellGrahamD303
CUSD 303 Information
Boundary Updates
The District 303 Board has approved boundary maps for elementary, middle, and high schools. Maps are effective with the 2024-2025 school year beginning this fall. The Board's decision completes a process that began last fall to reduce school overcrowding and help to ensure equitable learning experiences across the District. District 303 had contracted with demographer RSP & Associates to create concept maps based on Board-approved guiding principles and community feedback. Please see the parent notice from Superintendent Gordon to learn more and review the approved maps.