Welcome to the GES Week In Review (WIR).

The WIR will be sent out weekly during the school year. In the WIR you will find upcoming dates and information relevant to your child here at GES. Please review regularly to stay abreast of the exciting things happening at Gilbertsville Elementary School.

December 17 Winter Choral Concert- 7 PM

December 20 Early Dismissal

December 16-20 Spirit Week

Monday-Laurence’s class picks Ugly Sweater Day

Tuesday-Engstrom’s class picks-Candy Cane Day-Wear Red and White Stripes

Wednesday-Building wide Grinch Day-Wear Green or a grinchy outfit

Thursday-Koback’s class picks Santa’s Sleigh Ride! Giddy Up, Giddy Up, Giddy Up…Let’s Gooooo!!! Students are invited to dress as members of Santa’s Team. Ideas wear red, white, Santa hat, Mrs. Claus (ex. wear red, white, wig, apron Santa’s reindeer (ex. wear brown/black, antlers), Rudolph (ex. wear brown, antlers, red nose) to lead their class throughout the day in the GES hallways.

Friday-Capetola/Resch’s class picks-Snowman Day!

Mrs. Colleen Phillips has joined our main office team. Mrs. Phillips is taking over as the front desk secretary. She will be managing attendance phone calls, working the front door, answering calls, and so much more. When you call or stop in the school, please welcome Mrs. Phillips and please be patient as she learns her new role.

Reading Olympics will be starting soon! Our first meeting will take place on December 18th right after school.

If you have a child in grades 4 and 5 that is interested in joining the Reading Olympics team, please follow this link to learn more about an upcoming meeting.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1cS4APo1mBTlq07isdmT02nlBlLyH7EMfyECvAeomzew/edit?usp=sharing

Start reading now! Click on the link below for this year's book list.

https://sites.google.com/tvsd.info/elemro/book-list

Our annual Spring Basket Party is just around the corner! Tickets officially go on sale this Friday, November 29, 2024. Get your tickets NOW (https://my.cheddarup.com/c/2025-ges-hsa-annual-basket-raffle/barriers/timing?cart) to take advantage of our early bird special: $30 per ticket. Special ticket pricing will be from 11/29 through 12/13. After that, tickets will go to $35 per person. Questions? Please reach out via email: geisha.basketparty@gmail.com. Thank you!

We are excited to announce that our annual basket raffle will be held on March 14th with over 300 fantastic baskets up for grabs! This event is one of GES's top fundraisers, and we couldn't do it without the support and generosity of our amazing community.

Each classroom contributes by creating a themed basket, and our goal is to have all the baskets ready by the end of January. To make it easy, we've placed bins in the front vestibule to collect donated items. For gift cards, please hand them directly to your classroom teacher.

We would love for you to get involved and donate to your classroom basket. Your contributions make a big difference and help ensure the success of this fun event.

Please see below for the Sign Up Genius Links:

Click on the We Video link below to see this week's Where Are They Now GES Graduate Highlight.

We need you! Are you a GES grad? Do you know a GES grad? I am looking for your stories to help motivate our students about the possibilities for their future. If you are interested in contributing to our Where Are They Now announcements, please email Mrs. Petri at spetri@boyertownasd.org. Thank you!

We will be following a 6-day cycle for school this year. Your child's special schedule will be based on the cycle days rather than days of the week. For your planning, the next 2 weeks of school cycle days are listed below.

Week of December 9

Monday-Day 3

Tuesday-Day 4

Wednesday-Day 5

Thursday-Day 6

Friday-Day 1

How does my 3,4,5 grade student buy a snack?

1. Students must have money in their lunch account. If your child owes money for lunch, any money brought to school will go towards what they owe before being able to purchase a snack.

2. You may add money to your child's account and track their spending online via EZ School Pay.

3. If students are adding money to their account in school, they must give their money to their HR teacher at the beginning of the day so that it can be credited to their account. No cash will be accepted at the register. The purpose of this is to keep the lines moving so students can have plenty of time to eat their lunch.

When will 1st and 2nd Graders get snack?

This will be considered in the future. AT this time, we are making sure our youngest students can manage the line and eat in their allotted time. We don't want them not eating their healthy lunch and filling up on snacks.

What are my 3rd, 4th, or 5th grade child's options?

Ice cream $1.00

Cookies $1.00

Popcorn $.85

Chips $.85

Pretzels $.85

Crackers $.85

(these items could change month to month)

We will continue to offer the Water and the Capri Suns in the lunch line for all students

Water 8 oz bottle $.75

Capri Sun $.85

Please read the letter below explaining how this program works here at Gilbertsville. If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out. Thank you for partnering in your child’s education.

Parent drop off in the morning:

• Parents must stay at their cars and may not walk their child to the building, You may assist your child getting out of their seat if needed but need to be conscious of the car line
• Be patient and stay in line. Parents should NOT go around other cars.
• Be cautious when exiting the drop off area, you will be merging with the busses.

Afternoon Dismissal/Parent Pick up:

• Please have yellow card in windows to help with speedy pick up.
• Do not use cell phone while in the parent pick up line. We want your attention on the students coming out of the building.
• If you are not a regular pick up parent/guardian, write a note including the name of the adult who is picking your child(ren) that day. This needs to be done daily as our pick up supervision changes some days.
• Please have your ID and be patient as we make sure all students are sent safely to their cars
• Please follow the car line one car behind the other do not pull up ahead or closer to the door
• Please do NOT go around other cars for safety reasons
• Be cautious when exiting the pick up area, you will be merging with the busses.
  

If you are planning to transport your child to school every school day, please complete the google form indicating the adults that you give permission to pick up your child after school. As we work through the first few weeks of school we ask for your patience as we all get used to our transportation procedures. Thank you in advance for that.

Click here to complete the Parent Pick Up Dismissal Form

(Only complete this form if your student will be picked up every school day. Otherwise, please send a note/email to the teacher on the days when your student will be picked up.)

Click here for a pdf version of Parent Drop-off and Pick-Up Maps and Procedures

Dear Parents of Multilingual Learners,

It's time to schedule a meeting with your child's ESL teacher. This is an excellent opportunity to discuss your child's English Language Development and address any questions you may have about their school experience. This is a great way to stay informed and engaged in your child's education.

Please use the link to select a time that works best for you: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/20F0B44AEAB23AAF94-51126482-meet

I look forward to connecting with you and working together to support your child's success.

Best regards,

Mrs. Patti Baumgard

ESL Coordinator

LINK to 2024-2025 Student Handbook

Boyertown Area School District has developed a district-wide Student Handbook. The handbook is comprised of four areas:

1. Information that applies to all students
2. Additional information for our elementary schools
3. Additional information for our middle schools
4. Additional information for our high school

The book has a Table of Contents with hyperlinks that allow you to easily navigate to topics and sections throughout the document. It contains links to our forms, website, and the Board of School Directors’ policies.

Our student handbook is a working document and, therefore, subject to ongoing changes in information, personnel, processes, board policies, and more. We will update this page with the updated information if we need to add or change content.

Please contact your building principal with any questions or concerns regarding the Student Handbook.

If you are sending your child to school with a cell phone or smart watch, please review the expectation outlined in our district handbook related to students having these items in school. If your child has a smart watch, please put it on school mode during school hours. If your child is using their smart watch for anything other then telling time during the school day, they may lose the privilege to wear it during school hours.

Excerpt from District Handbook:

Cellular Telephones and Other Devices Cellular telephones and other devices must be: (1) turned off; (2) kept in the student’s book bag upon arrival at school and remain there until dismissal unless the device is approved for student use by an administrator. Repeat offenders must have the parent/guardian retrieve the phone and may be subject to disciplinary measures. The Boyertown Area School District is not responsible for lost or stolen cellular telephones at school.

Please see below for information from the Health Room.

November - News from the Nurse

● Please keep a spare change of clothing in your child’s backpack for lunchroom spills and accidents. Although we have some clothing in the heath room, we have limited sizes and selection.

*****The health room needs the following donations: boys’ and girls’ comfortable pants (sizes 6-10) *****

● Head Lice: Although lice cannot jump, they are easily transmittable through hugging, sharing combs, sharing hats and coats, etc. Please remind your child not to share items and to be cognizant of personal space. Please refer to the district's lice policy. Contact the nurse if you have any questions.

● Injuries: If your child arrives at school with any type of restrictive device (i.e. casts, slings, braces), please notify the school nurse. A doctor's letter must be provided so the school is aware of any activity restrictions. To be cleared for normal activity, a doctor's note must also be provided.

● If your child is not feeling well, please keep them at home. Before coming to school, your child must be symptom free for a full 24 hours without the use of medication (i.e. no fever, no vomiting, no diarrhea). Please see the BASD sick policy.

● 3rd graders will need to provide the Family Dental Form. Dental visits completed after 7/1/23 are acceptable for this requirement.

● Mandated Health Screens: See the district’s policy regarding the mandated health screens. The school nurse will continue the required health screens through the month of November.

● Please remind your child(ren) not to share lunch and/or snacks. There are several students with food allergies and/or food sensitivities.

● Please remind your child(ren) to come to school with a refillable water bottle each day. There are water refilling stations in the student halls.

● If food items are brought in by students for birthday celebrations, they must be pre-packed with all allergen information listed.

● If your child requires medication during the school day (including prescription and all over the counter medication – includes cough drops), please complete the district’s medication administration form. New orders are required each school year.

● If your child is in kindergarten, or new to the district, please make sure that the nurse has all the required health information (PA Physical Exam form, PA Dental Exam form, and all required immunizations with the correct spacing). If you have any questions, please contact the school nurse. If the school is missing any information, you should have received an email requesting the documentation needed.

Food Service Newsletter

Reporting an absence: If your child is not feeling well and cannot attend school, please email attendance at AttendanceGES@boyertownasd.org, or use the link below to inform the school that your child will not be present due to an illness, or appointment. https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScvtpG7SKITdNqliElSWvB9u4el72hJiIntaN9LFeyTuq8TnQ/viewform

Educational Trip: Parents/Guardians must complete an Educational Trip Form 2 days prior to your child's absence. **Please note that failure to submit a trip form prior to departure will result in trip days being counted as an unlawful absence.

BASD hosts an online Community Bulletin Board. The electronic bulletin board features district and community activities, events, clubs, resources, and more. The board is updated regularly and is an excellent source of information regarding things happening throughout our community and beyond. Be sure to check it out regularly!

Canva is also used in the creation of this newsletter.

Any additional applicable copyright information for items used throughout the newsletter will be provided on a use-by-use basis.

Gilbertsville Elementary
36 Congo Road
Gilbertsville, PA 19525
(610) 369-7485