
Bel Air News
An e-newsletter from Bel Air Elementary School
January 17, 2025
NO SCHOOL - Monday, Thursday and Friday Next Week
This is a reminder that there is NO SCHOOL on the following days next week:
Monday, January 20th
Thursday, January 23rd
Friday, January 24th
Monday - January 20th
- NO SCHOOL
Tuesday - January 21st
- school in session
- Elementary Chess - 7:40-8:20am
- PTA Meeting - 6:00-7:00pm @ Bel Air IMC
Wednesday - January 22nd
- school in session
- Broadway Bound! Afterschool Theater Class - 3:20-4:20pm
Thursday - January 23rd
- NO SCHOOL
Friday - January 24th
- NO SCHOOL
Need to know the next days off? Check the school calendar here 2024-2025 School calendar
Monday - January 27th
- school in session
- Floor Hockey Skills - 3:20-4:20pm
Tuesday - January 28th
- school in session
- Elementary Chess - 7:40-8:20am
Wednesday - January 29th
- school in session
- Broadway Bound! Afterschool Theater Class - 3:20-4:20pm
- Elementary Spanish - 3:20-4:20pm
Thursday - January 30th
- school in session
- Candy Lab - 3:20-4:20pm
- Mindful Movement Yoga - 3:20-4:20pm
- Scratch Game Coding - 3:20-4:20pm
Friday - January 31st
- school in session
A Message from the Nurse
There have been confirmed cases of pertussis (whooping cough) at Bel Air. The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) is recommending you/your child be evaluated by a health care provider if experiencing a cough lasting longer than 7 days. It may be helpful to take this letter with you to your healthcare provider. We have provided a note for your provider at the end of this page.
Although you/your child may have the received pertussis vaccine, immunization is not always 100% effective, and immunity decreases over time.
It is important to be aware of the signs and symptoms of pertussis. Pertussis often begins with symptoms similar to the early stages of the common cold - runny nose, possible low-grade fever, and a mild cough. After a week or two, a persistent cough develops. The cough occurs in bursts and may end with a high-pitched whooping sound and sometimes vomiting. Between bursts of coughing, the child appears well. Coughing attacks may continue for 4 to 6 weeks and are more common at night. Pertussis can lead to pneumonia, particularly in infants.
Vaccines can help prevent pertussis. There are two types of vaccines to prevent pertussis:
- DTaP vaccine is given to infants and children under 7 years of age. The recommended schedule is 5 doses of vaccine given at ages 2 months, 4 months, 6 months, 12-18 months, and 4-6 years. If you have a child who is not up to date, contact your healthcare provider about pertussis vaccination now.
- Tdap is recommended for anyone 10 years of age and older. Adolescents and adults who have not yet received this vaccine are encouraged to get vaccinated as soon as possible.
For information on how to access your or your family's immunization records, visit Find My Immunization Record.
If you have any concerns, contact your healthcare provider or the St. Paul – Ramsey County Public Health at (651) 238-3716. You may also contact the Minnesota Department of Health at 1-877-676-5414.
--
Colleen Moore
Licensed School Nurse
Serving Highview, Bel Air, Valentine Hills, CLT and St. John's
612-280-5280 cell | mvpschools.org
Order Your Yearbook Now
Yearbooks on Sale
Yearbooks will be ordered through Lifetouch again this year. Use the link below, or click on the image, to place your order.
Lifetouch Yearbooks on sale now.
$16.00
Order early by using the link or by going to: ybpay.com
School ID: 1502325
Kindergarten Kick Off
Do you or someone you know have a child that will turn 5 on or before September 1st? Pike Lake is hosting Kindergarten Kick Off Open Houses! Families with a last name that starts with the letters A-K are invited to attend on January 28th; families with last names that start with letters L-Z are invited to attend on January 29th. Please arrive any time between 5:00 and 6:30; our evening will end at 7:00. See the flyer for more information.
PTA Winter Community Event Rescheduled
Next PTA Meeting - Tuesday, January 21st
Please join us for our next meeting on
Tuesday, January 21 from 6 - 7 pm in the IMC.
Would you like to receive emails from Bel Air PTA? We send emails when there is a need for volunteers, meeting and event reminders, and meeting minutes. You do not need to join PTA or attend meetings to join our email list. Submit your information here to be added to our list.
Vision and Hearing Volunteers Needed
We are looking for volunteers to assist with Vision & Hearing Screenings at Bel Air on Wednesday, January 29. All students in grades 1, 3, & 5 will be screened with some individual students in grades 2 & 4 throughout the day.
Sign up to volunteer: https://volunteersignup.org/CC39M
You must have a background check on file with the office to volunteer. Wondering if you have one on file? Call the Bel Air front office at 651-621-6300 to check! Volunteer forms can be found at: https://belair.mvpschools.org/resources/volunteer-forms
Thank you,
Layne Vermeulen
Bel Air PTA Secretary
Highview Information Night for 5th grade parents
Highview will be hosting an information night for 5th grade parents on Thursday, February 13th from 6-7pm. Please click here for more information.
Apparel stores now open year-round
Show your school spirit! Starting this month, our apparel stores will be open year-round. Orders will be processed on the 10th of every month, with delivery approximately 3 weeks from that date. Find your school store and place an order at mvpschools.org/spiritwear.
New After-School Classes - Register Now!
Candy Lab: Candy Lab: Step into our Candy Lab and explore science through sweet experiments! From candy chemistry to edible art, every activity uses candy to teach cool scientific concepts. Mix, melt and marvel at how sweets can be both delicious and educational! Presented by Kid Scientific.
Jan 30-Feb 20, 3:20-4:20pm. Register at https://arux.link/iWldkc
Yoga Club: These sessions combine physical activity with mindfulness practices to build strength, flexibility and balance while learning techniques to manage stress, improve focus and find inner calm. In a supportive and inclusive environment, participants can express themselves, grow and develop a strong sense of self and well-being. Presented by The Mindfulness Movement.
Jan 30-Feb 20, grades 1-5, 3:20-4:20pm. Register at https://arux.link/iWlcwc
Recommendations for student cell phone use
This year, the Minnesota Legislature directed all school districts to adopt a cell phone policy in 2025. In response, the School Board asked the community to provide feedback through surveys and community conversations. A summary of the responses is provided here.
A cell phone advisory committee made up of parents, students and staff identified themes in the responses and provided the following recommendations to the School Board at its December 10 meeting:
- Elementary students should not access or use cell phones during school hours.
- Middle school and high school students should not access or use cell phones during scheduled academic class time or during activities/assemblies when instruction or information is being delivered. Students may access and use cell phones during non-academic or unscheduled time.
These recommendations will ultimately be used to help inform the Board in adopting a cell phone policy sometime in early 2025. Learn more at mvpschools.org/cellphones.
It's getting colder
The weather is changing quickly. To make sure that students are prepared, please have them bring a jacket, hat, mittens or gloves, snow pants and boots to school, every day, for recess.
Winter weather reminders
As we move into the winter months, here are five things to know about potential snow days. The decision to close schools is a difficult one to make, and we realize that it significantly impacts all of our families. To learn more about the criteria for school closures, visit mvps.me/weather.
Did You Know?
Ramsey County Accessibility Survey
Ramsey County Public Works is updating their Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Transition Plan and they need your input. The draft plan outlines how Ramsey County Public Works will make certain pedestrian facilities (curb ramps, crosswalks, sidewalks, and stairs.) ADA compliant. The draft plan is available on the project web page and the public comment period runs until Jan. 19. Take the survey to share your input.
Mounds View Foundation invests in excellence
The Mounds View Schools Education Foundation (MVSEF) is an independent non-profit organization dedicated to raising funds to benefit students throughout the district. MVSEF's mission is to engage our community to invest in excellence in Mounds View Public Schools. Watch the video below to see how the Foundation is making an impact at all of our schools.
Embed this video into your Smore (using the Video Button): https://youtu.be/7f-bOV7NPhY
Technology use & non-academic personal property reminders
Cell Phones/Smart Watches/Cellular Devices Reminder
It is the school’s expectation that cell phones remain in the student’s backpack throughout the day, including while on the bus. If a student brings a device and it becomes a distraction to their learning or the learning of others, or if it impacts the security or privacy of students, the following will occur:
A parent/guardian will be notified.
The device may be held in the main office until the end of the day.
Devices should not be used as a method of communication during the school day. Necessary communication between home and school, and a student and family, should be directed to the front office or the classroom teacher. As with anything of value, the school is not liable for theft or damage.
Non-Academic Personal Property:
Students should not bring personal items such as toys, card collections, or any similar items to school. These items may be misplaced or stolen and can be a disruption to learning. If a teacher wishes to have students bring such items to school for a special event, parents will be notified. We appreciate your support.
Did you reply ‘STOP’ to a text message?
Did we send you one-too-many text messages that caused you to reply ‘STOP,’ in frustration? If so, please know that replying ‘STOP’ to a single text message automatically unsubscribes you from receiving all future text messages from any school or District office. Please consider resubscribing so you can receive future emergency notifications, and we’ll do our best to limit our text messages to critically urgent information that is as targeted as possible. To resubscribe, simply call or email any school main office and ask to be resubscribed to all text messages.
Students Can Now Receive Text Alerts
Parents, you can now add your child's cell phone number to ParentVUE so they can receive text messages and robo-calls about school closings, significantly delayed school buses, emergencies and other alerts. To subscribe your student to these occasional urgent messages, read the easy instructions here.
General Information
2024-2025 Bel Air Elementary Parent Handbook
Riding the Bus and Food/Drink
While riding the bus, students are expected to keep all food and drink in their backpacks. This expectation prevents choking incidents, exposure to life-threatening allergens, and promotes bus sanitation.
Building Security Procedures
A visitor screening system helps track visitors and volunteers at each school, providing a safe and monitored environment for students and staff. When parents come to pickup their child(ren), or visitors check in, they will be asked to present a valid state issued ID for entering into the system.
Phone Numbers/Staff Directory
Staff phone numbers and email addresses are available on the Bel Air Website at: Bel Air Staff. To reach a teacher via email: firstname.lastname@mvpschools.
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New Brighton, MN 55112