Bobcat Bulletin
February 3, 2020
BOX-TOPOLY
The PTA collects Box Tops all year long for our school. For each Box Top, we get 10 cents and they add up. The money received comes right to the students in many ways. It helps fund events at the school like the Bobcat Ball Family Dance, Spring Carnival, and helps reduce the price of field trips for all students. In addition to the box tops that you clip and send in, the program is going digital. You can now scan your receipt and get credit for the school. Visit https://www.boxtops4education.com/ for more information. Our PTA is having a BOX-TOPOLY Contest that will end on February 21st. For every 25 box tops a class turns in, they move one square on the Board. The class that goes around the board first will win a game with Administration
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Reading at the Mall with Clifford The BIG RED DOG
Join us for Reading in the Mall on Saturday, February 8th, from 10:00 - 1:00, Center Court at FSK Mall. Families will meet Clifford, have story time with ASL, English and Spanish story tellers, make a bookmark, and receive a free book (while supplies last). This event is sponsored by the Frederick County Literacy Chapter. Check them out on Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/fredcoreads or on Instagram or Twitter: @FredCoReads or on their website http://fredcoreads.weebly.com
Read-A-Thon
We are excited to have a Read-A-Thon from Feb 3 - Feb 14. Flyers were sent home in bobcat folders and many families have already started. The Read-A-Thon brings students together with family and friends to encourage reading and build literacy skills. This is a fun and educational way to support the school’s PTA and help raise funds to support student learning, field trips, cultural arts programs, and community events. Our Read-A-Thon link is:
https://www.read-a-thon.com/school/Ballenger-Creek-Elementary-School_27907
February Events
Now until Feb 21 - Box-Topoly
Feb 3 - Feb 14 - Read-A-Thon
Feb 8 - Reading at the Mall with Clifford the Big Red Dog
February 14 - Valentine Day Parties
School will dismiss 2 hours early (dismissal starts at 1:30). Teachers and/or Room Parents will send you specific information for their classroom. Parties will be at the following times:
10 - 11 Kindergarten, 3rd and 4th Grade
11 - 12 2nd and 5th Grade
12 - 1 1st Grade
February 17 - Schools are Closed
February 19 - BCMS Parent Information Night
February 21 - Bobcat Ball Family Dance
Notes from Administration
Park and Ride Change
We are always evaluating the effectiveness and safety of dismissal procedures at BCES. For safety and efficiency, we will be phasing Park and Ride out as a dismissal option. Third quarter we will continue to offer Park and Ride but encourage families to make the switch to Kiss and Ride. Beginning fourth quarter, April 14, Park and Ride will no longer be offered as a dismissal option.
Park and Ride students are currently dismissed at 3:45. Our Kiss and Ride line is very short at 3:45, and cars are loaded quickly with very little wait time. If you arrive at 3:45 and enter the Kiss and Ride dismissal line, you will be receiving your child/children at about the same time you have been with Park and Ride. The longest line which results in the longest wait time for Kiss and Ride is between 3:30 and 3:45.
Eliminating Park and Ride allows us to increase staff supervision for our walkers which is a large group who has to walk along the parking lot and cross the bus line. Additionally, this change will reduce the number of people walking in the parking lot when cars are moving.
Thank you for supporting student safety and helping us to make this a smooth transition.
Social Media and Technology
There have been some issues recently related to students and social media use outside of school that has impacted children here at school. We ask that you please check your child's devices to monitor use of any social media apps. While we teach responsible usage, digital citizenship and our "digital footprint" here at school, the message is always more powerful when shared from home as well. Thank you for your cooperation!
Parent Information Night at BCMS
Ballenger Creek Middle School presents:
Parent Information Night For Our Rising 6th Graders
Wednesday, February 19th (Snow Date: February 20th)
6:00-7:40 PM in the BCMS cafeteria
Checking School Status in the Event of Winter Weather
Occasionally inclement weather or other safety or health conditions require FCPS to cancel, delay or otherwise change school routines or schedules. Typically, cancellation and delay decisions are made by 5 AM that day and announced soon after. If weather becomes a factor after school is in session, a decision to close early is made, whenever possible, by 10 AM that day. Very rarely, FCPS may be required to take student safety precautions immediately, with little or no notice. Although we notify many regional news outlets, we encourage parents and guardians to use the following sources for the most accurate news.
For the fastest, most reliable school status information, check: Facebook FCPSMaryland Twitter @FCPSMaryland Internet www.fcps.org FindOutFirst email; add your mobile phone for texts: www.fcps.org/fof FCPS Television on Comcast Cable Channel 18 and online www.fcps.org/tv
Delay Schedule for Half-Day Pre-K:
On days when school opens 2 hours late, morning and afternoon pre-k students attend 1½-hour sessions. Breakfast is served in morning classes, which start 2 hours late and dismiss 1 hour later than usual. Afternoon classes start 1 hour late and dismiss at the regular time.
Early Dismissal:
When schools close 1 hour early due to inclement weather, morning half-day programs follow their normal schedules, afternoon half-day pre-k, afternoon CTC, Flexible Evening HS and Heather Ridge Twilight programs are canceled; CTC students remain at their home schools.
When schools close 2 hours early due to inclement weather, morning half-day pre-k students remain at school for dismissal with full-day students. Lunches are served. Afternoon half-day pre-k and CTC programs are canceled; CTC students remain at their home schools. Flexible Evening HS and Heather Ridge Twilight programs are canceled.
When schools close 3 to 3.5 hours early due to inclement weather, morning half-day pre-k students remain at school for dismissal with full-day students, morning CTC students follow normal schedules, afternoon pre-k, CTC, Flexible Evening HS and Heather Ridge Twilight programs are canceled.
Evening Activities School- and FCPS-sponsored afterschool/evening activities (sports, plays, BOE meetings, etc.) and evening instructional programs (such as Flexible Evening HS & the Twilight Program) are generally canceled on days when school is canceled or closes early.