The Bear Bulletin

Dear Families,

I hope this letter finds you all healthy and doing well. Thank you to our teachers for hosting our parents for parent/teacher conferences this past month and for our families for taking their time to make connections with our teachers to discuss your students' progress. I hope everyone had a nice and relaxing Thanksgiving break. We are in the homestretch of the year 2024 and only a few short weeks away from our Winter Break.

This month, as part of the Universal Screening of second and third graders for Gifted and Talented (GT) Identification and to help inform your child’s teacher about how your student learns, our 2nd and 3rd grade students will take the Cognitive Abilities Test (CogAT). Please see more information regarding the test and dates for administration in the attachments below.

We are looking forward to some exciting events including our Scholastic Winter Book Fair, LVBES Reading Night, and our annual Winter Break Spirit Week. Keep scrolling for more information about these upcoming events.

December is a time for many family celebrations and holidays. I hope you all have a joyous and special holiday season with plenty of time to relax and enjoy family and friendships.

Please stay safe and healthy and remember- We are a school family and Barnsley Bears C.A.R.E.!

Sincerely,

Ms. Robertson

Monday, December 2nd, Tuesday, December 3rd, Monday, December 9th: 3rd Grade CoGAT Testing

Tuesday, December 3rd: PTA Meeting, Virtual, 7:00 pm

Friday, December 6th: Make-Up Pictures for Staff & Students

Tuesday, December 10th-Thursday, December 12th: 2nd Grade CoGAT Testing

Monday, December 9th-Friday, December 13th: Scholastic Winter Book Fair

Tuesday, December 10th: LVBES Reading Night & Family Book Fair Night 6:00-8:00 PM

Monday, December 16th-Friday, December 20th: LVBES Winter Spirit Week

Monday, December 23rd-Wednesday, January 1st: WINTER BREAK; NO SCHOOL FOR STAFF AND STUDENTS; OFFICES CLOSED

Thursday, January 2nd: 1st Day of School after Winter Break

With winter weather just around the corner, remember that MCPS offers numerous ways to learn about school closures, delayed openings and early dismissals when there is inclement weather. Learn more about how weather decisions are made and how to receive information about any changes.

Effective December 4, 2024, MCPS will be disabling and collecting older Acer model Chromebooks because they have reached end-of-life and should no longer be in use. The models being retired include the Acer C720, C740, C738, and C771. These Acer devices are currently being used for student home use. Students currently using one of the listed Acer Chromebook models should return their device to your school’s media center. Students who need a device for home use can submit a request for a new device by completing the Home Use form. To avoid a disruption in access to a device while at home, students should complete the form prior to devices being disabled on December 4, 2024. All Lenovo take home devices will continue to work.

Please join us for our LVBES Reading Night!!

Wear your pajamas and come enjoy fun reading activities.

Please join us for the PTA meeting on Tuesday, December 3, 7:00-8:00 pm via Zoom. Join Zoom (Meeting ID: 893 1395 6130 / Passcode: LVBES). We will discuss fun upcoming events, including Book Fair, fundraisers and Winter Spirit Week.

Our next PTA fundraiser is this Friday, December 6th, 3:00 - 9:00 pm, at Chuck E. Cheese in Kensington (5238 Nicholson Lane)! Come enjoy a fun-filled night with your fellow Barnsley Bears, and 20% of all proceeds will go directly to our Barnsley PTA! Don't forget to mention BARNSLEY at the register.

Finally, the Book Fair is coming up NEXT week. Mark your calendar for Reading Night on Tuesday, December 10th, 6:00 - 8:00 pm. We need many volunteers to make the Book Fair a success. Shifts are available for setup on Friday, December 6th and throughout the book fair. (Please note you must complete the MCPS mandatory volunteer training before volunteering at the Book Fair.) Book Fair Volunteer Signup