Bear Creek Bulletin
September 2023
From the Principal's Desk . . .
We have had a great start to the school year and I hope everyone is enjoying their holiday weekend. Please review the information contained in this bulletin. These once a month bulletins will include information about spirit days, PTO updates, and other information.
Please don't hesitate to contact me if you have any questions or concerns.
Mr. Jacques Viau - Principal
Spirit Days
Tropical Day - Tuesday, September 5
Patriot's Day - Monday, September 11
Harvest Day - Thursday, September 21
BC Music Program Information
- Attention rising 4th grade students - if you are interested in playing an instrument in the band or orchestra for the first time next school year, please click this link to get more information and to fill out the Instrumental Interest Form. Official registration will begin at the beginning of the school year but filling out this form means you will be the FIRST to get information and access to school owned instruments. Please reach out to the band teacher, Mrs. Peters (elizabeth_peters@etownschools.org) or the orchestra teacher, Mr. McLaughlin (justin_mclaughlin@etownschools.org) if you have any questions!
- Attention rising 5th grade students - Do you like to sing, or do you want to make music with your friends? please click HERE to sign-up for 5th grade chorus! Students can participate in chorus AND band/ orchestra as well as enrichment/ gifted education (they do not have to choose one or the other).
Bear Creek Night at E-town Football
Students will receive a pass to get into the game for free and will be able to line up along the track as the players come into the stadium. Students should arrive at the gate by 6:30 pm in order to be part of the line welcoming the players onto the field. It will be an exciting night. The students love it and so do the players.
From the PTO
- Please join us for our first PTO meeting of the year on Monday, September 18, in the IMC. This year we will be offering a live streamed ZOOM meeting link to our meetings for those who are not able to attend the meeting in person.
- PTO Meeting - Monday, September 18 @ 7:00 pm (BC Library) (Zoom link )
- While you’re back-to-school shopping for your Bear Creek students, we invite you to participate in shopping for our Bear Creek Staff! If you’d like to make any donations to help stock the faculty room, please check out this signup! (Our plan is to collect donated items each trimester.) https://www.signupgenius.com/go/20F0E44ABA62AAAF94-bear
- PTO Scholastic Book Fair - October 23 - October 30, 2023
Interested in helping with the PTO - Please use this link to the BC PTO Volunteer Interest Form
Look for more information about events taking place this school year in the future.
Melissa Cook & Rachael Powell, PTO Co-Presidents
Kristin Hummer & Melissa Groff, PTO Co-Vice Presidents
Melissa Cuoco, PTO Treasurer
Jennifer McFadden, PTO Secretary
PTO Outdoor Movie Night - Friday, September 15
PTO Carnival - Saturday, September 30
Our first fundraiser of the year will be our Carnival! Carnival will take place on Saturday, September 30th from 1-6 pm. This is our first year offering this event and we hope to make it a large success. We are looking for volunteers to help during this event. You can sign up to help here:
The PTO invites you to participate in our big fall fundraiser, the Bear Creek Carnival! There are several opportunities to help with this: volunteer at a game station, create a carnival game, or donate items or entire baskets for a raffle. You will find different sign-ups for these opportunities.
Upcoming Events and Important Dates
September 1 & 4 - NO SCHOOL
September 5 - Spirit Day - Tropical Day
September 11 - Spirit Day - Patriot's Day
September 15 - PTO Sponsored Outdoor Movie Night @ BC
September 18 - PTO Meeting (7:00 pm) BC Library
September 21 - Spirit Day - Harvest Day
September 22 -
- Spirit Day - Blue and White Day
- Bear Creek Night at Etown Football
September 30 - PTO Bear Creek Carnival @ BC (1:00 - 6:00 pm)
Repeated Information Below
Volunteer Opportunity
Exciting Volunteer Opportunity!
We need volunteers to present Junior Achievement programs at
our school for the 2023-2024 school year.
For as little as an hour a week, you can make a difference in
the lives of young people in your community. JA programs provide important life skills through hands-on educational activities focusing on financial literacy, entrepreneurship, and work readiness. Our programs empower students to make a connection between what they learn in school and real-world applications, enhancing the relevance of their classroom learning and increasing their understanding of the value of staying in
school.
Click here to learn more, Junior Achievement Volunteer Overview
or contact Joanne Badger at jbadger@jascpa.org.
Attendance Information
- Families should email bc_attendance@etownschools.org.
If you are planning an extended trip please complete our Educational Trip Request Form for preplanned educational trips.
Transportation information and updates
- Please give our bus drivers grace the first few weeks of school as they are taking their time, working out any kinks, and ensuring all the students are picked up and get home safely every day.
Car Riders -
- All families should have received car rider tags (2 yellow) in the class placement letter last month. This does not mean your child has to be a car rider. We provide all families with car rider tags in case your child is ever a car rider. If there is no yellow tag displayed with the name of the child being picked up, we will check the driver's identification to ensure they are identified in our student information system as a person to which your child can be released.
- EASD would like to respectfully request that at the end of the school day you please arrive on campus no more than 30 minutes prior to the dismissal time which is 3:35 at the elementary level. 3:05 elementary level.
- Please do not pull into the staff parking lot and park to pick your student up or call out to any students outside while you wait for dismissal.
- Vehicles that park along the car rider curb, the blue pick-up zone at some buildings, or in undesignated pick-up areas prior to 3:05 will be asked to move their vehicle as this creates a serious safety concern for the District in the event of an emergency.
Thank you for your support.
Meals at School
Metz Culinary Management is our Food Services provider for the district. I have provided some information below about meals at school.
Information about Food Services at Elizabethtown Area SD is available using the following link (https://www.etownschools.org/Page/323).
Menu and Meal Prices - (Click here)
School Cafe is a payment service that allows families to create an online account for breakfast and lunch for their child(ren). More information about this will be made available to families prior to the start of the school year. Cash and checks are still an option for adding $ to your child's account.
We are strongly encouraging all families eligible for Free or Reduced Status to continue filling out the 2023-24 application that can be found on our website (click here). A new form is required every year. If you received a notice of direct certification, a new application may not be required. However, you should verify that all children in your household are listed in your notice of direct certification.
If you have any additional questions, please contact Alison Kreider at 717-367-1521 ext 21060 or email alison_kreider@etownschools.org.
District Wide Yearly Updates/Notifications
Under various state and federal laws, as well as board-approved district policy, the Elizabethtown Area School District is required annually to share various notifications with parents and guardians that relate to different elements of our operations. We are communicating these notices electronically. In addition, we publish this electronic handbook to reduce the cost of printing a combined total of over 40,000 pages for all our students in addition to the countless staff hours to print the forms.
The Elizabethtown Area School District trusts that you appreciate its attempt to be fiscally responsible and at the same time transparent in our communication that is user-friendly to our families. We feel this online system of communication accomplishes both goals. If you do not have access to the Internet and need a paper packet sent home with your children or if you have questions about the District’s annual notifications, feel free to contact Troy Portser, Director of School and Community Information for the Elizabethtown Area School District, by phone at (717) 367-1521, ext. 10024 or by email at troy_portser@etownschools.org.
Community Portal
There are several items of importance on the Community Portal. The Community Portal is a connection to our Student Information System and a place online where families can access information, such as report cards, attendance, and other student information.
- For information on how to create your Community Portal account click here.
School Gate Guardian - Visitor Management System
When you come to Bear Creek, or any other building in the district, you will notice a red kiosk in the vestibule. This is our visitor management system.
The software will help us identify approved guardians so you can be assured we are placing your children in the proper hands. Another feature this new system offers is the protection of a child from a spouse with any type of custodial issue. Be it partial custody or no custody, if you provide our district with the proper court documents and the identity of the spouse, the software will alert district personnel of an attempted, non-authorized visit.
Ultimately, the system will print you a visitor badge that we ask you to wear throughout your visit to our school. As you leave our facility, we request you to leave through the main office to return your badge so we can scan you out of the system. This is just another step to ensure everyone's safety at our buildings.
Bear Creek School
We are growing together as a safe school community, where we persevere, feel loved, and love learning.
Email: jacques_viau@etownschools.org
Website: www.etownschools.org
Location: Bear Creek Elementary School, Sheaffer Road, Elizabethtown, PA, USA
Phone: 717-367-0210
Twitter: @BearCreekEtown