Bear Creek Bulletin
August 2022
From the Principal's Desk . . .
I hope this first Bear Creek Bulletin finds your family well and coming off an enjoyable summer. Teachers and staff are busy getting ready for the start of the school year and we are excited to welcome our students for the 2022-2023 school year.
We have an Open House on Thursday, August 18 from 2:00 - 3:30 pm. This is an opportunity for students and families to take a look around the building and meet their teachers. This is optional and is considered a drop-in event.
Our first day of school is Tuesday, August 23. Students will be dismissed at 12:35 pm that entire week. We will start full days of school Monday, August 29, 2022. Below you will find helpful information.
Please don't hesitate to reach out to me if you have any questions or concerns. I can't wait to see our Bear Creek Leaders in full force. We will make this school year a great one working together. Please look for a new Bear Creek Bulletin at the beginning of every month.
Mr. Jacques Viau - Principal
Back to School Nights
These evenings are for you to meet your child(ren)’s teacher(s) and to get an overview of the class curriculum and other happenings in the class. The evening is NOT for parent/teacher conferences. We will be having those in December. The PTO will also be available to provide information and answer any questions you may have.
There will be a brief introductory session in the cafeteria and then you will report to your child's classroom.
4th Grade Back to School Night - Wednesday, August 31 @ 6:30 pm
5th Grade Back to School Night - Wednesday, September 7 @ 6:30 pm
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.
Transportation information and updates
All families received car rider tags (2 green) in the class placement letter earlier this 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 green 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.
Meals at School
Metz Culinary Management is our new 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)
SchoolPay is a payment service that allows families to pay for items such as lunch accounts and athletic fees online at your convenience. With SchoolPay, there is no need for cash, or sending money with students. Pay online from anywhere, at any time, on any device via Visa, MasterCard, Discover, or electronic check. (Click here for more information on SchoolPay)
Please note, the federal pandemic-era waiver and federal funding that subsidized free meals for all students the past two school years, regardless of economic status, has expired. The United States Congress has decided not to renew this provision for the 2022-2023 school year. As such, families who don't meet the federal income requirements for free or reduced price lunches will have to pay for meals. To see if you qualify for free or reduced meals,
We are strongly encouraging all families eligible for Free or Reduced Status to continue filling out the 2022-23 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.
From the PTO
PTO Meeting - Monday, August 29 @ 7:00 pm
Look for more information about events taking place this school year in the future.
Upcoming Events and Important Dates
August 23 - First Day of School (Early Dismissal)
August 24 - 26 - Early Dismissal Week
August 29 - PTO Meeting (7:00 pm)
August 30 - 3rd Grade Back to School Night (6:30 pm)
August 31 - 4th Grade Back to School Night (6:30 pm)
September 2 & 5 - NO SCHOOL
September 7 - 5th Grade Back to School Night (6:30 pm)
September 16 - Bear Creek Night at Etown Football
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.
District Wide Yearly Updates
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