Welcome Back BG eNews

AUGUST

8/7- HAC Opens to view Teacher Assignments & Bus Route Info.

8/12 - Supply Drop Off for Grades 1-5 (Details Below)

8/12-13 - Institute Days (NO STUDENTS)

8/14 - First Day of Classes

8/14 - Oberweis PTO Fundraiser

8/23 - New Family PTO Welcome Breakfast (Details Below)

8/27 - PTO Meeting 1:30 @ BG

8/28 - Early Release 2:35 Dismissal

8/29 - Buona Beef PTO Fundraiser

8/30 - Institute Day (NO STUDENTS)

SEPTEMBER

9/2 - Labor Day Holiday (NO STUDENTS)

9/5 - PTO Welcome Back Picnic

9/10: Grades K-2 Curriculum Night (Details Below)

9/10- Salsa Verde PTO Fundraiser

9/11: Grades 3-5 Curriculum Night (Details Below)

9/16 - Picture Day (Retakes are on 11/4)

9/25 - Chipotle PTO Fundraiser

Vision: Each Student Will Have the Skills Needed to Participate in Grade Level Work (academic, social, emotional).

Mission: As a community we foster a culture that values and celebrates the whole child by empowering collaborators, risk-takers, and problem solvers.

Core Values:

1. Trust: Trust is assuming competency and feeling safe in professional relationships.

2. Collaboration: Working together to achieve a common goal by relying on, supporting, and challenging one another

3. Integrity: Holding oneself accountable for your actions and words.

• Annie Fiore LT Sub: Kindergarten
• Michelle Taylor: moved from 2nd to 3rd grade
• Mary Cordes: 5th grade
• Jody Anderson: M/T Art
• Alexa Molidor: M/W/TH General Music
• Julia Campbell: OT
• Noreen Bolsoni: Reading Specialist
• Vilia Gaikis - SPED ISC

Spring 2024 IAR results will be mailed home in late August. Testing was for grades 3-5. Current 4th, 5th & 6th grade families that attended D303 last year should expect to receive Spring 2024 IAR results by the end of the month.

Our first day of school is Wednesday, 8/14. There will be NO FIRST DAY WELCOME GATHERING. Students will go directly to their classrooms on the first day. Parents will not be permitted to walk their children to their classrooms. Our PTO will be providing many photo ops in front of school on our first day.

Home Access Center (HAC) will open for parents to view their children’s teacher on Wednesday, Aug. 7. This is also where you will view your child’s report card each trimester. If you need assistance accessing your HAC account please call the office. 331-228-2100

How to create a login

Starting with the 2024-2025 school year, you can find your child's bus route information through Home Access Center (HAC). Bus routes will be available for viewing at 8am on Wednesday, August 7th.

1. Log in to HAC using your username and password.
2. Once you are logged in, click on the Registration tab at the top of the page.
3. Scroll down to find the section titled "School Transportation." This will provide information on pickup and drop off times, as well as bus stop location.

Transportation Website
(Includes FAQ, Bus Rules, Contact Information for Transportation Department)

CUSD 303 uses PushCoin for all financial transactions including registration fees. Parents can add money to their student's "Wallet" to be used to purchase food for lunch, or to purchase items from the webstore like: field trips, summer camps, community events and to make donations.

https://district.d303.org/tools/pushcoin

To apply for a Fee Waiver, please visit the Fees & Fee Waiver page.

For Fee Waiver assistance, please call 331.228.4927.

The elementary and middle schools food service vendor is OrganicLife.

2024-25 Lunch & Breakfast Meal Prices

Monthly online menus are available.

If you believe your household qualifies for free or reduced meals based on the current USDA Income Eligibility Guidelines, please complete the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) application. To obtain a form in another language, please visit the USDA Free Free and Reduced application site.

Determination letters will be mailed once the application has been processed. Please retain the letter for your records.

Students directly certified by the State of Illinois in July will not need to complete a Food or Fee Waiver application.

For Food Waiver assistance, please call 331.228.6529.

Grade 1-5 students and families are invited to drop off school supplies and to meet classroom teachers on Monday, August 12th from 4:00-6:00 pm.

We encourage you to follow the schedule below. This will assist us in meeting your needs in a timely manner and should cut down on the crowds in classrooms, as well as congestion in our parking lot. However, please understand you are welcome to come anytime between 4:00 pm and 6:00 pm if you have a scheduling conflict.

4:00-5:00 pm - Last names beginning with A - I

4:30-5:30 pm - Last names beginning with J - Q

5:00-6:00 pm - Last names beginning with R - Z

If you are unable to attend Supply Drop Off, simply have your child bring their school supplies with them on the first day of school, Monday Aug. 14.

9/10: Grades K-2

Families are welcome to attend either session listed below.

• Session 1: 5:30-5:55
• Session 2: 6:05-6:30

9/11: Grades 3-5

Families are welcome to attend either session listed below.

• Session 1: 5:30-5:55
• Session 2: 6:05-6:30

ARRIVAL

In the morning, buses will unload in the bus circle. No cars are permitted in the bus circle. If your child is a car rider, we ask that you utilize the drop off lane. Parents are discouraged from parking and walking their children up to the school. Students will be expected to safely walk on the sidewalks from their drop off spot (whether they are exiting a car or walking from the bike racks) to the front of school. Staff will be stationed along the sidewalk and in the front of the building to assist students as needed.

All students should arrive between 8:50-9:05am and will enter the building through the front doors. Doors open for arrival at 8:50 am. Please do not drop your child off or let your child out of the vehicle prior to this time. In the event students arrive after 9:05 am, parents will need to walk their child up to the front entrance to sign their child in.

DISMISSAL

Buses will be loading in the front of school in the bus circle again this year. Therefore, the bus circle will not be available for parking at dismissal.

Parents who are picking up their children (car riders) are asked to not get out of their cars at the front of the school. This includes parking in the lot and getting out. We do not want additional adults waiting on the sidewalks. Students will be supervised in the car line by staff members until they get into their cars.

Bell-Graham has a Visor Tag System for car riders. Families are provided a Visor Tag with their name on it. This tag is to be displayed on your passenger visor, visible to BG staff as you pull through the pick-up line. Visor Tags will be given to all families within the first week of school. If you need additional visor tags please let the front office know. The use of the visor tag helps to expedite our car pick-up line, as it allows staff members to get the students ready as the cars arrive.

If a child is a walker/biker/scooter and meeting an adult to walk home, the designated walker meeting spot is the bike racks near Carl Sandburg Road and Fox Mill Blvd. Parents will not be permitted to walk up to the front of school for dismissal.

Kindergarten students will be provided backpack tags. First Grade students should reuse their backpack tags from kindergarten. If you are a new first grade family or need new tags as a returning first grade family, you will get them from the classroom teacher at Supply Drop Off. Families of Students in Grades 2-5: If you still have your backpack tags from previous years that you will no longer be using, please feel free to return any extra backpack tags to the Front Office.

9/16 is Picture Day Additional information coming soon.

11/4 is Retake Day

If your child requires medication or any action plans, your child will need new physician orders and action plans for the school year. Ideally have the physician date the forms following the last day of school. Forms can be found under health services on the D303 site or linked directly here:

• MEDICATION AUTHORIZATION
• ASTHMA
• LIFE THREATENING ALLERGIES
• DIABETES
  
  

Students entering into kindergarten or 2nd grade will need a dental examination and form completed within 18 months of May 15th, 2025. A vision examination and physical with up to date immunizations are also required for incoming kindergarten students. 3rd grade students need an updated health survey.

• DENTAL FORM
• VISION FORM
• PHYSICAL EXAMINATION
• HEALTH SURVEY
  
  

These forms can be submitted to the main office or emailed to the school nurse at bel-nurses@d303.org. Please reach out if you have any questions.

Thank you!

Kerisa Martini Espinosa, RN
LeeAnna Anzaldi,MSN, RN, PEL-ILSN

• Absences should be called in by 7:45 AM
• You can leave a message 24 hours a day
• State your child’s name, their teacher's name and the reason why your child is out.
• If they are ill, please list their symptoms.

You are also welcome to email absence information to Kristin Cloy in the main office.

Please call the office when you are 5 minutes away and we will have your child ready and waiting for you at the office. You will have to press the buzzer to come inside the vestibule to sign them out on our iPad. 331-228-2100.

If you are visiting the school, for any reason, you MUST have your ID with you. Your ID needs to be scanned before you are permitted to enter the building.

If you intend on volunteering at any point this school year, the office MUST have a liability waiver form on file for you. Please do not sign up for any volunteer opportunities unless you already have a form on file for this year. This is an annual form that needs to be completed every school year. You are welcome to email completed forms to Mrs. Cloy kristin.cloy@d303.org.

Field Trip volunteers will have to follow additional steps to volunteer.

• 1 lunch with a loved one per student per school year for birthday (1 TOTAL, not 1 with grandma, 1 with aunt, 1 with mom )
• ONLY bring food for your child and/or yourself. No sharing food/treats with friends at the lunch table.
• Stay for lunch ONLY, recess is not included
• Bring your ID for check in. No ID, no entry
• You do not need to give advance notice, but are welcome to email the office the day of to speed along the check in process.

Click here to see what time you child eats lunch.

RESTAURANT FUNDRAISER - 8/14

Please join us at Oberweis in St. Charles to celebrate the First Day of School with some ice cream! 20% of the proceeds will help fund fun events at the school. Be sure to mention the fundraiser.

NEW FAMILY WELCOME BREAKFAST - 8/23

Families who are new to Bell Graham are invited to breakfast on Friday, August 23rd at 10:00 a.m., hosted by the BG PTO. Coffee and breakfast items will be served and information will be shared about how to become an active member of the PTO and BG. Small children are welcome as well.

BACK TO SCHOOL PICNIC - 9/5

Our PTO will be sponsoring a Back to School Picnic for all families on 9/5 from 5:30-7:00. Several fun family activities will be available for you to participate in. Look for more details in upcoming eNews. We look forward to seeing you all there to celebrate the new school year!

PTO DUES

Please don't forget to pay your PTO Dues on PushCoin. PTO Dues are $25 per FAMILY. These

dues help fund so many of the programs that the PTO sponsors throughout the year. Paying your PTO dues also grants you access to DirectorySpot. Thank you for your support!

WEBSITE

For additional information on the PTO please visit our website or our Bell Graham Elementary PTO Facebook page

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

Any questions or comments? Please email the PTO at bgeblast@gmail.com. All comments or questions will be discussed at our monthly Board meetings and responded to accordingly.

Mrs. Amy Klueppel - Principal

Website: bellgraham.d303.org
Location: 4N505 Fox Mill Blvd St. Charles, IL 60175
Phone: 331-228-2100
Facebook: facebook.com/BellGrahamElementary
Twitter: @BellGrahamD303