Paw Print

We're ready to make your spirit wear dreams come true in every size! We've got the popular Belmont LOVE shirts and hoodies in purple or yellow; the Belmont Bulldogs on Repeat on gray; and drumroll, please..............HATS!! Clear here to visit the Spirit Wear Store and place your family order.

Students walk or run on a racecourse on the playground field or track, striving for their personal best and a half an hour of sheer fun! Each student collects donations from friends and family members. Guardians are able to help with the race or just come to watch their student race! Parents who have no other option than to bring siblings along must remain in the spectator section (the picnic table area) and keep the siblings away from the track. It's about safety for everyone, people. Thanks for following the rules, even the ones you don't love. 😉

The Bulldog Dash is a FUNdraiser that involves the students! It's a tradition that has allowed us to fund our PTO budget for the past decade. Did I mention that it is FUN?! The money collected by students (and donated by YOU and YOUR adult peeps) will help fund field trips, including transportation, classroom grants, extra classroom supplies, school events and team appreciation.

So glad you asked! First, look for the piece of paper that should be tucked inside of it. It will explain! Can't wait? I've got you.

1. Collect coins and dollars to fill up the container. Suggestions: Let your child scour the house for loose change leftover from when everyone only used cash. Check the couch cushions, under the seats or floor mats in the car, or take a walk together and keep your eyes peeled. If you own a business, plop that container right by the cash register and make friends with complete strangers!
2. Empty full container in grade level jar at school by September 13th. Labeled containers will be in the front lobby every day through Dash Day! Fill and dump as many times as you'd like.
3. Check to see if your grade level is winning. If not, collect more coins!

The top three grade levels to collect the most money will win an exciting prize!!

I know, you don't use cash anymore. I bet the grandparents still do. Or maybe that cranky neighbor guy who could use a chat and a smile from you and your child has a cup of change by his recliner. Historically, this has been a fun option that our students see and understand. That's why we still do it. If the container collection is more than your plate can hold right now, just send it back to school empty or use it for leftovers and scroll right back up there to donate through the website. We appreciate all the support we can get!

You're also going to find a fun Bulldog Dash 2024 Tracking sheet that might make organization and communication a bit easier for your family! Please return by Dash Day, Friday, September 13th.

The directions are printed right down there at the bottom of the sign.

1. Decorate.
2. Pay $5
3. Return to school and enjoy watching your Bulldog look for it around the track on Dash Day!

Hot off the presses, we've got business sponsors rolling in!! Currently, we have THREE business sponsors, all Belmont families, who are willing to provide DASH DAY T-SHIRTS FOR EVERY BULLDOG!!! Woohoo!!! Right now, all of their donations are going straight toward the cost of the shirts, but if YOU also have a business and would like to become a Dash Day Shirt Sponsor, email me (phargrove@usd232.org) ASAP but definitely by 9/6) and we'll happily print your business logo (in a size that matches your donation) on the back of each shirt! That's a lot of walking advertisement! Businesses and logos must be appropriate for children (obviously) and we prefer to sponsor Belmont family-owned businesses. Our current sponsors are already in for a grand each, so any extra money raised will allow them reallocate funds to put straight up cash into the budget from their donation. Make sense? Win:win! Have questions? Sponsorships are available for $250, $500, or $1,000. The deadline to submit cash and logo is Friday, September 6th. After that date, we'll just happily accept your cash. Thanks!

It's a WatchDOGS revival in the Belmont DogHouse! With at least a week's notice, we'll welcome a DAD (gotta be a significant adult guardian or relation) each Wednesday to work a day at BE. There will be a schedule provided that will include a variety of tasks including building safety, academic assistance in classrooms, and logistical support during lunch, and the reward...RECESS! We guarantee you'll have the opportunity to enjoy lunch and recess with your own child(ren) and around that, we'll put you to work in the classrooms where your extra hands will be the most helpful! Do YOU have the opportunity to take a day off to hang out with about 370 beautiful children and the adults who love learning with them?

Access the WatchDOGS Sign Up HERE.

Consider this to be my annual PSA about kids and cell phones and/or smart watches in cell phone mode. Thanks for reading. I share this because of two organs that are of particular interest to me: Your child's brain. Your child's heart.

As a parent, it is and will always be your right to either provide, or not provide a cellular device for your child's use. Undisputed.

As an elementary school administrator, it is my responsibility to manage when students may have access to those devices during the school day. Here are the rules for school:

• Cell phones must remain in silent mode inside student backpacks from the time they enter in the morning until the time they leave school for the day. If you find the need to text your child during the school day, do not expect them to access the text to respond until after school. Just call the office at 913-667-1810 and we will be happy to share an important message with your child, such as transportation changes, of which they need to be aware. If your child needs to reach you during the school day, no worries. We have phones for that!
• Smart watches may only be used as an actual timepiece during the school day. School mode must be in effect, or the watch will also need to remain inside the student backpack until the child leaves school for the day. Disruptions in the classroom, cafeteria and playground are unnecessary and can be avoided. Your child is not available to read a text or answer a call during the school day. If you need to contact them due to an emergency, call the office at 913-667-1810!
• Cell phones or watches being used for purposes other than a timepiece may be confiscated until the end of the day. We don't want to keep your child's phone, we don't want to have to mess with phones or watches at all. Ever. But we will enforce the expectations because that's our job.

Now to the brain and the heart. Have you looked at your child's phone lately to see how they are using it? Read any texts? Watched any videos? Checked out the apps? Noticed how many hours a day they are on their screen? By now you've all certainly read the research that ties certain types of technology usage to changes in young brains. It's out there. Check it out.

I can almost guarantee you though, that even more damaging to our youngsters is the social pressure that batters their hearts. Be this. Do that. Did you hear about? How many likes did I get? Group chat this. Group chat that. In the group. Out of the group. Forwarded messages that no one else was supposed to see. Growing up too fast. Way. Too. Fast. Or on the flip side, becoming emotionally stunted and unable to grow up as one would typically expect.

No. I don't have any specific research to back my hypothesis but I'm betting that it's out there. I just see it every day. Every year it gets more intense. I don't want to judge people. I want to educate people. Our sweet nuggets are seeing and talking about things that they don't understand. They need their parents to guide them. They need their parents to provide checks and balances. If you are that parent, THANK YOU! If you are a parent who is just making it through the day, and hadn't even thought about all of the ugly possibilities yet, it's okay. There is time. Start now. Our children are begging for us to provide them the structure and rules that they argue against. There's that old classic that says, "you can't always get what you want," and that's okay!! Because sometimes it's more important that "you get what you need."

Your kids will thank you later, I promise. I do have live action research on that! I bet you do, too! Parenting isn't easy, but it is the most rewarding thing you'll ever do. Thanks for taking us along for the journey.

Would you like to come and enjoy lunch with your child? We would love to have you come experience lunch at BE. We have been busy reviewing lunchroom expectations and letting our Bulldogs settle in to their new lunch routines, but after Labor Day, we'll be ready to welcome two visiting families per grade level per day. We will continue with attendance at lunch through reservation only to ensure that we maintain appropriate safety measures in our cafeteria. If more than one human is coming to lunch from your family, please use ONE spot for your space. For those who are new to Belmont, visitors for lunch are often a parent, grandparent, other close relative, or a family friend visiting from out of town. If we don't recognize the name, or a parent doesn't provide clarification, that visitor may miss their lunch opportunity while we work to solve the puzzle, so thank you for giving us a quick call to verify if the visitor isn't a custodial parent of record.

Lunch at school is considered a special privilege. Please, reserve this opportunity for special occasions or once in a while treats. Do not promise your sweet kiddo that you'll be here every week! We have many families and only so many open spots! We appreciate your willingness to share the love (and the table with the other family also signed up to visit!)

A few things to keep in mind:

• Lunch periods are 30 minutes long and we have to stay on schedule. Be here a few minutes early to get signed in. Your child gets REALLY stressed out when they don't see you as they walk down the hall when they know that you are supposed to be there.
• Parents may be joined at their reserved seats by their child only. It can create negative competition with hurt feelings when we allow others to join.
• Parents may bring in outside food for their dining party only. We have several students with food allergies or intolerances, and the students know that for safety reasons we do not share or trade food. Food and/or drink must be consumed during the lunch period and not sent back to class with the student.
• Confidentiality is important to us, so kindly refrain from sharing stories later if you happen to notice that another child is having behavioral or learning challenges. We've got people for that! Feel absolutely free to seek assistance from our on-duty staff if you notice that someone needs help!

How do I sign up? Click this link to let us know when you are coming! Closer to your date, please call the office to reserve a school lunch if you're not bringing your own. The cost of an adult lunch is $4.75, which needs to be paid (with exact change, please) on the date you will eat with us.

If you like LOTS of happy noise all at once and don't mind the possibility of wearing syrup and ketchup on your body when you leave...feel free to join us!

11:00-11:30 1st Grade

11:20-11:50 Kindergarten

11:40-12:10 5th Grade

12:00-12:30 4th Grade

12:20-12:50 3rd Grade

12:40-1:10 2nd Grade

Reservations are required to join your child for lunch- when we are ready, you'll be able to CLICK HERE to reserve your family table!

September 2 🌻 Labor Day - No School

September 3 🌻 BE Night at Skate CIty, 6-8pm

September 9 🌻 Site Council, 4:30pm

September 9-13 🌻 Bulldog Dash Spirit Week

September 13 🌻 PTO BULLDOG DASH FUNdraiser!

September 16 🌻 PTO Meeting, 6:30pm, Cafeteria (enter through west cafeteria door)

September 17 🌻 Picture Day!

September 25 🌻 Conferences

• 12:10 Dismissal, No Lunch Served

September 26 🌻 Conferences

• No School for Students

September 27 🌻 Building Closed

• No School for Students

Visit the BE Online Calendar of Events (by clicking on the button below) for a more complete list of activities!

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Community partner Country Club Bank is providing support to ensure this service is available in USD 232.

Email: phargrove@usd232.org
Website: be.usd232.org
Location: 5805 Belmont Drive, Shawnee, KS 66226, United States
Phone: (913)667-1810
Facebook: Belmont Elementary Bulldogs
Twitter: @BEBulldogs