Bulldog Bulletin

September was a month filled with new faces, new routines, and so much growth! It has been wonderful seeing all of our students challenge themselves and grow each day.

We are happy to continue to share our new newsletter tool, Smore! Families can translate our newsletters into 100+ languages, including Myanmar (Burmese), in just one click!

Have you taken the Needs Assessment survey? We need your input and this survey is vital to how we acquire and allocate resources for our school. Below are links for the Needs Assessment Survey:

Family Member Survey - English

Community Member Survey - English

Family Member Survey - Spanish

Community Member Survey - Spanish

Hearing and Vision Screening will occur October 1st - 7th. Technicians from Baltimore County Dept. of Health will be here conducting the screenings. All students in PK, 1st and 4th grade along with any KG students not screened in PK last year will be tested.

If your child wears glasses, please make sure they have them to wear for the screening.

October is Bullying Prevention Month! All students will learn about and practice ways to deal with mean behaviors during my classroom lessons this month. They will also learn that bullying is more than being mean. Bullying is M.O.O.- Mean, On purpose, and Over and over again. Bullying also has a power component. Kids who bully use their power—such as physical strength, access to embarrassing information, or popularity—to control or harm others. Power imbalances can change over time and in different situations, even if they involve the same people (StopBullying.gov.). Bullying is harmful to both the person doing the bullying and to the target of the bullying behaviors. If your child is either the bullying person or the target, I can help. Contact me at 443-809-8116 or solsen@bcps.org.

Bullying Prevention Week is from October 21 to October 25. Please dress in these colors during the week!

Kindergarten:

Now that the weather is changing, please make sure the change of clothes in the classroom are weather appropriate.

4th Grade:

The fourth grade has completed the first reading unit about identify and will start unit 2, “Come to your Senses.” Students will be reading informational texts and analyzing them for vocabulary, text structure, and summarizing. They will be working on descriptive writing and will continue to gain knowledge of grammar skills to improve their writing. In Science, the students will be continuing to learn about the structure and function of plant, human and animal systems with a focus on sea turtles. In math students will be solving problems with multidigit multiplication and fractions.

P.E.:

Did you know that school-aged children are supposed to exercise for at least 60 minutes every day? In the month of October, students will have the opportunity to participate in the NFL Play60 Challenge. Use the NFL Play60 Challenge calendar to track daily physical activity. This is a great way to motivate your child to get their exercise! Parents will sign the calendar each week to confirm the recordings are accurate. At the end of the month, students should submit their calendar to Mrs. Henry for a prize! Let's get moving!

October:

1: Picture Day

Hearing and Vision Screening Begins

3: No school for students

10: PTA Restaurant Day and Night

Chick-Fil-A at Lansdowne Station

17: Trunk or Treat

5:30 - 7:30

18: School is closed for MSEA Conference

31: Half day!

Keep an eye out for more details about a Halloween parade!

The Bullying, Harassment or Intimidation Reporting Form should be used to report alleged incidents of bullying, harassment, or intimidation that occurred during the current school year on school property, at a school-sponsored activity or event off school property, on a school bus, on the way to and/or from school, or through electronic communication on or off school property. School staff will address incidents that occur at school or have a connection or nexus back to the school setting that create a risk of harm to other students while they are at school or interfere with the educational environment.

If you are a student, the parent/guardian or caregiver of a student, a close adult relative of a student, a school staff member, or a bystander and wish to report an incident of alleged bullying, cyberbullying, harassment, or intimidation, please complete this form, and return it to the school principal.

You may contact the school for additional information or assistance at any time. (Bullying, cyberbullying, harassment, and intimidation definitions are provided below.)

Definitions:

Bullying– is unwanted, demeaning behavior among students that involves a real or perceived power imbalance. The behavior is repeated, or is highly likely to be repeated, over time. In order to be considered bullying, the behavior must be intentional and include: 1) An imbalance of power (students who bully use their physical, emotional, social, or academic power to control, exclude, or harm others), and 2) Repetition (bullying behaviors happen more than once or are highly likely to be repeated based on evidence gathered).

Cyberbullying– is bullying that takes place over digital devices like cell phones, computers, and tablets. Cyberbullying can occur through texting, apps, or online via social media, forums, or gaming where people can view, participate in, or share content. Cyberbullying includes sending, posting, or sharing negative, harmful, false, or hurtful content about another student. It can include sharing personal or private information about someone else causing embarrassment or humiliation.

Harassment – includes actual or perceived negative actions that offend, ridicule, or demean another student with regard to race, ethnicity, national origin, immigration status, family/parental or marital status, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, religion, ancestry, physical attributes, socioeconomic status, physical or mental ability, or disability.

Intimidation – is any communication or action directed against another student that threatens or induces a sense of fear and/or inferiority. Retaliation may be considered a form of intimidation.

• Arrival time is 9-9:15 and dismissal time is 4-4:15.
• AES Arrival Dismissal Procedures.pdf
  

• Walkers in grades PK-1 (and older siblings) will dismiss from the library door

• Walkers in grades 2-5 will dismiss from the breezeway doors. Adults must scan the QR code and fill out the form before their child is called.

• All walkers must be checked out with the teacher on duty by their authorized pick-up person.

• If someone else is picking up your child, the adult must be in the system.

• If you received notice from Nurse Graham about missing vaccinations, please attend to it as soon as possible. This will avoid your child being withdrawn from classes.
• Please keep your child home if they have a fever or sign of illness.

• Breakfast and lunch are provided to all students at no cost. Students may bring lunch from home. Meal Information.pdf
• Snacks and beverages will be available for purchase. To add funds to your child's account, visit https://www.myschoolbucks.com/ver2/getmain?requestAction=home
• If your student is celebrating a birthday during the school year, please do not send in food treats. Treats such as: Pencils, erasers, stickers, etc. are allowed.

• Students are expected to bring their charged BCPS-issued Chromebook to school everyday.
• New students will be issued their Chromebooks as soon as possible.
• Tech Support: https://www.bcps.org/cms/One.aspx?portalId=2828&pageId=66765365

• We are a cash only school, no checks or credit will be accepted.

• All chaperones must be 21 or older and complete the volunteer application and training.
• To volunteer: go to the Community tab for Volunteers at https://www.bcps.org and follow the steps. All potential volunteers must complete this process annually. Please submit completed application and certificate of training to ezalucki@bcps.org

Our mission is to provide a safe, positive, and effective educational environment that is student centered and focused on individual growth and achievement to prepare our students for college and career opportunities in a multicultural, technologically advanced, global society.

Email: smaile@bcps.org
Website: https://arbutuses.bcps.org/
Location: 1300 Sulphur Spring Road, Baltimore, MD 21227
Phone: 443-809-1400
Twitter: @ArbutusES

Facebook: Arbutus Elementary

Instagram: @ArbutusElementary