The Beach Elementary Weekly Wave

Dear Seagull Families,

It was wonderful to see so many families at our new student orientation and the “Greet Your Seat” event on Monday. We are thrilled to share that the first week back to school has been fantastic! Our students have been busy learning how to meet new people and make friends, learning our routines and procedures, and learning and understanding our school rules and the importance of showing SOAR - Safety, Ownership, Acceptance, and Respect.

While there isn’t much new information in this week’s newsletter, we have kept the existing details for those who may still need them.

Thank you for your continued support!

Best regards,

Mr. Fulton

8/29- 1st Half of PK/K Students attend school

8/30- 2nd Half of PK/K Students attend school

9/2-No School-Labor Day

9/3-All PK/K students attend school

9/11- Two-hour Early Dismissal

9/24- Open House for PK-2

9/25- Open House for 3-5

9/25- Boosterthon Fundraiser Event Commences

9/27- No school for students or teachers

9/30- Two-hour Late Arrival

10/2- Quarter 1 Interims available in HAC for grades 1-5

10/3- Boosterthon Fun Run

Are you a business owner in search of a way to advertise your business? We can't think of a better way than having your business logo printed on over 500 t-shirts that will be worn by the BES Staff and Students! If you are interested, please contact Ms. Miller at millerw@calvertnet.k12.md.us by close of business on Tuesday, September 3rd. There are $150, $250, and $500 options. Below is a sneak peek of what our shirt will look like this year.

See below for the BES 4th and 5th grade chorus information.

*Correction to the paper copies sent home-instead of Spring 2024 it should be Fall 2024, all other information is correct. *

Please be advised that there were two significant changes to the Code of Conduct this summer. Please make sure your students know that their smart phones and watches must be off and away. Any devices that are not will be confiscated and must be picked up by a parent/guardian. Also, if your child wears a hat to school, the hat must be worn in such a way that their faces will be visible to security cameras. Also, hats may not cover ears so that students can't hide earbuds. Thank you in advance for helping to create and maintain a safe learning environment.

1. Electronic and Communication Devices (Smartphones, Smartwatches, etc.) Elementary School Students

• Students may only bring their cell phone/smartwatch with a signed CCPS Elementary Student Cell Phone/Smartwatch Registration Form on file at the school.
• Registered cell phones/smartwatches must remain completely powered off (not on vibrate or silent mode) and inside the student’s book bag, locker or cubby throughout the entirety of each school day, unless other storage arrangements are made with the teacher.
• Once approved for school, students may use their cell phone/smartwatch on the bus or school chartered vehicle, but use must not be disruptive or cause a distraction to the driver at any time. Sound must only be audible through headphones. Phone conversations are prohibited.

2. Students are permitted to wear:

• Hats or headwear, as long as the student’s face and ears are visible and are not obscured, and the student’s identity is not concealed.

3. Students are NOT permitted to wear:

• Hoods are not permitted to be worn on the head inside CCPS school buildings.

Click HERE (easy online shopping) or HERE (old-school list) for School Supply Lists

Spirit Days are every Friday! Students, family members, and staff are encouraged to participate and proudly wear our BES blue and white or other BES attire!

Traditional spirit wear (shown below) is available for purchase HERE.

Our PTO will be selling spirit wear as a fundraiser from 9/11 to 9/25. Take a peek HERE!

Our school day is from 8:45 to 3:30.

Buses will enter our campus off of Old Bayside Road and utilize the bus loop.

Car riders will enter our campus off of Bayside Road and utilize the car rider loop.

Staff will start greeting car and bus riders daily from 8:35 to 8:45. Any car riders who arrive after 8:45 will be considered "tardy" and will need to be signed in by an adult in our main office.

Students who will eat breakfast at school will report directly to our cafeteria.

Afternoon car riders will be dismissed from the library beginning at 3:25. Parents/Guardians will enter our parking lot off of Bayside Road and park and walk to the side of the building, rain or shine, where the library is. Please remember to bring ID to show staff. Please note that students will not be released from the office after 3:15 PM and will need to be signed out at our dismissal area in the library. Dismissal announcements will begin at 3:25 daily. While we will accommodate car riders, we ask that you consider utilizing CCPS Bus Transportation.

It is very important that students who will be riding the bus regularly ride the bus on the first day of school so that bus drivers can begin to associate a face to an address and name and so that students are not “missed” by the driver on the days that follow.

Next week, Transportation information should be found in your student’s Home Access Center (HAC) data; bus #, bus stop location and approximate bus stop times. Bus stop information is based on guardian’s home address unless you provide a different pick-up and drop-off location to Beach Elementary School. Please contact BES to make any corrections to the student database. That must take place, before routing software is updated.

Please sign up for the “Here Comes the Bus” (HCTB) website and app to find the most current bus stop information for your student. Here is how to get started:

• a. Download “Here Comes the Bus” by Synovia Solutions, LLC from your app store or visit www.herecomesthebus.com. (Free)
• b. Follow the steps to set up your account. (You will need to know your child’s Student ID#.)
• c. Our district code is 87557

Click HERE to find out more about CCPS transportation. Click the attachment below for transportation rules and regulations.

As students arrive by bus, we will greet them and tag their backpack with their bus number to make sure they know which bus to ride home at the end of the day. As a reminder, there can only be one pick-up and one drop-off location per student.

Menus, nutrition information, payment methods and information, and photos of food served are accessible online on the CCPS Website on the Child Nutrition page.

This year, student breakfast is $1.65 and lunch is $2.80. Students may purchase milk or water and funds will be deducted from a computerized account. You can deposit money online using your child’s 5-digit student ID number or you can send in cash or checks ranging from $10 on up made payable to BES Cafeteria. Students will eat in the cafeteria. ID numbers are in HAC, but if you can't find or access it, please call the school for help.

Click HERE for information from the Child Nutrition Department

Click HERE for information about LINQ, where you can manage payments, view menus, and more!

School Security measures have been put into place for the safety of all students and staff. All outside doors will always be locked. Visitors and parents coming into the building will need to bring ID and ring the doorbell outside the main entrance of the school. The office staff will grant them access into the building by “buzzing” them into the school where they can sign in at the office once they have stated the purpose for their visit. Please do not allow anyone else into the building should they arrive at the same time as you.

Medications occasionally must be administered to students by our school nurse, Nurse Bogaczyk, RN. According to Maryland state guidelines, any medications – including over the counter medications – must have a “Physician’s Authorization Form” on file in the health room before they can be administered at school. They must be in the original container and have the child’s name on the bottle. Medications must be brought to school by the parent or guardian. Cough drops are also to be given to Nurse Julie who can provide them to your child as necessary. Nurse Julie will be glad to answer any questions you may have concerning this policy. You may bring medications to school for the 2024-2025 school year during “Greet your Seat” or New Student Orientation.

Requirement from the Maryland Department of Health: Kindergarten through 5th Grade students need proof of two Varicella (Chickenpox) vaccines. A parent/guardian must confirm that an appointment has been made for any school-required vaccine by the first day of school in Sept. 2024. If the child has not received the vaccine by the 20th day after school begins, the child will not be allowed to attend until proof of vaccination has been received by our school nurse.

Illness Information:

If your child should become sick or injured at school, he/she will be sent to the school nurse. Nurse Julie will call home to share any injuries from the neck up. Nurse Julie will assess and address minor injuries, headaches, stomach aches, etc. and send students back to class unless she determines that a phone call home is appropriate and necessary. In the event your child needs to leave school, he/she will be made as comfortable as possible until you arrive. Please notify the school of any changes to contact or emergency phone numbers

RETURNING TO SCHOOL AFTER AN ILLNESS

A student may return to school:

• 24 hours after a fever breaks (without the need/use of fever reducers)

• 24 hours after vomiting or diarrhea has ceased.

• 24 hours after starting an antibiotic (i.e., for Pink Eye, impetigo, and strep)

• Following head lice clearance by school nurse

• Following ringworm when exposed area is covered, and the nurse is notified of medication follow-up.

MEDICAL CONCERNS

In the event your child develops new medical concerns or experiences an injury that results in crutches, a wheelchair, or activity restrictions, please contact the school nurse. A doctor’s order clarifying the restrictions should also be shared with the school office.

ILLNESS SCREENING GUIDANCE

Screening is the responsibility of all families and staff members to self-assess for symptoms of an infectious illness such as COVID-19, influenza, respiratory syncytial virus, and gastrointestinal infections before entering a school bus or CCPS facility.

• Staff and families should follow testing recommendations for anyone experiencing symptoms of COVID-19.
• Staff and families should notify the school when diagnosed with a suspected or confirmed communicable illness including a positive test for COVID-19.
• Any staff member or student who has been exposed to COVID-19 should follow testing recommendations at day 3-5 following an exposure.
• Any individual with symptoms of illness are encouraged to consult a health care provider when needed.
• If unsure if it is safe for an individual to report for work or school, consult with school administration for staff or the school nurse for students.
• If a student becomes ill with symptoms consistent with COVID-19 while at school, the student must be sent home as soon as possible. Testing is recommended and they can return to school when symptoms have improved with no fever for at least 24 hours without medication. Masking is recommended upon returning from positive COVID test for 5 days from positive test or start of symptoms.
• If a staff person becomes ill with symptoms consistent with COVID-19 while at school or during the school day, they must stop immediately, notify the building administrator, and the staff person is to leave the building immediately. Testing is recommended.

• Please click here to visit the CCPS School Health Program page.
• Please click here for the CCPS Health Services Handbook for Families
• Please click here for the latest guidance for COVID.

Tuesday, September 24th

• Grades PK-2 5pm to 6pm
• 5:00-Welcome from Administration
• 5:05-5:30 Session 1
• 5:35-6:00 Session 2

Wednesday, September 25th

• Grades 3-5, 5pm to 6pm
• 5:00-Welcome from Administration
• 5:05-5:30 Session 1
• 5:35-6:00 Session 2

Here at Beach Elementary, we implement Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) on a daily basis to support students’ behavioral, academic, social, emotional and mental health. One of our biggest positive behavior supports is our school currency: Beach Bravos. Students can earn Bravos from any staff member in the building by following our school motto/rules: S.O.A.R (safety, ownership, acceptance and respect). After they have accumulated enough Bravos, they can spend them at the Woot Woot Cart. Here's where you come in! We are in need of parent/guardian/family volunteers to come in on A Days from 10:30 am to 2:00 pm to run our Woot Woot Cart where students can purchase toys and services with their Bravos. You can find the dates on the this survey. We require 2-3 volunteers for each date. Thank you so much for your consideration!

Volunteer with us! CCPS uses the Raptor system for volunteers and visitors to sign in and out of schools. All volunteers (anyone interacting with children for activities such as field day, field trips, VIP Day, etc.) will need to review the volunteer handbook, watch the volunteer training video, and apply to be an approved volunteer each year before volunteering in any school. Click HERE to become a volunteer!

We do have a lost and found area at BES, that seems to fill up rather quickly. Families spend a lot of money on jackets and water bottles! Please take some time to put your child's name on their jackets and water bottles so that we can return them. We do purge our lost and found at the end of each month. We donate the unclaimed items so others may use them.

Our Parent Teacher Organization (PTO) has always supported Beach Elementary. An active PTO has provided several advantages for our students and staff. The PTO has formed closer school and community bonds. The parents and other citizens who have contributed time, effort, talents, and materials have a personal commitment to Beach Elementary. The fundraising efforts of the PTO have helped to improve and enrich the learning experiences for our children by supporting the cultural arts and field trip programs. Our staff has always appreciated the PTO's loyal support and we plan to continue working in this active partnership. Please join the PTO.

Join the BES PTO today to get on our email list, stay up to date on events and volunteer opportunities, and to have your thoughts and ideas heard. Membership is $10 per family, all membership fees are used to fund events including the Ag Lab mobile field trip, dances, and many more!

For information about family events and youth activities taking place in our community, click the Community Events button, below. Please note: These events and activities are not sponsored by the Calvert County Board of Education or Calvert County Public Schools. We provide equal opportunities to outside agencies to distribute materials that offer opportunities to students and/or their parents, but that permission should not be considered a recommendation or endorsement by the school district.

Calvert County Public Schools does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, age, ancestry or national origin, familial status, marital status, physical or mental disability, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, or genetic information in its programs and activities and provides equal access to the Boy Scouts and other designated youth groups. The following persons have been designated to handle inquiries regarding the non-discrimination policies:

• Director of Student Services
• Director of Human Resources

443-550-8000

For further information on notice of non-discrimination, visit the Office for Civil Rights Complaint Assessment System at: https://ocrcas.ed.gov or call 1-800-421-3481.

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Anti-sexual, Anti-racial and Anti-disability Harassment Statement
Discrimination can manifest itself in behaviors such as bullying, harassment, or intimidation of individuals.

Calvert County Public Schools does not tolerate any form of harassment including, but not limited to, sexual, racial, or disability. Any individual (student, employee, or community member) who believes that he or she has been subjected to any form of harassment is encouraged to report the allegation of harassment. Students, parents, and community members may report allegations of harassment to: Ms. Cecelia Lewis, Director of Student Services, Calvert County Public Schools, 1305 Dares Beach Road, Prince Frederick, MD 20678

Employees may report allegations of harassment to: Mr. Zachary Seawell, Director of Human Resources, Calvert County Public Schools, 1305 Dares Beach Road, Prince Frederick, MD 20678.

Calvert County Public Schools is committed to conducting a prompt investigation for any allegation of harassment. If harassment has occurred, the individual will be disciplined promptly. Disciplinary actions for students found to have engaged in any form of harassment may result in suspension or expulsion. Disciplinary actions for employees found to have engaged in any form of harassment may result in suspension or termination.

Calvert County Public Schools encourages all students, parents, employees, and community members to work together to prevent any form of harassment.

For further information on notice of non-discrimination, visit the Office for Civil Rights Complaint Assessment System at: https://ocrcas.ed.gov or call 1-800-421-3481.

Calvert County Public Schools Antiracism Statement

Calvert County Public Schools explicitly denounces racism, bullying, discrimination, white supremacy, hate, and racial inequity in any form within our school community. Furthermore, CCPS will not tolerate the values, structures, and behaviors that perpetuate systemic racism.

Each member of the district, individually and collectively, is responsible for creating and nurturing a safe, antiracist learning environment where each student, staff member, and community partner is a respected and valued member of the CCPS community.