My name is Randee Wilding and I’m honored to be the papa of Julian Wilding (rising fourth-grader at Bushy Park) and Sebastian Wilding (rising eighth-grader at Glenwood Middle). I am excited to work with each of you as the 2019-2020 Bushy Park PTA President.

First. Let’s re-imagine how you can help the PTA and our kids! Why am I asking you to do that? The PTA serves the school in many ways by a diverse group.

Have you ever coached a team sport (Girls on the Run or Hero Boys)? Do you love making people feel welcome (Hospitality Committee or Sweetheart Dance Volunteer)? Do you have a passion for science (Robotics Night or Science Fair Judge) or policy (our school’s Delegates for the Howard County PTA)? Are you an artist or art lover (Reflections or Cultural Arts)?

If you make the time, we can use your passion and expertise. Learn more about our events and programs, then let us know what works for you and your schedule.

Second. Please take a moment to become a member or renew your annual PTA membership. By supporting the PTA, you allow us the opportunity to bring amazing activities, events, and opportunities to the school. As the first step in achieving our goals, please join the PTA and participate in our annual fundraisers.

Third. Thank you to Mrs. Bialeski, Mr. West, the PTA Leadership and Committee Chairs who have been collaborating over the summer to prepare for this year. We’ve met with new families, had our first Kindergarten playdate and conducted our first playground PTA meeting.

In an effort to clearly communicate the range of events and programs the PTA offers and make sure all families feel welcome, we have launched a new website and newsletter format. Please take some time to browse the website (https://www.bushyparkpta.org) and be sure to like us on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/BushyParkPTA/).

Thanks to all who have made time over the summer to work on making this year excellent. We couldn’t do it without you.

I look forward to working with you all this year.

In Partnership,

Randee Wilding

BPES PTA Leadership Team, 2019-20

Randee Wilding, President

Kristin Baker, Treasurer

Voula Augustin, First Vice President

Gina Lease, Second Vice President

Michelle Sexton, Secretary

Jaime Belmore, Corresponding Secretary

The Bushy Park Elementary PTA is pleased to announce a service partnership with People Who Need People (PWNP).

PWNP is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization established in 2006 to serve the needs of homeless women and children by partnering with established charities in Maryland.

By linking together friends and family, PWNP increases the awareness and responds to the needs of women and children’s shelters in Maryland. Through their volunteers’ efforts, donations and special events, they strive to make a difference in the emotional and physical needs of homeless women and children.

Every PTA® member is asked to step up and become a service leader in their community by identifying unmet needs in their schools, developing their own service projects, and recruiting new PTA and community members who are interested in the same issues. Volunteerism often stops at the schoolhouse door when volunteers leave the building. However, this effort is designed to encourage people to stay involved and invested over time by building effective relationships with each other through meaningful, outcome-oriented activities.

“We believe a service partnership with PWNP aligns well with the National PTA Standards for Family-School Partnerships and our own organization’s desire to give back to our community and help those in need.” Randee Wilding, PTA President.

Fore more information about PWNP, please visit: https://www.pwnp.org.

Source: https://www.pta.org/home/run-your-pta/National-Standards-for-Family-School-Partnerships.

By supporting the PTA, you allow us the opportunity to bring amazing activities, events and opportunities to the school. To make all of our goals, we really need you to join the PTA for $20, participate in our fundraisers, and offer to volunteer at one of our many events.

The PTA has big goals for the coming school year and with your help we will succeed!

Parents and Families,

Reading for pleasure unlocks the power of information and imagination and helps children discover who they are. Here’s what you can do to help children develop stronger reading skills

and a love for reading:

• Set the example. Let children see you read.
  
• Have a collection of books in your home. Update this collection routinely to keep up with changing tastes and reading skills.
  
• Support our school’s Book Fair. Allow your children to choose their own books to read.

Our Fall Book Fair, September 23 – 27, is a reading event that brings the books that your child wants to read right into our school. It’s a wonderful selection of engaging and affordable books for every reading level. Please make plans to visit our Book Fair and be involved in shaping your child’s reading habits.

Fall Book Fair hours are the following:

• Monday, September 23, 3pm – 7pm
  
• Tuesday, September 24, 8:30am – 12pm* and 3pm – 8pm Raffle Night
  
• Wednesday, September 25, 3pm – 7pm
  
• Thursday, September 26, 3pm – 7pm
  

*Special morning hours for Book Fair. Visitors may ONLY visit the mini auditorium.

Visit the Book Fair online at: https://www.scholastic.com/bf/bushyparkelementaryschool

Sign-up to volunteer at: https://signup.com/go/GcrrKvD.

Book Fair is looking for a co-chair. Duties including, but not limited to marketing the fair to parents and assisting at the fair (some nights and days). You will also have an opportunity to attend Scholastic training workshops. Book Fair occurs twice a year and is a rewarding volunteer position in the Bushy Park community. If you are interested in learning more, please contact Stacie at staciecm@gmail.com or stop by the Book Fair on Tuesday, September 24 from 9-12.

Grocery Rewards

Harris Teeter: Please support our school by linking Bushy Park Elementary school to your Harris Teeter VIC card. This can be done in the store or through the website https://www.harristeeter.com/. For Harris Teeter our ID is 1636. You may also send an email to retailrewards.bpes@gmail.com with your last name and VIC card number and we can link your card.

Martin's: Please register for Martin's A+ Program. Registration can be done at https://martinsfoods.com/. The Bushy Park ID is 41066 or call Martins Consumer Affairs at 1-888-814-4268 OPTION #1.

Box Tops for Education

As we get ready for the school please keep your eyes open for Box Tops. This year, Box Tops has started its transition to a digital collection program while it phases it out the traditional Box Top clips. Participation in the digital program will require downloading the Box Tops App and selecting Bushy Park as your school. Bushy Park’s Box Tops ID is 218985. PLEASE NOTE: For digital earnings, store receipts need to be scanned into the Box Tops App within 14 days of purchase. We will also continue to accept the paper clips as well. Details on our annual competition will be provided in the folders that come home the first week of school.

AmazonSmile

Another way to support our school is through the AmazonSmile program. It is as easy as shopping using this link: https://smile.amazon.com/ch/52-1085.

Are you interested in being a Team or Room Parent this school year? Sign up sheets will be up at Open House and Back to School Night. After both events, we will have a blind draw to pick one Team parent per grade level and two room parents per classroom grades Kindergarten-5th. After all team and room parents have been contacted, we will have a meeting on September 24th at 9:30am go over the year events.

Girls on the Run is a physical activity-based positive youth development program for girls in 3rd – 5th grades. Meeting twice a week in small teams, Girls on the Run teaches life skills through dynamic, interactive lessons and running games. The season culminates with a Girls on the Run 5K event which gives participants a sense of achievement and a framework for setting and achieving goals.

Registration opens at 12noon on Sunday, August 18. Interested participants can click here to register. The program begins the week of September 22 and the 5k will be held on Saturday, December 7.

For questions regarding the program, please contact Susan Michel at 443-864-8593 or via email at susan.michel@girlsontherun.org.

Business Sponsor: 39 Minute Workout & Wellness is a holistic fitness studio offering small group kettlebell training, acupuncture, nutrition and Cryoskin treatments. For more information visit https://39minuteworkout.com.

Business Sponsor: Pediatric Dental & Orthodontic Office Offering Pediatric Dentistry from Infancy thru College & Orthodontics for Children & Adults. For more information, visit: www.mtairysmiles.com.

Service Partner: PWNP is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization established in 2006 to serve the needs of homeless women and children by partnering with established charities in Maryland. For more information about PWNP, please visit: https://www.pwnp.org.

Sports Sponsor: Since 2014, WHC Soccer has donated $10 to participating school PTA’s for each student registered to play. Registration for the Fall season opens in mid-April and runs thru early July. For more information about the league and registration visit www.whcsoccer.org.

Our PTA is here to build a bridge between home and school, integrating the efforts of parents, teachers, staff and our community. It is an integral part of the Bushy Park community by offering many activities and programs to our families.

Our mission is to promote a positive partnership among our educators, children, and community-at-large through advocacy efforts and programs focused on the education and well-being of our children.

Our vision is simple. Lead with kindness and let everything follow.

Email: bpesptapres@gmail.com
Website: http://www.bushyparkpta.org
Location: 14601 Carrs Mill Rd, Glenwood, MD 21738
Phone: 410-313-5500
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/BushyParkPTA/
Twitter: @hcpss_bpes