October Family Newsletter

Our school year is off to a wonderful start! We were so thrilled to celebrate a new school year with families at the PTO Ice Cream Social, show our school spirit with students at our Back to School Spirit Assembly, and welcome our parents into the building on Back to School Night. We inducted our newest fourth grade Safety Patrol during the month of September. A very special thank you to Mrs. Cori Lango for training and supervising our Safety Patrollers! Barley Sheaf Safety Patrols help to keep our students safe at school, while modeling our Barley Sheaf character traits for younger students and developing leadership skills.

Looking ahead to October, we are so excited for our annual Week of Respect, October 7 through October 11. Students will participate in lesson activities and have special guest readers with a focus on respect for those around us, our teammates, our community, our environment, and ourselves. Please see the poster below with information on our special spirit days during the Week of Respect.

We also look forward to our annual Beary Cool Walk (a.k.a. Walkathon) on October 10! Below you will find a link to the permission slip for your child, donation website, and chaperone sign-up. If we reach our school fundraising goal, Mrs. Switkes and Ms. Bostory will get a pie on the head! On October 18, we will host our Walking School Bus with our partners at goHunterdon. This is a special morning that promotes bicycle and pedestrian safety, in addition to exercise and wellness. We hope you can join us!

We hope you enjoy the crisp fall air and changing leaves. October is filled with opportunities for learning, growth, and community building!

With great appreciation,

Amy Switkes, Principal

Kimberly Bostory, Vice Principal

10/4/24- Picture Day!

10/7/24 through 10/11/24- Week of Respect

10/10/24- PTO Beary Cool Walk (rain date 10/11/24)

10/11/24- Spirit Day

10/11/24 and 10/12/24- Clothing Drive

10/13/24- PTO Chimney Rock Frozen Pizza Fundraiser Orders End

10/15/24- Early Dismissal for Staff Professional Development (school dismisses at 1:20 p.m.)

10/17/24- PTO Chimney Rock Frozen Pizza Fundraiser Pick-Up

10/18/24- Walking School Bus with goHunterdon

10/21/24 through 10/25/24- Scholastic Book Fair

10/24/24- Scholastic Book Fair Family Night and Family Heritage Night

10/31/24- Halloween Parade, 1:45 p.m.

As Dr. McGann has shared in her correspondence with families, our district experienced budget cuts for the 2024-2025 school year. Our school librarian, Mr. Slomczewski, and one of our school counselors, Ms. Coates, will be shared with Robert Hunter Elementary School for the 2024-2025 school year.

Families, we are excited to celebrate the Week of Respect from October 7 through October 11. Please see additional information below:

• Spirit Week Flyer (English)
• Spirit Week Flyer (Spanish)
• Week of Respect Information for Families
• Homework Assignment Video Link for Families

It is that special time of year- time for our annual Beary Cool Walk on October 10. Please view this flyer with important information on this PTO fundraiser. 100% of donations go directly to supporting our school community. If we reach our fundraising goal, Mrs. Switkes and Ms. Bostory will get a pie on the head!

We are excited for our second annual Family Heritage Night on October 24! This is a special event where we celebrate the diversity of our school community. Experience delicious foods, vibrant dancers, and a chance to explore cultures from around the world, all presented by our families and staff. We encourage everyone to participate by showcasing your own culture and heritage—whether it’s through food, traditional clothing, music, or any other way that reflects who you are. Together, we can make this a night to remember, filled with learning, connection, and celebration of the many cultures that make our school so special.

Families, please see our Halloween Letter regarding procedures for the Halloween Parade on Thursday, October 31 at 1:45 p.m.

At Barley Sheaf School, we celebrate the diversity of our community and recognize that not every family celebrates Halloween. That's why we're excited to host a Harvest Party for students on Halloween, while the parade and classroom parties take place! This fun-filled event will focus on seasonal activities that embrace autumn's beauty and themes of gratitude, creativity, and friendship.

Families, please review the district policy on cell phones and smart watches on page 20 of the Student Handbook/Code of Conduct. Please note, cell phones must be turned off and stored away from the learning environment at all times during the school day. Texting and camera features must be disabled on smart watches.

At Barley Sheaf, we value consistent attendance. We encourage you to review the information linked below from Attendance Works to learn how daily attendance can positively impact your child's growth and success.

• Help Your Child Succeed in School: Build the Habit of Good Attendance Early

• Ayude a su niño a tener éxito en la escuela: desarrolle el hábito de la buena asistencia escolar desde los primeros años

The safety of our staff and students is our top priority. Please be sure to follow these procedures:

• Visitors must be signed in and wear a visitor badge in the building.
• Our school district uses the Raptor system for school visitors. Please have your license available when visiting school.
  
• Do not hold any doors for visitors.
• Only staff and students are permitted on school grounds during school hours.
• Monthly fire and security drills are conducted.
• We have a full time School Resource Officer, Officer John Carney.
• Use the crosswalks in the parking lot.
• Obey the 15 mph speed limit in our parking lot.

If you need to make a change to your child's dismissal routine, please send a note to the teacher, call the main office, or fill out this form.

At Barley Sheaf, we work to build our students' joy of reading. We encourage families to support your child's growth by reading together at home. Check out these quick tips in "Raising Readers: What Parents Can Do."

Please enjoy Choose Respect: Celebrating Respectfulnss in the Classroom and At Home from our School Counselors, Mrs. Collins and Ms. Coates!

Barley Sheaf is excited to welcome back our therapy dog, Stuart Little! Please review this informational letter with Stuart's credentials from Bright and Beautiful Therapy Dogs. Stuart will visit with students in small groups, 1:1 settings, and in classrooms. If you wish to opt your child out of visits with Stuart Little, please complete this form.

Please enjoy the Barley Sheaf PTO's October Newsletter!

We are excited to announce that we have a school song! Please see our lyrics to the tune of "When the Saints Go Marching In." Our students learned the song during music class with Ms. Kaetzel and sang our song together at our Back to School Spirit Assembly on September 13!

Barley Sheaf Mission Statement

Barley Sheaf Positive Affirmations

Barley Sheaf School Rules

School Website

Virtual Backpack

School Hours and Lunch Schedule

Lunch Menu and Payment Instructions

Free/Reduced Lunch Application

Reporting an Absence

Change in Dismissal

Requesting a Family Car Tag

Barley Sheaf Family Handbook (English)

Barley Sheaf Family Handbook (Spanish)

2024-2025 Student Calendar- English

2024-2024 Student Calendar- Spanish

Make your Barley Sheaf child's birthday extra special by wishing him or her a Happy Birthday on the electronic sign in front of the building! Please send an email to Jodi Carmon at jodi.carmon@frsd.us at least one week before the date and include your child's name, birthdate, grade and teacher. A Happy Birthday message with your child's first name will appear on the sign on their special day. The $10 cash or check donation can be sent to Barley Sheaf either in your child's backpack or via US mail. Checks should be made out to Barley Sheaf PTO.