Parents, we are positively recognizing students for their behavior as they demonstrate the expectations listed above. Students can earn points (badges) within Focus in their classes for items to purchase in our school store and/or to attend future schoolwide events.

Thursday, December 5: PMAC Meeting (8:15-8:45 AM)

Friday, December 6: December Volunteer Cafe (10 AM-12 PM)

Saturday, December 7: Experience PCS Event (10 AM-2 PM) [Clearwater High School, 1951 Gulf to Bay Blvd]

Thursday, December 12: Winter Chorus Concert and Art Show (5-7 PM)

Friday, December 20: Last Friday Family Lunch

December 21-January 5: Winter Break [School closed]

Monday, January 6: School restarts

Monday, January 20: Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day [No school for students]

• School hours are 8:45 AM to 2:55 PM.
• The Front Office is open from 7:30 AM until 3:30 PM.
• Students can come on campus starting at 8:15 AM for free breakfast. For safety reasons, students should not be dropped off and/or left unattended before 8:15 AM.
• If your student arrives late, you must come into the front office to bring your student in.
• If you need to pick up a student, you must bring your legal ID with a photo (driver's license or passport).

Please visit https://focus.pcsb.org and update all contact information for your student(s), including phone number, email, address, emergency contacts, and any additional people who may pick up your student(s).

• Apply for special assignments and district application programs
• Change your address and provide two proofs of address to the school
• Link your student(s) and view report cards, schedules, grades, and attendance at https://focus.pcsb.org
• Please make sure you fill out the online forms for your student(s)
• Please complete all consent forms on Focus

Students may not be dropped off at school before 8:15 AM. Due to safety reasons, students should not be dropped off or unsupervised before 8:15 AM. You may pull your car to the end of the line and wait in your car until 8:15 AM; then, your student may come onto campus. Students may enter the cafeteria for breakfast or go to their classroom starting at 8:15 AM.

Students are expected to be picked up by 3:15 PM. Our car line has become more efficient and is ending earlier. Each day, we are often finished between 3:10 and 3:15 PM. At 3:15 PM, students who have not been picked up will be brought into the front office. At this time, the person who is picking up the student will need to come into the front office and sign out their student.

Please see the Programs List below if you need before or after-school care.

Pinellas County Schools students, teachers, staff, registered volunteers, and substitutes ride PSTA buses for free. Our PCS community can take advantage of the free rides any time of day, all year long! You can ride PSTA buses and trolleys for free during winter break and all year round just by showing your Pinellas County Schools ID!

The Belcher Elementary Fishing Club has been crushing the catfish so far this school year! Most of the 5th grade students have caught multiple fish during this session. 4th grade students will begin after the new year.

The picture shows a pumped-up Dylon with a nice catfish caught with his very own fishing combo.

Belcher Elementary's PMAC received a donation of $250 from Publix Super Markets Charities. Congratulations PMAC!

In November, the annual Great American Teach In was held at Belcher Elementary. Many parents, grandparents, volunteers and community members came to present on their jobs and hobbies to our students. Below are some photos of our presentations, ranging from fingerprinting and detective work to orchestras, Native American history, and Threshers baseball!

Last month, our kindergarten classes visited Largo Fire Station 42. Our students learned all about fire safety and were even able to see the fire truck's extension ladder in action.

We are seeking donations of sprinkles and chocolate syrup for our PBIS event. All food donations must be unopened and store bought. Please bring donations to the Front Office by Monday, December 16th.

Step 1: Discover Your Options

1. Review this guide and visit pcsb.org/dap to learn about the diverse offerings of our District Application Programs.
2. Discover the opportunities at one of our DAP Fairs, where you can find programs tailored to your child’s unique interests, talents, and learning styles.
3. Attend a Discovery Night or contact individual programs to schedule a tour.

Step 2: Apply Online January 7-17 before 5 PM

1. To apply, go to focus.pcsb.org to create an account or sign in to your account.
2. Select your student and choose District Application Programs. You can select up to five programs.
3. Apply online starting January 7th. Applications close January 17th at 5 PM.

Prekindergarten 3 is for children who are 3 years old on or before Sept. 1 of the school year when they are attending Pre-K.

Voluntary Prekindergarten (VPK) is a free, state-funded program that prepares children for kindergarten. Children must be 4 years old on or before Sept. 1 of the school year that they are enrolling.

1. APPLY FOR A SEAT: Nov. 21 – Dec. 9, 2024

Make sure you have a Parent Portal Account. You can create one by visiting focus.pcsb.org. To apply, visit focus.pcsb.org and access the “Student Reservation System” link on the left side of the navigation panel.

2. VIEW APPLICATION RESULTS: Dec. 17, 2024 – Jan. 12, 2025

Log onto focus.pcsb.org to find out if your application was accepted. You must accept an invitation to keep your seat.

3. APPLY FOR A CERTIFICATE OF ELIGIBILITY (needed only for VPK Program): Beginning Jan. 1, 2025

Visit the Early Learning Coalition and complete the online application for a Certificate of Eligibility (voucher). For information, please call the Early Learning Coalition at (727) 400-4411.

For more details about VPK, tuition, enrollment documents, how to apply for certificate of eligibility and schools with free VPK full day program, please go to: https://www.pcsb.org/Page/11922

For more information about Prekindergarten 3, tuition, enrollment documents, and schools with free Prekindergarten 3, go to: https://www.pcsb.org/Page/11921

ESOL WORKSHOP

We will have a parent workshop about these programs to assist families this Thursday, Nov 21, at 4:30 PM.

Location: Clearwater East Public Library located at SPC Clearwater Campus :2465 Drew St, Clearwater, FL 33765 Room: East Program.

El Programa Prekindergarten 3 (Pre-K3) es para niños que tienen 3 años cumplidos el 1 de septiembre o antes del año escolar en que asisten a Pre-K.

El Programa VPK es un programa gratuito financiado por el estado que prepara a los niños para Kindergarten (jardín de infantes). Los niños deben tener 4 años cumplidos antes del 1 de septiembre del año escolar en el que se inscriban.

1. APLIQUE PARA UN ASIENTO: del 21 de noviembre al 9 de diciembre de 2024

Asegúrese de tener una cuenta en el Portal para padres. Puede crear una visitando focus.pcsb.org . Para solicitarla, visite focus.pcsb.org y acceda al enlace “Sistema de reservas para estudiantes” en el lado izquierdo del panel de navegación.

2. VER RESULTADOS DE LA SOLICITUD: 17 de diciembre de 2024 – 12 de enero de 2025

Inicie sesión en focus.pcsb.org para saber si su solicitud fue aceptada. Debe aceptar una invitación para conservar su lugar.

3. SOLICITE UN CERTIFICADO DE ELEGIBILIDAD (necesario solo para el programa VPK): A partir del 1 de enero de 2025

Visite la Coalición de Aprendizaje Temprano y complete la solicitud en línea para obtener un Certificado de Elegibilidad (vale). Para obtener información, llame a la Coalición de Aprendizaje Temprano al (727) 400-4411.

Para obtener más detalles sobre el Programa VPK, matrícula, documentos de inscripción, cómo solicitar el certificado de elegibilidad y escuelas con programas de VPK gratuito de día completo, por favor visite: https://www.pcsb.org/Page/11922

Para obtener más información sobre el programa Prekindergarten 3, matrícula, documentos de inscripción y escuelas con Prekindergarten 3 gratuito, visite: https://www.pcsb.org/Page/11921

Taller ESOL

Tendremos un taller para padres sobre estos programas para ayudar a las familias este jueves 21 de noviembre a las 4:30 p.m. Ubicación: Biblioteca Pública Clearwater East ubicada en el campus de SPC Clearwater: 2465 Drew St, Clearwater, FL 33765, Salón: East Program.

Parents, please complete the Title I Family Survey. This information is very important to improving our school and accommodating our community's needs. Thank you for taking the time out of your day to complete this survey for Belcher Elementary. Your feedback is greatly valued and sincerely appreciated.

Belcher is a healthy school. Sweet treats are NOT permitted on campus for birthday celebrations. Thank you for your understanding.

Parents who would like to send snacks should call the school office or teacher to ensure the items are within the guidelines. School provided snacks must comply with the fat and sugar limits of the Pinellas County Schools Nutrition Standards and may not be Foods of Minimal Nutritional Value (soda water, water ices, chewing gum and certain candies) or consist of candy or dessert type items (cookies, cakes, cupcakes, pudding, ice cream or frozen desserts, etc.).

All food must be in the original, unopened store packaging. Homemade food items are not allowed. In accordance with 64E-11.002 Food Code, all snacks or food must originate from an establishment that is under the regulatory authority of a state or federal agency.

Register as a Volunteer

To volunteer in any capacity, you must have an active volunteer account. Volunteers can chaperone field trips, assist with school events, and help out in classrooms. The process of registering takes ~5-15 minutes and is very simple. You will need to upload your government issued photo ID. Your application will be processed through the Office of Strategic Partnerships of Pinellas County Schools. You will receive an email with your volunteer ID and password. This will be used to log your volunteer hours and access the calendar. Note: Please use a desktop computer or a laptop to register, not a mobile device.

Reactivate Your Account

Existing volunteers must reactivate after every summer to ensure their information is correct. Please use a desktop computer or a laptop, not a mobile device.

Link: https://focus.pcsb.org/volunteer/

Volunteer Focus Log-in Information:

Please use your assigned v.account and password.

Example: Login: v.smitha (usually last name, first initial, not case sensitive)

Password: Smith1973 (last name with the first letter capitalized, 4-digit birth year)

Entering Volunteer Hours:

Every volunteer is asked to record ALL their volunteer hours in the Focus Volunteer System. EVERY hour counts whether you are in the classroom, helping at a special event, working on a project from home or participating in our PTA! These hours are reported twice a year and show the level of community support at our school.

Interested in becoming a Level 2 Volunteer?

This is an optional additional level of background screening that is required when volunteering in a situation where you may be unsupervised with students such as field trip chaperones who are driving, overnight field trips, etc. View the locations and hours of our approved fingerprinting vendors, then follow up with our Family & Community Liaison at lamontj@pcsb.org 7–10 days after fingerprinting to verify your status.

Volunteer Café

The first Friday of every month from 10am to 12pm, our volunteers get together to work on various classroom projects. Coffee, juice, and snacks are provided. It is a great time to meet other Belcher volunteers while helping our teachers stay focused on education by completing their busy work. This program is occasionally adjusted to a curbside pick-up event as needed. Registered volunteers will receive invitations, reminders, and updates via email.

The Adopt-A-Class Program allows an individual, business or organization to sponsor a class or a department of their choice, with a tax-deductible donation. By becoming an Adopt-A-Class sponsor, you will help ensure that the children in your class or department have the resources they need to succeed. Your investment in this program goes beyond the satisfaction of meeting our current needs. You can take pride in knowing you are molding the future leaders of our community.

Benefits of being an Adopt-A-Class Sponsor:

• A certificate of partnership
• Thank you letter from the sponsored class or program
• Tax-deductible receipt letter for your donation (if requested)
• An invitation to our appreciation event
• The knowledge and good feeling that you have made a difference!

Your help is needed! Just 30 minutes a week can make a difference in a child's life. Listen, encourage, be a friend to a child at a school closest to where you live or work. The Lunch Pals mentorship program pairs students with PCS volunteers who meet for 30 minutes once a week during the student’s lunch. Through one-on-one interaction and attention, this program encourages students to be more communicative, practice good behavior, and invest in their learning by having an additional adult to chat regularly with. Programs like Lunch Pals are not possible without empathetic, supportive adult volunteers. Mentors must be registered volunteers. If you are interested in being a mentor, please email lamontj@pcsb.org or call (727) 538-7437 ext. 2001.

Mentors must attend a 1 hour long workshop prior to being matched and meeting with students.

Families, we are in need of new or gently used clothing for our closet. Right now, we are completely out of boys' and girls' pants and underwear. We are always accepting clothing donations, ranging from toddlers up to adult medium. We are also accepting closed-toe shoes. Any clothing not within the size range or dress code will be donated to Clothes for Kids

Did you know you can pay tuition online for PK3 and VPK? Pinellas County Schools uses the service RevTrak to handle tuition payments in a secure and fast manner.

No registration is needed.

The tutoring is free and will be held via Microsoft Teams. Each grade-level tutoring session will include a mini-lesson followed by time for homework help. This tutoring is available until the end of the school year.

To join a session, simply click the appropriate grade level/content area link listed below:

Kindergarten, 1st, and 2nd Grade

Meeting Time: Tuesdays from 4:00pm – 5:00pm

Meeting Link: https://shorturl.at/dlIMR

3rd, 4th, and 5th Grade

Meeting Time: Wednesdays from 4:00pm – 5:00pm

Meeting Link: https://shorturl.at/dlIMR

If your student has daily medication, emergency medications, or as needed medications that you would like to be given at school, please make sure to bring the medication and prescription to the Front Office to complete the necessary paperwork with our nurse.

To fill out or alter forms in Focus:

1. Log into focus.pcsb.org
2. Click on "Form Packet Fields"
3. Under "Healthcare Services Consent", select whether or not you consent to ALL school-based healthcare, OR only the specific services you select.

PTA needs parents to keep our school running. PTA supports teachers, students, families, and staff throughout the school year with a variety of activities. Visit https://www.pcsb.org/domain/1501 for more information.

SAC is a team representing various segments of the community: Parents, teachers, students, administrators, support staff, business and community partners. The SAC is responsible for strategic planning for the School Improvement Plan (SIP) and working jointly with the principal and staff after analyzing relevant data. The SAC helps determine goals within the plan and how best to achieve those measurable goals.

If you are interested in joining, please email lamontj@pcsb.org

PMAC meets on the second Thursday of every month at 8:15 to 8:45 AM.

Students in grade 3-5 are welcome to join and help plan school events.