Bushy Bear Tales

Molly Ketterer, Principal
Terri Via, Assistant Principal

Email: molly_ketterer@hcpss.org
Website: bpes.hcpss.org
Location: 14601 Carrs Mill Road, Glenwood, MD, United States
Phone: (410) 313-5500
Twitter: @hcpss_bpes

It is so hard to believe October is almost over! We are enjoying the beautiful weather. Fall Fest was amazing and attended by hundreds! Thank you to Beth Lioi and all of the parent volunteers for transforming our school into a tribute to fall!

Our Bushy Bear Dash is talking place today! Thank you to Gina Lease and all of the parent volunteers for your encouragement and coaching of our runners! We hope the weather cooperates to allow us to be outdoors the entire time!

We look forward to seeing our families at the special events that lie ahead like Halloween next Wednesday. In November, we look forward to American Education Week and Parent Conferences.

October

• 26 Bushy Bear Dash- Throughout the Day during Related Arts
• 31 Halloween Parade and Classroom Celebrations

November

• 2 HCC Theatre: Cinderella Play 9:30 Assembly for Pre-K through 2nd Grade
  
• 6 SCHOOL CLOSED: Election Day
• 7 SCHOOL CLOSED for Students: Professional Work Day
• 12-16 American Education Week
• 13 PTA Meeting @ 7:00 p.m. in the Media Center
• 14 1st Grade- Field Trip to the MD Science Center @ 9:30 a.m.
• 14 2nd Grade- Master Gardener Presentation @ 10:30 a.m.
• 14 1st Quarter Report Cards Go Home
• 15 CULTURAL ARTS: Author Barry Polisar @ 9:25 and 10:25 a.m. Assemblies
• 15 Kindergarten Field Trip to the Glenwood Library @ 9:45-11:15 a.m.
  
• 19-21 Parent Conferences EARLY DISMISSAL @ 12:45 p.m. Nov. 19-20
  
• 19 PTA Conference Dinner for Staff
• 22-23 SCHOOL CLOSED: Thanksgiving Holiday
• 27 Picture Day Make-Ups
• 29 2nd & 3rd Grade- Field Trip to Toby's Theatre 11:00-1:30 p.m.

December

• 3 Cultural Arts: Artist-in-Residence Assemblies @ 9:25 and 10:25 a.m.
• 4 2nd Grade Fire Safety House in Bus Loop (Class visit throughout the Day)
• 5 Pre-K- Field Trip to National Aquarium @ 9:30-2:45 p.m.
• 10 5th Grade Winter Concert: Chorus/Band/Strings @ 7:00 p.m. in the Cafeteria
• 11 PTA Meeting @ 7:00 p.m. in the Media Center

Thank you for taking your time to offer or update your family’s information!

We are 16% away for celebrating 100% of our families being connected!

If you haven’t done so already, please complete the Family File

for your child(ren) now.

Information on completing or updating your Family File is below:

1. Log into HCPSS Connect and select the Family File tab and then click on Family File. You will be asked to update or provide the following information:

2. Parent/guardian contact information. Please provide the most current contact information.

3. Emergency contacts. Who do you want to pick up your child in case you cannot?

4. Medical information

5. Arrival and dismissal procedures. How will your child arrive to school and be dismissed on a daily basis? Additionally, provide what procedure your child should follow in case of an unscheduled early closing of schools.

6. Media coverage. This includes students being photographed for ACE awards.

7. Data confidentiality.

8. PTA directory. What information do you want included in our BPES PTA Directory?

Resources on how to access Family File may be found online. Parents who have forgotten their login credentials may click the “Forgot Password” link on the sign in page. If you need additional assistance, please fill out this Connect Help Form.

The following students were recognized for October 26th. Congratulations to:

• KINDERGARTEN
  
• Mrs. Bohn's Class- Tahera Husain
  
• Mrs. O'Leary's Class- Reagan Holt
  
• Mrs. Powell's Class- Bre Horsman
  
• Mrs. Wilson's Class- Cooper Feldman
  

• 1st GRADE
  
• Mrs. Bruner's Class- Molly Potocek
  
• Mrs. Hintz' Class- Hailey Dworin
  
• Ms. Huyetts' Class- Jhanavi Prakash
  
• Mrs. Lambros' Class- Aubrey Kingsbury
  
• Mrs. Payne's Class- Rohan Rawal
  

• 2ND GRADE
  
• Mrs. Follmer's Class- Avery Clelan
  
• Mrs. Hogan's Class- Dylan Levin
  
• Mrs. Keats' Class- Ruby Bell
  
• Mrs. Stumpfl's Class- Emilie Nester
  

• 3RD GRADE
• Ms. Griffin's Class- Gabriel Hassenein
  
• Ms. Hewitt's Class- Graham Baker
  
• Mrs. Hovis' Class- Ronan McLaughlin
  
• Mrs. Pickett's Class- Nojus Zakalskis
  

• 4TH GRADE
  
• Ms. Lyter's Class- Cheyenne Navalta
  
• Mrs. Perry's Class- Ritesh Kaladi
  
• Mrs. Richmond's Class- Keira Kingsbury
  
• Mr. Wilson's Class- Aubrey Barrick
  

• 5TH GRADE
  
• Mrs. Cole's Class- Alyssa Vass
  
• Ms. Landry's Class- Ihsaan Mohsini
  
• Mrs. Little's Class- Russell McIntyre
  
• Mrs. Stanton's Class- Elijah Anderson
  
• Mrs. Yakscoe-Markle's Class- Samadhi Tennahoon
  

We are so excited for our Halloween Parade next Wednesday from 2:30-3:00 p.m. There will be many parents, family members and all of our staff, together with your students, enjoying the parade of costumes and the blacktop gathering to sing and celebrate as a school!

When so many of us are outside, there are precautions we will take for everyone's safety:

• Students will be parading through the school and then leave the school to parade along the sidewalk route in one line. There will be adults leading them and supervising them as they make their way to the blacktop.

• Parents and family members will provide another layer of protection as they stand along the parade route to see their children. Please help us by being aware of who is around you and letting BPES Staff know if you have any concerns.
  

• There will be multiple walkie-talkies outside so that staff can report voice to voice with the Front Office and each other.

• Students will gather with their teachers in a circle for the outside assembly. Mrs. Fyhr will lead the students in song. They will be arranged in a certain order and be dismissed from that area with a given route so that moving indoors will be as efficient as possible. Please do not come into the area of students during the assembly or remove your child from that area. We want to be sure we keep everyone together for their safety.
  

• After the parade, and outside assembly, there is a short Halloween Snack Celebration. Room and Team Parents will come through the front entry to check in with Mrs. Ketterer who will be present in the front foyer.

• As always, anyone who is not wearing a badge or visitor's identification, while in the building, will be asked to go to the Front Office. Please report this to a staff member.
  

Thank you for all of your support and for your consideration of supporting us on Halloween!

Schedule Information:

We are excited to celebrate Halloween together on Wednesday, October 31st. We have information to share with you regarding the day. Our Halloween Parade will take place at 2:30 p.m. with classroom snack celebrations taking place directly afterwards. Our Team and Room Parents have already been in touch with teachers and teams to begin to plan!

Parade Route Information:

We will use the parade route that features all students coming out the front door, turning right and walking a route around the building to end at the playground blacktop. This has increased the opportunity for visitors to see the children along the route.

Our Halloween Parade Route has a designated route for students and a designated viewing area for parents. (See the map below) We will ask that parents remain along the viewing area to permit a safe and orderly journey along the parade route.

Once the parade is over, the students will gather on the blacktop. We invite parents to gather along the perimeter of the blacktop.

Requests of Guests for Blacktop Gathering:

• Please do not stand against the wall along the school. That area will have our sound equipment and the teachers will need to move through that area.

• Please do not come into the classroom lines while the students are on the blacktop. We want to ensure student safety.

While on the blacktop, the students will take part in singing Halloween songs that they have learned in vocal music classes.

Classroom Celebration Information:

After this, all classes will go inside and begin their classroom snack celebration. This time will be brief and assisted by the room parents for each class. We invite the team and room parents who are coordinating their child’s snack classroom celebration to come in the building through the Front Office in order to sign in. Because the time is brief for the Halloween snack, we are asking that Team and Room Parents are the only classroom visitors.

Costume Information:

Students are asked to bring their costume to school and not to wear it for the full day. All students will have an opportunity to change into their costume before the parade. Staff members, not assigned to homerooms, will be available to help our younger students get ready. Thank you for supporting us in not having costumes that use weapons or are too scary.

Alternate Celebration Opportunity:

If you do not want your child to participate in the parade or any themed classroom activities, please send in a note to your child’s homeroom teacher no later than Friday, October 26th. These students will attend an alternate activity in the Media Center. We need to know the number of students who will take part so we can plan accordingly.

We appreciate your support and welcome you to join us for our Celebrations!

November 12-16 is American Education Week and is the designated week when parents are invited to visit their child’s school and to observe them at work.

Grade level teams at Bushy Park have selected special focus days for your attendance. You are welcome to visit on any day that best meets your schedule. Please notify the teacher if you plan to come on a day other than the focus day. We want to be sure we prepare any materials and provide any space needed.

We look forward to you visiting your child’s classroom so that you can see them at their daily job of learning.

SPECIAL FOCUS DAYS FOR AMERCIAN EDUCATION WEEK

Tuesday, November 13

Kindergarten / 1st Grade / 2nd Grade / 5th Grade

Wednesday, November 14
4th Grade

Thursday, November 15

RECC Pre-School @ 10:30 am / Pre-Kindergarten @ 2:30 pm / 3rd Grade

Award-winning author and songwriter Barry Louis Polisar will be visiting our students on November 15th. Barry has performed at The White House, The Smithsonian & The Kennedy Center. He hosted the TV Show Field Trip and sings the opening song “All I Want is You” in the movie Juno. Barry’s books and CDs will be available for students to purchase and have been personally autographed.

To take advantage of this opportunity, look out for our form in your Monday folder and attach a check made out to “Bushy Park PTA”. Barry’s visit to our school supports our efforts in promoting a love of reading and writing. Be sure to ask your child about Barry’s visit. To find out more about him, visit Barry on the web at www.barrylou.com.

Mrs. Laura Smith, BPES reading specialist, is excited to share the opportunity of all young authors to showcase their best story or poem! The powerpoint slides above are part of a presentation teachers will give to their students. Help us spread the joy at home by encouraging your students to participate! See the Information below!