BG eNews

SEPTEMBER

9/1 - No School (Institute Day)

9/4 - No School (Labor Day)

9/7 - Back to School Picnic 5:30-7:30 PM

9/12- Open House (Details below with time)

9/22 - BG Student Town Hall

9/27 - 2:10 Early Dismissal

9/28 - BG Shopping Day for Grades K, 2, 4

OCTOBER

10/5 - No School (Parent/Teacher Conferences)

10/6 - No School (Parent/Teacher Conferences)

10/9 - No School (Columbus Day)

10/10 - Picture Retake Day

10/20- No School (School Improvement Day)

10/25 - 2:10 Early Dismissal

10/26 - BG Shopping Day for Grades 1, 3, 5

ARRIVAL TIME

Students are in attendance from 8am-3pm. Doors open at 7:45am. Students may not exit their cars until 7:45 am or until morning supervisors are visible.

Today, 8/31, students in grades 1-5 will be bringing home their Iready scores. Some students did not complete both assessments prior to printing and therefore may have a blank page in their envelope. We will be running the scores for those students again next week and backpack them home. If by Friday, 9/8, you do not receive a replacement score for the blank page, please contact the office so we may rerun the score and send home. Thank you.

We will be practicing our shelter (severe weather), evacuation (fire) , and lockdown drills next week on Friday, 9/8. Staff will support and model each drill to help keep students remain calm. Please talk with your child about their experience with these important drills when they come home that day.

Per (105 ILCS 128/) School Safety Drill Act, parents/guardians may opt their child out of physical participation in the required Lockdown Walk-Through Drill conducted with law enforcement personnel within the first 60 days of the school year.

On 9/8/23, Bell-Graham will conduct their state-required annual Lockdown Drill with law enforcement personnel present. During this time, students will review and practice the classroom procedures. Parents/guardians may opt their child out of physical participation in this drill each year by emailing Principal Klueppel, amy.klueppel@d303.org, at least 24 hours prior to the scheduled date. Students who are opted out will receive an alternative school safety learning experience with a certified staff member.

On Tuesday, 9/12/23, we will host our Open House Event for students and their families.

We will host two sessions:

• Families with the last name beginning A-M are invited to come between 5-5:45pm.
• Families with the last name beginning N-Z are invited to come between 6-6:45pm.

1) If your child missed picture day on 8/28

OR

2) you would like your child to have their picture retaken

Click here to sign your child up for picture retake day!

The prepay website closed at midnight on 8/28. If you missed prepaying you will have a chance to order pictures with your child's Ticket Code. When placing an order after Picture Day with a Ticket Code a shipping fee will be added on and picture packages will be shipped directly to the home.

Ticket Codes will be delivered with the bulk picture package order approximately three weeks post Picture Day. Link to order with ticket code. (you can't place and order until the individual student ticket codes are delivered to the school)

Please email Color Portraits directly with any ordering questions.

Hello, 5th Grade Band Families,

A great way to show you are part of the 5th grade band---SPIRIT WEAR! We will wear spirit wear to various in school performances and to the Cougars baseball game in May. If you are interested in ordering Band Spirit wear please click here. The order window closes September 15 this will be the only order of the year. Please plan accordingly.

Thank you!

Marianne Rice

marianne.rice@d303.org

5th Grade Families,

We are thrilled to announce the opportunity for your 5th grade student to join choir this year! This is an amazing opportunity for students to grow and develop their musicality and singing skills. The goal of our choir program is to offer a formal choral music opportunity to our students and to enrich their musical experience. We work on ensemble practice, team building, vocal technique, vocal health, unison and part-singing, all through a rich variety of vocal music repertoire. The choir program will run from September through May. If your 5th grader is interested, please see the attached letter with more information and register here. Students who are interested must be signed up by Sunday, September 24th. Rehearsals begin on Tuesday, September 26th.

5th Grade Choir Letter

Please reach out if you have any questions or concerns!

Sincerely,

Miss Zima

Wasco General Music Teacher

5th Grade Choir Director

ashley.zima@d303.org

332-228-6564

For car riders, we use a Visor Tag System. Each family should have received a car tag that has the family last name and the class codes of students in the family. The use of this visor tag expedites our car rider line tremendously as staff members are able to get students ready for their cars as the cars pull up! Please display the tag on your passenger side visor, or passenger side window, so that it is visible to the BG staff as you pull through the pick-up line.

If you need additional visor tags, please email Mrs. Kirincich.

• Absences should be called in by 7:45 AM
• You can leave a message 24 hours a day
• State your child’s name, their teacher's name and the reason why your child is out.
• If they are ill, please list their symptoms.

You are also welcome to email absence information to Kristin Cloy in the main office.

Prearranged Absence Form:

Prearranged absence forms are to be used for absences known in advance such as a planned vacation.

Please call the office when you are 5 minutes away and we will have your child ready and waiting for you at the office. You will have to press the buzzer to come inside the vestibule to sign them out on our iPad. 331-228-2100

REMINDER!

Please turn in your required health forms to the Health Office! If you are missing any health records you will be contacted in the next week.

Kindergarten and Students new to Illinois- Physical, Vision, Dental, Health survey Students who are new to Illinois need to have these on Illinois

2nd Grade- Dental

3rd Grade- Updated Health Survey

All of the forms are linked here for your convenience or you can go to the District Website and find them in the parent section under Forms. We will be sending home letters to the students who have missing medical records after Labor Day weekend.

Please reach out if you have any questions. Feel free to send any communication, including health forms, to bel-nurses@d303.org to ensure that all of our Bell Graham nurses receive this important information pertaining to your student(s)The health office direct line is 331-228-2104.

Thank you!

Kerisa Martini Espinosa, RN

LeeAnna Anzaldi,MSN, RN, PEL-ILSN

WELCOME BACK PICNIC - 9/7

The annual Welcome Back Picnic for all families is Thursday, September 7th, from 5:30-7:30 p.m. Food, as well as Kona Ice and Kimmer’s Ice Cream, will be available for purchase. Or bring a picnic! Several fun family activities will be available for you to participate in. We look forward to seeing you all there to celebrate the new school year!

FALL MUM FUNDRAISER
BG and Windy City Acres Farm are partnering up again this year for our fall fundraiser. There are beautiful mums, floral arrangements, pumpkins, apple cider donuts, freshly baked pies, local honey, and more! Use this link here to order. Pre-sale ends September 15th.

All items purchased will be delivered to BG September 21st for pickup.

ART CLUB- VOLUNTEERS NEEDED

We couldn't offer this program without the support of parent volunteers. PLEASE SIGN UP for a time slot of this upcoming session on the sign up-genius link here. The task is only signing kids in and out, so easy peasy!

Also, please note, there has been a change in the dates due to the open house at BG. There will be no class 9/12 or 10/31 and the final class will be 11/7.

CHESS CLUB
The BG PTO would love for your student(s) to learn how to play chess or challenge their existing skills. No experience is necessary. Fall Chess Club runs from September 29th to December 8th. Classes are on Fridays from 3:00-4:00 p.m. (no class on 10/6, 10/20 and 11/24). Please use the below flyer for instructions on how to register through our vendor Chess Scholars. Use the link here. This one fills up quick, so be sure to jump on it!

FRONT OF THE PICK UP LINE/ PARKING SPOT RAFFLE

Tired of waiting in the BG pickup line? Cruise to the front of the school each day right at pick up time by entering to win a FRONT of the line pick up spot for dismissal!!! Tickets are $20 each. We are also raffling off a VIP parking spot for BG events to one lucky family! No more parking in the lawn if you win! Tickets are $10 each. Drawing will take place after the Welcome Back Picnic. Enter as many times as you'd like! Sale ends Thursday, September 7th.

SPIRIT WEAR

LAST CALL FOR SPIRIT WEAR! THE WEB STORE CLOSES ON SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 2ND!

The annual BG Spirit Wear Sale is here and it’s time to get your BG Bobcat spirit wear! Spirit wear is great for school events, school spirit days and to make those morning outfit decisions easy. Volunteer at the school? What a great way to show BG love while you’re there! And the best part…proceeds from the sale will go to the BG PTO! Now that’s a win-win.

The web store is open and accepting orders…but act fast, as the sale won’t last long!

https://bellgraham0923.itemorder.com/shop/closed/

SHOUT OUTS

Did your kiddo make an awesome play at their baseball game? Did they win an event in gymnastics? Is it their birthday? Do you just want to make a random day special for them?? Then send them a SHOUT OUT!! For $10 you can have 5 pictures along with a message displayed on the TV screen outside of the LRC for an entire day. After making your purchase in the Square Store, please send an email to Alicia Flint at aliciafulgencioflint@yahoo.com with your pictures, message and date to be displayed. Pictures MUST be sent 7 days prior to the desired display date or we cannot guarantee your message will be loaded in time.

https://bell-graham-pto.square.site

PTO DUES

Please don't forget to pay your PTO Dues on PushCoin. PTO Dues are $25 per FAMILY. These dues help fund so many of the programs that the PTO sponsors throughout the year. Paying your PTO dues also grants you access to DirectorySpot. Thank you for your support!

WEBSITE

For additional information on the PTO please visit our website or our Bell Graham Elementary PTO Facebook page.

________________________________________________________________________________________

Any questions or comments? Please contact our PTO President Kate Bennett at kate.bennett82@yahoo.com or 630.461.7606.

Please reach out to Dr. Dieckman or Julianna Harmon if you have any questions.

2023-24 Elementary School Handbook

Electronic Devices in School

Phones/Smart Watches
Students are extended the privilege of possessing phones/smartwatches on school grounds; however, their use is limited to after-school dismissal and non-school days. These devices must be in the off position, or not used once the student arrives on campus until the end of the school day.

Mrs. Amy Klueppel - Principal

Website: bellgraham.d303.org
Location: 4N505 Fox Mill Blvd St. Charles, IL 60175
Phone: 331-228-2100
Facebook: facebook.com/BellGrahamElementary
Twitter: @BellGrahamD303