OCTOBER

10/2 - Pick-A-Time Closes at 11:59 pm

10/4 - Walk & Roll to School Day

10/5 & 10/6 - No School (Parent/Teacher Conferences)

10/9 - No School (Columbus Day)

10/10 - Picture Retake Day

10/11 - PTO Lou Malnatis Restaurant Fundraiser

10/20- No School (School Improvement Day)

10/25 - 2:10 PM Early Dismissal

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

NOVEMBER

11/8 - PTO Beef Shack Restaurant Fundraiser

11/10 - End of 1st Trimester

11/20-11/24 - Non Attendance Days & Thanksgiving Break

11/29 - 2:10 PM Early Dismissal

11/30- BG Shopping Day for Grades K, 2, 4

BG Families,

I am reaching out to you because we have encountered a few situations here that we can’t resolve without your help. The reality is that many of our BG students have phones or smartwatches, and for the most part our students do a great job keeping them turned off during the school day. However, in recent weeks we’ve had a number of students contacting home via their smartwatch or phone, indicating that they don’t feel well. In response, parents have come to school to pick up their child to take them home. Here’s where it’s getting complicated. As parents buzz in to sign out their child they are telling the BG Office Team, “My child texted me and said they don’t feel well. I am here to take them home.” This issue we are running into is that no BG staff member knew the child wasn’t feeling well. The child didn’t tell their teacher and they weren’t seen by our School Nurse. We are left feeling like there is a missing link in the communication chain.

Our ask of you would be, if your child texts you to say they don’t feel well, please tell them to ask their teacher for a nurse pass to the Health Office. Another option would be to contact the front office and let us know your child reached out and isn’t feeling well. We can always send the nurse to go check on them.

We are going to remind students of our expectations for phone/smartwatch usage during school. In addition, we will talk with the students about telling their teacher if they don’t feel well so they can get a pass to the Health Office. If you could help us out by reminding your child to do the same, that would be tremendously helpful.

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

We appreciate our volunteers and value your time. When you are in the building for any reason, please be respectful of classroom instruction and do not make unexpected visits to your child's classroom. Thank you for helping us minimize classroom disruptions.

Is your child missing a jacket or water bottle? Please remind them to check our lost & found. We encourage students to check the lost & found for missing items, but please remind them at home as well. Lost & Found is currently located in the café so every student has an opportunity to check it DAILY. It is very helpful to label your child's belongings so that they can be returned to them when misplaced.

Parent directions for accessing Pick-A-Time and selecting in-person/virtual meetings.

If you would like to schedule a conference with one or more of the Special Area Teachers, (PE, Art, Music, Empower,) please contact that teacher directly to set up a time to meet. BG Staff Directory

We have partnered with Riverview Child and Family Therapy to provide a free parent evening on Thursday, October 12. The session will be approximately 1 hour long and be presented in the Bell Graham school Cafeteria by a licensed clinical professional counselor.

THIS IS AN ADULT ONLY EVENT, NO CHILDREN ALLOWED. We apologize for any inconvenience.

Date: Thursday, October 12, 2023
Time: 6:00-7:00

Tips for a Successful School Year Start out on the right foot this year with strategies to help decrease homework battles and improve your child's independence as a student.

CLICK HERE TO RSVP

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.

• 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

The PTO would like to start thanking our invaluable volunteers by spotlighting them in the EBlast as a small way of recognizing them and saying thank you for their hard work and dedication to the PTO.

This week, we spotlight HOLLY GERHART who co-chairs our New Family Welcome Breakfast and Informational Meeting. Holly served on the BG Board as Treasurer for two years and has been an active member of the BG PTO for over 6 years. She runs a super fun Escape Room session during ASE in February. Bell Graham would not be the place it is without this amazing mom. Thank you Holly for all you have done and continue to do!!!

SCHOLASTIC BOOK FAIR

The book fair is open for STUDENT shopping Monday 10/2, Tuesday 10/3, & Wednesday 10/4. Each class has a specific shopping day/time.

We will also be hosting a shopping night on Monday, October 2nd from 3:00-7:00pm and a shopping day during conferences on Thursday, October 5th from 8:00am-4:00pm.

How can I volunteer?

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/30E0C4EACAD2FA3F85-44409743-scholastic

How can I simplify the shopping experience?

Parents can create an ewallet for students to make purchases without cash (one linked

email for all students of a family-no need to create individual child accounts). Cash is

accepted, but please keep in mind to account for tax.

Please click here to set up an ewallet for your student:

https://www.scholastic.com/bf/bellgrahames

FALL FEST - 10/13

Please join us on Friday the 13th from 3:30 to 7 p.m. at Windy Acres Farm located at 37W466 Fabyan Parkway, Geneva, IL 60134 for Bell Graham's Fall Fest! Kids are welcome to wear their Halloween costumes.

Beat the lines and purchase your wristbands now here! Wristbands are $15 per kid, $10 per adult, and children 2 and under are free. Presale ends October 11th. You will pickup your wristbands at checkin.

There is fun for all ages at Windy Acres including a train, jumping pillow, zip lines, petting zoo and more! Not to mention boozy treats for the parents. The much loved cake walk will also return in the BG tent along with the spooky nails and hair salon and more.

In order to make this event a success, we need your help and support. Please consider signing up to donate items needed for the Fall Fest as well as volunteer during the event here. We appreciate all of your help and support!

HUGE THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSOR! The train is a bonus attraction that will run continuously all evening for free for all families to enjoy thanks to our generous sponsor Blondies Beef, owned by the Gonzalez family. We cannot thank this BG family enough! Please help us show them our gratitude by purchasing some yummy steaks. They offer specialty cut steaks mailed directly to you or your special person to celebrate birthdays, anniversaries and holidays. They are offering a special discount to BG families as well! Use the code FALLFEST at checkout to save 10%. https://blondiesbeef.com/

CHESS 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! We will have to cancel a class if we do not have volunteers for the day.

ART CLUB- VOLUNTEERS NEEDED

We still need a few more 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!

STOCK THE STAFF SNACK CLOSET

It's time for our annual stocking of the staff snack closet! Please consider donating a box of goodies to be enjoyed by our amazing BG staff. Items can be dropped off at the school at anytime. Please use the signup here.

Amy Dombroski has left her role as the PTO Treasurer. We thank her for her time served on the PTO Board and wish her well. Stephanie Chabura will be taking over the Treasurer responsibilities for the PTO.

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.

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.

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

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

The annual St. Charles Community Kick-A-Thon is a collaborative fundraising event between the Dance Teams from St. Charles East and St. Charles North High Schools that unites our community and promotes wellness, camaraderie, and charitable giving.

Click here to learn more and/or make a donation.

For the 10th year in a row, D303 is again partnering with Big Hearts of Fox Valley, which supports families in need during the holiday season. Big Hearts of Fox Valley Holiday Giving Program's purpose is to provide holiday gifts for D303 students and their younger siblings whose families face significant financial hardship. Through Big Hearts, members of the D303 community anonymously shop for wish list items. D303 social workers will review applicants. If you are struggling and facing significant financial hardship and would like assistance providing holiday gifts to your children, click here. If you would like to help Big Hearts by "adopting" a child this Holiday season, click here. You can visit the Big Hearts of Fox Valley website for more information.

BHFV Wish List Flyer