January 6, 2023
Newsletter
Bethel Public Schools E-News
“Our Primary Purpose is to Improve Student Achievement”
This Week's Content
Superintendent's News
Christine Carver, Ed.D.,
Superintendent of Schools
Dear Parents, Guardians, Staff, and Community Members,
I hope you and your family had a restful and relaxing holiday season.
2023-2024 Proposed Education Budget Presentation - January 19th @ 7 PM
As we enter the New Year, we enter the budget season and planning for the 2023-2024 school year. In the last few years, because education budgets are so complex, the Board of Education has asked the administration to divide the information into two parts. The first part was on November 3, 2022. On that date, I presented to the Board of Education an overview of current trends and needs that will affect the development of the 2023-2024 school budget. Included in that presentation were topics such as enrollment trends, class size, growing special education needs, etc. We also discussed the impact of the end of the Federal grants we have received as a result of the pandemic. A copy of that presentation is linked here. You can also watch the video of the presentation/meeting by clicking this link. Watching that presentation will provide greater clarity for the second presentation. The second part of the presentation will be on January 19, 2023. We hope to see you at the meeting.
Mark Your Calendars - Save the Date
I will be presenting the Proposed 2023-2024 Education Budget to the Bethel Board of Education on Thursday, January 19, 2023, at 7:00 PM in the Board Conference Room E, at the Clifford J. Hurgin Municipal Center.
BHS HVAC System - Town Referendum
DATE: Thursday, January 12, 2023
POLLING HOURS: 6:00 AM - 8:00 PM
Bethel's Kindness Day 2023, Friday, February 17th. Order Your T-Shirt! - "Be Kind to Your Mind!'
Help us support Sandy Hook Promise's work towards promoting mental health in schools this year as we remember to "Be Kind to Your Mind!" Join the BHS Kindness Club as we celebrate our annual Bethel Kindness Day on Friday, February 17th, 2023. Working together as a community, proceeds from our annual t-shirt sales will support Sandy Hook Promise's work towards promoting mental health in schools this year as we remember to "Be Kind to Your Mind!" We will wear our “Be Kind to Your Mind” T-shirts all throughout the town and schools on Friday, Feb. 17th, Bethel's Kindness Day 2023.
Order today using the QR Code or link below. T-shirts will be available for sale from January 3-17, 2023
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You're Invited!
STATE OF OUR STUDENTS, COMMUNITY FORUM Session I,
JANUARY 11, 2023
Prior to COVID, we were seeing an increase in anxiety, depression, and mental health issues among youth. This is the first of 2 sessions. We will be conducting a community conversation on:
Current data on the state of our students;
A facilitated community conversation (by parents and our staff) to identify root causes of the problems; and
Identifications of next steps in identifying solutions.
As this is a community issue, it is a community-sponsored event. Participating organizations include:
Bethel Public Schools
Bethel Board of Education
Bethel Cares Coalition
Town of Bethel
Bethel Parks and Recreation Department
St. Mary's School
Walnut Hill Community Church
Date: January 11, 2022 (Snow Date January 18th)
Time: 6:00 PM - 8:00 pm
Place: Bethel High School Cafeteria (Location Change)
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Kindergarten Registration - Coming Soon!
2023-2024 Kindergarten Registration
To the parents of children who will be 5 years old on or before
January 1, 2024.
Kindergarten registration will begin on January 17, 2023.
Information will be in the Superintendent’s Newsletter, on our website, and sent to the local preschools.
We look forward to partnering with you in your child’s education!
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Circle of Friends Open House
If you would like to attend the virtual Open House, please use the link provided below to register:
Please click HERE to register for the 2023-2024 Open House on Wednesday, January 11, 2023, @ 7:00 PM.
If you would like to apply for the 2023-2024 Circle of Friends program, please use the link provided below to complete our online application:
Please click HERE to apply for the 2023-2024 Circle of Friends program.
Department News
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BHS Yearbook News - Senior Yearbook Information
Senior Yearbook Personalization Winter Sale
Great News - your class dues pay for your yearbook! However, if you would like your yearbook to be personalized, please fill out the attached order form and send in with a check made out to "BHS Yearbook" no later than January 27th.
Senior Recognition AD Holiday Sale - EXTENDED TO 1/16/23!
Also attached is a flier about how to order recognition ads to celebrate your senior in the yearbook. In order to take advantage of the Holiday Sale, please place your order with Tribute Ads no later than January 16TH!
Please contact the yearbook staff at yearbookBHS@bethel.k12.ct.us.
This Week's Updates & Reminders
Teacher of the Year Nominations is Open!
The Teacher of the Year nomination process is open. The criteria for selecting the nominee are as follows:
The nominee must have taught in the Bethel Public Schools for a minimum of 5 years.
The nominee should possess a superior ability to inspire learning in students.
The nominee must be a CT-certified teacher who has achieved tenure in Bethel and is in good standing.
The nominee must teach children at least 50% of the time.
Please click on the appropriate school and complete the questionnaire to nominate a deserving teacher for this honor. You can also find the questionnaire on the BPS Teacher of the Year website.
Nominations are due by January 15th, 2023. Thank you for recognizing our deserving teachers.
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Bethel NJROTC Christmas Tree Pick Up
Please support the Bethel High School Navy JROTC program and let our cadets pick up your
Christmas tree to be recycled.
A $10.00 donation is suggested and goes toward Educational Programs for our cadets. PLEASE request a pick-up and pay using the QR code on the flyer or www.rotc.bright-moments.com
See flyer for further details.
School Closing/Delay Decisions/Notifications
Although we are enjoying mild temperatures, winter is coming! Families should have a plan for delays, early dismissals, and/or school closings. To be honest, calling delays, early dismissals, or closings are one of the most challenging aspects of my job. I get frequent feedback from parents and students on the topic. Safety is always our top priority. When determining any weather-related decision, we look at the timing of the storm, total accumulation predictions, ability to complete a school clean-up, and road conditions. Please be reminded, if you feel that conditions are unsafe, you can make the decision that you feel is in the best interest for your children. A few reminders about our process:
I will try and give you a preview of any potential issues through our district’s Bethel Public Schools Facebook page, Instagram and Twitter @BethelCTSuper. By following these pages, it might help your planning.
After a decision is made, if it’s on the same morning of the delay or closure, I will post the decision on the district’s Bethel Public Schools Facebook page, Instagram, and Twitter @BethelCTSuper prior to 5:00 AM. In addition, we send out a text if you have subscribed to receive district text messages. Please note, we do not send out phone calls. Many parents complained that they did not want to receive the early morning calls. Therefore, we also send out an email.
If you have a specific concern or questions about any type of decision, please do not hesitate to call me or send me an email (carverc@bethel.k12.ct.us). A reminder that weather is not an exact science and can be highly unpredictable.
For our young drivers, they frequently remind me on social media that parents will not allow them to drive in inclement weather. Please note, if school is in session, students can always access district transportation.
Reminder: In addition to Facebook, Twitter, email, and texts, announcements are also made over the following radio, television stations, and websites,
WLAD AM Danbury 800 on the dial
WINE AM Brookfield 940 on the dial
WICC AM Bridgeport 600 on the dial
WEBE FM Bridgeport 108 on the dial
WEZN FM Bridgeport 100 on the dial
TV Channel 3, TV Channel 8, & TV Channel 6.
Bethel Public Schools Website – www.bethel.k12.ct.us
Connecticut Weather Website – www.ctweather.com
Please Note: Notifications are sent out as soon as decisions are reached. Being on the notification list is not a substitute for monitoring your local media (radio, TV, and so on) in situations where a delay in opening or school closing is an obvious possibility (such as when the weather forecast calls for snow). The BPS website is updated as media calls are made.
Upcoming Calendar Events
January 13 - Professional Learning Day - Schools Closed
January 16 - Martin Luther King Day - Schools Closed
February 8 - Professional Learning Day - Early Dismissal K-12
Flyers, Fundraisers &, Community News & Events
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Bethel NJROTC
Christmas Tree Pick Up
January 7, 2023
See flyer for details.
Bethel's Kindness Day 2023
February 17, 2023
Order Your T-Shirt!
"Be Kind to Your Mind!'
![](https://www.google.com/images/icons/product/drive-32.png)
After-School Activities for
High School Students
Free to Join!
Bethel Public Library
Affordable Connectivity Program
The Affordable Connectivity Program is a Federal Communications Commission program that helps connect families and households struggling to afford internet service. This new benefit provides a discount of up to $30 per month toward broadband service for eligible households and up to $75 per month for households on qualifying Tribal lands. Eligible households can also receive a one-time discount of up to $100 to purchase a laptop, desktop computer, or tablet from participating providers.
Eligible households can enroll through a participating broadband provider or directly with the Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC) using an online or mail in application.
You can learn more about the benefit, including eligibility and enrollment information, by visiting www.fcc.gov/ACP, or by calling 877-384-2575.
Do you want to be the first to know when school is delayed or canceled in bad weather? Follow me at: @BethelCTSuper In order to enhance communication with parents, in addition to our Twitter feed, we have a Facebook page at Bethel Public Schools, and Instagram at @christinelcarver We post photos of school and district events, general communications, and school closing/delay information. Please “like” our page! Also, be sure to check out our bethelpublicschools Flickr page
Bethel Public Schools App
Check out the App for the Bethel Public Schools. If you go into your App Store and type in Bethel Public Schools, you should be able to install it for free. The App can provide you quick mobile access to information commonly requested.
Our calendars, time schedules, social media feeds, athletic schedules, district social media, lunch menus, etc. are all in the App. You can even call the schools from the App.
After you download the App, you will be prompted to select the schools from which you want to get information. Essentially, this is the "news", push notifications, and the "events calendar". This is a screenshot of what the App looks like.
Bethel Public Schools Flickr Page
Check out the photos on the Bethel Public Schools Flickr page! Dan DeBlois, District Photographer, will post photos on Flickr throughout the school year. Follow @DanDeBlois on Twitter to be notified when the photos are posted.
We post photos taken by our staff. The photographs are from various school events open to the public. Sports, Concerts, and Musicals are some examples. We will be regularly including more events. On Twitter follow @DanDeBlois for updates on event postings. Go to flickr and take a look.
BEtv - See what's new this week!
Check out BHS Coffee house, music and poetry from BHS Students
http://devos2.bethel.k12.ct.us/show?video=a853f909f35e&apg=4d17c1b509fc
ROAR with Berry School
http://devos2.bethel.k12.ct.us/show?video=ef54e0ed84f3&apg=4d17c1b509fc
BHS Winter Concert 2022
http://devos2.bethel.k12.ct.us/show?video=5d67126a3469&apg=4d17c1b509fc
BHS World Language Honor Society Induction
http://devos2.bethel.k12.ct.us/show?video=1cc40133d80b&apg=4d17c1b509fc
BHS National Art Honor Society Induction
http://devos2.bethel.k12.ct.us/show?video=d81d3805f01c&apg=4d17c1b509fc
BHS National Honor Society Induction
http://devos2.bethel.k12.ct.us/show?video=124a0e32ae0a&apg=4d17c1b509fc
BMS presents Frozen Jr.
http://devos2.bethel.k12.ct.us/show?video=a93033df3af8&apg=4d17c1b509fc
BHS On Stage Players are back with another stellar Fall Play.
Watch TRACKS !
http://devos2.bethel.k12.ct.us/show?video=0bbba0d3243e&apg=4d17c1b509fc
Don't forget to check out Johnson School's tribute to our Veterans
http://devos2.bethel.k12.ct.us/show?video=4dd876bfeedd&apg=4d17c1b509fc
Take a walk back in time! Here is a throwback concert from 2004!
http://devos2.bethel.k12.ct.us/show?video=f22c46526b8b&apg=4d17c1b509fc
The latest Board of Education Meetings can be viewed here.
http://devos2.bethel.k12.ct.us/Show-Videos?g=f87c9047&page=1&filter=vod
Check out our full line up here
https://sites.google.com/bethel.k12.ct.us/betv/home
Watch when you want to watch? Go to our Video On Demand Channel
http://devos2.bethel.k12.ct.us/show-videos?g=4d17c1b509fc&page=1&filter=vod
Board of Education Policy Updates
The Bethel Public Schools, as a learning community devoted to the academic and social growth of our children, creates educational opportunities that inspire competence, creativity, teamwork, and a drive to excel. In an environment of trust and respect, high expectations for student performance are evident in the discussions, actions, and policies of the Board of Education. Board of Education policies can be found on our district website. As a way to increase communication about Board of Education policies, we include Board of Education policy updates in this section of our newsletter as they are approved by the Board. You can find the Board of Education policies on the district website at Bethel Board of Education Policies
Recently Revised/Reviewed Policies & Regulations:
Regulation – 5131.911 – District Safe School Climate Plan – 10-21-21
Policy/Regulation 5118 - Nonresident Students - 10-21-21 & 3/17/22
Policy/Regulation 1140 - Distribution of Materials- 10-21-21
Policy 1170 - Recognition of Citizens, Staff Members, Members of Board of Education, Students- 10-21-21
Policy 1312 - Public Relations- 10-21-21
Policy 3524.2 Green Cleaning- 10-21-21
Policy/Regulation 5141.3 - Health Assessment and Immunizations - 10-21-21
Policy 5131.911 - Bullying & Teen Dating Violence Prevention and Intervention - 11-18-21
Policy/Regulation 1220 - Citizens Advisory Committee- 12-16-21
Regulation 1221 - Citizens Advisory Committee for the BOE- 12-16-21
Policy 1331 - Smoking in School Facilities- 12-16-21
Policy 1411 - Law Enforcement Agencies- 12-16-21
Policy/Regulation 4118.231 Drug, Alcohol and Tobacco-Free Workplace - 12-16-21
Regulation 2232 - Electronic Records and Information - 2-15-22
Policy 5141.231 - Chemical Health Policy for Student-Athletes - 2-15-22
Regulation 5118 - Nonresident Students - 3-17-22
Regulation 5111 - Admission - 3-24-22
Policy 1416 - Fiscal Authorities 4-21-22
Policy 1700 - Otherwise Lawful Possession of Firearms on School Property - 4-21-22
Policy 2000 - Concept and Roles in Administration - 4-21-22
Policy 2111 - Equal Employment Opportunity - 4-21-22
Policy 2112 - Professional Learning - 4-21-22
Policy 2113 - Grievance Procedures - Title IX - deleted 4-21-22
Policy 2130 - Job Descriptions - 5-19-22
Policy & Regulation 2131 - Superintendent of Schools - 5-19-22
Policy 2141 - Recruitment and Retention of the Superintendent of Schools - 5-19-22
Policy 2142 - Evaluation of the Superintendent - 5-19-22
Policy 6162.52 - Student Privacy (PPRA) - 6-21-22
Policy 6162.51 - Student Surveys (deleted) replaced with Policy 6162.52 - Student Privacy (PPRA) - 6-21-22
Policy 6141.51 - Enrollment in an Advanced Course or Program and Challenging Curriculum - 6-21-22
Regulation 5131.911 - District Safe School Climate Plan - 10-20-22
Policy 6148 - FAFSA - New Policy - 10-20-22
Policy 2150 - Administrative Staff - 10-20-22
Policy 6146.1 - Grading/Assessment Systems- 10-20-22
Regulation 6146.1 - Grading/Assessment Systems - This regulation has been deleted - 10-20-22
Policy 6146.11 - Weighted Grading and Calculation of Grade Point Averages, New Policy - 10-20-22
Policy/Regulation 5113 - Student Attendance and Truancy - 12-15-22
Policy 5141.21 - Administration of Student Medications in the Schools - 12-15-22
Policy 4118.235/4218.235 - Reports of Suspected Abuse or Neglect of Children or Reports of Sexual Assault of Students By School Employees - New Policy - 12/15/22
School Closing/Delay Information
In the morning when it is necessary to close school due to inclement weather or have an unscheduled early dismissal due to forecasted inclement weather for the afternoon, the “Schools Closed” or “Early Dismissal” announcement will be made over the following radio, television stations, websites, Twitter, and text message via our SchoolMessenger communication system.
WLAD AM Danbury 800 on the dial
WINE AM Brookfield 940 on the dial
WICC AM Bridgeport 600 on the dial
WEBE FM Bridgeport 108 on the dial
WEZN FM Bridgeport 100 on the dial
TV Channel 3, TV Channel 8, & TV Channel 6.
Bethel Public Schools Website – www.bethel.k12.ct.us
Connecticut Weather Website – www.ctweather.com
Twitter - @BethelCTSuper
Facebook - Bethel Public Schools
When school is in session for the day and it is necessary to have an unscheduled early dismissal (click for times) due to weather or other emergency an “Early Dismissal” announcement will be made. You will be notified by our automated message system, SchoolMessenger, via voice, text message, email, and appropriate announcements will be made over the above radio, television stations, websites, and Twitter.
*Therefore, it is important your contact information is accurate and you update your contact information promptly if this information changes. If during the school year any of your demographic information were to change, you can update it at any point by contacting your child’s school directly.
The SchoolMessenger caller ID for all phone notifications is: (855) 326-1797.
**Please add this number as a contact in your phone so you can easily identify the call is coming from the Bethel Public Schools.
Please Note: There will be no school activities, including athletics, on days when school is closed due to inclement weather.
For emergency announcements, SchoolMessenger notifications are sent out as soon as decisions are reached. Being on the notification list is not a substitute for monitoring your local media (radio, TV and so on) in situations where a delay in opening or school closing is an obvious possibility (such as when the weather forecast calls for snow). The BPS website, is updated as media calls are made.
Please note, although the district does not charge you for this service, it does not pay for text message charges that may be incurred by you for sending or receiving text messages. Check with your wireless carrier for possible charges.
SchoolMessenger alert for Text messages
For all NEW parents/guardians:
Reminder to New BPS Parents/Guardians - SchoolMessenger:
The district uses the SchoolMessenger notification service to send important information to families through phone calls, emails, and text messages.
To comply with wireless carrier requirements and protect against unsolicited text messages, you may receive a text message on the wireless cell phone number which the district has on your file, requesting that you "opt-in" to receive important information from the district via our SMS text messaging service.
The message you receive will come from our 'short code', 67587 and read similar to the following:
"Bethel Public School messages. Reply Y to subscribe or STOP to cancel. Msg&data rates may apply. Msg freq varies. Visit schoolmessenger.com/txt for info"
So that you may continue to receive these important messages, we encourage you to reply with "Y" or "Yes" when you receive such a verification message. If you do not reply, you will not receive any further text messages from our schools.
To opt-out of all text messages from SchoolMessenger, visit http://www.schoolmessenger.com/txtmsg/ or reply with "STOP" to the opt-in message that you receive. If you opt-in, but later decide to opt-out, simply send "STOP" to 67587. You may also reply "STOP" to any message from our organization.
Please check with your wireless carrier for information about your mobile service plan and any possible charges related to text messaging. Our organization does not reimburse for any charges associated with sending or receiving text messages. See flyer for details/QR Code.
SchoolMessenger Call-In Message Retrieval
As you know, our automated message system, SchoolMessenger, allows us to communicate important information to parents, guardians, and staff via voice, text message, and email. Our SchoolMessgenger account now has a Call-in Message Retrieval feature.
The Call-In Message Retrieval feature is a powerful option that allows SchoolMessgenger phone call recipients to dial a toll-free number where they can replay previous phone notifications that they may have missed, or someone else answered the call, in cases where a cell phone call was dropped before the message could be completed, the reception was poor and/or the recipient was unable to understand the message.
The SchoolMessenger caller ID for all phone notifications and Call-In Message Retrieval is: (855) 326-1797
*Again, please add this number as a contact in your phone so you can easily identify the call is coming from the Bethel Public Schools.
Please Note: When a recipient wants to call into the system to listen to a message they might have missed, they simply hit re-dial on their phone, and, if their caller ID is not blocked, the system will identify them and play back the most recent 10 calls to that number from the past 30 days - including the time/date that the message was sent.
If the recipient has their caller ID blocked, the system will prompt them to enter the number that received the original call, after which the system will replay the recent messages to that number.
School Lunch Program 2022-2023
As was communicated in a separate email and on social media, the schools have opted into Shool Meals Assistance Revenue for Transition (SMART) funds. These funds provide meals (breakfast and lunch) at no cost for all students at the beginning of the school year (anticipated through December). Even though lunch will be free at the beginning of the year, it is important that all families who might qualify for Free or Reduced Lunch submit an application as soon as possible. Please read the email which was sent for more information. Español. Português.
BPS School Resource Officers
School Resource Officer's Program Goals & Objectives
Assignment of a uniformed law enforcement officer to a school by the Police Department to work in cooperation with the school administrators, students, staff, parents, and community members in the following areas:
Law Enforcement - To help maintain a safe and secure environment that will be conducive to learning. To help prevent crime and violence in our schools and on our school grounds. To help decrease criminal offenses committed against persons and property in and around schools and to help enhance overall safety
Education- Counseling - To promote positive attitudes regarding the police role in society and to inform students of their rights and responsibilities as lawful citizens. To help students learn more about the law and the criminal justice system
Law Enforcement - Education - To establish a liaison with school personnel in a cooperative effort to prevent disruptive or violent behaviors.
School Official - SRO’s are considered school officials in the capacity of district and school safety.
We would like you to meet our School Resource Officer Team for 2022-2023
Our School Resource Officer's biographies can be found on our website at BPS Resource Officers
Nondiscrimination Statement
The Board of Education complies with all applicable federal, state and local laws prohibiting the exclusion of any person from any of its educational programs or activities, or the denial to any person of the benefits of any of its educational programs or activities because of race, color, religion, age, sex, marital status, sexual orientation, national origin, alienage, ancestry, disability, pregnancy, genetic information, veteran status, or gender identity or expression, subject to the conditions and limitations established by law. It is the policy of the Board that any form of discrimination or harassment on the basis of race, color, religion, age, sex, marital status, sexual orientation, national origin, alienage, ancestry, disability, pregnancy, genetic information, veteran status, or gender identity or expression, or any other basis prohibited by state or federal law is prohibited, whether by students, Board employees or third parties subject to the control of the Board. The Board’s prohibition of discrimination or harassment in its educational programs or activities expressly extends to academic, nonacademic, and extracurricular activities, including athletics. It is also the policy of the Board to provide for the prompt and equitable resolution of complaints alleging any discrimination on the basis of protected characteristics such as race, color, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, national origin, alienage, disability (including pregnancy), veteran status, or gender identity or expression.
Title IX District Coordinator: Dr. Kristen Brooks, Assistant Superintendent, 203-794-8613 1 School Street, Bethel, CT 06801
Section 504 District Coordinator: Dr. Christine Sipala, Director of Special Education & Pupil Services, 203-794-8616 , 1 School Street, Bethel, CT 06801