March 31, 2023

 Newsletter

Bethel Public Schools E-News 

“Our Primary Purpose is to Improve Student Achievement”

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This Week's Content

Superintendent's News

Christine Carver, Ed.D.,

Superintendent of Schools

Dear Parents, Guardians, Staff, and Community Members,

Nashville & Parent Resources

This was a tough week for public education, as we had another school shooting.  This is a total of two in the last two weeks (Nashville and Denver).   Our thoughts and prayers are with the Nashville school and the broader community.   The incident reminds us how important it is to communicate to the administration and/or police if you or your child sees any type of behaviors that are of concern.   These acts of violence certainly have an impact on our students' social-emotional well-being.  At parental request, in the past we have provided parent resources on how to speak with your child about these issues.    I am sharing several resources that may help you have developmentally appropriate discussions with your child around this topic. 


If you feel your child needs extra support in processing their feelings, please do not hesitate to reach out to their administrator.  

2023-2024 Proposed Education Budget Update

There will be an Annual Town Meeting on the budget on Monday, April 3 at 7:00 PM at Bethel High School.  If you are new to Bethel, the purpose of the Town Meeting is for registered voters to vote on moving the Town and School budget to the full electorate in the form of a budget referendum (election).  The Board of Education budget moving forward is a 3.9% increase over last year.  We have updated our District Financial Dashboard to reflect the new changes.  We were able to recommend reductions to the Board of Education budget to the Board of Finance due to the fact that we went out to bid on our health insurance.  The reductions will not affect any current programs or services to our students.   Babysitting will be provided at the Town Meeting  (for children that are toilet trained). 

Annual Parent Feedback Survey

We will soon be administering our annual parent survey to all of our families seeking feedback regarding your perceptions of the culture, climate, and leadership in your child’s school.  This anonymous survey is an important opportunity to provide the Bethel Public Schools with valuable input based on your experiences.  Please keep an eye out for it following the April break. 

2023-2024 Proposed Education Budget Info. & Dates

Board of Education 2023-2024 Budget Dates

As the schedule develops we will post it here, on the website, and in other district communications. 

Please Note:  Prior to the budget being set for the referendum, 2023-2024 Education Budget Information can be found here in the Superintendent’s Bethel Public Schools Newsletter each week and on District Dashboard our website.  District Dashboard - 2023-2024 Education Budget Information

Department News

Sculpture by Brooke Clay

BHS, Grade 12

Artists on the Rise 2023

On Saturday, March 11th, the following students were celebrated as award winners at the Brookfield Craft Center Artists on the Rise regional art show:


1st Place Ceramics - Nick Adiletti  - American Classic - coil pot burger and shake

2nd Place Ceramics - Emily Turek - Into the Hobbit Home - hobbit house slab construction

2nd Place Photography - Alejandro Chimbo - Shadows - digital photograph

1st Place Sculpture - Grace Vitarelli

2nd Place Sculpture - Emzie Zalaznick

2nd Place Painting - Lana Schneider 


Several other students were successfully juried into the show as well:


Petra Cirella - Cirque d’Etoiles - mixed media drawing

Brooke Clay - Viola - sculpted and painted stylist head

Sophia Goncalves - Melting Hue - charcoal & pastel still life drawing

Emma Huedepohl - Christmas Farmhouse - ceramic slab house

Alexa Jones - Ornate Snake Pot - ceramic coil pot

Brooke Lohle - Dark Skies Over Hidden Glaciers - acrylic painting

Jolene Ortega - Gnome Home - ceramic slab house

Ava Real - acrylic portrait

Lana Schneider - Mimi - acrylic painting 

Sophia Trzyna - Night Terrors - watercolor painting 



Link to the online gallery for the BCC show/contest. 

Health Services Dept. News

Non-Compliance

The Connecticut General Statutes (Section 10-204a and Section 10-206) require local boards of education to ensure that each child attending school be adequately immunized and have an up-to-date health assessment (physical) on file.  The Bethel Public School District requires that all students who enter Grades 7 and 10 must have a mandated health assessment dated on or after July 1, 2022, in order to be compliant.


These forms can be found below: 

STATE OF CT - HEALTH ASSESSMENT RECORD: Age 5 - Grade 12

Your child can also pick up a blank form during the school day at either the BMS or BHS Health Offices.


Because the school district must comply with the state regulations, your child will not be allowed to enter school on the first day of the 2023-2024 school year, unless you provide the school with an updated health assessment and/or documentation with the necessary immunizations completed before that date.

Please provide the proper documentation to your child’s school. Paperwork can be mailed, faxed or emailed to your child’s school.
Bethel High School                                                                          Bethel Middle School
Nurse Lisa Davenport, RN                                                             Nurse Christopher Cruz, RN
Nurse Jill Kurtz, RN                                                                         Nurse Michelle Mitchell, RN
300 Whittlesey Drive                                                                     600 Whittlesey Drive
Bethel, CT 06801                                                                             Bethel, CT 06801
Phone: 203-794-8600 ext. 1262                                                Phone: 203-794-8669
Fax: 203-830-7350                                                                             Fax: 203-794-8083
davenportl@bethel.k12.ct.us                                                         cruzc@bethel.k12.ct.us

kurtzj@bethel.k12.ct.us                                                                    mitchellm@bethel.k12.ct.us

notes 4 u 33123.pdf

Music Department News

This Week's Updates & Reminders

2023 Post Prom BPS Families Donation Letter.pdf

BHS Post Prom Committee - The BHS Class of 2023 needs your help! 

Please read the committee's letter to see how you can help the BHS Post Prom Committee keep our children safe and provide a wonderful lifetime memory for the senior class! 

Bethel Education Association Food Drive

Please Help, The Bethel Education Association will be holding its annual Fill A Bus Food Drive to benefit the Bethel Food Pantry on Saturday April 1st, and Sunday April 2nd, 10 AM - 2 PM at the Big Y Stony Hill. Come out and donate if you can. 

Autism Acceptance (2).pdf

World Autism Awareness Day 4/2 - Wear Red, Monday, April 3rd

See flyer for details

Johnson School 5th Grade Health & Wellness Fair

In celebration of Student Well-Being

Thursday, April 6, 2023

First Session 9 AM - 10 AM

Second Session 10:15 AM - 11:15 AM

See flyer for details

Bethel Middle School - BRAVE the SHAVE!!!

Worldwide, every 2 minutes a child is diagnosed with cancer. This is unacceptable. Conquering Kids’ Cancers will take a bald statement! On April 6th BMS Student and Staff Volunteers will be shaving their heads in solidarity with kids fighting cancer at the Brave the Shave Assembly. 

You can join with them to help fund life-saving research through the St. Baldrick’s Foundation. Please visit https://www.stbaldricks.org/events/BMS2023 to learn more or email Event Organizer, Joey Sacchinelli at Joey.bravetheshave@gmail.com


Together we can #GiveKidsaLifetime 


Summer’s BEST Enrichment Programs Pre-K-Grade 2

The Bethel Public Schools will be offering exciting and dynamic Summer Programs this Summer. We will offer one session of programs for grades Pre-K through Grade 2 (this is the current grade of your child). We will be combining our most popular programs to offer a variety throughout the morning. Class sizes are limited to 15 students each. We hope to create a summertime adventure of discovery, fun, and learning that will enrich your child. The Enrichment programs are self-funding. The cost of each program is set to cover the cost of the teacher and the materials. You will be sending your child to a fun, safe, educational program at Berry School.  

Save July 5- July 21, 2023, to enroll your child in a rewarding summer experience!

Summer Brochure 2023


Sincerely,

Linda Anderson

     Coordinator of Community Programs

Questions? Please email Linda Anderson at: AndersonL@bethel.k12.ct.us 

STEAM Expo -April 19th - Save the Date

Kindergarten Registration is Open!

Attention Families!!!


Do you have children that will be 5 on or before January 1, 2024 and ready to join the Bethel Public Schools family?

If the answer is yes, please complete the registration process for your child to attend kindergarten in the fall.  

 Please see the info below for our process. 


Kindergarten Registration for the 

2023-2024 school year is now open!


To access the kindergarten registration site, go to our district website, www.bethel.k12.ct.us, scroll down, and click on the “Registration” link in the maroon circle halfway down the page. Select BPS Pre-Registration Form K-12. There you will begin the online process to formally register your child for kindergarten. 


At the completion of your online registration, an email will be sent to confirm that the parent portal account has been created AND all of the online enrollment forms have been filled out.  At this time, we anticipate that in-person appointments will take place in March & April (no registration appointments will take place until all of the online registration is complete). This appointment will take approximately 15 minutes as long as all of the required paperwork is provided. Students do not need to attend this appointment with their parents.  Parents/guardians will be contacted using the email provided during online registration to make a kindergarten screening appointment, which usually takes place at the end of May.  More information will follow on this step of the process.


If you are a parent of a current Circle of Friends student, you do not need to complete the online registration. Kindergarten registration instructions will be sent home with your child. 


If you have any questions about the process or need help, please contact the District Registrar at (203) 830-7355.

Upcoming Calendar Events

Flyers, Fundraisers &, Community News & Events 

School Events

BHS Presents

Disney's The Little Mermaid

March 31st & April 1st

Fill A Bus Food Drive

April 1 & 2, 2023

at Big Y Stony Hill

Bethel Education Association

BMS First Poster.pdf

BMS - BRAVE the SHAVE!!!

April 6, 2023

Please visit https://www.stbaldricks.org/events/BMS2023 

2023 Post Prom BPS Families Donation Letter.pdf

BHS Class of 2023 needs your help!

BHS 2023 Post Prom Donation Form 

BHS Post Prom Committee

Honor A Teacher Full Flyer.pdf

Teacher Appreciation Week

Purchase by May 1, 2023

https://www.betheledfoundation.org/honor-a-teacher.html   

Bethel Education Foundation

Community Events

Mini Golf Digital Flyers-1.pdf

Save the Date

Mini Golf "fore" the Library

March 31, 2023 &

April 1, 2023

Bethel Public Library

Mini Golf Digital Flyers-2.pdf

Save the Date

Mini Golf "fore" the Library

March 31, 2023 &

April 1, 2023

Bethel Public Library

FREE Event

In advance of his visit to the BPS 

Story Time w/Josh Funk

April 2, 2023

@ the Bethel Public Library

(Registration Required - See flyer for details)

Autism Acceptance (2).pdf

Autism Acceptance

World Autism Awareness Day 4/2

Wear Red on Monday, April 3, 2023

Bethel Softball Chipotle 2023 fundraiser flyer.pdf

Fundraiser

April 12, 2023

4-8 PM

Bethel Softball Association

Wildlife Tracking.pdf

Wildlife Tracking & Trailing

April 15, 2023

Catherine Violet Hubbard Animal Sanctuary 

Day Camp 2023.pdf

Parks & Recreation Day Camp

Registration Begins April 17, 2023

(See flyer for details)

Bethel Parks & Recreation

LLama Flyer.pdf

For the LLove of LLamas

April 22, 2023

Catherine Violet Hubbard Animal Sanctuary 

Parent Flyer.pdf

Lt. Governor's Computing Challenge

Grades 3-12

Application Deadline April 28, 2023

BethelLibrary4.29.pdf

Griffin Mobile Vaccination and/or Health Screening Clinics 

April 29, 2023 

Bethel Public Library

BethelLibrary5.20.pdf

Griffin Mobile Vaccination and/or Health Screening Clinics  

May 20, 2023

Bethel Public Library

volleyball Clinic - Untitled Page (1).pdf

Volleyball Clinic

Middle School Volleyball Program 

Regional YMCA  

Spring Flyer 2023.pdf

Parks & Recreation Spring Brochure

Registration Begins February 22, 2023

Bethel Parks & Recreation

2023 Spring Soccer Flyer.pdf

2023 Spring Season Registration

Registration Closes April 1st.

Bethel Youth Soccer Association

We Are Hiring

Apply Today!

First Student Bus Company

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". 

BEtv - See what's new this week! 

Check out the Annual town Hearing on the Town Budget

http://devos2.bethel.k12.ct.us/show?video=7901fafe8c9f


What are some of the things to love about Bethel Schools?

http://devos2.bethel.k12.ct.us/show?video=5d769b484622


BMS Variety Show 2023

http://devos2.bethel.k12.ct.us/show?video=deadd3587659


Latest BOE Meeting

http://devos2.bethel.k12.ct.us/show?video=5c89fefcd9e0


BPSD 2nd Public Forum on the State of Our Students

http://devos2.bethel.k12.ct.us/show?video=fde14af1c835


Berry Roars at its February School Assembly!

http://devos2.bethel.k12.ct.us/show?video=e8fd51f7e450&apg=4d17c1b509fc


BHS Kindness Assembly 2023

http://devos2.bethel.k12.ct.us/show?video=fa26b254fe0f


If you have a student Athlete participating in Spring Sports please watch the

Spring Sports Meeting for Parents. Presented by Athletic Director Mark Caron

http://devos2.bethel.k12.ct.us/show?video=ab032297fa42



Meet Johnson Schools resource officer in their JStv Interview

http://devos2.bethel.k12.ct.us/show?video=6049abd5fe69&apg=4d17c1b509fc



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: 

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