June 9, 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,

As the school year draws to a close and summer is just around the corner, I wanted to take a moment to wish you and your families a joyous and rejuvenating break. Summer is a time for relaxation, exploration, and creating precious memories with your family. And amidst all the fun-filled adventures that lie ahead, we would like to emphasize the importance of reading to your children and encouraging independent reading.

When you take the time to read to your children, you are not just sharing a story  and inspiring a love for reading, but also building a strong foundation for their academic success and personal growth.

During these long summer days, reading becomes an even more essential activity. It helps combat the dreaded "summer slide," a phenomenon where students lose some of the progress made during the school year. By reading regularly, your children can maintain and even enhance their reading skills, ensuring a smoother transition back into the classroom when the new academic year begins.

To make reading a delightful part of your summer routine, here are a few suggestions:

Remember, reading is not only an academic exercise but also enhances children's creativity, critical thinking skills, and empathy. So let this summer be filled with the magic of books and the joy of reading.

Wishing you and your family a summer filled with sunshine, laughter, and wonderful stories.

BHS Graduation can be viewed LIVE

The Bethel High School Class of 2023 graduation ceremony will take place on Tuesday, June 13, 2023, at 6:00 p.m. at the Bethel High School DeSantis Field.  Bethel High School sent a separate email to parents yesterday with a lot of important,  including how decisions will be made for inclement weather.    


Bethel High School will be live-streaming the graduation ceremony for family members and friends who are unable to attend in person. Join us via live stream by using the link below. Graduation Walk (between schools), & Scholarship Day Photos are also available on Flickr


BHS Graduation LIVE STREM:

http://devos2.bethel.k12.ct.us/show?video=fe4b0dafbb74


Family Summer Kickoff 

Annually, the Bethel Education Foundation Association holds a Family Summer Kickoff.   This year it is on June 9th at the Bethel High School Football Field.   You can purchase your ticket by clicking this link.   This a fabulous family event, activities include:  

Bring your lawn chairs and enjoy this annual tradition to help kick off the summer!  

Department News

IMPORTANT INFO FROM THE HEALTH OFFICE 

PARENTAL/GUARDIAN RESPONSIBILITY: 

It is your responsibility to alert the health office of your child's school if your child requires medication. Parents/guardians are responsible for dropping off their child's medication (i.e. EpiPens, inhalers, diabetic supplies, etc) at the start of each school year and replacing this medication upon expiration. These medications must be accompanied by the doctor's orders which must be signed by both the doctor and parent/guardian. 


Failure to have the medication and doctor's orders in the health office will result in your child not being able to participate in athletics, field trips, school activities, etc. 



IMPORTANT HEALTH OFFICE INFORMATION 


IMPORTANT HEALTH OFFICE INFORMATION 

1. If your child has any medication in the school health office it MUST be picked up on or before Thursday, June 15th, before 11:00, by a parent/guardian. EpiPens and inhalers may remain in the health office to be used next school year. 



2. 2023 - 2024 school year information:  If your child needs medication administered i.e. daily medication, EpiPen, inhaler, any over the counter medications, etc., a new/current "Administration of Medication by School Personnel" form is required; this form can be found on the Bethel Public School District website by going to "Departments" -  "School Health" - "Forms"


This Week's Updates & Reminders

Family Summer Kickoff Flyer.pdf

BHS Yearbook News

Pre-ordered yearbooks can be picked up outside of rooms 104 and 105 starting Friday, June 2nd through Thursday, June 8th periods 1, 2, 4, 7, and 8.


Thank you!


2023 Yearbook Team


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

REGISTRATION THROUGH PICKaTIME. 

ON BPS SUMMER PROGRAMS PAGE


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 

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

Family Summer Kickoff Flyer.pdf

BEF Summer Kick Off

June 9, 2023

See Flyer for details

Community Events

Teen, May June After School Activities at the Library LB (1).pdf

Summer Programs for Tweens & Teens

Bethel Public Library

Cornhole2023.pdf

Cornhole Tournament

for Special Olympics

July 22, 2023

See flyer for details

Customer flyer for drivers 2023.pdf

We Are Hiring

Apply Today!

First Student Bus Company

Summer flyer 2023.pdf

Summer Brochure

Registration Begins May 1, 2023

Bethel Park & Recreation

Police Cadet Program

Newtown/Brookfield/Bethel 

Cadet Meetings Every Thursday 6-8PM

Bethel Historical Firefighters Museum

Come See a Piece of History

Fun for All Ages!

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.

BEtv - See what's new this week! 

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