Click the Back to School section in the top right corner of this page for all back to school information, dates and events.

The Alert Montgomery System provides accurate, immediate emergency notifications from Montgomery County to your cell, work or home phone, via text, email or voice message. Receive notifications about emergencies that may affect your home, workplace, child's school, parents' home, or any other locations within Montgomery County, Maryland.

Government and School Closures for county government or public school closures, cancellations or delays due to inclement weather or other emergencies
Weather Advisories for you or your family's home, business, school, child care, or more
Infrastructure Issues including Water and Power Outages
Up-To-The-Minute Traffic Issues including accidents, closed roads, alternative
routes and more

To receive automated email notification of school closings, you may sign up for the free AlertMontgomery service provided by Montgomery County.

Remind

School updates will be sent via Remind. Bethesda ES will use a SMORE newsletter format for all Friday Updates. The link can be found here.

Parent Vue

Parents have access to an online platform ParentVUE that allows them to access school information. Synergy ParentVUE has replaced the Parent Portal as the primary home-to-school communication vehicle for schools to share information regarding grades, attendance, scheduling, and more.

MCPS guides and resources on this platform can be found online.

Need help with your ParentVUE account?

Please contact the front office for assistance. MCPS will be mailing login information to families upon enrollment and for existing families prior to the school year starting.

Grade Level Teams

will provide their school communication plans to families at Back-to-School Night. Every grade will have a weekly grade-level newsletter.

School Directory (PTA-sponsored for parents, staff and teachers)

If you are a new B.E. family, join the online school directory at https://bepta.membershiptoolkit.com. Returning families need to verify their information at the start of each school year. If this is your first time accessing the directory, Click here to join.

You can access the directory online at https://bepta.membershiptoolkit.com or through the membershiptoolkit app (apple, google). This is a great tool to connect with your child’s classroom and classmates.

Weekly PTA Newsletter (Roar Report)

The PTA sends out a weekly newsletter every Sunday evening with important announcements, reminders, and event information. You will need to be verified in the school’s directory to receive the newsletter by email as the PTA uses the directory as its email listing.

The PTA sponsors several different listservs for the B.E. community that parents are welcome to join. Please go to our PTA website for more information on each listserv/subscription list and how to sign up.

Important Forms

Technology Code of Ethics
Bullying, Harassing, or Intimidating Reporting Form
Student Code of Conduct
User Responsibilities for Computer Systems, Electronic Information, and Network Security
Family Educational Rights and Protection of Pupil Rights Amendment and Directory Form
- This form explains and defines the definition of directory information and parents may sign and return the form to school to direct the school not to release the identified directory information (includes name, address, phone number, photographs, etc).
- Please make sure to look for this form and review the information.
- This form only needs to be returned to the school if you are directing the school to not release the identified information and must be returned in September.
- Parents must understand that if they choose to withhold directory information, this decision affects all lists of or references to students distributed or used outside MCPS, whether prepared by the school, the Parent Teacher Association (PTA), central services or other school organizations

Health Room

Medications

ALL medications MUST be delivered to the Health Room or the Office by a parent or adult. They must be accompanied by a doctor's order (MCPS order form, 525-13). This form is available on the MCPS website.
Prescribed medications must be in a container with a pharmacy label, packaged by the pharmacist.
Over the counter medications must be in the original container with the manufacturer's label and safety seal intact.
Students should not carry any medications with them to deliver to the Health Room or should not take medications on their own. ALL medications must be administered in the Health Room.
If your child has any CHANGES (starting new medications, dosage change, or discontinuation) in medications, please notify the health room.

Health and Wellness Expectations

Bethesda Elementary will follow all guidelines released by local health officials for best health practices. This includes adherence to wellness checks, and health precautions. We will monitor all individuals in the school building for temperature, cough, shortness of breath, and other Covid-19 related symptoms. Students and staff exhibiting symptoms or those who have been in contact with a sick person should not attend school. If your child has a health plan, revisit the Health Room section.

For information about when to keep your child home from school, click here. Feel free to check for more information, if needed on the MCPS website or with the school Health Room @ 240-204-5300.

School Safety and Security

Emergency Preparedness
Over the course of the school year, students will participate in safety drills. In addition to a monthly fire drill, students will experience the following drills as part of the MCPS Emergency Preparedness plan:

Lockdown
Shelter
Severe Weather
Drop, Cover and Hold
Evacuation
Reverse Evacuation

The following links provide additional information on the drills that are practiced and monitored throughout the school-year.

http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/emergency/preparedness/

Visitors’ Management System (VMS)

The visitors’ Management System is an automated system intended to enhance MCPS security measures to ensure a safe and secure learning and working environment at schools.

Upon entering the school, ALL visitors report to the office where their driver’s licenses or state issued identification card will be scanned. For those without identification, their information will be entered manually. The system checks the individual’s information against the state sex offender registry and will also produce a nametag. This name tag is to be worn at all times while on the school campus. Once the visitors’ information is entered into the system, a badge will be issued.

Dogs
Dogs are not permitted along the Moorland Circle and all paths leading to school during arrival or dismissal. Please refrain from tethering your dog on school grounds. Please note, that dogs are prohibited from school grounds during school hours according to MCPS Regulation ECJ-RA located here. For more information, see Montgomery County Code Chapter 5, Animal Control, Section 5-203(a) (7) here.

Parking
There is NO PARKING in the numbered parking spots or the school’s Drop-off/Pick-up zones during the following hours: 7:45 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

There is NO PARKING along the yellow curb -- this area is for EMERGENCY VEHICLES.

Again, you are not to park OR leave your car in the bus Drop-off and Pick-up zones because it causes traffic to back-up on the street. Adults and patrols will be on duty daily to assist students during arrival and dismissal.

Please utilize the local parking garages when possible, especially for large school wide events. There are garages located on Cordell Avenue/St. Elmo Avenue and Del Ray Avenue.

Arrival and Dismissal

Attendance

The following procedures for recording attendance in Montgomery County Public Schools were implemented in accordance with the Maryland State Department of Education.

Students arriving after 9:00 a.m. will be recorded as tardy.
If your student arrives after 9:00 a.m., please park, walk up to the school with your child and sign them in in the main office.
Students will be recorded as A.M. Absent if they arrive at school more than two
hours late.
Students will be recorded as P.M. Absent if they leave school more than two
hours early.
Students will be recorded as either a.m. Absent or p.m. Absent if they are absent
from school for more than two hours during the school day.
Students will be recorded as Absent for a full day if they are present for two
hours or less of the school day.

Absence/Tardy Reporting Form
If you have moved:
If you have moved over the summer, please come by the office to complete the necessary paperwork for an address change.

Standard Bell Schedule

Morning Line Up

Weather permitting, all students will line up by grade level outside the doors of the main entrance to the school building (doors will be labeled). Adults will be on duty starting at 8:40 a.m. For safety purposes, please do not have your child arrive at school prior to 8:40 a.m., as there will be no adult supervision.

First Bell and Doors Open: 8:40 AM

Cafeteria open for breakfast
- Students eating breakfast must arrive in time to be finished with breakfast prior to 9:00. Students that arrive after 8:55 may take their breakfast up to the classroom to finish eating.
Students enter the building and go straight to their classrooms or straight to breakfast.

Second Bell: 9:00 AM

All students should be in their classrooms from breakfast and instruction begins

After 9:00 AM

Students arriving after 9:00 a.m. will be recorded as tardy.
Students will be given a late slip and sent to class if they arrive between 9:00-9:10 a.m.
If your student arrives after 9:10 a.m., please park and come to the office to sign them in.

Arrival Procedures (Bus,Walk,Car)

Bus Riders: Buses enter and exit the driveway on Arlington Road. If your child rides the bus, please allow your child to ride starting on the first day of school. It is beneficial for children to establish a routine from the first day. It instills confidence and minimizes confusion.

Cars ARE NOT TO PARK in the Bus Drop-off and Pick-up area in front of the school anytime during the school day
Arrival – NOTE THAT EACH BUS IS ASSIGNED A COLOR. IF YOU INDICATED THAT YOUR CHILD IS RIDING THE BUS PLEASE INCLUDE THE ROUTE NUMBER AND COLOR on your child's 8 1/2 x 11 piece of paper with name and information. Click here for Transportation information from MCPS.

Some routes have a different route number for departure routes. Please note both routes!
Arrival Routes | Departure Routes

Bus riders will arrive to school and staff will be out front to help assist students to their class as they arrive. K-3 students will use the main entrance front doors. Grades 4 and 5 students will use "new" wing addition front doors – located to the left of the main entrance by Moorland Lane.

Walkers: All walkers will enter using the front entrance doors. K-3 students will use the main entrance front doors. Grades 4 and 5 will use "new" wing addition front doors (by Moorland Lane). Staff will be out front to assist students into the building if needed.

Car Riders: Car riders will be dropped off in the car rider/cafeteria loop. There is NO PARKING and parents are to remain in their vehicle. Staff will be present to assist students getting out of the car and helping them into the building. ALL students will enter the building using the front entrance. K-3 students will use the main entrance front doors. Grades 4 and 5 will use "new" wing addition front doors (by Moorland Lane).

Please have all materials ready so that your child can exit the car swiftly and allow traffic to flow smoothly. Patrols and staff members will be stationed along the zones to assist. Please do not get out of the car as it stops the flow of traffic.

● Students should exit the vehicle curb side only.

● Do NOT drop off or pick up students in the bus circle during arrival and dismissal.

● Help us keep our children safe at drop off! Click here to view the parking lot drop off safety reminders.

PLEASE be mindful of your SPEED in the parking lot during arrival and dismissal, and follow the rules of the turn lanes when exiting the school.

Traffic Pattern and Procedures for Cars (Parent Drop-Off/Pick-up)
We have one designated zone for students arriving by car into the school parking lot. The entrance zone is the immediate right, after you enter the school lot off of Arlington Road.

Arrival and Dismissal Traffic Patterns - See pictures below for traffic flow. Please note that cars should ONLY use the bus loop to cut through (the alternative traffic pattern) when a staff member is directing OR the cones are out.

Drop off does NOT occur in the bus loop during arrival!

During arrival when we have to send traffic through the bus loop, we are creating TWO LANES to help keep traffic moving. The inner lane is for the cars to go in and around the parking area to line up for the light, while keeping the right lane and curb clear for buses. Thank you for waiting to move to the right lane until AFTER you have passed the building, so buses can use the curb lane for drop off. Please see below for a visual.

Dismissal-3:25

All changes to your child’s dismissal schedule must be provided to the school in written form – emails and note.

Please be sure to contact BOTH the classroom teacher and the main office (240-204-5300). Please remember to date the notes.

Walkers: Walkers will be dismissed from the new wing back doors and will meet their families on the grassy area on Moorland. They will be walked along the sidewalk to meet their siblings and parents. Students will wait on the grassy area on Moorland Circle for their parents. For the safety of the children, DO NOT drive or park in the MOORLAND CIRCLE. Students will only be released to adults who walk to pick them up, not to individual cars on Moorland circle.

Car Riders: Car riders will be dismissed from the doors by the cafeteria. Please view the video for pick up procedure. NOTE- no cars are to park in the lot. ALL spaces are for staff use only.

Cars pull up to the car pickup zone designated by the staff members – you will see a stop sign and/or flags.
Cars will be using double lanes in order to maximize pickup time.
Pull into the spot and turn off your engine.
Please place your sign listing the name and grades of ALL students you are picking up on the dashboard of your car.
After your child is loaded in the car and buckled in – hold the sign or your hand through the window to alert the teachers on duty that you have all of your passengers.
Stay in your car until loading is complete and you see the GO sign or a green flag -- noting that you can now turn your engine on and exit the parking lot—Right lane exits first then left lane – see video.

NOTE - NO cars will leave until the ENTIRE zone is loaded and you may not leave your car.

Bus Riders: Exit through the front doors. Bus riders will be instructed on the dismissal procedure during the first week of school.

Please make sure to review the rules of the bus with your child prior to the start of school. Ride by the Rules is specifically designed to:

Raise awareness of students and parents about the importance of appropriate behavior on school buses
Communicate guidelines for safe and respectful behavior
Communicate guidelines for reporting disciplinary problems
Provide outreach to the community with seat belt and safe driving information
Extend learning on bus safety to counseling and classroom environments

Ride by the Rules Parent Role:
http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/uploadedFiles/departments/transportation/rul es/a_parents_role.pdf

Ride by the Rules Student Guide:
http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/uploadedFiles/departments/transportation/rul es/put_safety_first.pdf

Parents, please allow a twenty minute window for the morning pick up and afternoon drop-off scheduled time that you see on the bus schedule we have provided in this packet. This is especially important during the first two weeks of school and during bad weather.

Bus Transportation (Bethesda Depot - 301-469-1068)
Please click here Arrival and Departure Routes for the bus schedule from the Transportation Office with current arrival bus routes and dismissal bus routes.

Early Dismissal

Early dismissal time is 12:55

Students will follow their regular dismissal plan unless you have notified your child's teacher of a change.

Inclement Weather Delays and Early Dismissals

How will I know if school is canceled, there is a delayed opening or an early release?
All major networks post closings or delays on their website or during their news broadcasts. You can also access the county website at http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/emergency/

To receive automated email notification of school closings, you may sign up for the free AlertMontgomery service provided by Montgomery County go to:http://montgomerycountymd.gov/OEMHS/AlertMontgomery/index.html

Delayed Opening

DO NOT drop your child off at the school at the regularly scheduled time if there is a DELAYED OPENING.
School Bus: Each hour the school is delayed the bus schedule is delayed by that same time. For example, if your child’s bus is scheduled to arrive at your stop at 8:07 a.m. and there is a one hour delayed opening, the bus pick up is at 9:07 a.m. If the delay is two hours, the time is 10:07 a.m.

Lunch and Recess Information

Meal information can be found here.

Application Process for Free and Reduced-priced Meals Please NOTE all families should complete the form!

The application for the Free and Reduced-price Meals system (FARMS) is a per household application. Parents and guardians will need to submit just one application that lists all the children in their household who attend Montgomery County Public Schools.

Recess:
The playground area will be sectioned into ZONES.

Recess will be outside barring extreme weather conditions – PLEASE make sure that your child has outdoor wear – coat, rain boots/coat and/or extra shoes, hats, gloves.
ONLY students attending school will have access to the playground and school facilities between 7:30 a.m. and 4:00 p.m.

Online Payment Systems

SchoolCash Online helps parents and guardians pay school-related fees that are not for their lunch account — such as field trip costs — safely, quickly and easily. This service will increase efficiency and security by making payments directly into schools’ bank accounts and eliminating the need for teachers to handle money. The new system puts all school-related fees online so payments can be made using a credit card or e-check. Cash and check payments directly to schools are still an option.

To register, visit: https://mcpsmd.schoolcashonline.com/

Helpful Resources

My School Bucks is the account for School Meals
Please refrain from sending in any cash or checks for student lunch accounts. Instead, please open an account for school lunch prepayment at https://www.myschoolbucks.com

Events and Celebrations

Open House

Open House is a time for you and your child to see the classroom and meet the teacher. It is not an appropriate time for parents to conference with the teacher. You will have opportunities for sharing personal information after school begins.Teachers will also share welcome videos with their students in the event families are not able to attend Open House.

During the Open House, signs and maps will be available. We will be sending home letters to all families welcoming them back to school and informing them of their class assignment. However, if the welcome letter does not reach you in time for Open House, there will be staff available to assist you when you arrive on Friday, August 25th. You will need to present your ID to the staff member before he/she can give you the name of your child’s teacher. During Open House, feel free to drop off student supplies in the classrooms.

Back-to-School Picnic

Information will come out from PTA at the start of the year.

Birthdays
In the interest of health and wellness, our student birthday celebration policy is as follows:

Student birthdays will be recognized during our morning announcements.
- Birthdays falling on a weekend or holiday date will be announced the last day before the weekend or holiday, or the first day after returning.
- Summer birthdays will be announced over a period of days at the end of the school year.
Birthday students receive a birthday pencil and will be given a birthday sticker to wear during the day.

Birthdays are NOT celebrated with food items brought into the classrooms or cafeteria during lunch time. Please do NOT send or bring in food, gifts, or other items for your child’s birthday.

Class Parties: Fall and Valentine’s Day
Information will come out from the school closer to the events.

Curriculum, Grading and Reporting

Report Cards

The report card for students in Grades K-5 gives parents information about what a student knows and is able to do in relation to grade-level expectations. This standards-based report card will break subject areas into groups of related skills or topics and provide specific information about how a student is doing in each area. See the MCPS website page on report cards for more information.

Curriculum

Instruction will follow the MCPS approved curriculums of CKLA (Literacy), Eureka Math (Mathematics), and Next Generation Science Standards (Science). In grades 4 and 5, some students will participate in the MCPS ELC Reading Curriculum. More information on the ELC can be found here. Parent letters for the reading and math curriculum have been linked. Parent Tip sheets can be found here for Eureka math

Teachers will be sharing the unit letters for CKLA and the Eureka Module Parent Tip Sheets in their weekly newsletters throughout the year. The letters are also linked here. For more information on curriculum, visit the Montgomery County Public Schools website.

Directions for accessing the CKLA home resources

MCPS Code of Conduct

Student Privacy Policies and Regulations
*Please make sure to review the entire message from MCPS on Computer Systems, Electronic Information, and Network Security. MCPS has created an At A Glance Sheet about Personal Mobile Device (PMD) use for students. Click here for more information.

MCPS has strict policies and regulations governing the use of its computer systems. Under Regulation IGT-RA, User Responsibilities for Computer Systems, Electronic Information, and Network Security, all users are prohibited from knowingly participating in the unauthorized disclosure, use and dissemination of personal information about minors, and any material or information purposefully posted or linked from an MCPS system or Internet site must be consistent with the educational purpose. During the in person learning that occurs in the school day, the MCPS Student Code of Conduct; Regulation JFA-RA, Student Rights and Responsibilities; A Student’s Guide to Rights and Responsibilities in MCPS; and all existing Board of Education policies and MCPS regulations continue to apply. We take student privacy seriously, and we maintain the right to discipline students or staff that violate this regulation consistent with our disciplinary processes. Student Code of Conduct Overview Framework

Technology

Chromebooks

Students in grades K-4 have Chromebook carts in their classrooms for their use during the school day. Grade 5 students new to MCPS will be assigned a chromebook at the start of the year. Grade 5 student will take their Chromebooks to and from school each day and should charge them every night at home.

The following steps should be followed if a student has broken their primary Chromebook device, and returns it to the school for repair.

If a chromebook is broken and there is a fee associated with repairing this device, due to accidental or intentional physical damage, the parent will be sent an obligation email informing them of the fee and how to pay online.

-If the parent would like to dispute the obligation, they can send an email to communitytechsupport@mcpsmd.org to appeal.

Parent or guardian will receive an email receipt from the Online School Payment Management Portal, which they can present to school staff to confirm payment.
Once payment is confirmed, the school checks a new primary device out to the student and checks the loaner device back in.

Student Passwords

Students in Grades 3 to 12 will be responsible for their own passwords. While students can change their passwords as often as they like, the maximum age of a student password according to MCPS policy is 365 days.

What will this look like?

Students are returning to school with their same/current passwords.

The MCPS Student Password Manager allows students to change their passwords from within an MCPS building or from home. The process takes about five minutes to complete. Students with special needs may require assistance from an adult.

When students change their MCPS passwords using this new system, their Google passwords will immediately change. Student password reports and lists will be immediately updated. There will be no interruptions in accessing other online platforms.

The process only takes a few minutes to complete. Here are the directions:

Student navigates to SPM.mcpsmd.org.

Student logs into SPM with their current userid and password.

Student enters new password.

How to Volunteer

Volunteers:

Montgomery County Public Schools requires school volunteers and partnership agencies to complete certain compliance measures in order to volunteer within our school district.

Online Recognizing Child Abuse and Neglect Training via their myMCPS Classroom/Canvas account See this page for more information from MCPS on Child Abuse and Neglect.
Background check (dependent upon the type of volunteer service, per the Volunteers regulation and FAQ)

Please review the MCPS Volunteer Page for details on this process.

PTA Volunteer Opportunities:
There are many additional opportunities available to volunteer as part of the B.E. PTA Executive Board or on a PTA committee! Please contact Joyce Bensman, president@bethesdaelementarypta.org or Brittany Wolf, vicepresident@bethesdaelementarypta.org if you are interested in volunteer positions within the B.E. PTA.

PTA

PTA Membership

The Bethesda Elementary Parent Teacher Association (PTA) serves as a forum where parents, teachers, administrators, and other concerned adults discuss ways to promote quality education, strive to expand the arts, encourage community involvement, and work for a healthy environment and safe neighborhoods.

Why you should join the PTA:
It takes the involvement of the entire Bethesda Elementary community - parents, teachers and administrators, MCPS, neighbors, and local businesses to ensure the continued success and the special community that exists at B.E. We need your voice to be part of the conversation so we can provide creative and impactful programming and advocacy for our school.

PTA supports our community through programming both in the school and in the community. We expect this programming will look different this year and need your creativity and energy to continue our efforts. With you we can B.E. our best!

How to Join the PTA:
PTA Membership is $20 per adult. This money allows the PTA to operate, pay state and local dues, provide programming and support and gives you a voice in the process. Your membership gives you a vote on important PTA issues like board elections and budget approval. Every adult member of your household should become a member if they can. You can sign up at https://bepta.membershiptoolkit.com/membership.

We are fortunate to be a part of such a wonderful community and school. See you this fall and Thank You for supporting the Bethesda Elementary PTA!

**Scholarship memberships are available if membership costs pose a financial burden, please reach out to the school counselor for more information. Your voice is important, help us advocate for our B.E. students, please join us!

PTA Fundraising

The PTA hosts a number of fundraising efforts throughout the year in order to support the programming and community-building activities that make our school so special.

The Lion’s Pride Campaign to fund the BE Student Fund - our annual check-writing campaign - is the backbone of our fundraising efforts to bridge the gap between the basic services that Montgomery County funding provides and the arts and cultural programming, STEM programming, community activities, and teacher and staff training that make the BE experience great for our students. Each year, the dollars in the Student Fund provide needed and rewarding programs, activities, and supplies for that school year by providing those items that are not covered by Montgomery County.

In a traditional year, BE PTA invests approximately $160 in each student, each year. This includes: supporting teacher and staff training in new curricula, instructional materials for math and reading, classroom supplies (including new books), classroom technology (e.g., Chromebooks, Promethean boards), STEM activities Cultural Arts initiatives, new recess and PE activities, playground improvements, assistance for students who need financial help (scholarships, pantry items, etc.), and our wonderful PTA-sponsored nights.

Should you wish to contribute to the BE Student Fund now, you can do so by accessing the BE Student Fund here: https://bepta.membershiptoolkit.com/store/6307.

Funds from membership also go toward some of these very important initiatives so please do become a member now! The PTA also hosts some other fun fundraisers throughout the year. Details on some of those opportunities are below.

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Bethesda Elementary Parent Handbook