Bedwell Friday Folder
 
May 3, 2013
Hello at home,  
 
As the days get warmer, spirits lift.  Though lives today may at times be hectic, the fun of playing outside after school remains unsurpassed.  
     

Take time to smell the roses! 

 

Gretchen Dempsey

Assistant Principal 

 
May:
  • 5/7/13   HSA Staff Appreciation Luncheon
  • 5/8/13   Spring Concert
  • 5/10/13 HSA Plant Sale
  • 5/13/13 - 5/17/13 NJASK testing - Grades 3 & 4
  • 5/14/13 HSA meeting
  • 5/16/13 Kindergarten Parent Teacher Conferences
  • 5/20/13 - 5/24/13 NJASK make-ups
Miscellaneous: 
  • NEW! May Lunch Menu
  • In March Bedwell Elementary School received the NJ Green Ribbon School Award from the New Jersey Department of Education. In addition to this wonderful news, we have more exciting information! The US Department of Education has just announced that Bedwell Elementary School is a National Green Ribbon School Award winner. This is the highest honor in the nation for schools that are outstanding examples of schools taking a comprehensive approach to being a green school with a commitment to environmental stewardship, health and sustainability. With over 500,00 schools in the nation, Bedwell is one of only 64 schools who will receive this honor.  Congratulations to the students, staff and parents at Bedwell Elementary School for helping us with this wonderful achievement.
  • Attention second, third and fourth grade families! Remember the little pine seedling  your child received in 1st grade? Did you plant it?  These seedlings were funded by The Friends for Greener Bernardsville, and they would love to see how the trees are doing. Please take a picture of your little tree and email it to Karen Mastrangeli (Schessler) at kmastrangeli@shsd.org.
  • Letter from Ms. Phelan regarding next year's placement process for students currently in Kindergarten, First Grade, Second Grade and Third Grade.
  • Sign up for Field Day!  Thursday, June 6 (Rain date: June 7) Please note that you will NOT need to register an account on VolunteerSpot and your email will not be shared.  
  • Please take the time to complete Maschio's cafeteria survey!  At Maschio's our customers are important to us and this survey is intended to help us determine what we can do to meet your needs. It will only take a minute! Thank you for taking the time to let us know how we are doing and what we can do to provide better service. Participation in the survey is anonymous. 
  • Effective immediately, visitors to The Somerset Hills School District may be asked to show a photo ID upon arrival.  Additionally, as a reminder, all visitors are required to sign in at the main office, state the purpose of the visit, wear a visitor's badge, sign out, and return the visitor's badge when leaving.  We appreciate your cooperation as we work together to keep our school community safe. 
  • Study Island is an interactive way for your children to practice for the NJASK. It offers practice questions on all standards in math, reading, and writing, with sample lessons and games. Study Island tabulates scores and ranks our students' performance amongst like-age students. All 3rd and 4th grade students have been provided their usernames and passwords in technology class, so please try Study Island, for it may be the educational vacation they're looking for!   Study Island can be accessed at www.studyisland.com. Please email Mr. Thurlow if you have any further questions, at athurlow@shsd.org.
  • Reminder! Students arriving via the Car Rider Line may be dropped off at the back of the building between 8:35-8:50 AM when teachers are on Car Rider Duty and the back doors are being monitored. Students are never to be dropped off without a staff member present. If you pull up to the Car Rider Line before 8:35 or after 8:50 when no staff members are present, do not let your child out of the car.  After 8:50, parents must drive to the front of the building to drop students off. If it is after 8:55 AM, parents must bring the students into the main office to sign in. We appreciate your cooperation as we work together to keep our school community safe.
  • Reminder!  We've noticed that some students have been carrying electronic devices to Bedwell. As detailed in our Parent Handbook, students should not bring items of value to school. Please help us keep your costly items safe by leaving them at home.
  • School Closings, Early Dismissals, Delayed Openings and Parent Notifications
  • Bernards High School Fly Fishing Club is looking for used rods, reels and equipment. If you have anything that you no longer use or need and would like to donate it to the club, please email Jim McCarron at jmccarron@shsd.org.
  • Revised district calendar 
  • Sign up for the Community Folder 
  • Additional Somerset Hills School District Information 
  • NEW! ATTENTION PARENTS OF 4TH GRADERS: Bernardsville Middle School Home and School Association (BMS HSA) is pleased to welcome the 4th graders who will be joining BMS in the fall! Attached please find important dates for you and your soon to be 5th grader, including a parent orientation on May 7th at 7:00pm at BMS.
  • NEW! It's time for Bedwell's 2013 Walk-a-thon!  Please save the date, Tuesday, May 21st (Rain date - Wednesday, May 22nd)
  • NEW! Support the Bedwell Garden! - Mr McCarron has been busy getting the vegetable garden ready for the kids and has been splitting seedlings and plants so that Bedwell families can benefit from great quality vegetables too!  The Green Team will be helping Mr Mac sell these plants at the HSA's Mothers Day Plant Sale on May 10th. We will be outside the school from 9-3 selling Tomatoes (sungold, indigo, Italiano, early cherry etc), Squash, Cucumbers, Peppers and Eggplant. Come support this great garden and get some amazing plants for your own garden. The kids will love it!
  • Spirit Wear Sale!
  • Just in time for Mother's Day, HSA Plant Sale.  Order Form.
  • HSA-At-A-Glance
  • Bedwell's first international FoodFest.  Sign up now! En espanol!
  • Shop at Shoprite or Starbucks? Order your gift cards through Scrip!
  • For all HSA members who want to begin enjoying the Online Member directory today, please see these tips to get started right away.
  • Waste-Free Wednesday Lunch Program
  • It's not too late to receive access to the HSA Membership Directory!  If you are interested, please click for the Membership Form and Pledge Form. 

 

  • NEW! HONOR A STAFF MEMBER TODAY!   SHEF has initiated its 5th annual end-of-year Staff Tribute Program where parents can make a donation to SHEF in the name of a SHSD staff member.   Staff Tribute Donation Forms were mailed to all families on April 22nd.  Or, click here for the Donation Form.  Mail your donations by May 24th.
  • PLANNING FOR SHEF'S FUTURE! The SHEF Trustees are thrilled to announce the establishment of THE SOMERSET HILLS EDUCATION FOUNDATION PETER J. MILLER ENDOWMENT FUND to honor Superintendent Pete Miller who is retiring on June 30, 2013 after serving the district admirably for 35 years.  Establishing an endowment in the name of Pete Miller recognizes his many contributions, his values and his long term commitment to The Somerset Hills School District (SHSD).  By establishing this fund the SHEF Trustees are planning for the foundation's future - honoring its long-term commitment to promote and provide education opportunities by funding innovative programs and projects for the benefit of the students of the SHSD.  SHEF's goal is to raise $35,000 by June 30 in honor of Peter Miller's 35 years of dedication to the district.  With leading gift contributions by SHEF Trustees already pledged, SHEF is looking forward to the support of the Endowment fund by parents, alumnus and community members who share our commitment to the students of the SHSD.  To pledge or to make a contribution, CLICK HERE to download the Endowment Fund Letter of Intent.
  • The Somerset Hills Education Foundation is pleased to announce a new initiative called the SHEF Enrichment Academy.  Through the Academy, students will be able to take very reasonably priced summer courses that will enhance or enrich their current academic pursuits.  Although these courses will not be for academic credit, they would be enriching courses that will help further develop various skills, abilities, talents and interests.  Program guides containing a list of available courses as well as registration information will be available in the next few weeks.  Questions can be addressed to shefenrichment@shsd.org