Welcome to February! The shortest of months has much packed into the 28 days ahead!

Today starts the registrations for the 2018-2019 school year. Applications are available at the front office. Please remember that even if you have a child currently at BCHMCPS, if you have a sibling you wish to attend BCHMCPS, you MUST fill out an application for the sibling(s). Siblings are considered first for enrollment but a completed registration must be submitted to the office. Registration runs through March 15th at 12 pm.

This past Monday, January 29th, the Barnstable Police Department conducted a lockdown drill with our students. All families were emailed a letter following the drill and a letter was also sent home via backpacks. Please feel free to contact me (Dr. Kukstis) with any questions you may have.


Cluster #3 is this Friday. We have had so much fun the past two weeks and look forward to continuing the fun this week.

• Please remember to send in a note if you are changing your child's dismissal. For those rare last minute changes, it is very important that you call before 2:00 pm.               
• All BCHMCPS students receive free breakfast EVERY day in the classroom. All students have a piece of fruit, breakfast item, juice and milk every day!                            
  
                        
• For the safety of students, parents and teachers please only park in legal parking spots at HYCC when dropping off and picking up students at the walkers entrance OR use parent pickup on the north side where your child can be picked up and dropped off at the entrance and does not require an adult getting out of the car. Thank you for helping keep the school safe.                                                                                             
• Grade 3 Committee Spaghetti Supper is March 8th.
  The PTO is calling all local restaurants and business owners!  The PTO and Third Grade Spaghetti Supper Committee need your help!  They  are currently looking for food and paper goods donations to help offset the cost of our Third Grade Spaghetti Supper.This fundraiser supports our third grade celebration. Please contact the PTO or the front office if you are able to help out with donations for this fun family event.
  All families are invited and encouraged to attend. 
  
   
                                                                                                            
• BoxTops are a great way that the PTO uses to raise funds for the school. Reminder that the Bundle Up with Box Tops collection sheets are due this month!  Hurry up and collect those Tops!  Each top is worth $0.10. The PTO is holding a contest to see which classroom can bring in the most BoxTops by February 16th. Your child will be bringing home a Box Top flier today with more information.          
  
                                                                                                                   
• School vacation week is the week of February 19-23. 

This Week at BCHMCPS

Clusters!

Tomorrow is Week #2 of the Clusters. Week #1 was a big hit with students and adults alike and everyone is looking forward to more clusters tomorrow. Below are a few pictures of some of the fun!

The flu season is here! School Nurse Mrs. Melley would like to share the following information to help protect you and your families.

                                

Winter Health Reminders from BCHMCPS

A healthy school environment requires the cooperation and effort of all of us working together. During this time of year we tend to see higher incidences of strep throat, flu, respiratory and gastrointestinal illnesses. I would like to remind everyone that they can help to protect themselves and their families from many of these airborne illnesses. Follow the Habits for Good Health listed below recommended by the Center for Disease Control.

                                Habits for Good Health

• Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze-throw the tissue away after you use it. If you do not have a tissue, cover your mouth and nose with the inside of you elbow. For more information watch the video@ www.coughsafe.com
•  Wash your hands frequently with soap and water especially after you cough or sneeze. If you are not near water, use an alcohol based hand cleaner.
• Stay away as much as you can from people who are sick.
• If you or your child gets the flu, stay home from work or school. Do not go near other people so that you don’t make them sick too.
• Try not to touch your eyes, nose or mouth. Germs spread this way.
• Dress for the weather. Come to school dressed for the winter. Wear mittens or gloves. Wear a hat. If there is snow on the ground wear boots.

2018-2019 Open Enrollment 

 

Registrations for the 2018-2019 school year at BCHMCPS start next week on Thursday February 1. Please tell any interested family, friends or neighbors. Registrations will be accepted in the school office through March 15th at 12:00 pm. Please remember to check to check the registration form for the needed documentation.

Please also remember if you have siblings of current students you wish to register, a completed registration MUST be submitted by March 15th at 12 pm. Siblings are considered first for enrollment but a completed registration must be submitted to the office. 

 

 

The Week Ahead at BCHMCPS

“Darkness cannot drive out darkness, only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate, 

only love can do that.”  

                                                                                                                  Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

I hope that you all had a lovely, and warm, long weekend and had some time today to reflect on the reason we celebrate today with no school- Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Today his words resonate as clearly and importantly as they did during his lifetime.


A busy week coming up at BCHMCPS!

January's Principal Coffee will be tomorrow morning from 9:00-9:30 in the cafeteria. This month's topic will be a review of the School Report Card from the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. The School Report Card was sent home the first week in January and will be reviewed at the coffee. I hope to see you there!




This Wednesday the PTO will be holding a general meeting at 3:45 in the gym.

Friday starts the first week of the six-week Clusters! Thanks so much to the many talented parents, community members and teachers who have volunteered to run the variety of clusters offered to our students. Our students enjoy the clusters and learn so much during the six-week course. I will send out pictures after the first week so you can see and enjoy them as well!

Happy New Year 2018

While we had a warm welcome back after the winter vacation, we started the new year with frigid temperatures and a snowstorm!We had indoor recess this week. With warmer temperatures predicted next week, we are looking forward to outdoor recess again.

I wanted to take this opportunity to remind families that students should come to school with season-appropriate clothing- warm coats, mittens and hats. If any family needs support with providing this type of clothing, please do not hesitate to contact me, Dr. Kukstis, and I will make sure to that we get winter clothing for your child.

On the same subject, I would like to let families know how we make a decision about whether recess is inside or outside. While we always like to have children get fresh air and play outside, sometimes this is just not safe. We use a resource called "The Child Weather Watch" to decide. This is based on both temperature and wind chill. Below is a copy of this chart for your reference.

Please keep safe and warm out there!

Reminders:

• Next Wednesday, January 10th, is an early dismissal day for staff professional development. Students will be dismissed at 12:00; there is NO afterschool daycare program on Wednesday. 
• No school on Monday, January 15th in observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
   
  
  
  
  
  
  

This week at BCHMCPS

As we enter the last week before our winter break, I want to take a moment to thank all of our families for their continued support and commitment to all of our children and extend my wishes to all of you that you find all the joy and peace that this season offers. Although this is a short week ( no school on Friday!) there is much activity around the school and I hope to see many of you this week to offer these wishes in person.

Reminder that Tuesday is the December Principal's Coffee from 9-9:30. Please come by and enjoy a hot cup of coffee and breakfast pastry. This month Charter Coach Beth-Ann Allen will will talking about BCHMCPS's charter mission, the Accelerated Schools Plus Model.


A BIG thank you to all the families who took part in last week's fun Family Code Night. I would also like to thank Barnstable Public School's technology department's Beth Knittle, our own tech assistant Sally Johnson and very importantly, Barnstable High School senior Molly Autery ( Kindergarten teacher Mrs. Autery's daughter) who organized the whole event. Thank you!!

This Week at BCHMCPS

This weekend saw the first snowfall of the season. As we enter December and the colder months a reminder to please send your child in with a warm coat, hat, mittens and appropriate shoes for the colder weather. Every day, I see students with just a sweatshirt or sweater as they are heading out to recess. If we can help to provide warmer clothes for your child/ren, please contact me confidentially and will help provide warm clothes.

I have emailed all families a brochure with  important information about the flu and your child. Thank you to Nurse Melley for this important information.
Hard copies of this informational sheet can be found in the main office. This information can also be found on the following link:

https://www.cdc.gov/flu/pdf/freeresources/updated/fluguideforparents_brochure.pdf

On Friday, we will have the December All School Community Meeting at 9:30 at the Hyannis Youth Community Center (HYCC). Please remember that you must fill out the annual update of your child's information (located on the district and school website) for your child to attend this or any off school grounds field trip. Right now we have 11 families who still need to fill out the updated information.  Unfortunately and student whose information has not been updated will not be able to attend this meeting. If you are one of these 11 families and need assistance filling out the update, please feel free to come to the school office and we will assist you.



Reminders-

• We are hosting Family Code Night tomorrow night from 5:30-7:30. You MUST have signed  up ahead of time to attend. 
• There is a PTO Meeting on Wednesday December 13th at 3:45 in the gym.

Week of December 4th

I want to send a quick reminder to families that ALL BCHMCPS students get breakfast every day at no cost. We are so fortunate to be able to offer this to all students. In January, we will be asking our students about their favorite breakfast foods and getting their feedback on our breakfast program. We encourage students to partake in breakfast every day and ask that you encourage your child/ren as well. We also welcome your feedback on the Breakfast in the Classroom Program.

A reminder that Parent Teacher Conferences will take place this Tuesday and Thursday and students will be dismissed both days at 12:00. There will be NO after school daycare on Tuesday or Thursday.

During your Parent/Teacher Conference, please stop by the Math Room (Room 23) to see Mrs. Milne and/or the Reading Room to see Mrs. White (Room 22 ). Both teachers will be available to answer questions, or to help with our digital Math and Reading programs.    

BCHMCPS is collecting new socks and hats to donate those in need. There is a box outside the main office to put donations. Thank you for helping others.