Week Ahead:
Mon., Mar. 4 MD State Assessments (Gr. 3 & 4, Reading)
Language Stars, 3:30-4:30 pm, rm. 236
Lego Cyber-Robotics, 3:30-4:30 pm, rm. 153
Art, 3:30-4:30 pm, rm. 163
Tues., Mar. 5 MD State Assessments (Gr. 3 & 4, Reading)
Big Learning Engineering, 3:30-4:30 pm, rm. 163
Lego Engineering, 3:30-4:30 pm, rm. 121
Reading Kids Network, 3:30-4:30 pm, Media Center
Basketball, 3:30-4:30 pm, gym
Math Curriculum Mtg. for Grade 4 Parents, 6:00-7:00 pm, Media Center
PTA Mtg., 7:00 pm, Media Center
Wed., Mar. 6 Beginning French, 8:00-9:00 am, rm. 218
Intermediate Spanish, 8:00-9:00 am, rm. 223
MD State Assessments (Gr. 5, Reading)
Gr. 2 Brownies
Beginning Spanish, 3:30-4:30 pm, rm. 223
Power Hour, 3:30-4:30 pm, rm. 164
Chess, 3:30-4:45, Media Center
Potomac Pizza, 4:00-closing (proceeds benefit Bells Mill Odyssey of the Mind Program)
Board of Ed./Churchill Cluster Community Meeting, Churchill HS, 7:00 pm
Thur., Mar. 7 MD State Assessments (Gr. 5, Reading)
Hip Hop, 3:30-4:30, rm. 120
Reading Kids Network, 3:30-4:30 pm, Media Center
Basketball, 3:30-4:45, gym
Kung Fu, 3:30-4:30 pm, rm. 121
Chemistry K/1, 3:30-4:30 pm, 163
Chemistry 2/3, 3:30-4:30 pm, 219
Fri., Mar. 8 Wear your school colors
Odyssey of the Mind, 3:30
Have a great weekend!
A Look Ahead
Mar. 11 Math Curriculum Mtg. for Grade 3 Parents, 7:00-8:00 pm, Media Center
Talent Show Tryouts, 3:30-5:00 pm, gym
Mar. 14 Talent Show Mandatory Dress Rehearsal, 3:30-5:00 pm, gym
Mar. 15 Talent Show, 6:30-8:30 pm, APR
Mar. 25-Apr. 1 No School for Spring Break and Easter Holiday
Apr. 2 No School for Students, Professional Day for Teachers
- Calling all Dawg fans! Come out and support your Churchill Bulldogs in the Regional Semi Finals as they face Quince Orchard HS on Tuesday, March 5. Game time is 6:45 pm at Churchill HS. Let’s pack the house, and support the Bulldogs as they look to advance to the Regional Finals and keep their playoff run going! Go Dawgs!
- Grade 4 parents, you are invited to a meeting to learn about Math Curriculum 2.0 for your students as they transition from Grade 4 to Grade 5, Tuesday, March 5, 6:00-7:00 pm, Media Center.
- The Churchill Cluster is scheduled to meet with the Board of Education for an open dialogue/discussion on topics of interest to our cluster. Our community is invited to the meeting, Wednesday, March 6, 7:00 pm, at Churchill HS.
- Attention parents of 3rd, 4th and 5th graders, Maryland State Assessments (MSA) are administered in March to students in 3rd, 4th and 5th grades. We encourage students to eat a healthy breakfast, come to school on time, and be well-rested for testing. Testing will last all morning. Students who are absent due to illness will have the opportunity to make up all or part of the tests. Parents, please refrain from making appointments for your students during these important testing dates:
Gr. 3 and 4 Reading—Mon., Mar. 4, and Tue., Mar. 5 Gr. 3 and 4 Math—Fri., Mar. 8, and Mon., Mar. 11
Gr. 5 Reading–Wed., Mar. 6, and Thur., Mar. 7 Gr. 5 Math—Tues., Mar. 12, and Wed., Mar. 13
Make-ups—Thur., Mar. 14, and Fri., Mar. 15
- Grade 3 parents, you are invited to a meeting to learn about Math Curriculum 2.0 for the next school year, Monday, March 11, 7:00-8:00 pm, Media Center. At the meeting you’ll also learn about the decision tree for identifying students for the compacted curriculum.
- The Head Start Program is accepting applications for their pre-K program. Students must be income eligible and four years of age by September 1, 2013. Information/applications, call the Head Start office at 301-230-0676.
- Thank you to Mr. Cantor, owner of Jendell Construction, for installing the mosaics that were created by our Best Buddies students. The mosaics are located across the hall from the gym, so next time you’re in the building take a detour to see these beautiful works of art.
- Take a break from the dinner grind on Wednesday, March 6, at Potomac Pizza! Join Bells Mill families and friends at Potomac Pizza on Wednesday, March 6, 4:00 pm to closing, and help support Bells Mill’s Odyssey of the Mind program. Not in the mood for pizza? Potomac Pizza also offers healthy salads, sandwiches, subs, and more. Be sure to tell your server or the person taking your phone order that you are with Bells Mill. Twenty percent of this evening’s proceeds from eat-in and carry out orders will benefit Bells Mill’s Odyssey of the Mind teams. Don’t forget to mark your calendars!
- Montgomery County Public Schools will hold a Community Meeting on the Strategic Plan—Our Call to Action: Pursuit of Excellence—on Tuesday, March 5, 2013, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. in the auditorium at the Carver Educational Services Center, 850 Hungerford Drive in Rockville. MCPS would like to hear your thoughts on how the school system can update the plan and ensure that all students are equipped with the skills and resources they need to thrive academically and socially. The event is free and open to the public. Free childcare (ages 4 and up) and interpretation services will be provided. Call the Office of Community Engagement and Partnerships at 301-279-3074 if you have any questions.
- All 3rd, 4th and 5th graders are invited to participate in the Geography Bowl. Study packets will be handed out to students on March 15. Students who wish to try out for their class team will take a quiz during the week of April 22 (all students who take the quiz will receive a prize). The four top scorers in each class will comprise the class team. Teams will compete in the Geography Bowl May 21-23. The class with the winning team will receive a Baskin-Robbins ice cream party. Check backpacks for an informational flyer.
- Bells Mill Has Talent! Our 5th annual Talent Show is Friday, March 15, 2013, 6:30-8:30 pm, in the APR. Tryouts are Monday, March 11, 3:30-5:00 pm, in the gym. Mandatory rehearsal is Thursday, March 14, 3:30-5:00 pm, in the gym. No transportation is available. Every student who auditions will be included in the show. Pink information flyers/permission forms went home in backpacks. Please complete the permission form portion of the flyer, and have your child bring it to tryouts on Monday, March 11. All performances must be appropriate for elementary-age children. Questions, call Latisha Gasaway at 301-977-9393 or [email protected] .
- It’s time to order the Bells Mill yearbook. Order online by logging on to ybpay.lifetouch.com . Enter job # 11371913 which will take you to a secure order site for Bells Mills ES. Early order by March 22 and the cost is $22. From March 23 to April 12 the cost is $27. Please order by April 12.
- MCPS will be conducting a parent engagement survey beginning on March 1 that will focus on parent and guardian perceptions of their child’s school and education. The information provided will help our schools better understand your involvement in your child’s education and improve connections between schools and families. A random sample of families at all grade levels in each MCPS school will be asked to participate in the survey. If you are selected, the information will be sent directly to your home with instructions on how to complete the survey. The survey will be available March 1 through May 24, 2013. The survey is translated into six languages: Amharic, Chinese, French, Korean, Spanish, and Vietnamese. Families will receive the survey in the language they have indicated is spoken at home.
- Mark your calendars. There is no school March 25 through April 2 due to spring break, Easter holiday, and professional day for teachers. See you back at school on Wednesday, April 3.
- Read three books and get a free ticket to a Frederick Keys baseball game! Bells Mill students have been participating in the Keys for Reading Program. Red bookmarks/tickets and flyers explaining the rules were sent home with each student. Students who read the three books required w/ parent signature can soon turn in the red bookmark for a free ticket to attend a Frederick Keys game anytime during the weekend of April 5-7. Directions for turning in the red bookmark/ticket for a free ticket are explained on the back of the bookmark. Additional discounted parent and sibling tickets can be purchased for the game. Bells Mill staff and students hope to have a big crowd for the Sunday, April 7, game day. There will be a parade on the field starting at 1:30 for all the kids who participated. The game starts at 2:00. We hope to see many families there rooting for the Keys!