The Bells Mill PTA is proud to help coordinate a variety of before and after-school enrichment opportunities for our students! From chess to sports and science, there’s something for everyone to enjoy this school year. We will update this post as more programs are finalized, prior to returning to school on August 26.
Important Note: All activities are run by outside providers—not the school or PTA—so families must contact vendors directly with any questions. These programs manage their own schedules, student supervision, and safety protocols.
New This Year: Kiddo Platform!
The Bells Mill PTA is using enrichment activity planning and management tools offered by Kiddo, a Montgomery County based public benefit company. Kiddo provides a central place for families to easily explore, register for, and manage their kid’s enrichment activities, while helping local enrichment providers reach more families directly. Kiddo is free to use for all families, and you’ll need to create an account to be able to register for most activities listed below.
Fall Enrichment Offerings
Jimmy Potter’s Workshop (Cultural Clay Creations)— Discover the world through the magic of clay in our fall after-school pottery class, Cultural Clay Creations! Each week, your child will travel to a different part of the world without leaving their seat—from the colorful patterns of Mexican Talavera to the elegant designs of Japanese ceramics, kids will learn about different cultures while making their own beautiful clay masterpieces. It’s a fun, hands-on adventure that combines learning and creativity, helping children appreciate the rich diversity of our world. Link to Register (Mondays)
Brit-Am Soccer—The Brit-Am after-school player development program (PDL) is a chance for boys and girls in K-3rd grade to play soccer after school with classmates. During class, our experienced and licensed coaches provide players with fun, challenging games that develop fundamental athletic skills and basic soccer techniques such as dribbling, shooting, and turning, while also learning the attacking and defensive principles of play. The players will also be encouraged to work on sharing, sportsmanship, and fair play. Link to Register (Mondays)
Chess Club—Learn chess with Silver Knights Chess, formerly called Magnus Academy! We’ve taught 100,000 children to play, including state & national champions, but most students are beginners looking to learn a new skill and have FUN. Class time is divided between lessons and practice games. Lessons range from the basic rules to advanced tournament strategies. This in-person club includes free online extras, including a ChessKid Gold Membership, weekly practice tournaments, and a bonus event with a chess star. All chess supplies provided. All skill levels are welcome. Link to Register (Tuesdays)
Cheer-IT with Spir-IT Cheerleading & Jump Rope – Rope Motion creates Emotion! Take your spirit to a higher level! Learn routines, cheers, motions and jumps that promote teamwork, fitness and FUN. We’ll work on basic cheer and dance movements that have participants smiling from ear to ear and bouncing from head to toe! We bring the sidelines to center stage with cheers that include: “Who Rocks the House”, “G-O Yell GO”, “Dynamite”, and many more. Our pyramid of activity will include cheers, routines, jump roping, and warm up games. Link to Register (Tuesdays)
STEM FUNdamentals using LEGO -Level up your engineering skills with Play-Well TEKnologies and tens of thousands of LEGO® parts! Apply real-world concepts in physics, engineering, and architecture through engineer-designed projects. Projects are rotated seasonally to ensure that even returning students get a new experience. Link to Register (Wednesdays)
Tiny Chefs Cooking—In this exciting class, kids will explore a variety of fun and tasty treats, from sweet to savory, all perfectly portioned on sticks for easy grabbing and munching. You’ll have the chance to prepare delicious creations like Banana Split Sticks, Sticky Stacky Sandwiches, Mini Meatball Subs, Chef Salad Sticks, and more! Link to Register K-5(Wednesdays)
Basketball—Have fun playing basketball with the DMV Rebels professional coaches. Players will be challenged according to their ability, and we will combine basketball skill work and development with fun competitive games while working to build complete players. Link to Register (Thursdays)
Girls on the Run—GOTR is a transformational physical activity-based positive youth development program that teaches life skills through dynamic, interactive lessons and running games. The program aims to unleash confidence through accomplishment while establishing a lifetime appreciation of health and fitness. Completing a 5K on November 23rd gives them a
tangible opportunity to apply everything they have learned. Link to Register (Mondays/Thursdays)
Huayuan Chinese Academy—A long-standing language & cultural program with flexible scheduling. Link to Register (Monday-Friday)
And More!
Keep an eye on the Bear Post for updates on special programs like Model UN and Odyssey of the Mind.
If you have any questions regarding enrichment, please email enrichment@bellsmill.org.
*The Bells Mill PTA is providing information on enrichment opportunities in our community as a courtesy to parents. The Bells Mill PTA does not endorse or recommend any enrichment opportunities.