Mustang Message - April 24, 2022

We are a community of learners thriving in a diverse world!

We are a family.

We are capable.

We are caring.

We all belong!

 

M

Our military connected students enjoyed donuts with their parents as we recognize Military Children in FCPS this month.

 

News from the PTA

The next general PTA meeting will be held on April 28, virtually at 6pm.  The link will be sent out closer to the event.  

Also, teacher appreciation week is coming! 

All next week, April 25th - 29th, bring in an item from your teacher’s wish list (email BMP.PTA@gmail.com for ideas) to the front office for the PTA to distribute during teacher appreciation week.

On Sunday, May 1st, everyone is invited to meet us at the school at 2:00 pm for chalk the sidewalk event! Let’s welcome teachers on Monday with sweet messages!

On Wednesday, May 4th, bring your teacher a token appreciation. A note, drawing, gift - it can be anything!

On Friday the 6th, bring your favorite sweet treat to share!

 

CARNIVAL

Save the date for the 2022 Bren Mar Park Spring Carnival. The students have worked hard all year and now it’s time to have some fun. There will be carnival games, music, cotton candy, face painting and Teacher vs Students (3rd – 5th graders) basketball games. Oh, and how can I forget…PRIZES. The carnival is free to BMP families.

We are looking for volunteers to help make this event a success. Please sign up to volunteer (Bren Mar Park Spring Carnival) for either 4:30-5:45 pm or 5:45-7:30 pm or both. The following volunteers are needed:

  • Face Painting: If you have art skills and even if you don’t (we may have templates), we need a few volunteers to face paint.
  • Carnival Games: There will be at least 8 games rented from the carnival vendor. We will need volunteers to run the games and keep the lines in order.
  • Prizes: Volunteers to pass out prizes
  • Concessions: We may sell pizza or some food and will need someone to handle sells. In addition, we will give out cotton candy and popcorn. The vendor will show us how to operate the machine and we will need volunteers to make and distribute the cotton candy and popcorn.
  • Basketball Games: We will need referees for the Teachers vs Students games

SOCCER ANYONE

Hey Bren Mar Park Students and Families, join us for the FCPS District Night on May 7 to watch the Black-and-Red (DC United) take on the Houston Dynamo at 7:30 pm. Tickets start at just $27. Just click on this link https://fevo.me/fcpsdcunight and you will be seated next to your friends and family!

 

Parent Coffee and Conversation Thursday, April 28th

Join us for this month’s Parent Coffee and Conversation on Thursday, April 28th at 9:30 a.m., offered virtually and in person. The Topic will be “Ways  Parents Can Prepare Their Preschool Children for Success in School as Their Child’s First Teacher” presented by Elizabeth Bruzon from H.I.P.P.Y, in English and Spanish.

 

Ways to Help Your Child at Home

In our primary grades, students are learning to use standard of units of time, and this takes daily practice.  When your child can relate length of time to personal events, he/she will begin to understand the math concept and words including:

  • Longer and shorter
  • Faster and slower
  • First and last
  • Before and after

Use cues to let your child know the passage of time (for example, “It took us only two minutes to tidy up your toys”).

Tell your child the time in the context of daily activities (for example, “It will be 7 p.m. in ten minutes and time for your bath”).

Use a clock, with your child, to know how much time it takes to get to school, eat meals, get ready for bed or play a game.

Perhaps your child can help organize personal and family events on a calendar.   

Practice writing on the calendar some favorite “away from home” activities (such as playing a sport, going to the library or visiting a friend) and what time the activity will take place (for example, soccer 7 p.m. to 8 p.m.)

Practice with these online tools  Clock and Interactive Clock

Phuong Hoang ~ Math Resource Teacher

 

Summer Events

Bren Mar Park will be hosting Rec-PAC in our school building this year.  For more information, please visit the Park Authority website.

 

Health & Safety Reminders

As we begin the last quarter of the school year, we remind families:

  - For the safety of all children, please be sure to bring a photo ID when picking up your child from school; only individuals on the emergency care card with photo ID may check a child out from school

  - For the safety of children with allergies, please consider non-food items such as pencils, small gift items, or a book donation to the classroom; food-based birthday treats are not to be brought to school

  - For the health and safety of all children, please leave animals at home when walking to school or keep any pets on public sidewalks; dogs may not be brought onto school grounds

  - For the safe flow of traffic, families who drive to school should use the Kiss & Ride lanes and follow the traffic patterns; please do not drive around cars or use handicap or other parking spaces as pick up/drop off locations

We appreciate your support in helping Bren Mar Park be a safe and respectful place for all of our students and community members!

 

Specialist Spotlight: Strings

We are looking forward to presenting a great spring concert along with our school band and chorus. Strings students have been working on three musical selections, and we are continuing to develop skills and practice good posture and position. Our evening performance will be held in the gym on Wednesday, April 20 at 7:00 PM.

3rd grade students will be invited to a special concert during school on April 20. 3rd and 4th grade students should start thinking about taking strings class during the next school year. Most of our 5th graders will continue to play their string instruments at Holmes Middle School, and we look forward to seeing them continue to make music.

Mr. Calvin Zubaly, from George Mason University, has joined our classes over the past few weeks as a student teacher. He will assist with the concert and will continue to teach parts of our strings classes until May 4.

Thank you to our strings parents for your support and encouragement.

- Mr. Johnson, Strings Teacher

 

Attendance Matters!

Every day counts when it comes to student attendance.  Your child's attendance is very important!  Teachers will be teaching, and students will be learning. 

  • Studies have shown that just 2 absences per month can cause students to fall behind and start to struggle. Let’s finish this school year strong!
  • According to a recent study of elementary and middle schools, there’s a 5.8% difference between April and June attendance rates.  And, in some schools, the attendance drop is nearly twice that.  Let's work together to end the school year with success.

 

HOW CAN YOU HELP YOUR CHILD HAVE GOOD ATTENDANCE?

  • Don’t let your child stay home unless she is truly sick. Complaints of a stomachache or headache may be a sign of anxiety and not necessarily a reason to stay home, especially if your child has not been exposed to Covid-19.
  • If your child seems anxious about going to school, talk to your child's teacher, our school counselor Ms. Kramer, or other parents/guardians for advice on how to make her feel comfortable and excited about learning.
  • Talk to teachers if you notice sudden changes in behavior. These could be tied to something going on at school, and we are here to help!
  • Ask for help from school officials, afterschool programs, other parents or community agencies if you’re having trouble getting your child to school.  Contact our Family Liaison, Mrs. Chetelat, if you might need support with this.
  • We ask that family trips and extended vacations be limited to scheduled school holidays, such as Spring and Summer breaks.  Every school day is important for teaching and learning.  The last day of this school year is Friday, June 10th.

Thank you for your partnership!

 

Kindergarten Orientation

We invite families of rising Kindergarten students to join us for Kindergarten Orientation to learn more about Bren Mar Park and a typical school day.

 

Kindergarten Orientation

Wednesday, April 27, 2022

4:30 - 5:30 p.m.

In-Person and Virtual Participation Options

 

Lunch Meal Information

Ms. Lee, our cafeteria manager, reminds families that one lunch meal per child continues to be free for every student in our building.  Students are to take the full meal and not just one item.  Should a child want an extra serving, those items will be charged to the child’s lunch account at the following prices:

Extra Meal                                        $4.50

One Side Dish (like fries)                 $2.75

Milk                                                   $0.60

Families can pay 3 ways:  MySchoolBucks, check or cash.  Families may also choose to apply for free- or reduced-meals through the online application here.   Free- or reduced-meal qualifications may also allow families to access reduced fees for other programs, including some summer programs.

 

Important Upcoming Dates/Events

April 27                 Kindergarten Orientation, 4:30 p.m.

April 28                 Parent Coffee, 9:30 a.m., virtual and in person

April 28                 PTA General Body Meeting: ELECTIONS (6:00 pm) Virtual

May 2 - 6              Teacher & Staff Appreciation Week

May 2 - June 3     SOL Testing for students in grades 3-5

May 5                   Family Market 5 p.m.

May 6                   Spring Carnival

May 7                   DC United FCPS Night

May 15 - 21         Glory Days Restaurant Week Fundraiser

May 18 or 20       PTA Volunteer Appreciation Meeting (Glory Days)

May 23                Domino's Doug-raiser Restaurant Night 

May 30                Memorial Day Holiday     

June 10                Last Day of School

August 22             First Day of the 2022-23 School Year, Grades K-5