BALTIMORE HIGHLANDS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
HOME OF THE BULLDOGS!
http://baltimorehighlandses.bcps.org
PRINCIPAL: BRIAN WILLIAMS
ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL: DANA BISKER
ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL: CINDY METHENY
Baltimore Highland’s Mission Statement:
The BHES community meets the individual needs of the whole child while providing a safe and nurturing
learning environment. We establish high expectations to create a foundation that inspires students to
become lifelong learners.
We believe:
-Collaboration among staff, parents, students and community members is necessary to achieve
academic excellence.
-All community members serve as role models and should be valued.
-Students should be challenged academically and socially to achieve their personal best.
-Differentiated instruction is essential for our diverse learners.
-All community members should show respect for self and others.
-That teaching our students to think, dream, believe and achieve is vital to their future.
-Our students will be responsible citizens and productive community members.
MESSAGE FROM THE PRINCIPAL:
We hope everyone has been enjoying the Fall season. The month of November is going to be a
busy one at BHES. We will be getting ready for American Education Week. This is a very important
week because it is an opportunity for parents to come and join us to see all of the exciting teaching and
learning that is happening at our school. Look for a flyer to come home soon with the visitation dates and
times for each grade level. Conference Day will be on Friday, November 13. Please make sure to sign up
for a conference with your child’s teacher. We are looking forward to seeing how many of our students in
grades 3-5 earn the Baxter Ambassador or Golden Achiever’s Certificate for the first quarter.
We would like to thank all of our parents for your help this quarter to make sure students get to
school each and every day on time and ready to learn. For our first quarter of school, we had a 95%
attendance rate. This is really outstanding! We hope to continue that for the second quarter. Please
continue to help us with making sure students arrive to school on time each day. Please remember that
students are late for school after the 8:40 bell. The doors open by 8:20 each day, so we hope to have all
students arrive to school each day on time and ready to learn.
Our students in Grades 1-3 received their computer devices at the beginning of October. The
students are really enjoying the new technology. We are excited to continue to find engaging and
innovative ways to incorporate technology into daily lessons. Ask your child how they are using them in
class.
DATE : November
2015
REPORT CARDS:
The first marking period ended on October 30. Report cards will go home on Thursday, November 12th. Please
note that Grade 1 students will not receive a report card with grades and written comments until 2nd quarter. If
you would like to schedule a conference, please send in a note to your child's teacher and a conference will be set up
at a mutually convenient time during conference day on Friday, November 13th. Congratulations to your children
on an excellent and productive first quarter.
MARK YOUR CALENDAR:
Monday, November 2: PTA Meeting 6:00
Tuesday, November 10: 1st Quarter Perfect Attendance Assembly
Thursday, November 12: Report Cards Go Home/Pre-k Conference Day- no school for Pre-k students
Friday, November 13: Elementary Conference Day-Elementary Schools closed for students
Monday, November 16 thru Friday, November 20: American Education Week
Thursday, November 26 and Friday, November 27: Thanksgiving Holiday-School and Offices closed
STUDENT CONTACT INFORMATION FORMS:
Have you retuned the student contact information form and the Nurse form that was sent home with your child the
first day of school? Many of you have sent these forms back, and we do appreciate your help in updating our
records. If you have not completed your forms, please do so and return them as soon as possible. Thank you for
your help with this matter.
VOLUNTEER APPLICATIONS:
Baltimore County Public Schools require a volunteer application to be on file in order to participate in any
activity with the school. This includes fieldtrips, class parties, and any other school activity. Please
complete the application and return it to the school office in order to participate in upcoming trips. If you
plan to volunteer for a field trip and are chosen to help, we will offer the mandatory training before each
field trip. You must have an updated Volunteer Application and have received the mandatory training in
order to volunteer for any school event or to help at school.
Giant A+ School Rewards:
This is a reminder that Baltimore Highlands Elementary School is participating in the Giant A+ Rewards Program.
Please help our school by completing the information below so we will have the opportunity to earn cash for our
school through the Giant A+ School Rewards program.
All you have to do is:
Log on to www.giantfood.com/aplus to register online or call 1-877-275-2758 to register your card over the
phone (phone numbers cannot be accepted in place of GIANT CARD numbers.
Our ID # 01549 should be used..
DATE : November
2015
Box Tops for Education:
We can earn cash for our school when we collect, clip and return the box tops from participation products. Happy
Collecting!
AMERICAN EDUCATION WEEK:
Please join us during the week of November 16th thru 20th to visit with your child and be involved with their
education. A flyer will be coming home soon that will explain all of the details for American Education Week. We
look forward to having you join us for this special week. Also, on Friday, Nov. 20th, we would like to invite our
special Grandparents to come to school with your grandchild/ren and visit their classrooms to see all the wonderful
things they are learning. Visitation times will be from 9:00am-11:00am. You must get a Visitor’s Pass before you
go down to the classroom. Please bring your ID with you in order to get your pass.
ATTENDANCE:
Parents, please remember that we track student’s attendance daily. Students may enter the building starting at 8:20
and are considered late after the 8:40 bell. Maryland has an attendance law that recognizes satisfactory attendance as
missing no more than 12 days in a school year. That breaks down to 3 days a quarter. We meet monthly to review
student attendance and if your child is at the unsatisfactory rate for attendance and/or tardies, we will contact you
by letter, telephone or through our Pupil Personnel Worker. It is important for students to attend school each day
and to be on time. If your child is out sick, please make sure to send in a parent note or doctor’s note. Our goal is
to achieve 96% or better attendance each day. Starting in the second quarter of school, each week classrooms with
the highest attendance percentage will be recognized with a special certificate. The one class in the primary grades
and the one class in the intermediate grades with the most attendance certificates earned at the end of the school
year will earn a pizza party from Mr. Williams.
Baxter’s Ambassador and Golden Achievers:
In order to recognize the achievement and accomplishments of our students in Grade 3-5 for their
academic excellence in the areas of letter grades, effort and self-development, certificates will be given to
students with their report card based on the following criteria:
Baxter’s Ambassador’s: The students that earn this certificate are recognized for earning all A’s in every content
area and no more than one B in special area classes. In addition, these students received all 1’s in effort and receive
all 1’s and 2’s in the area of self-development
Baxter’s Golden Achiever’s: The students that earn this certificate are recognized for demonstrating good
academic achievement. They will be recognized for receiving all 1’s and 2’s in the area of effort and selfdevelopment in all subject areas including special area classes.
We look forward to recognizing our students for their outstanding accomplishments.
A message from the Parent Service Coordinator:
Hello Parents, Guardians and Friends of BHES:
Don’t forget about our Parent Lending Library and Parent Resource Computers located in the front lobby of the
school. The library is for your use and is filled with games and books that you may borrow and use at home with
your children. The computers are available for you to use any day during school hours and also
DATE : November
2015
have printing capabilities. Please make sure to keep your eyes open for some exciting workshops for
parents during American Education Week. Don’t forget to stop in and see what your student in learning in
school. You can also find out useful information by checking out our website at www.bheselementary.org. Should
you have any questions or comments, you can reach me at either (410) 887-0919 or email me at
mcondon@bcps.org.
Mary Condon,
Parent Service Coordinator
Library News:
What’s happening in the Library?
Students in Grades 2-5 have been working hard on locating resources in our Destiny Catalog. Including learning
how to download and read EBooks. These digital books are best read using Google Chrome for your internet
browser.
Option 1: BCPS One> Via the Digital Content box-- https://bcpsone.bcps.org
Option 2: Type is destiny.bcps.org > Log In > User Name & Password
Students in First Grade and Kindergarten have been reviewing their ABC’s in order to locate book by using the
book’s Call #. First Grade has also been spending the first quarter exploring the Non Fiction and Fiction Sections
in the library, in order to find their favorite genre of books!
Next up will be our Computer Safety Unit.
REMINDER: Please remind your students to RETURN ALL checked out books on time each week.
Students also need their badges for self checkout. If they do not have both items, they will not be able to
get new books for that week. If books can’t be found or are damanged beyone repair, please make
arrangement to replace that item. BHES accepts Money Orders or cash, unfortunaley, personal checks
are not accepted at this time. If help is needed concerning these Lost or destroyed item, PLEASE call Ms.
Gravette at #410-887-0919 so that accomadations can be made. Thanks for your HElP!
Flu Mist Clinic Delayed
Because of a delay in shipment of Flumist, our clinic scheduled for November 6 will be delayed. It will be held in
early December. Updated information will be sent home soon.
Flu mist is a seasonal flu vaccine, given as a nasal spray. It will protect your child from catching the seasonal flu.
Outbreaks of the flu can lead to increased school absenteeism and lost days of work for parents. The CDC
recommends this vaccine for healthy children ages 2 years and older. If you have any questions, please contact Pat
Smith, the school nurse.
DATE : November
2015