Congratulations to Melissa Redner, Berkeley Lake's Teacher of the Year. Melissa is a 5th grade teacher and was nominated by the other teachers in the building.

Parents, mark your calendars down for Thursday, October 15. On that night, our counselors will be hosting a Zoom session from 6:30 - 7:30 PM with the topic of Parenting During a Pandemic: Helping Children Cope and Thrive.

In this workshop, we will discuss remote learning, wearing masks, discussing COVID-19 with children, and more. Join us for a conversation about the impact these issues have on emotional and behavioral health, and how to help children during this challenging time.

Please note that Spanish interpretation will also be provided for this workshop.

The Zoom link will be sent out privately closer to the date. We hope you can join us.

We know that it can be overwhelming to understand and manage all of the different technology programs our teachers are using. Some of the websites and apps we use are school-wide, meaning all teachers use them, but others are up to each teacher. We have created a new page on our website to help you through this. The page gives a list of most of the programs our teachers use and a brief description of each. You can find it by clicking on the "Parents" section in the top purple area of the page and then clicking on "Technology."

You are an important partner with your child’s teacher, whether your child is learning at home or at school. To help you support your child’s learning, GCPS is launching a new initiative called AKS at Home. With this project, families will learn ways to help their child practice skills they are learning in class as part of the district’s Academic Knowledge and Skills (AKS) curriculum.

Where: Virtual meeting via Zoom, links can be found here http://publish.gwinnett.k12.ga.us/gcps/home/public/parents/content/general-info/aksat-home/aks-at-home

Who: All Families of students in K - 5

Why: To learn an activity to help support your child at home in math and language arts.

If you are unable to attend the meeting, you can find the parent tip sheet and a recording of the meeting on the county website:

http://publish.gwinnett.k12.ga.us/gcps/home/public/parents/content/general-info/aks-athome/aks-at-home

Please keep in mind that there will be no school - in-person or digital on October 8th, 9th, and 12th for students.

Dear Parents/ Guardians, 

Many of us face economic hardships at various times in our lives. Due to these hardships, we may need additional help with basic needs like food.  At this time, Berkeley Lake ES can help by providing a small amount of groceries for your family each week. They will be sent home in your child’s backpack on Thursdays, or if you child is a digital learner; you can pick the food up at school during school lunch pick-up.  The food is provided by donation. Your name and your child’s name will not be revealed to the donor. The Berkeley Lake Staff will get the food to your child in a discrete manner, or you can pick-up the food between 10:30-12:30 each Thursday.  

To participate, please email one of us, call either school counselor, or Mrs. Orci (Spanish speaker) to request participation.

If you would like to participate, and your child is a digital learner, but you cannot pick-up the food from school between 10:30-12:30, please let us know that.  We will see what other ways we can help. 

Please call us with any questions or concerns. 

Lyndsay Murphy
lyndsay.murphy@gcpsk12.org
School Counselor
770-582-7523                                                                             

Laura Marantz
laura.marantz@gcpsk12.org
School Counselor
770-582-7522

Sandra Orci (Spanish)
sandra.orci@gcpsk12.org
Parent Liaison
678-291-4232

By now, more than 90% of U.S. households have been counted in the #2020Census. Census takers are visiting every household that has not already responded to make sure all households are counted. If you haven’t responded yet, it’s not too late! The deadline to respond is Sept. 30. You can respond online at 2020census.gov, by phone, or by mail. If a census taker comes to your home, please cooperate. Your community needs your response. Results of the census shape many aspects of our community— from funding for schools, highways, emergency services, and libraries to representation in Congress. Visit 2020Census.gov today to get started!

Election season— like everything else during this time of COVID-19— is going to be different. Most notably, it will be important for Georgians to request an absentee ballot as soon as possible if they want to vote by mail. A completed application to vote absentee must be received by the Elections Office before an absentee ballot is issued.

You may request a ballot in one of several ways:

• If you are registered in Gwinnett, call the Elections Office at 678-226-7210 to request an application be mailed to you.

• Download the application, complete it (including signature), then return the application to the Elections Office.

• Request your absentee ballot online at https://ballotrequest.sos.ga.gov/

You also have several options for returning your completed absentee ballot application:

• Fax it the Elections Office at 678-226-7208;

• Scan and email to absentee@gwinnettcounty.com; or

• Mail or deliver it to 455 Grayson Highway, Suite 200, Lawrenceville, 30046.

While registered voters can request a ballot up to the week before Election Day on Nov. 3, election officials urge voters to request their absentee ballot as soon as possible to avoid mail delays.

Online, check out FAQs on absentee voting. Locations, dates, and times for in-person advance voting have not been released yet, but will be posted by the Elections office once available.

Call the Gwinnett County Office of Elections at 678-226-7210 with questions about voting in Gwinnett.

The deadline to register to vote in Gwinnett County (or make changes to an existing registration) is Oct. 5.

Citizens can register by mail, online, or in many public buildings, including Gwinnett schools and the J. Alvin Wilbanks Instructional Support Center in Suwanee. On the Secretary of State’s website, log on to MVP— My Voting Page— for voter registration status, mail-in application and absentee ballot status, sample ballot, poll and advance voting locations, and more. 

If your child is in 2nd grade, is a DIGITAL learner student, and you would like for him/her to take the Iowa Assessment in school on September 29th and 30th, please click here to complete a form. Information about days, times, etc., is included in the form. Only complete the form if you want to bring your child to school to take the Assessment.

If your child is returning to school and will be a car rider, please fill out this survey so we can assign you a car rider number and give your child a car rider tag. Please note: Please only fill out this form one time. Staff will be assigned to ensure a safe and efficient car rider process, but your child will need to open and close his own car door during arrival and dismissal.

These meals are provided at no cost to the individual through the federal School Nutrition Program.

Students Attending School In-Person

Those attending school in-person will receive meals free-of-charge during their school’s scheduled meal times.

Curbside Pick-up for Digital Learners

Digital learners may pick up meals through the curbside pick-up programs at Berkeley Lake Elementary, Monday through Friday, between 10:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. Each day’s pick-up includes both breakfast and lunch. . Individuals will not be allowed to enter the school to pick up or eat meals.

Curbside Pick-up for Others 18 Years of Age or Younger:

Curbside pick-up meals also will be available at no charge to anyone 18 years of age or younger, even to children who are not GCPS students, Monday through Friday, between 10:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. at Berkeley Lake Elementary. Each day’s pick-up includes both breakfast and lunch. Individuals will not be allowed to enter the school to pick up or eat meals. (please note the Monday - Friday pick up is a new change, as it used to be a Monday - Thursday pick up only.)

Gwinnett County Public Schools encourages families who are eligible for the Free & Reduced Meal Program to complete the annual application to ensure meal benefits continue when this waiver expires. The application is available at https://www.nlappscloud.com/.

In these unique times, children need ways to dafely interact with other children. In Cub scoutns, your family will work directly with your small, grade-specific group, to decide what activities you are most comfortable with, whether it is taking a hike at a local park with new friends or having virtual visits to the local fire station.

Scouting offers a place for your child to build friendships, to grow, to find a sense of belonging. Your child will elarn values of citizenship, character and leadership in a safe environment.

How Cub Scouts Works

Cub Scouts is for boys and girls, grades kindergarten to fifth. Scouts and their families can join their Pack and Den activites to learn and experience new things, earn badges and prepare for their next adventure!

Each pack is led by trained volunteer leaders who are from your community. Scouting is for the whole family and we always encourage parents to participate and enjoy the fun of watching their children grow and learn!

When You Join Cub Scouts, You Get To Do Cool Things!

• Family Camping
• Pinewood Derby
• Community Scouting Activities

How to Join

• Attend our virtual Parent Information and Sign Up Night though Zoom on Tuesday, September 22 and 6:30 PM.
• Or text "join scouts" to 31996 to join today
• You can also visit our website at atlantabsa.org/cubscouts

Gwinnett County Public Schools is hiring individuals with two or more years of college to work as part of our substitute team! This involves going out to local schools and providing instruction through an in-person, digital, or hybrid format – you get to choose the assignments that you accept and determine your own schedule! Daily rates range from $98/day to $120/day.

Click here to learn more about our virtual job fair.

Click here to see a flyer about various Georgia Covid 19 Emotional Support Resources

Click here to be added to our chromebook and/or hotspot wait list. We will reach out to you using the email address you provide in the form once we have a chromebook ready for pick up.

Having problems with your child's school technology during Digital Learning? Click here to view our Technology Help Guides

Our Care Team and the BLES Counselors are here to help families with non-perishable food items and school supplies. If you would like to access our food pantry or need supplies at home to support on-line learning (paper, pencils, etc.), please contract your child's school counselor.

Lyndsay Murphy, M.A.
Grades K, 2, 4 and Pre K for Ms. Hutt's & Ms. Cmiel's classes
770-582-7523
lyndsay.murphy@gcpsk12.org

Laura Marantz, Ed.S.
Grades 1, 3, 5 and 2nd/3rd Kates & Pre K for Mack's class
770-582-7522
laura.marantz@gcpsk12.org

Play to Learn

Looking for a free program for your younger child that will encourage them and you to play, learn, and grow? Play to Learn is that program! Play to Learn is for children up to age 5 and the parents and caregivers. The program supports learning through play. We offer it here at Berkeley Lake Elementary for 90 minutes, once a week, from September to May. If you are interested in enrolling your child in our Play to Learn program, please reach out to Diana Diazgranados at Diana.Diazgranados@gcpsk12.org or call Sandra Orci at (678) 291-4232.

Gwinnett Grows

If you are a parent of a child from birth to preschool age, please visit this link to see more early learning resources offered by Gwinnett County Public Schools.

If you need to complete the Free and Reduced Priced Meal Application please click here. The application must be filled out each school year. Please complete as soon as possible.

Hello parents! For this on-going fall semester, Duluth High School’s National Honor Society (NHS) has offered to provide an exciting and innovative free tutoring service. Through Covac Education, a student organized corporation that strives to support the community through academic enrichment, student instructors from Duluth High School’s National Honor Society are providing free tutoring sessions for elementary students (1st-5th) in math--these sessions take place on Mondays through Thursdays from 4:00 - 6:00 pm.
As well as being completely free, these tutoring sessions are paired with Common-Core/Georgia Standards worksheets to help students make the most of their time. Sessions are 20 minutes long, and all instructors are trained and have access to teaching directions based on specific Georgia standards.
For students to take advantage of this, they just simply sign up online using an appointment form provided on Covac Education’s website (links below). After doing so, students are individually paired with an instructor from an NHS or other honor societies/volunteer organizations. Considering the hardships of digital learning, we believe that this is a great opportunity for every student!
This free tutoring service will begin the week following Labor Weekend on September 8th and sign-ups will begin September 4th. Please feel free to visit this link to learn more and sign up using this form.

Sincerely,
Duluth High School's National Honor Society

Last year, the Gwinnett County Public Library teamed up with Gwinnett County Schools to offer a free online tutoring program to help students who needed some additional support with daily digital learning assignments. We are happy to announce that the Tutor.com program is continuing this fall by offering online homework support. Click one of the help links below for more information.

Click here to learn how to use Tutor.com

Click here to learn how to access Tutor.com

Click here to log into Tutor.com

Self-guided learning resources have been made available to all through a collaboration between Gwinnett Public Libraries, GCPS, and Lynda.com.  By following this link you will be taken to the Gwinnett County Library webpage. At the bottom of the page, follow the directions. 

• Students' log-in and password are the student ID and login password
• for all others: Library Card number from back of card and 4 digit password that you created with your library account.

Parents, please refer to this checklist each morning if you are sending your child to school in person.

This flyer provides information on where to find information about COVID-19 cases in Gwinnett County and in the school district.

• Click here to view the school supply lists for digital learning

• Click here to view the school supply lists for in-person school learning.

• Need to borrow a chromebook or internet hotspot for your student? Please note that there is a waiting list for chromebooks. We will reach out to you through email when we have one for you to pick up for your student. In the meantime, your student can use another home computer, a tablet, or a cell phone. Please do not complete the form if you have already contacted the school about needing to borrow a chromebook. The form is only for brand new requests. Click here to add your student to the chromebook waitlist.