October is National Bullying Prevention Month! Kindness ROCKS at BLES and we are celebrating by dedicating a whole week to show that we stand for kindness, acceptance and inclusion.

All students may participate in the Unity Week dress-up days, but we are suggesting a $1.00 donation that will go directly to the United Way student campaign. Students should turn their money into student leaders with collection buckets in the morning or to their teacher. For your convenience and for our digital learners, please contribute your donation via the United Way contribution section on My Payments Plus.

The United Way helps non-profit organizations focus on education, financial stability and health. Half of all the money we raise in our student campaign will come right back to Berkeley Lake Elementary School.

See each day's activity for students below:

• Monday: "Bullying is Wacky so dress tacky." Wear mismatched clothes.
• Tuesday: "Hats off to being bully-free" 
• Wednesday: Unity Day. Wear orange to show your stand for kindness, acceptance, and inclusion.
• Thursday: "Sock it to Bullying." Wear crazy socks
• Friday: "Team Up Against Bullying." Wear your favorite team shirt.

Family, Friends, and Supporters of Berkeley Lake Elem School PTO, Now more than ever, YOU can make a difference! We are officially kicking off our fundraiser with Charleston Wrap® – and we need YOUR help! To reach our goals and make this fundraiser a success, we need everyone to do their part. Luckily, it’s super easy! We appreciate all of your support and encourage you to spread the word to your friends & family, near and far! The more people who shop, the more money we can raise for our organization! Together, we can ensure our organization reaches its goal – and even surpasses it! The fundraiser will run from October 20, 2020 - November 20, 2020. Thank you for your help! Berkeley Lake Elem School PTO.

Here’s how to help:
1. Please click here to register today! Use organization id number 11515 to register.
2. Send 10 unique and valid shopping email invites to your friends & family using our invite tool at registration.
3. Shop! With over 2,500 gift ideas, you can check-off your holiday gift-list and support our important cause, too.

PRO TIP: The more email invites you send, the more supporters we’ll get! So, break out your email contact list, share on social media, and help spread the word!

Will you take a few minutes and register now?
Questions about registration? Call CW Customer Support at 1-866-395-2926

Mark your Calendars!

October 28th: Picture Day for Digital Learners only 3:30-7:30 pm. This will be by appointment only. Click here to schedule an appointment. Appointments are for digital students only.

October 29th: Picture Day for Students attending in person

See the flyer with picture package information linked here and visit https://strawbridge.fotomerchanthv.com/clients/berkeley-lake-elementary-school/fall-pictures-10-28-2020-20/optIn. This link will allow you to sign up to receive updates via email regarding your child's school portraits. These updates include promotions, additional deals, and the ability to order more pictures at a later time. When entering student information, parents should be sure to enter the student's name as it is on file at the school.

Week of Oct 19-23:

• K-2nd: Have Science and P.E.
• 3rd-5th: Have Art and Music
  

Week of Oct. 26-30:

• K-2nd: Have Art and Music
• 3rd-5th: Have Science and P.E.
  

Week of Nov. 2-6

• K-2nd: Have Science and P.E.
• 3rd-5th: Have Art and Music

Week of Nov. 9-13:

• K-2nd: Have Art and Music
• 3rd-5th: Have Science and P.E.

Week of Nov. 16-20

• K-2nd: Have Science and P.E.
• 3rd-5th: Have Art and Music

Week of Nov. 23-27: 

• Thanksgiving Holiday Break

Week of Nov. 30-Dec. 4:

• K-2nd: Have Art and Music
• 3rd-5th: Have Science and P.E.

Week of Dec. 7-11:

• K-2nd: Have Science and P.E.
• 3rd-5th: Have Art and Music

Week of Dec. 14-18:

• K-2nd: Have Art and Music
• 3rd-5th: Have Science and P.E.

Weeks of Dec. 23-Jan. 5th:

• Winter break, no school

Beginning October 28, Gwinnett parents and guardians will make a decision about how their children will learn during second semester. Like this semester, families may select either in-person instruction at their child’s school or digital learning at home. As students and families are more familiar with these two options and what they entail, the decisions families make will be for the entire semester.

The Spring Instructional Preference Questionnaire will be available in your Parent Portal account October 28 through 11:59 p.m. on November 15.

If you do not have a parent portal account, please go to the school district website for information or contact your local school to request one.

We will remind you on October 28 that the window for making your family’s decision regarding second semester is open.

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 were unable to attend the Zoom meetings, 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

Below is the schedule for this nine week's AKS at Home sessions:

Kindergarten

·    Language Arts

        Tuesday, October 27

         9:30 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.

·    Mathematics

         Thursday, November 5

         10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.

1st Grade

• Language Arts

         Thursday, October 29

         10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.

• Mathematics

          Wednesday, November 4

          10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.

2nd Grade

• Language Arts

        Friday, October 30

        12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m.

• Mathematics

         Monday, November 2

         10:00 a.m.  – 11:00 a.m.

3rd Grade

• Language Arts  

         Monday, November 2

         12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m.

• Mathematics

         Friday, October 30

         10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.

4th Grade

• Language Arts

        Wednesday, November 4

        11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

• Mathematics

        Thursday, October 29

        12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m.

5th Grade

• Language Arts

         Thursday, November 5

         12:00 p.m. - 1:00 p.m.

• Mathematics

         Tuesday, October 27

         12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m.

Click here for an invitation for our BLES families to join us on Zoom for the fall Federal Programs Family-School Partnership Advisory Council. This meeting is a great opportunity for all Federal Programs to meet with our stakeholders to receive input from them, which will help us continue to improve our programs. 

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.

Our school's Scholastic Book Fair will be ONLINE this semester!

The dates for our school's book fair are October 26 - November 8. You will have two full weeks to shop from our Scholastic Book Fair online!

The link for our school's book fair is:

https://www.scholastic.com/bf/berkeleylake

All in-person students should have received a Scholastic Book Fair Flyer to take a look at some of the books to purchase from the Book Fair online!

Digital students can pick up a Scholastic Book Fair Flyer during Digital Student Book Checkout days. 

We hope all of our in-person students, digital students and staff will be able to participate in our Online Book Fair! Please share our school's book fair link with your friends and family!

Niki Norby (Vanden Hoek)

Media Specialist

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.

Staff, parents, and Gwinnett community members are invited to provide input on proposed instructional resources for select courses in Language Arts, Social Studies, Career and Technical Education, and Foreign Language, conducted as a virtual review Oct. 1 through Oct. 31. Before adopting instructional resources for classroom use, Gwinnett County Public Schools (GCPS) undergoes an extensive selection process. The division of curriculum and instructional support convened multiple committees involving various stakeholder groups to select resources to consider for adoption. The resources were reviewed for alignment with the school system’s Academic Knowledge and Skills (AKS) curriculum as well as strength of instructional strategies, freedom from sensitivity or bias, and diverse representation. As a part of the full selection process, resources are piloted in GCPS classrooms. Data from the public review and pilots will be considered in making adoption recommendations to the Board of Education in early 2021. To begin the public review, please visit this link. For more about the instructional resources review process, contact the Office of Instructional Resources and Support, at 678-301-6828.  

The students and staff at Berkeley Lake Elementary School would like to thank Girl Scout Troop 15345 for donating funds from their annual cookie sale to purchase 5 new large blue recycling bins for plastic bottles and aluminum cans. They delivered them on Friday, September 25, and placed them upstairs and downstairs in the hallways of the new addition. Your hard work and generous donation of these bins will be a legacy that will remain for many years! Thank you, Mara Davis, Katie Maise, Carrie Maise, Kayden Dotson, Layla Randle, Nanako Evett, Shayla Solis, and Olivia Rogers (not pictured).

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."

If you are considering purchasing a technology device for your GCPS student to use at school or at home, please refer to this GCPS Guide.

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

Gwinnett County Public Schools (GCPS) Parent Mentors help provide parents of students who receive special education services in GCPS information, guidance, and resources to help support their children at home, school and in their communities.

GCPS’ parent mentors are parents of a child who receives or have received special education supports in GCPS. We work within the school district to teach and guide families in a variety of ways. We can provide support and information regarding special education services, transition planning, parent support groups, Social Security Income, Medicaid, other disability funding, agencies that support individuals with disabilities, community resources, and other information related to disabilities.

We also collaborate with school administrators and teachers, supporting educators in their efforts to help families and students plan for and achieve their educational and post-secondary goals

Due to the pandemic, the monthly informational meetings and other in-person workshops we have provided for parents during past school years are not being offered the current school year. However, as opportunities arise during the school year that may benefit families, we will send out information through GCPS’s website and though the local schools.

In the meantime, if you have questions or concerns or need our support, we welcome you to email or call us.

Jackie McNair
jackie.mcnair@gcpsk12.org
(678) 301-7149

Dawn Albanese 
dawn.albanese@gcpsk12.org 
(678) 301-7212

www.parentmentors.org

www.gwinnett.k12.ga.us

Did you know that only 48% of children in our community start school prepared to learn? Early brain development is a key factor in making sure children in Gwinnett County are ready to thrive in kindergarten and beyond!

Children exposed to positive early learning experiences—like reading, singing, and talking with caregivers—are less likely to have academic and behavioral problems in school. They are more likely to be strong readers by 3rd grade and graduate from high school.

This early learning initiative is vital to our community's success, Building Babies' Brains Gwinnett offers a toolkit with resources and opportunities to help enhance brain development in children under the age of 5 here: buildingbabiesbrains.com.

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.

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/.

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 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.

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.

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.

Kindergarten

About Promotion to 1st Grade

To earn promotion to the 1st grade, students must demonstrate proficiency of the current grade-level Academic Knowledge and Skills (AKS). Readiness for the 1st grade will be determined by the child's classroom grades, assessments, and/or input from the school's Student Support Team (SST).

1st Grade

About Promotion to 2nd Grade

To earn promotion to the 2nd grade, students must demonstrate proficiency of the current grade-level Academic Knowledge and Skills (AKS). Readiness for the 2nd grade will be determined by the child's classroom grades, assessments, and/or input from the school's Student Support Team (SST).

2nd Grade

About Promotion to 3rd Grade

To earn promotion to the 3rd grade, students must demonstrate proficiency of the current grade-level Academic Knowledge and Skills (AKS). Readiness for the 3rd grade will be determined by the child's classroom grades, assessments, and/or input from the school's Student Support Team (SST).

3rd Grade

About Promotion to the 4th Grade

To earn promotion to the 4th grade, students should score Grade Level or Above on the Reading and Vocabulary domain of the Language Arts Georgia Milestones End of Grade (EOG) Assessment. Students who do not score Grade Level or Above on the Reading and Vocabulary domain of the Language Arts Georgia EOG Assessment may have the opportunity to attend summer school for targeted instruction. These students may be required to retest after summer school. Students should also possess the academic knowledge and skills necessary to be successful at the next grade level.

Students who do not score Grade Level or Above on the Reading and Vocabulary domain of the Language Arts Georgia Milestones EOG but who have a yearlong average that is passing (70 or higher) in Reading may be promoted.

4th Grade

About Promotion to the 5th Grade

To earn promotion to the 5th grade, students should have a yearlong average of 70 or better in Reading and Mathematics and possess the academic knowledge and skills necessary to be successful at the next grade level in Science and Social Studies.

5th Grade

About Promotion to the 6th Grade

To earn promotion to the 6th grade, students should score Grade Level or Above on the Reading and Vocabulary domain of the Language Arts Georgia Milestones End of Grade (EOG) Assessment and achieve the perfomrance level of Developing or higher on the Mathematics Georgia Milestones EOG. Students who do not score Grade Level or Above on the Reading and Vocabulary domain of the Language Arts Georgia Milestones EOG Assessment and/or whoe do not acheive the perfomrance level of Developing or higher on the Mathematics Georgia Milestones EOG may have the opportunity to attend summer school for targeted instruction. These students may be required to retest after summer school. Students should also possess the academic knowledge and skills necessary to be successful at the next grade level.

Students who do not meet grade level proficiency on the  Reading and Vocabulary domain and/or achieve the performance level of Developing or hgihger on the Mathematics EOG assessment but who have a yearlong average that is passing (70 or higher) in the corresponding course may be promoted.

Note: Promotion for an English Learner (EL) or a student with Limited English Proficiency (LEP) is guided by his or her English Learner Proficiency Plan.

• 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.