Greetings Belcher Families,

As part of a district and nation-wide initiative, Belcher Elementary will be participating in Start with Hello Week, September 21st-25th 2020. Start with Hello is a youth violence prevention program developed by Sandy Hook Promise. Start with Hello teaches our scholars how to reach out and include those who may be dealing with social isolation. We will have fun activities to help us create a culture of inclusion and connectedness within our school community.

• Monday-Wear your favorite dancing shoes. Dance and let your eyes smile? Say hello to your neighbor with a smile and do the Social Distance Dance!

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• Tuesday -Tip your hat Tuesday. Wear your favorite hat. Say hello by tipping your hat to your classmates. Start a friendly conversation. Say, ”Hello, I like your hat!”

• Wednesday- Wear your favorite color Wednesday. We are the same, but different. Notice how some of you are wearing the same color. Say hello to everyone wearing a color that is different from yours.

• Thursday-Use your superpowers to be kind to each other. Wear your favorite Superhero t-shirt.

• Friday- Silly Sock Day. Say hello and tell someone, “I like your silly socks!”

Have fun during Start with Hello Week! Remember let to your eyes smile!

 Contact Information:

     Ensure that you have the correct contact information on file to stay informed about what’s occurring at school and in the district. Parents and guardians can receive phone calls, as well as opt in for emails and text messages.  Get updated at pcsb.org/contactinfo.    

 Medication Drop Off:

• Call the office to schedule an appointment for medication drop off.

Bus Bulletin:  Parents of Bus Riders, please sign up for the Bus Bulletin to receive updates on late busses, accidents and other information that may impact pick up and drop off times.  You can sign up at http://busbulletin.com/parents/

Pinellas County Schools Referendum benefits teachers and students

The renewal of Pinellas County Schools Referendum will be on the Nov. 3 ballot. The Referendum boosts reading, art and music programs, provides up-to-date technology and textbooks, and helps recruit and retain quality teachers. Voters have supported the Referendum every four years since its initial approval in 2004. An independent citizens committee oversees Referendum spending to ensure money is spent as voters intended. Every penny of the funding benefits Pinellas teachers and students. For more information, please visit  www.pcsb.org/referendum.

Student Arrival

Morning Arrival Processes:

• All students must have their mask on when they arrive on campus at the bus circle, car circle, and walking gates.

• Only school staff should be on campus. Parents, volunteers, and mentors are not permitted on campus during arrival.

• Students are permitted on campus 30 minutes before the beginning of school. It is imperative that all families respect this request. Parents and students may enter campus at 8:15 am. 

• Arrival time 8:15 am, Breakfast gate opens at 8:15 am.

Entry Locations & Breakfast:

• Pre-K – Car Circle - Recess Field Gate:

  • Pre-K Students: Signage for social distancing will be placed in designated spaces along the sidewalk for Pre-K parents. Families wait using social distancing to sign their child in with a Pre-K staff member at the recess field gate off the front car circle. Breakfast will be served in the classroom.

  • 8:15 am Teachers will receive students at the recess field

  • One teacher will have parents sign in at the table and the other teachers and staff will supervise students in recess area and will walk them back to classrooms to begin breakfast.

  • 8:45 am Teachers will escort students to the classroom via bus circle

  • Breakfast will be delivered to classrooms

• Self-Contained ESE Students:

  • Students will report directly to classrooms as soon as they arrive on campus. Breakfast will be served in classrooms.

• Car Circle

  • All adults MUST remain in their vehicle while in the car circle.

  • PreK families may park in the front lot, then use the crosswalk to walk students to the recess field gate for drop off.

  • Kindergarten- Students will enter the café from the south door of the café facing the car circle. Kindergarten teachers will pick up students from the café each morning. 

  • Kindergarten and 1^st Grade- Students will enter the café from the south door of the café facing the car circle. First grade teachers will pick up students from the café the first two days of school.  Following the first two days, 1^st grade students will eat breakfast in the café and then go directly to classrooms.

  • 2^nd 3^rd, 4^th, 5^th Grade- Students will proceed down the sidewalk in front of the office and enter the gate South of the office, using social distance protocol and go directly to the breakfast cart line or the PE court. Breakfast will be available from the cart from 8:15-8:40 am.  All students will finish breakfast before reporting to classrooms, but they will finish breakfast no later than 8:44 am in order to make it to class on time. 

  • Classroom doors will be open for students to enter as soon as they finish breakfast. Students that do not wish to eat school breakfast may report directly to class. 

• Bike Rack:

  • Signage will be posted to maintain social distancing protocols in bike rack. Students will drop off their bike at the bike rack, then enter through the main gate south the office building for 2^nd – 5^th grades, or Kindergarten and 1^st grade students will enter the café.

Breakfast:

8:15 a.m. Gates Open for Breakfast

8:15 a.m. – 8:40 a.m.  Breakfast Served (Breakfast line closes at 8:40 am, except for students on late busses.)

• Pre-K

  • 8:15 am Teachers will receive students at the recess field

  • One teacher will have parents sign in at the table and the other teachers and staff will supervise students in recess area.

  • 8:45 am Teachers will escort students to the classroom via bus circle

  • Breakfast will be delivered to classrooms

• Grades K-1

  • 8:15 am Students will report to the cafeteria for breakfast and arrival.

  • Tables will be labeled for each Kindergarten class to sit. Kindergarten teachers will escort students to the classroom at 8:30 am.  Remaining Kindergarten students will be walked to class at 8:43 am by a staff member. 

  • First grade students will report directly to class after finishing breakfast.

• Grades 2-5

  • 8:15 am Students will enter through the gate south of the office

  • Breakfast will be on the cart outside building 4 for students

  • All students will be seated in grade level lines on the covered court for breakfast and arrival.

  • 8:30 am Students will be dismissed to classrooms by grade level

• Rain back up- students will use sidewalk outside building 4 and building 9

8:40 a.m.  All Students Report Directly to Class

Student Dismissal

How will students be dismissed?

• All students are expected to use social distancing, wear masks and follow adult directions during dismissal.

• There will be a staggered dismissal process to ensure social distancing and limit foot traffic through the hallways:

• Upon dismissal students are expected to quickly and safely leave the campus-no additional stops along the way.

Dismissal Procedures

2:40-2:50 pm

• Pre-K dismissal from the car circle

2:50 pm

• Bus riders are to be watching the tv for silent dismissal

• YMCA is dismissed to cafeteria

• Bike riders and walkers are dismissed

2:55 pm

• Car riders in grades 1-5 are dismissed to designated seating out front of the school

  • Kindergarten- seated outside of recess gate

  • 1^st grade- seated outside of entrance to cafeteria

  • 2^nd grade- seated outside of exit to cafeteria

  • 3^rd grade- seated by flag

  • 4^th grade- seated by entrance to school

  • 5^th grade- seated near the bike rack gate

Educationally Yours,

Kristy Moody, Principal

moodyk@pcsb.org

 Say Hello Week 9/21-9/25

Start with Hello

Hello Belcher families,

As part of a district and nation-wide initiative, Belcher Elementary will be participating in Start with Hello Week, September 21st-25th 2020. Start with Hello is a youth violence prevention program developed by Sandy Hook Promise. Start with Hello teaches our scholars how to reach out and include those who may be dealing with social isolation. We will have fun activities to help us create a culture of inclusion and connectedness within our school community.

Monday-Wear your favorite dancing shoes. Dance and let your eyes smile? Say hello to your neighbor with a smile and do the Social Distance Dance!

When you are wearing your mask, you can see each other smile by looking at each other’s eyes. Practice smiling with your eyes all week.

Smile and say hello while you do the social distance dance! Follow the dance step in the Hello video.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CzO3aIe0Rps

Tuesday -Tip your hat Tuesday. Wear your favorite hat. Say hello by tipping your hat to your classmates. Start a friendly conversation. Say, ”Hello, I like your hat!”

Wednesday- Wear your favorite color Wednesday. We are the same, but different. Notice how some of you are wearing the same color. Say hello to everyone wearing a color that is different from yours.

Thursday-Use your superpowers to be kind to each other. Wear your favorite Superhero t-shirt.

Friday- Silly Sock Day. Say hello and tell someone, “I like your silly socks!”

Have fun during Start with Hello Week! Remember to let your eyes smile!

Belcher Elementary COVID-19 Student and Family Information 2020-2021

CLICK HERE

Belcher After School Care Options 2020/2021

Parent FOCUS Video Tutorial

Dear Families,

              The link below will provide you with a great deal of information regarding the English to Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) for your English Learners (ELs). If you click on the ESOL Families link on the left you will see the ESOL Family Outreach page. On this page you will be provided with a Family Newsletter, Events for ESOL families, Spanish Parent hotline and much more! Please take the time to visit this site!

www.pcsb.org/esol

 Open House/ Title I Meeting