A hearty spout out to our fabulous Birthday Bash Team for another great celebration! Huge thanks to the fantastic parent volunteers who have been helping with lunch, recess, and the media center!

Mon-Thurs, April 15-18 – BHES PTA Spring Book Fair

Tues, April 16 – BHES Muslim-Asian Cultural Exchange (7:30-8:30pm, BHES APR)

Weds, April 17 – BHES Career Day

Sun, April 21 – Bradley Beautiful (2:00-4:00pm, BHES)

Mon, April 22 – Asynchronous Learning (Makeup Day)

Mon-Fri, April 29-May 3 – Wellness Week

Mon-Fri, May 6-10 – Staff Appreciation Week

Tues, May 7 – Virtual BHES PTA Meeting (7:30-9:00pm, Zoom link forthcoming)

Weds, May 8 – Weller Road Restaurant Night (Chipotle Kensington) 

Fri, May 10 – BHES Outdoor Movie Night

MUSLIM-ASIAN CULTURAL EXCHANGE (TUES, APRIL 16, 7:30-8:30PM, BHES APR) 

The BHES PTA is committed to promoting an enriching and supportive climate where ALL members of the BHES community feel safe, seen, and respected. To help advance this sense of belonging for ALL our families -- particularly given recent and ongoing world events and pervasive issues of racism, transphobia, antisemitism, Islamophobia, and other forms of discrimination and bias here in the United States -- we are hosting the second in a series of “Cultural Exchanges.” This second Cultural Exchange session will feature speakers who will share personal reflections about Muslim and Asian heritage. 

This event on Tuesday April 16th @ 7:30pm is recommended of any/all parents and guardians in the BHES community as well as for older students at BHES — 4th and 5th graders. We encourage 4th and 5th graders to attend with their parents/guardians. We hope all attending families will leave this event with: (1) a greater understanding of Muslim and Asian heritage; (2) an appreciation of ways in which the experiences of Muslims and Asians in the United States intersect and yet stand apart; and (3) a stronger sense of allyship with these communities. This Cultural Exchange is a logical second installation after the very successful first Jewish-Black Cultural exchange. We continue to explore the range of identities reflected in our BHES community.

Please RSVP by completing this Google Form. For any questions about this event, please contact Sarah Zetterli (sarah.zetterli@gmail.com) or Sadia Kidwai (snkidwai@gmail.com).

BHES PTA SPRING BOOK FAIR! (APRIL 15-18)

Readers get ready! The BHES PTA Book Fair is happening from April 15 - 18. Come shop for books and take part in the daily contests and activities! Students and parents may come to the media center and shop daily from 9:00am - 3:00pm. 

Parents and students can come shop outside of school hours on Tuesday, April 16 from 6-8 PM.

Want to help out with the fair? 

• Volunteer: We're seeking volunteer parents to help staff the fair for set-up, class visits, and pack-up.Teachers will be bringing students to the fair as a class. Parents may join their students during their class shopping time by volunteering here! See the class schedule here for your teacher's time slot. (More classes will sign up soon and we will update the schedule each week).   Volunteers must complete the child abuse and neglect training. 

• Purchase Books: The easiest way to help is to purchase books during the classroom book fair visits. Scholastic rewards a generous percentage of our sales back to us as Scholastic Dollars, which are used to purchase books for our media center and classrooms.  More than one of our recent in-person fairs provided over $5000 worth of books to our school, all purchased with our rewards! 

• Purchase books for Teachers: Another way to help is to purchase books for classroom libraries. Books chosen by our teachers will be available for purchase at the fair.  

Set up an eWallet: eWallet is an easy way to send your child to the fair with money in an online account where it can't be lost. Set up an eWallet for your child before their class visits, or to check or reload the balance on an existing eWallet. Please note that funds added to an eWallet that aren't used will be available for use at Scholastic.com and/or at a later BHES PTA Book Fair but will not be refunded. You may add unused ewallet money to the next fair's ewallet.

JOIN THE PTA 2024-25 COMMITTEES!

There’s only a few more days to go before the April 19 deadline for PTA Board and committee nominations! We especially encourage parents to consider serving on one of PTA’s 38 - you read that right! - committees. From Movie Night to Science Fair, from School Supply Kits to Heritage Night, there’s something for everyone, every taste, and every area of interest at PTA! Your service matters, no matter what committee you choose and what role you play. We invite you to join us in keeping Bradley Hills the awesome, inclusive, and welcoming community it has been over the years. 

For more information, we encourage you to consult the current PTA organizational chart as well as the PTA position description chart over the next few days. Should you be interested in joining one of the committees, or on returning for the 2024-25 School Year, you can fill out our short six-question survey so we know what to put you down for, as well as how to get in touch.

Again, the nominations deadline closes April 19, ahead of PTA’s May 7 election meeting. 

For more information, please contact the Nominating Committee: 

Robert Daguillard: daguillard@gmail.com

Soumya Korde: soumyakorde@gmail.com 

DUNGEONS & DRAGONS: SPRING SESSION

The PTA is excited to announce a spring session of Dungeons & Dragons, led by Mr. Sichler. The spring session will run on Tuesday afternoons from April 16 - June 4. It is open for 4th and 5th grade students. Registration is open here: https://bhespta.membershiptoolkit.com/store/9800. See details below.

After school programs are neither sponsored nor endorsed by the Montgomery County School Board, the Superintendent of Montgomery County Public Schools, or Bradley Hills Elementary School. Email Laurel Keating at laurel.keating@gmail.com with any questions.

FIND WHAT IS LOST IN THE LOST & FOUND

The BHES Lost & Found is (once again) overflowing with jackets, sweatshirts, and water bottles! Please check the Lost & Found when you are at school. The Lost & Found is located in the Multi-Purpose Room. 

ALL ITEMS UNCLAIMED BY APRIL 17 WILL BE DONATED. Thank you! 

BRADLEY BEAUTIFUL (SUNDAY, APRIL 21, 2:00-4:00PM, BHES)

Bradley Beautiful will be held this year on Sunday April 21st from 2 to 4 pm. The Green Team will lead a beautification project at the school that is open to all students and families and we will celebrate Earth Day with environmentally-focused activities. More details to follow. 

MAY GENERAL PTA MEETING (TUES, MAY 7, 7:30-9:00 PM, VIA ZOOM) FEATURING MOMS DEMAND ACTION!

Gun violence is a major public health concern and cause of premature death. While it affects all ages, death rates are highest among teens and young adults and among several minority populations. In Maryland, teens under 20 account for 42 percent of annual gun violence deaths. With continued news about shootings occurring in our country's schools, places of worship, and even following a Super Bowl celebratory parade, the BHES PTA in conjunction with Bradley Hills Education Foundation (BHEF), has asked Moms Demand Action (Moms) of Montgomery County to join our May 7th General PTA meeting. 

We will kick off the meeting with Board Elections for the 2024-25 School Year and then invite Moms to provide some remarks and answer questions. Moms will help ensure BHES parents have the latest information about gun violence and how it affects Marylanders, and discuss Moms' safe gun storage work in schools across the state through its Be SMART program. This presentation will be nonpartisan, but still present an opportunity for BHES parents to learn more about this important health and safety issue. We hope to see you on May 7th, and please contact PTA Co-Vice Presidents Julie Lobb or Anne Reid (bradleyhillsptavp@gmail.com)PTA President Jenni Weinstein (bradleyhillsptaprez@gmail.com)with any questions.

CHIPOTLE NIGHT TO SUPPORT OUR SISTER SCHOOL! (MAY 8) 

Mark your calendar and join us for yummy Chipotle on May 8th! Bradley Hills Elementary School Community Service Committee is partnering with our sister school, Weller Road Elementary School, to host a joint restaurant night to benefit their school.  

25% of all proceeds will go to Weller Road Elementary School to help support great programs like their in-school food pantry.

Spirit Wear for both schools and raffle tickets for great prizes will be available for purchase.

Location: Chipotle Kensington - 10526 Connecticut Ave., Kensington, MD 20895

Date: May 8th, from 5PM to 9PM

See you there and thank you!

- The BHES Community Service Committee

BHES OUTDOOR MOVIE NIGHT (MINIONS - MAY 10th, BHES SOCCER FIELDS)

Our annual Outdoor Family Movie Night is coming up on May 10th! Please join us on the BHES soccer field under the stars for a showing of Minions: Rise of Gru. The field opens at 7:00pm and the movie starts at dark around 8:15pm. No tickets necessary so bring your family and friends, a picnic blanket or chairs and enjoy time with our wonderful BHES community.  

Potomac Pizza will be available for pre-order and KONA Ice will be here for a sweet treat. 

Note: this is NOT a drop off event.  

THE PTA IS HERE FOR YOU!

The DEI April newsletter is now available! Click here to read about upcoming BHES events and cultural observances and for resources to support engagement with the Anti-Bias Building Blocks Curriculum at home. 

The BHES PTA is committed to promoting an enriching and supportive climate where all members of the BHES community feel safe, seen, and respected. The PTA -- primarily through its Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Committee -- works to advance this goal through the following means: dissemination of educational resources for parents/guardians; organization and facilitation of Heritage Night as well as other events and small-group community conversations to help parents/guardians explore their family identities and issues of bias; financial support of assemblies and other in-school programming to advance diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging goals; and collaboration with school administration, teachers, and staff on development of materials to supplement teacher lessons on anti-bias and commemorative months. The PTA's DEI Committee welcomes input from all members of our community about how we collectively work to prevent and respond to hate-bias incidents within our community. If you are interested in sharing feedback, or joining the DEI Committee, please contact DEI Committee Co-Chairs Britt Hogue and Kathleen Foster at klubey@gmail.com 

Media Center: Email Tracy Sislen, tracysislen@gmail.com, to be put on the schedule. Media Center volunteer details.

Lunch/Recess: Sign-up for RECESS slots here. Sign up for LUNCH slots here.

Volunteer for PTA Events, Committees, Board Roles: Click here.

MCPS and BHES Volunteer Requirements: Click here.

Questions, comments, suggestions for the PTA? Contact PTA President Jenni Weinstein at bradleyhillsptaprez@gmail.com

Have PTA news to share or Community Event Information? Contact Communications Chair Lesley Freiman at bhescommunications@gmail.com

Want to volunteer? Please sign up here. 

Visit our website at www.bhespta.com

Follow us on Instagram: www.instagram.com/bradleywhalespta/

Bradley Hills Elementary School Websitehttps://www2.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/schools/bradleyhillses/?utm_source=sendgrid&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=atoz-app

Bradley Hills PTA Websitehttp://www.bhespta.com

Bradley Hills Education Foundation Websitehttps://www.bradleyhillseducationfoundation.org/?utm_source=sendgrid&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=atoz-app

A to Z Connect (for school directory & to join or donate to PTA)  https://bhespta.membershiptoolkit.com/home

MCPS COVID 19 Info: https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/coronavirus/

CDC Travel Guidance: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/travelers/travel-during-covid19.html

Join or Donate to the PTA: Fill out the PTA membership and donation form found HERE or login A to Z Directory (https://bhespta.membershiptoolkit.com), select “Membership” on the left side menu then "Join" and/or "donate" .

Scan Receipts for Box Tops and Register Your Grocery Store Cards: Download the box tops app and scan grocery store receipts to redeem box tops earnings for BHES. Register your grocery store cards at www.escrip.com (school ID: 6477724) and www.giantfood.com/aplus (school ID: 00665).