Originally delivered on 2/26/2023 12:26 pm

SUBJECT: Weekly Whale 2/26

SPOUT OUTS!

Spout out to Aiying Shen and Kathleen Foster for their support with the Black History Month Cultural Arts Assembly and learning materials - everyone had a wonderful time learning from assembly guest, Mr. Root! Big thanks to all of the wonderful Heritage Night table hosts and performers for sharing with the whole BHES community -- and to the Heritage Night Committee - Veronica Velez-Burgess, Betsy Carmichael, Sarah Zetterli, and Anne Sherman!

UPCOMING EVENTS

February 27-March 3 – Read Across America Week (see details below!)

March 3 – Early Release Day (school ends 12:55pm)

March 7 – In-Person PTA Meeting, special guest Dr. Rebecca Resnick (7:30 in the APR) 

March 10 – Kid-only BHES Movie Night (7-9pm in the APR, see details below!)

March 15 – Early Release Day (school ends 12:55pm)

March 23 – Listening Session for Whitman Cluster Parents/Guardians of Black Students (7pm-8:30pm, Virtual)

March 25 – BHEF Roaring Twenties Fundraiser (6:30-10:30pm at Pizzeria DaMarco)

March 31 – Professional Day (No school) 

April 3-10 – Spring Break (No school) 

April 29 – Variety Show (at Whitman HS) 

WHALE WATCH

BHES MOVIE NIGHT (MARCH 10, 7-9PM)

We are bringing back movie night at BHES on March 10, 2023 from 7-9 pm! Mark your calendars for a kid only fun night in the APR watching "How to Train Your Dragon". This kid only event ticket is $5 and are sold through Membership Toolkit at the following link Movie Night Ticket Sales. There will be no entrance without a pre purchased ticket. Your child's ticket includes the movie with a snack, water and treat. We are looking for at least 10 parent volunteers to help make this even run smoothly. If you are interested in volunteering, please click on this link to sign up https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0D48A4A923A0F9C70-bhes

SEEKING BOOK DONATIONS FOR THE WELLER ROAD BOOK DRIVE

  • We are asking for donations of new or gently used children's books to donate to Weller Road students in Pre-K to 5th grade so please only donate children's books.
  • We would love for our students to leave hand-written notes including recommendations for the books they donate! 
  • Please drop off donations in the bins in the BHES foyer.
  • We will share WR teachers Amazon Wishlists to supply classroom libraries. These books will be delivered directly to WR. We will send these links shortly.

Thank you again for your generosity and support!

PTA Community Service

LISTENING SESSION FOR WHITMAN CLUSTER PARENTS/GUARDIANS OF BLACK STUDENTS (MARCH 23)

Please join Principal Caroscio and other Whitman Cluster Principals for a virtual listening session with parents/guardians of Whitman Cluster Black students on Thursday, March 23rd (7pm-8:30pm ET). This session will be facilitated by Maniya Jules of the MCPS Equity Unit and give parents an opportunity to share their general perspectives on school culture and academics, particularly as they relate to MCPS' ongoing diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts. Zoom information will be shared as it gets closer to the meeting date. For any other questions in the meantime, please contact Anne Reid (BHES NAACP Representative and BHES PTA Co-Vice President) atannemorrisreid@gmail.com.

SIGN UP FOR THE BHES VARIETY SHOW (OPEN THROUGH MARCH 15)

BHES will be putting on its annual variety show on April 29, 2023. It’s the highlight of the year for our community and tons of fun!

Check out our 2023 Variety Show Website, with everything you need to know about the event! Clickhereto learn more about registration, auditions, signups to volunteer, and answers to FAQ's. Registration for acts is open through March 15.

Please volunteer to make this year's show the best one yet. The event requires a LOT of parent support and involvement. We need assistance with all aspects of the show, from lighting, sound, and stage management to event coordination. Please clickhere and to sign up to volunteer. 

We also need sponsors for the show, so if your family or company would be interested in sponsoring the show or have any questions about sponsorship, please email us atbradleyhillsvarietyshow2023@gmail.com

SERVE ON THE PTA NOMINATING COMMITTEE

The PTA is looking for 4 members to serve on this year's Nominating Committee.

The Nominating Committee will work together to reach out to the BHES community to identify interested, qualified candidates to serve on the 2023-24 PTA Board (treasurer, volunteer liaison, membership, etc) and committees. 

Once candidates for board positions have been identified, the Nominating Committee will present the slate of officers to be voted on at the May PTA General Membership meeting.

If you are interested, or know of someone who might be, please email bradleyhillsptavp@gmail.com by Wednesday March 1, 2023

IN-PERSON PTA MEETING (MARCH 7, 7:30PM, APR)

SAVE THE DATE for our next IN PERSON PTA meeting on Tuesday March 7 at 7:30 pm in the Bradley Hills All Purpose Room. We will discuss the latest PTA business and host Dr. Rebecca Resnick for a discussion on childhood anxiety. 

Children's Stress: The Curse and the Blessing 

During our age of stress, smart parents are focusing on how best to help their children develop resilience. We know our role as parents is to raise children who can stand strong in the face of challenges. However, this responsibility could feel overwhelming, even before the pandemic hit. For this presentation, Dr. Rebecca Resnik, Licensed Psychologist, will describe how our children's stress response is actually both a "curse and a blessing." She will discuss why so much of what we have been told about stress is wrong, and update parents on what the science says about kids and stress. Attendees will learn to tell the difference between everyday situational stress and anxiety disorders. Dr. Resnik will provide practical tools for helping children harness their stress and re-discover their spark. 

Dr. Rebecca Resnik is a licensed psychologist and founder of Rebecca Resnik and Associates, a group practice with offices in North Bethesda. She specializes in pediatric neuropsychological assessment. Prior to becoming a psychologist, she earned her masters degree in Special Education with a concentration in learning disabilities. Dr. Resnik is the current President of the Maryland Psychological Association. Her book, A Parent's First Guide to ADHD was published in 2016. She is a regular speaker at national conferences and local events. She is a proud parent of 2 MCPS students. 

RESOURCES FOR FAMILIES OF CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL NEEDS

MCPS Parent AcademyThere are virtual workshops available to parents in MCPS. Some are specific to our students with IEPs and some are more generalized. If you are interested in seeing what is being offered, please check out the Parent Academy (on the MCPS website.) Please click on link below for more information: 

MCPS Parent Academy

MCPS Family Support CenterThe Family Support Center (FSC) is here to help you! The goal of the attached bulletin is to provide you with information on internal and external events specifically designed for families who have children with an IEP. If you would like to learn more about an event or share information on other workshops or organizations, please contact the FSC at FamilySupport@mcpsmd.org. There are lots of organizations that provide webinars, training, and other resources for students and families. If you need support, suggestions or guidance, please reach out to the MCPS Family Support Center at Familysupport@mcpsmd.org. Please click on the link to access the Family Support Center bulletin: MCPS Family Support Center Bulletin

READ ACROSS AMERICA WEEK (FEB 27-MARCH 3)

Monday is Stripes Day: Read a book about stripes or polka dots, and wear something with stripes, polka dots, or a pattern. 

Tuesday is Hat Day: Read a book about someone wearing a hat and wear a hat to school.

Wednesday is Sports Teams: Read a book about an influential athlete and wear something to represent your favorite sports team.

Thursday is Word Day: Words are all around you! Wear something with words on it. 

 Friday is Pajama Day: Snuggle up with your favorite book in your most comfy pajamas. 

THE ALL-NEW BRADLEY HILLS SPIRIT STORE

Our all-new Spirit Store is now live on 1stplacespiritwear.com! Order hats, hoodies, shirts, sweats, blankets and more for the whole family! Ten percent of sales goes to the PTA! Visit http://1stplace.sale/44027 to place your first order! Wednesday, March 29 will be a Bradley Hills Spirit Day, so make sure you get your gear in time! 

PRINCIPAL'S CORNER

Principal's Monthly Newsletter
Click here to read Mrs. Caroscio's February newsletter. 

CONTACT US

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/

RESOURCES
PLEASE SUPPORT THE PTA

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).

BHES staff and PTA volunteers can post informational emails via AtoZ by sending the email to: BHESAtoZConnect@gmail.com. Please include PLEASE POST in the subject line.  Ads or announcements for non-school sponsored events can be sent to the community announcements moderator at BHEScommunityannouncements@gmail.com.

If you do NOT want to receive these informational emails in the future, you may click "unsubscribe" at the bottom of any AtoZConnect email.  Warning - by unsubscribing you will no longer receive updates about any PTA events.  

To access your AtoZConnect account anytime to update your directory/contact info and/or to pay your annual BHES PTA family membership dues of $35, go to https://bhespta.membershiptoolkit.com/home If you forgot your password, go to the link and click "Forgot password."  

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