THE ABC’s OF BCE
Absences: According to state attendance regulations, we must have a parent letter or doctor’s note for any
student absence within seven days of the absence. While your phone calls are greatly appreciated, they do not
excuse an absence. Parent notes should be emailed to [email protected] and the student’s homeroom
teacher. Please reference the student’s first and last name along with the absence date and reason. Absences
will only be considered excused in the case of illness, documented healthcare appointments, religious holidays
and family funerals. District attendance letters will be sent home per district policy at 3, 5, and 10 absences.
Attendance letters are required by state law in order to make parents aware of a student’s attendance. If you
have any questions about your child’s attendance record at any time please contact the school office.
Appointments: When your child has a doctor or dental appointment, please get a note from the doctor to excuse
the time away from school. If your child arrives after 10:00 a.m. without a doctor's note, it will be counted as an
absence, not a tardy. If your child leaves school before 10:00 a.m. for an appointment and does not return, a
doctor’s note must be received or they will be considered absent for the day.
Arrival: Students arriving for breakfast can enter the building at 7:20. The double doors to the main halls will be opened at 7:25 a.m. for students to walk back to their classroom. The tardy bell rings at 7:40 a.m., and students should be in class ready to begin their day. Any student arriving after 7:40 a.m. will need to use the main entrance, located in the front of the building, to be “buzzed” in.
We respectfully request that parents help instill an “independent start” in their child. Please encourage your
child to walk independently to the cafeteria, or to their individual class should they arrive after 7:25 a.m. Staff members are stationed throughout the building at 7:25 a.m. each morning to assist students. We will have extra staff available the first few days of school to assist students with locating their classroom. We have found that when students walk to class independently, they experience less separation anxiety and have a better start to their day.
We request that parents avoid popping in during arrival for informal conferences with teachers. We respect your
privacy and will not hold informal conferences during arrival when others are able to hear the conversation. Our
teachers are happy to schedule conferences with parents and will gladly make phone calls or communicate
through email, if preferred.
Birthdays: Due to the rise in the number of students that have reported food-related allergies, we ask parents who are interested in celebrating their child's birthday at school to send a non-edible treat (stickers, pencils, etc...). Please make sure you include ALL students in the class. Another option is to send a message on our school marquee for $10. Forms are available in the office. Our Bear Creek teachers do a wonderful job making sure our students feel special on their birthdays.
Campus Communication: Establishing and maintaining open lines of communication between school and home is
important for student success. In our efforts to be eco-friendly, most communication is electronic. To ensure you
receive campus news, please make sure both the school office and your classroom teacher have correct email
addresses on file.
Campus communication includes, but is not limited to:
- Campus and Teacher Websites: Both campus and grade level/teacher websites are updated regularly.
Teacher websites can be accessed from the campus website at www.bces.gcisd.net
- Campus Facebook Page: Join us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/BearCreekElementary
Facebook page is used to share campus stories and communication updates and reminders.
- Conferences: Teachers will conduct at least one parent/teacher conferences during the first six weeks of
school. Fall and spring student-led conferences will be held to discuss your child’s progress and
goal-setting. If you need to speak with your child’s teacher during the year, please contact them directly
to set up a conference. Campus administrators are available to meet with parents and teachers, as well.
- Grade Level and Teacher Newsletters: Many teachers and grade levels will send weekly newsletter
updates.
- Monday Message from the Principal: The Bear Creek Blast is a weekly newsletter sent to Bear Creek's Facebook and Website by Mr. Calvert, and includes celebrations, updates, and calendar reminders.
- Teacher Blogs: Classroom teachers often use blogs to share their classroom learning journey. Blogs are a
peek into life in your child’s classroom, and can be accessed from the teacher’s website.
- Twitter: Twitter is used to share campus stories. Follow our school on Twitter @BearCreekElem. Many
individual teachers also use Twitter and have accounts. Our teachers and
staff use #BCEChamps if you’d like to follow the excitement!
- Campus Excellence Committee: The purpose of the Campus Excellence Committee (CEC) is to ensure a
collaborative process between stakeholders in campus based decision making that focuses on student
achievement, promotes continuous improvement, encourages risk taking and creativity, builds trust and mutual
respect, promotes open communication, and creates a sense of community. The CEC meets a few times
throughout the school year.
- Monday/Daily Folders: Each Monday/daily, your child will come home with a folder that contains important
information such as a class newsletter, important notes about events that are taking place at the school, a
behavior chart and class work. Please check folders and initial behavior charts daily.
Dismissal:All students will be escorted to their dismissal locations by a staff member. Students have designated pick up areas depending on their mode of transportation home. The Extended Day Program students will be escorted to the cafeteria. Day Care students will be escorted to the gym. Car riders and walkers have set locations outside the building that their teachers will escort them to, as well. Friendly reminder: dogs are not allowed on campus grounds due to student allergies. Walkers: will meet their siblings, neighbors and/or walking parents and quickly proceed to the crosswalk nearest their homes. Extended Day Program : Students attending the Extended Day Program after school will be checked in at the cafeteria.
Inclement Weather Dismissal: Please note that severe weather, including lightning, could delay dismissal to ensure student, parent and staff safety. We appreciate your patience on adjusted dismissal days.
Disclosure Permission: Each year, the district must notify parents concerning disclosure of student directory information under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act. Please refer to this page in the district “Student-Parent Handbook and Student Code of Conduct.” If you choose to check the box indicating that you object to release of all directory information, your child’s name and/or picture cannot be in the yearbook, school website, Facebook or Twitter.
Dress Code: We encourage students to be clean and well groomed at all times. Each student’s hair shall not obstruct vision and no extreme styles or colors are allowed. Hats, caps, sunglasses and/or other head coverings are not allowed in the building unless they are being worn for a campus activity. Shorts or skirts must allow students to be able to stand, sit and/or bend with modesty. These must be mid-thigh length when shoulders are relaxed. Shorts should be worn under skirts or dresses. Sleeveless tops must have the outside edge of the sleeve touch the outside edge of the shoulder. No revealing apparel such as halter-tops, tops with spaghetti straps, shirts that expose the midriff, or Spandex clothing is allowed. Gang related apparel, baggie pants, and clothing with suggestive messages are not allowed. If your child wears sandals, plan to send a pair of tennis shoes to change into for P.E. classes. Refer to the GCISD Student-Parent Handbook and Student Code of Conduct for further information.
Drop-Off: The front drive is the safest student drop off point. Please do not drop students off in the bus circle or parking lots, as this increases the potential for accidents. Be aware of your speed and exercise caution when driving on campus.
Early Checkout: If your child is checked out early, it counts as a partial-day absence and will be considered unexcused. To excuse the absence, the student must bring a doctor’s note when they return to school. Students will not be called to the office until the parent has arrived and signed them out for the day.
Electronic Devices: Use of electronic devices, including cell phones, is not permitted in the classrooms unless the teacher provides permission for the devices to be utilized for educational purposes. If students bring such items to school for before or after school use, each student is responsible for his/her items. Any electronic devices must remain in a student’s backpack and be turned off during the school day. The school is not responsible for the loss and/or damage of these items. Refer to the GCISD Student-Parent Handbook for additional information regarding electronic devices at school.
Extended Day Program: ffers before-school care beginning at 6:30 a.m., and after- school child care until 6:30 p.m. Information and a fee schedule can be found on the district and campus website.
Free/Reduced Lunch Forms: Application forms are available online here.
Handbook: The GCISD Student-Parent Handbook and Student Code of Conduct is available online at www.gcisd.net under “Parents", click here to view .
Illnesses: Students must stay home from school due to illness if any of the following are present:
● fever of 100 degrees or higher in the past 24 hours
● vomiting and/or diarrhea in the past 24 hours
● itchy, red eyes with discharge
● unknown rash
● head lice or nits
● jaundice
● ringworm of the scalp (until treatment has been started)
Internet Access: Bear Creek Elementary has internet access available in the computer labs and classrooms. Students working on specific assignments are supervised by their teacher at all times and students are provided with clear directions for internet use. GCISD makes every effort to filter access to inappropriate websites, and a parent permission to use web-based material was a part of registration.
Late Pick-Up: We understand that there will be unexpected circumstances when you may be unable to pick up your child at 3:00p.m. When students have not been picked up by 3:15 p.m., we will begin calling parents.
Lunch Visitation: Visiting your child for lunch is a special treat. When visiting your child for lunch, please sign up for a day and time through our Google Sheet sign-up. Students may not invite friends to sit at the visitor table. Please make sure you sign-in in the office before going to the cafeteria, and sign-out before leaving.
Lost and Found: Please clearly label everything that comes to school with your child with his/her first and last name. During the school year unclaimed articles of clothing are displayed in Lost and Found by the cafeteria. If your child is missing a sweater, jacket, coat, lunch box, etc., periodically take time during the year to check Lost and Found. After providing parents with adequate notification, the remaining Lost and Found items are donated to a local charity each school year.
Meals: Student lunches are $2.80; breakfast is $1.65 and is served from 7:15-7:30 a.m. You may send a check or cash to pay for your child’s meal. You may also pay online (see district website for details). A computerized account will be kept and your child will charge his/her meals against their balance. Extra snacks are available at an additional charge. All meal payments are to be taken to the cafeteria manager in the morning. All prices are subject to change. Parents have the option to restrict items purchased by students. Please refer to the first page of the GCISD school menu for the “Note on Meal Account Form”.
Medicine: If your child will receive medicine at school, please refer to the Student Parent Handbook section on “Medicines at School.” Medication may NOT be given unless these conditions are met, and students may not keep medicine in their backpacks or desks (cough drops can be stored in the clinic). Medication Authorization Forms are located online or in the nurse office. Nurse Jo can be reached at (817)305-4858 or j[email protected]
Pets: For the safety of our students and your pets, we request that pets not be brought to school. This includes bringing pets to student arrival and dismissal. While your pet may be friendly, many children have pet allergies and/or are afraid of animals and large groups of people and traffic can be upsetting to pets. We appreciate your support in this effort.
PTA: BCE has a very active PTA and we encourage you to participate. An invitation to join PTA is included in online registration. More information regarding PTA membership and opportunities to volunteer will be sent home at the beginning of the school year.
Secure Entrances: All GCISD campuses will remain locked throughout the school day. All visitors should proceed to the front entrance of the building and press the intercom button located on the wall by the far right entry door. Designated campus personnel will respond and determine whom the visitor(s) is/are and the purpose of the visit. Once access is granted, visitors must check in with the front office through Raptor. This system is used to track visitors, students, faculty, contractors and volunteers at our schools, thus providing a more secure, closely monitored environment for our students. Per district policy, all visitors will be required to show a valid ID upon each visit to the school.
Tardies: A student will be considered tardy if they are not in his/her classroom when the 7:40 am tardy bell rings. According to state attendance laws, tardies are considered a partial day absence, so please be mindful of the number of tardies your child receives. A large amount of tardies can negatively affect your student’s overall attendance record.
Visitors: We always want you to feel welcome to visit the school. For the safety of all, district policy requires all volunteers and visitors to our building sign-in with the Raptor system and receive a visitor badge in the front office. If you are not wearing a badge, you will be stopped by a staff member and escorted to the office to obtain a badge. Please remember to sign out from the front office when you leave. Per district policy, all visitors will be asked to show a valid ID upon each campus visit.
Volunteers: We love our parent volunteers! If you would like to volunteer in the classroom or the school library, help with class parties, attend field trips, etc., please complete the application process. In order to volunteer at BCE, or around GCISD, all volunteers must complete the following two steps: (1) Read the Volunteer Handbook, watch the appropriate video included in the handbook and electronically sign the volunteer verification form. (2) Complete the volunteer background check. The following link takes you to the online Volunteer Handbook and background check: click here. Please be sure you've reviewed the handbook and completed all requirements prior to signing up to volunteer at BCE.