Belle Sherman Elementary

Last Friday, our school community came together for an incredible assembly filled with energy, creativity, and talent! Thank you to all the performers for sharing your talents.✨

It's National School Breakfast Week! 🥞🎉 Did you know that breakfast is FREE for all students in our district? It provides a healthy, nutritious start to the day, helping to fuel learning and set the tone for success. 📚✨ Students who eat breakfast at school often have better attendance, improved behavior, and stronger academic performance. So, who's grabbing a fruit smoothie and benefit bar tomorrow? 🍓🥤

Now Accepting Applications: Project Innovation! 🎉 Our inclusive summer program is open to all ICSD students currently in pre-K through 8th grade! Apply now to secure your spot. 📅 Deadline: March 31, 2025 🔗 Apply here: https://forms.gle/NsJMm8DJqnLQSCYV6 🌟 Learn more: ithacacityschools.org/page/project-innovation

Shoutout to the 5th grade students at Belle Sherman for their work on the annual Human Rights Wax Museum. Students researched both locally and internationally known human rights heroes, exploring their lives and impact. Last week, they shared their learning with students and families, highlighting not only the accomplishments of these figures but also their connections to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

The Ithaca City School District will be closed today, Thursday, February 6, 2025, due to inclement weather. All school-sponsored after-school and evening activities are also canceled. For more information on emergency closings, please visit our website: ithacacityschools.org/closings.

Our 4th and 5th graders at Belle Sherman took the stage yesterday morning for a wonderful strings concert! Bravo to our young musicians. 🎻👏

🎶❄️ Belle Sherman Band Concert TONIGHT! ❄️🎶 The morning concert was a hit! 🌟 Join us for the evening performance: 📅 Date: January 23 🕕 Time: 6:15 p.m. 📍 Location: Southside Community Center The students have been working very hard under the guidance of Mr. Aldave to prepare for this special event. See you there! 🎶

❄️ Our ICSD early childhood program has been very busy creating winter art! Art in our ICSD preschool classrooms is all about exploration, focusing on the process rather than the product. Our amazing early childhood educators guide students in using materials creatively, helping them build a strong foundation for art appreciation, imagination, and creativity that will last well beyond the early years. 🌟 Pre-K spots are still available! Apply today!: ithacacityschools.org/page/early-childhood-prek

🚨 Cold Weather Advisory Bus Procedures Begin January 13 🚨 To keep students safe during severe cold (wind chill of 0°F or below), ICSD Transportation will implement special bus procedures from January 13 to March 1. 🚌 Drivers will wait longer for students. 🏠 Students may stay inside until the bus is visible. 🚏 Additional stops for secondary students who typically walk to school. ⏳ Expect secondary buses to run 2–3 minutes late. For more details about the procedures, visit: https://www.ithacacityschools.org/article/1953071 For more details about weather-related delays and closures, visit: https://www.ithacacityschools.org/page/emergency-closings

All Ithaca City School District-sponsored after-school and evening activities are canceled for today, January 7, 2025, due to inclement weather. This includes this evening’s Board of Education Policy and Human Resources work sessions, which will be rescheduled for a later date. There will be no late bus transportation. The ICSD is in an area where snow is typical during winter months. If weather conditions pose a potential hazard to students and staff, school officials may dismiss students early, delay the opening of schools, or close schools for the day. For more information on how decisions about emergency closings are made, please visit our website: ithacacityschools.org/closings.

Pre-K spots are still available at Belle Sherman and Caroline elementary schools! The ICSD pre-K program offers caring, play-based environments that foster creativity, confidence, and belonging for 4-year-olds. There is no cost to attend this program. Apply today—spots are limited!: http://www.ithacacityschools.org/prek

As a Winter Storm Watch has been issued for our area, we want to remind families to review the ICSD Emergency Closing Procedures at: https://www.ithacacityschools.org/page/emergency-closings Be sure your contact information in SchoolTool is up to date to receive notifications about closures, delays, or early dismissals. If you need assistance updating your contact information, please email icsdcommunications@icsd.k12.ny.us. 📲Download the free ICSD app from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store for quick access to updates and alerts! Stay safe and warm!❄️

✨Happy SRP Recognition Day!✨ Today, we celebrate the incredible School-Related Professionals (SRPs) who play a vital role in the success of our students and schools. From educating, feeding, and transporting our students, to maintaining facilities, monitoring health, and keeping our offices running smoothly—SRPs make a difference every single day. Thank you to all our amazing SRPs! Your dedication creates safe and nurturing environments that foster student-centered learning. 🚌📚🍎

Share Your Feedback on the 2024–2025 Academic Calendar! The ICSD is considering important changes to the 2024-2025 academic calendar, including shifting the March conference days and adding a Regents Day in June. The Board of Education will vote on these changes on November 12, and we want your input by November 11. 📅 View the proposed changes: ithacacityschools.org/article/1838708 🗣️ Provide feedback via Let’s Talk: ithacacityschools.org/letstalk

🍎It's National School Lunch Week! 🥗 At the Ithaca City School District, we’re proud to support our students with healthy, balanced meals every day through our Child Nutrition Program. 🍽️ Learn more about our meals and how we support students: https://www.ithacacityschools.org/page/child-nutrition

We’re proud to share that Kathryn Cernera, ITA President and ICSD educator, has been recognized in the 2024 Labor Power 100 list! This honor highlights her unwavering commitment to our students, educators, and community. We are incredibly grateful for her exceptional leadership on our team! Congratulations, Kathryn! Read the article here: https://www.cityandstateny.com/power-lists/2024/08/2024-labor-power-100/398966/?fbclid=IwY2xjawFzpo1leHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHdrzLIhuENTammfU5gIUx7UTGIkEa_ydoTd5LSGuiVZjObxDgQ7cOHVc4g_aem_K5WZKoeN1OmZyXYG-MsURA

Today is a scheduled early emergency dismissal drill for all schools in the district. Please follow the dismissal times listed below for your child’s school. Dismissal Times In accordance with NYSED guidelines, the drill will occur 15 minutes prior to normal dismissal times. All schools will implement standard dismissal procedures, just 15 minutes earlier. - All elementary schools will dismiss at 1:45 p.m. - Boynton Middle School, DeWitt Middle School, and Lehman Alternative School will dismiss at 3:15 p.m. - Ithaca High School will dismiss at 3:25 p.m. All staff and students must evacuate the building at the times listed above until the last bus departs. Buses will arrive early for dismissal, and bus drop-off times will be 15 minutes earlier. Please refer to communications from your individual schools for details on after-school activities and programs. The safety of our students and staff is our top priority and requires continual emergency preparedness planning, practice, and review. All parents and caregivers listed in student records have been notified via email, text, and push notification. If you did not receive a notification via text or push notification, and you wish to, please reach out to icsdcommunications@icsd.k12.ny.us.

🎒 Happy First Day of School to all elementary, 6th, 9th, and new entrant students! 🎉 To kick off the new school year, check out our September issue of the e-Insider, now available! This month's edition features: ✨ A special welcome back message from Superintendent Brown 🥞 September breakfast and lunch menus 📱 Information about a new app 🏫 Highlights from our ongoing 2019 capital project 📋 Annual notices and important updates And much more! 👉 https://www.ithacacityschools.org/o/icsd/page/icsd-e-insider

All elementary open houses will be held on Tuesday, September 3, from 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. 🎉 We hope you'll join us to meet your teachers and get a glimpse into the exciting year ahead. Students in pre-K through 5th grade, as well as 6th and 9th graders and new entrants, will start school on Wednesday, September 4! (Please note that some pre-K and kindergarten classes will have a staggered start. Refer to the schedules sent home for details.) See you there! 👋

🎉 On August 15, we welcomed family and friends to celebrate the incredible work of our students in Project Innovation, our inclusive, project-based summer program! Throughout the summer, students engaged in dynamic projects and case studies, tackling complex questions and offering innovative solutions to real-world challenges. All classrooms are multi-grade level (K/1st, 2nd/3rd, 4th/5th, 6th-8th) and fully integrated, bringing together general education and special education students.