August 10, 2026
Dear Parents and Guardians,
Welcome back to another wonderful school year at Berwyn Heights Elementary School! We have a lot to celebrate from this past year, including being named a National Best of Green Schools Award Winner, making continued improvements in student outcomes, and deepening our strong community partnerships.
Our dedicated staff has been working hard to ensure this is a year of meaningful growth, learning, and joy. We remain deeply committed to meeting the diverse needs of all our learners through differentiated instruction—focusing not just on remediation, but on acceleration for every child.
What’s New & Our Academic Focus for 2026–2027
- Breakfast Served in the Cafeteria: One change for this school year is that breakfast will now be served in the cafeteria. Students arriving between 9:15 AM and 9:45 AM can report directly to the cafeteria to get their free breakfast before going to class.
- Dismissal Bell Time: The district has added 5 minutes to the end of each school day to ensure we are in compliance with COMAR requirements in the event of inclement weather. Our dismissal time will be 3:45.
- Reading & Language Arts (RELA): We will continue to balance our instruction around phonics and comprehension to build strong, confident readers and writers.
- Mathematics: We will be placing a strong emphasis on implementing the Revised Mathematics Standards to increase overall student performance and build strong problem solvers.
- Differentiated Instruction: We are tailoring our instruction to support every student's unique needs, ensuring both targeted intervention and academic acceleration.
Welcoming Our New Team Members!
Please join us in giving a warm Berwyn Heights welcome to our newest Huskies:
- Ms. Hall – Paraprofessional (Primary RELA Interventions)
- Ms. Moss – 1st Grade Teacher
- Mr. Siewe – 3rd Grade RELA Teacher
- Mrs. O’Roark- 4th Grade RELA Teacher
- Mr. Hill – 5th Grade RELA Teacher
📅 Mark Your Calendar: Important Upcoming Dates
- Thursday, August 20 | Scholar Sneak Peek (3:00 PM – 5:00 PM): Drop off school supplies, visit the classroom, and meet your child's teachers.
- Monday, August 24 | Kindergarten Orientation: Learn about our Kindergarten program, meet the team, explore classrooms, and drop off supplies.
- Tuesday, August 25 | First Day of School for Students: We are so excited to welcome our scholars back to the building!
- Thursday, September 10 | Back to School Night: Meet your child's teachers, learn about classroom expectations, and hear about our academic focus for the year.
Reminders for a Strong Start
- Be On Time - Attendance Matters: Regular attendance is one of the strongest predictors of academic success. We encourage families to prioritize daily attendance and arrive on time so students can fully engage in learning opportunities from the start of each day. Instruction begins at 9:30 AM. Students arriving after 9:30 AM are considered late and must be escorted to the office. Free breakfast is available in the cafeteria from 9:15 AM to 9:45 AM.
- Stay Connected: Check ParentVue regularly for grades, attendance, and transportation info. Communicate directly with teachers via ClassDojo or email.
- Family Partnerships: We invite families to be active participants in their child's education. Throughout the year, we will host family engagement events, parent workshops, volunteer opportunities, and community celebrations designed to strengthen the home-school connection.
- Arrival & Dismissal Procedures: Parent drop-off and pick-up take place behind the building. Please do not drop off in front, as that area is strictly reserved for buses. Staff supervision begins at 9:15 AM—please do not drop students off earlier.
- Class Assignments: Homeroom assignments will be shared at Scholar Sneak Peek on August 20 and posted in Synergy. Staff will be in the cafeteria to welcome families and help direct you to classrooms. Please note that we do not accept parent requests for specific teachers. We use a very thoughtful and detailed process for scheduling students.
- Uniform Policy: Students must wear navy bottoms and a red or white polo. Sweaters/sweatshirts must be solid red, white, or navy. No Crocs, sandals, or open-toed shoes are permitted.
- School Supply Lists: Available on our school website, posted on ClassDojo, and available in the main office.
Your child's success, safety, and well-being are our top priorities. Together, we can ensure your scholar has an inspiring and impactful school year. We can't wait to see you soon!
Warm regards,
Ms. Amanda Alerich
