Messages from Dr. Grazel

Dear BES Families,
Please see below some important updates/reminders:
 
BES Spirit Night at the Upper Merion Varsity Girls Basketball Game!
On January 22^nd, the Upper Merion Area Girls Varsity Basketball Team will be having a BES Spirit Night with their game against Pottsgrove! Admission is free to children and adults are $3 (cash only at the gate). The game will begin at 6:45PM at the Upper Merion Area High School! Please consider coming out for our BES Spirit Night to cheer on our varsity girls basketball team!
 
Schedule Reminder
This is just a reminder that there will be no school on Monday, January 19^th.  Classes will resume again on Tuesday, January 20^th.
 
Attendance Reminders
If your child is going to be absent from school, you must send an email to our attendance clerk, Mrs. Diana Venzia, in our main office. You may email dvenezia@umasd.org or Bridgeport-attendance@umasd.org . You may also send in a written note in your child’s homeroom folder.  We must receive an absent email/note within 3 school days in order for the absence to be marked as excused.  State Law indicates that the only reasons that are acceptable for a student's absence from school are personal illness, medical & dental appointments, death in immediate family.  If your family is planning a vacation, please complete this form.  
 
Arrival/Dismissal Procedures Update/Reminder
Please click on this link to review important reminders for our daily arrival and dismissal procedures.  As a reminder, students must be in their homerooms by 8:50AM in order to be considered on time to school. Additionally, as a reminder for PM carline, please have your child’s name displayed in the windshield area of your car for pick-up in the carline in the afternoon. This enables our carline to go much quicker. If you need another car sign, please email azomorrodian@umasd.org . Out of respect for our neighbors and the safety of all students, students are not permitted to be dropped off along either side of Bush Street if they are a car rider.  We also ask that during car line that all families please remain in their vehicles for their safety and the safety of our students and staff.  Finally, please know if your child would have a change in dismissal (e.g. your child is normally a bus rider but for one day is a car rider etc.), we ask that you please always call our office at 610-205-3600 ASAP to notify us of the change. 
 
Upper Merion Area Community Cupboard
If your family is in need of food, the  Upper Merion Area Community Cupboard can help!  
 
Community Events and Flyers
Please click on this link to see some community events, as well as informational flyers for which you may be interested for your child/children (please know that this link will continue to be updated throughout the school year).
 
Colder Temperatures
With the winter season now upon us with colder temperatures, please remind your child/children to dress appropriately when coming to BES.  Depending upon the weather each day, students may still go outside for recess and in order to go outside to recess with colder temperatures, students should wear proper clothing (e.g. hat, gloves, long pants, scarf, coat, and/or sweatshirt etc.) for safety purposes.  Should your family also be in need of assistance with purchasing appropriate winter clothing for your child/children (e.g. jacket), please reach out to our school counselor, Mrs. Natasha Bradley at nbradley@umasd.org . Please know that all requests are kept confidential. 
 
Thank you very much for your time and have a great evening!
 
Dr. Grazel
 

Dear BES Families,
Happy New Year and I hope that you and your family had a wonderful winter break!

Please see below some important updates/reminders:
 
PTC Meeting Reminder
This is just a reminder that there will be a PTC meeting this evening in the BES library at 7:00PM.  All BES families are welcome to attend our PTC meetings!
 
Attendance Reminders
If your child is going to be absent from school, you must send an email to our attendance clerk, Mrs. Diana Venzia, in our main office. You may email dvenezia@umasd.org or Bridgeport-attendance@umasd.org . You may also send in a written note in your child’s homeroom folder.  We must receive an absent email/note within 3 school days in order for the absence to be marked as excused.  State Law indicates that the only reasons that are acceptable for a student's absence from school are personal illness, medical & dental appointments, death in immediate family.  If your family is planning a vacation, please complete this form.  
 
Arrival/Dismissal Procedures Update/Reminder
Please click on this link to review important reminders for our daily arrival and dismissal procedures.  As a reminder, students must be in their homerooms by 8:50AM in order to be considered on time to school. Additionally, as a reminder for PM carline, please have your child’s name displayed in the windshield area of your car for pick-up in the carline in the afternoon. This enables our carline to go much quicker. If you need another car sign, please email azomorrodian@umasd.org . Out of respect for our neighbors and the safety of all students, students are not permitted to be dropped off along either side of Bush Street if they are a car rider.  We also ask that during car line that all families please remain in their vehicles for their safety and the safety of our students and staff.  Finally, please know if your child would have a change in dismissal (e.g. your child is normally a bus rider but for one day is a car rider etc.), we ask that you please always call our office at 610-205-3600 ASAP to notify us of the change. 
 
Upper Merion Area Community Cupboard
If your family is in need of food, the  Upper Merion Area Community Cupboard can help!  
 
Community Events and Flyers
Please click on this link to see some community events, as well as informational flyers for which you may be interested for your child/children (please know that this link will continue to be updated throughout the school year).
 
Colder Temperatures
With the winter season now upon us with colder temperatures, please remind your child/children to dress appropriately when coming to BES.  Depending upon the weather each day, students may still go outside for recess and in order to go outside to recess with colder temperatures, students should wear proper clothing (e.g. hat, gloves, long pants, scarf, coat, and/or sweatshirt etc.) for safety purposes.  Should your family also be in need of assistance with purchasing appropriate winter clothing for your child/children (e.g. jacket), please reach out to our school counselor, Mrs. Natasha Bradley at nbradley@umasd.org . Please know that all requests are kept confidential. 
 
Thank you very much for your time and I hope you have a great day!
 
 
Dr. Grazel

Dear BES Families,
Please see below some important updates/reminders:
Schedule Reminders
This is just a reminder that students will be dismissed at 12:00PM for tomorrow, December 23^rd. Also, there will be no school from December 24^th through January 2^nd.  Classes will resume again on January 5^th.
 
Attendance Reminders
If your child is going to be absent from school, you must send an email to our attendance clerk, Mrs. Diana Venzia, in our main office. You may email dvenezia@umasd.org or Bridgeport-attendance@umasd.org . You may also send in a written note in your child’s homeroom folder.  We must receive an absent email/note within 3 school days in order for the absence to be marked as excused.  State Law indicates that the only reasons that are acceptable for a student's absence from school are personal illness, medical & dental appointments, death in immediate family.  If your family is planning a vacation, please complete this form.  
 
Festival of Lights Assembly
Tomorrow, December 23^rd, our students will participate in a school-wide Festival of Lights Assembly where students will have the opportunity sing and learn about the many holidays celebrated in our community!  Please know that for safety reasons, this school-wide assembly will be designated for students and staff only.
 
Arrival/Dismissal Procedures Update/Reminder
Please click on this link to review important reminders for our daily arrival and dismissal procedures.  As a reminder, students must be in their homerooms by 8:50AM in order to be considered on time to school. Additionally, as a reminder for PM carline, please have your child’s name displayed in the windshield area of your car for pick-up in the carline in the afternoon. This enables our carline to go much quicker. If you need another car sign, please email azomorrodian@umasd.org . Out of respect for our neighbors and the safety of all students, students are not permitted to be dropped off along either side of Bush Street if they are a car rider.  We also ask that during car line that all families please remain in their vehicles for their safety and the safety of our students and staff.  Finally, please know if your child would have a change in dismissal (e.g. your child is normally a bus rider but for one day is a car rider etc.), we ask that you please always call our office at 610-205-3600 ASAP to notify us of the change. 
 
Upper Merion Area Community Cupboard
If your family is in need of food, the  Upper Merion Area Community Cupboard can help!  
 
Colder Temperatures
With the winter season now upon us with colder temperatures, please remind your child/children to dress appropriately when coming to BES.  Depending upon the weather each day, students may still go outside for recess and in order to go outside to recess with colder temperatures, students should wear proper clothing (e.g. hat, gloves, long pants, scarf, coat, and/or sweatshirt etc.) for safety purposes.  Should your family also be in need of assistance with purchasing appropriate winter clothing for your child/children (e.g. jacket), please reach out to our school counselor, Mrs. Natasha Bradley at nbradley@umasd.org . Please know that all requests are kept confidential. 
 
Thank you very much for your time and I wish you and your family a wonderful holiday season!
 
Dr. Grazel
 
Dr. Anthony Grazel
Principal
Bridgeport Elementary School
agrazel@umasd.org
 
UMASD Social Media Platforms
X(Twitter) - @Bpt_BEARs and @UpperMerionSD
Facebook - Upper Merion Area School District
Instagram - @umasdschools

Dear BES Families,
Please see below some important updates/reminders.
 
PTC Meeting Reminder
This is just a reminder that there will be a PTC meeting this evening in the BES library at 7:00PM.  All BES families are welcome to attend our PTC meetings!
 
Attendance Reminders
If your child is going to be absent from school, you must send an email to our attendance clerk, Mrs. Diana Venzia, in our main office. You may email dvenezia@umasd.org or Bridgeport-attendance@umasd.org . You may also send in a written note in your child’s homeroom folder.  We must receive an absent email/note within 3 school days in order for the absence to be marked as excused.  State Law indicates that the only reasons that are acceptable for a student's absence from school are personal illness, medical & dental appointments, death in immediate family.  If your family is planning a vacation, please complete this form.  
 
Thank you very much for your time and have a great afternoon!
 
Dr. Grazel

Dear BES Families,
Please see below some important updates/reminders:
 
PTC Bingo Night!
This Friday, December 5^th, will be our PTC Bingo Night! Come join the fun in the BES cafeteria starting at 6:30PM.  Bingo cards can be purchased at the door for $7.00 per player.  Additionally, there will be pizza, snacks, and drinks available for purchase!
 
Arrival/Dismissal Procedures Reminder
Please click on this link to review important reminders for our daily arrival and dismissal procedures.  As a reminder, students must be in their homerooms by 8:50AM in order to be considered on time to school. Additionally, as a reminder for PM carline, please have your child’s name displayed in the windshield area of your car for pick-up in the carline in the afternoon. This enables our carline to go much quicker. If you need another car sign, please email azomorrodian@umasd.org . Out of respect for our neighbors and the safety of all students, students are not permitted to be dropped off along either side of Bush Street if they are a car rider.  We also ask that during car line that all families please remain in their vehicles for their safety and the safety of our students and staff.  Finally, please know if your child would have a change in dismissal (e.g. your child is normally a bus rider but for one day is a car rider etc.), we ask that you please always call our office at 610-205-3600 ASAP to notify us of the change. 
 
 
Thank you very much for your time and have a great afternoon!
 
Dr. Grazel

Dear BES Families,
We’re very excited tomorrow to have our annual BES Thanksgiving Feast!  For families that are planning on attending the event, please see some important reminders below in order to ensure a safe and enjoyable event for all:

• Entrance should be only through the cafeteria doors behind BES. Parking is available in the municipal lot. Family members attending this event should not enter through the main office.
• Families will receive their meal tickets when they arrive.
• There will be no assigned seating on this day, families/students are welcome to sit wherever they wish.
• We'll call the tables up by homeroom to get their food. 
• Lunch times are 40 minutes.     

K: 11:20-12:00, 1st: 1:00-1:40, 2nd: 1:50-2:30, 3rd: 10:30-11:10, 4th: 12:10-12:50

• Please know that if you are attending more than one lunch time, all family members will be asked to exit the building while the cafeteria is being prepared for the next lunch.
• All guests are to remain in the cafeteria area. There will be a grown-up restroom available right outside of our cafeteria area in the hallway.  

 
Thank you very much for your time and I hope you have a great evening!  
 
Dr. Grazel

Dear BES Families,
Please see below some important updates/reminders:
Noon Dismissal Reminder
This is just a reminder that students will be dismissed at 12:00PM for tomorrow, November 19th for conferences.
 
Important Information from Our School Nurse, Mrs. Lachowicz
To protect the health of all students and staff, please follow these policies regarding your child's health.

 
Reminder of Medication Policy:
For the safety of all students, when it becomes necessary to administer any medication during school hours, the following policy regarding medication must be followed:

• Students are prohibited from carrying any medication, prescription or over-the-counter medication (including cough drops) into school. Cough drops are considered an over-the-counter medication because they contain active ingredients that provide temporary relief for coughs and sore throats such as cough suppressants and oral anesthetics. Any questions or concerns, please contact the school nurse at llachowicz@umasd.org .

 
Thank you very much for your time and I hope you have a great evening!  
 
Dr. Grazel

Dear BES Families,
Please see below some important updates/reminders.
 
PTC Meeting Reminder
This is just a reminder that there will be a PTC meeting this evening in the BES library at 7:00PM.  All BES families are welcome to attend our PTC meetings!
 
Colder Temperatures
With the winter season now upon us with colder temperatures, please remind your child/children to dress appropriately when coming to BES.  Depending upon the weather each day, students may still go outside for recess and in order to go outside to recess with colder temperatures, students should wear proper clothing (e.g. hat, gloves, long pants, scarf, coat, and/or sweatshirt etc.) for safety purposes.  Should your family also be in need of assistance with purchasing appropriate winter clothing for your child/children (e.g. jacket), please reach out to our school counselor, Mrs. Natasha Bradley at nbradley@umasd.org . Please know that all requests are kept confidential. 
 
BES Spirit Day!
Tomorrow’s BES Spirit Day is Crazy Hair Day should your child/children wish to participate!
 
Thank you very much for your time and I hope you have a great evening!  
 
Dr. Grazel
 

Dear BES Families,
Please see below some important updates/reminders:
 
Safety Drill Completion Notification
This notification is to inform you that our fire drill was completed this morning at BES.
 
Conferences
For the 2025-2026 school year, we will be utilizing My Conference Time online scheduling system to arrange for parent/teacher conferences with students’ homeroom (classroom) teachers.  Fall conferences will be held on November 19^th and November 24^th.  Please go to this link https://www.umasd.org/mct in order to register for conferences.  For conferences this school year, November 19^th will be in-person conferences only and November 24^th will be virtual conferences only via Google Meet.
 
With regard to the procedures for conferences, we ask that parents/guardians be only in attendance unless you have arranged with your child’s teacher that your child be present for conferences.  Additionally, we ask that you please be respectful of the time for your conference in order that all parents/guardians are able to receive the conference time, which was allotted to them. 
 
Thank you very much for your time and I hope you have a great Wednesday!
 
Dr. Grazel

Dear BES Families,
Please see below some important updates/reminders:

Schedule Reminder
This is just a reminder that there will be no school for tomorrow, November 4^th.  Classes will resume again on Wednesday, November 5^th.
 
Important Letter from Food Services Regarding Student Meals
Please click on this link to view an important letter from our food services department regarding student meals.
 
Arrival/Dismissal Procedures Reminders
Please click on this link to review important reminders for our daily arrival and dismissal procedures. Additionally, as a reminder for PM carline, please have your child’s name displayed in the windshield area of your car for pick-up in the carline in the afternoon. This enables our carline to go much quicker. If you need another car sign, please email azomorrodian@umasd.org . Out of respect for our neighbors and the safety of all students, students are not permitted to be dropped off along either side of Bush Street if they are a car rider.  We also ask that during carline, that all families please remain in their vehicles for their safety and the safety of our students and staff.  Finally, please know if your child would have a change in dismissal (e.g. your child is normally a bus rider but for one day is a car rider etc.), we ask that you please always call our office at 610-205-3600 ASAP to notify us of the change. 
 
Important BES Events for the month of November
Please click on this link to view a reminder about important BES events for the month of November, which include our Thanksgiving Food Drive collection, BES Thanksgiving Feast for Lunch (RSVP invitations will be sent home today with students, 11/3), and the 2025 Turkey Trot (please know that families are invited to attend this event outside, however, should it be moved inside due to weather, it will be a student/staff only event).
 
Thank you very much for your time and have a great afternoon!
 
 
Dr. Grazel