Sunday Scoop Nov 23: Getting Ready for Thanksgiving & Practicing Gratitude

Happy Sunday Bushy Park Families!

As we head into Thanksgiving week, our Bushy Bear community is taking time to slow down, reflect, and practice gratitude. This season is a wonderful reminder of how much we appreciate our students, staff, and families who make our school such a caring and connected place.  If your family could use a little extra support this season, whether with food, clothing, or gift assistance—please know that help is available. Everything is confidential, and we’re here for you. Reach out anytime, and we’ll make sure you’re connected with resources.

In the spirit of gratitude, I want to take a moment to thank Mr. Hopkins and Mr. VanMeter for a wonderful art night with our youngest Bears.  I am looking forward to grades 3-5 in the spring.  

In this season of Thanksgiving, we also want to honor Native American Heritage Month by recognizing the original stewards of the land we call Howard County, particularly the Susquehannock and Piscataway peoples. Their history, resilience, and ongoing contributions to Maryland enrich our community and remind us of the deep roots and stories beneath our daily lives.

A great big thank you to our students who participated in the gratitude chain activity, make sure you stop by and see the beauty our gratitude created.  

Before we have a few days off, next week still brings quite a bit of fun! 

 The much-anticipated Book Fair returns to Bushy Park Monday and Tuesday afterschool, so stop by between conferences and get a jump on your holiday shopping.  Just a reminder that the book fair cannot run without volunteers.  We are in DESPERATE NEED of volunteers 21+ to run the registers after school.  Please check the signup, any help would be much appreciated!

 Monday November 24, Annual PTA sponsored staff dinner

Help us share our gratitude for our teachers, we could always use a few more items or a couple minutes of your time, check the signup for more information.

Tuesday November 25, Bear Den Spirit Day!

Forgot what Den your child is in?  Same.  Here’s the list!  Remember to have your child wear their den color.  Older grades will be pairing up with younger grades for an awesome gratitude read aloud and activity.

Black Bears (Yellow): Kleinschmidt, Lessley, Hintz, Bruner, Pickett, Stumpfl, Hampshire, Little

Grizzly Bears (Red): Dura, Spencer, Hogan, Hovis, Perry, Griffin, Yalscoe-Markel

Panda Bears (Green): Gastley-Selock, Lambros, Cook, De Villiers, Stanton, Cole, Bauer

Polar Bears (Blue): Martinec, Kirby, Borowy, Dearing, DeFrances, Wilson, Murphy, Lyter

Wishing all of our families a week filled with togetherness, rest, and gratitude.  Together We Shine!