Sunday Scoop, October 11 edition: Your Weekly “Wait, That’s This Week?!"

Happy Sunday, Bushy Park Families!

October is off and running.  Between school activities, sports schedules, Halloween preparations, and the approximately 357 things requiring a sign-up form, we're all just one forgotten permission slip away from completely losing the plot. Meanwhile, the PTA has decided this is the perfect time to throw a giant fall festival, organize a fun run, sell ice cream, and give away a mountain of raffle prizes because apparently we have 0 chill. The good news? There are some seriously fun things coming up, and we're excited to share them with you!

LAST CALL: TAHARKA BROTHERS ICE CREAM!  If you've been meaning to order ice cream, this is your final warning! Orders close TONIGHT, October 11, at 11:00 PM! All orders will be delivered directly to BPES, with pickup available October 13–15 from 4:30–5:30 PM.  Support your school, stock your freezer, and enjoy the rare opportunity to justify buying several pints of ice cream as a charitable contribution.  Give us a heads up on when you're coming to pick up by clicking here.

FALL FEST IS THIS THURSDAY, OCTOBER 15!  It's almost time for one of our favorite nights of the year! Join us for an evening of Trunk-or-Treat, games, food trucks, and plenty of fall fun.  We'll kick things off with a sensory-friendly window from 5:00–5:30 PM for families who prefer a quieter experience before the festivities get into full swing.  We're still welcoming families interested in hosting a trunk, and middle school volunteers are needed to help make the evening run smoothly. Food trucks will be on-site, so you can cross dinner off your to-do list.  Fall Fest is FREE and happens rain or shine!  Friendly reminder that this is not a dropoff event.

In other news: The Bushy Bear Dash is coming Saturday, November 14, from 2:00–4:00 PM, and registration is officially OPEN!  This year's Dash includes a 1-mile race, a 3K, and our ridiculous-in-the-best-way EXTRA Fun Run, where adults can embarrass themselves in costume for the entertainment of the entire school community.  And because a little friendly competition never hurt anyone, the classes with the highest registration participation and fundraising totals will earn pizza parties generously sponsored by our friends at Ledo's!  Can't participate this year?  Join our cheering section, grab a shirt, and help your favorite Bears earn a pizza party!

We're also rolling out some fantastic raffle prizes donated by our community sponsors, including gift cards, Ravens goodies, special experiences with Ms. Madden, theater tickets, and more.  NEW THIS YEAR: LACROSSE HEAD RAFFLES! We're offering separate drawings for custom-strung men's and women's lacrosse heads. These require their own raffle tickets, so general Dash raffle tickets cannot be used for the lacrosse drawings.  Browse Raffle Prizes & Purchase Tickets

Our annual Reflections art contest is underway! This year's theme is "What My Culture Means to Me," and students can submit original artwork, photography, literature, music, dance, or film. Entries are due November 20!  Learn More About Reflections  And because we love both our artists and our art teachers, returning this year is our fan favorite Beary Creative Art Night with Mr. Van Meter and Mr. Hopkins.  K-2 night will be 11/19, details and signups are coming soon!

COMING UP: MARK THOSE CALENDARS!

As if October wasn't keeping us sufficiently entertained, November is shaping up to be just as busy. We've got restaurant nights, our next PTA meeting, the Dash, and the Scholastic Book Fair all on the horizon.

And now, for everyone who scrolled directly to the bottom because you have three children asking for snacks and absolutely no time for my rambling...

TL;DR: The "Just Tell Me Where to Be" Edition

• Sunday, October 11: LAST CHANCE to order Taharka Brothers ice cream! Orders close at 11:00 PM TONIGHT.

• Tuesday–Thursday, October 13–15: Taharka ice cream pickup at BPES, 4:30–5:30 PM.

• Thursday, October 15: Fall Fest & Trunk-or-Treat, 5:00–7:30 PM. Sensory-friendly time begins at 5:00. Can't wait to see you, more details here.

• Tuesday, November 3: Chick-fil-A Spirit Day, 6:00 AM–10:00 PM, at the Clarksville location. Use code BPES26 for online orders or mention us at the register.

• Tuesday, November 10: Packet pickup for the Dash, additional raffle sales will be available.  General PTA Meeting, 6:30 PM, hybrid. Doors open at 6:15.

• Saturday, November 14: Bushy Bear Dash, 2:00–4:00 PM. Registration is OPEN, and raffle tickets are available!  Can't run this year?  Join the cheer squad and help your favorite Bear Cubs win a pizza party!

• November 14–24: Scholastic Book Fair! Shopping dates are November 14 during the dash, 16–20, and 23 during conferences.

• Friday, November 20: Reflections Art Contest submissions due!

Dates and event details are available on the BPES PTA Events Calendar.

That's it for this week, Bears! Thank you to everyone who continues to show up, volunteer, donate, register, and generally tolerate the constant stream of PTA communications. We know everyone's schedules are packed, and we appreciate every little bit of support that makes these events possible.  Now go enjoy what's left of your weekend, order that ice cream before 11, and maybe locate your family costumes before Thursday. Just a suggestion.

See you all real soon!