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Modified School Front Office Hours during Remote Learning
Due to the Mecklenburg County health directive, the front office hours of the school have been temporarily modified until in-person learning resumes:
Mon 8-10AM
Tue 11-1PM
Wed 12-2PM
Thu 2-4PM
Fri 8-10AM
Please call the front office at 980-343-0413 if you have any questions on the new hours.
Mon 8-10AM
Tue 11-1PM
Wed 12-2PM
Thu 2-4PM
Fri 8-10AM
Please call the front office at 980-343-0413 if you have any questions on the new hours.
1/14/21 - Update on Plan B Return to School from Principal Rogers
Good Afternoon Ballantyne Families,
This is Principal Rogers with a parent update. As some of you may know, the CMS Board of Education met earlier today to revisit plans for students returning to in-person instruction. Originally, students were scheduled to return to school in-person starting on Tuesday, January 19. Due to current community health metrics, as well as the recent directive from Mecklenburg County Public Health, the CMS Board of Education revised the plan during their meeting this morning. The Board decided to extend remote learning for students through February 12th. Now, elementary school students, who attend BES for in-person instruction, are expected to return to the school building beginning on Monday, February 15th. No changes are being made to students who are already enrolled in the Full Remote Academy. Full Remote Academy students will remain in the remote modality for the remainder of this school year.
In order to comply with the health department directive, effective immediately, we are going to minimize operations on campus at Ballantyne Elementary School and other CMS campuses. Therefore, we will have extremely limited activity at BES. However, our phone lines will remain open for you to contact us as needed. Of course, we are always accessible via CMS e-mail.
Again, we will continue with remote teaching and learning for all students at this time. Our teachers and our support staff will continue to communicate with you and send any additional updates and information about school happenings and your child through our Bloomz parent platform.
Finally, I ask that you please remember that these are tough decisions on the shoulders of our district leaders. There is no easy answer, and there is no possible way to satisfy everyone. While many people are relieved by today’s decision, just as many are frustrated and upset by it. The students who were scheduled to return in-person starting next week are probably disappointed. The teachers are disappointed too. Many parents are also feeling the same pressure as they try to balance everything going on at home. All of us who work in schools miss our students dearly, but we also want everyone to be safe during this time. No doubt this is tough on all of us – especially parents, students, and educators. Let us all continue to be sensitive to the wide range of emotions being felt right now across this district. We must first seek to understand and then be understood. It is important to listen to and understand these varied perspectives as we all work to improve the overall health metrics across our community by socially distancing, wearing face coverings, and following stay at home directives. Even though we are not physically in the building at this time, our students are learning and growing this year. I am amazed at what I see as I virtually visit classrooms and see the positive classroom culture we have established, the focus on academics, and how our students and teachers are learning, leading, and achieving in a remote environment.
Parents, thank you again for taking our parent, teacher, and student relationship to the next level this school year. We truly are a team. I know that we all have hope that we will return to the school building in the near future, but until then we must remember that hope with a plan is a powerful thing. Our BES plan, is to continue to focus on what we can control and commit to reaching and teaching your child to the bes-t of our ability each and every day. Thank you for your continued support as we climb this mountain together. Think about how great the view will be from the top!
Thank you and have a wonderful weekend!
Principal Rogers
This is Principal Rogers with a parent update. As some of you may know, the CMS Board of Education met earlier today to revisit plans for students returning to in-person instruction. Originally, students were scheduled to return to school in-person starting on Tuesday, January 19. Due to current community health metrics, as well as the recent directive from Mecklenburg County Public Health, the CMS Board of Education revised the plan during their meeting this morning. The Board decided to extend remote learning for students through February 12th. Now, elementary school students, who attend BES for in-person instruction, are expected to return to the school building beginning on Monday, February 15th. No changes are being made to students who are already enrolled in the Full Remote Academy. Full Remote Academy students will remain in the remote modality for the remainder of this school year.
In order to comply with the health department directive, effective immediately, we are going to minimize operations on campus at Ballantyne Elementary School and other CMS campuses. Therefore, we will have extremely limited activity at BES. However, our phone lines will remain open for you to contact us as needed. Of course, we are always accessible via CMS e-mail.
Again, we will continue with remote teaching and learning for all students at this time. Our teachers and our support staff will continue to communicate with you and send any additional updates and information about school happenings and your child through our Bloomz parent platform.
Finally, I ask that you please remember that these are tough decisions on the shoulders of our district leaders. There is no easy answer, and there is no possible way to satisfy everyone. While many people are relieved by today’s decision, just as many are frustrated and upset by it. The students who were scheduled to return in-person starting next week are probably disappointed. The teachers are disappointed too. Many parents are also feeling the same pressure as they try to balance everything going on at home. All of us who work in schools miss our students dearly, but we also want everyone to be safe during this time. No doubt this is tough on all of us – especially parents, students, and educators. Let us all continue to be sensitive to the wide range of emotions being felt right now across this district. We must first seek to understand and then be understood. It is important to listen to and understand these varied perspectives as we all work to improve the overall health metrics across our community by socially distancing, wearing face coverings, and following stay at home directives. Even though we are not physically in the building at this time, our students are learning and growing this year. I am amazed at what I see as I virtually visit classrooms and see the positive classroom culture we have established, the focus on academics, and how our students and teachers are learning, leading, and achieving in a remote environment.
Parents, thank you again for taking our parent, teacher, and student relationship to the next level this school year. We truly are a team. I know that we all have hope that we will return to the school building in the near future, but until then we must remember that hope with a plan is a powerful thing. Our BES plan, is to continue to focus on what we can control and commit to reaching and teaching your child to the bes-t of our ability each and every day. Thank you for your continued support as we climb this mountain together. Think about how great the view will be from the top!
Thank you and have a wonderful weekend!
Principal Rogers
Back to School Questions
Do you have questions about the return to in-person learning that were not answered by Principal Rogers' town hall on Thursday night? Here is a roundup of some answers!
My child is riding the bus, what do I have to do?
My child is riding the bus, what do I have to do?
- You should have received your bus number, stop location, and bus arrival times in your welcome back letter from CMS. If you did not, please call the school to find out this information.
- Before you can ride the bus, you must fill out a bus attestation form and hand it to the driver. If you cannot print it at home, the bus driver will have blank copies available. This must be submitted to your driver WEEKLY.
- DAILY, before riding the bus or arriving at school, you must fill out the CMS symptom screener.
- Note that you will need your student's CMS student ID to complete the screener.
- On the Ballantyne Elementary School website there are links to both the CMS symptom screener and the bus attestation form.
- If you get a green check on the symptom screener, you are good to go. If you do not get a green check on the symptom screener, your student should remain at home to learn virtually.
My child is a car rider, what do I have to do?
- DAILY, before arriving at school, you must fill out the CMS symptom screener.
- Note that you will need your student's CMS student ID to complete the screener.
- On the Ballantyne Elementary School website there is a link to the CMS symptom screener
- If you get a green check on the symptom screener (see image above), you are good to go. If you do not get a green check on the symptom screener, your student should remain at home to learn virtually.
- Once you have a green check, head to school and use the Carpool Traffic pattern that wraps around the building.
- Have your child in the back seat and, when you get up to the building, roll down the window so they may have their temperature checked through the driver's side window.
- Once cleared, your child must open their door to exit the car and enter the building.
What should my child bring with them?
What will their day look like?
What happens if my child or another child gets sick?
I am not comfortable with returning to in person learning at this time, can I change to full remote academy?
I am happy with how the return to in-person learning is going and I would like my child to move from Full Remote Academy to Plan B
If my child is a Plan B student but I prefer to learn virtually, can they just log in to their virtual teacher's classes and continue from home?
Do you have other questions?
- Face Mask that must be worn all day except for at approved mask break times
- While Nurse Griner has extra disposable masks on hand if your child forgets or something happens, sending a back up with them is not a bad idea!
- The school supplies requested in your back to school letter from your teacher.
- Their Backpack
- Water Bottle (since drinking directly from water fountains is not currently permitted).
What will their day look like?
- Your teacher should have sent a daily schedule showing their routine on in-person and on virtual days. If you have not received anything, please reach out to your teacher.
- Have you watched Principal Rogers' day in the life of a BES student videos? They are great to get ready to go back. Click Here to see them all!
What happens if my child or another child gets sick?
- The student will be taken to the BES Bear Care room where they will wait for a guardian to pick them up.
- Depending on where the student was when the illness was identified and the type of illness will determine who would need to be notified. This is on a case by case basis and is supervised by Nurse Griner (who works closely with the Department of Health) and Principal Rogers.
I am not comfortable with returning to in person learning at this time, can I change to full remote academy?
- Yes, you may request a change on December 4th for the second semester.
- Please note that this request may only be made during this approved window in early December unless a family hardship arises. Requests to change cannot be made before this window or after this window for the second semester. Please contact Principal Rogers if a new hardship emerges before this window opens or after it has passed.
- The restriction to this window (except for a new hardship) is due to staffing. Teachers are assigned to Plan B or Full Remote Academy and changes outside of this window impact class sizes and staffing needs.
I am happy with how the return to in-person learning is going and I would like my child to move from Full Remote Academy to Plan B
- You may request a change on December 4th for the second semester.
- Please note that this request may only be made during this approved window in early December unless a family hardship arises. Requests to change cannot be made before this window or after this window for the second semester. Please contact Principal Rogers if a new hardship emerges before this window opens or after it has passed.
- The restriction to this window (except for a new hardship) is due to staffing. Teachers are assigned to Plan B or Full Remote Academy and changes outside of this window impact class sizes and staffing needs.
If my child is a Plan B student but I prefer to learn virtually, can they just log in to their virtual teacher's classes and continue from home?
- Per CMS policy, they will be marked absent for each day they were supposed to be in-person that they do not arrive to the building even if they participate at home.
- The option to learn from home on your in-person days should only be reserved for students who are ill and cannot come to school but are well enough to not miss class time and complete their assignments.
Do you have other questions?
- Feel free to reach out to your teacher, Principal Rogers, or the PTA and we will get you an answer as soon as possible!
- Visit the CMS Health and Safety page for answers to frequently asked health questions.
CMS Exceptional Children Mini Sessions (Mini Sesiones de Niños Excepcionales Para Familias)
The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools EC Department is excited to launch a series of “mini sessions” for families on topics of interest related to students with disabilities throughout the Fall of 2020. Join for one, or many!
You can see all available dates on our school Calendars. Each session will cover a specific topic. For a list of topics covered during each session, click below to download the informational guides which contain the registration link.
You can see all available dates on our school Calendars. Each session will cover a specific topic. For a list of topics covered during each session, click below to download the informational guides which contain the registration link.
El Departamento de niños excepcionales se complace en lanzar una serie de "mini sesiones" para familias sobre temas de interés relacionados con los estudiantes con discapacidades durante el otoño de 2020. ¡Únase a nosotros para una o muchas!
Puede ver todas las fechas disponibles en nuestros Calendarios escolares. Cada sesión cubrirá un tema específico. Para obtener una lista de los temas conversados durante cada sesión, haga clic a continuación para descargar las guías informativas que contienen el enlace de registro.
Puede ver todas las fechas disponibles en nuestros Calendarios escolares. Cada sesión cubrirá un tema específico. Para obtener una lista de los temas conversados durante cada sesión, haga clic a continuación para descargar las guías informativas que contienen el enlace de registro.
2020-2021 School Supply Lists
We know that this year is going to look a bit different, and so will our school supplies! Please use the "At Home Items" column on each grade level supply list below to purchase supplies that you might not have for your student's at-home learning (but they will need) and save purchasing the "For School Items" for when we return to in-person learning. If you would like to purchase your "For School Items" supplies now (to take advantage of back to school sales) and bring them on your student's back to school pickup day, please feel free, our teachers would sure appreciate it!
Bear Blast Newsletter
Sign Up Today!
Every week, we send a very important news bulletin directly to your inbox called the Bear Blast.
This is absolutely the best way to stay informed about what's going on at Ballantyne Elementary School.
Please click below to sign up and then look for the confirmation email at your chosen address to finalize the registration!
Every week, we send a very important news bulletin directly to your inbox called the Bear Blast.
This is absolutely the best way to stay informed about what's going on at Ballantyne Elementary School.
Please click below to sign up and then look for the confirmation email at your chosen address to finalize the registration!
Important Reminders
- Student Dress Code -
- Appropriate dress is required of all students at all times. Appropriate clothing is required during all seasonal changes.
- During the winter months, children are expected to wear clothing and boots appropriate for the existing weather conditions.
- During the spring/summer months attire must be suitable for school.
- We ask that students not wear excessive and/or bulky jewelry (ex. necklaces, rings, bracelets, grills).
- No hoods or gloves worn in the building.
- No t-shirts or apparel that mentions or promotes sexual themes, drugs, tobacco, alcohol, vulgar language, or violence.
- No inappropriate pictures.
**Staff, should discreetly let Administration know if they feel a student’s dress is distracting to other students or disruptive to the learning environment. Administration will make the determination and call parents if deemed necessary.
- Appropriate dress is required of all students at all times. Appropriate clothing is required during all seasonal changes.
- Visitors - *Due to COVID-19 restrictions, there are no non-essential visitors at this time* Parents, grandparents, and visitors are required to sign in at the front office and show a photo ID every time they visit BES. This is true for picking up a child, eating lunch with your child or attending any school events.
- Walkers & Bike Riders - If your child is a walker/biker then you must complete a walker form. If you are meeting your child to walk, you will meet across the street from the front playground. There will be staff to help you find the location. You will not come onto campus. In the afternoon, if you have indicated that your child will walk/bike home and someone is not there to meet the child by 3:45 pm, they will return to the school building. You must then come into the school by the front office to pick up your child. If your child is able to walk home alone a form must be turned in stating this even if they are walking with a sibling or a friend. Bike riders will not be permitted to bike home until 4 pm after the carpool traffic has cleared.
- Tardies - We know it is sometimes hard to readjust to a school schedule following the summer but please remember our bell time is 8:45 am. Student drop off will begin at 8:10 am each morning but NOT before. The tardy bell will ring promptly at 8:45 am. If your child is not in the building by the bell, parents must park and walk their child into the school. After buzzing in, the parent must sign the child in as tardy and then the child will receive a tardy pass and proceed to class.
- Classroom Observation - *Due to COVID-19 restrictions, there are no non-essential visitors at this time* All classroom observations visits must be arranged with the teacher at least 2 school days ahead of the requested visit time. An administrator must be made aware of the visit and a BES staff member will accompany the parent throughout the observation. Visitors must follow the school safety policy and sign in with a photo ID to receive a visitor badge that must be worn for the right side of the chest for the entire visit.
- Early Dismissal - If you are picking your student up from school early for ANY reason, you must complete the pickup by 3:15 pm so the front office can begin to focus on the afternoon dismissal of all students.
- Transportation Changes - All changes in transportation MUST be in writing. We will not accept verbal changes from a student or a phone call. Please make sure to send written communication to your child’s homeroom teacher, the front office, and before/after care (if applicable) any time there will be a change. There are NO EXCEPTIONS to this rule.
- Car Rider Traffic Pattern - see drive-through video and image below
School Supply Lists
Scroll up to the top of this page for the 2020-2021 lists!
Important Documents
| BES Returned Check Policy |
| Principal's Coffee EOG Information |
