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BES YearBooks are HERE!

The Yearbooks have arrived! and they're beautiful. If you were fortunate enough to preorder yours, you're in great shape. If, on the other hand, you've neglected to purchase one in advance, there are a few extra which are available for $25 apiece.

There are only about 15 extra yearbooks available on a first-come, first-served basis. To reserve yours, please email (please do not call the office) the yearbook sponsor.

Autism 101:Making a Difference

Chuck York, ISS-Autism Consultant for DoDDS-Europe, will present a three session,
six topic workshop to help community service providers, teachers and families of the
Bamberg, Schweinfurt, and Wurzburg Communities develop hands-on, in the trenches techniques for working with students with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)

• One: What is ASD and why am I seeing it now? and
  What are some easy, useful tools I can use in my classroom?
  Monday May 5, 2008 from 4:30 to 7:30
• Two: The classroom experience: A student’s perspective and
  How do we serve students with more involved needs?
  Wednesday May 7, 2008 4:30 to 7:30
• Three: The behavior is out of control… HELP! and Socialization skills: How to win friends and influence people!

Monday May 12, 2008 4:30 to 7:30
• Location- Bamberg Elementary School, Room 129
• Graduate credit will be offered for those who attend all meetings and complete a response paper
• Walk-Ins are welcome, but if possible please e-mail Chuck York (Chuck.York@eu.dodea.edu)
and let him know which sessions you plan to attend. See the flyer.

BSCC Fills GAP in the LIBRARY

When the librarian was asked what was needed to enhance the popular AR program, she had no idea that her wish list would generate more than a couple thousand dollars worth of quizzes and new books.  AR or Accelerated Reading is a supplementary reading program used to enhance the classroom reading program. Students choose books within a range of levels from 0.4 to 12. As books are read students take quizzes over the content to earn points. The more they read the higher their scores are and they faster they move from one level to the next.

As a result of generous grants from the BSCC the elementary school library has purchased quizzes for many of the books already housed in the library. Funding has never been large enough to cover the purchase of quizzes for all the books in the collection. Because of the high volume of books checked out, worn out books, books checked out so often they fall apart, are often not replaced. And, it’s difficult to keep up with exciting new books being published each year. This added bonus is very welcome!

More than 400 quizzes and 60 new books will be added soon to the Bamberg ES library collection, thanks to the Bamberg Spouses and Civilians Club. Many thanks to those involved in the successful grants. The library is always open for visitors. And, volunteers who can offer their time and/or talents are always welcome.

Upper Grades Show Talent

At the 2nd talent show of the year, rare talent was displayed. From daring duos, tantalizing trios, quirky quartets, and mass mayhem it was a show full of variety. See some samples...

Native American Indians Dance at BES

A Native American Dance duo delighted the whole school last month. They chanted, danced and drummed their way into the spirit of Bamberg. By the end of the assembly they had everyone hopping to the rhythm, snaking around the auditorium.

Fall Festival Attracts Strange Characters

Bamberg ES Fall Fest attracted an odd assortment of characters. Bingo and a House of Horrors were two of the many activities that evening, which included world renowned Fortune Teller, Madam Carmen. Treats were plentiful and so were the good times. See what it was like...

BES Celebrates Germany Day

An "Oompah" band brightened up the morning with traditional German music and folk dances. After entertaining the school they invited students and staff to join in the fun.

Bratwurst, brotchen, baked beans, and an apple were served for lunch. Some students and staff dressed in German country outfits and classrooms studied German culture.

Auf Wiedersehen

Young Giraffes Stretch their Necks Out

The students in this 3rd grade class make cakes every month for a group of single soldiers. Volunteer parents come in to help the young bakers with their task...part of their goal to be Young Giraffes and stretch their necks out to be kind.

This month their pencil-shaped cakes emphasized their writing skills. After writing letters to their penpals they could eat a piece of one of their cakes.

911 is Remembered

Bamberg students remembered 911 in many ways starting with an assembly. Trees were planted and classrooms were videotaped to send to troops in the field.

As reported in the Stars and Stripes: At Bamberg Elementary School, remembering 9/11 was an all-morning affair. About 600 students filled the school gymnasium. Kids were decked out in red, white and blue, and sang patriotic songs. Afterwards, each grade planted a tree across the street from the school. A few second-graders were asked about the significance of the event.

“So we can water it and watch it grow,” said one student, not understanding the larger question.

“So we can have air,” another replied.

“For the people who died,” a third chimed in.

“For all the people who get hurt,” added a classmate.

In so many ways, it all was about trying to make sense of one senseless day.

Bike Rodeo Wheels into BES Parking Lot:
Free Bikes, Races, Prizes, Food!!!!

Enjoy a fun-filled day of: free prizes, mountain bike course, tricycle and slow drag races, decorate my bike contest, bike safety course, food, and more! Raffle for 2 free bikes! Sponsored by the BES PTA, Pack 48 Cub Scouts, and Girl Scouts of Bamberg.

• Saturday May 10th from 11:00-3:00
• BES parking Lot
• All you need is a bike and a helmet

ELECT to READ

To celebrate popular children's author, Dr. Seuss' birthday, March 3rd, BES is joining the election frenzy. Students from kindergarten to sixth grade are registering to vote this week. Depending on their grade, students must know such things as: their name, address, telephone number, birthdate, birth place, mother's maiden name.

Next week students will be able to nominate their favorite book. They must get 10 signatures for their book to be included in the primaries. Campaigning for the primaries will be held from the 17th to the 19th of March. Voting will take place on the 19th for the primaries.

The serious campaigning will happen the week of 20-26 of March. This is the time students will make and display posters encouraging kids to vote for their favorite book (of those that won the primary vote).

Final voting will take place on the 26th of March and the culminating assembly will be held in the afternoon of the 28th when the winner will be announced.

Parents are encouraged to participate by filling out the attached form indicating their favorite children's books: 1. that they read to their children and 2. that they read as a child. It could be the same one! Please send this form back to your child's teacher.

And the WINNERS are!

History is BORING - NOT!

Five hard working Bamberg Elementary Students learned that history can be interesting, even exciting, this year as they competed in the Bavaria District National History Day Competition.  These five sixth graders went to Ansbach on February 5th to display their historical exhibits. 

The students began work back in Spetember and put in over 30 hours each conducting research, designing their displays, and documenting sources.  Their hard work paid off as three students placed third, and two students placed first.  The first place winners earned a chance to go to Heidelberg to compete in the European Level Competition. While not all of BES’s competitors got the chance to move on, their projects displayed their hard work and received compliments from judges and other competitors.

Deployment Survival Tactics

On Wed., Dec. 19th, all 5th grade girlsmet with the counselor to enjoy each others' company and share their deployment experiences. "These girls are the experts," she commented. "All 24 who attended have had experience with extended deployments."       

While there were ice breakers and games to play, the focus was on sharing what works to help pass the time and to make deployments a time of growth for all concerned. The girls responded favorably to the fun, refreshments, door prizes, and new ideas for making the most of holiday deployment time

5th Grade GE Students Create Webpages

During the second quarter, our fifth grade Gifted Education students developed Web Pages. With the assistance of our Information Specialist, we have sharpened our technological skills by using various computer software programs.

We had the opportunity to design our “All About Me” web pages using the 7.2 Netscape Composer.  We created our web outline for our pages with the Inspiration 8 program.  Students demonstrated their creative skills, as they created banners and artwork using Microsoft Paint.  We were also able to check out cameras to take photos to include on our web page. 

Through our Web Design project, we were able to use a variety of DoDEA curricular standards.  Students participated in planning, organizing, and creative problem solving skills.  Our fifth grade Gifted students were able to discover life-long lessons through a real world problem solving approach. They have gained a better understanding about the importance of task commitment.

Local Fire Fighters Visit BES

What an unexpected treat! Local fire fighters demonstrate fire fighting techniques and equipment for astonished students. And, a few lucky adults got the ride of their lives...up into the sky aboard the "cherry picker" used to help save people from high buildings. See more...

BES Celebrates the Constitution

Bamberg students wrestled with the meaning and significance of the Constituion this week. The kindergarten learned the Pledge of Allegiance, the first grade read about the Constitution, made flags, and illustrated a poem. The 2nd grade learned about the flag and the role of Betsy Ross. 3rd graders made Constitution booklets, the 4th graders researched answers on the internet to a library quiz, and the 5th graders had a lively discussion after watching a film. The 6th graders wrote their own description of their activities.