BAS MITZVAH CELEBRATION GUIDELINES

The following are the BCM guidelines that all parents should observe when inviting their daughter's BCM classmates to her Bas Mitzvah celebration.

Bas Mitzvah celebrations should be conducted in a Chasidishe manner, emphasizing Aidelkeit, Chasidishkeit, Divrei Torah, and Chasidishe Nigunim. 

All food served at a Bas Mitzvah must adhere to the following standards:

• Cholov Yisroel
• Pas Yisroel
• Bishul Yisroel
• Lubavitch Shechita
• Heimishe Brands

When organizing your daughter’s Bas Mitzvah, please consider that students will need to attend school the next day, and plan for the event to conclude by 9:00 PM.

Before sending out invitations to BCM students, please contact Rabbi Vidal to discuss the specifics of the event.

TEXTBOOKS AND SUPPLIES

A detailed list of required textbooks, along with information on where to purchase them, will be made available on our website. Some books will be sold directly by the school for students. It is crucial that your child has all the necessary textbooks.

We expect students to treat the textbooks rented from the school with respect. If any book is lost or damaged, parents will be responsible for covering the full cost of replacement.

CARPOOLS

School starts at 9:00 for all grades. Carpools can drop off students between 8:45 and 9:00. For the safety of the children, please follow the supervisor's guidance and adhere to the following carpool safety rules:

For morning drop-offs and 3:55 pick-ups;

• Enter through the driveway closest to Sheppard (the second driveway when coming from Thornhill)
• Drive around the building
• Please do not drop off or pick up in front of the building during these times, as this can lead to reversing, which is very dangerous. This is a matter of Sakonas Nefashos!!!
• If you are picking up at 2:30, you may park in front of the building to collect your child.
• If you have made arrangements for someone else to pick up your children or are carpooling, please inform the office. We cannot release any student without parental consent. When calling, please provide the name of the driver and the type of vehicle they will be using.

If a child arrives after 9:00, they must obtain a late note to enter class (see “Sign-in/Sign-out”). To minimize disruption, late students will need to wait in the office until the next break.

Research shows that arriving late to school can have a negative impact on a student’s self-esteem and academic performance. Please make every effort to ensure your child arrives on time.

Pick-up times are as follows: Kindergarten & Pre-1A – 2:30 p.m. (preschool students enrolled in aftercare will be dismissed at 3:55). Grades 1-8 – 3:55-4:10 p.m. On Fridays, pick-up for all grades is from 11:55 to 12:10. Carpools that are more than 15 minutes late will incur an additional fee of $35 for the supervisor of the child/ren.

CHASSIDISHE YOMIM TOVIM

Chassidishe Yomim Tovim will be commemorated in school with farbrengens, engaging stories, and more. On Rosh Chodesh Kislev and Yud-Tes Kislev, students are asked to wear their Shabbos garments to school, and we will celebrate with a delightful seudah.

NOTICE OF SCHOOL CLOSURE

In case of a snowstorm or any other emergency situation, parents will receive a notification via email regarding an early dismissal. If the school is to be closed in the morning, we will strive to send out an email by 7:45am. We appreciate your understanding of the urgency of the situation and ask that you follow any instructions provided promptly. Decisions regarding school closures, early dismissals, and changes to the calendar are made with careful consideration of various factors, and we aim to minimize such changes whenever feasible. Thank you for your understanding and support.

COMMUNICATION BETWEEN PARENTS AND SCHOOL

To ensure effective school management and to keep parents informed and engaged in their child's educational journey, ongoing communication between parents and the school is crucial. Below are the established communication protocols:

1. The Homework Book serves as the primary and continuous link between home and school. It is essential for parents to sign it every day, even if there are no entries!
2. Most school communications are consolidated in our weekly Erev Shabbos “School Shmooze.” We will provide a weekly email update and send a physical copy home. It is important for you to encourage your daughter to take responsibility by bringing this and other notes home for your review.
3. Report cards will be emailed to parents periodically, reflecting the teacher's assessment of the student's academic performance.
4. Updates regarding specific subject areas will be provided as needed between report card distributions. An annual parent-teacher conference night will be organized, as these meetings are vital for fostering understanding between home and school.
5. At the beginning of each school year, every teacher will send an introductory email. To communicate with a teacher, please use their school email. If you wish to have a conversation with a teacher, kindly email them to arrange a suitable time. Allow sufficient time for the teacher to return your call, and please respect their personal time by not calling them at home. Additionally, social settings such as celebrations, grocery stores, or Shul are not appropriate places to discuss your child with a teacher.
6. Email is a highly effective means of communication with the school. All emails sent to teachers and the school are stored on the school server for future reference. However, email should not be used to discuss students’ academic or behavioral issues; it may be used to set up a meeting to address these topics. Please refrain from using Whatsapp or text messages to contact your daughter’s teacher.
7. Staff members are prohibited from engaging in discussions about other students or staff, responding to threats, accusations, derogatory comments, or any emails that could be interpreted as harassment.
8. If your child comes home upset due to an incident involving another student or a concern about classroom events, it is crucial to contact the teacher for their perspective rather than making accusations. Children may misinterpret situations or overlook key details that could clarify what transpired. If further assistance is needed, please reach out to Rabbi Vidal at the office.

DISCIPLINE

Our discipline approach is centered on love, care, and encouragement, with the goal of fostering happy, self-motivated, and confident children. Each child's situation is addressed on an individual basis. We ask that you demonstrate your unconditional love for your daughter while also supporting her teacher without reservation.

It is essential to recognize that all disciplinary measures are carefully considered by the school, and we seek your partnership in addressing them. Should you have any concerns regarding disciplinary actions, please bring them up privately with the teacher or principal, rather than in front of your daughter.

Our School has established a Policy Statement that enforces a strict ‘zero-tolerance’ policy towards Bullying. The Principal will determine the difference between ‘bullying’ and other forms of conflict such as ‘bickering.’ Research indicates that empowering the victim is a more effective strategy than punishing the aggressor in bullying cases. At BCM, we prioritize building your daughter's self-esteem to help prevent such incidents in the future. If you believe your child has been involved in a bullying situation, please notify the Principal. For additional information, please consult the student behavior policy.

USE OF ELECTRONIC GADGETS

Devices like mobile phones, gaming systems, cameras, and music players can become significant distractions during class or other times when students are expected to focus on their teachers' instructions. Consequently, these devices are not permitted in school. If a teacher takes possession of any device, the Principal will hold it until the school year is over.

PHONES/SMARTPHONES:

Students must not bring cell phones to school under any circumstances. This rule applies to bus transportation to and from school, as well as all school events, whether they occur during or after school hours, and regardless of the location, including events like the 8th grade carnival or Melaveh Malka. Any phones discovered will be confiscated.

HEALTH AND VACCINATION

A student who maintains good health has a clear advantage when entering school. She will be more capable of learning, adapting to classroom activities, and interacting well with her peers. Therefore:

a) We highly recommend that every student undergo an annual comprehensive physical examination, and that you adhere to your physician's advice. It is also advisable to have thorough dental and vision check-ups completed, with any necessary corrections made before the school year begins. If treatments are required during the school year, we strongly suggest scheduling appointments for after school hours.

b) It is important to ensure that your daughter gets sufficient sleep each night. While the required amount of sleep can vary from child to child, a chart indicating the recommended hours of sleep is available on the right.

c) Research has clearly demonstrated that nutrition significantly impacts a child's academic performance. Breakfast is the most crucial meal of the day! Ensure that your child consumes a nutritious and balanced breakfast. Snacks and lunches should include healthy foods from a variety of food groups. Make sure your child enjoys the food you provide to minimize waste.

d) The school is legally obligated to suspend any student who does not submit an up-to-date immunization record.

HOMEWORK

For students in Pre-1A, approximately five minutes* of Kriah homework will be assigned each day. Grade 1 students will have around ten minutes of homework daily, while Grade 2 will have fifteen minutes. Each subsequent grade will add an additional five minutes of homework per night.

In the upper grades, students will also be given projects that span over longer periods.

It is highly advisable for each girl to have a specific homework area at home that is well-lit and free from distractions. Parents should strive to be available during homework time to assist their daughters and stay engaged with their educational journey.

The school will provide every student with a standardized homework notebook, as noted on your daughter’s book-list.

* These time frames are estimates. Each student is unique; what one child may finish in 5 minutes could take another 20 minutes. If you have any concerns about the amount of homework in relation to your daughter’s abilities, please take the time to discuss it with her teacher.

ILLNESS POLICY

We appreciate your cooperation in keeping your child at home if they show any signs of illness. If a child becomes unwell during school hours, we will contact their parents for immediate pickup or to make other arrangements.

Please notify the principal as soon as possible if your child is diagnosed with any contagious diseases or lice, as this is important for the health of other students. If your child has a fever, they should stay home for at least 24 hours after the fever has subsided. A doctor's note will be required for the child to return to school in such cases. Please remember that school staff cannot administer or provide any medication without permission from a parent.

INSURANCE

Students are protected by insurance against any accidents that might happen on our school premises or while participating in field trips.

LATENESS

A student who arrives late regularly develops detrimental habits. This not only interrupts the entire class but also results in her missing essential parts of her daily work.

Students who come to school after 9:00 must have a note explaining their lateness and will be required to wait in the office until the next break. (Refer to “Sign-in/Sign-out.”) Each instance of lateness is documented and becomes part of her permanent record. If lateness persists, parents will be informed. It is important for parents to actively support the importance of being on time!

LICE SCREENING POLICY

We conduct initial lice screenings at the start of the school year and sometimes after long breaks (such as Succos and Pesach). If a child is found to have lice or nits during these screenings, we will follow the recommendations of health professionals. Students with lice or nits will need to provide a certificate from a lice treatment clinic confirming they are free of lice/nits before returning to class. The presence of lice is treated as a contagious illness (see above).

LUNCH AND SNACKS POLICY

Students will have lunch at school. It is essential for students to wash their hands before lunch each day; therefore, please include some ‘hamotzi’ even if the rest of the meal does not require it. All lunches and snacks should be packed from home. In case your child forgets their lunch, the school will provide matza. Students are not allowed to call home for forgotten lunches. Please refrain from sending instant soups or oatmeal, as the school does not provide boiling water. Additionally, the school does not supply cups, spoons, or other utensils.

All food items sent to school must be Bishul and Cholov Yisroel and should have a proper hechsher. Due to the preferences of many families who are strict about potato chips being Bishul Yisroel, we kindly ask that only brands like Lieber’s or Paskesz be sent to school.

Please do not send any nuts or nut-based products. Ensure that all food items are checked for nuts in the ingredients, including those made in facilities that process nuts or may contain traces of them.

Glass containers are not permitted at school.

Sweets, candies, and sodas should not be included in lunch boxes.

There is a strict no-sharing policy for food and snacks at school. This is due to various reasons, including allergies, parental preferences regarding health and kashrus, bullying concerns, and ensuring that all children have enough to eat. We ask that parents support this message at home.

MESSAGES

The office cannot accept phone calls for students, except in cases of real emergencies. We will take messages and notify students about family occasions. Students are not allowed to make phone calls home from the office, so please ensure all arrangements are completed before the school day begins.

MIDDOS TOVOS

We strongly believe in the importance of teaching our students to embody middos tovos. A vital approach to this is through collaboration with families. We ask that you engage in the ongoing school campaigns and return any notes and charts that are sent home. By exemplifying appreciation and kindness, we can effectively instill these values in our children.

PARENTAL ENGAGEMENT

There are various ways for parents to participate in their daughter's school activities. Your engagement is often essential for your daughter's achievement in her studies! For more information on how you can contribute, please contact the school office, the PTA, or the Mothers Association.

PHOTOCOPIES

Students who lose or misplace books, notes, or materials given by the teacher and require a replacement will be charged for the additional copies. Parents will receive a bill for 25 cents for each copy. Unfortunately, we cannot offer personal copies or print-outs for students or parents.

RECREATION

Students should always be mindful of their role as Bnos Chabad, even during their free time.

It is essential that the dress code adheres to the highest standards of Tznius at all times. Activities such as watching movies, videos, television, browsing the internet, listening to non-Jewish music, and reading non-Jewish literature are completely prohibited. There is sufficient literature on this matter, making further discussion unnecessary. Socializing at the mall contradicts the values we teach in our school. Thankfully, there are numerous enjoyable activities available, such as visiting the Lubavitch Library or participating in community chessed projects, that allow girls to have fun while remaining within a kosher and chassidishe framework. When it comes to recreational reading or school-related research, please keep the following in mind:

1. Unsupervised or unfiltered internet access is not permitted under any circumstances!
2. Developing library skills is crucial. Library visits should only take place with adult supervision.
3. Parents must review all reading materials before students engage with them, including books from the library, home encyclopedias, or online sources.

SCHOOL RECORDS

A student's official school records comprise their test scores, health details, attendance history, teacher remarks, and grades. These records are organized in a file and are accessible solely to teachers and the principal. Furthermore, a log of correspondence between parents and teachers for each student is also maintained. We will not provide a student's records to another school until all financial obligations have been met.

STUDENT CHECK-IN/CHECK-OUT POLICY

To ensure the safety of our students, it is crucial to monitor their presence in the school at all times.

• If you drop off your daughter after the 9:00 bell, you must accompany her to the office to ‘check her in’ with the school secretary. This guarantees that her arrival is officially recorded.
• If you need to pick up your daughter early, you are required to come into the school to ‘check her out’. This is the only way to ensure that we have documented her departure from the building. (NOTE: Phone notifications are not sufficient. Our safety protocols do not permit a student to leave unless they are with an adult.) 
• When collecting your daughter early, please ensure she brings a note for the teacher indicating the time she will be leaving. This will give the teacher enough time to prepare her homework and other items before she is sent to the office.

STUDENT CHECK-IN/CHECK-OUT POLICY

To ensure the safety of our students, it is crucial to monitor their presence in the school at all times.

• If you drop off your daughter after the 9:00 bell, you must accompany her to the office to ‘check her in’ with the school secretary. This guarantees that her arrival is officially recorded.
• If you need to pick up your daughter early, you are required to come into the school to ‘check her out’. This is the only way to ensure that we have documented her departure from the building. (NOTE: Phone notifications are not sufficient. Our safety protocols do not permit a student to leave unless they are with an adult.) 
• When collecting your daughter early, please ensure she brings a note for the teacher indicating the time she will be leaving. This will give the teacher enough time to prepare her homework and other items before she is sent to the office.

VISITORS

No parent is allowed to enter a classroom or speak with a teacher while class is in session without prior approval from the principal. Any parent who comes to the school during school hours must first check in at the office.