Culture and Heritage Night is October 11!

Our BRES Culture and Heritage Night is this week! Parents, students, and teachers come together to celebrate the diverse backgrounds that make up our school community. This celebration not only fosters a sense of pride and connection to one's heritage but also promotes tolerance and understanding among the school's young learners. The anticipation of sharing and learning from one another's traditions makes culture and heritage night a truly memorable occasion for all involved.

To get ready for this special event, families will create colorful displays showcasing their cultural heritage, complete with traditional artifacts, clothing, and foods.

At 6:30 PM, we will have our fashion show, where student will have a brief opportunity to tell us about the country they are representing, what their traditional attire is called, and if there is something special that they would like to share about it.

At the conclusion of the fashion show, there will be a short performance where students share songs, dances, or storytelling that reflect their cultural roots.

Come hungry! Along with delicious foods by our presenters, there will be two food trucks to save you from figuring out dinner! Sweet Chili and Ben & Jerry’s will both be onsite! (Pro tip: order Sweet Chili online in advance and you can pick it up starting at 5:30pm!)

WE NEED HELP SETTING UP! If you’re free before/after the event and can help (5:15pm or 7:30pm), please reach out to Danielle: programs@brespta.org

4th & 5th Grade Staff Appreciation Luncheon 2023

4th and 5th grade families will take their turn at appreciating our hard working staff on October 4.

Sign-up here to contribute homemade or store bought food items, supplies, decorations, or drinks for our staff luncheon .

Please sign-up ASAP but no later than October 3 so we can plan to buy more if needed with PTA funds.

THE FINE DETAILS:

You can just drop it off at the main office, have your student bring it in, or coodinatate with Patti Westenberg (preisdent@brespta.org). If you are unable to donate food or items but you would still like to help, please consider a monetary contribution so the PTA can fill in any section with no sign ups. You can use this link to donate: https://www.brespta.org/checkout/donate?donatePageId=60dbb231cc33482b8e2fc248

Please sign-up asap but no later than Tuesday October 3 so we can plan to fill any voids. Thank you!

Contributing Food: The first lunch period at BRES starts at 10:55 am, so items need to be dropped off in the front office by 10:30 am to be available to all staff members. Please try to contribute at least 10+ servings of your food.

  • Label your container if you need to have it returned.  We will clean it and leave it in the main office. 

  • If able, label your food with the name and major ingredients: meat, eggs, wheat/gluten, dairy, nuts, etc. for those with allergies.

Don't have time to make a dish but still want to treat your teacher? Take-out favorites have included: Mission BBQ, Hangry Joes, Pizza, Popeyes, Panera, Chick-Fil-A, Everything Bundt Cakes, etc! 

Set-up 10:00-10:55 AM: Please be sure you have completed the MCPS volunteer requirements including uploading your vaccine status to help in the building. Arrive at 10:00 a.m. and check in at the front office.

  • Food, supplies, and drinks will be waiting in the front office as people drop them off.

  • A cart is available. Additional supplies are available in the PTA closet (Door #145) including serving spoons, paperware and tablecloths.

Clean-up 2:00 PM: Please be sure you have completed the MCPS volunteer requirements including uploading your vaccine status to help in the building. Arrive at 2 p.m. and check in at the front office.  Please wash all items that are marked to be returned. There is a sink and supplies in the main office kitchen area. Place all items on a cart for the front office where they will be picked up. Some platters, serving utensils, etc. are the PTA's (they are labeled PTA) and need to be washed & returned to the PTA closet. If there are leftovers, use your judgment on what can be safely saved. Leftovers that will be consumed can be placed in the teachers' lounge refrigerators on the 2nd floor.

Thank you for your time and support! It takes everyone's help to make our staff appreciation luncheons are a success! Questions? Contact president@brespta.org.

Sign Up for Cultural Heritage Night!

We are happy to announce the return of the Bayard Rustin Elementary School Culture and Heritage Night, which will be held on Wednesday, October 11, from 6-7:30 PM. This will be an in-person celebration of the diverse student community at BRES!

  • We are working to plan the event, but we need your help. The most important part is highlighting the countries and cultures that make up our student body. There will be three ways to participate in the event:

  • Prepare a country/region/state display (ideas: science fair type display, food samples, artifacts, games, craft/art project, art display).

  • Participate in a Fashion Show with traditional dress from your country/region/state.

Perform a 1-2 minute song, dance, etc. in the gym. Please provide music to programs@BRESPTA.org by October

Register here by October 4, 2023 to participate. We will share more information about the event soon, so keep an eye on the BRES PTA website and Class Dojo!

August 25: Open House and Staff Appreciation Potluck (Sign Up!)

Help us kick off the school year with our BRES Staff Appreciation Lunch!

Decor for this event is "let the games begin" sports theme.

Sign-up here to contribute homemade or store bought food items, supplies, decorations, or drinks for our staff luncheon -- which will happen immediately after the BRES Open House (10:30-12:00) on Friday August 25, 2023. You can just drop it off on your way in to meet your teacher!

Please sign-up ASAP but no later than Thursday, August 24 so we can plan to buy more if needed with PTA funds. Thank you!

It takes everyone's help to make our teacher and staff appreciation luncheons a success! Questions? Contact president@brespta.org or cell phone 586.524.0997.

We Need *YOUR* Help! Volunteer with BRES PTA

We’re still looking for several BRES Volunteers for the 2023-2024 school year.

The new school year is right around the corner, and we are still searching for several positions on the PTA Board – VP of Fundraising, VP of Membership, Treasurer-Elect, and President-Elect (in training) — as well as the following non-board positions:

  • Sign Up Genius Superstar (Web based) (filled!!)

  • Teacher Appreciation Committee (Potlucks and decorating!)

  • Flyer Distribution (Print flyers and fill mailboxes bi-monthly)

  • Book Fair Captains - (In-Person Cash Handling October 5-13)

  • Food Truck Coordinator (Invite yummy trucks to our events — can be totally web-based)

By serving on the board or in a non-board position, you can contribute your skills, ideas, and passion to help create a positive environment that supports the growth and development of every child at our school.

A few more reasons to give your valuable time to help the BRES PTA:

  • Collaborate with Diverse Minds and Build Strong Relationships: The PTA offers a platform for families, teachers, and school administrators to come together to brainstorm and collaborate on innovative solutions for challenges facing our school community. In these PTA roles, your unique perspective and ideas will be valued and heard. This is also a fantastic way to connect with your school community and forge lasting friendships and partnerships that extend beyond the elementary school years.

  • Develop New Skills: NO EXPERIENCE is necessary (new Kindergarten parents especially – take note! We will train you!), and serving on the board or in a non-board position will help you enhance your leadership, communication, and organizational skills. 

  • Flexible Engagement: We understand that everyone has varying schedules and commitments. We value your time and offer flexible roles that cater to different levels of involvement. Your involvement absolutely CAN align with your availability and interests.

  • Support Our Children's Future and MAKE A DIFFERENCE: You'll have the chance to directly influence decisions that impact our school, from educational programs to extracurricular activities and beyond, and contribute to creating an environment where *all* students thrive.


Our PTA is a vital part of what makes BRES an incredible school and community. If you're interested in any of these positions or would just like to learn more about the available roles, please reach out to president@brespta.org.