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Blue Ball Elementary School

Empowering Learners as Global Thinkers and Producers

October 18, 2026

Posted Date: 10/18/26 (05:30 PM)

October 18, 2026

BBES Newsletter

Blue Ball Elementary School

Blue Ball Families and Community,

Welcome to this week’s Blue Ball Elementary School Newsletter! We are excited to share important updates, upcoming events, and highlights from our school community to keep families informed and connected. We invite you to support our Spartan Boutique Club in their Socktober Fest Drive  by donating new, unworn children's socks.
A flyer announces the Spartan Boutique Club's Socktober Fest sock drive, featuring colorful socks hung on a clothesline.
 

Spotlight on Academics

This year, we invite learners and families to read for at least 15 minutes, five nights each week. Each month, your child will bring home a reading calendar that can be returned for a special prize. October’s calendar features an spider theme. Be sure your child's name and teacher is on the calendar. 

This week we are also inviting families to participate in the Math Challenge Program. Every two weeks, we will send home a copy of the Math Challenge Program (MCP) is a series of 15 challenge sets released every other week from October through May. Each set features fun and engaging non-routine math problems that stretch students' thinking and develop their problem-solving skills. You can access the also access the problems here as well as the answers when they are released. We hope your family will have fun solving these math problems. The first math set is due October 22, 2026.
There are a different number of problems to complete based on grade level.
  • Kindergarten & First Grade: Solve at least 3 problems
  • Second & Third Grade: Solve at least 7 problems
  • Fourth and Fifth Grade: Solve at least 12 problems.

A colorful October 2026 calendar page with spider facts, a cutout puppet activity, and holiday markers.
A Math Challenge #1 worksheet with four counting and logic problems for elementary students.
A math challenge worksheet page containing word problems numbered 5 through 9, featuring diagrams of scales with animals and an illustration of a clock tower.
A page containing five math word and logic problems numbered 10 through 14, with empty answer boxes to the right.
Page 4 of a math challenge featuring four word and logic problems numbered 15 through 18, with balance scale illustrations.
 

Upcoming Events

October 19th - School Board Meeting
October 20th - Safe Halloween sponsored by the Leo Club; 5:30-6:30 PM; Garden Spot High School
October 23rd - Garden Spot Fire Rescue Visiting Blue Ball
October 23rd - PTO Holiday Family Night; 6-7:30 PM
October 26th - October 30th - Red Ribbon Week
  • Monday, Oct. 26th - Dress as your Favorite Character
  • Tuesday, Oct. 27th - Wear Your Favorite Sports Team
  • Wednesday, Oct. 28th - Dress as your Dream Job
  • Thursday, Oct. 29th - Dress in Red
  • Friday, Oct. 30th - Dress as a Hero
October 28th - End of 1st Marking Period
October 29th - Picture Retake Day (AM)
October 30th - Early Dismissal
November 2nd - No School, Teacher Inservice
November 3rd - PTO Meeting
November 9th - School Board Meeting
November 12th and 13th - No School; Parent/Teacher Conferences
Example calendar with dates pinned
 

Staff Member of the Week

Learners have the opportunity to recognize staff members for their positive contributions to our school community. During morning announcements, learners share why they nominated a staff member and present them with a Texas Roadhouse certificate.. This week, we are proud to celebrate Mrs. Schultz and Ms. Williams!

If your child would like to nominate a staff member, you are welcome to help them complete this Google Form. There are also paper copies in classrooms,
A teacher and a student smile together in a brightly lit classroom.
A teacher and a student smile together inside a brightly lit classroom.
 

PTO Reminders

Our next PTO Meeting is November 3rd at 6 PM. We hope you can join us.
Blue Ball Elementary PTO October newsletter featuring autumn leaves, a ghost, bats, and a carved pumpkin graphic.
 

Excellence in Attendance

We are grateful to our families for prioritizing daily attendance and partnering with us to support each child’s learning. Consistent attendance helps learners build essential skills, stay connected to classroom instruction, and develop confidence as learners. Being present each day also provides meaningful opportunities to collaborate with peers, build friendships, practice teamwork, and feel a strong sense of belonging in our school community. When learners are here and engaged, they are better prepared to learn, grow, and succeed—together.

Congratulations to the following classes that had 95% or better attendance last week: Mrs. Adam, Mrs. Gehman, Mrs. Lutz, Mrs. Heckman, Mrs. Sweitzer, Ms. Duscha, Mrs. Jarratt, Mrs. Mergenthaler, Mrs. Noyes, Mrs. Roche, Ms. Urban, Mr. Beebe, Ms. Gentile, Ms. Spahr, Mrs. Schultz, and Mrs. Williams.

If you have attendance questions or need to submit an absence note, please email the school office at bb_office@elanco.org. Just a friendly reminder that excuse cards/absence notes should be received within three school days of the absence.
 

Upcoming Opportunities


A festive flyer for Safe Halloween Night on October 20, 2026, featuring a smiling pumpkin, a ghost, bats, and a skeleton.
 
A colorful flyer for Red Ribbon Week 2026 features smiling children holding a banner that reads "MAKE SMART CHOICES!".
An order form for the Blue Ball Student Council Spirit Wear Sale, including graphics, colors, and merchandise selections.
A school merchandise order form listing hoodies and umbrellas with checkboxes for options, sizes, prices, and payment methods.
 

Future Kindergarten Learners

See the flyer below to request a Ready for Kindergarten Pack. Call 717-354-1543 or scan the QR code to request one.
An informational flyer from Eastern Lancaster County School District detailing Ready for Kindergarten Fall Packs for children turning 5 before September 1, 2027.
 
Person using a laptop

Contact info

If you have any questions or concerns, please don't hesitate to contact us. You can reach out via the following links:

Email: kimberly_andersen@elanco.org
Phone: 717-354-1525
Location: 126 Ewell Road, East Earl, PA
Website: www.elanco.org