Charles C. Bell Elementary School

08/31/2026

Happy birthday to our very favorite Jedi knight, Mr. Fusco! May the force be with you today and always. We are SO glad to have you leading the way in our sweet Bell School galaxy!

08/31/2026

CC Bell posted today 2 positions. Qualified candidates please email Mr. Fusco with a letter of interest and apply online.

Job 15837 Educational Interpreter (Hearing)
https://www.applitrack.com/buncombeschools/onlineapp/JobPostings/view.asp?FromAdmin=true&AppliTrackJobId=15837

Job 15838 Bus Driver has been posted externally (6/hour per day bus driver for Deaf Ed). This will be a full time position with benefits requiring a CDL and a S & P endorsement.
https://www.applitrack.com/buncombeschools/onlineapp/JobPostings/view.asp?FromAdmin=true&AppliTrackJobId=15838

08/31/2026

Any family who would like to opt into the Buncombe County Public Library partnership for 26-27 (you have to opt-in EACH YEAR!) must fill out this Form by September 30th. I encourage all families to take advantage of this fantastic opportunity for your Bell Bear! Once signed up, your child will be able to check books out of the public library simply by giving their lunch number (student ID number) AND will have access to the truly excellent digital libraries via SORA (ebooks and audiobooks!!). Especially for our students in grades 3-5, this is not an opportunity to miss! You will need your student's lunch number (student ID number) to sign up. Don't hesitate to reach out to your child's teacher or to me if you don't know the number: [email protected]. Links to Forms in other languages in the comments below.
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1aX6vR6BEDoWbmXpWtmqcWh4rt8ZniF8CVm7j3VCNqCs/edit?tab=t.0

08/30/2026

8/30/26

What an incredible 1st week back to school that we had last week! We’re falling right back into the school routines at CC Bell and it feels just right. Every single week we see our kiddos learn and grow and it’s a joy to have them back in school.

With the warmer temperatures forecast for this week ensure that clothing is kept school appropriate (please see the Bell Student Handbook 26/27 on page 22).
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1kJfAa37cTfMejQnbmQ8mZ-dYH553ifDY/view

For bus questions, email Mr. Fusco
Parents/Guardians – our current enrollment as of August 28th is 210 students. If you know of a parent/guardian looking for the right fit, please have them reach out to me [email protected]. I especially have room in the Kindergarten; 3rd grade; and 5th grade classes.

Now that we are entering the 2nd week of school, we ask that all parents/guardians utilize the morning/afternoon car rider drop off line or school buses. Have a plan with your children before arriving to school; move over that car seat to the right-hand side if you can; and stay in your vehicle – we’ve got it. Every little step helps your child develop independence. In the afternoon – pull up in the parking lot if your child needs assistance buckling up/or ask a staff member for help. These small steps create a sense independence for your child.

Safety is #1 at our school. Last week we practiced a fire drill on Thursday and an emergency bus evacuation drill on Friday. Tomorrow morning we’ll be practicing a school-wide perimeter and lock down drill in the morning and fire drill for the YMCA after school program late in the afternoon. It is essential that staff and students practice what to do in case of emergency and we practice these drills early in the school year. We will also be practicing a school evacuation drill later in the week. For more information about the school safety district safety procedures and practices, please contact Mr. Fusco [email protected].
The Beginning of Year (BOY) assessment window opens this week (8/31-9/21). For reading for all grades this will be the Dibels mCLASS Reading Assessment
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1lDV8wtbcxtN4SRjCeWEKrUYGor3skn1V/view
and for Math the MAP Math Assessment.
https://www.nwea.org/resource-center/fact-sheet/47013/MAPGrowth_2025_NTL_Update-Family-Guide-to-MAP-Growth-one-sheet.pdf/
We use these BOY screeners to establish baseline levels of knowledge for our instructional planning. Individual student reports on these BOY assessments will be sent home on or before the 1st 9 Weeks Midterms (September 24th).

This Friday, September 4th will be the 10th day of the school year, and it will be time to celebrate being Bell Bears! We will have our opening school year assembly in the gym @ 1:30PM. We call these programs “Bell Bear Assemblies” and it’s all about what it means to be a Bell Bear staff and student and being intentional about our sense of belonging within our school. Parents/Guardians are always welcome to attend our school assemblies but just know that these programs are not “performance” as such. The opening program on Friday will be student-led as a Leader in Me school; include staff introductions; and a special energetic performance by the Baily Mountain Cloggers of Mars Hill University. This Friday will also be school spirit day so wear your Bell Gear or blue/white colors.

The 1st School Improvement Team meeting of the school year will be this Thursday, September 3rd @ 3PM in the Media Center. Our SIT Chair is now Ms. Adrienne Smith and NCSTAR Task Manger, Ms. Abigail Hembree. All parents/guardians and school staff members are welcome to attend monthly SIT meetings as non-voting members.

This Week at CC Bell:
*Monday, August 31st
Practice safety drills during the morning and after school for YMCA
*Tuesday, September 1st:
BOG3 Test for all 3rd grade students
*Wednesday, September 2nd:
MAP Math Assessment for all 5th grade students
*Thursday, September 3rd
Boy Scout fall recruitment visits to homeroom classes during the morning
*Friday, September 4th
Bell Bear Assembly – 1:30PM
Boy Scout Sign-up Night (6-7PM) – front entrance to school
--
Lunch Menu for this Week:
Monday: crispy chicken nuggets or grilled cheese sandwich
Tuesday: Mozzarella sticks or southwest chicken burritos
Wednesday: crispy chicken sandwich or hot ham and cheese sandwich
Thursday: Brasstown beef nachos or queso nachos
Friday: baked spaghetti or school cheese pizza or school pepperoni pizza

Healthy Snack:
Tuesday: baby carrots w/ranch
Wednesday: junior banana
Thursday: fresh apple
Friday: fresh orange slices

The healthy daily snacks provided by the cafeteria will begin on Tuesday, September 1st. Parents/guardians – you may want to send in a healthy snack like a granola bar, animal or goldfish crackers for 1 more day (Monday, 8/31) as the healthy daily snack will begin on Tuesday of this week.
*Menu and Healthy Snack menus subject to change based on product availably.
*Universal breakfast is free for all students and will be served in the cafeteria breakfast line upon student arrival to school. Students arriving at 7:55AM or later will be provided a “grab and go” breakfast bag with school starting at 8:00AM. We encourage our students to eat breakfast each morning because a healthy breakfast builds strong students and participation helps fund our cafeteria team.
**Universal free lunch is also available to every student.
A la Carte Menu Items (extras) are the only items for sale in the cafeteria. The most efficient way for parents to manage these expenses is through an online account for your student: https://www.buncombeschools.org/o/bcs/page/meal-prepayment.
Items range in cost from $.25 cents to $2/each.
--
Information for CC Bell:
9/14 – PTO Meet & Greet – informal time on playground behind school
9/17 – Fall Open House night – 5-6PM
9/22 – 30-day due date for Kindergarten Health Histories/Immunizations & students new to NC
9/24 – Fall Picture Day with LifeTouch/ 1st 9 Weeks Midterms/PTO Chick-Fil-A Spirit Night
9/25 – 1st Early Dismissal – school ends at 12:30PM for teachers to work on curriculum planning
9/28 – Health Fair
9/29 – Kindergarten Field Trip to Skytop Apple Orchard in Hendersonville
10/5 & 10/6 – Fall break – no school for students; OTWDs for teachers
--
Community Resources:
We are fortunate within our community to have the East Asheville Family to Family church network. Family to Family supports our school and community families through donations to the school, providing food, and clothing. Partner churches include Bethel UMC, Beverly Hills Baptist Church, Brookstone Church East, Grassy Branch Baptist Church, Groce UMC and East Asheville UMC.
The East Asheville Welcome Table is a ministry at Groce UMC on occurs on Thursday nights (except Thanksgiving and Christmas if it falls on a Thursday) from 5-6:30PM. If it snows it is best to call GUMC before coming.
The B.E.A.R. Closet at East Asheville UMC (baby equipment and resources), providing baby equipment, clothes—sizes newborn to 4T, diapers, wipes, etc. By appointment only: call 828-299-9742.

08/30/2026

08/27/2026

The first week of school has been amazing! We hope your kiddos are coming home excited to learn! If you’re interested in learning how you can support teachers, staff & students we invite you to join the PTO for a Meet & Greet. Even if you can’t come to meetings there is always an opportunity to serve! We hope to see you on Sept 14th! 🛝🍎📚🐻💙

08/24/2026

CC Bell Elementary lunch menu change for Tuesday, 8/25:
mandarin orange chicken or
mozzarella cheese sticks

-Mr. Fusco

08/23/2026

8/23/26

Twas the night before school starts for ‘26/’27 and all through the house…their was excitement and great anticipation for all that is to come this school year!

Welcome back Bell Bears! This is Principal Fusco with the parent/guardian bulletin for this week. Each regular week of school on Sunday evening between 6-7PM I send all calls; email; and page simultaneously (with the same information) to communicate the information for the week ahead.

#1 = safety. On the first days of school drive especially cautious and safe and pack your patience everywhere (neighborhood roads; bus stops; school campus). Everyone is learning the routines anew for the school year and trying to remember everything. Drink your coffee early and take a deep breath and just be there for your child. We’ll partner with you and take good care of the children.

Morning arrival:
*We open at 7:25AM on the dot. Do not drop off your child early and leave. This is major safety concern. We have staff on morning car rider duty 7:25-8AM.
*Students enter and choose whether to come to breakfast in the cafeteria. Grab and go breakfast begins at 7:55AM.
*7:55AM – 1st bell – go to class
*8AM – school begins
*2:30PM – school ends/load school buses
*2:40PM – begin car rider line loading
*2:55PM – end car rider line*

*Again, on the first days of school pack your patience as things often move slowly. This is the daily times that we work up by the middle of week for the remainder of the school year.
For bus questions, email me [email protected].

Parents/Guardians – our current enrollment as of August 23rd is 214 students. I especially have room in Kindergarten; 3rd grade; and 5th grade classes. If you know of a parent seeking enrollment for students in these particular grades please have them contact me at [email protected].

Also, our Bell Student Handbook 26/27 school year was uploaded to the school website on Friday, 8/21 so if you have not already, please review this information and complete the parent/guardian signature page.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1kJfAa37cTfMejQnbmQ8mZ-dYH553ifDY/view

For any family who was not able to participate in Meet the Teacher, you are welcome to park and walk in your child for their 1st day of school. Make sure and stop in the office to sign in and get a visitor’s pass. This is also ok for Kindergarten parents. Remember that half of Kindergarten students come on Monday, 8/24 and the other half on Tuesday, 8/25 and then regular schedule beginning Wednesday, 8/26. For car riders the students do exit/enter on the right hand side of the vehicle so move over the car seat if you can. Also, stay in your vehicle in the car rider line – we’ve got it.

This Week at CC Bell:
*Monday, August 24th :
Welcome back!

*Tuesday, August 25th:
Getting back into the routine of school

*Wednesday, August 26th:
Practice 1st fire drill of school year

*Thursday, August 27th:
Dr. Jackson visits CC Bell for retirement celebration first thing in the morning
5th Grade Field to Lake James (NC State Parks sponsored)

*Friday, August 28th
Practice bus evacuation drills in the morning – all students

--

Lunch Menu for this Week:

Monday: buncombe burgers or corn dogs
Tuesday: mandarin orange chicken or yogurt/granola/cheese
Wednesday: macaroni and cheese or Zesty BBQ sandwich
Thursday: chicken nachos or queso nachos
Friday: mozzarella sticks or school cheese pizza or school pepperoni pizza

The healthy daily snacks provided by the cafeteria will begin on Tuesday, September 1st. Parents/guardians – you may want to send in a healthy snack like a granola bar, animal or goldfish crackers until then.

*Menu and Healthy Snack menus subject to change based on product availably.

*Universal breakfast is free for all students and will be served in the cafeteria breakfast line upon student arrival to school. Students arriving at 7:55AM or later will be provided a “grab and go” breakfast bag with school starting at 8:00AM. We encourage our students to eat breakfast each morning because a healthy breakfast builds strong students and participation helps fund our cafeteria team.

**Universal free lunch is also available to every student.

A la Carte Menu Items (extras) are the only items for sale in the cafeteria. The most efficient way for parents to manage these expenses is through an online account for your student: https://www.buncombeschools.org/o/bcs/page/meal-prepayment.

Items range in cost from $.25 cents to $2/each.

--

Information for CC Bell:

9/1 – BOG3 Test for all 3rd Grade students
9/4 – 1st Bell Bear Assembly for students during school – 1:30PM
9/14 – PTO Meet & Greet – informal time on playground behind school - 6pm
9/17 – Fall Open House night – 5-6PM
9/22 – 30-day due date for Kindergarten Health Histories/Immunizations & students new to NC
9/24 – Fall Picture Day with LifeTouch/ 1st 9 Weeks Midterms/PTO Chick-Fil-A Spirit Night
9/25 – 1st Early Dismissal – school ends at 12:30PM for teachers to work on curriculum planning
9/28 – Health Fair
9/29 – Kindergarten Field Trip to Skytop Apple Orchard in Hendersonville

--

Community Resources:

We are fortunate within our community to have the East Asheville Family to Family church network. Family to Family supports our school and community families through donations to the school, providing food, and clothing. Partner churches include Bethel UMC, Beverly Hills Baptist Church, Brookstone Church East, Grassy Branch Baptist Church, Groce UMC and East Asheville UMC.

The East Asheville Welcome Table is a ministry at Groce UMC on occurs on Thursday nights (except Thanksgiving and Christmas if it falls on a Thursday) from 5-6:30PM. If it snows it is best to call GUMC before coming.

The B.E.A.R. Closet at East Asheville UMC (baby equipment and resources), providing baby equipment, clothes—sizes newborn to 4T, diapers, wipes, etc. By appointment only: call 828-299-9742.

08/22/2026