BFIS Weekly Bulletin
Reminders:
MONDAYS ARE A 2:00 PM DISMISSAL!
Celebration of Learning Night - Monday, April 29th 5:00-7:00pm
LAST DAY OF SCHOOL is May 24th ---- 1:00 PM DISMISSAL!
This is the last week for our after school clubs!
Date Changes:
Our field days had to be changed:
6th Grade Field Day will be on Tuesday May 21st 1:00-3:00PM
5th Grade Field Day: TBD, will update ASAP
Menu Changes:
Tues April 30th: Spicy Chicken Sandwiches or variety of pizza slices with
cauliflower, broccoli, apple slices & pears
6th Grade News
ISASP Self-Care Reward: On Friday, April 19th, in the afternoon the students could sign up for different activities that seemed interesting and fun to them. This was a reward to them for their hard work during ISASP. Some activities included kickball in the gym, walking outside with music, card/board games, painting, yoga with yogurt, and many more. Each session lasted 25 minutes and the students could go through 3 different sessions.
Music Concert: The 6th-grade students performed a music concert for family and friends on Monday, April 22, in the High School auditorium. They did a wonderful job with their performance and sounded great as a whole group. They performed four songs with the addition of musical instruments. We couldn’t help but to join them in their music-creating - pat - pat /tap! Thank you to all the parents who were there to support them, they have put in a lot of work learning the hand gestures and instrument parts.
ISU Stem Extension Activity Day: On Wednesday, April 24th, the 6th grade welcomed the ISU Extension Office to our building to learn more about Energy and where it comes from - specifically our renewable energy sources- sun, water, and wind. Students talked about the amount of energy different activities (reading, walking up steps, etc) take as well as different household appliances use (furnace, leaving lights on, etc - hopefully they start turning off lights for you!) Students also had the opportunity to design a Super Hero Hide-Out where they constructed solar panels or a wind turbine to help produce energy. Below are a few pictures from the morning!
6th Grade Upcoming Dates:
April 29: Celebration of Learning 5-7 pm
April 30 & May 1: JH Orientation
May 2nd: Choir Concert
May 3rd: aMath assessments
May 7th: Band Concert
May 10th: Talent Show
May 21st: Field Day-pm
May 24th: Last Day
📢 Shoutout to our Awesome 6th Grade Choir
Congratulations to our 6th grade choir on their performance at the Iowa Choral Showcase on April 17th at Drake University! They were the youngest choir to be selected! Way to go Bluejays!
STEM/Health April 2024
The end of the school year is quickly approaching and it has been a fun one! We spent the 1st and 3rd quarters learning about topics within STEM. 6th Grade spent time using the Finch Robots in which they had the opportunity to practice their coding skills and control the robots around the classroom. They also had the opportunity to create different 3D designs using the program Tinkercad. 5th Grade started STEM off this year learning how to code using Code.org. We transitioned into using the Sphero robots and students had to use time, speed and distance to accurately control the robot.
During the 2nd and 4th quarters, 5th and 6th Grade students have been learning different topics within Health. 6th grade Health has been centered towards managing their environment and preparing themselves on how to handle stress in certain situations. 5th grade Health has been centered towards the different nutrients in their foods as well focusing on the things they can control.
It has been a great year this year and we are looking forward to implementing new ideas into STEM next year!
Mr. Semelroth
5th/6th Grade STEM/Health
A Note from our Librarian
We are gearing to wrap up another fantastic year in the BFIS Library. I am so thankful that I get to work with each and every student and help them discover what they enjoy reading. Sharing the excitement and enjoyment of reading with the students is by far my favorite part about my role here. As we approach the end of the school year, please be checking with your students on any overdue book notices they have received. You will hear from me via email if your student seems to have lost a book and we will discuss the plan of action for moving forward.
During the first week of May, Ms. Megan from the public library, will be in during lunch times to talk to the students about the Summer Reading Program. It is always so fun and exciting to see what they come up with that is new, but also which fan favorites are brought back year after year. I highly recommend all students participate in the program through the summer to keep them engaged and keep up with the progress they worked hard at this school year.
I know summer brings increased screen time for our kids, so I want to take a moment to share a tool that could be beneficial for your family. One of my favorite websites to utilize as a guide for anything media related, whether it be as a teacher or as a mom myself, is Common Sense Media. They have recommendations and reviews for movies & TV shows, books, games, apps, podcasts, and more! It even allows you to customize the age of your child(ren). I encourage you to check it out.
This has been a wonderful school year. We have had a lot of fun in the library and I hope your student learned a few things along the way. I am so excited to watch the 6th graders transition into Junior High Students and that I get to say, “See you later,” rather than, “Goodbye.” I also cannot wait to continue to see our current 5th grade students grow into 6th graders. I can’t believe it is already that time, but time flies when you are having fun, right?
Sincerely,
Lindsey Scott
BFIS Teacher-Librarian
Summer Camps are BACK for 2024!
Registration is open in RevTrak!
Register here ⏬ Starting April 8th!
Celebrating Student Success at BFIS: A Community of Achievement
At BFIS (Bondurant-Farrar Intermediate School), we believe in fostering a culture of celebration every day, starting with positive morning meetings. We celebrate our students' accomplishments, big or small, through monthly parades, fun rewards, and a supportive environment that makes every student feel valued and appreciated.
One of the highlights of student celebration at BFIS is our monthly parade, where we honor our Students of the Month. This vibrant event showcases many students each month, with each honoree proudly marching behind the 6th-grade drumline and our beloved Bluejay mascot while the student body cheers them on.
We not only recognize academics, but also celebrate qualities like leadership, kindness, and perseverance. Reaching goals is rewarded with a variety of fun rewards at BFIS. Our students have earned hot chocolate, participated in thrilling dodgeball matches, and enjoyed a designated "hat day." These rewards serve as incentives and create memorable experiences for our students.
Our students are working towards their next milestone: an electronic day. BFIS prioritizes Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) strategies in our daily routines during morning meetings and throughout the day. These sessions provide students a platform to learn and practice essential life skills like empathy, respect, and responsibility. By embedding PBIS principles into everyday interactions, BFIS creates a supportive environment where students feel empowered to succeed.
Celebrating student success at BFIS is about nurturing a sense of belonging and pride within each student. Through monthly parades, fun rewards, and a focus on PBIS strategies, BFIS fosters a community where every achievement, no matter how small, is celebrated wholeheartedly. Every student has the potential to shine brightly, and it's our privilege to encourage students on their path to success.
6th Graders participating in Biz Town
On Tuesday, March 19th, students trained all morning for their upcoming trip to JA BizTown! Students were split up into their jobs and got to collaborate with their peers in their business. During this time, students figured out their business costs, applied for a business loan, and signed a promissory note promising to repay their full loan amount. It took a lot of hard work and problem-solving strategies to complete these things.
The kids also came together and learned about the effectiveness of advertisements for a business. We had discussions about why advertising is important and what makes up a good advertisement. Students were then able to create their advertisements for their business at JA BizTown!
Students ended the day by writing a friendly letter to a peer that will be hand-delivered at JA BizTown. They were also able to write a Letter to the Editor at JA BizTown to be featured in the JA BizTown Newsletter!
It was a fun-filled day and we are so excited to go to JA BizTown and put all this training to work!
Bondurant Library Activities
WHAT'S NEW AT HOMETOWN
Hello,
We hope your 2024 athletic season is off to a great start! We wanted to share with you some news coming from HomeTown. We are excited to announce that the new HomeTown Fan Experience is here and ready for your fans! The HomeTown Fan Experience combines the search experience that you and your fans are used to on the Ticket Spicket App, now with a new look. The Fan Experience simplifies the ticket purchase process by providing a single destination where your fans can search, purchase, and manage their tickets and passes in a single experience.
WHAT TO EXPECT
Direct all fans to events.hometownticketing.com when purchasing tickets.
- Anyone trying to reach events.ticketspicket.com will be automatically redirected to the new URL.
- Fans using the Ticket Spicket App will have until February 28, 2024 to download the new HomeTown Fan App to search for events, purchase tickets, and manage their tickets and passes.
GETTING STARTED
- During your fans first login, please encourage them to add their email address to link any previously purchased tickets or passes to their account.
- Your fans can now go to events.hometownticketing.com to search for events and manage their tickets and passes on the web.
- Your fans can also download the HomeTown Fan App, iOS and Android, to access all of the same features they had within the Ticket Spicket App.
- Fans who have not downloaded the HomeTown App will receive a continuous reminder in the app to download the HomeTown Fan App until February 28, 2024. At which time, fans will be directed to download the HomeTown Fan App to continue the ticket purchasing experience.
EXCITING NEW FEATURES
- Seamless login: Fans will no longer be required to login with their email address in order to purchase tickets.
- Simplified ticket management: Tickets and Passes will be connected through a new authentication solution based on the phone number and/or email address used on their order.
- Updated Design: Fans will now be able to use the HomeTown Fan App which has been updated to make your ticket purchase process quicker and easier!
HELPFUL RESOURCES
Here are some resources to help you spread the news to your fans and direct them to download the HomeTown Fan App.
Social Media Graphics:
Reach out to your HomeTown representative if you have any questions or want help getting started. You can always contact HomeTown Support at support@hometownticketing.com with any other questions.
CHECK OUT THE NEWLY ADDED ITEMS
Booster Club Apparel Store
Our athletics booster club has launched a new online apparel store. This is a 24/7 store with no "closing date" and we're told items typically ship in a week or so. Purchasing bluejay gear through the boosters directly supports Bondurant-Farrar students and programs.
LUNCH INFORMATION
LUNCH ACCOUNTS
All lunch account payments can be managed through the Infinite Campus parent portal. If you have questions please email Christy Hahn.
LUNCH VISITORS
We love having people come for lunch! A few things to remember:
- Please bring in ID and check in at the office.
- Once lunch is over, we ask that you head toward the office to check out.
- If you plan on staying longer then allotted lunch times, please make sure we have a current volunteer form AND have prior arrangements with the teacher so they can have plans for you in the classroom.
Please let all family and friends that plan to come to lunch know these things! Thank you!
Attendance
Start and End Times
Drop Off and Pick up
PARENTS/GUARDIANS DRIVING STUDENTS TO AND FROM SCHOOL
With the playground and recess area for our Intermediate school students on the west side of the building, the drive around the building will only be open during drop off and pick up times. For the middle part of the day, there will be gates that will block traffic flow and restrict vehicles to only the south/west area and the north area of the building (approximately from 8:45 am until 1:15 pm on Mondays, and 8:45 am until 2:45 pm Tuesday through Friday). This is for student safety and for allowing students and staff to have access to outdoor activities and facilities for recess and PE. Please note this when you are needing to pick up students from school at times other than pick up and drop off times.
Morning Drop-off:
Serving time for breakfast begins at 7:30 AM. Students eating breakfast will remain in the Cafeteria until dismissed by an adult to their Homeroom.
Students who are not eating breakfast, and are either walking or being dropped off by a parent, should not arrive before 7:50 AM.
Students who ride a bus to school will be dropped off at the east entrance. All other students either walking or being dropped off by a parent may use the north or south entrances.
All students arriving before 8:02 AM will report to either the Gymnasium, or the Cafeteria if they are eating breakfast. Students will be dismissed by an adult from either location to go to their Homeroom by 8:02 AM.
Parents/Guardians will have the option of using the driveway between Anderson and the Intermediate School (south side--if you are dropping off students in multiple buildings) or the parking area to the north of the Intermediate School (if you are only dropping off students at the Intermediate School) to drop off children at the beginning of the day.
For student safety and traffic flow, students will NOT use the west entrance for drop off.
Afternoon Pick-Up:
Students not riding a bus may exit from the north, east, and south doors of the building.
For student safety, students will NOT exit the west side of the building to the west parking lot.
Parents/Guardians will have the option of using the driveway between Anderson and the Intermediate School (south side) or the parking area to the north of the Intermediate building to pick up children at the end of the day.
UPCOMING DATES TO REMEMBER
April 29 - Celebration of Learning Night, 5-7 pm
May 24 -- Last day of school, 1pm dismissal
May 28 -- FInal PD Day
May 28 - Report Cards availalbe online
April Lunch Menu- Intermediate
We are experiencing supply chain shortages, so menus are subject to change with little to no notice.
Thank you for your understanding!
Counselors, Social/Emotional Support: 5th grade Natalie Wilson and 6th grade Madison Pfaffe Main Office #: 515-967-3711
Student Health: School Nurse, Jenn Meyer, Main Office #: 515-967-3711
Student work or general classroom questions: Email your child's teacher
Transportation: Kami Hausman or Mary Jo Hetrick, District Office #: 515-967-7819
Behavior Concerns, General Questions: Assistant Principal, Kevin VanderLinden, Main Office #: 515-967-3711
Intermediate School Secretary
Email: kulam@bfschools.org
Website: http://www.bfschools.org/
Location: 300 Garfield Street Southwest, Bondurant, IA, USA
Phone: 515-967-3711