BLOOMINGDALE NEWS
FEBRUARY 2020
FROM THE PRINCIPAL'S DESK
Greetings Bloomingdale Families!
We have settled back into our routine here at Bloomingdale Elementary following a much needed winter break. As I write this letter we are at the halfway point in our school year. So much has taken place already, but we also have so much left to accomplish. Our PBIS “Booster” Assembly takes place on January 30th. This year’s theme for the Booster Assembly is “Shower Me with Kindness.” While we have had few student issues again this year, those that we have had seem to be related to students forgetting to be kind to each other. Our ultimate goal is to foster a culture where our school community always acts in kindness.
As we approach the midway point, I would also like to make a quick plug about attendance. Regular attendance at school is one of the largest indicators of student success. Attendance habits and routines are established in the first few years of a child’s education. New York State has established attendance as an accountability measure for schools and districts, setting the standard at 90% for the school year. Students that miss more than 10% of the school year, or 18 days of school, are recorded as “chronically absent.” Regardless of where the state places the standard, we know that students need to be at school regularly in order to learn their very best.
There are many events taking place during the month of February, so make sure to check the February Events and Save the Dates sections at the bottom of this newsletter. Some highlights for February include the Fourth and Fifth Grade Spelling Bee at Petrova Elementary on the 6th. Third grade will accompany them as spectators, and all students will have an early dismissal at 12:30 on the 6th.There is no school on February 7th for Winter Carnival, and the Winter Carnival Gala parade is on the 8th. There will be no school on the 17th for Presidents’ Day observance, and if there are no emergency snow days between now and the 14th, February 18th will also be a day off from school.. Our monthly PBIS assembly will be hosted by Ms. Burke’s 4th grade class on the 27th. Looking further ahead, please mark your calendars for our Parent-Teacher conferences on March 5th and 6th, and the March Parent Luncheon on March 13th. March 5th and 6th will both be half days for students due to Parent-Teacher conferences.
Finally, please pass the word about Kindergarten registration and screening on March 10th and 11th and Pre-K registration and screening on March 12th. Families can contact Kathy Clark at 518-891-3198 for more details.
I look forward to an exciting 2nd half of the school year!
Bruce VanWeelden
Principal
Bloomingdale Elementary School
FEBRUARY EVENTS
Mon. 2/3.......Dewey Mt. Family Night
https://www.smore.com/ranvy-dewey-mountain-family-night
Tues. 2/4......Historic Saranac Lake Winter Carnival Talk, 5th Grade
Thurs. 2/6.....Spelling Bee at Petrova, 4th & 5th Grade; K - 5 Early Release, 12:30
Fri. 2/7..........NO SCHOOL, Winter Carnival
Sat. 2/8........Marching in the Winter Carnival Parade
Tues. 2/11....Adk Mt Trip, 4th Grade
Thurs. 2/13...(possible x-country/snowshoe at Mt. Van Ho for all 5th Graders)
Fri. 2/14........Parent Luncheon, Valentines Day Fun Day, All 3rd Gr. Tubing @ Pisgah
Mon. 2/17.....NO SCHOOL, Presidents Day
Tues. 2/18....(possible No School if no snow day used by 2/14)
Thurs. 2/20...1st Grade to Family Smiles, dental tour
Sat. 2/22.......Robotics for 2nd - 8th graders https://www.smore.com/96bz7-red-storm-robotics
Thurs. 2/27...PBIS presented by 4th Grade
Fri. 2/28........Skiing at Titus Mt., 4th & 5th Grade
SAVE-THE-DATE
3/5, 6..............Early Release 12:30, Parent/Teacher conferences
3/10, 11, 12....Kindergarten & UPK Registration/Screening - call for an appointment 897-1752
3/13................Parent Luncheon
3/14................Robotics for 2nd - 8th Graders
3/19................K - 12 Early Release, 12:30
3/20...............NO SCHOOL, Superintendent's Conference Day
3/25,26, 27....3rd - 8th Grade ELA Assessments
4/6 - 4/17......NO SCHOOL - SPRING BREAK!
Stop by Adirondack Bank and admire the Winter Carnival window...Thank you Mrs. Fountain for all your work!
Congratulations Mrs. Dunlap...enjoy your retirement...we will miss you!
Don't forget to clip or scan Box Tops!
5th Grade, Nature Sensory-Based Learning Experience
Going sledding during recess
Contrasting colors in the snow
Students were treated to a very special lunch
Presented by Mrs. Munn and the Student Council
"Candle light" and Jazz music playing softly in the background
PBIS ASSEMBLY Presented by the Staff, with the theme of KINDNESS
Citizens of the Month:
K.....Chloey Stevens...is a true helper in my class. She is always there to lend a hand to a friend and to me as well. Chloey is a great listener. She is always ready to do our jobs. I am very lucky to have Chloey in my class!
1st...Wyatt Crosby...has been working really hard in the classroom and out. My favorite thing about Wyatt is seeing his face light up when he struggles with something and then it clicks for him. He is also making great strides in his P2 trait of self-control. Wyatt, I am so proud of you!
2nd...Edie Parsons...is a kind, determined student. She works hard to complete every assignment and she never gives up!! She shows kindness to her peers and remembers to shine her light often! She is a pleasure to have in class!
3rd...Sam Morgan...has worked very hard this year and shows his love of learning through constant reading and excellent work at school. He is also very kind, helpful, and responsible and a pleasure to have in my classroom. Keep up the great work, Sam!
4th...Lydia Baker...has been working so hard in the classroom and it shows! She has taken full responsibility for her learning, and has been pushing past any goals we set with flying colors. Lydia's determination to improve and do her best has not gone unnoticed. She is a great partner for anyone to have, she will work alongside you and make sure she does her part to get the job done! Lydia, thank you for being so hard working, kind, and a great friend to all of us in 4th Grade!
5th...Ashlyn Tomaszewski...is a good friend to every single student in our classroom. She helps everyone (both girls and boys) in any way she possibly can. I can always count on her to help me anytime I need assistance, too. Ashlyn works hard on her studies and her scores reflect her efforts. Even though she did not make it into the Spelling Bee, she has been helping the kids who did, to study for the upcoming Bee. Ashlyn is polite, kind, responsible, and has a positive attitude. We are blessed to have her in our class!
Lunchroom...Emma Stephenson is always a big help!
Upstander...Brice Heery...is a model citizen and a leader among his peers that can always be relied upon to do the right thing. Brice is honest and trustworthy and always willing to lend a helping hand. Brice is polite and respectful to both adults and the students in our school, and he is always certain to include everyone. Brice is a fantastic role model, which is probably why he is so well liked by the students and staff here at Bloomingdale Elementary School. Orion Amell was caught thinking of others and helping out his younger friends!
Citizen of the Month...Wyatt Crosby
1st Place, 4th Grade
2nd Place, 5th Grade
Class Citizenship Award Winners
IDEAS FOR GETTING YOUR CHILD OUTDOORS IN WINTER!
- Build a snowman or a snow animal that the family can enjoy seeing from inside the window.
- Build a snow fort or a snow fence - cutting chunks of snow and stacking them on top and beside each other. Have a cup of hot soup or hot chocolate together inside the snow fort or fence once it has been completed.
- While you are out shoveling the driveway or sidewalk, let your child help!
- Build a winter bonfire and make s'mores together.
- Keep a path to birdfeeders shoveled and let your child help maintain the path and birdfeeders.
- Gather pine cones, fill them with peanut butter suet mixture. Hang them on a tree.
- Paint the snow - mix food coloring in bottles of water and go outside and paint designs in the snow - or paint your snow man or snow being.
- Boil some maple syrup...bring hot syrup outside and pour streams on top of the cold snow. Once the syrup thickens, eat the maple taffy!
- Decorate a tree - with strings of popcorn and blueberries or cranberries for the birds and squirrels.