I hope that you all had a wonderful holiday season. We are back from break and we are ready to cruise into spring, keeping our students busy and happy and growing their brains!

We have lots of events happening soon, including our Science Fair, Drama Club performance, and PTO Zoo Day. Please see the Upcoming Events section and mark your calendars!! Looking forward to a great winter here at BA!

As always, reach out if you have any questions or concerns. Our teachers, secretaries, and administration are here to help!

Please take a moment to mark your calendars for all of the important dates below.

February 1st - Global Play Day

February 7th - Early Release Day, 1:40 Dismissal

February 9th - 1st Semester Report Cards posted on the Genesis portal

February 16th - Drama Club Performance, 7pm, BA Goes Wild

February 17th - Early Release Day for Elementary students, 1:40 Dismissal

February 20th- No School, President's day

February 21st - PTO Zoo Day after school

March 1st - PTO Science Fair @ BA, 6:30-8:30pm

March 2nd - Early Release, 1:40 Dismissal

March 27th - Early Release, 1:40 Dismissal, Parent Conferences

Recently, the number of students using inappropriate language has really increased. This is happening on the bus and on the playground, where students have less structure and adult oversight. As you can imagine, this is very distressing for most of our students and they don't like listening to this language.

Please have a conversation with your child about the types of language and words that are ok for school and what is not. Unfortunately, our children are exposed to many things and they sometimes need reminders that what they hear is not always ok to repeat, especially at school, and especially at their age. We would really appreciate your help with this by having a conversation at home so that they know that this is important to you, also.

Additionally, we are getting more and more reports from bus drivers about students getting out of their seats on the bus, using bad language, and putting their hands on other students on the bus. We will be reminding all students again about our expectations on the bus, but we would love it if you could also have this conversation with your child if he or she rides the bus.

Thank you for your assistance with this! When students know that we are all here, sending the same message, it can make powerful change in their behavior!

We know that our parking lot often fills up at arrival and dismissal. We need you to please not double park and block in other cars. You must park in a space, or within the yellow lines at the top of the parking lot. You may park along the right side of the driveway as you exit the school, or along Kory drive, or you may continue to carefully circle the lot until a space opens up.

Double parking holds up traffic in the lot and makes for a dangerous environment. Other parents and staff trying to leave are unable to do so, as well, and this keeps spots from opening up. If people are able to pull out, then other people can access those spots.

This has become a large enough problem that I now need to make this written request. Please be considerate and arrive early to get a spot, or be patient until one opens up. Thank you in advance for your cooperation.

Remember that you can also use the car loop if your children are able to get in and out of your car on their own. The line builds up, but it moves quickly!

We will once again be participating in Global Play Day on the afternoon of February 1st. Global School Play Day is a day to stop and appreciate the need for children to learn through unstructured play. Research has shown that unstructured play is critical for child development. We hope that our students have LOTS of time to play, but February 1st is the day that we will all pause, for at least a few hours, to recognize and embrace the importance of play!

To learn more about this movement, check out the Global School Play Day website at: https://www.globalschoolplayday.com/ or follow them on Twitter @GSPlayDay or Facebook https://www.facebook.com/globalschoolplayday/

On January 21st, the district celebrated our students' creativity and engineering skills at the districts' annual SB Invention Convention. This event is for 4th and 5th graders throughout the district. This year we had several teams enter and they presented their awesome inventions for everyone to see. We are so proud of them for dedicating their free time into creating and designing inventions that will help the world!

If you'd like to participate in a similar experience, keep an eye out for information about the BA Science Fair, coming up on March 1st!

We enjoyed two amazing concerts this week! On Wednesday, our bands performed (Jazz Band, Beginning Band, & Advanced Band), along with our 3rd grade Chorus. On Thursday, our Symphonic orchestras performed, along with our 4th & 5th grade chorus and our Chamber Singers group. Click below to see some highlights of our concerts!

As per Board of Education policy, cell phone use and the use of smart watches in schools by elementary school students is not permitted. This includes Apple watches, message-enabled Fit Bits, and "kid" models of smart watches such as VTech watches. Any watch that allows students to play games and/or communicate with others is not allowed to be used during the school day. If absolutely necessary, students are able to bring a cell phone or smart watch to school. However, students must have the phone and/or smart watch turned off in his/her backpack during the school day. Please be aware that you choose to send this device at your own risk. We are not responsible for theft or loss of such a device.

Our Lost and Found is overflowing! Do you recognize any of these items? If so, please send your student to go retrieve it!

Please write names on lunch boxes, water bottles and jackets. This way we can identify lost and found items and return them easily!

• Forgotten items drop off: If your child has forgotten an item that they need for the school day, items will be left on the shelf in the vestibule. We will not disrupt class to call students down to pick up their items, but they may retrieve them when they are free.
• Please remember to use our Dismissal Change form if your child is going home early, or going home a different way than usual. Please fill it out by 11:00 am or at least 2 hours before your child is leaving. A written note is ok if you don't have internet access. Do not email or text the teachers as they may be absent and then no one will know. Of course, you may reach out to them in addition.
• Please use the Genesis system only for absences. If your child is going to be late, please call the attendance line. If they are leaving early, please use the Dismissal Change Form.
• Please check Genesis to make sure that all of your emergency contacts are updated. You should have at least one emergency person who can get to the school within 20 minutes in case of a call from the nurse or if you can't be located in an emergency of any nature.

We go outside to play WHENEVER POSSIBLE! Please make sure that your children are prepared to be outside for 30 minutes of playtime. If you are in need of a warm coat, hat, gloves, etc, please reach out to Mrs. Ta or Mrs. Cervino, we have winter items for anyone who needs one!