The Morris Minute
September 2019
Welcome to The Morris Minute!
Email: andersonb@bfschools.org
Website: bfschools.org
Location: 700 Garfield Street Southwest, Bondurant, IA, United States
Phone: 515.967.6361
Twitter: @BonduMorrisJays
A Note from Mr. Anderson
We are off to an excellent start to the school year! Our halls and rooms are filled with smiles, and students are eager to learn and show us what they know! More importantly, students are showing us how they feel and are not afraid to give us high fives, fist bumps, and hugs! We have awesome kids!
The major changes this year come in the form of the car pick up and drop off lines. As far as I can see, it is a little better than years past. Please note this for immediate attention: we are checking into how Middle School and Anderson Elementary students stage for pick up on the south side of Anderson/North side of Morris. We will communicate any changes that may happen to pick up if it involves our Morris siblings. Having your older students walk to Morris and wait is causing us to have cars parked in the line waiting for them to arrive and get into the car. This keeps them out of the cross walk, not to mention out of the Morris staging area where it is already crowded. Preschool starts up here next week, and that will have an impact on the afternoon pick up line as well. Please practice patience and help us through this process as we have not experienced this in our five year existence.
If you happen to arrive at Morris for a visit, please find one of the sixteen visitor's parking spots on the east side of the building. We are happy to have moved into the parking lot on the south side as well, so there are places to park that will keep you out of the fire lane on Garfield St. If you are arriving for lunch, please make sure you call ahead and give us an indication if you are needing a school lunch. We need to be as accurate as possible so that we ensure that we have enough food made for those that need it.
I am very excited for this school year! We are almost 730 students strong! We can't do what we do without support and I want to send a special shout out to our teachers, para professionals, custodians, drivers, nurses, counselors, office staff, and YOU! Our team of people is awesome!
Have a great Labor Day Weekend! Happy Fall!
Sincerely,
Ben
Important Dates to Remember
September 2 - NO SCHOOL - Labor Day
September 4 - First Day of Preschool
September 4 - Little Blue Jays Cheer Clinic (registration due by September 3) 3:30-5pm
September 5 - PTO Meeting - 6-6:30pm coffee, 6:30-8pm meeting - held in Morris Library
September 6 - Little Blue Jays Cheer after the Freshman Game ~ 6-6:30pm
September 9 - 2pm Dismissal
September 16 - 2pm Dismissal
September 23 - 2pm Dismissal
September 24 - School Picture Day
September 30 - 2pm Dismissal
October 7 - 2pm Dismissal
October 14 - 2pm Dismissal
October 14 - 3-7pm Parent Teacher Conferences
October 17 - 2pm Dismissal
October 17 - 3-7pm Parent Teacher Conferences
October 18 - NO SCHOOL - Professional Development
Want to see the entire year? Click HERE!
Know the Iowa Law
Please see the graphic below to better understand when it is OK to pass a stopped school bus, and when it is not.
The first offense is a simple misdemeanor and penalties are as follows:
- Fine: At least $250, but not more than $675
- Imprisonment: The court may order imprisonment not to exceed 30 days in lieu of or in addition to a fine.
- Driving privilege suspension: The Iowa DOT will impose a 30-day suspension.
- Insurance: SR-22 requirements
As a reminder
School Picture Days!
If you are interested in volunteering to help get everyone to where they need to be as efficiently as possible, please let me know. I need six people in the morning from approximately 8:30-11, and then two in the afternoon from 12:30-1:30 to help our afternoon preschool students through the lines. Shoot me an email at keelerj@bfschools.org if you are interested in helping!
The picture make up day is scheduled for Tuesday, November 5. If your student happens to be out on the first attempt, or you need a retake, we will be hosting one last session on the morning of the 5th - I could also use two volunteers that morning, from approximately 8:30-10.
A few reminders from the Nutrition Department
Reminder: You can apply for Free/Reduced Price Meals anytime during the school year, even if you have been turned down before & your circumstances have changed. You can find the 2018-2019 Iowa Application for Free & Reduced Price School Meals on the school website under Departments and Food Services. You can also pick up a hard copy in any building office or contact Karen Miller at millerk@bfschools.org and request to have one mailed to you.
Also look for last minute menu changes on the school website under the menus tab.
Lunch Times
2nd: 10:55-11:20 & 11:10-11:35
1st: 11:30-12 & 11:45-12:15
Kindergarten: 12:10-12:35 & 12:25-12:50
Parent / Teacher Conferences
Wish List
Traffic Patterns
A few notes from Ms. Jen
Our first few days have been really good! Our new friends are learning their way around and learning how to be Bondurant's BEST. We know there are always a few hiccups with adjusting to new schedules and routines, but this group seems to be adapting well and I see lots of smiles as I go through the halls.
We have almost 600 Morris Jays in the building with us this week in Developmental Kindergarten, Kindergarten, First Grade, and Second Grade, and our Preschool friends will join us next week. Please practice patience as we add in 80 students at drop off and pick up in the North Lot. As a reminder - there is NO NEED to get out of your vehicle in the drop off or pick up lines. Staff will be there to assist your student into and out of the car, including buckling seat belts - If even one person stops and gets out of their car, it halts any forward progress for quite a while. We need everyone to be on the same page for everything to run smoothly on a daily basis.
Thank you to everyone who reviewed their drop off and pick up plans before the first day. It is so much easier to follow through if you know what is expected.
Let's make it an awesome year! - jen