Bear Tracks
December 14, 2018
Note from the Principal:
Dear Staff,
Happy Friday!
First off, Kudos to Britt and Bryanna (with help from John Mintz and Debi Moore), as well as all of our 4th & 5th grade Band, Orchestra and Chorus Members. They were OUTSTANDING tonight! They made us all pride and put on a wonderful show for our families.
We officially have five more 'wake ups' before Winter Break. I have one thing that I'd like to challenge everyone to keep in mind today and next week: JOY
Not only is JOY a popular theme in a number of holiday songs, but it is far more important than that. JOY is at the heart of why we do what we do, why we chose to do what we do and what we should strive for each and every day. Remember to give yourself permission to have fun, to find joy in the last week of school in 2018, and to go 'off script' for a little if you need to. If you are having fun, chances are that your kids will have fun. Find the joy in the little moments and like Confucius said, 'go with all your heart' into what we are doing.
Have a great weekend.
Sincerely,
Chris
Coming Up:
- Friday 12/14 - Pre K Collab Day
Week of 12/17:
- Monday 12/17 - Staff Breakfast
- Monday 12/17 - EXTRA CASUAL DAY with the donning of an UGLY or FESTIVE holiday sweater or outfit. (If you wear a holiday sweater or shirt - you can wear jeans - the uglier the better)
- Monday 12/17 - Faculty Meeting at Lori Drake's after school. (You are not obligated by contract to attend this faculty meeting, but we'd love to see you!) CLICK HERE for info and to sign up to bring something.
- Monday 12/17 - BRAVO 4th grade 10:40 am
- Tuesday 12/18 - PreSchool to Quaker Bridge Mall
- Wednesday 12/19 - Hupp making cookies (my office is located at the end of the hallway in the main office)
- Thursday 12/20 - K winter Party 9:15-10:30; Drake Holiday Party 11:30; 3rd Grade Winter Formal 1-3 pm
- Friday 12/21 - Holiday Staff Breakfast from Chris
- Friday 12/21 - PAJAMA DAY (Early Dismissal)
- Friday 12/21 - 5th Grade Holiday Brunch (9-10:30); 4th Grade New Years Eve Party 10:30 - 11:30; Holiday Extravaganza 11 - 12 (details to follow).
Key Information:
Ugly/Festive Sweater Day - As indicated above - Monday is Ugly/Festive sweater/shirt day. Free jeans/casual day if you participate!
Holiday Party Trivia! - This will be an optional activity at the Faculty Meeting/Party. How do you participate? It’s easy! You just need to bring an adult beverage to put onto the prize table (preferably your favorite 6 pack of beer or bottle of wine). Participants will then be placed in small groups and a series of BT based trivia questions will be asked. The team with the most questions correct picks from the prize table first, then the second group, etc… Everyone is a winner in the end! If you are interested in participating, just bring something for the prize table that day.
Holiday Staff Breakfast - I'll be providing breakfast on 12/21, save the date. Details to follow.
Classroom Parties - There is no need to have a special sign in or limit to parents helping with winter parties. Please let the office know who you are expecting, but we will not be limiting or turning anyone away.
Holiday Extravaganza - In a nutshell, it looks like this:
Date: Friday 12/21/18
Time: Session 1 - 11:00-11:25 am; Session 2 - 11:30 am-12:10 pm
GYM - Session 1 - preK-1st; Session 2 - grades 2-4 (5th grade in gym for both sessions)
APR - Session 1 - grades 2&3; Session 2 - preK-1st
CLICK HERE for more details.
5th Grade Holiday Service Project - Please see the letter that was sent home to BT families. On 12/21 the fifth grade, as part of their holiday brunch, will be packing gift bags for Children's Specialized Hospital for kids that have extended stays. Please be aware and share with your class if you'd like. All participation is optional, but appreciated.
LOGO CONTEST! - We are having a real contest to design the logo for the Outdoor Learning Area. We are sending the specs to the community, local colleges, CHS, and more. Anyone can win. CLICK HERE to check it out.