Blue Ash Elementary News
October 30, 2020
Upcoming Events
November 2 -16 ~ Food, Clothing, Toy Donations Collected <See below>
November 9 ~ No School. Teacher Records Day
November 9 ~ Virtual Classroom Student Picture Day at BAE <See below>
*November 19 ~ Evening Conferences - Face to Face and Virtual classes
*November 20 ~ Daytime Conferences - Face to Face and Virtual classes
*November 23 ~ Evening Conferences - Face to Face and Virtual classes
*All conferences will be scheduled by the classroom teacher and will be held virtually.
Beautiful artwork from 2nd Grade.
Orange and Black Day is a GRRREAT day for Bengals gear.
A perfect BAE pumpkin.
Donations For Our Community
Every year, the parents, staff and students of BAE generously donate food and clothing items to help those less fortunate. Once again we will partner with N.E.E.D.S. (Northeast Emergency Distribution Service) and O.G.B (Operation Give Back) to help those in our community have a happy holiday season. We will collect these items as the children enter school each day.
Collection begins November 2 and ends November 16.
Please consider donating any of the items listed below:
*no glass containers*
Canned vegetables (all types)
Side dishes (Potato mixes, Stuffing, Rice mixes, Hamburger & tuna helper)
Canned meat (tuna, chicken, salmon, vienna sausages)
Canned meals (Ravioli, Chili)
Canned soups (all types)
Canned beans (all types)
Personal Care items (Toothpaste, Conditioner, Body Wash, Deodorant)
Dish & Laundry soap
Diapers & Baby wipes
In addition, to the items above, OGB is looking for:
NEW toys
NEW clothing items like socks, gloves and hats
New/gently used school spirit wear
We are learning many ways to solve math problems.
We are learning about life as a pioneer.
We are learning to collaborate from a distance.
Elementary Grade Optional CogAT Testing
*Please note that all 2nd and 4th graders who attend school face to face will take this test with their class during the regular school day. If this applies to your child, you do not need to schedule a testing time. For others interested, please read below:
When?
Option A: Friday, November 20, 2020 from 9:00 - 12:00
(No students will be in the buildings due to this day being a parent/teacher conference day)
Option B: In the mornings on November 16, 17, and 18 before school starts (8:00-9:00 for all four elementary buildings). If you choose this option, the student must attend all three mornings to complete the assessment.
Families are responsible for transportation for both options.
There will be another testing opportunity in late winter/ early spring.
Where?
Your child’s elementary school
Who? (This test is optional for all virtual students. For any 2nd or 4th grader who is F2F and would like to opt out, please email your child’s principal.)
Any virtual student in grades K-4 needs to sign up (even 2nd and 4th)
Any face to face student in grades K, 1, or 3
All 2nd and 4th graders who attend school face to face will take this test with their class during school
How?
Register your child for the CogAT here.
Registration deadline is Sunday, 11/8 at 11:55p.m.
Questions?
Contact Mindy Zellner at zellnerm@sycamoreschools.org
School Directory!
The Blue Ash Elementary student directory is now available via the DirectorySpot app. If you selected in Final Forms to have your information included in the directory, you should have received an email from DirectorySpot to set up your account and be able access to the directory. You may also edit your family’s information in the directory. For further help or questions, please contact baptodirectory@sycamoreschools.org
Self-Care in the Time of Coronavirus
For parents, prioritizing your own well-being benefits your whole family
~Rae Jacobson - childmind.org
When you’re a parent, self-care often slips to the bottom of the list. But taking care of yourself isn’t a luxury. It’s essential. And during this difficult time, when children are home and stress is running high, it’s more important than ever. Here are five tips from our clinicians that can help.
Make time for yourself
Right now, much of the personal time that was part of daily routines — commutes, time alone at home or at the store, social time with friends — is not available for folks with kids at home. Without it, we have to be intentional about creating space to recharge and decompress. This could look like taking a shower or bath, walking around the block alone (or with your dog), or designating time to read or simply zone out after the kids have gone to bed.
Prioritize healthy choices
The added stress and lack of structure we’re all experiencing right now can make it easy to slip into habits that feel good in the moment but can be detrimental in the long term. “Make sure you’re eating properly, try to get enough sleep (but not too much!), and create a routine that includes physical activity,” recommends Jill Emanuele, PhD, a clinical psychologist at the Child Mind Institute. This doesn’t mean pressuring yourself to get into tip-top shape, or not eating ice cream or binging your favorite shows. It does mean being thoughtful and intentional about how you’re treating yourself and your body.
Be realistic
“Perfectionism and the coronavirus don’t mix,” says David Anderson, PhD, a clinical psychologist at the Child Mind Institute. “It’s time to be exceedingly realistic, both at work and as a parent.” Avoid burnout by setting realistic expectations and giving yourself grace if you can’t meet them. “Practice forgiveness and self-compassion,” says Dr. Anderson. Parents should remind themselves that these are unprecedented times. “There’s no playbook for this. Remember you’re doing your best during a very difficult time. Cut yourself some slack.”
Set boundaries
Anxiety is rampant right now. With so much worry and uncertainty floating around it can be easy to absorb other people’s fears and concerns without even realizing it. If you have a friend or family member who’s in the habit of sending worst-case-scenario news or is prone to sending anxiety-provoking text messages, practice a little emotional distancing. Let them know you sympathize but that you’re taking a break from worrying news, or simply hit the Do Not Disturb button. You can always reconnect when things are calmer.
Reconnect with things you enjoy
Think proactively of things you can do with this enforced time at home. Get back in touch with hobbies or activities you enjoy but rarely have time for, or make the choice to learn a new skill. Maybe there’s a knitting project you’ve always wanted to try, but you’ve been too busy. Or you’ve been meaning to learn how to needlepoint. Maybe you love jigsaw puzzles but with rushing between work and home and caring for kids, it’s been years since you had the time to do one. If young children make solo activities unrealistic, seek out activities you can enjoy together, like baking bread, or making art.
Finally, remember, being kind to yourself will not only help you stay calm during this difficult time, it will help ensure that you have the bandwidth you need to take good care of your family. When you’re running on fumes, caring for others can tax your already depleted resources to breaking point. But when you prioritize your needs, you’re filling the tank, emotionally and physically, and that means you’ll be in a position to offer comfort and care to others when they need it most.
Virtual Classroom Student Pictures
Since VC or F2F classes are not in session on this day, it provides us with a great opportunity to host this activity at Blue Ash Elementary.
Parents will drive around to the back of school *Make sure that you drive by the school on your left and proceed to the back lot by the Maintenance garage.
Parents will stay in their cars while students get out, enter the gym, have their picture taken, and then return to their car.
Please review the information for your scheduled time:
Last Name A - G 9:00 - 10:00
Last Name H - N 10:00 - 11:00
Last Name O - Z 11:00 - 12:00
Community Holiday Store!!
CHESS CLUB
Registration is now open for the Blue Ash Chess Club! It is designed for all 1st through 4th graders. Participants will learn all the basics as well as get ready to play chess tournaments if they would like.
The club will be held virtually using Zoom and online chess tools, so students can learn chess and see their schoolmates. Classes will be held Monday afternoons, 4:30pm to 5:30pm. Club starts on October 26th and runs for 9 weeks through January 11th (no class when school is closed). The registration form can be found on the PTO page on Blue Ash Elementary's website or clicking here. Please email Evelyn Wagner with any questions at evelynabeles@gmail.com
District Information
Hello Blue Ash Elementary Families:
I’d love to have your child experience a day at Champions, especially if they’ve been missing social time. Everything’s better with a friend—even learning—and these days, kids are craving as much safe social time with peers as possible!
Since the beginning of the pandemic, our program has had industry-leading health and safety practices in place including small, stable peer groups, temperature checks, and masks for everyone. To stay in line with our COVID-19 preventative measures, this offer is limited to available space in our small, stable groups.
You grownups have been carrying an extra-heavy load lately and need a break! So, do everyone in your family a favor and come check out Champions for a free day! This is open to virtual learners as well as face to face learners. You can enroll today and save a spot to join our program at any time during the school year.
I’m here to chat about all the details, so please reach out if you’d like to save a spot.
Tanisha Brown, Blue Ash Elementary Champions Site Director
Blue Ash Elementary School/Cafeteria
6541 Plainfield Rd. Blue Ash, OH 45236
(513) 549-9862
CH004627@discoverechampions.com
*Only one free day at Champions offer per child. Currently enrolled Champions, KinderCare, or Knowledge Beginnings families are not eligible. Offer cannot be used in conjunction with any other discounts and is subject to location availability. Offer not applicable at KinderCare Learning Centers. Terms are subject to change. Additional restrictions may apply. See site director for details. Offer valid through December 31, 2020.