Blue Ash Elementary
February 15, 2019
So many ways to learn....
In Gym...
In Math.....
In Language Arts...
Shed The Threads - Clothes Bin Challenge Update
Please remember that we are collecting clothing, rags, towels, blankets, sheets, and shoes in the white bin off to the side of the front parking lot. This is a great opportunity for our families to clean out closets and storage bins, and help our schools and environment. Competition is on until March 31....so still plenty of time.
Did you know?...
The average American discards approximately 70 pounds of clothes, shoes and textiles each year.
85% of textiles end up in the landfill.
This amounts to an astounding 16.9 BILLION pounds of preventable waste each year!
PLUS...
Our district will earn 7 cents for every pound!!
Thank you for doing your part! We have been filling the bin so fast, the district has had to call the company to empty it twice already. :)
No School Monday!
We hope you all enjoy a nice long weekend!
District Art Show
Sign up for a Free Energy Kit
Health and Wellness
February is American Heart Month! To celebrate, we are focusing on healthful eating. Eating a healthful diet means eating foods low in saturated fats, cholesterol and salt and choose foods high in vitamins and dietary nutrition. The American Heart Association offers insights into how to improve our families’ diets:
In addition, National Geographic cookbook author and chef, Barton Seaver, has videos with ideas on how to come up with healthy and delicious packed lunches. As a member of the United States Culinary Ambassador Corp, he promotes healthy eating and cooking for all children:
The basics for building a healthy, non-soggy sandwich
Tips for packing a healthy lunch
Wishing you all a happy and heart-healthy month!
~ ~ PTO Information ~ ~
Step up to the PTO!
A community is a group of people with diverse characteristics who are linked by social ties, share common perspectives, and engage in joint action. As I reflect on the roles of our PTO leaders and volunteers, this is exactly what I have experienced at Blue Ash Elementary... A group of dedicated parents with varied backgrounds, interests, talents and passions, who have united together with the same purpose – to enrich the lives of our children. There truly is no better way to support our school, than for a parent to give a little of his/her time and energy. Whether it is as a homeroom volunteer, or sharing a leadership position that plans and supports beloved events like Haunted Festival...there is a place and a need for everyone to serve. As we begin to plan for next year, we are again looking for parents that love our school, that support our focus on children, and who love to work with a network of other parents and teachers who feel the same. I sincerely hope you will consider being a part of our team at BAE. In talking with parents who have, and continue to serve, you won’t find a more fulfilling and entertaining way to spend your time!
Leslie D. Combs
Principal
Blue Ash Elementary School
Dear Parents,
From the Kindergarten Meet and Greet to the Fourth Grade Celebration, the dozens of events and programs that the PTO sponsors at Blue Ash Elementary are the icing on the cake of your student's school experience. Unfortunately, many of these events and programs are headed for extinction due to lack of parent support. If you have a student at Blue Ash Elementary, we are asking you to step up and help out in the PTO.
The PTO is comprised of parents of current students at Blue Ash Elementary. When their child graduates fourth grade, they retire their positions, leaving vacancies. As we look at where we stand for next year, there are three big holes on our PTO team:
1. Treasurer(s). This position is vital. The PTO literally cannot function without a treasurer. The treasurer prepares and presents the annual budget, arranges for and files the audit report, ensures taxes are filed, keeps records of all receipts and expenditures, writes reimbursement checks and pays other bills, presents financial reports at PTO meetings, and ensures bank statements are reviewed regularly by a separate board member. They are also responsible for maintaining insurance for the PTO. These duties can be shared between two treasurers. Please email the treasurers at baptotreasurer@sycamoreschools.org if this position is a good fit for your skills and interests.
2. Haunted Festival Chair(s). Go it alone, or team up with a small group of your besties to make Haunted Fest 2019 the best. You would oversee the 15 Haunted Fest Chair positions, manage the Haunted Fest budget, and organize and attend planning meetings as well as the actual event. This year's chairwoman whittled the process down to a science and organized the heck out of everything in an effort to set you up for success. Haunted Fest is more than just a fun event. Each year, thousands of dollars and hundreds of volunteer hours are poured into this event making it not only a screamin' good time, but also our major source of income. With the $16,000 we brought in this year, teachers have received new carpets and varied seating options for their classrooms, books, art supplies, and many other items by special request. Please contact Victoria Margroum at bapto@sycamoreschools.org today if your inner event planner can't wait to take on this challenge!
3. Yearbook Chair. Create the Blue Ash Elementary yearbook, filled with memories of events and activities. Take pictures, design pages using the Lifetouch online software, and sell/distribute the book to students. In the past few years, the yearbook also included dedication ads, managed by the yearbook chair, but that section is optional. As a side benefit, you'll enjoy getting to know and interact with a lot of teachers, staff, parents, and students! Contact Christine at ckatzman@nualumni.com to throw your hat in the ring.
In addition to these big openings for next year, there are plenty of ways you can lend a hand during the last few months of school this year. For example, we have the Variety Show and Cultural Night coming up, as well as Active Aves when the weather turns. Please email bapto@sycamoreschools.org if you have a few hours to spare.
Join us, and have fun with other friendly, happy, volunteers who are committed to making sure Blue Ash Elementary stays a place where kids want to be. Support our teachers. Support our kids. Support the Blue Ash Parent Teacher Organization!
Thank you,
The Blue Ash PTO Board
Cultural Night
We are excited for Blue Ash Elementary’s Cultural Night scheduled for Friday, April 5th at 6:00-8:30. We are beginning the process of finding acts and booths to present at Cultural Night! We want to celebrate the wonderful cultures represented by our students at Blue Ash Elementary! Please complete the form below if you would like to run a booth, be a part of the performance or fashion show, or volunteer to help with this event! If you would prefer to send your information to us through Kid Mail, feel free to send it to Anna McIlwain in Miss Willhoff’s Room 602. Thank you!
Click here for form
Odd Couples Dance Volunteers Needed
Odd Couples Winter Wonderland Dance is in need of some volunteers. We are counting down the days to a very fun and festive night, but we need your help to make this evening a success. Please take a look at the sign up genius to lend a hand. You DO NOT need to have purchased a ticket to volunteer!
Thank you so much for your help!
The Odd Couples Planning Committee
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/20F0A4CAFAD2FA3F49-oddcouples
Recipes Needed for Blue Ash Elementary PTO Cookbook
~ ~ District Information ~ ~
My School Menus
There is a new app called "My School Menus". Once you download the app and program it to Blue Ash Elementary, you can quickly see the school menu for each day. There is also an icon in the top right corner that can translate the menu into most languages!
Check out the video up on the website to understand how to use this new tool!
Aves Hangar
OGB Fundraiser
Boosters Winter Social
Link for SAB Winter Social:
Please use this link to buy your tickets to the SAB Winter Social: