Bulldog Bulletin- Weekly eNews
Here is what's on top at Buena Vista! 2/9/2022
Support 5th Grade Outdoor Ed ---Eat Out Tonight!
When: 4pm-8pm
See flyer below!
Note from the Principal
Good Afternoon Buena Vista Parents,
I hope you are doing well. We are continuing with our month long theme of WCSD's Hearts YOUnited. This week is a focus on Equity, Inclusion and Belonging. At Buena Vista we have been doing a lot of work around Ability Awareness in addition to our celebrations around the Lunar New Year and Black History Month. Next week, we will be focusing on Gratitude. We will be showing our thanks for all of the people who help us learn and grow. In addition, we will be supporting WCEF's Turn Up the Heat Event. February is a fun and busy month!
Lockdown Drill
Tomorrow we will be having our first lockdown drill of the year at Buena Vista. This is yearly routine practice and aligns with our monthly drills that include fire drills, earthquake drills, evacuation drills, and non evacuation drills such as a lockdown drill. Because I know that the practice of lockdown drills can be more concerning for both our parents and students I wanted to provide you with some more information.
Buena Vista will conduct one “Lockdown Drill” periodically throughout each school year. This type of drill will secure the school building and safely shelter all students, staff and visitors inside the building. The purpose of this drill is to keep the students safe from any danger outside or inside the building. During a “lockdown drill” all of the perimeter doors to the school building will be locked and will remain locked until the danger or issue outside or inside the building is removed. To enable everyone to remain safe, no one will be allowed to enter the building or leave the building until the drill is completed.
This is routine for schools to practice and our teachers and staff learned and reviewed our school safety plan at the beginning of the year and we continually review it and practice our responses periodically throughout the year.
Lockdown drills can be a little scary, especially for younger students. Before the drill, teachers will talk to their classes and walk the students through the procedures. When speaking to students about lockdown drills, teachers will talk in general terms, stating that “just like we practice fire drills and have to leave the building, we also need to practice for emergencies that will keep us in the building.” Talking about the drill with your children at home may also help alleviate unnecessary anxiety. We just ask that you maintain our approach as to not create more anxiety amongst students themselves.
Student Learning
This week I was able to watch the fifth grade students of Ms.Yorkey and Mrs. Bockser class in their music special with Ms. Fischette. The 5th grade students had spent the last 2 weeks interpreting a piece of music by Camille Saint-Saens called "Aquarium," from The Carnival of the Animals. They had been working in small groups to analyze the form and choreograph corresponding motions/movements to either compliment or demonstrate the music. Watching each small groups interpretation with movements and having their peers carefully score their performance based off of a rubric was amazing to watch. The groups engaged in thoughtful discussion about how each group performed.
Turn up the Heat
The week of Feb. 14-18 is Gratitude Week as part of WCSD’s Hearts YOUnited and WCEF’s Turn Up the Heat Red Envelope Campaign. One of the supporting organizations I am grateful for is WCEF (www.wcefk12.org) and its 40+ parent volunteers who work so hard to provide a better education for your child and all students from TK-12. They help provide the opportunities our 5th grade students go to experience this week in Ms. Fischette's Music Class.
WCEF is asking every family to participate by turning in a red envelope Feb. 14-16. The funds raised by WCEF and our families helps fund our [TK-5: amazing and vital art, music, and science lab programs; Tice: amazing and vital art, music, and science lab programs as well as additional electives for our middle schoolers; WCI: amazing elective program at WCI.] Your gifts help make possible classes that sometimes are the very reason students are excited to come to school.
Thank you for helping us provide the very best education possible. Look for your red envelope and flyer by Feb. 11, and remember to bring back those envelopes Feb. 14-16. When you return your red envelope, your child has a chance to win a gift card! The more red envelopes that are turned in, the better the chance our school has to win a popsicle party!!
4th and 5th Grade Parents
Teachers are planning two different Outdoor EducationTrips this May. Fourth grade is planning on going to to Sierra Outdoor School, in Sonora May 18-20th. This trip aligns with the Social sciences curriculum for the California Gold Rush and the study of local Native Americans.
Fifth grade is planning on going to Exploring New Horizons at Sempervirens in the Santa Cruz mountains May 9th-12th. This is a science camp that takes a hands-on, experiential approach to science education, and focuses on adventure, self-discovery, and environmental stewardship. Students explore the coastal ecosystems, the Oak, Madrone, and Redwood Forest, and each evening activity finishes with songs and stories around the campfire.
Please look for more details to come directly from your child's teacher soon!
Quick Reminders
Please complete this year's intent to return form for the 2022-2023 school year ASAP! It's due today!
PTA is looking for volunteers to serve on the PTA nominating committee to help select nominees for open positions on the PTA board for next year. This is a relatively short commitment. At most, two meetings that last maybe an hour each. If you are interested in helping out on this committee, please reach out to Jon Faerber at: parliamentarian@buenavistapta.org
WCSD is enrolling students for 2022-23 Kindergarten and Transitional Kindergarten NOW. Please see the district enrollment webpage for more information. You can also view the Transitional Kindergarten and Kindergarten Enrollment Flyer.
Also, the intradistrict transfer window opened on January 14th. The link to the application form is found on the district enrollment webpage. Mark your calendars: the Tice Creek Lottery closes on February 25th.
Lots of great things happening at Buena Vista!
Respectfully,
Angela Gramlick
Principal
Important Dates and Events!
- February 15th and 16th- WCEF--Turn up the Heat!
- Thursday, February 17th-No School- Staff Development Day
- February 18th-21st- No School-President's Weekend
- Wednesday, February 23rd-School Site Council Meeting- 3:15pm
- Friday, February 25th-End of Trimester 2-Shortened Day Schedule
BV 2022 Yearbook is Now on Sale! Price $28
Online Link: https://bit.ly/3GdezIE
Next Week: Turn Up The Heat for Education—February 14-16!
To fulfill our $1.3 million obligation to our districts, WCEF is reaching out to families who have not donated this school year, in an effort to raise an additional $300,000. We can do this, and reach our goal!
During February 14-16, you’ll find red envelopes coming home with your students that you can fill with a donation and return to school. Every gift, every amount makes a difference for your child and every student. Donate today! Not sure if you have donated? Email contact@wcefk12.org.
Added bonus: The school with the most participation increase wins a popsicle party!
Fundraising Update for January
January continued the trend of getting closer to our goal, thanks to our amazing donors … WCEF is at 79% of our $1.3M goal—$1,022,062! WCEF is able to fund key programs like TK-5 science lab, electives like French at WCI and Spanish at Tice, and the Wellness Center at Las Lomas because of you. Thank you to all who have given!
If you haven’t donated yet, there is still time. Donate today.Work for a company that will match your donation? Click here to learn more about matching.
Set It & Forget It—Become a Monthly Donor!
A great way to give to WCEF is to become a monthly donor. Choose an amount that works for your family, then provide your credit card information to set up your gift to be given automatically each month. It’s easy and provides a big bang for your buck: You’ll be supporting your own student along with thousands of other students.
To learn more, click here
Volunteers needed for Give Day.
3 Volunteers Needed for Video, Awards, and Social Media posting for Give Day in March - I would love to meet some new parents and get more people involved. Please click on the Signup Genius link below:
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/60B0B4EAEAA29A6F49-3volunteers
WALNUT CREEK SCHOOL DISTRICT PARENT EDUCATION SERIES Winter 2022
The Walnut Creek School District is pleased to offer a series of training sessions for our parents. We will be covering topics ranging from managing stress and anxiety to how to navigate difficult conversations. Please join us for a time of learning, sharing and asking questions.
February 10, 4:30 - 5 p.m. RESCHEDULED TO: March 1 5:00 - 5:30
Next Generation Science Standards- Register for Webinar
Join us to explore what science instruction looks and sounds like in our classrooms with our recent adoption of NGSS aligned science curriculum in grades TK-8 and how you can support your student scientists at home.
Presenters: Pam Davis, Teacher of Special Assignment, Jan Rogenski, Assistant Superintendent Ed. Services
February 23 , 6:30-7:30 PM
Equity EPOCH - Register for this Webinar
Come and learn about WCSD’s Equity Plan which is supported by Epoch Education. We’ll review the RIR (Recognize It, Interrupt It, Repair It) Protocol, a tool we can use when addressing issues of inequity with compassion. Epoch Equity trainer, Rozina Kapadia, will also discuss the topic of implicit bias.
Presenter: Rozina Kapadia
Important Links and Resources!
Is your child home from school?
Parents, please remember to call the attendance line if you student will not be coming to school: (925) 944-6822 ext 3801
Thank you!
It's a great day to be a bulldog!
Angela Gramlick-Principal
Email: agramlick@walnutcreedsd.org
Website: https://www.walnutcreeksd.org/Subsite001
Location: 2355 San Juan Avenue, Walnut Creek, CA, USA
Phone: 925-944-6822