Principal's Weekly
Principal Beth N. Choquette, Bridge Street School
Bridge Street School
2 Parsons Street
Northampton, Massachusetts 01060
413-587-1460 (phone) 413-587-1484 (fax)
Beth N. Choquette, Principal bchoquette@northamtpon-k12.us
Elizabeth Peterson, Administrative Assistant epeterson@northampton-k12.us
Nicole Soutra, Senior Clerk nsoutra@northampton-k12.us
Nora DeJasu, Head Teacher ndejasu@northampton-k12.us
Translation of the Principal's Weekly
At the top of the weekly email, there's a link that reads "View it in your browser," click that and it takes you to the post on a webpage.
Scroll to the bottom where there's a black menu bar and pick the option that says "Translate."
Select the language you would like it translated in and it will then translate it on the webpage.
Traducción del semanario del director
Solo un recordatorio de que el sitio web que uso para crear mis boletines semanales, ahora tiene traducción en muchos idiomas diferentes. Aquí están los pasos para traducirlo:
En la parte superior del correo electrónico semanal, hay un enlace que dice "Verlo en su navegador", haga clic en eso y lo llevará a la publicación en una página web.
Desplázate hacia la parte inferior donde hay una barra de menú negra y elige la opción que dice "Traducir".
Seleccione el idioma en el que desea traducirlo y luego lo traducirá en la página web.
A Message From Principal Choquette 5/10/19
Dear Families,
I'd like to start by sending a huge thank you to our amazing PTO for the awesome week they provided for our teachers. From the breakfast, to the candy bar, to the massages, and today's luncheon-THANK YOU! Our teachers go above and beyond their role every single day to ensure that all of our students are cared for and loved. We appreciate all of them and all that they do for our students. We also honored our nurse, Jessica, on Wednesday for National School Nurses Day. Jessica takes care of all of us, and we are so grateful for her caring nature and all that she has done for our students and staff at BSS.
All year we've been talking about the new and exciting additions to our playground provided by the PTO. The imagination playground blocks have arrived. We decided to split the order and put half on the kindergarten and preschool playground and half on the big playground. The kids will be able to begin building and creating with them on Monday. We have a special storage container for them next to the shed and students will be required to play with them in a designated area of the playground. We are grateful to the PTO for providing activities that are inclusive, non-athletic, and that tap into the creative side of our students. We are anticipating musical flowers and drums and a large chalkboard in the future!
Yesterday, class placement information forms went home. These forms help us to inform our decisions about placement. As you know, parents may not choose their child's teacher, however, we value your input as we finalize our placements. There are many factors that go into placement, with the priority being around services and the needs of our students. Your input offers insight for the new teacher so they can design their teaching to best meet the needs of your child. Please return those forms no later than May 24th.
On the last day of school, we will hold a move up day. Students will visit their classroom for next year and get to see who their teacher will be. It is important to know that class placements can change over the summer based off of any move-ins that may impact class size and/or other factors. So, although you receive these on the last day of school, they can change over the summer. If they do, we will notify you.
During the week of May 20th, we will be holding our first "half and half" lockdown drill. A half and half means that some students will be inside and some will be out at recess. The students who are inside practice the drill like they have been for previous lockdown drills. For students who are outside, we have a designated area off property that students will walk to with the playground staff. We chose the gardens at Historic Northampton due to it being a very familiar place for our kids. They will stay over there until a police officer comes and gives them the okay to come back. The reason we practice this type of lockdown is so that students and staff know what to do, where to go, and are prepared in case of a real emergency. If there were ever to be something going on in the building that would require a lockdown, once a lockdown is called, we cannot open the doors to the outside. It is extremely important that we practice these drills. Teachers have been asked to practice and review the upcoming drill during their morning meeting time. I ask that all families also discuss this at home so children understand the importance of practicing drills. If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact me.
We are anxiously waiting to see if we received the endowment grant for Breakfast for All/Breakfast in the Classroom. If we receive the grant it will be in collaboration with the Ryan Road School. This would give all students the opportunity for free breakfast, in their classrooms everyday. This will not only take away any stigma associated with getting breakfast, it will also eliminate students having to choose between morning recess or breakfast. If we receive the grant, the director of food services will train the faculty and staff on how this all works in the classroom. I will keep you posted as soon as I hear about the grant.
I hope all of the mothers, grandmothers, aunts, and anyone who serves as caregiver has a wonderful Mother's Day on Sunday.
Have a great weekend.
Racial Equity and Learning (REAL)
Author Visit
Girls on the Run
Girls on the Run (GOTR) at BSS are getting ready to run/walk their practice 5K on Friday May 10th! This is in preparation for the final 5K at Springfield College on June 2nd to mark the end of their season (more information about that amazing event will be coming soon!).
We would love your support for the practice 5K. We will be walking/running a route around the Bridge St. neighborhood. The girls will do two 1.5 mile loop and go right past the school!
There are lots of ways to support the girls. We need running buddies (someone to support the girls at whatever pace they want), folks for a water table, giving out awards, holding tape for the finish line for each girl, special snacks or just folks to cheer everyone on.
If you work at the school, we invite you all to step outside the building after school on Friday May 10th and give them a few shouts of encouragement when they start. We should be officially starting the 5k by 3:30pm.
If you can commit to being there for any of the tasks above please let us know, as we do need helpers arranged ahead of time. Otherwise, just come for whatever portion you can.
To sign up to help, email Alex at: alexandra.russellb@gmail.com
THANK YOU in advance for supporting the girls. You are sure to bring a smile to their faces!
Bridge St. GOTR Coaches:
BSS Parents:
Carrie Raptelis, Alex Russell and Brant Jones
NHS Students:
Ruby Gottlieb and Jarrett Borer
Gaga
We now have had the Gaga Ball Pit for 3 weeks, but as with anything that is new, the novelty can wear off and although our students are having a blast, I want to hear from you regarding any concerns you may have and the positives that your kids are talking about. Please email me any concerns and joys that your students are experiencing at bchoquette@northampton-k12.us
The Northampton Arts Council
The Northampton Arts Council is excited to present our First Annual Northampton Public Arts Festival. The festival will take place on Saturday May 11, 2019 and Sunday May 12, 2019 in the plaza behind Thornes Market at 99 Armory Street in Northampton.
The Northampton Public Arts Festival is a unique 2-day event aimed at promoting public arts through live mural painting and workshops for young artists and youth interested in the arts. The festival will bring local and nationally recognized street artists and muralists to convene and create beautiful public art for the city of Northampton and the Pioneer Valley. Local DJs will be spinning vinyl from noon-5pm, Laughing Tomato Pizza will be on hand as well as, 10 curated locally based art vendors.
On Saturday, May 11 from 9am to 7pm, our team will run an open painting session to paint four mural cubes with eight selected artists, with two artists painting each cube. The fifth cube will be painted in collaboration between Jonathan Neville of Dripped On Productions and the public in attendance. This day of collaborative art making will include three scheduled workshops at 10:00am, 12:00pm, and 3:00pm. The workshops offer a hands-on opportunity for youth and adults to work directly with street artists to learn how to use spray paint to create art under professional guidance. The workshops break down barriers and pre-existing notions about spray paint and street art, and gives the public a chance to become their own artist! All the aerosol used is kid friendly and paints are water based non toxic.
We would like to invite your students to participate in one of the three workshops held on Saturday. These workshops are a great opportunity for young artists to explore a new medium and learn hands on, alongside an artist, how to work with new tools in new ways. Please be in touch via email, arts@northamptonma.gov to let us know which workshop your students would like to attend and how many participants you anticipate.
Thank you for your continued support of the arts.
MCAS Update (5th grade Science)
Hiring Committees
K-5 Celebration 6/6/19
On Monday, June 10th, all classes will join together to watch the 5th grade graduation.
Principal's Chat (room change)
Code of Conduct Update
Important Dates
5/13/19 Unified Special Olympics POSTPONED due to weather. We will let you know when it has been rescheduled.
5/14/19 PTO Meeting 3:15-4:15 Library
5/15/19 School Council 3:30-5:00 p.m. BSS Conference Room
5/17/19 Half Day of School (Teacher work day). Dismissal at 12:20 a.m.
5/27/19 No School in honor of Memorial Day
6/7/19 Field Day
6/10/19 5th Grade Graduation 9:15 a.m. BSS Gym; Kindergarten graduation 2:00 p.m.
6/14/19 Last Day of School-Dismissal at 12:20 a.m.
Upcoming PTO Events
May 11, 9 am - 1 pm, on the Smith Voc lawn is the annual plant sale. The BSS PTO will be running the bake sale as a fundraiser for the PTO.
If you can contribute baked goods for the sale please let 1st grade parent Karen Foster know: foster.karen.lynn@gmail.com.
If you are available for an hour or 2 that day to help at the sale please sign up here: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/8050c4caaa723a5f58-sosplant
May 16 is the annual BSS Talent Show in the BSS caf.
May 31, 7 pm at the Parlor Room is the BSS Caregiver Dance party with live music, auction items including Celtics and Green River Festival tickets, and beer/wine. Get the sitter!
Friday, June 7 is Field Day! Check out this Field Day sign-up form did the schedule and volunteer slots: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdh-6d9IAKay4oQD6v-1pDQ0KtCAIUHDzCViPzz_2WRd3l6_A/viewform?usp=sf_link