BFPP NEWS
Friday, April 15th, 2022
Principal's Corner
Dear BFPP families,
It's spring and there is evidence of the passage of time all around us. Whether in the blooming trees, shorter pants (either from growth or nice weather) and slightly warmer temperatures, there is a since that the end of the year is around the corner. There is so much planning that happens at this time in preparation for the fall and yet we are fully in the moment of this year and now. It is always a fascinating experience for the teachers, staff, students and families to be both present and projecting to the future.
Our plan is to finish the year fully present and we ask the same of you. That looks like:
- full engagement (attending classes, making weekly contact, submitting monthly progress)
- lots of celebrations (we have all worked hard and there is a lot of good things to acknowledge)
- having fun (share a smile, laugh with each other and PLAY together, be on the look out for community events).
Happy spring,
Dr. Kate
Get out your calendar!
Below, you'll find info on these school events:
- BFPP Earth Day Celebration - 4/19
- Children on the Autism Spectrum: Family Support Group - begins 4/20
- Multi Language Learners Workshop - 4/20
- 5th grade Growth & Development Lessons - 4/20-4/22
- Appel Farms Tour - 4/26
- Pep Talks Workshop on Zoom - 4/27
- Children's Art Walk Contributions Due - 4/29
- Scholastic Book Orders Due - 4/29
- Thought Partner Meeting: Middle School Programming - 5/4
- Pep Talks Workshop in-person - 5/18
- Spring Craft Fair - 5/26
BFPP Earth Day Celebration
Children on the Autism Spectrum: Family Support Group
A new family support group is starting this Spring facilitated by Kate Baehr and Carrie Vining. Our intention for this group is to facilitate an opportunity to gather, make connections, share resources, and find ways to build community from our experiences. We recognize that this is a short amount of time for such a big topic, however we hope to plant the seed for relationships and support to form outside of this group.
We will meet on the following Wednesdays from 11:00-12:00 in the Innovator Room in person at BFPP:
- April 20th
- May 4th
- May 18th
- June 1st
Child care is not provided for this event. You are welcome to bring kiddos along, or make other arrangements so you can attend solo. Make arrangements that suit your needs best and be open to the needs of others. Some families may want to arrange their own child care and others might not.
There are four sessions before the end of the year. The first session will be to make connections with each other and communicate the hopes and dreams of the group. It would be great if families could commit to all four, however we understand that it might not be possible for all families.
We hope to see you there. Email questions to Carrie.Vining@bellinghamschools.org
5th graders: Human Growth & Development
Next week BFPP is offering fifth graders three Human Growth and Development and HIV lessons. Washington state requires HIV/AIDS prevention education for all students beginning no later than fifth grade. Each year we partner with educator Erin Montgomery, a Health Education Specialist (CHES) in the state of Washington and Community Health Educator for Mt. Baker Planned Parenthood, to present these lessons.
This year this ZOOM ONLY class contains three specific lessons offered on three different consecutive days – April 20th, 21st, and 22nd from 2-3pm:
- Wednesday, April 20 – Intro to Puberty & Hygiene
- Thursday, April 21 – Vocabulary/Puberty Trivia Review and Q&A Session
- Friday, April 22 – HIV, Q&A session and wrap up
The lesson plans for these lessons are available for preview on our district website.
An RSVP is not necessary, but it is helpful if students can commit to participating for all three days. The Zoom link is below.
Join Zoom Meeting: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/84670639005
Please reach out with questions to patricia.becraft@bellinghamschools.org or emontgomery@mbpp.org
Multi Language Learner Workshop: Language Learning and Literacy
Hello, my name is Sally Unger and I’ve been a Multilingual Specialist in Bellingham for the past 5 years. Prior to that, I taught Spanish at Shuksan Middle School for 11 years. I’m thrilled to offer a workshop for multilingual families at BFPP on Wednesday, April 20 at 3:00 pm. The workshop will be held on Zoom.
Are you wondering how to support your student in learning English and/or reading and writing? This workshop will cover the basics of language learning, the relationship between language and literacy, recommendations for lessons, and resources for parents and students. We’ll also discuss the importance of heritage languages to learning English, and there will be plenty of time to ask questions.
If you have any questions, please email me at sally.unger@bellinghamschools.org.
To sign up and get the Zoom link: : https://www.signupgenius.com/go/70A0949AFAB2BA3FE3-online
Appel Farms Dairy Tour
Come check out this awesome local farm and explore the answer to this burning question: How do cows make cheese?
All BFPP families welcome, no RSVP required.
Please plan to meet at Appel Farms by 1pm.
Questions, please email randy.leventhal@bellinghamschools.org
Pep Talk Workshops
Wednesday, April 27th --PEP Talk: A Time to Reconnect to the Vulnerable Work of Homeschooling-- at 11-12pm on Zoom (Same workshop is offered 5/18 at 11-12pm on site, in-person)
Need a pep talk and a place to connect with others who are doing the vulnerable work of home schooling? I remember when I was home with my boys and we’d get into the sweet spot of self-directed learning and rich inquiry-led conversations. They would use LEGOS to describe dynamic loading, and pizza dough to mimic cell structures and I would think: We could do this forever! Homeschooling is clearly the best way for all learners! We’re never turning back!
And then the next day the bottom would fall out. They’d insist they’d never heard of the letter H (“What is this aiy-ch you speak of Mom?!), or they’d refuse to read anything unless it was part of a Garfield Fat Cat book and that went on for weeeekkkss (yes, there are 22 books in that series!). And don’t get me started on the years of struggles with writing. The writing? And I’m a certified writing teacher, darn it! Oh… the humbling of home learning….
So, if you’re in that space of questioning if you want to do this again next year and want some thought partners who may be able to help your process, come share your thinking with your community and a partner—BFPP Teacher Erin McCarthy—who has been in this place many times.
RSVP by Tuesday 4/26 for 4/27 (zoom) and RSVP by 5/16 for 5/18 (in-person) at erin.mccarthy@bellinghamschools.org
Children's Art Walk
Once again BFPP parent Lisa Spreyer is coordinating our school's participation in the Children's Art Walk downtown. She's looking for another person to assist her - please email her if you can spare a few hours to help! Students can submit one piece of art that will be displayed in the window of a local business for 2 weeks beginning May 6th.
Guidelines for submissions:
1) We are able to accept ONE piece per student
2) We are set up to accept 2D submissions of 5x7” to 11x17”.
*If your student has created a piece that does not fall within that description, please contact Lisa. We may be able to accommodate.
3) Please include Student’s Name, Grade Level, Title, and Medium either on the back of the piece or on a sticky note.
4) We strongly suggest student’s 2D art be submitted in a folder, (or some type of protective enclosure) with parent/guardian’s contact info on the outside. This will protect the artwork and simplify the process of picking it up after the show ends.
All art is welcome, however if you need some inspiration, our theme this year is "Dreams Really Do Come True."
Drop off your art in the Art Walk Bin near Peggy's desk at school.
Submissions are due by Friday, April 29th.
Scholastic Book Orders
Here's our last chance to order before summer vacation!
Please place your online order by Friday, April 29th.
New to ordering? Here’s how:
1. Go online to: https://clubs.scholastic.com/
2. Click on 'Connect to a Teacher' and enter our BFPP Class Code: RT8NH
3. Sign up using your student's first and last name.
4. Shop the flyers and pay online for your order. You can choose from any and all of the many different flyers available.
Books will be delivered to BFPP by the end of May. If you place an order, please email Heidi Zollner and let her know so we can arrange pick up of your books. Please know Scholastic has experienced supply chain issues this year and orders may end up taking longer as a result.
Thanks for supporting our school library with your purchase!
Every purchase earns us free books and other goodies for our school.
Thought Partner Meeting
Spring Craft Fair
BFPP student crafters, artists, and makers of all sorts are invited to sell their wares at this fun outdoor event.
The details:
1. Set up is from 1:30-2:00pm.
2. You can use the loading zone on Larrabee Ave. to load/unload your vehicle.
3. Please check in at the tent on the playfield upon arrival to get your selling spot. Families can bring their own table (max 6 ft long) and chairs or reserve half of a long table and chairs from the school's supply.
4. Food sales: Only individually packaged foods that do not need refrigeration please. No drinks please.
5. The last 20 minutes of the fair is Swap Time: make sure you have enough items so you can trade/swap with the other sellers at the end of the fair!
6. Clean up is from 3:30-4:00pm. Please try to leave your area better than you found it.
7. Bring plenty of change and small bills.
8. Invite your friends and family!
9. Families are responsible for supervision their children during the craft fair.
10. In case of very inclement weather, the fair will be rescheduled.
Please fill out one registration per family - list all students who will be selling followed by a general description of what they plan to sell.
Register here: https://forms.gle/LsZhVX5mc33Y8mp89
If you'd like to help with the craft fair (advertising, set up, take down) or have any questions, please email Heidi Zollner.
Earth Week Celebration
Join the City of Bellingham in celebrating this year’s global Earth Day theme of “Invest In Our Planet” with a week of local activities April 17-23, 2022.
The City is hosting free activities for all ages to honor our planet, including:
- A volunteer work party at Fairhaven Park to help restore Padden Creek. Spots are limited so please register in advance.
- A community art project at the Lightcatcher Building – help us populate a giant globe with animal life!
- Earth Day themed online Children’s Storytimes for kids ages birth to five years.
- Themed book lists for adults and children.
- Essence of Bellingham photo contest. Submit your climate action photos for a chance to win the Climate Action Award!
A full list of events with details can be found on the City’s website at cob.org/earthday2022.
Bellingham Bike Parade
Bellingham Bike Parade: May 1 , 12:30 pm – 2:30 pm
Re-create history at the Bellingham Bike Parade! We will be re-creating a historic photo taken by Jack Carver on May 1, 1948 from the corner of Railroad and East Holly Street.
To participate, meet at the WECU parking lot located at 600 East Holly Street at 12:30 pm.
We will depart at 1:00 pm, following Holly Street to Waypoint Park.
The ride will take place rain or shine. Bike decorations and costumes are encouraged. All ages welcome.
Please note: as a participant you will need to wear a helmet. The parade will be escorted by police. Riders are asked to follow the rules of the road.
For more information, please call (360) 788-9316.
Photography Competition
Amateur and professional photographers of all ages are invited to join in the 17th annual Essence of Bellingham Photo Competition.
The City of Bellingham and Whatcom Museum sponsor this photography competition each year to highlight what we love most about our community, inviting residents to submit photos that capture the “essence" of living, working, or playing in Bellingham.
Entries are submitted free of charge and are due by Sunday, May 1, 2022.
Awards will be given for Best of Show, Best of Class, Best of Category, and Honorable Mention. A Climate Action award will honor images that capture actions our community is taking to address climate change and its impacts.
Complete competition details are available online, including a submission form and winning photos from previous years.
Free COVID tests available at BFPP
At-home rapid tests are available to families and staff on a weekly basis. Please come to our office to pick up tests.
COVID testing continues to be available for staff and students at our schools and the Family Resource Center at Shuksan Middle School each school day from 7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.