BFPP NEWS
Friday, April 1st, 2022
Principal's Corner
Dear BFPP families,
Spring is officially here! Now we start having conversations and do some planning in preparation for next fall. There will be several upcoming Thought Partner Meetings (where we invite families to be co-designers and partners) as well as surveys. These will be really important to have your voice included and we encourage everyone to participate; whether you are staying, or moving on, we want to hear from you. Be on the look out for those invites below and after spring break.
This is another packed newsletter, full of opportunities and great learning. Happy reading and happy spring break!
Your extremely proud Principal, Dr. K
Get out your calendar!
Reminder: teachers won't be available for meetings or tech help during spring break.
End of 3rd Quarter Classes: April 1st
Spring Break: April 4th-April 8th No classes or meetings
Start of 4th Quarter Classes: April 11th
Below, you'll find info on these school events:
- Family Field Trips - 4/12 Collision of Rhythm
- Learning Together Workshops - 4/13 Understanding Anxiety
- Math Lab via Zoom - rsvp by 4/14
- LEO Thought Partner Meeting - 4/14
- Children's Art Walk - mid-April collection date
- Children on the Autism Spectrum: Family Support Group - begins 4/20
- 5th grade Growth & Development Lessons - 4/20-4/22
- Spring Craft Fair - 5/26
Upcoming Family Field Trips
Learning Together Workshops
Math Lab Support Via Zoom
The purpose of the labs is to provide support for small groups of students in math. The labs will focus on key numeracy skills in each grade band.
WHAT: The following ZOOM Math Labs will be offered for Quarter 4.
Grades 3-5, Tuesdays 10-11am, Teacher Janie Overman
Grades 6-8, Thursdays 10-11am, Teacher Janie Overman
STARTING: Labs will begin the week of April 18th and end the week of June 6th.
If you feel that a math lab via Zoom would be a support for your learner, please RSVP by emailing Janie by THURSDAY, 4/14.
To meet student needs, we will need to keep these groups very small. So, we will need to know as soon as possible if you are interested.
LEO (Learning Experience On-line) Thought Partner Meeting
Who: Anyone who has participated at any level with our on-line learning: Edgeunity, SeeSaw and Learning Menus, K-8. Even if you did a little, or are no longer using it, we would love to hear from you.
Why: This was a pilot year, we are eager to have you as co-designers and partners in thinking about the possibilities and what on-line learning could and should look like at BFPP. Come share your experience and input.
Where: on Zoom https://bellinghamschools.zoom.us/j/7398540385
Children's Art Walk
It's time to start planning for the Children's Art Walk! Once again BFPP parent Lisa Spreyer is coordinating our school's participation. She's looking for another person to assist her - please email her if you can help!
For our local Art Walk, students are asked to submit one piece of art that will be displayed in the window of a local business for 2 weeks beginning May 6th. Submissions will be due and collected by mid-April. More info will be coming soon, stay tuned!
If you are interested in helping with this fun annual project (collecting art pieces, hanging it up, returning art to the artists), please reach out to Lisa Spreyer.
Children on the Autism Spectrum: Family Support Group
A new family support group is starting this spring, facilitated by Kate Baehr and Carrie Vining.
We'll meet 11:00-12:00 on the following Wednesdays:
- April 20th
- May 4th
- May 18th
- June 1st
More information to follow. Please save the dates and watch the next newsletter for more details.
5th graders: Human Growth & Development
Dear Fifth Grade Families,
The spring of fifth grade is such an exciting time of transition. Students and families are wrapping up and celebrating the completion of the elementary years and transitioning towards middle school. Whether you are home schooling during the middle school years or not, we all know our tweens are preparing for the adolescent years to come.
One of the ways BFPP supports this transition to adolescence is through our district's 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 at Mt. Baker Planned Parenthood. Erin is a Health Education Specialist (CHES) in the state of Washington and she also works as a Community Health Educator for Mt. Baker Planned Parenthood. We are so lucky to get to work with her and benefit from her expertise.
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
We are reaching out in advance to give you time to preview the material. The lesson plans for these lessons are available for preview on our district website and we hope you will take time to preview them.
An RSVP is not necessary, but its helpful if students can commit to participating for all three days. The Zoom link is below and it will be sent out again the week of April 18th, which will also serve as a reminder to you.
Join Zoom Meeting: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/84670639005
Please reach out with questions to erica.wolverton@bellinghamschools.org or emontgomery@mbpp.org
We hope you are able take advantage of this wonderful, supportive community resource.
Spring Craft Fair
Student crafters, artists, and makers of all sorts are invited to sell their wares at this fun outdoor event.
Registration is needed and will open Friday, April 15th. Let the crafting commence!
If you'd like to help with the craft fair (advertising, set up, take down), please email Heidi Zollner.
Join the Wizard of Oz Cast!
Mason Bee Nest
Our BFPP garden now has a Mason Bee Box!
Mason bees do not live in a hive, nor do they sting, which makes them very kid and pet friendly. People often confuse them with flies.
Mason bees come out in the wet cool weather of early spring. They are very effective pollinators. In fact, one mason bee can do the work of 100 honeybees! These super pollinators arrive just when fruit and nut trees begin blooming along with some berries. They are called mason bees because they pack mud at the end of the long tubes or tunnels where they lay their eggs.
You are welcome to come and visit our school mason bee box. As the weather warms you will begin to see more activity.
The Free Store
Do you know about the Free Store? You should definitely know about the free store.
Now that we finally get to come together and be back on campus, we can start utilizing this great little closet again. At the end of the hallway on the bottom floor is a closet the school has been kind enough to let us take over. It was started by and has been run by parents, and it works best when we all pitch in to keep it organized and updated.
The Free Store is a space to give and take used but quality (clean & not broken) items like household items, clothing, curriculum, toys, and books.
This has been such a great resource and it will continue to be with all of us pitching in. Bring some stuff, take some stuff, feel good about your thriftiness!
Warmly,
Marian
Thanks to several volunteers, the Free Store is cleaned out, spruced up, and ready for business! See below for some of the current items available.
New Sensory Tools for Check Out
We have new sensory tools for you to check out! Sensory tools can help calm the nervous system during overstimulating situations. There are also tools available to help learners focus and to improve opportunities for learning.
Watch the videos in the QR codes found in the Student Tools Catalog below to see our own students using the tools!
If you think your learner might benefit from one of the tools, reach out to your learning plan partner or talk to Peggy at the front desk.
Questions? Comments? Reach out to Erica Wolverton
Oh my dear, why don’t you volunteer …. at BFPP
Find yourself with some time while your kiddos are in class? Families sharing their talents are what makes this a great place.
Please browse our sign-up sheets posted on the main floor hallway bulletin board, “Oh, the Possibilities”, next to the exit door facing the gym for the volunteer opportunities.
Contact Peggy at the front desk if you have any questions.
BFPP Family-led CLUBS
Student/Parent-driven clubs are a fun and integral part of BFPP. Past clubs have included math club, Pokemon club, chess club, kindness club, and several others!
Click here for a description of current clubs. Did we miss your club? Let Heidi know so we can add it to the list!
Interested in starting a club? Spend some time thinking about the Topic, Purpose, and Format of your club. Then contact your LPP with your idea!
Rae Brothers Magazine
Click here to read the latest edition of BFPP students Abel and Waylon Rae's quarterly magazine, featuring photos, articles, artwork, and more documenting their adventures. There's even a "Birds of Washington State" crossword puzzle!
They've added a "Readers Write" section and would love to get some BFPP submissions! See the magazine for details on how to submit your writing.
*We love to feature student work and projects! Seeing what others are up to and how they're using their talents is a great way to be inspired. Do you have something you'd be willing to share? Send it to Heidi to include in an upcoming newsletter.
Free COVID tests available
Keep our community healthy this Spring Break and beyond!
Testing before returning to school after Spring Break can help our community stay healthy. 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. The testing center will be closed over Spring Break.