BUE Family Newsletter
January 31, 2023
Reminder of how to dress for Cold Weather
If your student(s) need help with winter clothes, please contact the BUE office at (970) 285-5703.
Winter Ecology - 2 trips left!
Each year, our local Kiwanis Club takes our 4th grade students snowshoeing on the Grand Mesa where they learn all about Winter Ecology including:
- Types of trees and animals on the Grand Mesa, with a focus on beavers and their habitat
- How to find cardinal directions in the wilderness (N, S, E, W)
- Basic Survival Skills
- Water Cycle
- Lake and Ice Safety
Our 4th graders were able to explore the Grand Mesa this fall and the winter trip will allow them to compare and contrast the ecology of the Grand Mesa during two different seasons.
Mrs. Henderson and Mrs. Aldrich's classes completed their Winter Ecology trips last week.
This week, Mr. Reed and Mrs. Bair's classes will have their trips
- Thursday Feb. 2 : Mr. Reed
- Friday Feb. 3: Mrs. Bair
Many thanks to all those who help ensure our trips are a success this year!
- Our local Kiwanis Club
- Dan Temple, David Blair, Chris Jackson, and Lynda Prendergast for helping to coordinate all the details
- Ari Phillipson (G16 Outdoor Ed Coordinator)
- Kara Holden (BUE Instructional Coach)
- GVHS Key Club and Julie Lana
- Mesa Lakes Lodge
- The 4th Grade Team
BUE will be participating in Global School Play Day on Feb 1st!
BUE students will still have core Literacy and Math Instruction, as well as their intervention and specials time. However the rest of the day will be devoted to unstructured play. All students will be actively supervised by adults during all unstructured play times.
Watch D.O.G.S. Update
Thank you to Will Van Teylingen who is out Top Dog this year. He has been so helpful!
If you were unable to join us for Dads and Donuts, below is some information to fill you in on the process!
What is Watch D.O.G.S.?
The Dads of Great Students (WATCH D.O.G.S.) program is one of the nation’s largest and most respected school-based, family, and community engagement, organizations designed and developed by educators, experts and parent & guardian volunteers over more than two decades.
There are over 5,5000 schools nationwide and internationally who participate in Watch D.O.G.S.
The program helps provide positive male role models for the students, and demonstrates by the presence of men on in our schools that education is important.
- Dads and other father figures volunteer at BUE
- Sample Daily Schedule at BUE - can be adapted to fit individualized needs
- Volunteer time ranges from just a few hours to all day, depending on how much time dads/ father figures can spare
- The daily schedule focuses on time in your children's class and time in other classes too!
How much does it cost?
- It is free
What do Dads/Father Figures need to do to participate?
- Complete a back ground check to be a school volunteer
- The school district pays for you back ground check
- This back ground check last the whole year and will allow you to volunteer in all G16 Schools
Who else can participate?
- Dads and Stepdads
- Grandfathers
- Uncles
- Older Brothers
- any Father-figure in a BUE student's life
How do I get involved?
- Simply call the office at BUE and they will help you start the process (970) 285-5703
Watch D.O.G.S. in other Colorado Schools
After School Programming
We have over 150 kids participating in After School Programming right now. We are completely full!
If your student(s) missed this section of After School Programming, we are hopeful to run and 4th Quarter Program after Spring Break!
- Girls Leadership
- STEM
- Embroidery
- Stretch Yoga
- Run Club
Wednesday
- 2/3 Lego Club
- 4/5 Lego Club
Thursday
- Korean Club
- Kiwanis Kids (K-Kids)
Valentines Day Parties
Dear BUE Families,
We invite you to join us on Tuesday, February 14th, from 2:30-3:30 p.m. to celebrate Valentine's Day! Most classrooms will have simple treats, a craft time, and may or may not watch a movie while they craft. If you have any questions, please reach out to your student’s teacher.
If you would like to bring treats for the class, we ask that all goodies are store purchased, individually wrapped and prepackaged for individual use. Please reach out to your student’s teacher for more information.
Reminder: If you plan on joining us for Valentine's Day parties, you must do the Raptor Background check. The process is super easy, but it does take a minute or 2. It is best if you can check-in early with us so we do not have long lines of parents waiting to get in.
Student Led Conferences are the end of February
We are excited for our upcoming Student-Led Conferences (SLCs) at the end of February!
Monday - February 27th:
10:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m.
Tuesday - February 28th:
7:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
The focus of student led conferences is for students to be able to tell parents about their school experience and their learning. Teachers are available to help answer any questions that parents have during the process. The power in students communicating about their learning experience is to build buy-in and ownership from students for their own learning.
As parents and family members, you are critical partners in helping your child's learning and growth; it is very important that each child is supported by having family members present. We are hopeful for 100% attendance.
For several years now, BUE has used PTCFast to schedule all conferences. Information on scheduling will be shared in a few weeks, so stay on the lookout for more communication on Student Led Conferences.
There is no school during Student Led Conferences to allow flexibility for parents to schedule with teachers.
Monday - February 27th: No School
Tuesday - February 28th: Nos School
Read Across America Week!
Read Across America is the nation’s largest celebration of reading. This year-round program focuses on motivating children and teens to read through events, partnerships, and reading resources that are about everyone and for everyone.
Please join us for the following events:
Wednesday, March 1: Dads and Donuts
7:30 a.m. - 8:15 a.m.
Donuts and Coffee with be served!
Thursday, March 2: Moms and Muffins
7:30 a.m. - 8:15 a.m.
Muffins and Light Refreshment with be served!
Friday, March 3: Grandparents and Granola
7:30 a.m. - 8:15 a.m.
Granola and Light Refreshment with be served!
Each morning we invite Dads, Moms, and/or Grandparents to join us as we start the day reading. Refreshments will be served each morning and this provides families a wonderful opportunity to start the day with their children reading at school!
RSVP here!
Reminder: If you plan on joining us for our Read Across America events, you must do the Raptor Background check. The process is super easy, but it does take a minute or 2. It is best if you can check-in early with us so we do not have long lines of parents/grandparents waiting to get in.
Free Seed Program
Garfield County Extension is pleased to offer a wide variety of free seeds to families and teachers who would like to try their hand at gardening. Please spread the word to your teachers and families to sign up today to receive seed packets in March 2023. Please have individuals contact me directly at dani.wesolowski@colostate.edu or by phone at 970-625-3969. If emailing, please attach the mailing address and name that the packets should be sent too. With the Free Seed Project, we provide seeds to community stewards as an alternative to the global, industrial food system, and to encourage people to make a greater connection with Earth. Thank you so much for taking the time to spread the word. I have also attached a marketing flyer if you would like to advertise in newsletters, etc. See Flyer .pdf below.
Best Regards,
Dani Wesolowski
Garfield 16 Overarching Mission Statement:
As a result of our efforts, all students will be successfully prepared for life in a safe and nurturing environment.
Our School Mission:
BUE is a caring community providing students with a meaningful and authentic education.
Our School Vision:
We strive to empower our students to pursue their passions and to be kind, ethical people.
SCHOOL HOURS
We are a four (4) day school week
Tuesdays to Friday
1st Morning Bell rings at 7:30 a.m.
End of Day bell rings at 3:40 p.m.
BREAKFAST AND LUNCH NEWS
Our district has qualified for a free breakfast and lunch program for SY 2022-2023.
To continue to qualify for this grant, we need all families to please fill out an application for free or reduced meals, regardless of family income. The application packet will be sent home the first day of school and it can also be found using this link: Nutrition Links. This will help us to continue to qualify for this program for next school year. Thank you!
Breakfast Program: All students can receive breakfast free of charge. It is important that your child arrives at school on time as breakfast is served at 7:30 a.m.
Lunch Program: All students can receive lunch free of charge. If your child brings lunch from home, please make sure it does NOT need to be heated in a microwave as there are no microwaves available.
Please do not send soda pop in your child’s school lunch. We ask that you send a healthier choice such as juice, water, or milk.
Parents wishing to eat lunch with their child may do so, however to be in the school during the school day requires a background check (see the section above on school safety).
Please call the school office by 9:00am if you would like to order a hot lunch. The charge for an adult lunch is $4.25 and for a visiting child it is $2.75. Please remember that the school only accepts cash or a check for payment.
Menus can be found on our school district Nutrition Website.
Meal Prices for Visitors:
Student Lunch $2.75
Milk $0.70
Adult Lunch $4.25
Please keep in mind that menus have the potential to change A LOT depending on staffing issues, and product availability. Our Nutrition Department does their best to honor the posted menus, however they can be heavily impacted for a variety of reasons. If you ever have any questions, please call 285-5701 ext. 4180 with any questions or email jwilliams@garfield16.org
RESOURCES FOR FAMILIES
Please do not hesitate to reach out to our School Based Family Resource Center for more information.
CONTACT INFORMATION:
Claudia Flores Cruz
Center Coordinator
970-285-5262
Visitor, Volunteer, and Background Check Procedures
Dear Garfield 16 Community,
Beginning September 6, 2022, any visitors entering a school during the school day will go through a screening process in the office. Visitors will be screened through the Raptor system which checks registered sex offender databases. The system produces an ID badge sticker with the visitor’s name and picture that the visitor wears for the duration of the visit.
How does it work?
The visitor provides his/her driver’s license to the secretary for scanning. Once scanned, the visitor is stored in the school’s system as an approved visitor. The visitor received an ID badge sticker with the visitor’s name and picture and date of the visit. If the visitor returns, the information is stored in the system so the visitor just has to give his/her name to the secretary, and the secretary can print out a new badge with a new date.
What if the visitor doesn’t have a driver’s license?
The secretary can enter the visitor’s name in the database. This takes a bit more time, so having a driver’s license is helpful.
What happens if someone with a sex offense record tries to come into the school?
The Raptor system sends an alert to the principal who will handle the situation. If the visitor is a parent and must attend a meeting for his/her child, the parent will be escorted by a staff member at all times.
Does the Raptor database show a person’s full criminal record?
No. It only links to the sex offender database for all 50 states.
Who will need to go through the screening process?
Anyone who is visiting the school will go through this screening process. Examples include:
Parents coming into the school for a meeting, activity, or event that occurs during the school day. This includes parents who may be helping in the school during the school day.
Guest speakers, contractors, and other visitors authorized by the principal.
What about volunteers?
Volunteers will also be screened using the Raptor system, but they also need to have an FBI background check that includes fingerprinting. Volunteers may be alone with students or supervise students, so we have this added layer of protection to keep the students safe. Contact the school’s principal for more information about volunteers.
Will the schools use Raptor for after school events?
No. Raptor will only be used during the school day when students are in school.
Our goal is to keep our students safe. We encourage parents to attend activities and events to support their children, and we want to make it easy for parents to attend. We believe the Raptor system will be a faster and more convenient way to register as a visitor to the school.
Sincerely,
Jennifer Baugh
Interim Superintendent of Schools
Bea Underwood Elementary School
Email: aclark@garfield16.org
Website: http://bue.garfield16.org/
Location: 0741 Tamarisk Trail, Parachute, CO 81635
Phone: 970-285-5703
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Garfield-County-School-District-No-16-216528061787894/