BFPP NEWS
Friday, August 26th, 2022
Principal's Corner
Dear Bellingham Family Partnership Families,
We hope you are all enjoying the sun filled days of August! I hope you have had a wonderful summer full of fun, family and fantastic adventures. Now it’s time to start gearing up for the next adventure, the 2022-23 academic year. If you have received this newsletter it means your student(s) are currently enrolled at the Bellingham Family Partnership Program. If you are not planning on attending BFPP please contact us ASAP.
With the days shifting into a new academic year, we are making preparations for you and your family to join us. We are looking forward to seeing you all soon and creating a great school year together!
Warmly,
Principal Kate
Learning Plan Partner Meetings
By the afternoon of Tuesday, August 30th, you will receive an email from your Learning Plan Partner. This email will include a link to a Sign Up Genius so you can pick a time to meet with them and collaborate on your child's learning plan for the year.
This initial meeting is important in establishing your learning goals and intentions for the year; you will also identify curriculum materials at this time. Please be on the lookout for this email and be sure to sign up promptly and by Sept. 2nd at the latest.
Enrichment Classes
We are excited to be back on campus and offering enrichment classes again this year. There are always some updates, adjustments and changes with the enrichment schedule and therefore we will be running registration again on September 7th and 8th (more information to follow). This will also allow new families to sign up for enrichment classes.
*Enrichment classes will begin the week of September 12th.*
Community Events and Activities
Back to School Blanket Brigade Picnic and Playground Time– Tuesday, August 30th, 12-1pm
Meet on the field for a shared mealtime and playground fun. Staff will be present! Meet new and old friends, bring your own picnic, and enjoy the celebration.
New Family Orientation – Tuesday, August 30th, 1-2:00pm
Come hear what BFPP is all about. Meet other new families and get some tips on starting the home learning journey and being a part of the dynamic BFPP community. There will be breakout sessions and time to connect with each other. You can bring your student(s), however, if you can attend on your own it would be best. There will also be information about our on-line learning experience option (LEO).
Learning Together Workshop “Homeschooling 101: Setting Goals and Intentions for the Year” – Friday, September 2nd, 12-1pm (Via Zoom)
You will leave this session ready for some conversations at home to gather input to use at your initial learning plan meeting.
LEO (Learning Experience On-line) Informational Meeting, Tuesday, September 6th, 5-5:45pm (Via Zoom)
Interested in hearing about the on-line curriculum available at BFPP? Join this session to learn more.
Community and Clubs Resource Fair and Open House, Wednesday, September 7th, 12-2pm
One of the best opportunities with home learning is connecting with our greater Bellingham and Whatcom County community. Come and get some information about these resources and also information about BFPP clubs.
Learning Together Workshop “Homeschooling 101 Home Learning Rhythms and Routines” – Friday, September 9th, 12-1pm (Via Zoom)
This introductory workshop will help you identify the tips for success in beginning this journey.
Tetragami Workshop: 4th-8th graders
Tetragami Creative Design is a finalist for the Rosenthal Math Prize for Innovation and Inspiration in Math Teaching which is sponsored by MoMath, the National Museum of Mathematics. For that reason this workshop will be videotaped for viewing by judges and all students will need to sign a video release form which will be available on the day of the workshop.
Enrollment is limited to 15 students. Please click here to sign up!
Mark Your Calendars!
Tues. Aug. 30th - Fri. Sept. 9th: Learning Plan Meetings
Tues. Aug. 30th, 1-2:00pm: New Family Orientation
Wed. Sept. 1st, 10-12pm: Tetragami Workshop (4th-8th graders)
Fri. Sept. 2nd, 12-1pm: LTW: Homeschooling 101 (Zoom)
Mon. Sept. 5th: Labor Day- School Closed
Tues. Sept. 6th, 5-5:45pm: LEO Informational Meeting (Zoom)
Wed. & Thurs Sept. 7th-8th: Enrichment Class Registration Window
Wed. Sept. 7th, 12-2pm: Community and Clubs Resource Fair and Open House
Fri. Sept. 9th, 12-1pm: LTW: Homeschooling 101 (Zoom)
Mon. Sept. 12th: Enrichment Classes Begin!
2022-2023 Calendar
Using AL*e
Our student information system is called AL*e. On the AL*e website you can view your learner's SLP and register for enrichment classes.
Getting Connected
Here are the ways you can learn about school news, events, and activities:
Have Questions?
Your Learning Plan Partner (LPP) is a great first point of contact.
Twice Monthly School Newsletters
@bellinghamfamilypartnershipprogram
Facebook Groups
Looking to connect with other families at our partnership program or in our larger homeschooling community? Check out these Facebook groups. They're a great way to hear about homeschooling opportunities in our community, get advice from other families, and find quick answers to those burning school questions!
Bellingham Family Partnership Program Parents Facebook Group
Free Online Learning Resources
As you build your home learning plans for fall, consider some of these outstanding online learning resources.
Online Learning Resources (Google Doc)
What resources are we missing? Have you come across a broken link? Send your additions and corrections to Heidi Zollner so we can make this list as useful as possible.
COVID-19 Update
A Message from Health Services: COVID-19 guidance update for 2022-23
Bellingham Public Schools continues to prioritize the health and safety of our students and staff as we start this school year co-existing with the COVID-19 virus. While we still take COVID-19 seriously, it’s not the emergency it once was.
We will continue to follow protocols to limit the spread of COVID-19 in our schools as established by the Department of Health (DOH) and the Whatcom County Health Department (WCHD).
Below are some highlights. You can check our COVID-19 webpage for updates.
- Staff and volunteers are still required to be vaccinated for COVID-19. Boosters are recommended.
- Masks are still required in the health room.
- Any person testing positive for COVID-19 is required to isolate for five days. We will follow the DOH symptom flow chart.
- Rapid antigen testing will be available at all schools and sites. iHeath rapid antigen test kits are available to send home.
- Health Services will continue to maintain the dashboard as a means of notification and follow WCHD outbreak response requirements (same as last spring).
Feel free to contact BPS.Health@bellinghamschools.org if you have questions.
Newsletter Ideas and Contributions Welcome!
Hi! My name is Heidi Zollner and I'm a BFPP mom to Luke, Anna, and Nate. I'm helping out with the school newsletter this year. My goal for this every-other-week publication is to create opportunities for all of us to connect; both by sharing school, district, and community news, as well as celebrating our milestones and successes together.
Do you have a news item to share with our school community at large? How about ideas on how to help this newsletter better meet our school's needs? Please let me know- I'd love to hear from you!