BFPP NEWS

Dear BFPP Families,

November is one of my favorite months of the year, and not just because of it being my birthday month. I love the change in seasons. The autumnal colors, slightly chilly weather, the shift to sweater and boots, and seasonal foods like pumpkin pie. It is also a time to hunker down, take things a little slower, embrace the quiet and dark, while reflecting on what we are thankful for. Thanksgiving for me is a time to gather and take a pause from the busy schedules we all have to embrace with gratitude the love that family and friends provide. Each year we go around the table and say our "thankfuls", and each year my BFPP family is part of mine. I feel deeply fortunate and humble to be a part of your lives and I hope you all know how meaningful and purposeful you make this work. Thank you!

In partnership, with love and gratitude, Happy Thanksgiving,

Kate

Greetings BFPP Families,

The autumn is flying by! How are you and yours? The stormy weather has been fierce lately – Let me know if you have any questions regarding emergency supplies or planning!

Thank you for your responses to the survey I added to the last newsletter. I will leave it open through this weekend if you’d still like to respond. Feel free to reach out via email as well.

I'm looking forward to our upcoming Movie Matinee and Manga & Me Workshops - please keep reading for all the details!

Hope you are well!

Warmly,

Counselor Jess

Tues. 11/26, 10-11:30am: Manga & Me Workshop Series Begins

Tues. 11/26, 12-12:30pm: Study Abroad Meeting

Wed. 11/27: Early Release: No Afternoon Classes

Wed. 11/27, 12pm: Movie Matinee

Thursday 11/28 & Friday 11/29: Thanksgiving Holiday, No School

Mon. 12/2, 12:30-2:30pm: Card Making Party

Wed. 12/4, 12:30pm: Explorations Art Camp Info Meeting

Thurs. 12/12, 1:30-2pm: Craft Fair

12/23-1/3: Winter Break, No School

Mon. Jan 6th: Classes Resume

It’s that time of year to think about snow and our procedures and impact of weather-related school cancellations. Depending on conditions, BFPP could close for the day or open two hours late.

If schools are open two hours late, all classes, meetings, and events at BFPP before 11am are canceled. Classes that begin at 11am and later will occur at their normal times.

Even when school is open for the day, families make their own decisions about travelling to campus during adverse weather.

Changes to the school schedule are usually announced before 6 a.m., and we use a variety of methods to keep families informed:

• To receive email and/or text alerts you need an email address and cell phone number in Skyward. We send updates through our notification tool, ParentSquare.
• Tune to local media or check bellinghamschools.org and the district’s social media accounts: X, Facebook and Instagram.
• Call 360-676-6400 for a recorded message or 360-647-6815 for a message translated in Español, русский, tính từ and Punjabi.

Please familiarize yourself with our weather procedures at bellinghamschools.org/weather.

Our building is open to BFPP families on school days from 8:30am-4pm. The building is closed to families and all club gatherings after 4pm, except by special pre-arrangement. All visiting adults and children must sign in with Sheri at the front desk and get a visitor's badge. Thanks for your help with these safety measures.

We're seeking donations of gift cards to help fill small, specific needs for BFPP families this winter. Whether it's a gift card for groceries, clothing, or gas, your contribution makes a significant impact.

How You Can Help:

• Donate Gift Cards: Fred Meyer gift cards in $20 increments are best! Gift cards to Safeway, Walmart, Winco, and gift cards to gas stations (in $20 increments) are also helpful.
• Donate Cash: Let us buy the gift card for you! No amount is too small. Venmo option available - @Heidi_Zollner
• Buy Raffle Tickets: Come to the BFPP Craft Fair on 12/12 and purchase raffle tickets - all proceeds will go to purchase gift cards.
• Drop off your donation with Peggy, Counselor Jess, or BFPP parent Heidi Zollner.

So far we're up to 8 donated gift cards!

Help us reach our goal of twenty $20 gift cards by winter break!

Questions about donations? Please contact Heidi Zollner. Thank you! Your generosity truly makes a difference for families in our community.

Interested in Study Abroad at BFPP? Help plan best next steps. Join weekly Thought Partner Meetings! Families with current 5th - high school students, 5th-high school students, and staff are invited. Please email your questions and ideas to Brooke.

Weekly Beginning 11/19: Tuesdays 5:30-6:00 on Zoom: https://bellinghamschools.zoom.us/my/brookewertz

Weekly Beginning 11/26: Tuesdays 12:00-12:30 in the BFPP Library

Click here to take our Study Abroad Survey.

Click here to view results from the first study abroad survey.

Check the Lost & Found collection outside the Global Citizen room! It's overflowing with sweatshirts, coats, water bottles, and treasures of all sorts. Unclaimed items will be donated over winter break.

Are you a fan of manga and/or graphic novels? Are you not a fan yet but interested in learning more? Come join in! In this four-part workshop series we will use manga and graphic novel styles to explore personality, relationships, emotions, and storytelling. Email Jess with any questions. Hope to see you there! All ages welcome!

Days : Tuesdays: 11/26, 12/3, 12/10, 12/17

Time : 10:00am – 11:30am

Location: The Fort (portable)

Wednesday - November 27th at 12 noon

Kick off the holiday weekend watching the movie Encanto with Jess in the library. Bring your lunch; ice cream will be provided!

Check this out….I am gathering a cohort of students who want to attend a creative and engaging weeklong overnight immersive arts camp on March 2nd – March 7th. This opportunity is called Explorations Arts Camp and it’s only for students in Washington State in grades 7-9. Explorations is held on the beautiful campus of Fort Worden State Park in Port Townsend, Washington.

Last year, Counselor Erica and Laura McGough took a cohort of BFPP students, including my daughter. This year my son Nathan would like to go! Registration is capped at 70 students.

Wanna know more? Here’s how:

• Attend an informational meeting on Wednesday December 4th at 12:30pm with me at BFPP. RSVP here for informational meeting: https://forms.gle/uHaxkJEHE3G7suDo7

Then…..

• We will form a BFPP artists cohort which will meet during the four weeks prior to camp, so we can build a cohesive artsy cohort community.
• Artsy cohort members attend camp together which looks like this…
• Organically prepared breakfast with friends each morning.
• Participation in a core art workshop 2x every day (morning and afternoon) – Offerings are different each year. Last year offerings included Comics and World Building, Caribbean Steel Pan Band, Music and Roots (songwriting and performance); Contemporary Dance; and Spoken Word Poetry.
• All workshops are taught by working artists - experts in their field.
• Long breaks in the middle of the day to socialize and recharge.
• Dinner as a whole artsy cohort community followed by evening presentations from artists sharing their professional work.
• Chaperones are provided for dorm room living, typically two artists per room.
• On Friday students put on a showcase to illustrate all their new learning.
• Some parent volunteers will be needed because the required ratio is 1 chaperone to 6 campers. Travel is provided by chaperones.
• Cost is $700.00 per kiddo – which includes lodging, all meals and multiple workshops. Some need dependent financial assistance is available. This program is already heavily subsidized by Washington State Educational Arts Fund, which is why the cost is low compared to other camps..
• Chaperones are free.

Still Wondering? Reach out with questions! ~Rachel Throolin rthroolin@gmail.com

Calling all young entrepreneurs! BFPP's Children's Winter Craft Fair will be Thursday, December 12th from 1:30-3pm in the gym. Sign up to be a vendor here!

We would LOVE to welcome more first-time vendors at the fair! Tables will be set up in the gym for kids to bring their crafts and goodies to sell. Edible, useful, and festive items priced under $10 are crowd-pleasers! Please get in touch if you have questions about anything craft fair related.

This event features a raffle of craft items with proceeds going to gift cards for BFPP families in need. *WANTED: A volunteer to oversee the raffle table - sell tickets and organize the raffle items into bundles. Please email Heidi if you're interested.*

Everyone is welcome to come and shop, so spread the word to your family, friends, and neighbors!

The iReady Math and Reading assessment has been adopted as our K-8th grade growth and diagnostic tool for skill building. Families may use this assessment to personalize instruction, monitor learner progress and measure skill gains and achievement. Participation in this assessment is the choice of the family; however, access to MyPath, the supplemental online skill-building curriculum for math and reading, can only be accessed by taking iReady. Please read below for further information and/or reach out to your Learning Partner for a discussion.

Important information about iReady:

• iReady will help determine areas of strength and growth in reading and math
• iReady should be used 3x a year (fall, winter, spring) to chart your child’s growth
• iReady is an adaptive, online assessment that corresponds with My Path online supplemental skill-building curriculum
• iReady is done at home with your technical guidance, but not your help
• Let your child know that this is one tool, one snapshot of their learning, one moment in time. An assessment is never the sum of their intelligence.
• The assessment will be open for those who register January 14th-24th
• Learn more about i-Ready by watching the following videos:

• I-Ready Diagnostic for Families
• I-Ready Family Center

You must register your child to take the WINTER iReady assessment. REGISTER YOUR CHILD. Registration is open NOW through WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 8TH at 12:00pm.

Once registered, you will have the window of January 14th to January 24th to complete the assessment at home by using the iReady link. The iReady link is found on our BFPP website under the “Academics” tab. Be aware that the assessment is only available during school days and hours; Mon-Friday 7:30-3:30pm. Please note that your child must have a school district laptop for the assessment. If you need a laptop, please contact Sheri Robinson. Please connect with your Learning Partner and/or email ­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­Erin with questions.

Hello BFPP Families,

We have recently started looking into the idea of painting a mural on the shed by the soccer field. We’re still in the design phase, but we would love to see your ideas in the mural too! If you want to give us your idea you can go visit Sheri at the front desk and ask to see the idea jar. Once you find it, you can write down a noun or an adjective on a slip of paper and put it in the jar. Your ideas and suggestions will help us figure out a theme and direction for the design. So, while you may not directly see your idea in the mural, it will be a part of the process. Reach out to Gwen Graham with any wonders. Thanks so much!

Hello community….do you have a slightly used microwave that you would be willing to donate to BFPP? Or would you be able to purchase and gift one to our program? We had a microwave that just broke and it would be wonderful to have it replaced. Thanks for considering and contact Kate with any questions or possibilities 😊

A member of our BFPP community, 6th grader Charlie Anderson, is spending his birthday in the hospital next Wednesday.

If you'd like to send him a birthday card (no packages), please use this address:

Charles Leland Anderson

A GoFundMe page has been set up to support Charlie's family.

Join BFPP students and Bellingham Figure Skating Club members Heidi & Carolina at the Sportsplex on Sunday, December 1st for an ice skating show at 2pm followed by a festive Jingle Bell Skate at 3:30pm. They would love to have some BFPP friends come watch their show and then skate with them afterwards!

December 8-14 is "Shop for Schools" week at Launching Success Learning Store. Mention BFPP in person or in the notes on an online purchase. At the end of the week, Launching Success gives 10% of the pre-tax total back to the school.

Pre-K Dance and Theatre
(Ages 2.5-4)
Description: Join us for a fun filled hour of creative movement, storytelling and imagination led theatre games. Caregivers are encouraged to stay and participate in class when prompted!
Weekly classes: Tuesdays from 10:00-11:00 AM
January 14-February 25

Mini Pixie Art
(Ages 5-6)
Description: Jump into this daytime art class at BAAY! Students will engage with different mediums and techniques through a plethora of fun projects.
Weekly classes: Thursdays from 1:00-2:00 PM
January 16- April 3

Mega Pixie Art
(Ages 7-8)
Description: Jump into this daytime art class at BAAY! During the visual arts lessons, students will engage with different mediums and techniques through a plethora of fun projects.
Weekly classes: Thursdays from 2:15-3:15 PM
January 16-April 3

Improv Class
Grades 6-8
Description: Explore improvisational comedy through a series of games and scene work. Students will develop a toolkit to collaborate as a group and create hilarious theatre on the spot! Through improv, we’ll learn skills like communication, problem-solving, and emotional intelligence.
Weekly classes: Tuesdays from 12:30-2:00 PM
January 14-April 1

Registration for all classes can be accessed on our website: www.BAAY.org

Newsletter contributions always welcome! Please send items of interest to our school community to Heidi Zollner.

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Website: https://fpp.bellinghamschools.org
Location: 1409 18th Street, Bellingham, WA, USA
Phone: (360) 676-6424