BFPP NEWS

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Hello BFPP Families,

It was so much fun seeing many of you at the Back-to-School Celebration! We are off to a great start. The newsletter is going to continue to be your main source of information. They are all archived here.

In this issue there is important information about our back-to-school activities, enrichment classes and registration.

One of the core beliefs we have at BFPP is that we are a community of learners. A major strategy we have to support this core belief is having students and families on campus as much as possible. We know we serve families best when they are engaged and connected with the community. For the month of September we are asking that all families remain on campus while their students are in enrichment classes. We will begin the "North Star" option in October. There will be opportunities to connect with each other. For example, the first week of enrichment classes (9/11-9/15) we will invite families to gather in the library for a few minutes to do some introductions and see who else is on campus at that time. This will help build relationships and supports with each other.

BFPP is a community! We want to build the sense of belonging that comes with that. Families you matter and are valued members of that community, we believe that having you here in the midst of it all is essential to that culture of care, learning and inclusion.

Warmly,

Kate

Fri. Sept 1st - Fri. Sept. 8th: Learning Plan Meetings

Mon. Sept. 4th: Labor Day- School Closed

Tues. Sept 5th - Thurs. Sept. 7th 1-2pm: Mural Painting

Tues. Sept. 5th 10-12pm: Come and Connect (6th-8th)

Wed. Sept. 6th 10-12pm: Come and Connect (3rd-5th)

Wed. Sept. 6th 12:30-2pm: Home Learning 101 Cohort A

Thurs. Sept. 7th 10-11:15am: Come and Connect (1st & 2nd)

Wed. Sept. 6th & Thurs. Sept. 7th: Registration for Enrichment Classes

Mon. Sept. 11th: Enrichment Classes Begin!

If you are a family new to BFPP, you should have attended a tour with Kate (call Caroll if you haven’t yet at 360-676-6424 to schedule) and received an invitation to “Home Learning 101.”

Home Learning 101: A workshop series for sharing the routines, tools and learning frameworks that will get new families started on their home learning journey.

When: 4-week cohorts begin on 9/6 at 12:30pm and 9/20 at 2pm (more cohorts offered on rotation through the months)

RSVP: Erin McCarthy at erin.mccarthy@bellinghamschools.org

By now you should have received an email from your Learning Plan Partner asking you to set up an initial meeting. Learning Plan Partner meetings continue through 9/8. Please be on the lookout for this email and be sure to promptly respond by today!

Let’s get this school year started!

Are you ready to…..

• Have fun?
• Make new friends and/or hang out with returning friends?
• Connect to campus and teachers and your community?
• Make art and laugh with others?

We are too!

Join us September 5th, 6th OR 7th for a fun day of Connection, Games, Art, and Exploration with your community grade band peers and families. Students will play structured games to help us get to know one another and we will explore campus, art supplies, music, and the joy of being together again. Families will also play games and connect but we will also get to ask questions about the year, learn about resources, and clubs, etc. This is an opportunity for new and returning families. Everyone is welcome to this day of fun and connection.

Are you in? We hope so.

Please sign up here for a day that matches your student's grade band. Students and families will both be participating in this day. Students will be engaged and supervised from 10-12 while families will be meeting from 11-12 only. Students can be dropped off from 10-11 or families can stay on campus. If your student is registered, you will be registered for the family time as well. This is a connection event for the whole family.

Please register for the day that matches your student's grade band. You can register here: https://forms.office.com/r/brpvVySaYw

We decided it was time to put our BFPP shine on this beautiful old building.

If you’d like to stay for a longer Come and Connect day, please consider signing up here to volunteer help us paint our brand-new community school mural. Ashleigh Goulet and family have been working hard to design and create a mural for our school that matches the joy and learning that takes place here. We are asking for your contribution if you’d like to add to the mural.

Painting time is from 1-2pm on each Come and Connect Day. (9/5, 9/6 & 9/7)

Everyone is welcome but registration is required for Come and Connect AND the mural, so we can ensure enough supervision.

Please register here for Come and Connect: https://forms.office.com/r/brpvVySaYw

Please sign up here for Mural Painting: https://forms.office.com/r/Dk3RECuFvL

If you have multiple students, please fill out a form for each of them.

Other questions? Contact counselor Erica Wolverton

We can’t wait to see you again.

You can now view classes in AL*e!

AL*e Parent Login

AL*e Parent Login Instructions

How to Use AL*e to Register for Classes

There are several additions, check them out:

Monday -

9-10am Strategic Games (1st-3rd)

12:30-1:30pm Won't You Be My Neighbor (K-2nd)

Tuesday -

12:30-1:30pm Ukelele (3rd-8th) - every other week

1:30-2:30pm Let's Connect (6th-8th) on Zoom

Wednesday -

12:30-1:30pm Choir (4th-8th) - every other week

2:30-3:30pm History of Rock N' Roll (5th-8th) - every other week

Friday -

9:00-11:00am Film Making Workshop (3rd-6th)

12:30-1:30pm BFPP Volunteering and TA Course (6th-10th)

12:30-1:30pm Roots Theatre Club (1st-2nd) this is a club, more info coming

Registration will be on 9/6 at 8:00am. You will be able to sign up for 3 classes.

The window will remain open on 9/7. On that day you can register for what classes still have openings.

While we are not setting limits here are a few reminders:

• We are first and foremost a home learning program. Our enrichment classes are not intended to replace the important time needed to keep home learning as the primary focus.
• We recommend that you are not on campus more than two days a week for classes.
• Recommendation youngers (K-2) 2-3 classes, middles (3-5) 3-4 classes, olders (6-8+) 5-6).
• Please consider leaving spots for other students if you have a robust schedule already.

There will be waitlists in the Collaborator Room starting on the 7th. Families must come in to put names on the lists. Please do not ask your LPP to do this for you (that creates some equity issues).

*Enrichment classes will begin the week of September 11th.*

It is important for all regular BFPP visitors (that means family members) to fill out and be cleared as a school district volunteer. This process helps ensure safety for all of us. The volunteer online application can be found here: Volunteer Program – Bellingham Public Schools (bellinghamschools.org).

WHAT: Laptop Distribution

WHEN: Sept. 11th-13th 10am - 2pm

WHERE: Basement Multi-Purpose Room

WHO: All BFPP Students

If you would like to have a laptop to use at home for the school year, please come during the designated times below to pick one up for each of your students. This is when we have staff to support the hand off.

1. Please be prepared to wait a few minutes.

2. VERY IMPORTANT: You will need to stay to log in to ensure it works and the laptop needs to sync to the network before taking it home.

3. Don’t forget to take a charger and laptop bag.

4. Check it out with Peggy before you walk out the door!

The lockers in the basement have been cleaned out and the locks removed. A few items were collected - please see Caroll in the office to retrieve them.

Want a locker?

• Please check in with Caroll about selecting a locker.
• Once you select a locker please let Caroll know the number.
• No locks can be used on the lockers, they can have a carabiner or pipe cleaner but no lock
• They will need to be cleaned out at the end of the school year
• Please monitor food items!! Food that is left too long becomes an attraction for unwanted critters.....and begins to smell

This small group meets weekly with Carrie Vining to coach parents alongside their struggling 2nd or 3rd grade reader. We will work together to systematically go through a sequence of phonics rules while practicing sight words and leveled readers. Parents and students will also learn how to break down multisyllabic words. Parents will learn how to support their struggling reader at home with tactile/kinesthetic methods that come from Orton Gillingham. This class pairs well with families who already use All About Reading or are willing to use this curriculum at home on a regular basis. This class meets every Monday from 9:00-9:55am. It is an invitation only class. Please contact Carrie Vining if you are interested.

The Parent Advisory Committee is a representative group of families from across the school district. They meet regularly to share insights from the family perspective and hear from Dr. Baker and the district. We're looking for two folks to represent BFPP at these meetings.

Representatives are asked to:

• Represent the diverse perspectives of parents from their school and district; and
• Serve as a communications liaison between the PAC, the principal, and the school’s parent community.

Meetings occur monthly from 10:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. on Thursdays, at the District Office.

Meetings for 2023-24 are scheduled as follows: Oct. 12, Nov. 9, Dec. 14, Jan. 18, Feb. 22, March 14, April 18 and May 16.

If you are interested in being a BFPP PAC rep, please contact Principal Kate.

Starting November 13th and running through May 3rd, students and their families may attend up to 8 professional theatrical performances for just $7-8 per seat, thanks to the generosity of the King family, in memory of their son Wade.

To buy tickets for your family, visit their website or call the MBT Ticket Office at 360-734-6080. Families are responsible for their own transportation and bringing their email confirmation of tickets.

Join the Whatcom Watersheds Information Network in celebrating Whatcom Water Week from 9/9 through 9/17. This series of free and family-friendly events throughout Whatcom County offer community members the chance to celebrate the importance of water. Events include a 5K run, family field day at Birch Bay, water and wastewater treatment plant tours, guided kayaking and walking tours, children’s story times at the Library, and more. Find a full list of events at WhatcomWaterWeeks.org.

Hi! My name is Heidi Zollner and I'm a BFPP mom to Luke, Anna, and Nate.

I've helped compile this newsletter for several years, and 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, and celebrating our milestones and successes together.

Do you have something to share with our BFPP community? Please send me your newsletter submissions.

A big THANK YOU to all who took the newsletter survey - I received some very helpful feedback!

BFPP Calendar

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Vision, Mission, and Core Beliefs

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AL*e Parent Login Instructions

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