BFPP NEWS

Dear BFPP Families,

Spring is always an interesting time in schools. We are fully living in the moment, celebrating the learning, enjoying the longer days and nicer weather all the while thinking and preparing for the next academic year. We have two big projects this spring (High School at BFPP and the Enrichment Schedule), a ton of amazing community events and opportunities (please read all of the newsletter!) and transitions (to other schools, new towns or life adventures). A little more on our two big projects...

High School at BFPP:

We are excited to be exploring supporting our families and students beyond eighth grade. We have district leadership and partners at Options High School ready to help. This is a new project, which typically brings way more questions than answers as we "build the plane while flying it". BFPP has done that before, in fact our program was developed with that mantra in mind. That basically means we are going to do this in partnership with our families, build it together, learn together and implement it...you guessed it...together. We want this to reflect the family and student centered model that we have here K-8 and extend that into high school. So, the ask for now is join us for some conversations. We do that in the form of Thought Partner Meetings. We will have a few initial ones this spring and will continue throughout next year.

Mark your calendars for the High School at BFPP Thought Partner meetings:

• Wednesday, May 10 at 2pm
• Wednesday, May 24 at 2pm
  

Enrichment Schedule:

The other big project is the Enrichment Schedule. While our primary focus at BFPP is to support families with home learning, we do get the opportunity to provide enrichment classes that focus on the community building, social-emotional learning, hands-on experiential opportunities, that are too messy for home and better done in a group. We had a group of BFPP families, affectionately called TPEST (The Parent Enrichment Schedule Team,) meet and develop a list of goals and priorities for the staff to consider regarding the schedule. They worked hard, grappled with the project and in the end gave us a wonderful set of considerations! We are taking those seriously. Next steps will be for the staff to take those and develop a draft schedule. TPEST will then have an opportunity to look at that draft and give us some feedback. Then....it is posted for you to review.

Here are some important Enrichment Schedule timelines and dates:

• Draft schedule for TPEST review the week of May 8th
• Staff finalizes the schedule the week of May 15th
• Courses will start being adding ALE* the week of the 22nd
• Families can view the schedule in ALE* by the 26th
• Registration will be held on June 1st and 2nd

More information will keep being shared in the newsletter. This is the best place to gather information, news, events and opportunities. KEEP READING!

Warmly, Principal Kate

7 Weeks of School Left...

Monday 5/1: 10:30-11:30am Book Club Begins: Raising Anti-racist Kids

Tuesday 5/2: 12:30- 1:30pm Literacy Conversation: Daily 5

Thursday 5/4: 10:30-12pm Cinco De Mayo Celebration

Thursday 5/4: 1-3:30pm BFPP Family Skate at Lynden Skateway

Friday 5/5 Children's Art Walk

Monday 5/8: 3pm iReady Spring Assessment Registration Due

Tuesday 5/9: 12:30-1:30pm Literacy Conversation: Early Literacy Foundational Skills

Tuesday 5/9: 1pm Tea with Kate

Wednesday 5/10: 2pm High School Thought Partner Meeting

Thursday 5/11 Teacher Appreciation Lunch: MOD Pizza!

Thursday 5/11 MOD Pizza Fundraiser

Friday 5/12 Talent Show Applications Due

5/15-6/9 iReady Spring Assessment Window

Friday 5/19 No School

Wednesday 5/24: 2pm High School Thought Partner Meeting

Wednesday & Thursday 5/24 & 5/25 Willy Wonka Performances

Friday 5/26 Enrichment Class Schedule Published in AL*e

Wednesday 5/31: 3-4pm Talent Show Rehearsal

Thursday 6/1: 1-2pm Talent Show

Thursday & Friday 6/1 & 6/2 Fall Enrichment Class Registration

Friday 6/2 5th Grade Track Meet at Civic Field

Thursday 6/8 8th Grade Celebration

Friday 6/9 Last Day of Enrichment Classes

Wednesday 6/14 All Laptop, Curriculum, and Library Book Returns Due

Thursday 6/15 12-2pm Craft Fair and Carnival Games Summer Celebration

Friday 6/16 Last Day of School

Hello Families,

It’s hard to believe that we are now starting to think about and prepare for summer break.

I just wanted to let you know that I will be sending out emails in the next few weeks, with a list of your materials and devices on your student’s account.

ALL DEVICES (LAPTOPS) NEED TO BE RETURNED BY JUNE 14TH AS WELL AS LIBRARY BOOKS. You will receive a fresh updated laptop in the fall.

If you are planning on returning next school year, you can keep your curriculum materials to use next year. If you are not returning in the fall, please return all your materials before school ends.

Thank you for your cooperation. If you have any questions, please contact me.

Peggy Gallegos Peggy.gallegos@belinghamschools.org 360-676-6424 x 4952

When: Mondays in May, 10:30-11:30am in the Fort

Questions? Contact BFPP parent Siv Spain or Teacher Jackie Brown.

Let's come together to chat about different literacy topics with Teacher Carrie and guests.

Kids welcome with parent support. Bring an activity for your child to do quietly in the room.

5/2/23 12:30- 1:30 Daily 5

(Read to Self, Read to Others, Listen to Reading, Word Work, Writing)

What does this mean for different developmental levels? (appropriate for all readers)

Sign Up Here: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/70A0949AFAB2BA3FE3-daily

5/9/23 12:30-1:30 Early Literacy Foundational Skills

(Rhyme, Initial/End Sounds, Segment, Blend) (appropriate for PreK-2nd grade pre-readers to early readers) Let's explore how to lay a good foundation for reading, before they are reading.

Sign Up Here: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/70A0949AFAB2BA3FE3-literacy4

Thursday, May 4th from 10:30-12pm

The Spanish 6-8 class is preparing for a Cinco de Mayo Fiesta for the school community, which will take place on May 4 (we know, cuatro de Mayo, but it is what it is). All BFPP families are invited to the fiesta. There will be music, carnival games, the 3-5 Spanish class is going to be making piñatas and the Kindergarten & 1-2 Classes are preparing a special dance.

Please check out the volunteer sign-up sheet. We need general volunteers (set-up, decorating, etc.) and volunteers to bring (Mexican-themed) food and drinks on the day of the fiesta. We appreciate any help you are able to provide.

¡Gracias! 🥑🌶🌮🍡🥥 ~Maestras Carol & Peggy

The Children's Art Walk officially opens next week on Friday May 5th. Art will be displayed for 2 weeks at the Pickford Theater!

If you haven't yet submitted your artwork, the deadline has been extended! We need your art by Wednesday, May 3rd at the latest.

If you need to see the complete guidelines for submission, please click here and scroll down.

After the show ends, we will announce through newsletter and social media when art is ready for pickup at BFPP.

Questions? Please contact BFPP parents Lisa Spreyer or Teresa Halfacre.

Join Principal Kate on Tuesday, May 9th at 1pm in the reception/entry area for a cup of tea and conversation. This is a BYOM – bring your own mug - event!

Eat out for a cause... order MOD Pizza on Thursday, May 11th and 20% of your purchase will support BFPP's terrific theater program!

You can order in-store (please mention BFPP) or online (use code MODGIVES20).

In honor of Teacher Appreciation Week and to celebrate our beloved BFPP staff, we'd like to treat them to a MOD Pizza lunch on Thursday, May 11th. This is the last staff appreciation meal of the year.

We need your help to raise $250 to cover the cost of pizza and drinks for our 17 staff members. That's roughly $15 per teacher - perhaps your family would like to sponsor a lunch for one teacher, or chip in $5?

If you'd like to donate, you can bring cash to Caroll in her office, or do so online via Heidi's Venmo - @Heidi_Zollner, last 4 digits of phone number - 6431.

Any money collected over the $250 needed will be used for future staff appreciation events.

We'll also earn 20% of our purchase back for our theater program, since that's the day of our MOD Pizza fundraiser!

Questions? Please contact Heidi.

Do you have a talent, passion, or entertaining act to share with our community? The BFPP Talent Show will be held on Thursday, June 1, from 1-2pm. Applications are now open for submission!

All ages are welcome to participate, including individuals, families, and small groups. And although we love your pets, acts are open to humans only!

Acts should run no longer than 4 minutes. To apply, simply fill out the online form, or pick up a paper copy on campus (no auditions necessary). Completed paper forms may be turned in to Erica Wolverton.

All applications are due by May 12 and space is limited, so brush up your act and submit today! Participants will also be asked to attend a dress rehearsal on Wednesday, May 31, from 3-4 pm.

Questions? Reach out to Erica Wolverton or Laura McGough.

It is almost time for the Spring iReady 2023 assessment window to open for Kindergarten- 5th grade students. The iReady assessment gives your child access to the online Math and Reading curriculum called My Path. If you already have access to My Path, taking the iReady assessments will adjust the curriculum to their current skill level. Without registering each child, you will not have access to the assessment or the MyPath online curriculum.

If you decide that you want your Kindergarten-5th grade child to participate in the iReady Spring Assessment window, you must use this link to sign up by May 8th.

Important information:

• iReady is done at home with your technical guidance, but not your help
• Registration for this assessment is now until May 8th at 3:00pm
• The assessment will be available from May 15th through June 9th
• Learn more about i-Ready by watching the following videos:
• I-Ready Diagnostic for Families
  I-Ready Personalized Instruction Family Guidance

Once registered, you will receive further information and you have from May 15th to June 9th to complete the assessment at home by using the iReady link on our BFPP homepage under Academics.

Please note that your child must have a school district laptop for the assessment. If you need a laptop, please contact Peggy Gallegos (Peggy.Gallegos@bellinghamschools.org )

Please email Carrie or Kate with questions.

Calling all crafters, makers, and bakers! Join in on the fun of one more craft fair before summer break.

Something new we'd like to try - carnival games! Design your own game- along the lines of "ring the milk bottle," or "fish for a prize," or "put-put golf." Make a game for folks to play for free, or sell tickets and award prizes, it's up to you. Google "DIY Carnival Games" if you need inspiration.

Mark your calendars for a Craft Fair with Carnival Games outside on the BFPP playfield - Thursday June 15th from 12-2pm.

Look for a sign up link in the next newsletter to reserve your selling spot.

The Free Pantry for our BFPP community is open! It is located in the family room on the ground floor. Please feel free to help yourself.

If you would like to donate to the BFPP Food Pantry: the Free Pantry is accepting unopened, unexpired, shelf stable food. Thank you!

Please email Kristi at krischris2@gmail.com with any questions.

by Teacher Sammy

Risky play is typical, and it happens with all kids. They are seeking a sense of uncertainty and exploring their limits.

Kids are drawn to different sorts of play because of the feelings it provokes within them. Kids are usually intuitive with risky play behaviors and have engaged in them since the dawn of time. Those kids who enjoy risky play are testing their limits and learning what feels “too much” or too scary. And for the adults left on the sidelines observing, we are usually wondering, “will this lead to positive or negative play?”

Risky play helps kids..

· Build resiliency

· Build confidence

· Improve their capacity for executive functioning

· Evaluate the amount of risk involved

· Push themselves outside of their comfort zone

· Strengthen their inner dialogue

· Strengthen friendships

· Be empowered to know they are “doing it right” with a “you can trust me” attitude

8 types of risky play include… but I’m sure are not limited to…

· Heights

· Speed

· Tools

· Playing near dangerous elements

· Rough-and-tumble play

· Play where the children can ‘disappear’/get lost

· Vicarious Play

· Impact Play (sensory-seeking)

So the next time your kid is participating in risky play, remember that we all like to explore our limits once in a while, no matter our age.

Playfully,

Sammy Cousens

For more information check out this article Risky Play by Mariana Brussoni.

Read more Early Childhood tips and tricks from our BFPP educators here!

Here is a wonderful website of the Royal Collection Trust offering presentations, teacher notes, videos, activities and more in relation to the Coronation of King Charles III.

*Thanks to BFPP parent Wendy for sharing this with us.

Are you expecting a new baby? We're looking for families whose babies will be 2-4 months old in October.

Roots of Empathy is a program that increases caring and engaged citizenship in kids. At the heart of the program are a neighborhood baby and parent(s) who visit an elementary classroom about 1x/month, with the same kids and teacher through the year, with the baby in the role of tiny teacher just by being themselves! A trained Roots of Empathy instructor facilitates the class, which lasts 30-35 minutes (or when the baby is done of course!). Click here for the introduction video.

If you are interested, please contact Sara Airoldi (360-603-6247). All diversities of families and babies important! Parent comfort levels about germ boundaries and covid precautions prioritized.

Have an event, talent, idea, or interest to share with the BFPP community at large? Please consider sharing via the newsletter! Email Heidi with your contributions. Thank you!

Next newsletter: Friday, May 12th.

Contributions deadline - Wednesday, May 10th.

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