Principal's Corner
What's going on at Barge-Lincoln Elementary?
January 2026
Barge Updates for Mid-Winter
Barge continues to be busy with loads of learning and positivity swirling the classrooms and hallways. This past month, the weather brought us some very chilly weather, many cloudy and gray skies, and the end of the semester. Thank you to all of our Barge families who have helped ensure our Bobcats are arriving at school both on time and dressed for the cold days. We, as a staff, appreciate all the efforts to help.
Your child's report card went home (Friday, January 30th), so be sure to review it and reach out to your classroom teacher should you have questions or concerns. Our staff is available to speak with families BEFORE and AFTER school via phone, ParentSquare, or face-to-face. Please reach out, as our Barge staff is here for you and your learner! Spring conferences are at the end of March and you should be receiving information on your date/time by the middle of next month. This is an excellent time to speak to your child's present levels of performance with academics, social-emotional, and behavioral needs.
WE ARE BARGE!
~Mrs. Brennan & Mrs. Qualo
WE ARE BARGE Tshirts
We encourage our Bobcats to wear their shirts on
Mondays and PRIDE assembly days.
Let's show our school spirit!
WE ARE BARGE!
Wanting immigration Information?
With all that is occurring with immigration status in the nation, we know that we have families that may have questions.
Please visit the above link for further information or call 573-5000.
Yakima School District is here to support our students and families every step of the way. If you have questions or need additional information, please reach out to your child's school or the district's legal department (509) 573-7000.
Event Information
Doors open at 5pm.
Adults (18 years and older) must be present with student(s).
Games until 6pm.
Pizza served at 6pm.
Clean up at 6:30pm.
Report Cards on January 30th!
Check your child's backpack for his/her report card!
These are grades for the first 90 days of school.
If you have questions about how your child is doing, please contact the classroom teacher first.
509-573-5200
We have been exercising brains and bodies!
February Updates?
Valentine's Day will be celebrated on FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 13th this year!
Please check with your child's teacher if he/she will be having a valentine exchange and if the room is in need of treats/goodies. Remember, the goodies must be store bought and should be brought to school with your child. Thank you for understanding!
As a friendly reminder, the doors open at 8:15am for students. We do not recommend students being dropped off without adult supervision. The school will not provide supervision before 8:15am.
During the drop-off time (8:15am to 8:45am), we ask that families follow the direction of the staff. Please DO NOT pass other vehicles, as we want all of our learners to remain safe. If you have any questions about our procedures for drop-off in the morning, we'd be happy to have a conversation with you.
Please take note of these important reminders:
Also, please remember that it is imperative your child receive nine (9) to 11 hours of sleep each night. Your child's brain needs to be rested to ensure they can give their absolute best all day!
Remember, here at Barge, it is our continued mission to keep families informed on their child's learning and progress throughout the school year.
Please remember that at any time, you can reach out to your child's teacher(s) to get information on how your child is doing in school. Our teachers are available from 8:15-8:40am and 3:15-3:45pm during the school day.
You, as the family of our precious learners, are a team with our staff! Thank you for working with our school community to ensure we provide a learning environment that is positive, safe, and fun-loving. Our learners have a bright future and a supportive school that will ensure we are reaching and teaching every student, every day!
If you have questions or concerns, please reach out to your child's teacher first and if you need to continue the conversation, we can include the principal(s). Having a conversation with your child's teacher is the first and most important step, as they work with your learner for the majority of the day.
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FAMILIES---Don't forget!
Barge-Lincoln reinforces our three standards for learning and we'd love your assistance with reinforcing these at home, as well:
- Show Respect
- Make Good Decisions
- Solve problems
WE ARE BARGE!
~Mrs. Brennan
Principal
~Mrs. Qualo
Assistant Principal
Event Information
The building will be closed.
School resumes on Tuesday, February 17th.
Thank you for making arrangements for our learners.
RSVPs are enabled for this event.
Event Information
Our Barge Bobcats (and the Yakima School District) will have an Early Release Wednesday on February 25th. Students will leave campus at 12pm. Please ensure you are prepared to have your child picked up at 12pm. Lunch will be served.
Staff will have professional development for the afternoon.
Students will return to a regular school day on February 26th.
Spring Conference Week!
Spring Conference Week
When? Monday, March 30th through Friday, April 3rd.
Time? 12pm to 3:45pm *(Late nights are TBD)
You can expect to receive your date/time for your conference by the March 13th.
Contact your child's teacher for more information.
No Toys or Cellphones!
To help with the distractions that this causes, we ask that ALL toys, trading cards, and even cellphones remain at home.
Thank you for being a partner in the learning at Barge!
Reading Scores at Barge!
Your child is measured in his/her reading ability three (3) times a year---FALL, WINTER, and SPRING.
With your child's report card, you should have received a report demonstrating your child's current levels. If you have ANY questions, please reach out to your teacher.
As a building goal, we want 60% of our learners reading at grade-level. Currently (January's data), we have 40% students reaching grade-level.
We have work to do!
Please help by working with your teacher to get skills to reinforce at home.
READERS ARE LEADERS!
Lost and Found!
Parents, please talk to your teacher if you would like to look through the lost and found.
Meet our STUDENT LEADERS for 2025-26!
5th grader student leaders are expected to follow the expectations of giving 100% effort, having minimal absences, a desire to be a role-model for peers, want to interact with the school community, and help with assemblies.
We have selected the top group of students who demonstrate leadership abilities both inside and outside of the classroom with their academics, positive nature, and work ethic. You will see our leaders every morning with monitoring the playground, hallways, and interacting with our school community.
Similarly, every morning, our student leaders complete morning announcements for the school. They get to lead the flag salute, provide friendly reminders of how to follow our three standards of showing respect, making good decisions, and solving problems, along with making sure the student body is aware of upcoming events.
BARGE IS FULL OF BRIGHTNESS---WE LOVE THIS BUILDING!
Parent-Teacher Organization (PTO)
Call Natalie Tinajero at 573-5251 if you'd like to help!
Have Constructive Feedback?
We all want to have Barge be the BEST elementary school in the valley and, of course, there is always room for improvement.
If you have constructive feedback and come with possible solutions, please reach out to the building principal (Mrs. Brennan) or assistant principal (Mrs. Qualo) to share your comments. THEY WANT TO HEAR FROM OUR FAMILIES!
You can speak with them before or after school and/or make an appointment through the office.
573-5200
This year, we've had adults interested in having volunteers here at Barge.
Here's the process and "scoop" on how to utilize your extra hands at Barge:
- Volunteers MUST complete a volunteer application through the office and return it with photo identification for screening purposes.
- Volunteer applications take 2-3 weeks for clearance.
- Volunteers cannot begin to assist at Barge until they are cleared.
- The office can look up if the adult has been cleared to volunteer.
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Can a volunteer help in a classroom? Yes! They can schedule a weekly 45-60 minute block to come help in a room.
What can the volunteer do in a classroom? They can pull a small group of kids to a table to assist with skills, reading, basic math skills, extensions for learning, help with cutting/gluing/art projects, etc. Volunteers are not to come in and sit/observe. They should be working with our Bobcats.
Can volunteers eat lunch with their child? Yes. Again, they just need to sign in and out at the office. Martha, our head cook, should know beforehand if the adult is planning on purchasing a meal.
Can volunteers bring young siblings? No. We ask that if a volunteer is assisting, during school hours, that they find childcare for the younger siblings. The focus is on learning and we want minimal distractions.
Who can answer questions regarding volunteers? Building principals, Mrs. Brennan (principal) and Mrs. Qualo (assistant principal). Per YSD's visitor policy, it is up to the building principals to set volunteer standards. Building administrators would love to see our families and community members enrich the learning, as long as the adults have gone through the background clearance to ensure student safety. We would like a schedule, 45-60 minute chunk of time weekly or bi-monthly.
How can families/caregivers volunteer for our Parent Teacher Organization (PTO)? A form is going home to families THIS WEEK! Please complete it and return it to school with your child. Ask your teacher if you didn't get one, please.
Did you know we have a FREE Little Library near our front doors?
Stop by and grab a book(s) for your learner.
READERS ARE LEADERS!
Blaze Bucks and the School Store!
BLAZE!
Our mascot has Blaze Bucks that our learners can earn by following our three standards:
1. Show respect
2. Make good decisions
3. Solve problems
When our learners follow these standards, they have an opportunity to earn Blaze Bucks that can be accumulated and spent at the classroom or school store. We encourage you to ask your child how many Blaze Bucks he/she has earned and if they've spent any yet.
WE ARE BARGE!
WE ARE THE BEST AROUND.