BFPP NEWS

Dear BFPP Families,

We are starting our "North Star" practice in October!

North Star….what does that mean?

We are a caring community that strives to create a collaborative responsibility for the wellbeing of all students. Therefore, we request that you are on-site during your students’ class time.

Honor System

We encourage an honor system called “The North Star.” Please honor our request to be here while your student is in class, and we will honor your intention to be here when you can. We understand there may be times when you may need to run an errand, have an illness, emergency, or particular need, and may need to be off campus. We can honor that too.

How “The North Star” Works

If you need to be off-campus, we expect your student to have a designated caring adult who is their "go to-" their supervising adult and check-in point. We call this person your child’s "North Star." A "North Star" could be a parent, family member, a friend’s parent, a staff member, or the teacher in class.

We will start the North Star practice in October. Some classes may have a “Sign-In North Star" option. This means families come into class and sign in to indicate if they will be on campus or off during that class. If they will be off campus, they designate the class teacher as their child's North Star. Families must come into the classroom and sign in for each class.

The History of Our North Star Practice

When we started this program 8 years ago, we visited other parent partnership programs around the state. There were two types of campuses: drop-your-kids-off-and-go, and community-based with families remaining on site. Our committee of families and community members strongly recommended a community-based program for our Partnership. For the first few years, families were required to be on campus whenever their students were. Eventually we heard requests to allow some flexibility with that practice. So, we pulled families together and had a thought partner meeting on that topic, and that is how our North Star practice was born. During COVID we had to shift our expectations for a few years as families couldn’t be on campus…however that is no longer an issue so we are back in full community-based programming strength!

Another way to reframe this practice is to see being on campus as an opportunity. Having families remain on campus while their children are attending class is a very different expectation than at the conventional/comprehensive schools. BFPP is a choice program; families are making a choice to be the primary educator and be significantly involved in their children's education, therefore being on campus as much as possible is part of that. This is one of the elements that sets BFPP apart and makes it truly alternative.

Some examples of seeing this expectation as an opportunity include the adult clubs from the past that will hopefully continue (writing, creative connections, differently wired book club, knitting club, etc.), family workshops led by families and staff (gaming as home learning, yoga, curriculum shares, learning together, etc.), and so many other school events. We have also had families say, this is the one hour a week I can take a walk and they did! Take time to read a book uninterrupted. Start or finish a degree. “Work from home," but on campus instead. It is all in how you see this opportunity.

We believe this practice and core value, of having families on-site and being a learning community for all, is palpable in the building this fall. It feels joyful and creates a strong sense of belonging. Thank you for being here!!

Warmly,

Principal Kate

9/18-9/29: iReady Assessment Window

Thursday, Sept. 28th 10-11am: Thought Partner Meeting: Fundraising

Tuesday, Oct. 10th 10-3:30pm: School Photos

Friday, Oct. 13th: No School, Teacher Workday

Want more enrichment in your student’s life? Here are some enrichment classes with room for more! Please check ALE for the dates and times, then contact your LPP if you would like your child to be enrolled.

In-Person Classes:

Techno Lego 1-2

Around the Globe 2-5

Strategic Games 1-3

French 3-5

Techno Lego K

Spanish 6-8

Won’t You Be My Neighbor K-2

Science Lab 6-8

Techno Lego 6-8

1-2 Experience

K Experience

Choir 4-8

History of Rock’N Roll 5-8

Yoga & Mindfulness K-8

Zoom Classes:

Yuck & Curiosity Lab Zoom 3-5

Art Hub Zoom K-2

Art Hub Zoom 3-5

Let’s Cook Dinner Zoom 6-8

There are so many opportunities on and off campus….for fun and community… a lot of which requires funding.

Join Principal Kate and others to have a conversation about fundraising for BFPP events and activities. This will be a time to hear ideas and come up with a team and plan.

Thursday the 28th at 10-11am in the Performer Creator Room.

Click here to sign up for a time for school pictures!

Heading back to school and indoors for fall can lead to the spread of cold and flu-like illnesses. Please take a minute to review the Keep Your Child Home If page for information about illnesses and when to return to school.

Here are ways we can prevent the spread of illness:

• Stay home if ill and return when feeling well enough to learn
• Stay home for 24 hours after last fever or vomiting or as directed by your health care provider
• Stay up to date on immunizations
• Wash your hands

Specifically for COVID, consider following the public health recommendations for COVID which are:

• Test if you have symptoms or were exposed. We still have tests available at school
• Isolate for 5 days from symptom onset and wear a mask days 6-10. We still have masks available
• If exposed, wear a mask and test 3-5 days after exposure

Please contact your school nurse or health services at 360-676-6455 or email if you have questions.

Thank you for helping to protect the health of our school community.

Middle School D&D Club: Wednesdays from 12:30pm-3:00pm in the Multipurpose Room, beginning Sept. 27th.

Craving adventure? Dungeons and Dragons is a cooperative storytelling game that encourages problem-solving, teamwork, and creative thinking. Students will join together with a group and battle monsters, navigate challenges and puzzles, and work together to save the world! This club is open to every student who is in 6th grade and up.

Please contact BFPP parent Dana Darchelle with questions.

Meets Thursdays 12:30-2pm in the Innovator and Global Citizen Rooms, beginning Sept. 28th.

D&D is a group storytelling game that uses dice to create balance in interactions between players and the puzzles and monsters they would encounter.

Come join Dungeons and Dragons Club for ages 11-13 (mature 10s also welcome).

Two groups available on Thursdays 12:30-2pm:

• One group for newbies: a workshop to learn all things DND plus time to create your unique character and battle!
• A second group for experienced DND players ready to get started on an immediate, extended campaign

Start off in the first group, and move on to the second! A perfect way to get in to DND and learn game mechanics and have fun!

Please contact BFPP parents Brooke Scott and Kara Drovdahl with questions.

Student/Parent-driven clubs are an integral part of BFPP. Past clubs have included arts & crafts club, Pokemon club, chess club, kindness club, and several others! To see a current list of BFPP clubs, click here! You can find this list in the links at the bottom of each newsletter.

There are a myriad of ways clubs can look at BFPP. They can be year-long or short-term, drop-in or more consistently attended, open to all age groups or targeting a particular age range. All that's needed to get started is an idea and an adult supervisor.

Interested in starting a club? Spend some time thinking about the Topic, Purpose, and Format of your club. Then contact Heidi Zollner or Principal Kate with your idea.

I am looking for family members or friends who would be interested and willing to visit my "Around the Globe With World Languages" class to share their knowledge of a heritage or world language and/or culture. This is a wonderful opportunity to meet and interact with some delightful and curious 2-5 graders.

The class meets Monday mornings from 9-10am and a one-time visit is all I'm hoping for.

Last year we had community members share about Farsi, Norwegian, Korean, German, Braille, ASL, Yiddish and Hebrew, and a bit of Morse code!

Please contact me at piper.mertle@bellinghamschools.org

Thank you and Merci Beaucoup! ~Teacher/Madame Piper

Announcing Adventure Quest with Majestic Adventures at BFPP! An enrichment program on Friday afternoons 12:30-2pm this fall.

In Adventure Quest, the children and teens become the heroes of an incredibly fun and dynamic quest, working together in a mythical and magical world to overcome interesting challenges, solve mystifying riddles, brainstorm unique solutions to puzzling dilemmas, and swashbuckle with foes. Wielding safe foam Swasher swords, the Questers play dueling games and act out challenges like fending off a bullying ogre or a thieving band of pirates, in an environment that teaches good sportsmanship, fair-play, and respect for others.

Adventure Quest is enjoyed by youth aged 6-17, and is offered as summer camps, after-school programs, and birthday parties, and now enrichment opportunities for the homeschool community.

Adventure Quest at BFPP - Program dates & details

Who: Children aged 6-17
Where: Larrabee school (BFPP) gym & school grounds (outdoors as much as weather permits)
When: Fridays, 12:30-2pm
Oct 6 – Dec 15 (skipping no-school days 10/13, 11/10, 11/24; 8 days total)
Cost: $192

To register, please visit https://questnorthwest.com/bfpp

For more information, please visit questnorthwest.com.

Attention avid writers! On October 10, 4-5pm, Village Books is having a teen writing workshop for ages 13-18. It's open and free and doesn't require any registration. For more info please contact Teacher Jackie.

There are a few spots left on the Community Boating Center's Middle School Sailing Team for their fall season. This is a fun and affordable way to learn how to sail. Click here for more information!

Friday, October 6 at 10:15 a.m. at WWU Performing Arts Center Mainstage

Jovon Miller is a tap dancer who has a style all his own, fusing elements from other dance forms - such as hip hop - into his dancing. He is performing at WWU on 10/6 at 10:15am.

BFPP has 50 free seats reserved for our families for this performance. Please RSVP here if your family would like to attend.

Come, relax, hang out, chat and create FiberArt at the Ragfinery with a multi age group of crafters!

More detailed info and RSVP directions are available here.

Please bring in your clean plastic bottle caps! We are hoping to gather a variety of caps for projects. A few plastic lids will work too. There is a tub in the Collaborator Room for collection. Thanks in advance!

Bellingham’s 5th annual Climate Action Week is happening Friday, September 22 through Saturday, September 30. For a full list of family friendly events, visit cob.org/climateactionweek.

SPECIAL EDITION Scientists in Action: Walking With Gorillas (Virtual Program)

Date: Tuesday, October 3, 2023 from 10-11am

Cost of program: FREE Created for grades 4-12, but all are welcome.

Dr. Gladys Kalema-Zikusoka grew up knowing she wanted to help animals and became Uganda's first wildlife veterinarian. Join this free Zoom event to hear from this incredible conservationist, author, and doctor.

Do you have something to share with our BFPP community? Please email your newsletter submissions to Heidi Zollner.

BFPP Calendar

Welcome Guide

Vision, Mission, and Core Beliefs

BFPP Clubs

AL*e Parent Login

AL*e Parent Login Instructions

ParentSquare Login

Newsletter Archive

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