Birch Lane Elementary

Dear Elementary Families,

With parent-teacher conferences right around the corner, we look forward to sitting down with you to celebrate your child's progress and learn how to approach their support as a school to family team. Our PTA Hospitality Chair, Christiana, is organizing a "Sustain the Teachers" event designed to provide food and snacks for the teachers to support them through fall conferences. Please sign up to donate food or drinks here:

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/8050B4FAFA92AA3FA7-67148183-fall

Please follow this link to access the YouthTruth family survey:

ytsurvey.org/djusdfamily26

I am thankful for your partnership, encouragement, and support. Wishing you all a happy November!

Warmly,

Sommer Sanchez, Principal

11/16 - 11/20: BLE FALL BOOK FAIR!! 📚☺️🍂

Come check out the book fair in the school library during conference week before school 8AM-8:30AM and after school 12PM-3PM, with late hours Wed 11/18 until 6PM. We'll have books for all ages, graphic novels, holiday books, and the students can enter a raffle to try to win a free book!

We need parent volunteers to make the book fair run, join the fun! Please sign up for a shift here: https://bit.ly/4zXnnib

Here is BLE's Scholastic book fair homepage to set up an eWallet for your student(s) or to find the online store. bookfairs.scholastic.com/bf/birchlaneelementaryschool

See you at the fair! 📚

Understanding DJUSD’s Annual Budget - Live Webinar with Superintendent Best

As student enrollment declines and costs continue to rise, DJUSD faces financial challenges that will require careful planning and difficult decisions about how resources are allocated to support students, schools and programs.

To help our community better understand these challenges, Superintendent Best is hosting a live community webinar focused on the District’s annual budget. The presentation will explain how the District receives and spends funding, review enrollment forecasts and budget projections, and discuss the timeline for upcoming decisions. A limited question-and-answer period will also be provided.

Live Community Outreach Webinar

Date: Thursday, November 12
Time: 6:30 p.m.
Location: Live webinar via Zoom. Live Spanish, Mandarin and Korean interpretation will be available.

More information is available on the District website.

The Respiratory Virus Season is Upon Us! Flu and COVID-19 vaccinations offer the best protection against severe illness, hospitalization, and missed days of school or work.

📍 Find Vaccinations Near You: Visit My Turn to schedule your appointment today.

Simple Steps to Stop the Spread of Germs

🏠 Stay Home When Sick: Stay home until they are fever-free for 24 hours (without using fever-reducing medicine).

🧼 Wash Hands Frequently: Clean hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.

🤧 Practice Cough Etiquette: Cover coughs and sneezes with an elbow or tissue.

😷 Wear a Mask: Masking is encouraged, especially in crowded indoor spaces, if you are able to do so.

💉 Get Vaccinated: Keep up to date on seasonal flu and COVID-19 vaccines.

🩺 Monitor for Symptoms: Pay attention to early signs of illness and take action quickly.

Hi Birch Lane Families!

It looks like November is officially the Month of Sign-Ups! We’re signing up for the Read-a-Thon! We’re signing up for the Epic Eagle Fun Run! We’re signing up to help out at the Book Fair and we’re signing up to provide treats for our teachers during Conference Week. When you see these pop into your inboxes, you know the drill…SIGN UP!

Our Birch Lane Community is at its best when we team up to pull these events off - teamwork really does make the dream work.

In case some of my previous emails got lost in the shuffle, here are the sign-ups again in one handy spot:

• Epic Eagle Fun Run Registration

• Book Fair Volunteers

• Conference Week Teacher’s Snacks

• Read-a-Thon info & link coming to your emails soon

One More Thing! We’re hosting our November PTA General Meeting next Wednesday, Nov. 4th, from 6-7 PM in the Birch Lane Library. Thinking about dropping in for the first time? We’d love to have you!

The Birch Lane Epic Eagle Fun Run is an annual Birch Lane tradition. Come join with friends and family for a fun morning together. We hope to see you there! Details are below:

Epic Eagle Fun Run/Walk 2026 registration is Open!!!

Date: Saturday, December 5th @ 10am

Shirt order deadline: November 13th

Register and order shirts here:

https://blepta.ejoinme.org/MyEvents/2026EpicEagleFunWalkRun/tabid/1607429/Default.aspx

Garden Update:

The farm is looking great, thanks to families who came to our October work party and to classes who came out to help finish it up. Kids have started planting peas and fava beans, and will hopefully soon get to see them grow! Kids have also been working on the veggie boxes in the kinder yard, and more planting will take place Nov 1 with another mini work party.

Some families came out for a mini work party to pick persimmons, which were served at the Scarecrow breakfast, and then moved to the office to share.

The next big garden work party will be Sunday November 15 9am-noon.

If anyone wants to get involved in the gardens or just wants to know what's going on, please email me at birchlanegardens@gmail.com, and I'll add you to the mailing list.

- Julie Morrow

Garden Coordinator