Hyde Park Elementary School
Fall 2025
HPES students are observing the wonders of nature in Library Classes via the live webcam provided by The Friends of Big Bear Valley [FOBBV]. Jackie & Shadow are the superstar parent eagles, and their family grew by two last week as the eggs from their second clutch hatched on April 4th & 5th. We were excited to have a live chat with Chelsea, one of the naturalists and camera operators at FOBBV with our K-3rd graders on April 14th. Here are some facts we learned, thanks to the amazing questions students generated.
- Adult Eagles have over 7000 feathers. When they are hatched, they have natal down, then the thermal down grows in, and finally feathers! It takes an eagle about 5 years to grow to a full white head of feathers.
- The nest has over 4000 sticks in it, and is 6' wide and 6' deep. Yes, they do keep count of the sticks.
- BBV is the highest elevation of any eagle cam, at about 7000' above sea level, which is why they get all kinds of weather, even snow this past weekend. It is also why their egg clutches may not reach hatching.
- Eagles have amazing vision, "eagle eye," and can spot another eagle from over 50 miles away. They can spot a fish in the lake over a mile away.
- Eaglets fledge sometime between 8 and 10 weeks, and they leave the nest to travel far. If Sunny & Gizmo were to fly back to the home range, they would likely recognize their nest, and their parents would likely recognize them. However, Jackie & Shadow would see any other bird as an intruder right now, as they have a nest to protect.
8th Annual Wishtree Day Celebration
On May 1st, our school will celebrate Wishtree Day at the Lanpher Memorial Library, a tradition inspired by Katherine Applegate’s beautiful novel, Wishtree.
In the book, a wise old oak tree named Red serves as a symbol of hope and a place for the community to share their dreams. Following this spirit, our students will be writing their own wishes on fabric strips and walking to the Lanpher Memorial Library to tie them to the Pin Oak tree.
Why we celebrate:
Wishtree Day is more than just a craft; it’s a lesson in inclusion, kindness, and community. It teaches our students that their voices matter and that their hopes for a better world—whether big or small—are worth sharing.
How you can help:
Talk about wishes: Ask your child what they hope for our school or neighborhood this year.
Visit the tree: Feel free to stop by the library after school on May 1st to see our community’s "hopes in bloom!" Extra fabric strips will be there for the community to participate.
“Everyone needs to hope.” — Red the Tree
~ Mrs. Bryce, Ms. Amy and Ms. Melanie
