BPS Community Resource
May 2024
Important Dates in May
- May 3rd @ 9:30am PTO Officer Interest Meeting
- May 3rd: Kindergarten Lunch and Learn
- May 7th @ 6:00pm 2nd Grade Transition Night at Battlefield Elementary School
- May 8th @ 9:00am Parent Workshop on The Whole Brain Child
- May 9th @4pm Kindergarten Registration
- May 14th @6:30pm Spring Chorus Concert
- May 16th @8:45am Catoosa Family Collaborative at the Catoosa Learning Center
- May 16th LSGT Meeting
- May 17th Family Fun Day
- May 23rd End of Year Parties
- PTO Board Meeting TBD
How to Prevent Your Kids From Losing What They Learned in School During Summer Vacation
What Can Parents Do to Help?
The good news is that basic skills aren’t hard to maintain over the off-season! There are a number of ways to keep kids engaged in reading and math over the summer:
1. Let kids read what they want.
Children won’t gain as much from summer reading if they aren’t truly enjoying it. Professor Kim says kids should have access to a wide variety of books that they enjoy reading and are fully able to comprehend. They’ll be on board: Nearly 60 percent of children ages 6 to 17 say they love or like reading books for fun a lot, and 52 percent think it’s extremely or very important, according to the Scholastic Kids & Family Reading Report.
To get started, check out this year's Scholastic Read-a-Palooza Summer Reading Challenge, a free, educational program in which kids can enter reading minutes online to unlock exclusive digital rewards and help donate books to kids in need across the country. Ask your child’s teacher or local librarian if they’re participating — if not, you can register your child individually.
View book lists by age for the Challenge by clicking here and scrolling down to "Resources," or browse selections at the Scholastic Store Online.
2. Make time for smart play.
Games and puzzles are a great way for kids to brush up on the basics while having fun at the same time. Whether it’s a game geared specifically toward teaching kids math skills, like this Mobi Math Tiles Game, or a learning activity that helps them brush up on vocabulary, like these Sight Word Learning Mats, there are plenty of ways to get children engaged and help them flex their brain power without turning it into a tutoring session.
3. Get out of the house.
Experts have found that novelty stimulates the brain and promotes learning. Visiting a historic site or even simply reading together at the park can help your child get more excited about reading and learning. You can also visit a certain location inspired by the books you read together: For instance, read Hidden Figures, the inspiring true story about four black female mathematicians who helped NASA launch astronauts into space, and then check out a planetarium, bringing up topics covered in the book. This helps reinforce what kids are learning from books in a real-world setting.
4. Use your imagination.
Kids who use their imagination are also expanding their vocabularies and experimenting with new concepts. Even though it may not seem like they’re directly “learning” when they’re crafting their own superhero capes with a superhero starter kit or dreaming up complex chain reactions with educational LEGO sets, they’re still calling on familiar skills and developing new ones. You could even play "theater" and put on a show inspired by all of the great summer books you’re reading together.
Keep your child reading over the summer with expert tips and book recommendations with our summer reading guide, including a look at why summer reading is important.
Swimming Safety Before diving into an active and healthy summer, parents should assess their child’s swimming ability. After all, fun in the pool can only begin if children learn how to swim AND how to be safe in the water. Despite the increased risk of drowning, eight out of ten children with no/low swimming ability plan to swim at least once in the summer and three out of ten plan to swim 10 or more times. Research shows that young people can increase their self-confidence and skills in the water by taking swimming lessons, practicing regularly, being exposed to swimming role models, swimming with parents, and learning safety rules. > 65 percent of African-American children would like more swimming opportunities. > Children living in lower-income communities are 63 percent less likely to have a good swimming ability. > Seeing a talented swimmer who looks like them increases children’s interest in swimming according to 76 percent of parents. > Children who swim with their family are 2.7 times more likely to be good swimmers. Learning water-safety rules nearly quadruples a child’s ability and self-confidence to swim. Parents can help their children make a splash this summer by taking advantage of low/no-cost swimming lessons offered by community organizations, including the Red Cross, YMCA, and local parks department.
Become a PTO Officer and be a leader at BPS
The BPS PTO is actively seeking dedicated individuals to join the PTO Board for the 2024-2025 School year. We are looking for family members, business representatives, and BPS teachers and staff with fresh perspectives and enthusiasm to help lead our school community towards excellence. If you are interested in being a PTO Officer please click the link above to submit and application. More information will be sent home in the following weeks and you can send questions to pto.bps@gmail.com or contact Amber Barnes the Parent Engagement Coordinator at 706-861-5771.
- We have a few volunteer opportunities this month, reach out to Amber Barnes if you are interested in volunteering. Volunteer Link
- The Resource Room at BPS has tools and resources for you! A parent library , translation services, and information on other community resources for you and your family. Adult bathrooms, a changing station, and play corner for young children is available for those parents who come by to visit or volunteer.
- You can apply for Free and Reduced Lunches at any time. Applying and/or qualifying can help your school!
