The Growler

• Intent to Return Form for 2-24-25 School Year
• Change Maker March
• Kinder Open House
• Parenting Class Opportunity Tonight!
• Science Fair is Coming!
• School Psychologist Tips: Focus & Attention Techniques
• Reserve Snow Day April 22
• Volunteering at School

We are excited to begin thinking about and planning for next year!

Please complete one form for each child enrolled. There is a place on this form to give the class placement teams feedback on what your child needs if you would like to share that information. We do not take teacher requests, but will consider each student's learning needs.

In order to plan appropriately, we need your help! Please complete this Intent to Return Form. It is important that you complete this survey as soon as possible.

Thank you for helping us plan for a phenomenal 2024-2025 school year.

THIS SURVEY SERVES AS A PLANNING TOOL ONLY, AND DOES NOT CONSTITUTE REGISTRATION OR FORMAL TRANSFER REQUESTS.

Link to Intent to Return Form

Our annual all elementary Change Maker March will be held on Wednesday April 17th at the high school. All elementary students have had a chance to reflect and respond to these four questions:

• When do you feel like you belong?
• When do you feel like you don't?
• What do you wish would change to help you feel like you belong?
• What can I do to build belonging?

Our joint school choirs will be performing and leading whole group songs, and each school will present a poem reflecting their thoughts and words on belonging. We will end with a group march. It is a great opportunity for all of our schools to join together as a larger community.

Parents are welcome to join us for the assembly, but space will be quite limited, so they would need to sit in the balcony area of the gym. All students and staff will be participating in this event. If for any reason you do not want your student to attend, please let me know and we can make alternative arrangements for them.

Bellview's Kindergarten Open House will be held on Wednesday, April 17th from 2-4 PM. Kindergarten registration is open now! Register here: Kindergarten Registration Link

Bellview Science Fair

Thursday, April 18th, 2024

6:00pm-7:00pm

What: The Belleview Science Fair! This is a noncompetitive, voluntary event.

Where/When: Thursday, April 18th in the school gym from 6pm-7pm.

Students will bring their project displays to their classrooms the morning of the 9th and set them up in the school gym during the first hour of the school day.

All projects should be able to be set up without outside adult support. There will be a team of 5th grade Science Ambassadors to help any student who needs assistance setting up their displays on the day of the event.

Projects need to be taken home on Friday, April 19th.

Who: All Bellview students are welcome to participate, K-5! Projects are to be completed at home. Projects can be done individually or with a friend and/or class.

Display boards are available at the front office when you turn your permission slip in.

How to do a science fair project:

1. Pick a topic that interests you! This can be about anything – what are you curious about?

2. Decide what type of project you want to do (see below)

3. Do the project, do the research!

4. Create a display board that explains what you did and shows your results

5. Bring your project to school and share what you learned

Types of science fair projects:

● Collection: Observe and display a variety of some type of thing. Examples: airplanes, rocks, seeds, bicycles, seashells, crystals. How are they different?

● Observations/Research Passion Project: Present information on a scientific topic that you’ve found in books, the internet, or other sources. Examples: nebulas, sharks, narwhals, rainforests of Costa Rica, just about anything in the natural world!

● Demonstration: Explain and demonstrate how something works. Example: How do airplanes fly?

● Inventions: Identify a need or problem and then invent or modify a product that fills the need or solves the problem. Example: It’s hard to get all the toothpaste out of the tube!

● Experiments: Ask a question and then attempt to answer it through a test. An experiment uses the “scientific method” (below) that allows scientists to answer questions and build knowledge.

The following are steps used in the scientific method:

Procedure:

Observations and Results:

Conclusion:

Here is an example of a display board for a science fair project using the scientific method:

Purpose

(Ask a question.)

Hypothesis

(What you think the answer is.)

Many science fair ideas can be obtained by searching through library books or safely searching reliable internet sites for “science fair projects”. Below are some examples of project ideas.

● Why did my penny change color when it fell in my lemonade?

● Why do some things dissolve in water and others do not?

● What makes plants grow slower or faster?

● Demonstration about different types of leaves.

● Research on animals speed versus size

● What is a wart? How do you treat it?

● Does water with salt boil faster than plain water?

● Does water with salt freeze faster than plain water?

● What is “rot”? What happens when something rots?

● Why do some things float, and other things don’t?

● Why do balls bounce?

Rules and Guidelines:

1. All projects must be safe. Project displays must have no open flames, smoke, bad odors, flammable or poisonous chemicals, or high voltage wires. No projects will be allowed to use electricity from electrical outlets.

2. Projects must be humane. All experiments using animals or humans should cause no harm or undue stress to the subject (this includes your friends, pets, and siblings).

3. You can display additional items as long as they will fit on the table in front of your board. If these items are valuable or fragile consider taking pictures instead of risking damage to the original item.

Leave animals at home during the science fair.

Let's get started!

Yno Monjes

ynocencio.monjes@ashland.k12.or.us

Science Fair Coordinator

Return the registration form below to the main office by April 8th to participate.

Hello Bellview families~

Welcome back after a long and much needed Spring break! If you haven’t met me yet, my name is December Tueller, and I am the new School Psychologist at Bellview Elementary this year . I will continue to offer some advice in our school newsletters, so keep your eyes out for the

Tips & Tricks!

This week is particularly hard for kids because we are returning from a break, and it can be difficult to get back into the groove. This might mean lots of wiggles and struggles sitting in our chair, focusing, and completing tasks.

Focus is a much-needed skill to get through the rest of the school year!

There are a few simple strategies to help your student focus better when they transition from your home and enter the classroom. As a way of supporting your teachers in being the best possible school cheerleader, pick up a couple new habits (below) or pat yourself on the back for already taking on some of these great daily strategies for supporting optimum learning.

1. Sleep is crucial, for a student's well-being, growth, ability to learn, play, and socialize. All other strategies provided below are successful when this step has been met. Good rest is first!

a. According to the Mayo Clinic, Kindergarteners need between 10-13 hours of sleep, including naps. 1st through 5th graders need between 9-12 hours of sleep.

b. Provide consistency in bedtime routine such as going to bed and waking up at relatively the same time. This helps our bodies feel ready to sleep at the same time each night.

c. Turn off screens at least an hour before bedtime. Blue lighting on screens inhibits melatonin, the hormone that helps to regulate sleep. Just minutes of screen time can delay sleep routines.

https://www.mayoclinichealthsystem.org/hometown-health/speaking-of-health/is-your-child-getting-enough-sleep

2. Establish a Consistent Morning Routine: Create a predictable and structured morning routine that includes time for breakfast, getting dressed, and preparing for the day. Consistency can help children feel secure and prepared for the day ahead. You can use visuals to help them stay on task with their own morning schedule (visuals aren’t just helpful at school). Here’s an example on a sticky note for the bathroom mirror:

3. Provide Nutritious Breakfast: Offer a balanced breakfast that includes protein, whole grains, and fruits or vegetables. Nutritious meals can support sustained energy levels and cognitive function throughout the morning. Maybe this just means getting the kiddos to school in time to eat a healthy school breakfast! Eating is another absolute MUST like sleep!

4. Encourage Physical Activity: Engage in physical activities such as simply stretching, a short walk, or active play before school. Physical activity can help children release excess energy and improve their ability to focus. Here are some chair exercises your child can do just sitting at the table in the morning:

*Why movement supports focus and attention?

♦ Research has shown that exercise and movement can stimulate the production of brain chemicals associated with mood and can increase stimulation, essentially waking you up and giving you some much needed energy.

o Movement can support attention, alertness, and motivation.

o Movement can initiate the brain’s ability to learn and hold onto new information.

o Movement can offer a strong defense against stress, depression, and anxiety.

♦ Evidence has shown that mouth movements can also enhance attention and focus as well as promote well-being (stress/anxiety), and academic performance. This might mean simply chewing gum.

5. Limit Screen Time: Minimize exposure to screens, such as television, computers, and mobile devices, in the morning. Excessive screen time can overstimulate children and negatively impact their attention and focus.

6. Encourage Mindfulness or Relaxation Techniques: Practice simple mindfulness exercises, deep breathing, or relaxation techniques with your child to help them start the day with a calm and focused mindset.

a. Here are some activities you can do on the way to school. You can just choose one each day (feel free to print this out):

7. Promote Positive Affirmations: Encourage your child with positive affirmations and supportive messages to boost their confidence and motivation for the day ahead. Maybe even put a note in their lunchbox or backpack… Here are some ideas:

a. You are capable of handling whatever comes your way today.

b. I believe in you and your ability to learn and grow.

c. You have the power to make a positive difference in your classroom/school.

d. You are loved, and you have a unique and special place in this world.

e. You are strong, brave, and capable of overcoming challenges.

f. Your ideas and thoughts are valuable.

g. You are a kind and caring person, and your actions make a difference.

h. You are important.

8. Finally, communicate clear expectations for the morning routine and school day, including tasks to be completed and any special activities or events that may be coming up throughout the week. Remind them of any upcoming events they can look forward to over the weekend (as long as that won’t cause them any anxiety).

By incorporating these strategies into the morning routine, parents can help set a positive tone for the day and support their child's attention and focus as they prepare for school.

Thanks for following along Bellview families,

Sincerely,

December Tueller, School Psychologist

Thank you to everyone who attended our Family Science Night at ScienceWorks! A great time was had by all😀

We had a reserve snow day scheduled on our calendar for April 22nd. Since we have had a snow day, the 22nd of April will be a regular school day to make up for that lost instruction.

How To Become a Volunteer:

Step 1:
Complete the Volunteer Registration Form, which includes the Notice of Background Check form.

Once completed, please submit the forms and a copy of your driver’s license to the Office Manager of the school where the volunteer position is needed. Forms may also be mailed or faxed to the school office. If no school is specified, forms may be submitted to 885 Siskiyou Blvd., Ashland, OR 97520.
Once you have passed your background check, you are cleared to apply to volunteer for any position throughout the school year. No additional background check is necessary, however, it is necessary to repeat this process each school year.

Step 2:
Mark your calendar with the agreed upon days and times. Please note that certain positions require training and a time commitment. Make sure you can fulfill the volunteer commitments before agreeing to the position.

Be prompt and dependable. Call ahead if you are ill or unable to keep your appointed times. When you commit to volunteering, people are depending on you.

She, Her

Email: christine.mccollom@ashland.k12.or.us
Website: https://www.ashland.k12.or.us/o/bes
Location: 1070 Tolman Creek Road, Ashland, OR, USA
Phone: 541-482-1310
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Bellview-Elementary-School-104141858437771