BFPP NEWS

Dear BFPP Families,

Next week is the beginning of what is sure to be a fantastic year at BFPP and I am so looking forward to another adventure with you! Teachers start on Monday and then our Back-to-School Celebration will happen on Thursday, Aug. 29th at 12-2pm. That event really kicks off our academic year, more information is below. Following that day we will have learning plan meetings, registration for enrichment classes, Come and Connect events and all kinds of community activities. Keep informed by reading the newsletter. Next week's edition will have important information and updates about enrichment classes, laptop distribution and registration.

The Back-to-School Celebration is an opportunity for us to gather and get ready for the year ahead. Please join us to meet other families, play on the playground, see the BFPP staff, walk through the building and have a good time. It is a pretty informal event but here is what to expect.....bring a blanket and picnic if you want, join us on the field, this is what we call the "Blanket Brigade" and is a regular occurrence at BFPP. Then walk around, play and get to know your community. At 1pm we'll round up on the playground, do some brief introductions and announcements and then get back to the mingling. Again, it is all pretty informal, which fits us and gives you a good sense of how things roll around here.

The building and office are now open so if you have any questions feel free to contact us. The office number is (360) 676-6424.

See you all soon,

Dr K

Sat. Aug. 24th 10-1pm: District Block Party at Bellingham High

Thurs. Aug. 29th 12-2pm: Back to School Celebration, Picnic and Blanket Brigade

Thurs. Aug. 29th to Fri. Sept. 6th: Learning Plan Meetings

Tues. Sept. 3rd 10:30-12pm: Come and Connect 7th & 8th Grade

Wed. Sept. 4th 10:30-12pm: Come and Connect 4th-6th Grade

Wed. Sept. 4th 12:30-2pm: Home Learning 101, September Cohort 1st Session

Thurs. Sept. 5th 11-12pm: Come and Connect K-3rd Grade

Wednesday & Thursday Sept. 4th & 5th: Registration for Enrichment Classes

Wednesday to Friday Sept. 4th to 6th: Laptop Distribution

Mon. Sept. 9th: Enrichment Classes Begin

Mark your calendars for our upcoming Come and Connect days! Led by our new school counselor Jess Sheasley, these sessions are a chance for kids and parents to connect with one another before classes begin. Please note the schedule below and stay tuned for more details!

7th & 8th Grade Students (& Beyond)

Tuesday, September 3rd

10:30am – 12 noon

4th-6th Grade Students

Wednesday, September 4th

10:30am – 12 noon

K-3rd Grade Students

Thursday, September 5th

11am – 12 noon

*There is room for flexibility between the grade groups - if you have a student who would be more comfortable in a younger/older group, please reach out to Jess via email: jessica.sheasley@bellinghamschools.org.

Bellingham Public Schools will host a Back-to-School Block Party, a resource fair for all district families, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 24. The event will be onsite at Bellingham High School, located at 2020 Cornwall Avenue.

School and community partner tables will provide important resources for starting the school year. The event will include signups for Operation School Bell, a program of the Assistance League of Bellingham that supplies new school clothes for families, and child immunizations, sports physicals and haircuts.

The Parent Advisory Committee to the Superintendent is comprised of two representatives from each school in the district. They meet six times during the year to hear from the Superintendent and help serve as communication liaisons between the district and BFPP community. Representatives are asked to represent the diverse perspectives of parents from their school.

Meetings for 2024-25 are scheduled as follows: Oct. 10, Dec. 12, Feb. 13, March 13, April 17 and May 15 from 10-11:30am in the District Office.

We need BFPP representation on this committee! If you can help fill this need, please email Kate by September 13th. Click here to see past committee meeting notes.

It is important for all adults who are regularly on campus to fill out and be cleared as a school district volunteer. This process helps ensure safety for all of us. The volunteer paperwork is valid for two years, and the online application can be found here: Volunteer Program – Bellingham Public Schools (bellinghamschools.org).

BFPP is not hosting a Community Resource Fair this year. Instead, please watch the newsletters and main bulletin board at school for info on community groups, classes, and events that may be of special interest to homeschoolers.

BellingJAM has offered in-home and enrichment opportunities since 2016. They strive to make music accessible and fun for all ages. Whether your student has years of experience with an instrument or has just begun singing along to songs, BellingJAM can help them express and collaborate. As this program takes shape at BFPP, we're open to playing with creating or performing music, as well as instruction with all instruments. This enrichment will build a foundation for students interested in performing in a showcase in the Spring.

In an effort to create programming that aligns with the culture and interests of families at BFPP, we would love your input! If you are curious about music enrichment for your learner(s) and/or want to help us curate our programming for this community, please take a couple minutes to complete this https://forms.office.com/r/8KdAG45W0MSURVEY.

Find recreational opportunities and community events for the whole family in the Bellingham Parks and Rec Fall Playbook!

The Bellingham Coding and Robotics Club is again offering van pick up at BFPP for homeschoolers on Thursday afternoons this fall. We'll pick up students at noon and transport them to our Club House where they can eat their lunches and have some STEM fun before our 2pm Coding and Robotics Class (for 5 year olds to 13 year olds).

Parent pick up is at 3:15pm at our Coding Club's new location at 3230 Meridian St. The cost is $100 per month for a full Club Membership (that HALF OFF price and includes weekly class, Club Nights and Saturday drop ins) and $25 per month for transportation from BFPP to our club. All this STEM fun starts on September 12th - sign up now to hold your spot!

Learn more here and email with any questions: admin@codingandroboticsclub.com

For more info and to register for BAAY's classes, please visit baay.org/theatre.

Improv Class ~ Grades 6-8

Weekly classes: Tuesdays from 12:30-2:00 PM

Location: BAAY (1059 N State St)

September 10-December 17

Mini Pixie: Art and Dance ~Ages 5-6

Weekly classes: Thursdays from 1:00-3:00 PM

Location: BAAY (1059 N State St)

September 12- October 24

Mixed-Age Family Music Class ~Ages 0-5

Families will need to register at musictogetherfairhaven.com

Weekly classes: Wednesdays at 9:45 & 10:30 AM

Location: BAAY (1059 N State St)

September 11-October 30

Washington State University College of Veterinary Medicine has launched a second online veterinary certificate for high school students ages 16 and older. This is an excellent opportunity for additional learning for high school students interested in animal science and veterinary medicine!

For additional information about the WSU Paraprofessional certificate program including program syllabi, please click here or email veronica.sweeney@wsu.edu.

This every-other-week newsletter is meant to facilitate opportunities for all of us to connect, both by sharing school, district, and community news, and by celebrating our milestones and successes together. Please send items of interest to our school community to Heidi at heidizollner@hotmail.com. Thank you!

Welcome Guide

BFPP Calendar

Staff Directory

'24-'25 Enrichment Class Schedule

AL*e Parent Login

AL*e Parent Login Instructions

How to Use AL*e to Register for Classes

Vision, Mission, and Core Beliefs

Newsletter Archive

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