The Growler

Inspiring future leaders to imagine and build a better world through thoughtful action and kindness.

• Bellview Choir to Perform at the City Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration!
• Student Drop Off Reminder
• Winter Care Box Project- Thank you!
• Playground Update
• School Supply Funding
  
• News from the Science Room
• November Inclusion Assembly
• Volunteering at School

Each year, the city of Ashland puts together a celebration to commemorate the life and work of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and to inspire our community to do better at living up to his dream. The celebration this year will take place from 12:00-1:30 at the Historic Ashland Armory, ending in a march to the plaza . Our own Bellview Choir will be performing "Nothing More" by The Alternate Routes. We won't have school that day, so it would be a great celebration to attend as a family. Arrive early for seats.

Please be reminded that if it is raining outside, students should not go directly to the playground when they are dropped off at the school, as there is no outdoor supervision when indoor recess has been called. Students must enter through the main entrance on rainy days.

Each winter, Bellview holds our annual Winter Care Box project. With donations from our families and community partners, we gather the main ingredients for a holiday meal, along with gifts for each child under 18 in the household, and some other staple items, to provide families in our school community that are struggling financially with some holiday cheer.

This year, the project supported 28 families and 68 children! Thank you to Ashland First Presbyterian Church for donating the money to purchase all of the protein (turkey, ham, vegetarian options) and to Bellview families and staff that donated the gifts for all of the children. Together we made the holidays a little brighter!

Over the winter break, our old playground structure was removed and our new playground was partially installed. Due to how wet the ground was, and due to the need to do additional grading under the structure, it is not quite ready to open yet. The final pieces will be installed this weekend and if all goes according to plan, we will have our grand opening on January 22nd, once the concrete footings have completely solidified.

This year, we tried something new with student school supplies. Rather than having a published list for families to purchase items individually, we purchased the items in bulk at a reduced cost so that we could pass those savings on to you. The cost per student is $40, which we asked families to pay for if they could. The total cost of purchases was $10,000. So far, we have brought in about $3,000. If you have not yet sent in $40 for school supplies and are able to do so, it would sure be appreciated! We would like to continue this tradition, and would like to make it as cost neutral as possible. If you feel moved to send more than $40, we would take that too! Thank you!

• Kindergartners are growing radishes and paperwhites as we learn about what plants need to grow.
• First graders are finishing up our unit on plant and animal defenses and having fun making models of animals. Below are a few groups and their creations.
  
• 2nd graders are becoming glue experts. This week we will be seeing how strong certain substances are in our strength tests.
• 3rd graders have been learning how traits can be influenced by their environment by observing celery stalks and cut flowers in food dye mixtures.
• 4th graders just finished their wind turbine designs and will be wrapping up their energy conversions unit when we get back from the holiday break. (picture to the right; a group tests out their design)
• 5th graders are becoming masters of the sky and we have started to shoot for the stars in our earth and sky unit.
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If you have questions feel free to reach out to jim.janousek@ashland.k12.or.us.

- Jim Janousek Science Teacher

At the end of November, former Bobcat Luke Laurenson and his mom Jane Hogan came to talk to our students about the importance of being included and following big dreams. Ask your child what they learned!

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.

Principal, Bellview School

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