BFPP NEWS

Dear Bellingham Family Partnership Families,

We all recognize that it is the people in any organization that make the difference. I am in awe each day of the staff at BFPP and their ability to balance the head and heart work that it takes to be highly effective teachers, learning plan partners, colleagues, and friends. Below is an opportunity to get to know them just a little bit better. I encourage you to take a few minutes to read through.

So my quote for this week is that "Life has it's own sound track, it just depends on what radio station you wake up to." I hope that we all have an opportunity to pick a station that brings us joy, inspiration, hope and a sense of belonging. There is a rhythm to it all, and we get to dance to it at BFPP. Thanks for being a dance partner.

Warmly,

Principal Kate

October 10th-21st i-Ready Assessment Window

Monday 10/10 Scholastic Book Orders Due

Thursday 10/13 1:30-2:30 Arts and Crafts Club

Friday 10/14 Purple Friday - No School

Thursday 10/20 BFPP Shopping Day at Village Books

Thursday 10/20 11:30-12:30 Middle School Meet Up for Families

Wednesday 10/26 10:00-12:30 Fall Festival

Thursday 10/27 3:00-5 :00 SMATE workshop at WWU

Friday 11/4 Purple Friday - No School

Last call for this round of Scholastic Book Orders!

Please place your online order by Monday, October 10th.

New to ordering? Here’s how:

1. Go online to: https://clubs.scholastic.com/

2. Click on 'Connect to a Teacher' and enter our BFPP Class Code: RT8NH

3. Create an account.

4. Shop the flyers and pay online for your order.

5. Please email Heidi Zollner and let her know you've ordered so we can arrange pick up/delivery of your books.

6. Books should arrive at school by the first week in November.

Thanks for supporting our school's library with your purchase!

Hey all! Art club meets Thursday 10/13, 1:30-2:30 in the multipurpose room. Please bring your favorite Halloween craft materials to work on!

RSVP to sivspain@icloud.com or text 206-349-9078

Let’s gather to talk about all things adolescence and middle school – you know, the joys and challenges we ALL share. Things like: changing moods and surprising emotions, shifting sleep schedules, the desire for dances and other new needs, independence and interdependence, body image, social interactions and so, so much more. We have so much collective wisdom among us, and we are so much stronger together.

This gathering will be facilitated by counselor Erica Wolverton, but much of the content will come from you and your current wonders about parenting adolescents.

When: beginning Thursday, October 20th at 11:30 – 12:30pm.

*The group will determine how often we meet going forward.

Where: BFPP – space TBD depending on RSVPs

Who: Any family member of a middle schooler

Why: Because we can thrive in community as much as our kids do.

Please fill out this very quick RSVP so I can prepare adequately choose a space that will hold us all comfortably.

BFPP fundraiser day at Village Books is coming our way on Thursday, October 20th. That's the day Village Books and Paper Dreams donate 20% of sales online and in-store to our school library for new books!

On October 20th, you can shop in person with the flyer below, or shop online and type "BFPP" in the comments box to ensure BFPP gets credit for your purchases.

Contact Heidi with questions or if you need a printed copy of our flyer. Thanks!

Save the Date - Thursday, October 27th

Hi Families! Have you been wondering how to incorporate more hands on and engaging activities regarding science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) into your home-learning experiences?

Come join us in person on Thursday, October 27th from 3-5pm at SMATE (Science, Math and Technology Education) on WWU's campus, where professors from each discipline will work in small groups to introduce you to new ideas, what’s available on SMATE’s shelves for check-out and answer all your questions. More details to come…

If you have questions, please send them to Teacher Jackie.

Dear K-5 LEO Families,

Thank you for your patience in navigating technical issues over the past couple of weeks. If you continue to have trouble accessing Accelerate Education or cannot watch videos on Accelerate Education, please reach out to me at: brooke.wertz@bellinghampublicschools.org. These problems are now most likely issues with the device which are best solved in person. I will happily find a time to meet with you in person to exchange your device and help to set it up for easy access to the learning platform.

Sincerely,

Brooke Wertz

Hello BFPP Family, I wanted to introduce myself.

After teaching in the classroom for many years, I began working specifically with Kindergarten- 5th grade struggling readers in the Bellingham Public Schools as a district Reading Specialist. Since coming to BFPP, I have brought my knowledge and resources to share with families. One of the ways that I have worked to share resources with the BFPP community is to create the Literacy Lab.

The Literacy Lab has moved to a new location! It is still on the top floor of the building, but, this year, the Literacy Lab is in the Performer/Creator Room. I have been using the Literacy Lab to provide Literacy Consultation and Coaching to our families. Now that the building is open for the school year, I wanted you to know that I am available to meet with you.

Here are some of the things I’m offering:

• different types of literacy screenings
• help find your child’s reading level
• share ideas for working with a struggling reader
• share ideas for motivating readers
• host literacy workshops
• work 1:1 with you on ideas for home literacy learning
• work 1:1 with you and your child in the Lab for Literacy Coaching on a regular basis

I have brought many of the materials I’ve gathered over the years to BFPP and am making them available by appointment with me. If you’d like to meet with me, please send me an email introducing yourself and briefly letting me know what you’re needs are (don’t forget to include your LPP). I’ll send you my Sign Up Genius to make an appointment. If you have a struggling reader at home and are in need of some help, please feel free to reach out to me.

–Carrie Vining (carrie.vining@bellinghamschools.org)

We have sensory tools for you to check out! Sensory tools can help calm the nervous system during overstimulating situations. There are also tools available to help learners focus and to improve opportunities for learning.

Watch the videos in the QR codes found in the Student Tools Catalog below to see our own students using the tools!

If you think your learner might benefit from one of the tools, reach out to your learning plan partner or talk to Peggy at the front desk.

Questions? Comments? Reach out to Erica Wolverton

We Want to Support You and Your Business!

Hello Bellingham Family Partnership Families! I hope you’re having a great start to the fall season. My name is Jenny Candivi, and our family has attended BFPP off and on for the past five years. Our son is Oliver Candivi. After selling our Restaurant, Il Granaio, in Skagit County during Covid, our family opened Stella Sopra Italian food truck here in Bellingham.

Teacher Erica and I were talking one morning and we came up with the idea of putting together a list of BFPP business owners as a way to get to know and to support each other!

If you own a business and would like to be included in a BFPP community business owners directory, fill out the Google form below no later than October 28th.

I’ll start putting together a list, then share it with our school. I’m excited to learn more about all of you, and excited to start supporting your business!

Many thanks,

Jenny

Here is the form: https://forms.gle/mhvWpSxRE3EWAkrS7

A big thank you to all who contributed to our BFPP club interest list at the resource fair.

Our most-wished-for clubs are Minecraft, chess, Pokémon, Harry Potter, and hiking.

Our vast array of other interests include cooking, volleyball, Star Wars, parkour, dance, board games, handball, Future City, birding, speed cubing, horses, and March Mammal Madness.

Clubs come in many different shapes, sizes, and formats. A key to leading a club is to create something that's a good fit for you and your family- that adds to your homeschool experience in a way that makes the extra effort worthwhile.

If you're itching to lead a club, that's wonderful! Contact your LPP or Heidi Zollner to get started.

Are you unsure but willing to entertain the idea? Thank you for considering it! Be on the lookout for club-building support opportunities coming soon.

Pick up a pamphlet at the front desk of BFPP to discover all the amazing shows available this season to you and your family at MBT!

To buy tickets for your family, visit their website or call the MBT Ticket Office at 360-734-6080. Families are responsible for their own transportation and bringing their email confirmation of tickets.

The Padilla Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve has lots of free fall class offerings. They offer Junior Ecologist classes for ages 6-9, Mini Explorers classes for ages 3-5, and all-ages events as well.

Coming up on Saturday, October 22nd from 11-2 is Watershed Art and Discovery Day for the whole family. Play, create, and learn all about estuaries and the wonderful creatures that inhabit our local ecosystems through fun interactive exploration and art! Create your own estuary collage. Construct your own recycled jellyfish. Create a miniature wildlife habitat village, and more! Brought to you by the Skagit Conservation Education Alliance.

Celebrate Indigenous Peoples' Day, coming up on Monday, October 10th, with resources, lessons, and activity plans for grades K-8 from IllumiNative.

The BFPP Math Clubs are celebrating Global Math Week (October 10th-17th) by working with Exploding Dots! What exactly are Exploding Dots, you ask? Check out https://www.explodingdots.org for an interactive tutorial and see for yourself!

Have an item, talent, idea, or interest to share with the BFPP community at large? Please consider sharing via the newsletter! Email Heidi with your contributions. Thank you!

Next newsletter: Friday, October 21st.

BFPP Calendar

Staff Directory

Welcome Guide

Vision, Mission, and Core Beliefs

AL*e Parent Login

AL*e Parent Login Instructions

Newsletter Archive

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