| 13 Nov 2019 01:10PM - Early Release Wednesdays |
| 18 Nov 2019 08:00AM - 08:20AM BF Day Assembly - all are always invited |
| 19 Nov 2019 06:00PM - 07:45PM November PTSA Meeting - all are invited |
| 25 Nov 2019 Elementary Conference Days (NO SCHOOL for elementary students) |
| 28 Nov 2019 Thanksgiving Break |
| 17 Dec 2019 06:00PM - 07:45PM December PTSA Board Meeting - all are invited |
| 20 Dec 2019 01:25PM - 1-hour early dismissal |
| 23 Dec 2019 Winter Break |
Fall Enrichment Online registration opens on Wednesday, September 18th at 6pm.
Register online on the PTSA website bfdayptsa.org. Once registered, please go directly to the vendor's site linked on your class to pay. Classes that do not take online payment are Science Club 3-5 and Karate. A few paper sign-ups will be available outside the office to be turned in to the PTSA mailbox; electronic is preferred if possible. Once you register with the BF Day site, you should proceed to the vendor's site to complete payment if you were not automatically directed there for registration.
NEW THIS YEAR: Some classes will automatically direct you to the vendor's site to register, bypassing the BF Day registration - this is OK! *REGISTRATION IS NOT FINAL UNTIL PAYMENT HAS BEEN CONFIRMED BY THE VENDOR*
MONDAYS
What's coming up?
10/9 - After school clubs begin! Kindergartners will be walked to their classes for the first few weeks by a grown-up
10/10 - Picture Day
10/17 General assembly PTSA meeting - if you signed up and paid your PTSA dues for 2019-2020, you have a voice and you can vote! Come and make sure you know what is happening at the school (6-7pm Childcare provided)
10/17 Fall Family Dinner (before the general assembly meeting) - Come and eat with old friends and new.
Sauerkraut, mooncakes, kerplach, castañas asadas, dango, fresh pressed cider, maHshii kurunb, eintopf, pane brutto, pumpkin pie, matsutake mushrooms, cocidos.... each family has its own unique way of welcoming the fall harvest into their kitchens. Now is your chance to dig out one of your favorite fall recipes to share with the BF Day community at next week's Family Dinner potluck at the school. This dinner is for the entire school community so consider following the guide below on what to bring, or just show up to dine with friends and neighbors!
10/22, 6pm: Please join the PTAs of Greenwood, Loyal Heights, Adams and B. F. Day as we cohost a workshop, “Raising Mixed Kids: Multiracial Identity & Development” with Sharon H. Chang.
Thank you, outgoing officers - Gayle Perez [President], Cindy Johnson [Secretary], Tanya Miller Boyce [Fundraising], Megan Ladner [Volunteer Coordinator], Jason Evans [Enrichment Coordinator], Mike Sweeney [Vice President], Janet Sawyer [Teacher Rep], Julietta Skoog [BLT], Anne Webster [SPED Liaison)
2019-2020 positions
Will you consider joining us? We need your voice, we need your input. Make this your school, it is a lasting gift for you and the kids that attend The Family School.
President Jamé Trudeau's Welcome message:
To all families new and returning, welcome to the 2019-2020 school year at B.F. Day Elementary School. We are thrilled that we are finally all together for what will be a transformative year. A little about me: I'm a Seattle native and a UW grad. My hobbies include cooking bacon in bulk and I can go to Level 19 in Tetris. I'm also known as Schooner's mom.
B.F. Day is in it's 128th year of consecutive education, the longest in the Seattle School District. We're steeped in history, but we're making our own, too. This year we're larger than ever with a dynamic classes, new teachers to complement our existing rockstar teachers, and a staff/administration ready to support your learners in any way they need.
The PTSA is here for you, too. New Families, it's definitely overwhelming to come to a new school. We're celebrating New Families with a potluck on Wednesday, September 25th . Save the date; having a meal together is the BF Day Way. For those of you returning to BF Day, we are so excited that you are here and know that another great year of learning, growing, and thriving is in store.
Our first All-school assembly is on Monday, September 16th. You're always invited to come see all the students gathered together, hear the school song, and listen to the news and updates for the week. In addition to the PTSA, Principal Jaskot, Ms. Carrie, Ms. Sonja and others in the front office are always here and happy to answer questions. Hope to see you at the First day of school tea/coffee. We have a lot of information to share, so let's get this great year started.
~Jamé
Read more
ARRIVAL: Students and parents may report directly to classrooms between 7:35 and 7:55. There will be greeters available if you forgot the room number or need help finding the classroom. Each room will have a check-in sheet titled “How is my child getting home today?” We request that you list either parent pick-up or bus, with the correct route number. Parents are then invited to the library for a Back to School connection. Our PTSA will have coffee and snacks on hand, and I will offer some information and reminders to the group. It is important to remember that bus service on the first few days will likely be off schedule as drivers and students learn their routines.
Parking at BFDay is extremely limited, so we recommend walking to school whenever possible. If you drive, please consider parking on Fremont Ave N or other side streets. Please remember there is a staircase from Fremont Ave N directly onto our playground. We recommend avoiding Linden Ave N., especially at dismissal time. Buses are parked for over 10 minutes, and the street is very narrow.
DISMISSAL: Prior to dismissal, teachers will check in with students to make sure they know the plan for how they are getting home. At 2:25, teachers walk their classes outside. Students who ride the bus will be monitored as they walk to their correct bus. The drivers will check students’ names to make sure they are listed on their route. They will also confirm which stop they will exit the bus. Please be sure to have your child is familiar with this information.
Students who are adult pick-ups will be reunited with their parent/designee on the playground. Teachers will release students one by one, asking if they see their parent. Teachers watch to make sure that students are safely reconnected with an adult. If you are running late, please don’t worry! At 2:35, any students who haven’t been picked up will be escorted back to the office, and we will call you.
At dismissal, we ask parents to wait on the wood chip areas by the big toys on the upper or lower playground. Teachers will escort students to their line-up areas, where parents can then be reunited with their children. For safety and logistical reasons, please do not try to pick up your child while the lines are moving. Thank you!
After the first day of school, students will line up in the morning and teachers will escort them to classrooms after the 7:50 bell. Parents are welcome to connect on the playground and socialize as students walk inside.
All other arrival and dismissal procedures remain the same. After 2 weeks, daily attendance is not taken by the bus drivers, and this increases their punctuality greatly.
First Day Packet
Below is a snapshot of the cover for parent homework tomorrow. This is what you should be expecting from your child on the envelope with many of the items enclosed:
Dear Parents/Guardians,
Please fill out the papers in the front of this packet and return with your child as soon as possible. Many forms can be found online at www.seattleschools.org/, search for Start of School Forms. We have not printed these forms and if one needs to be filled out for your child(ren) please send completed forms as indicated below. The papers in the back of the envelope can be kept for reference. Your child’s teacher may have added other items to this packet.
Most Important for Emergency Contact: The Student Verification Form is available for parents to confirm and update online through The Source Sept. 4-30. If you cannot complete your Verification Form online please fill out this paper form IMMEDIATELY and return to smhaas@seattleschools.org. https://www.seattleschools.org/UserFiles/Servers/Server_543/File/forms/emergency_release/emergency_rel ease_form_english.pdf. Students marked as confidential or with a no contact order must provide data verification through a paper form to protect privacy and safety.
Preschool families have previously received many of the items below:
Student Emergency & Release Form – (online for ALL) IF YOU CORRECT YOUR VERIFICATION
FORM ONLINE YOU DO NOT NEED TO COMPLETE THIS FORM o PTSA Membership form (optional) and What We Do?
Student Housing Questionnaire (if applicable submit to mkv@seattleschools.org) o Room Parent letter
Refer your child on the Source, www.seattleschools.org Families who wish to have children tested for Highly Capable, or Advanced Learner, eligibility refer children on the Source. Parents may also refer on paper referrals (available in nine languages.) These resources can be found electronically on the Advanced Learning K-8 Schoology page. The open window for parents to refer is May 15 – September 23, Questions? Call 206-252-0130 or www.seattleschools.org/advlearnin
The School District, Department of Transportation makes transportation decisions and will mail a notice to your home August 26. Please watch for it and save so you have the bus number, stop and times your child is coming to and from school. If you need a change immediately contact the department at transdept@seattleschools.org or by calling 206-252-0900. Email is usually more immediate. Waiting on the phone can take some time, this is especially true when buses are running and the first couple of weeks of school.
We have a three day solution for 671 since kindergarten is not riding. IT IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT that if your student rides bus 671 and they will not use it on the way home that you let us know so we have an accurate seat count. Please email cbauer@seattleschools.org if so.
All families that have let us know will be able to ride this week. We are still figuring out next week but we likely will have a second run with the older students, sending the younger students at dismissal time. We are calling you right now to see if you truly do want your child on the pending (going this week) list.
For playdates, the school office can issue a yellow card for that day. Please be sure to get an email or note to the office early in the morning for that afternoon or as ahead as you know. Information needed is your child’s name and classroom at day end. The child they’re going home with and that child’s bus and stop if you know it.
Start and End Time:
The PTSA is collecting a flat amount for school supplies for the upcoming school year. Please consider giving a suggested minimum $40/child for school/art supplies. The funds will be batched together where the front office and your child’s teacher will order in bulk for the classroom and art room. This allows us to save a tremendous amount of money and ensures the teachers receive the supplies they need.
Benefits to you: Benefits to the school:
You can PayPal the money to the PTSA at paypal.me/BFDayPTSA or Venmo @BFDayElementary You can also write a check and drop it off or mail it to BF Day Elementary School 3921 Linden Ave N. Seattle, WA 98103 as soon as possible.
Family assistance is also available upon request. Please don’t hesitate to ask. Questions? Email Carrie Bauer at cbauer@seattleschools.org or call 206-252-6010.
We are very fortunate to have several languages spoken by our families in their homes:
Tamil, Amharic, French, Oromo, Tigrinya, Japanese, Chinese-Mandarin, Korean, Hebrew - Modern, English, Dutch, Spanish, Thai, Farsi, Portuguese, ASL, Gujarati, and Arabic. Please let us know if we have missed yours!
Classroom Configurations
As I have been reporting since our Spring staffing, our enrollment numbers have been increasing over the initial projections in February. As a result, we were allocated one additional classroom in June, and there is a strong possibility of yet another classroom after school starts in September. District policy is to monitor enrollment at schools over the first 5 days of school, and then a decision to collapse or expand the number of homerooms district-wide is finalized.
At this time, we have about 100 Kindergarten students enrolled, with 4.5 classrooms planned. Thus, the new classroom will allow for a 5th K classroom, and the K-1 classroom can become either a 1st or a 1-2 classroom, as we originally planned. This will bring some relief in the K-2 classrooms school-wide.
At the recent Jump-Start parent orientation, I asked for patience in this process, as we are working as hard as we can to be proactive with class placement decisions. The reality is that there will be some adjustments needed in September, but we are planning for these to affect as few students and families as possible.
The Washington State Fair (formerly known as the Puyallup Fair) tickets have arrived! (Please remember that children 5 and under are free, so many of your Kindergartener’s will not need a ticket.) Please remember one ticket per student over five years of age. Adult tickets are only available for staff. We will have tickets available in the school office.
The Washington State Fair would like to extend an invitation to you and your students to visit the Washington State Fair, August 31 – September 23, 2018. As a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, the Washington State Fair is making
complimentary tickets available to each student and school employee to be used any day of the Washington State Fair (closed Tuesdays and Sept 5 Wednesday). It is the intention of the Washington State Fair that students and staff from our area be exposed to the rich educational opportunities. We value the opportunity to share this unique experience with your students and staff. Please note that the fraudulent use of the tickets will put the continuation of this program in jeopardy.
School Pay is the method we use to collect funds for field trips. Once I have approved a classroom’s field trip that trip will be listed on SchoolPay so that you can fund your child’s trip. This is the best and preferred method to pay for trips. Please use this link as a guideline on how to use it if you are new to School Pay: https://www.seattleschools.org/cms/One.aspx?portalId=627&pageId=58439596
BF. Day After-School Activities for Fall 2019 start October 9th. Online registration between Wednesday 9/18 thru Monday 9/23. Registration and class descriptions will be available soon at https://bfdayptsa.org/
Come join the BF Day team for their second year! The cross-country league has a short, five-week season with Sunday meets at Woodland Park for all ages (K-8). Practices will start the week of 9/9 with two afterschool practices a week and three Sunday meets. The aim is for running enjoyment with some spirited races for fun rather than competition. Anyone who likes running can join and there is coordination with the on-site Boys and Girls Club if needed.
If interested, please email Adrienne James at tirecapades@yahoo.com.
Welcome back B.F. Day families! To prepare for a healthy and safe 2019-20 school year, please provide updated health and medication information on your child early. Please complete paperwork early and return it to the nurse’s office before the 1st day of school in September.
Here’s a list to check off before school begins in September:
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Immunizations Up to Date?
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If you received a letter from Health Services requesting information about immunizations, please make sure that your child has completed the immunization(s) listed and bring documentation of the immunization to the school nurse. NOTE: The personal exemption for measles is no longer allowed. For school attendance, students must have proof of measles immunization. Exemptions for medical or religious reasons are still allowed. Immunizations are mandated by state law to help keep your child and our community safe and healthy. |
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Medication Form
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”Authorization for Medication at School” form (one for each medication signed by you AND your health care provider). *This form is required for all medications, including over-the-counter.
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Medication
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All medications must be in their original container with a pharmaceutical label. Emergency medications must be in the building on or before the first day of school. *Check medication expiration dates! Try to get medications that that will cover the entire school year. |
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Health Plans
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Health Care Plans were sent home with students on the last day of school. Please review them and return to the school nurse on the first day of school. If you need another copy or have any questions, please let the school nurse know. |
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Flu Clinic |
The Seattle Visiting Nurse Association will be providing flu shots this fall for anyone who would like to receive one. This will be open to students, staff, and anyone in the community. They are scheduled to be at our school on Tuesday, October 1, 2019 from 9:30-11:30 AM. Consent forms will be included in the 1st Day packet. |
IMPORTANT INFORMATION:
At B.F Day Elementary School, the health and safety of our students is a high priority.
Students with a reported life-threatening condition, such as a life-threatening allergy, MUST have emergency medication on or before the 1st day of school.
If you believe your child no longer has a life-threatening allergy or condition:
Thank you for attending to these important matters. I look forward to another great school year!
B.F. Day PTSA 3921 Linden Ave N. Seattle, WA 98103 (206)252-6010
BF Day is a Registered 501(c)(3) organization. Our tax ID# (Employer Identification Number) is: 91-1348668.
