BF Day PTSA Connection

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• 128 years of Excellence in Education - A Distinguished Past and a Bright Future
• 3921 Linden Avenue North Seattle, Washington 98103 (206) 252-6010 (206) 252-6011 fax 
• http://dayes.seattleschools.org/
• 2019-2020 PTSA Family Handbook

School starts for Grades 1 - 5!  Welcome back!

K and Pre-school parents will have conferences this week.  Please be sure you bring your child with you to these conferences. Your classes begin Monday, September 9th.

On the first day of school

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:

OPENING DAY PACKET (Parent homework)

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.  

Papers To Fill Out And Return ASAP

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?          

• Privacy and Privacy Act (FERPA online, email to smhaas@seattleschools.or or print and return) o From 504-2 - Disabled Form (online if applicable, email to jrtaylor@seattleschools.org or print and return) o Title VII Eligibility (for new students only, if applicable email to smhaas@seattleschools.or or print and return) o B. F. Day learners and Caring, Engaged and Responsible for your records.  Please read, sign and return to office the three holed form stating you have read and understand this important document.

Student Housing Questionnaire (if applicable submit to mkv@seattleschools.org) o Room Parent letter

Printed or on Start of School Forms page to Be Read For Your Home Files

• The Volunteer webpage is at the bottom of the Start of School forms. All volunteers must complete this application which is now good for two years.  If available, please also fill out PTSA Volunteer Form.
• Superintendent Juneau’s Welcome Letter o Non-Discrimination Statement
• SchoolPay for Field Trips, etc. – see the Dayette for September 3, 2019
• Protection of Pupil Rights Amendment (PPRA)
• -The Source-Schoology flyers. Because many new systems are accessed through the Source, it's important information about how to sign up.
• Advanced Learning Opportunity –DEADLINE September 23!
• Attendance Letter is online with your Student Verification form o Basic Rules for All Students o PTSA Easy Everyday Fundraiser o Health Insurance (optional) o Chinook Book order forms (optional) o SPS one-page calendar for the year
• PTSA After School Enrichment Programs

Advanced Learning Opportunity 

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

School Bus Information

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. 

Bell Schedule

Start and End Time:

• 7:55 a.m. - 2:25 p.m.
• Early Release Wednesday: 7:55 a.m. - 1:10 p.m.
• Children can be here as early as 7:35 when adult supervision begins.  Breakfast, library and outside are options until first bell at 7:50 when they line up outside.  They should be seated ready to learn at 7:55. Dismissal is from the playground to parents/caregivers or to the bus if they take it.  The Boys & Girls Club picks up near the rooms after school for those staying onsite.

 School Supply Plan – Please send, if you haven’t done so yet!

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:

• No running around last-minute finding supplies (saving gas and energy)
• Teachers ensure they receive the supplies they need/require
• You don’t need a supply list Lower cost due to bulk ordering
• You won’t be inadvertently purchasing supplies that the classroom won’t use
• Less 1st day of school supply management

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.

 Languages

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 5^th K classroom, and the K-1 classroom can become either a 1^st 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.

Puyallup Fair Tickets

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.

Field Trips and School Pay

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

PTSA Information

 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/

BF Day Cross Country starting soon

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.  

Volunteer Needs

• Transport items to Goodwill

• Make little booklets for classrooms

 School Nurse News

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 1^st day of school in September. 

Here’s a list to check off before school begins in September:

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 1^st day of school. 

If you believe your child no longer has a life-threatening allergy or condition:

• Request a medical note from your health care provider that clearly states that there is no life-threatening condition that requires emergency medication.
• The medical note must be received on or before the 1^st day of school for your child to be allowed to attend classes without the emergency medication.

Thank you for attending to these important matters. I look forward to another great school year!

• Sophie Bo, BSN RN
• B.F. Day School Nurse
• 206.252.6010 
• Fax: 206.743-3108                         ssbo@seattleschools.org