|
PTSA
Committee News
|
MATH CARNIVAL February 1, 2008 6:00-8:00 Pizza, games, and more. Mark
your calendar for a mathnificent night of fun.
Social Concerns Committee
Thank you to everyone who participated in our multicultural
food drive for Hopelink!! We donated over 310 pounds of food to this
great organization. Our efforts will be greatly appreciated by those
who are in need this holiday season!!
BSD FAMILIES IN NEED for the HOLIDAYS!
Bennett
PTSA Social Concerns Committee
Would you like to make the Holidays a little extra special
for three Bellevue School District families? Please donate new or gently
used items from the list below. Send items to school before Wednesday,
December 18th, the start of Holiday break. There will be a decorated
collection box outside the main office.
To help prevent duplicates, get more information or to arrange item
pick-up, please contact Michelle Ball at 425.564.8315 or michball@winisp.net.
Thanks and HAPPY HOLIDAYS!
Adults
- gift cards: TOP and Fred Meyer
- adult vitamins
- men's socks: size 9-10
Boys
- 10 years old clothing: L top, 36x30 pant toys: wrestling action
figures, Pokemon and Yu-Gi-Oh
- 3 years old clothing: size 4T
- 2 years old clothing: size 3T
Baby
- arrives next month (girl)
- bath tub
Girls
- 10 years old clothing: size 12
- 5 years old clothing: size 5 toys: anything "girlie"
November 30, 2007 is a
great day to remember as
a community. Approximately 300 people attended this event to enjoy food,
entertainment and to visit with old friends and make new ones.
Many thank you's are in order
for the success of this event and if we missed
someone, know that your contributions are greatly appreciated.
- First of all
the families who came. Without the food, without each family
coming this would not have been the event that it was.
- Thank you
for your support and cooperation in moving aside tables so we could
dance. The clean up process took less than a half an hour!
- Thank you to
the Multicultural committee members and spouses, who used their
creativity and team work in getting set up and prepare for the event.
- We tried a
couple of new things this year so that we would get to know one
another better. A special thank you goes to the 5th grade
students who ran
the activity and MC'd the performance part of the event.
Watching you all
work together as a team, problem solving, and taking turns in
leadership
were a benefit to all who attended and made that portion of the
program run
so well. The poster of the world and people listing where they
were from
was a wonderful idea!
- First
graders your enthusiasm and joy of life bubbled over in the songs you
sang, and you brought smiles (and happy tears) to just about everyone
in the
room.
- Noga Khen
and Angel Lo, thank you for sharing your musical talents with us.
Your sweet voices were beautiful.
- Divya, you
danced the Bollywood number beautifully.
- Maureen,
(Bonnie's daugher our beloved lunch time cook) Thank you for sharing
the intricate Irish dances. They were incredible to watch.
- And thank
you Tony for volunteering to play your clarinet for us.
- Mrs.
Champion. We are thankful for your enthusiasm in teaching us to
country line dance to the "Cotton Eyed Joe". You had us all
getting in our
exercize after all of that great food!
- The staff
are particularly appreciated for their efforts and support of this
event.
- First grade
teachers Ms. Tews and Mrs. Warner, thank you for taking
time out of your schedules to teach music and the value of cooperation
and
respect, and for taking your personal time to support them in their
amazing
performance.
- Mr. Drugge
thank you for supporting this event with the fifth grade students
and teaching them about leadership, cooperation, encouragment and so
much
more. You led them by preparing them, encouraging them and
let them shine.
- To all of
our fifth graders that were part of the evening from coordinating
the 'survey', to painting the amazing earth and coming up with a
theme, to
stepping up to MC the event, thank you. Keep on developing those
leadership
skills, you were awesome!
- Thank you
Mrs. Landreth you helped with strategy and communication and you
dealt with a host of questions
- and Mrs.
Harriet who was helpful behind the scenes helping with technical
planning and set up for sound and the slide presentation.
- The
Custodial staff, and in particular, Khan, for setting up the stage and
final clean up.
Thank you all again for the great support! See you
next year!
The Multicultural Committee
- The Bennett
PTSA Executive Board consists of 8 Bennett parents.
- Most of the Executive
Board Members work outside the home in addition to coaching youth
sports teams, leading scout troops, and parenting a combined total of
18 children.
- Serving on
the Executive Board is doable for any parent. It is important and
necessary for the life of the organization. Even if you are a working
parent, consider how you can be involved.
- The
Nominating Committee is forming now and will be actively looking for
willing committed individuals to serve our Bennett Community for the
2008-09 school year.
If you are interested in serving in a leadership position
next year please contact anyone on the Executive Board for more
information.
Spirit Wear!
Show your school spirit!
You can print an order form from the Bennett web site
at www.bennettelementary.org and drop it in the office
with payment (checks only made out to Bennett PTSA).
The sweatshirts are priced at cost at $16.00 for youth sizes
and $20.00 for adult sizes.
· Hooded Sweatshirt Style #1: Large Center
Emblem,
· Hooded Sweatshirt Style #2: Small 'Pocket' Emblem
· Navy with White Lettering (both styles)
· Available in Youth Sizes (S, M, L) and Adult Sizes (S, M, L, XL)
Questions?
Call Chris Douglas, PTSA Volunteer, at 425-603-1718.
|
|
Principal's Post
|
|
By Chris Thomas
Questions about Curriculum?
In the Bellevue School District, we continually collaborate
to build a K-12 program that prepares all students for college success. As
a parent, you may have questions or want to provide feedback about our
Curriculum Web. If so, please contact me through the main office or
by e-mail (thomasc@bsd405.org).
Since September, we have
offered a "Math Olympiads" program for 4th and 5th grade
students. The intent of the program is to provide enriching math
experiences for students who are ready and willing. We also hope to boost
the overall effort and attitude of students toward math. The students
meet with Mr. Levin (Enrichment Teacher) and parent volunteers each
Wednesday during lunch recess.
Lately, I have been working
with parents to organize a "Math Olympiads" type program for K-3
students. Our plan is to have the program up and running sometime in
January. More information will be provided soon.
Wishing you a wonderful
break!
|
|
From the Office
|
|
QUESTIONS
IN ANOTHER LANGUAGE??
The
Bellevue School District has instituted phone lines that parents can access
for the above languages!
ATTENDANCE
LINE !!!! 456-4801
Please
use Bennett's new attendance line when reporting your child's absence.
Thanks!!
- Please remember to fill out a
Prearranged Absence form if your child is going to be gone from school
for longer than 3 days. They are available in the office.
- PLEASE come by the 'Lost and
Found' (now located in the patrol closet by room 23) and look
for any clothing your child may have misplaced. We will be 'cleaning
out ' the closet before break. Please also remember to label all
jackets and articles that could possibly be lost.
- Many thanks to Mary Kay Westmoreland
for organizing out November Fiesta lunch provided by the 3rd grade
parents. YUM!!!
Bellevue
School District Kindergarten Registration Information 2008 - 2009
Web Site: www.bsd405.org
Kindergarten Registration begins Monday, January 28, 2008. Please call
your neighborhood school for actual registration times.
Kindergarten registration continues at your neighborhood
school through the last day of school (6/19/08) and resumes when the
elementary school offices open in August. (Registering early is encouraged.)
Children must be five years old by August 31, 2008.
Bring birth certificate and social security number*. (*Disclosure of
a student's social security number is voluntary and is used as a student
identification number in the district.)
To locate your neighborhood school, visit our website, click
on "Departments;" then "Transportation Services;" and
then "School Boundary Information" where you can enter your
address. OR, call 425-456-4200.
Open Enrollment 2008
The Open Enrollment period for the 2008-2009 school year
will be January 7 through February 8, 2008. Additional information on
this process will be posted on the Bellevue School District website
(bsd405.org) and will be available on January 2, 2008.
Safety News
By Roger Allington
Today's safety news is regarding the orange traffic cones
the safety patrol puts out. When the cones are in place at the drive
opposite 179th Ave NE, no vehicle should come through the cones. There
are, of course, exceptions such as when the Bellevue Police vehicle
comes. Then the safety patrol guard handling the cones will move a
cone to let the official vehicle through. No one else should try to
use this temporary gap to enter the area in front of the school. The
cones are also removed to allow school buses to enter--this is a temporary
opening and no one should follow the buses through. We have had more
than one occasion where a motorist has followed a bus through the cones;
that is a "no-no".
Finally, no one should come through the cones even if there
is room between the cones to enter. The safety patrol guards use 5 or
6 cones evenly spaced across this east drive and regardless of the space
between adjacent cones, no entry is allowable. We have had a number of
drivers who see a wide space between cones and drive through--this too is a
"no-no".
The reason for this emphasis on the cones is the fact
that there are a lot of pedestrians, students and adults crossing these
drives between 8:40 am, when the buses start arriving, and 8:55
am when the first bell rings and the cones are normally picked
up. While the pedestrians should look both ways and not depend on the
cones to protect them, many do not look, as they are not expecting vehicles
in the driveways in front of the school while the cones are in place.
|
|
Community Calendar
|
|
 December
Now - Dec 24th Snowflake Lane @ Bellevue Square
Now - Dec 31st Garden d'Lights Bellevue Botanical
Garden
26th - Jan 1st 12th Annual Model Train Festival at WA State
History Museum
Now - Jan 6th Group Health Ice Arena @ Bellevue
Downtown Park
|
|
Community Servive Announcements
|
Save the Date!
Education Roadshow -
"How Students Learn"
Wednesday,
January 30, 7:00 p.m.
Newport High School Performing ArtsCenter (PAC)
The highly successful "Education Roadshow" will be
back for a second round. You may recall that our first presentation,
"A Byte About Bellevue," offered parents a look at how the
BellevueSchool district uses technology to enhance education.
This year's presentation, tentatively titled, "How
Students Learn," will build on that message by offering parents great
ideas about using the information available in the Curriculum Web to build
understanding of daily lessons.
Dr. John Bransford, lead researcher on the book "How
People Learn: Brain, Mind, Experience, and School," will deliver the
keynote address. Parents will then attend breakout sessions by grade level
to learn strategies for helping students at home.
Please mark your calendars now for this district-wide event. Additional
details will be shared as they become available.
The Education Roadshow is sponsored by the Bellevue Schools
Foundation, the Bellevue PTSA Council, BellevueQualitySchools, the
BellevueSchool District, and the Bellevue School Board.
**DENTAL SEALANT DAY!**
(For
kids ages 6-13)
The Lake Washington Dental Hygienists' Society is offering a
preventive dental program, Saturday, February 9, 2008, from 9am to
2pm. This program is in honor of National Children's Dental Health
Month. We will be providing dental sealants, exams, bitewing x-rays,
and fluoride varnish to children who would not otherwise be able to receive
this cavity-prevention treatment. Children whose teeth are unable to
be sealed due to decay will have their cavities filled at a later date for
no additional fee.
Sealants are white coatings applied to the chewing surfaces
of the back teeth. They are non-toxic and protect teeth from
cavities. This process is painless, can protect your child's teeth for
6-8 years, and is usually done in less than an hour. Registered
Dental Hygienists from the state of Washington will place the sealants on
your child's teeth.
The cost of this program is $5.00 per child. This includes all of the
services mentioned above, a total value of over $300 per child. No
child will be turned away due to inability to pay the fee.
Treatment will be provided on a first come first served
basis to the first 100 children. Since enrollment for this terrific
opportunity is limited, please arrive early at the dental clinic at Lake
Washington Technical College. The clinic phone number is
(425)739-8130. 11605 132nd Ave NE, Kirkland WA
98034 Arrive early to ensure treatment!
The Bellevue Public Schools has neither reviewed nor approved
the program, personnel, activities, or organizations announced in this
flyer. Permission to distribute this flyer should not be considered a
recommendation or endorsement of the program by Bellevue Public Schools.
BELL
Registration
is now open for Bellevue East Little League Spring 2008 baseball and
softball programs. You can visit the web site at www.bellevueeastll.org for more information. Mandatory
evaluations for AAA/Majors levels will be held February 2nd and 3rd. AA
evaluations will be held on February 9th and 10th. Scholarships are
available.
Bellevue ski school is
starting on January 5th. Sign you student and your whole family up
NOW and receive the discount until December 3rd!
All registration is online
so, check out our website for ski school dates & great information at www.bellevueskischool.com. Registration ends on
December 15th .
Please COME and ENJOY the SNOW,
SKIING and BOARDING with your friends and family!
|
|
News from State PTA
|
|
Washington
coalition for School LIbraries
How
Local Units can get involved
WSPTA
is pleased to announce that we have joined the Washington Coalition for School
Libraries and Information Technology to assist them in securing state
funding for school libraries.
Support
for Library Funding was voted a top priority this year by delegates to our
Legislative Assembly. Please forward this message from the coalition
to your members:
Dismayed at their own district's third reduction to the school library
program in four years, 3 moms launched a petition to see if other WA
citizens cared. Over 2,000 people have signed on in less than a
month.
Dubbed
the Washington Coalition for School Libraries and Information Technology
(WCS-Lit), we are inviting all Washington PTA members to take action. A
meeting will be held with our Senate Majority Leader on 12/18, and other
Senators and Representatives are dialoging with the Coalition about this
issue.
THE
COALITION NEEDS YOUR HELP IN THE FOLLOWING WAYS:
3. CALL OLYMPIA!
Call the Legislative Hotline at 1-800-562-6000. Your opinion goes to
your 2 Reps, 1 Senator and the Governor. (You don't need to know who they
are when you call.) Tell them you support a line-item in the state
budget for school libraries. They've told us they're waiting to hear if people
speak up.
5. Pass this message on to all the parents in your school's
PTA, and encourage them to get involved.
The school library is the great equalizer and the place our
children will be trained in 21st Century skills -- please help us save them
from further erosion!
For more information, contact:
Kim Howard
Community Relations/Advocacy Coordinator
Washington State PTA
1.800.562.3804 Office
253-241-7187 Cell
253.565.7753 Fax - khoward@wastatepta.org
|
|
Bellevue Schools Foundation (BSF)
|
|
Language Arts
The new and improved Language Arts curriculum for middle and
high school students focuses on developing skills in non-fiction writing
needed for success in college and the workplace.
This important program will benefit all 6th - 10th grade
students in the Bellevue School District. Thanks to the support from
parents and the greater Bellevue community, the Bellevue Schools Foundation
is providing $258,000 this year towards this district wide Language Arts
program.
Spring for Schools Benefit Luncheon
Mark your calendars now! The 20th Annual Bellevue
Schools Foundation Spring for Schools Benefit Luncheon will be held on
Thursday, June 5, 2008 at Meydenbauer Center , from 11:30am - 1:30pm.
More details to follow.
Winter Curriculum Enhancement Grants Deadline
The deadline for submitting grant requests is Friday,
February 1, 2008. Awarded Winter Grants will be announced on Friday,
February 15, 2008.
Amazon.com
It's easy to raise money for our schools while you shop at
Amazon.com. Just go to the Bellevue Schools Foundation (BSF) website
home page, www.bsfdn.org and click on the Amazon.com link.
BSF receives over 7% of each sale. Remember, you must go through our
website link for BSF to get credit for the order.
|
|
Librarian's Corner
|
|
By Jean Bolivar
Students in 2nd, 3rd, and 4th grade have been working on the
internet.
2nd graders learned how to use a photograph for
research. Next week they'll ask questions about old Bellevue when
they use 100 year old photos of downtown. They'll also learn the term
"Primary Document".
3rd graders are learning to navigate a website using MSN
weather. They found the weather in 3 countries, in Fahrenheit and
Celsius, and clicked between this week and next week's forecast.
4th graders have been using print dictionaries and thesauri
to practice using their alphabetical order skills. They checked their
work at www.dictionary.com. Then at www.freerice.com they increased their vocabularies
while donating rice to the UN World Food Programme.
You can check out the photo
website and the weather site on our library catalog. Go to http://weblibr.bsd405.org, click on weblinks and then
on the site you are interested in.
Ask me for the passwords to
CultureGrams, elibrary, World Book online, and netTrekker.
|
|
