For the Week of November 13th through November 20th, 2016.
Do you have a national or religious holiday we can acknowledge in the newsletter? Let Mr. Vega know!
City Wide School Showcase – Saturday December 3rd, 2016
On Saturday December 3rd, 2016, all Boston Public Schools will be open from 9am to 1pm to welcome potential families as they begin the process of enrolling their children. This process is essential to the longevity of the Bates, as a strong showing from our current school community will inspire prospective parents to list us high on their choices. Please sign up for one or both shifts to meet families, talk about your experience of the Bates, and support the event. As a majority of prospective parents are looking for Kindergarten seats, we are hoping for a strong showing from Kindergarten families. You can sign up to volunteer here.
Election Day Bake Sale – We Did It!
Thank you to everyone to helped out with the Bake Sale, whether it was volunteering your time or donating baked goods. We made $1500!
Extended Learning Time Planning Team
Next year, our school will implement Schedule A Expanded Learning Time (ELT), a joint initiative between BPS, BTU, and the Mayor of Boston, to increase the length of the school day. This will provide children with more time for high-quality instruction and give teachers the time they need to collaborate as professionals. We know that this change will take significant planning, and – in partnership with Education Resource Strategies (ERS) – the district has developed a hybrid model of whole group professional learning sessions and school-based workshops to support us through the process.
Ideally, we ask that any volunteer be able to attend all sessions.
- November 16th, 12:00-3:30 : Whole Group Session #2
- November 17 – December 7: School-based Workshop #2 with Bates Team
- 7:30am-11:00am OR 12:30pm-4:30pm
- Final Date TBD
- December 8: Whole Group Session #3
Please let Mr. Vega know if you are interested in serving on this team as a family representative.
School Site and Parent Council: November 16th
This month’s topic will be the Quality School Plan and Instructional Focus for 2016-2017.
You will also be able to provide feedback and hear updates about:
- Extended Learning time in 2017-2018
- How we should spend our $100,000 School on the Move Prize money
- The Roslindale K-8 Pathway
The meeting will begin at 5:30pm and end at 7:00pm, with free childcare and pizza provided.
Coffee with the Principal
Join Mr. Vega on TOMORROW November 14th (we apologize for the last-minute change) for Coffee with the Principal. At 7:45am in Room 204, Mr. Vega will be at school to talk to parents over coffee. This months focus: communicating academic performance. You’ll have a chance to discuss how we provide information to you about your student’s academic growth.
Fundraising Projects
We currently multiple online fundraising campaigns going:
The Bates School Garden has another crowdsourcing fundraiser about to begin. Instead of votes, Seed Money operates much like Donors Choose. People can donate any amount $5 or more towards our goal. If we do not reach our goal, we still get to keep what we raise. We can also continue to raise money over our goal. The month-long fundraiser begins on November 15 and you can donate here once it starts.
The first 75 projects that reach $600 will get a $400 grant from Seed Money. Another 50 will receive a $400 merit grant. Please reach out to your networks to help us reach our goal.
The 2nd grade team is fundraising for technology on DonorsChoose. You can donate here.
The K2 team is fundraising for a new kitchen set on DonorsChoose. You can donate here.
Please donor or share these pages with our networks to support Bates students!
Weather and Outdoor Play
As the weather begins to become cold, parents have questions about when we make the decision to go outside. You can refer to this graph that we use to inform the decision. That being said, please make sure your child comes to school with warm clothing and outerwear. There is no need to call the office to remind us about individual students; teachers are very diligent in making sure all students are dressed appropriately.
Upcoming Dates
November 14 – Coffee with the Principal (NEW DATE)
November 16 – School Site and Parent Council Meeting
November 23 – Early Dismissal
November 24-25 – No School
November 30 – Roslindale Pathway Meeting: 6:00pm at the Irving Middle School
Our website is https://thephineasbates.org/.
Follow us on Twitter at @BatesSchoolBPS
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Phineas Bates Elementary School 