For the Week of January 8th through January 15th, 2017.
Classroom Treats/Snacks – NEW GUIDELINES
In order to continue our efforts to prevent the spread of winter illnesses, we will be implementing new guidelines for classroom snacks/treats.
Moving forward, any snacks or treats provided to classrooms must come in individual, pre-packaged packs that students can open on their own. This means we will no longer provide items like cupcakes or cookies for events (ex. birthdays) as they increase the risk of spreading illnesses. If a parent/guardian brings in snacks/treats that do not meet these guidelines, we will ask you to take them home or will dispose of them. We appreciate your cooperation as these guidelines are for the safety and health of our entire school community.
New Custodian
As mentioned in an e-mail earlier this week, Mr. Fandel retired before the break after over 30 years of service to the Bates. We thank him for his dedication to our school community and wish him well in his retirement! We are pleased to welcome Mr. Joe Fidler, a West Roxbury native and Hyde Park resident, as our new custodian. His photo is now posted on the website so families know who he is.
School Site and Parent Council: January 11th, 2017
The regular meeting for the School Site and Parent Council will be on Wednesday January 11th from 5:30-7:00pm with free dinner and childcare provided. At this meeting, the school community will have the opportunity to preview a rough draft schedule for the 2017-2018 school year, which extends the school day.
Extended Learning Time – 2017-2018
Before the break, Superintendent Chang informed Boston Public Schools staff that the City of Boston and Mayor Walsh will support Extended Learning Time next year with an investment of $14 million. Extended Learning Time will happen for all Schedule A schools, which includes the Bates. At this time, there are no immediate plans to change start times, which means for the 2017-2018 school year the Bates’s school day will be 9:30am-4:10pm. I know there are many concerns about this change and I encourage all parents to reach out to me and I am happy to connect you with district-level staff who will hear your concerns.
Fundraising Projects
Thank you to everyone who donated to our fundraising project for 2nd Grade! The project was fully funded. We currently multiple one classroom fundraising campaign going:
The K2 team is fundraising for a new kitchen set on DonorsChoose. We only have 9 days left to fund this project! 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.
Fox Fund
We are pleased to announce our annual giving fund, which we are calling the Fox Fund. These funds will support annual programs for students to alleviate some of the school budget resources. Our goal is to raise $100 for every student. Click here to donate and share the link with your networks. We will also be sending home donation fliers.
Upcoming Dates
January 11 – School Site and Parent Council Meeting
January 16 – NO SCHOOL – Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
January 20 – Coffee with the Principal
Our website is https://thephineasbates.org/.
Follow us on Twitter at @BatesSchoolBPS
“Like” our Facebook Page
Phineas Bates Elementary School 