25-26: Week 1 Classroom News

The Blue Bay classroom is off to a great start of the year. We are excited to have the returning students back to Black Butte School, and welcome some new students as well. It is my first week at BBS, and I am already enjoying the community atmosphere and inclusive culture of the school. We have rung in the first two days of school with team building activities, get-to-know-each-other games, and familiarizing ourselves with the daily schedule and routine. Academically, students are reviewing multiplication and division skills as a whole class, and adding to their vocabulary in their composition books for humanities. Looking forward to a positive school year with these upper graders!

As a reminder, we would like all students to come prepared every day with the five essentials that are necessary for Field Studies:

• Backpack
• Walking Shoes
• Water Bottle
• Warm Jacket
• Rain Jacket

Please let us know if we can support you in providing any of these items (school is planning on supplying a water bottle for each student).

We are 2 days in and so far, so good! It was great to connect yesterday, thanks to families for coming out. Like I said yesterday everyone seems to be happy and making friends. The kids hold it together better for me, so please let me know if something is coming up at home. We are practicing the classroom norms and rhythms this week with playing, singing, and exploring our classroom resources.

Our first topic is a social studies unit called The Wide World of Schools. Our big question is: Why is school important, and what does it look like in communities around the world? We read a sweet book called The Magical Yet today to introduce the idea of perseverance and we might need the word “yet” to help us with our growth mindset. 

Consolidated Tidbits from Yesterday’s Class Gathering with Green Ridge:

How can we, as parents, best support Mr. B and the children in having a holistically successful school year?

• Communication is key! Please ask questions!

How soon would Mr. B like to know about a scheduled absence?

• As soon as you know! He’ll write down the dates and keep this absence in mind when creating lesson plans.

Will Green Ridge students be able to wear a pair of inside shoes?

• Yes, once the weather turns soggy and as long as they are shoes. No slippers or sandals!

We are off to a superb start! The Green Ridge class has their Purple (Take Home) Folders. Please take a glance with your student at what’s included.

Cheers!

Welcome back to BBS everyone! It has been a big week here at school as we welcome new students and staff and reconnect with returning ones. Everyone has come in with a great attitude and ready to get to work this year. The first week of school is always an exciting transition as we establish new routines and get back in the flow of school. It was great to see so many families at our back-to-school event and I am excited to work with a great group of students this year. 

I will be teaching Field Studies for the 4-7 graders this year and P.E./Health for all students. We will spend this first week of Field Study class introducing the goals of the class and establishing classroom routines and expectations. This often takes a while so we probably won’t get into much science content until week 2. 

In P.E. class we will focus on teamwork to start the year. I like to start out with team building games that get the kids moving and having fun. Establishing our connections to each other is always a huge part of success each school year. If we can see ourselves as part of a team and learn to cooperate and show empathy, then class will go much smoother throughout the ups and downs of the coming school year. 

Please reach out if you have any questions. We are here to partner with your family to support your kids on their learning journey.