October 2023

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Greetings Wolverine families,

As we near the end of the first month of school, I hope your family is settling into your routines for back to school. We have already gone through Back to School Night, start of school, Parent Teacher Organization (PTO), and getting into learning in classes. Start of school is always so busy, and yet it has a calming effect on routines. We quickly get into the cycle of weekly classes and school, and weekend fun and activities, and I see that in our students.

Now that school is well under way, it is important to check in on how our students are doing with their school work. The demands of life and the balance of work and family have never been more challenging, yet it is critical that we take the time to check in on our kids. Parent Skyward is a great way to see what is going on academically with your child at school. If you have not already done so, I strongly encourage you to set up your account. As you know, your access point to see the attendance, grade, demographic, etc information for your student. Your student should also be able to log in through Skyward. Get your child in the habit of monitoring their own progress and sharing it with you. Either way, now is a good time to check in and start monitoring academic progress, if you haven’t already done so.

Thank you to all who showed up at our Back to School night. It has been great to see the energy created by families walking our hallways in some cases reconnecting with Chief after a summer break, and in some cases getting to know Chief as a new family to our school. While this event is great for getting acquainted, a more in depth conversation about how learning is really going can be done at our upcoming parent conferences. Conferences will run on October 31 12:30-3:00, November 1,12:30-3:00 November 2, 12:30-6:00. Teachers will send out information soon.

We are working hard to create a kind, caring, respectful school that is focused on high levels of learning. Thank you for your partnership in supporting our kids to be as successful as they can be.

Valuing EVERY Student,

8:10 a.m.– 2:40 p.m. – Student Hours
9:10 a.m. – 2:40 p.m. – Wednesday Late Start

10:10 a.m. – 2:40 p.m. – 2hr Late Start

Student drop off begins at 7:45am (or 8:45am on Wednesdays). Please do not drop students off before this time. Click here for Full Bell Schedules

Bus routes are available on the district website. If your transportation needs have changed this year, please make sure to update your busing selection in Skyward - Family Access. We also recommend downloading and using the FirstView app. It is an easy and convenient way to view bus routes and schedules, and even receive a notification if your student’s bus is close to their stop or running late. FirstView is available via the Apple App store, Google Play or online. Get information on setting up the app. The four-digit district code to access the app is H5ED.

The office is happy to write bus passes with a parent note before school or during student lunches. Your student can also call you to request a bus pass during these times. Parents can also email bus passes to info.cms@battlegroundps.org Bus passes will not be written for students after school.

If you missed Chief’s individual picture day or would like to retake your picture picture packets will be available in the main office on picture day. Click here to order online

• Costumes are allowed on 10/31/23.
• School dress code must be followed (students must be adequately covered)
• No masks or face coverings
• If make up is needed to complete costume it must be applied at home (this includes hair paint, glitter, etc). Please avoid blood/gore makeup.
• School appropriate props… no fake weaponry

Candy and treats are not allowed to be brought to school for sharing or distribution.

This year we are utilizing CharacterStrong in our weekly Wednesday Advisory classes. Our current character Trait is Respect. Each month we will share Family Dares with you so that you can join us at home in growing out Character Muscles by intentionally practicing acts of kindness, humility, service, gratitude, etc.

Middle school girls volleyball and boys soccer practices start on Monday October 23rd. Students may register through Family ID by visiting the district website. Students must have a completed sports physical within the past 24 months in order to participate. If you require assistance with registration, contact FamilyID via email at support@familyid.com or by calling 781-205-2800, ext. 1.

Future seasons include, girls soccer (Jan. 8-Feb. 23), boys basketball (Jan. 29-March 14) and co-ed track (April 10-May 22). Registration for each sport opens three weeks prior to the start of the season. Students who participate in middle school sports pay a one-time $40 fee per sport that covers some program costs such as transportation between games and officials. Find out if your family qualifies for waived activity fees. All fines and current fees must be paid before the first contest.

Student- Athlete Eligibility: (New this year)

• Athletes must be passing 5 of 6 classes to be eligible for games (can have one F).

• Coaches will be conducting weekly grade checks.

Athletes with 2 or more F’s will be on academic probation and will be eligible to compete in games as soon as they are passing 5 of 6 classes.

• Click link below to register
• https://www.familyid.com/organizations/chief-umtuch-middle-school
• Create a family ID
• Upload a sports physical from the doctor.
• Sports physicals are good for two years.

Registration opens three weeks before each season start date.

2023-2024 remaining seasons

Season 2 Early winter Oct 23rd - Dec 17th

Girls volleyball 6th-8th grade

Boys Soccer 7th-8th grade

Season 3 Late winter

Girls soccer Jan 8th-Feb 23rd 7th-8th grade

Boys basketball Jan 29th-Mar 14th 6th-8th grade

Season 4 Spring April 10th -May 22nd

Track co-ed 6th-8th grade

All electronic devices must be powered off and away while students are at school. If you need to reach your student during the day for emergency or transportation reasons, please call the main office. (Please see the student handbook for additional information.)

Students should remove hats and hoods when entering the building. Gum should be thrown in a garbage can before entering the building for the day.

ALL FAMILIES SHOULD APPLY

Starting in the 2023-24 school year, all Battle Ground Public School students in kindergarten through fourth grade will have access to free breakfast and lunch at school. Students in grades five through 12 who qualify for free/reduced-price meals will receive meals at no cost.

Regardless of this change, it is important that all families, regardless of income, apply for free and reduced-price meals. Completion of this form helps inform state funding to provide the meal benefit to all K-4 families and perhaps expand access in coming years. Along with a completed Consent to Share form, families who qualify may also receive free or reduced fees for other extracurricular activities, including field trips, sports and more.

For students who purchase meals at school, prices will remain the same for the 2023-24 school year. Visit our Nutrition Information page for more information on school menus and meal prices.

PLEASE NOTE: Students wishing to take advantage of no-fee sports or other activities must have completed a new meal application and consent to share form before registering for fall sports, even if you had previous approved applications on file.

The National School Lunch Program is a federally assisted meal program that provides nutritionally balanced, low-cost, or free lunches to children each school day. The program was established under the National School Lunch Act, signed by President Harry Truman in 1946.

• Free and reduced-price applications must be completed each school year
• One application per household is necessary

HOW TO APPLY

Apply for meal benefits online through Skyward Family Access or download the paper application, fill out and return.

We recommend submitting your application prior to the start of school to ensure the continuation of coverage. If a new application is not submitted, you will be responsible for meal charges. When you are approved for benefits, Battle Ground Public Schools will send you a confirmation letter. If you have not received an approval letter for the current school year, you must complete an application to receive meal benefits.

https://www.battlegroundps.org/free-and-reduced/

Families in need of a free backpack and basic school supplies may request one from their school office as long as supplies last. We appreciate the support of our community and the Battle Ground Education Foundation for helping to provide this valuable resource. Families in need of assistance with school supplies, clothing or personal hygiene products are invited to contact the Family and Community Resource Center at 360-885-5434 or by email.

Please review the 2023-24 school calendar. The district has received approval from the state to once again add two additional student non-attendance days for staff development on Wednesday, Nov. 15, and Wednesday, Feb. 7. In addition to late-start Wednesdays, these dates will provide teachers with opportunities to plan instruction, analyze data and determine next steps for student growth. The additional time also allows for classified staff to complete required training.

We are implementing changes to provide a safer, more enjoyable environment for our students and families during events at District Stadium. Beginning Friday, Sept. 1, any primary or middle student attending athletic events at District Stadium must be accompanied by an adult age 18 or older who will be responsible for the student(s) for the duration of the event. The adult cannot be a high school student. Primary and middle school students will not be allowed to enter if they are not accompanied by an adult.

In addition, only clear bags are allowed into District Stadium. Students will need to leave all backpacks and bags that are not clear at home. The school district will not be responsible for any student bags that are lost, stolen or not allowed in the stadium.

Thank you for your understanding and support as we work to ensure that all students and spectators are able to enjoy BGPS events.

If you haven't already, please ensure you have completed the annual student update by logging in to Skyward (Family Access) and clicking “2023-24 annual student update” (not 'new student online enrollment') on the navigation bar in the left column of the webpage (Get instructions with screenshots). If you do not remember your password, click “Forgot your Login/Password” on the login page to have it sent to your email address that is on file with the district. If you do not have a login, please call your school office. The student update provides an opportunity to fill out required forms online and ensures the district has correct contact information for families.

Thank you for working to maintain your child’s attendance. Regular attendance and punctuality are essential to student learning and success. The skills that students learn in primary school will help them be successful in middle and high school. A student’s attendance often can predict whether they are likely to graduate high school on time.

Did you know?

Missing school means missing out on valuable learning experiences that may not be able to be made up. A student can suffer academically if they miss 10 percent of school days in a year, or 18 days. That can be just one day every two weeks.

The state also defines missing 10% or more of school days per year as chronic absenteeism. The effects of chronic absenteeism include:

• Kindergarten and first graders becoming at risk of not being able to read by the third grade.

• Increased likelihood of leaving school before graduation

• Continued chronic absenteeism

Battle Ground Public Schools is required by state law to file a court petition when a student has seven days of unexcused absences in the same month, or before the 15th day of unexcused absences during the school year. This petition may be filed against the student, parent or both.

How we can support

Students, parents, teachers and administrators must work together to ensure the continuity of learning. Please let us know how we can support your child and your family.

• Friday, Oct. 13 - State in-service day (non-attendance day for students)

• Monday, Oct. 30-Friday, Nov. 3 - Parent/teacher conferences. School will start at the regular M/T/Th/F time on Wednesday, Nov. 1. There will be NO one-hour late start that week.
  Three-hour early release schedule is as follows:

• Grades K-4: Monday through Friday

• Grades 5-8: Tuesday through Friday

• Grades 9-12: Thursday and Friday

Please report bullying, intimidation, harassment, threats and safety concerns using our anonymous reporting system. Reporters can remain anonymous. Emergencies should always be reported to 911. Learn more about emergency procedures and safety protocols.

MISSION STATEMENT

We believe in a safe learning community where all members are valued, respected, and encouraged to reach their maximum potential.

VISION STATEMENT

Creating Excitement for Learning