Bridge Bulletin

Thank you for another fabulous week with your kids!

This week we practiced a lock down drill as was mentioned in an email last week. Specifics about the drill are not posted in the newsletter as the newsletter is a public document. If you would like specifics I am happy to talk to you about them - simply call the office 801-499-5180 and schedule a time to meet with me. During this particular drill we were testing some of the new suggestions made by the Roy City police.

We try really hard to keep these type of drills anxiety-free while still ensuring our kids and staff know what to do if an unfortunate event occurs. It is absolutely heartbreaking and disturbing that we even need to have these discussions with our students and staff. Teaching kids to read and write is hard enough - ensuring you are doing all you can to also keep them safe from crazy people is a weight that cannot be described. Thankfully we have amazing dedicated staff and a highly trained police force just a phone call away to help us with any of our questions or needs.

Speaking of being thankful, next week we are out for Thanksgiving Break. School will resume on Monday, November 28. Then, it is a short slide to Christmas.

Mark you calendars for the following days of NO SCHOOL

• November 21 - 25 (Thanksgiving Break)
• December 19 - January 1 (Christmas Break)
• January 16 (Martin Luther holiday)
• February 20 (President's Day)
• April 3 - 7 (Spring Break)
• May 26 (Teacher work day)
• May 29 (Memorial day)

Upcoming Events

• New shirt order opened and closes November 25 (information below)
• ONLINE Book Fair closes November 27
• PBS Reading Marathon ends November 30 (FREE Adventure Pass - information below)
• Yearbook Orders Now Open (see information below)
• Ballet with Aliens (4th - 6th) December 2, 9:30 am
• Schoolwide Vision Screening - December 12
• $2 Dress Down December 16
• FREE Classic Skate Night, Wednesday January 11, 5 - 8 pm
• Middle of Year Progress Reports - February 3

STUDENT BADGES - All students must wear an ID badge during the day. This is for lots of reasons, safety being one of them. Replacement badges are $5 each. Please remind kiddos to keep their badges in good condition and to leave them at school. We have a bucket in the foyer to put their badge in when they are leaving school if they realize they forgot to leave it in their classroom. Badges from the bucket are placed in the teacher's boxes in the workroom and the teachers give them to the students the following day.

Please keep reading for more information about this past week and information for the when we return from Thanksgiving break.

Have a fabulous weekend!

Lani Rounds

Principal

Each week students attend a Visible Learning class to learn about traits of a GOOD LEARNER. When students return after Thanksgiving break they will be learning about ENTHUSIASM. Putting my whole heart into what I do.

Please talk to your child about the importance of being enthusiastic and then recognize when they are are being enthusiastic at home.

Our mission is personalized learning but more importantly, to teach kids to be accountable and take ownership of their own learning. Learning to be enthusiastic is a trait they can use well beyond their time at Bridge.

Last week members of Utah's PCBL team visited Bridge to observe our practices and provide feedback to help us make improvements. The team was blown away by what they saw at Bridge. They explained that Bridge was implementing every aspect of the PCBL framework and asked if Bridge will be on the state's list of schools for others to visit to see how best to implement a personalized learning model.

USBE's definition of personalized learning: Educators engaging all students with high expectations for shared learning goals and empowering each learner to take ownership of their strengths, needs, and interests while tailoring flexible supports to maximize student growth and competence.

Bridge's mission: To provide students with a personalized learning experience and empower them to take personal ownership and accountability for their own academic performance.

These are the aspects of the PCBL framework and how Bridge has implemented them to support learning:

LEARNER AGENCY - Through the Personalized Learning Plan (PLP) for grades 1 - 6, progress monitoring and data graphing (grades K-6), students are aware of their current progress and their goals. Students are encouraged to identify next steps to help them attain their goals.

CULTURE OF LEARNING - Bridge's Visible Learning program helps students learn and embrace traits of a good learner (initiative, reflection, determination, flexibility, thoroughness and enthusiasm). Staff reward students who are demonstrating traits of a good learner and parents are notified about the traits through the weekly news bulletin and the Bridge website calendar.

SOCIAL & EMOTIONAL LEARNING - Bridge's internal motto with our staff is "connections before curriculum" to ensure we meet the social and emotional needs of our learners as well as their academic needs. Our unique staffing system, with multiple adults assigned to a classroom, increases the availability of an adult for a student to "bond" with in addition to increasing the adult to student ratio as compared to other schools. Our stations and small group system of learning allows students to form closer student relationships and participate regularly in collaborative activities.

DEMONSTRATED COMPETENCY AND ASSESSMENT - On going assessment through progress monitoring, small group formative assessment, and Imagine Learning adaptive instruction allows students many opportunities to demonstrate competency and then move on to another task or skill.

CUSTOMIZED SUPPORTS - This is the heart of Bridge - providing support for students based on need during computer aided instruction, small group instruction, differentiated station tasks and special pull out time if needed.

We have opened another shirt order. The order closes Friday, November 25. These shirts will be delivered to your home in December. We anticipate selling fewer shirts this time so the shirts are a little more expensive than in our previous order. There is also a fee to ship to your home. Shipping to the school is NOT an option for this order.

REMEMBER - youth sizes are preceded by "Y". A size of YS is youth small whereas an S is an adult small. Shirts are sold by a third party vendor and we do NOT have the ability to exchange or refund shirts.

The link to place your shirt order is:

https://www.customink.com/g/erz0-00cp-6a7e/activity

Our book fair will remain open online until November 27. Use the link below and scroll down to SHOP ONLINE.

https://bookfairs.scholastic.com/bf/bridgeelementary1

After just a couple months of school our negative lunch balance is already -$3,500. This is money that the school must find in our budget to cover the balance. The USDA and state provide money to help subsidize school meals; however, we can NOT use any of that money to cover the arrears. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE do all you can to keep your student's lunch balances in the positive. You can check your child's lunch balance through Aspire, plus, Chef Dave sends an email home every week.

It is NOT too late to apply for Free/Reduced meals for any meals going forward. You simply login to Aspire and use the FREE REDUCED MEAL APPLICATION on the right side to complete the form. If you need help accessing Aspire you can find information on our website or by calling the office at (801)499-5180.

ASPIRE INSTRUCTIONS and LOGIN

If you want to donate to help cover these negative balances, you can drop money off at the office and ask that it is put in the HAPPY GO LUCKY account. This is a lunch donation account. At the end of the year we use the funds to help pay off the negative balances.

As most of you know, we are super lucky to have received a grant allowing our kids to participate in the FFVP offered by USDA. This week our kiddos had fresh, juicy pineapple, broccoli florets, apples and cuties! The grant requires students get at least two snacks weekly but sometimes we are lucky and our vendor is able to squeeze in three or even four based on cost and availability.

Yep, it's time to buy new winter boots, pull out the warm coats and find the two gloves to make a pair. At Bridge, your kids WILL be outside for recess when the "feels like" temperature (according to the Roy weather station and weather.com) is at least 20F. If it is really wet or windy students may stay inside for recess. If you need your child to remain inside for recess for medical reasons, please contact your child's teacher. If your child has an IEP or 504 that provides special accommodations for recess during the winter, please remind your child's teacher.

Students who need to remain inside for recess can remain in the classroom IF the teacher is available for supervision. If the teacher is not available, the student can come to the office and read a book, color or play a game quietly (they need to bring their own supplies).

SNOW ON THE GROUND - please remind your kiddos that snow remains ON THE GROUND. Students who choose to throw snow, flip snow, etc. will have some restorative justice during recess such as sweeping up bark or moving gravel off the scooter path. Yes this is harsh and cruel since everyone loves throwing snowballs EXCEPT the kiddos who are hit with the snowballs.

THE LOST AND FOUND WILL BE UNDER THE FRONT PORTICO OVER THANKSGIVING BREAK. IT WILL BE BAGGED AND DONATED ON THE MONDAY WE RETURN TO SCHOOL. THIS WILL GIVE YOU AMPLE TIME TO COME AND RETRIEVE YOUR CHILDREN'S ITEMS.

Susan Lindsey - Susan Lindsey has been a second grade teacher for the past 14 years and feels she is the luckiest person alive since she gets to spend her days with children. Susan has a Masters Degree in Curriculum and Design from Weber State University. Susan is thankful that she gets to do what she loves every day. Teaching is her dream career. In her down time she loves riding and training barrel horses. Susan is the lucky grandma of 8 beautiful grandkids, 3 awesome kids and 3 bonus kids.

Lori Vigil - Lori graduated with her teaching degree from Western Governors University. Prior to working at Bridge she taught computers at Sand Springs Elementary and was a substitute with Davis School District for several years, during which time she developed a love and passion for teaching. When she isn't teaching or planning for teaching, Mrs. Vigil loves to hike with her family and friends and walk her rescue pups.

Miranda Westergard -Miranda received her Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education at Weber State University with an endorsement in teaching math. Mrs. Westergard loves teaching second grade math! She has always wanted to be a teacher and feels lucky to get to live her dream. When she is not at school she enjoys spending time with her family, playing games, and being outside. Mrs. Westergard loves summer time as she is able to go camping and paddle boarding.

As required by law, Bridge has a Bullying and Hazing policy. This was recently updated and approved by the Bridge Board of Directors at our recent Board meeting. You can find the policy on our website at: https://www.bridgecharter.org/policies-procedures

Updates to the policy require that students and teachers receive information about bullying and the prevention of bullying. Additionally, a bullying "point person" must be identified. Stacey Archuleta, our At-Risk Programs Coordinator, Stacey@BridgeCharter.org is the appointed individual at the school to bring your bullying concerns to in the event the issues have not been addressed by your child's teacher.

Teachers have received training information regarding bullying and students will have videos and discussions about bullying over the next little while.

The information below comes from stopbullying.gov This site also has a great number of resources for parents.

What Is Bullying?

Bullying is unwanted, aggressive behavior among school aged children that involves a real or perceived power imbalance. The behavior is repeated, or has the potential to be repeated, over time. Both kids who are bullied and who bully others may have serious, lasting problems.

In order to be considered bullying, the behavior must be aggressive and include:

• An Imbalance of Power: Kids who bully use their power—such as physical strength, access to embarrassing information, or popularity—to control or harm others. Power imbalances can change over time and in different situations, even if they involve the same people.
• Repetition: Bullying behaviors happen more than once or have the potential to happen more than once.

Bullying includes actions such as making threats, spreading rumors, attacking someone physically or verbally, and excluding someone from a group on purpose.

Recently, Utah State Board of Education released Resolution 2021-01 in which they stated, "We call on ourselves and on people everywhere to abandon attitudes of prejudice against any group, to take action to create and maintain an environment of dignity and respect for all, and to strive for understanding. We commit to learn from the past but will focus our efforts on building a bright and equitable future."

We will work together with teachers, parents, staff and students to ensure Bridge is a place where ALL kids feel safe and supported and are provided equitable opportunities to success.

This is a link to the USBE Resolution 2021-21

KIDS CAN EARN A FREE ADVENTURE PASS!!!!

Challenge your kids, preschool through sixth grade, to read 20 minutes each day during the month of November. There is no need register before beginning the Reading Marathon! Simply, use the link below to download your log and keep track of your reading minutes each day. At the end of November, return to the PBS webpage using the link below and input your minutes to receive your Adventure Pass!

How the Adventure Pass Works

• The Adventure Pass includes tickets and coupons to your favorite museums, zoos, and activities around town.
• The Adventure Pass is valid different months in 2023. Most are valid the whole year..
• Child must complete the Reading Marathon and be between preschool – 6th grade.
• Adults and other family members who do not have an Adventure Pass will pay regular admission prices.
• The Adventure Pass can only be used one time at each location.

Adventure Pass Partners!

Clark Planetarium
Discovery Gateway
Intermountain Therapy Animals
Natural History Museum of Utah
Ogden Nature Center
Red Butte Garden
Salt Lake City Public Library
Thanksgiving Point
Tracy Aviary
USU Prehistoric Museum in Price
Bean Life Science Museum
Hogle Zoo

LINK FOR PBS

https://www.pbsutah.org/kids/reading-marathon/30th-annual-reading-marathon/

The yearbook can now be ordered, online. Orders are not taken at the school. Yearbooks will not be available at the school for sale. The cost is $15. You can also find the order information on our website at: https://www.bridgecharter.org/school-events

Code = BridgeES

Pre Pay code = BridgeYB23

Link to Order: YEARBOOK ORDER

Power Chess will once again rent space from Bridge for Spring 2023 for the Friday, 1:30 - 2:30 program. Registration is now open.

Power Chess Registration

Lunch payments can be made online or in the front office using cash or check. Payments made in the front office are posted immediately in Aspire. Online payments are not immediately updated in Aspire.

When payments are made online we must complete several steps to get the payments moved to Aspire. We do this every Monday and Wednesday. After we run the online report it takes another day for the money to post to your student's Aspire account. Please allow 3 - 5 days from the day you make the online payment to the day the information posts in Aspire.

The link to make payments online is found on our website by selecting the MEALS icon.

https://www.bridgecharter.org/lunch

We LOVE parent and grand parent volunteers at school! If you would like to volunteer, please check with your child's teachers. If you want to volunteer but aren't excited about coming into the school, we have LOTS of opportunity for outside volunteer work including:

• Cutting Watch Me Learn tickets (stop by the office)
• Pulling weeds in the rock areas and park strips (we have all the area in front of the school and up 4800 S along the school fence).
• Using rakes and shovels to redistribute the gravel from the bottom of the retention area in front of the school to the top area to cover the black landscape screen.
• Parking lot duty before and after school (just check in at the office, put on a yellow vest and talk to Travis in the crosswalk for instructions)

After you have volunteered please enter your hours in our volunteer form on our website:

https://www.bridgecharter.org/volunteer-opportunities

Once your family has logged 30 volunteer hours they will have a frog put into our Volunteer Pond in the foyer.

If you want to volunteer but do not have the time, you can donate $90 to cover the 30 hours. If you choose to donate, complete the volunteer form. You can donate in the office or by using our DONATE icon on the home page of our website.

Absences MUST be excused within 24 hours of the absence. You can do this by leaving a message on the Attendance line at school (801)499-5180 or by using the Excuse Absence online form. You can find this on our website by clicking on the Excuse Absence icon or using the link below:

EXCUSE ABSENCE

Title I was initially passed in 1965 under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA). It is the largest federal assistance program for public schools. These supplemental funds provide students the opportunity to receive a fair, equitable and high-quality education to help close achievement gaps.

Bridge Elementary receives our Title I funding based on the percentage of students that qualify for free or reduced lunch. For this reason we encourage ALL families to apply for Free/Reduced lunch through Aspire to ensure every single student receives the services needed, including access to free or reduced meals if appropriate.

Title I provides avenues for parent input and participation. We do this through our surveys and the link to the form on our website which allows parents to submit questions and suggestions.

You can find more information about Title I as well as a form to ask questions or provide suggestions regarding Title I, on our website at:

https://www.bridgecharter.org/school-events

Principal - Lani Rounds - Lani@BridgeCharter.org

At-Risk Programs Coordinator - Stacey Archuleta - Stacey@BridgeCharter.org

• Morning Supervision and BASE
• Behavior including Bullying
• 504 Plans

Lead Secretary - Lalani Williams - Lwilliams@BridgeCharter.org

• Aspire
• Lottery
• Registration

School Nurse - Vicki Ross - Vicki@bridgecharter.org

Special Education

Diane Nelson Lead SpED Teacher - Diane@BridgeCharter.org

Julie Christensen SpED Director - Julie@BridgeCharter.org

ELL Coordinator - Nichol Lloyd - Nichol@BridgeCharter.org

Meal Issues - Jodi Jensen - Jodi@BridgeCharter.org

Classroom Teachers - see website - https://www.bridgecharter.org/teachers

• Daily activities for your child
• Student progress
• Questions about student schedule

The mission of Bridge Elementary is to provide students with a personalized learning experience and empower them to take personal ownership and accountability for their own academic performance.

Email: info@bridgecharter.org
Website: bridgecharter.org
Location: 4824 Midland Drive, Roy, UT
Phone: (801)499-5180
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BridgeCharter