Viking Family Update
October 2022
Principal Update - Welcome to October
Viking Friends and Families,
Can you believe it? We just completed the first month of school! We are off to a great start! By the end of the first week of October, all students will have completed their benchmark assessments in reading and math. We will use this information to create plans to ensure each student has the support they need to succeed. You will hear more about your student's results in the coming weeks.
In order to help all students meet their potential, we need your help! Over the last couple of years our school community has developed some bad habits regarding attendance. Our daily attendance rate has slipped significantly. Of course there were many times last year that students were asked to stay home due to being symptomatic (none of us could control those requirements). However, our average attendance rate used to hover around 90% (pre pandemic). We are currently experiencing attendance rates around 70%. This is a big problem.
Please consider each and every absence thoughtfully. Students who miss more than 2 days per month (that's 18 days per year) are considered chronically absent and are much less likely to meet grade level standards. This includes all forms of absences - planned, excused, and unexcused.
If you are a returning BLE family and would like to know your student's attendance rate/percentage from last year, feel free to give me a call. I have a percentage for each student. The goal is 90% or higher for each and every Viking! For those who are chronically absent this year, please know you will receive communication from the school on a frequent basis. It is important that we work together to make sure all of our students are at school.
You will also notice that October is full of fun events. From the kick-off events for Art Docents and Watch DOGS to the PTA Bingo event this Friday, there will be numerous opportunities for you to be part of our campus community. We encourage each of you to take part in the events as you are able. If you have the desire to contribute please start by completing your volunteer application today!
I am available to support you. Please reach out if you would like to meet with me for coffee or a conversation. I thoroughly enjoy getting to know our BLE families.
Our goal at BLE is to know, value and support each and every student. Thank you for your support and partnership.
Sincerely,
LeeAnn Alfano
Principal, Bonney Lake Elementary
We are doing an AWESOME job this year and continue our trend of completing car loop dismissal in an average of 17 minutes.
Silent Dismissal Car Pick Up
Silent Dismissal Procedures
It is critical that same day changes to your child's dismissal method occur prior to 3:10 in the afternoon (the earlier the better). We can not make last minute changes as we cannot handle the influx of end of day calls. Those calls often go to voicemail and are unheard prior to the end of the day.
Important points to remember:
Please have your car tag with you every day. If your child is going home with a different person or car, please make sure the other person picking up has the car tag and is listed in Skyward as an emergency contact.
If a car comes through the dismissal line or a parent arrives for in- person pick up without the tag, the driver will be obligated to park in the side lot and wait until dismissal has ended. At the end of dismissal, school personnel will check identification and verify Skyward permissions to manually release the student from the classroom. There will be no exceptions (even if you know your number). Students can not be picked up in the main office.
App info
Please understand this program was purchased with the safety of our children in mind. It is imperative we are all on the same page and adhere to these dismissal procedures. We are excited to continue to use this highly effective system!
School Supplies! We are still accepting $25 Donations - about 60% have paid so far!
In order to provide some relief for family budgets, all elementaries in SBLSD have shifted to a supply fee donation. Please consider making your donation as soon as possible.
Instructions for Online Payment of School Supply Donation of $25 (this covers supplies for your student this year).
1) Log on to SBLSD at www.sumnersd.org (not Family Access)
2) Hover over SCHOOLS on the top banner
3) Click on grades K-12
4) Scroll down to elementary schools and click on BLE
5) Click on the dollar bill icon "Online Payments"
6) Click on the link "Direct payment Link Here"
7) Log in with your user name and password (same as family access)
8) Click on your student that you would like to make a payment for
9) Click on "Shop"
10) Click on "Items at Student School"
11) Click on item you would like to pay
12) "School Supplies" "Grade Level" "Donation"
If you are able to contribute more than $25 to support a child in need please feel free to increase your donation. If you are unable to make the full donation you may select a lesser amount.
*** Not included - headphones or earbuds, backpack, lunchbox - if you need help with these items please let us know.
Thank you for supporting BLE!
Counseling Corner
During October, Kristen Lewis, BLE’s school counselor, will be visiting each classroom to present to students the district’s expectation with regard to bullying, harassment and intimidation. Our primary goal is to always make sure all students feel safe, respected, and included.
Each lesson will be developmentally appropriate so that students can understand specifically what bullying is, what it isn’t, and what students should do if they are experiencing a bullying situation.
In order for a situation to be considered “bullying”, the following components must be present:
Physical or emotional harm is caused;
The actions are one-sided;
The actions are ON PURPOSE;
The actions occur REPEATEDLY;
Student can’t make it stop on their own.
When considering if something meets the criteria for bullying, it is also important to differentiate what bullying is NOT:
Accidentally hurting someone’s body or feelings;
Something that only happens once or twice;
Mutual disagreements between friends;
An issue without serious or lasting harm.
While mean moments do occasionally occur at BLE, we work hard as a school to be both proactive and reactive in teaching appropriate behavior and expectations. Parents are such an important partner in this goal! Thank you for encouraging your child to make positive and kind choices at school.
If there is ever an incident that you feel meets the criteria of bullying or one that needs intervention by our staff, please let us know immediately. For more information regarding SBLSD’s formal policy on HiB prevention, please see Policy 3207 in the attached link. SBLSD HiB policy
School Picture Day with Perler Photography
Picture flyers will be sent home in your student's backpack. Please watch for them. On the flyer will be a QR code that you can use to order online if you prefer to do that. Every student is photographed regardless of whether you plan to purchase photos or not.
During student photos each classroom will have a designated time.
Breakfast and Lunch Service at BLE - Please be sure to check your student's account often
Meal Payments:
Since meal accounts have not been used for some time, we encourage families to check their
student account balances before school starts. Families can make online payments to student accounts anytime using Visa or Mastercard through Family Access. There are also options to receive email notices when student balances are low. A $0.75 per student transaction fee will be applied at checkout for payments.
All schools serve breakfast and lunch daily. We offer a variety of student favorites that feature:
- A selection of fresh fruits and vegetables, many of which are sourced locally
- Entrees with healthy proteins and whole grains
- Low-fat milk and 100-percent fruit juices
Free and Reduced-Price Meal Applications:
Lunch Menus:
Monthly print menus, and the link to our interactive online menus are on the Child Nutrition
Services website here:
If your child has a special dietary need, please contact our child nutrition office.
Contact Information:
Please contact the Child Nutrition office at (253) 891-6450 if you have questions about our meal programs, payments or free-reduced applications; we are happy to help! We are also available via email at child_nutrition@sumnersd.org, and follow us on Twitter @Sumnersdlunch.
We love your dog, BUT.....
Bonney Lake Elementary
Email: BLE@sumnersd.org
Website: sumnersd.org/ble
Location: 18715 80th Street East, Bonney Lake, WA, USA
Phone: (253) 891-4450
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