Principal Chat
Just like that, February makes way for March! Next week we have Parent Teacher Conferences. Please contact your child's teacher to sign up for a spot. School is out early on Wednesday (1:30 pm) and there is NO SCHOOL on Thursday or Friday.
The Book Fair will be open all week. Please see the pic further below in the newsletter for times and days. Monday - Wednesday students must be accompanied by an adult in the book fair.
CHANGES TO FAMILY INCOME? - If your family income has recently been adversely impacted, PLEASE take a moment to apply for Free/Reduced meals. You apply using ASPIRE. The office can help you login to your Aspire account (801)499-5180. This is the link to the income eligibility guidelines to see if you may qualify LINK
SPRING SHIRT ORDER - The order for Bullfrog shirts is now open. It closes on March 16. You will order and pay online. Shirts will be shipped to the school and distributed approximately the first week of April.
https://www.customink.com/g/erz0-00cx-yzd7
PARKING LOT AND AFTER SCHOOL EXIT - Roy City has been out numerous times to observe pick up and drop off and offer suggestions. This is their reply to their recent observations: "For now, I believe you're handling it the best way possible with the current setup, but we will continue looking into potential solutions." So, PLEASE be patient, slow down, pay attention and do not park across the street along the canal.
ATTENDANCE - Attendance at school matters! Research shows that students who attend at a rate of 95% or better are significantly less likely to have failing grades, social problems, or problematic behavior. The state not only monitors attendance at each school, but they also monitor the attendance of every student, especially those who are "chronically absent". Chronically absent is defined as any student who misses more than 10 days in a school year including excused absences for illness and vacations. Bridge's current attendance rate is 92%. We have 32% of our students who have missed more than 10 days of school! If we can increase attendance to 93% in March our students will earn a FREE dress down day. PLEASE, unless your child is truly ill, send them to school.
NEED SMALL SIZES EMERGENCY SCHOOL PANTS - we need gently used size 5 - 7 black or tan pants/shorts for our emergency stash. Please drop any off at the office.
PARENT NIGHT PRESENTED BY ROY COMMUNITIES THAT CARE - See below for a flyer that explains the FREE parent night (with dinner) to learn more about SHARP (Student Health Assessment Profile) survey & its role in youth substance misuse prevention efforts in our community!
TRUSTLANDS MEETING - The meeting to review progress for the 2024-2025 plan and discuss and vote on the 2025-2026 plan is on Tuesday, March 2, 4:30 pm. All public are welcome to attend.
FREE MARCH MARTIAL ARTS - the link for FREE Tuesday or Thursday after school martial arts is now available. Because of parent teacher conferences there will be NO Thursday class on March 6.
Sign Up Link: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/8050849ACA62AA3FB6-54380837-free
FIELD DAY DONATIONS - Our field day is an awesome event that we host on the last day of school. We have bounce houses, a magician, games and prizes, fabulous BBQ lunch, face "painting", yard games, school movie, yearbook signing and a water event. We use our dress down funds to help support this BUT donations are super helpful. The Roy Les Schwab already location donated $500 to help with field day!!!! These are the items we need:
- Water shooters (pull the plunger and fill the tube with water) from the dollar store (each 4 - 6 grade kiddo gets one).
- Prizes for the game booths. These are like the kind you get in a bag from Zurchers, Oriental Trading or the Dollar store. We have small, medium and large prizes.
- Cans of soda for the ring toss.
STAFF HIGHLIGHTS - Further in the newsletter we highlight individuals at Bridge and the important role they play in creating a positive, supportive and engaging learning environment our students. This week we highlight our amazing 1st Grade Para Educators!
COMMUNITY CONNECTION - Ms. Chelsea, our social worker, provides a fabulous Community Connection every other week to help support kids and families. See below in the newsletter for ideas about using the "Things to Say" to help kids feel secure, valued and confident.
ICYMI - this is the link to our website for all previous news bulletins:
https://www.bridgecharter.org/bridge-bulletinb
Please keep reading for more information about this past week and events for the upcoming weeks.
As always, thank you for CHOOSING Bridge and sharing your kids with us! We know you have lots of options in education and we are honored that you have made the choice to have your students attend our awesome school!
This institution is an equal opportunity provider.
Lani Rounds
Principal
NO SCHOOL
- March 6 & 7 (parent teacher conferences) and Wednesday, March 5 is EARLY OUT at 1:30 pm
- April 14 - 18 (Spring Break)
- May 26 (Memorial Day)
UPCOMING EVENTS
- Tuesday Talk & Talent - March 4, 2:15 - 3:00 pm
- Book Fair March 3 - 7
- Parent Teacher Conferences - March 6 & 7
- Roy FD Assembly - March 17, 9 - 10 am
- Spring Pictures (FREE dress down day) - March 20
- Road to Success reading program ends - March 24
- Yearbooks on Sale - April 1 thru April 30
- Field Day (yearbooks, last day of school, short day) - May 29
- North Shore Aquatic Center - FREE for Bridge Family and Friends - June 11 - 6:30 - 8:30 pm
Learner Agency
Bridge's model aligns perfectly with the state's Personalized Competency Based Learning (PCBL) framework.
Through Learner Agency, each learner develops understanding, skill and responsibility for their own learning. Learner agency is achieved through a broad range of strategies at Bridge including goal setting with the Personalized Learning Plan (PLP), choice in learning using their PLP folders during advisory time, options in how to demonstrate competency and learner self-assessment through paper pencil assessment, computer based assessment and one-on-one in person assessment, as well as the ability to select activities to show competency. Learner agency is also provided by allowing students multiple ways to complete their learning through our flexible seating options.
Do you have unused gift cards you know you will never use? Well, we now have a pink donation box in the front office that is the perfect place for you to put those gift cards to good use! The box can also be used for your excess change or random dollar bills that keep falling our of your wallet. Gift cards will be used for staff prize drawings and cash will be used for treats for our staff. This is a super easy way to say "Great Job Team Bridge". Ask the front office for a receipt for your donation.
At Bridge, instead of having a "maturation night" for 5th grade students which other schools typically do, we opt to provide parents the information so they can determine how much they want to share with their child and at which age they want to share it. For many girls, by the time they are in 5th grade they have already started menstruation and it is a little too late for a lesson on maturation. At Bridge, our administration and board believe parents can best determine what students should know about maturation and puberty, and when a child should know it.
Our maturation committee met and reviewed information from different sources. They determined, and our Board approved, to use the maturation information provided by Provo School District. The maturation information includes videos and packets for girls and boys that you can download and share with your child.
This is the link to the MATURATION information.
Utah is at the forefront of providing lots of educational options for families. Charter schools, like Bridge, are just one of the choices. For students with special needs, Utah has the Carson Smith Scholarship available. The Carson Smith Opportunity Scholarship Program allows a parent of a special needs child to apply for a scholarship to help cover the cost of private schools and special programs. Information about this program and the list of approved private schools and programs can be found on the state's website at:
There are MANY great options for junior high school for your student. Many of the lotteries for junior high charter schools are already open for enrollment. If you choose a neighborhood, district school, PLEASE contact them ASAP so you do not miss out on the registration process. This is not a comprehensive list:
Wallace Stegner Academy (Sunset) brand new campus - https://wsacharter.org/our-campuses
Weber School District - https://www.wsd.net
Ogden School District - https://www.ogdensd.org
Davis School District - https://www.davis.k12.ut.us
Quest Academy (West Haven) - https://www.questac.org
Venture Academy (Mariott-Slaterville) - https://www.venturelearning.org
Ogden Prep Academy (Ogden) - https://ogdenprep.org
Syracuse Arts Academy (Syracuse) - https://www.syracuseartsacademy.org
Utah Military Academy (Riverdale) - https://www.utahmilitaryacademy.org/main/campuses
DaVinci Academy (Ogden) - https://secondary.davinciacademy.org
Mountain Heights Academy (online) - https://mountainheightsacademy.org
Utah Virtual Academy (online) - https://utva.k12.com
Connections Academy (online) - https://www.connectionsacademy.com/utah-online-school
Attendance at school is SO important and the attendance data is reported to the state of Utah through our Aspire system. Chronic absence is defined as a student missing 10% of school days (excused or unexcused) in a school year (so 18 days or more). Consider these facts about how attendance impacts student success.
- Absenteeism in the first month of school can predict poor attendance throughout the school year. Half the students who miss 2-4 days in September end up missing nearly a MONTH of school
- Absenteeism and its ill effects start early. Read more...
- Poor attendance can influence whether children read proficiently by the end of third grade.
- By 6th grade, chronic absence becomes a leading indicator that a student will drop out of high school.
- Research shows that missing 10 percent of the school, or about 18 days, negatively affects a student’s academic performance. That’s just two days a month and that’s known as chronic absence.
- When students improve their attendance rates, they improve their academic prospects and chances for graduating.
If your student MUST miss school consider these options:
Ask your teacher for resources that you can use at home to keep your children learning. ALL students have access to iReady reading and math (grades 1-6) or Waterford reading and math (kindergarten).
- Identify who can support your children’s learning at home, especially if you must go to work.
- Encourage your children to call classmates and stay connected to the teacher to find out about what they missed.
As a school of choice, Bridge recognizes our model is not the right fit for every child. Nearly all children flourish with the small group and personalized learning experience Bridge offers and some children thrive in the collaborative learning pod experience complete with multiple transitions daily. However, other students may find the large learning pod with lots of movement and lots of students, provides sensory overload and is not the ideal learning environment for the them. If you have not yet had an opportunity to visit during school hours, please reach out to your child's teacher to schedule a time to come and observe your child's learning experience and environment. Parents and guardians need to carefully determine if the learning model provided by Bridge is the model that fits best for their child.
The next Tuesday Talk is Tuesday, March 4, 2025.
The first Tuesday of the month we meet in the gym as a school community, 2:15 - 3:00. During this time one grade will showcase something amazing they have completed and our Frog Squad will provide a message about kindness or one of our Visible Learning Traits. Additionally, students will get to showcase their own talent via a pre-submitted video.
Student talent can showcase any type of talent - singing, sports, dancing, stand up comedy, magic, etc.. The video must be less than one minute long and the content must be school appropriate - for example, if the student is singing the lyrics must be kid-friendly or the background music chosen for the video must be kid-firendly.
Email Mrs. Rounds Lani@BridgeCharter.org AT LEAST one week before the first Tuesday of the month to give her time to proof the video and include it in the presentation.
Social Emotional Learning (SEL) and Visible Learning - Family Connection
Social Emotional Learning resources for families and students to promote a stronger sense of self identity, mental health, and create a safer school environment. Our Visible Learning Traits (flexibility, determination, reflection, taking initiative, thoroughness, and enthusiasm) tie into Social Emotional Learning at Bridge!
Students attend a Visible Learning class where they learn about six traits of a good learner - Reflection - Initiative - Flexibility - Thoroughness - Enthusiasm - Determination (RIFTED). Teaching these traits is one way we help students learn to take accountability and ownership of their learning. Our Visible Learning (VL) class alternates with our Second Steps SEL lessons. One week students will have a VL lesson and the next week an SEL lesson. These two programs align perfectly with our Culture of Learning at Bridge.
You can find all the traits on our website at: https://www.bridgecharter.org/visible-learninga
Please discuss these traits at home and help empower your children to take personal ownership and accountability for their own academic performance. You can find information about our Second Steps program, including the scope and sequence, on our website under Curriculum and Assessment: SECOND STEPS
Jessica Eisele
Annie Watson
Hello everyone, I'm Arianne Watson or Miss Annie and I have been working at Bridge for a few months now as a one on one para in first grade. I love working with kids and helping them succeed. Outside of work I love to spend with friends and family. I also enjoy painting, going to concerts, camping and spending time outdoors.
Attendance is taken every morning by 8:45 am. The computer identifies all students who are marked "absent" and then, sends a message to all parents if the student is not marked "EXCUSED". This is done for safety reasons as well as to remind parents students must be excused from school if they are absent.
Absences MUST be excused within 24 hours of the absence, otherwise it is considered "unexcused". Once a child has 7 unexcused absences parents are sent a Notice of Compulsory Education Violation and are required to meet with administration regarding the absences. All absence are reported through our state system, Aspire. Once a child has 10 unexcused absences the school may contact the Division of Child and Family Services for educational neglect.
It is super easy to excuse an absence. Either call the office (801)499-5180 and listen for the prompts or use the EXCUSE ABSENCE icon on the front page of our website.
Safe UT - See Something? Say Something?
Bridge is a member of Utah's Safe UT. SafeUT is a crisis chat and tip line that provides real-time crisis intervention for students, parents/guardians, and educators through live chat and a confidential tip line—right from your smartphone. This also allows students or parents to report potentially violent or concerning issues they see or hear about that may impact the staff or students at Bridge.
You can access the information from our website under RESOURCES at:
https://www.bridgecharter.org/safeut-see-something-say-something
or directly at https://safeut.org/students
Weber Human Services - Stabilization and Mobile Response (SMR)
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:
Schools cannot do this alone! We can provide students with instruction on how to read and provide them with some practice, but in order to become proficient readers, students MUST practice reading at home.
The recommendation is 20 minutes daily outside of school. This can include a student reading aloud, an adult or independent reader reading to a younger reader, or an independent reader reading silently with the child being provided an opportunity to discuss their reading. Kids can read to their dog, cat, guinea pig, siblings, parents, grandparents, etc. They can record themselves reading and then listen to it again. They can re-read a paragraph or page to improve their fluency and decoding skills. Visit the link below to find ways to help your child improve their reading and develop a love for reading.
As an added bonus, minutes can be tracked for the Road to Success reading incentive program!
About Bridge Elementary Charter
Email: info@bridgecharter.org
Website: bridgecharter.org
Location: 4824 Midland Drive, Roy, UT
Phone: (801)499-5180
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BridgeCharter