The Bee's Knees

At Barfield we are committed to providing our students the best possible preparation for Kindergarten. As you may know, the expectations for what a child should be able to do on the first day of Kindergarten are significantly higher than they were just a few years ago. Our staff understands what skills a Kindergartener must have in order to be successful the first day and we are continually working with our students to help them develop those skills.

Assessment is crucial if we are to adequately prepare students for the next level. At Barfield the primary tool we use to assess student growth is the Desired Results Developmental Profile (DRDP). The DRDP is a comprehensive assessment that is an effective tool for the vast majority of our students, but not all. For some of our students their Individualized Education Plan is best to assess growth. Regardless of the tool, all students are assessed to determine how much they grow over the course of the school year.

With the end of the first quarter and parent conferences fast approaching, I wanted to explain our “report card.” Our teachers will be discussing your student’s development during the first quarter conferences and they will be referencing the report card. The front side of the report card identifies your student’s progress on each of our school’s five Learning Goals.

Learning Goal 1: Student will demonstrate an understanding of language in order to communicate effectively within the classroom.

Learning Goal 2: Student will use expressive language to communicate effectively within the classroom.

Learning Goal 3: Student will demonstrate necessary attention and cooperative skills in order to participate in group and independent activities.

Learning Goal 4: Student will demonstrate increasing ability to develop close relationships with one or more familiar adults/peers and interact in an increasingly competent and cooperative manner with familiar adults/peers.

Learning Goal 5: Student will develop the knowledge, awareness and problem-solving skills necessary to attend to the personal care needs and academic tasks necessary for success in Kindergarten.

The second page of the report card lists your student’s performance within each of the seven domains of the DRDP....

1. Approaches to Learning-Self Regulation

2. Social and Emotional Development

3. Language and Literacy Development

4. Cognition, Including Math and Science

5. Physical Development-Health

6. History-Social Science

7. Visual and Performing Arts

Our teachers rate each student on 48 individual elements within the seven domains. The rating system is comprised of scores 1 through 4. A score of 3 indicates the student is meeting the standard for their age. BEC teachers will provide a more detailed explanation of the rating system during your conference. In addition to the report card, our teachers will share samples of your child’s work. Our staff collect work from students over the course of the year and compile a portfolio that will be sent home to you at the end of the year. The portfolio illustrates the growth measured by the DRDP and is a wonderful keepsake. First quarter conferences are intended to provide you a snapshot of your child’s current development. We will repeat the DRDP assessment in May and document your student’s growth at the end of the fourth quarter. As you can see, assessment is crucial to ensure your student is ready for Kindergarten!

Kevin Garcia
Principal

Oct. 6 - Bobo's Pizza order pickup at BEC @ AM dismissal and PM drop off
Oct. 6 - PAT/BEC Parent Group 6:00 p.m.
Oct. 13 - BEC PTO Meeting 6:00 p.m.

Oct. 21 - NO SCHOOL for BEC students (Early Release for all other WSD students)
Oct. 21 - 5:30 Haunted Halls at BEC

Oct. 25 - BEC Students may bring their costumes and parade through the building

Oct. 26 - Parent Conferences 4:30 to 8:00 p.m.

Oct. 27 - NO SCHOOL, Parent Conferences 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.

Oct. 28 - NO SCHOOL Pre-K-12

Oct. 31 - NO SCHOOL Pre-K-12

Nov. 1 - NO SCHOOL Pre-K-12, PD Day

My name is Kaitlynn Reynolds and I serve as the Instructional Assistant in Mrs. Orlando’s classroom. After working four years in education, I am happy to be joining all our bumbles at Barfield. I am a University of Missouri-Kansas City graduate who enjoys flying kites and reading in my free time.

Do you have concerns about your child's behaviors? Do you have a feeling that something is going on but aren't sure about the next steps to take or what signs to look for? Join Ms. Tara Dunaway for a short presentation on Autism, followed by an opportunity for parents and caregivers to ask questions. Click here to sign up for this parent group. Please note this is a parent/guardian-only event.

It is sometimes hard for parents to know when they should send their children to school or when to keep them home. Rashes can be especially confusing. I wanted to go over some common childhood rashes and what our practice is when it comes to sending your child home or not.

* Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease: A blister-like rash that occurs in the mouth, palms and fingers of the hand, and the bottoms of the feet. These sores can last 7-10 days. Runny nose, low-grade fever, and sore throat may accompany rash. Your child will need to stay home until the fever is gone for 24 hours without the aid of medications.

* Fifth Disease: A rash that causes red cheeks ("slapped cheek"). After the appearance on the cheeks, the rash can move to the arms, upper body, and legs. Your child may have a sore throat or low-grade fever. The rash usually fades in 3-7 days. Your child may remain in school if other rash-causing illnesses are ruled out by a healthcare provider.

* Impetigo: Sores, usually beginning at a break in the skin, that produce a thick golden-yellow discharge that dries and crusts. Your child will need to remain home until 24 hrs of treatment has been completed.

* Molluscum: Small, pale, dome-shaped bumps that can be on the face, body, arms, or legs. The bumps can be flesh colored, white or pink. They are usually painless and rarely are itchy. Your child may come to school. Cover the bumps as much as possible with clothing.

*Reminder* October 17 is Our Employee Annual Flu Shot Day- 0830-1000- Don't forget to sign up!

The link is:

https://pickatime.com/client?ven=11616328

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Don't forget to schedule your mammogram.

** When a student is hospitalized, please have the parent send a release from the hospital letting the nurses and staff know that it is okay for the student to return to school. If the student is on a new medication that requires administration at school, the nurse must have a written order signed by the physician and parent. This is only for inpatient hospitalizations not urgent care or ER visits.

Shelia McAlister
School Nurse

The Oct 3 Edition of Inside the WSD

Our PTO purchased a platform swing for our playground. This swing provides students in wheelchairs the opportunity to swing and have fun just like every other student on the playground!! Thanks to Greg Mantz for giving me a hand to hang this swing.

The PTO is focused on helping us purchase more adaptive play items for our playground. Fundraisers like our Bobo's Pizza partnership help us raise the money to purchase these necessary items! Funds raised from the Bobo's pizza sales helped our PTO purchase the stationary play station below.

Thanks to everyone that supports our PTO! With your support we are making all of our students' experiences at BEC better!

Our Haunted Halls event is on October 21 at 5:30. Staff and BEC PTO volunteers will decorate the building. Families are invited to dress in holiday costumes and trick or treat through the halls. If you are brave enough you can venture through our "not so scary" haunted forest in the multipurpose room! This is a fun family event! Even better, rain or shine we will hold the event! Thanks for the candy donations! Our candy monster needs more candy or it may resort to taking a bite out of me or Ms. Nicole!

The Barfield Early Childhood Special Education Center of the Wentzville School District is an integrated preschool in which children with disabilities participate in classes with their typically developing peers. We believe that all children benefit when educated in an inclusive environment, regardless of their ability. It is through these interactions that children learn to accept differences, but more importantly, learn to recognize and appreciate similarities.

Email: kevingarcia@wsdr4.org
Website: https://www.wentzville.k12.mo.us/site/Default.aspx?PageID=9
Location: 2025 Hanley Road, Dardenne Prairie, MO, USA
Phone: 636 561-5757