The Growler

• Back to School BBQ- Thank you!
• Picture Week is next week
• PTO Update
• Jog-a-Thon Next Friday!
• Family Survey Results
• Halloween Guidelines
• Fire emergency protocols
• Volunteering at School

A big thank you to Kari Mattson and her crew of parent volunteers that sliced watermelon, set up our tables for dinner and cleaned up the whole thing at the end of the evening! Thank you to all of our staff and high school volunteers that helped serve food and supervise students on the playground while parents went to classroom presentations to learn about our Title I program and teacher expectations for this school year. It was so good to see so many of you there!

Monday: Ms. M's class and Ms. Gayton's class

Tuesday: Ms. Lawrence's class, Ms. Hansen's class, Mr. Carnes' class

Wednesday: Ms. McAlvage's class, Ms. Eddington's class

Thursday: Ms. Preskenis' class, Ms. Gates' class, Ms. Mendez's class

Friday: Ms. Tejada's class, Mr. Schmeling's class

Our next PTO meeting will be on October 3 from 6:30pm - 7:30pm. The focus will be preparations for the Carnival event (assigning tasks, discussing the schedule, reviewing the program, etc). It takes a village to put on this event, and we will need many members of our school community to help us put it all together. Please join us - free pizza and childcare will be provided.

The 5th graders are in the lead with the most pledges so far - way to go! But it isn't too late! There is still time for everyone to add to their pledge sheets. Overall we are just over 20% of the way to our goal, so keep plugging away, because no pledge is too small and every donation counts. Thank you for supporting our goal to upgrade the school's track!

We are still looking for volunteers for the event on September 27 (during school hours). To sign up please contact Nathan at n.vandegraaff@gmail.com.

Thank you to all of the families that came to the Back to School BBQ and gave us feedback on our family survey! I appreciate the feedback from families that weren't able to make it as well! We will use your input to plan events and advise our Site Council goals. Here are the results:

Total number of families participating: 203

Grade levels represented:

K: 29

1: 32

2: 27

3: 38

4: 38

5: 39

I feel welcome at Bellview School:

Strongly Agree: 96

Agree: 32

Disagree: 1

Strongly Disagree: 0

My child feels comfortable at Bellview School:

Strongly Agree: 94

Agree: 31

Disagree: 1

Strongly Disagree: 0

Bellview supports and values a diverse community:

Strongly Agree: 82

Agree: 41

Disagree: 1

Strongly Disagree: 0

Bellview teaches children to be respectful:

Strongly Agree: 90

Agree: 35

Disagree: 1

Strongly Disagree: 0

Bellview fosters responsibility in children:

Strongly Agree: 79

Agree: 45

Disagree: 1

Strongly Disagree: 0

Bellview develops children's critical thinking skills:

Strongly Agree: 74

Agree: 51

Disagree: 0

Strongly Disagree: 0

Bellview staff keeps us informed of our child/ren's academic and social progress:

Strongly Agree: 65

Agree: 45

Disagree: 0

Strongly Disagree: 0

To stay informed about Bellview activities, I read:

Class newsletters: 98

School Newsletters: 86

School Website: 31

Emails from Teacher: 100

Facebook: 10

Fliers/Papers sent home: 77

I would like information on how to support my child at home in the areas of:

Reading: 27

Writing: 30

Math: 29

Behavior: 20

Mental Health: 20

Technology Use: 8

Diversity and Bias: 8

Growth Mindset: 26

What do you love about Bellview?

• The community is very supportive and involved x3
• We have had mostly stellar experiences. One of my children was struggling and had excellent assistance. Principal & Counselor provided excellent support. Teachers go above and beyond.
• Vey welcoming and positive environment. Keeps families informed. Kids are excited to go to school!
• Everything!
• Love how welcoming everyone is. My child has already made so many new friends.
• The community x9
• My child is always excited to go to class in the morning. He feels very comfortable and happy!
• It seems like a very welcoming place, for the kiddos in particular.
• Playground, studying on the tablet, playing with friends, lunch hour
• It's a home away from home for my child. She feels seen and heard by staff and peers
• Community & fairness x2
• I love that if my child is struggling, the teachers reach out to me to help them
• The teachers, staff, and other parents
• I went to Bellview school and I loved it! Bellview is a great community and we are happy to be here.
• The events
• Quality education, music class, friendly staff
• My kids love the environment and we feel that they are making good friends. TAG program coordinator has been great!
• Everyone is so nice!
• That everyone helps each other and the teachers. It's all positive.
• Your focus on kids as individuals
• Great teachers! Great kids!
• The sense of small community
• My child knows everyone and they make her feel special and important.
• The kids and teachers are so kind!
• Everything
• Great teachers and staff x2
• The support that students get. The fun activities the students do.
• Community of families, quality teachers
• It's a beautiful school, respectful, good and kind teachers, good education
• Great teachers, the show of teachers and helpers and the principal at the morning drop off and afternoon pick up
• Our kids are always excited to go to school in the mornings. They feel happy and welcome
• Sense of belonging
• Staff, collaboration, community
• Caring staff, smaller population
• Environment, teachers, education
• Teachers and families
• Staff work together
• Great teachers who care about all kids
• Staff is so welcoming!
• Each child gets individual attention and support
• Community and staff
• It's the best school with the best teachers
• Every employee. I also appreciate the school's positive intervention with social and behavioral issues. Thank you!
• Teachers and community
• So far all the teachers I have met and that my child has had have been such a great help to teach and learn from. Very grateful!!!
• The community! Social emotional learning, teachers are fantastic
• The long term teachers are amazing! We love so many of them!
• How much the teachers care, and how they make such an effort every year for every student.
• The amazing staff and fun activities
• I love Bellview's focus on social emotional learning as well as the academic focus
• Lots
• The teachers are caring
• Everything- small class sizes, nice facility, great staff, specialists, etc.
• So far My child's teacher seems very kind, caring, supportive, and communicative. She makes my child feel comfortable and welcome
• Great environment to learn
• I went to Bellview when I was growing up and I enjoyed it very much! Bellview is a great community
• The teachers x2
• The teachers, the spirit, and all the kind support
• kindness/respect is taught and fostered
• The community, the teachers and the facilities
• The teachers and staff have been great!

In what ways can Bellview improve?

• More support staff (EA's)
• Bellview could do a better job of having more diversity in th ephotos around the school to show appreciation for diversity
• Security?
• Phonics based reading curriculum! More support for 504 needs
• Art teacher/program curriculum, garden growing curriculum, bring back science teacher
• I believe that the Bellview community could do a better job of providing information in Spanish. I know it is difficult, but many times we don't know what is happening and how we can help.
• More proactive measures to improve diversity and exposure to different cultures
• Inclusive language consistently needed to reflect all families ( use "grown ups" instead of "parents") also ensuring that finances are not exclusive, meaning that all kids can participate in school activities
• More funding would go a long way for additional staff/programs
• Achieve funding to hold onto employees
• It would be nice to have a few more healthy menu options in the cafeteria
• Academics- go beyond standards if kids are ready. Would love to see more extracurricular educational opportunities, classes, etc.
• Increase support for exercise and sports during recess. We'll be excited to see the track improved
• Possibly add Spanish class for kids to start, maybe after school?
• More opportunities for advanced kids
• More support staff
• Stronger sense of community
• Communication from teachers

As you are thinking about costumes, please keep our school guidelines in mind when you are shopping or pulling items together! We will be having a costume walk and class parties in the afternoon on October 25th.

• Wear shoes and costumes that students can run or walk in
• No blood or gore
• No full face masks
• No weapons
• No costumes that imitate a culture that isn't yours (Indian costume, afro or dreadlock wigs, makeup that mimics another natural skin color that isn't yours)

After our recent wild fire scare, I have had several inquiries about what would happen in the event of a major fire event. There is not an exact answer that would fit every scenario, but in the event that we would need to evacuate the school, we would get all students to a safe location as quickly as possible, most likely using busses. Families would be notified by text, email, and phone call about where and when your student can be picked up.

In an emergency event, we only release students to people who are listed as emergency contacts in PowerSchool. Please check your child's PowerSchool account to ensure that anyone you would want to be able to pick them up is listed, with accurate contact information. Please also check that guardian information is accurate and up to date, and that you have not opted out of communications. This is the way that we would be communicating with you. If you have questions about how to access PowerSchool, contact the office 541-482-1310.

How To Become a Volunteer:

Step 1:
Complete the Volunteer Registration Form, which includes the Notice of Background Check form.

Once completed, please submit the forms and a copy of your driver’s license to the Office Manager of the school where the volunteer position is needed. Forms may also be mailed or faxed to the school office. If no school is specified, forms may be submitted to 885 Siskiyou Blvd., Ashland, OR 97520.
Once you have passed your background check, you are cleared to apply to volunteer for any position throughout the school year. No additional background check is necessary, however, it is necessary to repeat this process each school year.

Step 2:
Mark your calendar with the agreed upon days and times. Please note that certain positions require training and a time commitment. Make sure you can fulfill the volunteer commitments before agreeing to the position.

Be prompt and dependable. Call ahead if you are ill or unable to keep your appointed times. When you commit to volunteering, people are depending on you.

She, Her

Email: christine.mccollom@ashland.k12.or.us
Website: https://www.ashland.k12.or.us/o/bes
Location: 1070 Tolman Creek Road, Ashland, OR, USA
Phone: 541-482-1310
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Bellview-Elementary-School-104141858437771