Our Mission: Every day, every student will grow through learning experiences as critical thinkers and leaders.

Our Vision: Engage, educate and empower ALL students

Black Bear Families,

This week we hosted an amazing author on Thursday! Our kinder through fifth grade students were able to listen to Mrs. Aida Salazar talk about her books, family, and her life as a writer. Thank you Mrs. Lund for organizing this wonderful opportunity for our Black Bears!

"Aida Salazar is an award-winning author, translator, and arts activist whose writings explore issues of identity and social justice. Her critically acclaimed verse novels and picture books have received over twenty five awards including an ALA Caldecott Honor, Malka Penn Human Rights in Children's Literature Award, Américas Award, Tomás Rivera Book Award, NSK Nuesdtat Finalist, International Latino Book Awards among other distinctions. She lives with her family of artists in Oakland, CA." (http://www.aidasalazar.com/about.html)

On behalf of our Blattman staff, we would thank our Blattman PTA Hospitality for providing our staff with healthy treats today in the lounge! We appreciated all of the yummy goodies today!. Please keep in mind that our PTA's January Spirit Event at COREssentials is in full swing. The flyer below shows more information. Thank you to everyone for coming out to support our school while focusing on your well-being!

Reminders

• Attendance Matters: Regular attendance is key to academic success. Let’s start the year strong by ensuring students are at school on time each day. Our front doors open at 7:15 a.m. Please keep in mind that instruction begins at 7:45am and students are dismissed at 3:00p. We encourage all students to arrive by 7:40 a.m.

• Health & Safety: Please continue to monitor your child’s health and keep them home if they’re feeling unwell. Together, we can keep our school community healthy.

• Winter Weather: Remember to dress your child appropriately for colder temperatures, especially during morning drop-offs and recess.

In observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, we will not have school this coming Monday. Hope you all have a wonderful 3 day weekend. Stay warm, especially this upcoming week.

Melissa Spiekerman

Blattman Principal

I received this information last week. Please keep this information for anyone in need:

The City of San Antonio is operating three warming centers. Anyone needing the warming center should call the Community Connections Hotline at 210-207-1799.

The City will then dispatch outreach workers in vans to take unsheltered folks to one of the three shelters operating.

Rebecca Flores
Education Program Administrator

Director’s Office | Department of Human Services

City of San Antonio

100 W. Houston Street, 9th Floor

San Antonio, TX 78205
Tel: 210.207.8221 Cell: 713.204.6202 | rebecca.flores@sanantonio.gov

January:

* All Month Long PTA's January Spirit Event at COREssentials (flyer below)

20th: No School for Students and Staff- MLK Holiday

21st-24th: Kg and 1st gr. Winter MAP Reading (Testing Window)

21st-24th: No Name Calling Week (see below for suggested attire this week updated)

22nd: Class Pictures (Dress to Impress)

23rd: Kinder Roundup 6pm - 7:30pm ; 3rd Gr. Field Trip (The Meadows)

27th: Kids Heart Challenge Program Begins

29th: Coffee with Counselor 7:45am

31st: 100th Day of School

February:

1st: Blattman ES Choir National Anthem Performance @ UTSA Women's Basketball Game 2pm

3rd-7th: National School Counseling Week

5th: Parent's Dyslexia Information: Mrs. Alexander (7:30-8a in library)

6th: Spring Pictures; ; PTA Founder's Day Ceremony

9th-15th: Random Acts of Kindness Week

14th: Kids Heart Challenge Program Ends

17th: Student Holiday/Staff Professional Development

21st: Kinder Field Trip: Magic Theatre; NISD Rodeo Day

24th-27th: NISD Special Education Track & Field Competition Week

24th: Elementary Competition Days for NISD Special Education (Blattman's Day)

(*All dates and times are subject to change)

Save The Date for our School's Kids Heart Challenge Program! A super fun experience where our students will learn how to keep their hearts happy and healthy and how to save a life! You can get signed up here! http://www2.heart.org/site/TR?fr_id=11259&pg=company&company_id=484243

Families, please continue to review your student/s grades/attendance using the Home Access Center (HAC). The campus will only be printing the final report card in an effort to save resources. Here is a click sheet on how to view grades and attendance as well as how to log into Home Access Center. If you are have difficulty printing or viewing your child's report cards, please let us know by calling the front office.

Step 1: Download the “Here Comes the Bus” app on Google Play and App Store or visit herecomesthebus.com

Step 2: Tap the “Sign Up!” button to create your account and enter your email, first, and last name

Step 3: Enter one of the following codes:

• Special Needs Student: 29998
• General Student: 29995
• Tap “Next”, then “Confirm”

Disclaimer: Please be aware that special needs routes are consistently changing. Ensure you stay updated with the latest route information to avoid any inconvenience.

Step 4: Create and set a password, then check your email for a “Welcome to Here comes the bus” email and activate your account.

Step 5: Under “My Student”, tap “ADD” & Enter your student's LAST NAME & ID Number. Once confirmed, you’re ready to start using the Here Comes the Bus App!

Note: When a family has riders from both special needs and general, you must return to Step 2 (home screen) to change from special needs to general to access your next child's data. You can add multiple students from the same category without returning to Step 2.

• Raptor system will continue to be used. ID must be presented at all times. If you plan on having lunch or have a parent teacher conference, please allow time to get scanned into our system.

• Badges must be visible and worn at ALL times - staff and guests.

• Perimeter of the building doors will be checked by campus staff after 7:45 am to ensure all doors are looked from the outside. The first front door to access the security lobby will only be open.

• We will ramp up our pre-registration process and scanning in process during our performances and events during the school day.

• We will be strictly asking visitors to follow our "One way in; One way out" policy and that is through the main doors to account for people entering and leaving our building. This ensures that doors aren't accidently left open or not locked. This also applies to students, who are only to be released and checked out through the front office, using our system. Teachers do not release students during the typical school day.

• External doors that flow out into parking lots etc., will not be allowed to be used as a general entrance or exit during the school day. This reinforces our "One way in; One way out" of our campus.

• Students will be accounted for through our iDismiss system at dismissal time to ensure all students are accounted for and kept safe until they are returned to your care.

• Additional safety and security drills will continue to be a part of our preparation plans and we will get feedback from field experts to continuously improve our process.

• Safety and security training for all staff campus on the protocols and procedures to keep students safe and building secure.

• Continued partnership with NISD PD and Shavano PD/FD to enhance a positive presence and visibility.

Volunteer Background Checks

We love having parent volunteers and helpers volunteer at campus events and helpers to prepare projects for our students. Each year any individual who is interested in volunteering, participating in field trips, chaperoning or helping out at an event will need to fill out the volunteer background check form. These forms must be completed each year.

Please do not click on the "Update" button, but use the link provided to fully complete the forms: Here's the direct link: https://hrvolunteer.nisd.net/TempMod.nsf?Open

As you may know, last year we experienced a long delay on clearances from our third-party vendor. By submitting checks early, volunteers can avoid the usual beginning of year delays and any additional delays. Please take care of this now if there is any possibility that you may be on campus for extended periods of time, or participate in any of campus events that are planned for this year.