We are excited to introduce this year’s theme for Bayou View Elementary: "Be the Light"!

At BVE, we believe in nurturing not only academic excellence but also the character and values that will guide our students throughout their lives. This year, our theme, "Be the Light," sums up our commitment to inspire each student to become a problem solver, lifelong learner, and productive member of society.

Throughout the school year, we will explore various aspects of this theme through classroom activities, assemblies, community service projects, and more. Our goal is to empower every student to recognize their ability to make a positive impact, both within our school and beyond.

Together, we can make this school year one filled with compassion, growth, and a bright light that shines through everything we do.

Thank you for your support as we embark on this inspiring journey together. Let’s "Be the Light" at BVE!

Each week, Mrs. Hoyt creates a video that is shown in the cafeteria during lunchtime throughout the week.

We can help you wish your child a happy birthday with a special message in our weekly video! Mrs. Hoyt will design the graphic for your child to celebrate their special day. The video is also played in our weekly newsletter. The cost for a special slide in the video is $5.00.

We can also display a happy birthday message for your child on our BVE PTA sign post in the front or back car line. The cost for this service is also $5.00.

All submissions are due by 3:00 p.m. the Friday PRIOR to your child's birthday week. Birthday messages cannot be added to signs and/or videos the week of their birthday. Please note that once the video is uploaded, no changes can be made. Complete the attached Jot form for either service.

https://form.jotform.com/aprilhoyt/birthday-shout-out-request-

The money raised for the birthday messages will help us provide enrichment curriculum for our Quest program and rewards for our Positive Behavior Incentive System (PBIS), which would not be possible without you! THANK YOU for your support!

Enjoy this week's edition of BVE TV!

This newsletter, The Viking View, is our school's major source of all pertinent news and information at BVE and is published each Friday. Look for the link online and in your teacher's weekly agenda. You can also go to the GSD website www.gulfportschools.org. From the homepage, click on "Schools," click on "Bayou View Elementary," scroll down to the title "The Viking View Newsletter," and click on the title. There, you will find a color copy of this newsletter in PDF format. You will enjoy better pictures, graphics, and text, all posted by early Monday evening each week. We assume all parents read the newsletter, and often this is the only medium in which we advertise certain dates and events, so be sure not to miss an issue! If you ever have any suggestions or comments, please email Dr. Hase at lamenda.hase@gulfportschools.org.

Thank you!

DCA Week - March 10th - 14th

Sea Star Tutoring: Monday, Wednesday, & Thursday

Women's History Month & Music in Our Schools Month

School Store Fundraiser Continues: Monday-Friday

Viking Village Summer Camp Registration: Monday - 10th from 3:00 - 5:00 at BVE gym

5th Grade Writing Assessment: Tuesday -11th

Graded Work Folder Wednesday

Quest Snack Cart: Wednesday

TST Meetings: Thursday - 13th

Quest Field Trip: Mrs. Hoyt & Mrs. Lizana; Friday - 14th

Spring Photos: Friday - 14th

Judge Baker served as the debate judge in 3rd Grade Quest, offering valuable feedback to help students improve for their next debate. Judge Baker shared tips straight from the courtroom and highlighted how well students collaborated with their teams.

Please click on "Follow the Family Requests for the 2025-2026 School Year", if you have a request to follow the teacher one of your other children had previously at BVE. All Follow the Family Requests are by April 30, 2025. Thank you!

The Science of Reading is a research-based approach to teaching literacy that focuses on how children learn to read and the most effective methods for developing strong reading skills. It emphasizes phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension, ensuring that students build a solid foundation for lifelong reading success. This approach is important because it equips all students, including those who may struggle with reading, with the tools they need to become confident, capable readers. At our school, we are committed to using evidence-based practices to help every child thrive in literacy and beyond.

Help support our school by ordering your spirit wear using the jotform listed below. We have some great designs this year on both t-shirts, sweatshirts, and hoodies. Purchasing school and district spirit wear is a great way for your child to show his/her support and pride in our school community. Not only does it help foster a sense of unity and school spirit among students, staff, and families, but it also contributes to our PTA's fundraising efforts that directly benefit school programs, activities, and resources. Wearing spirit wear during regular school days, special school events, sports games, and community gatherings helps to visibly demonstrate our collective commitment to our students' success and the positive culture we’re building together. https://form.jotform.com/242404396623153

We're excited to announce that PreK4Ward registrations will begin on February 27 at 10:00 am! For information on PreK4Ward, eligibility requirements, FAQs and more, visit https://www.unitedwaysm.org/prek4ward/

Paper is an online, on-demand tutoring service that provides students with unlimited, 24/7 academic support. Whether they’re stuck on homework, studying for a test, or need help with writing, there will always be experts available online to assist students one-on-one in all subject areas and in more than 4 languages. See Paper FAQs to learn more.

Paper tutors have been specially trained to conduct expert, academic support in a secure, chat-based platform. With a commitment to helping students learn, they’ll never give students answers, but rather facilitate deeper learning by asking guiding questions and providing timely encouragement.

Live chat: Students have 24/7 unlimited access to high-quality individualized tutoring via chat. When students hit a stumbling block on an assignment, they can connect with a tutor in under a minute and ask any academic question, anytime, across all subjects and in multiple languages. Students simply type in their question, upload a file or draw out the problem on the whiteboard.

Writing feedback: Students can receive feedback on their writing assignments to strengthen their writing skills. They can upload any type of written work to receive revisions from tutors within 24 hours. During the revision process, tutors highlight areas the student can improve and explain why, focusing on writing elements such as content, organization, citations and grammar.

PaperLive: PaperLive offers entertaining and educational live video content for students after school to help them build learning momentum outside of the classroom. Students can access this resource for free within their own Paper dashboards and participate in a variety of classes from astronomy to financial literacy.

Paper Missions: Students can become a math wiz with Paper Missions; a gamified, interactive experience that breaks down equations into core concepts.

If you ever need help with your school work, there’s a live tutor available to help you 24/7 on Paper, if your child is enrolled in grades 3-5.

Available anytime, anywhere, no matter what you’re working on, you’ll be able to connect with an expert tutor instantly. These are real people who are friendly, approachable, and want to help you succeed. To learn more about Paper and how you can get started, visit the MDE + Paper Website and check out the student resources.

To get started with a tutoring session all you have to do is log in, ask your question, and they’ll give you a helping hand. To login:

1. Visit PAPER’s student login page

2. Type your school’s name

3. Log in via Google using your school credentials

Once you let a tutor know what you’re working on, you can expect them to ask you questions about what you’ve tried, what you understand, what you don’t understand, and from there they’ll talk you through the steps. Paper is a place for you to improve, and that doesn’t happen when you just look up answers.

BVE Parents, we have a great opportunity to provide a Mental Health Platform in collaboration with the Cook Center. There are several webinars on different mental health topics that families have the opportunity to participate in that are facilitated by the Cook Center this month. Please take a closer look below. There are also many FREE online courses for parents! Some of the topics include: behavior, bullying, anxiety and depression, child development, grief and loss, self help, suicide prevention, and technology.https://parentguidance.org/all-courses/

Mornings can be hectic with children! Remove one item from your list of things to do by having your child take advantage of our FREE, delicious breakfast each morning at school! We also have FREE lunches for our students in the Galley, and our cafeteria crew is amazing!

Yes, you may choose to eat lunch with your child at BVE during his/her lunchtime. Our students love a visit from their parents during lunchtime. Please come to the front office during your child's lunchtime, and sign in to receive a visitor's pass. You and your child may eat lunch together outside the Galley (our cafeteria) or at one of our picnic tables. If you bring your child food from a restaurant, please transfer it into a brown bag. Please know that we do not accept food deliveries for students. Please dispose of any trash once your lunch together has ended to keep our campus clean. Thank you!

The 24-25 Big Blue All Sports Pass is on sale now! The All Sports Pass is good for entry into ALL Gulfport Middle & High school regular season home games (excludes playoff games). Get your passes from the Athletic Office inside Bert Jenkins Gym (100 Perry Street, Gulfport) Monday-Friday 8am-4pm.

School is in session from 7:28 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.

ARRIVAL: The earliest students may begin arriving on campus is 7:00 a.m.; once on campus, students will go to the cafeteria to get breakfast or report directly to the classroom. Please complete an application for Free/Reduced Lunch. We will send these forms home with students. We encourage you to have your child get a breakfast, since breakfast is such an important meal for our students. Our cafeteria crew provides a delicious breakfast!

IMPORTANT: All outside building doors are shut and locked at 7:28 a.m.; after this time, a student MUST be signed into the front office by an adult. Please do not leave your child to enter the building by himself/herself. Please do not drop your child off in the wrong car line. K-1 students are to use the front car line, and 2-5 students are to be dropped of using the back car line.

Announcements will begin promptly at 7:28 a.m. Students are tardy if they are not in the building by 7:28 a.m. AND seated in their respective classrooms by 7:30 a.m. We strongly encourage all students to be seated and ready to learn prior to 7:30 a.m., so as not to miss important information during announcements and not to disrupt others from listening as well.

DEPARTURE:

We dismiss kindergarten and first-grade car riders (those who do not have older siblings) to the front porch shortly before 2:30 p.m. If a student is not picked up by 2:45 p.m., he/she will be escorted by staff to School Plus, our after-school program. There is a charge for School Plus.

Please follow the map when dropping off/picking up your children. This will help us expedite this process in a safe and orderly manner. Please do not drop your child off using the wrong car line. You will be given a car rider tag to display in your front window to help us get your child to your car upon your arrival. You can help us by displaying that tag every day at the pick-up line. Thank you for your cooperation!

If it is raining at 2:15 p.m., all park-walkers will be car-riders and need to be picked up in their respective car-rider lines. We will send a message via School Status if this occurs. We appreciate your cooperation keeping students safe AND dry.

If you have any transportation changes to make for your child or children, you must notify the office staff via e-mail by 12:00 p.m. You may e-mail the teacher; however, the office staff must also be notified. Please e-mail Mrs. Leah McClain (Records Clerk) at leah.mcclain@gulfportschools.org OR Mrs. Alicia Lawrence (Secretary/Bookkeeper) at alicia.lawrence@gulfportschools.org. Transportation changes must be made to and documented by the front office staff, not with the classroom teacher. We do not take transportation changes after 12:00 p.m., nor do we take them over the phone.

Because instructional time is so important, we do not allow student checkouts after 2:00 p.m. Please understand that parents who enter the office at 2:00 p.m. or later requesting to check out their child or children will be asked to get back into the carline for student pickup. We also do not take checkouts over the phone to have students waiting for the parent to arrive in the office. Students are called to the office for checkouts only if an approved adult is present in the office BEFORE 2:00 p.m. to check them out. We thank you for your cooperation in helping us protect instructional time.

Basic Guidelines for All Buses:

Students in kindergarten through first grade must have an adult chaperone with them at the bus stop. Failure to remain seated on a school bus or misbehavior on a school bus may result in the loss of the student's privilege to ride a school bus each day. Please encourage your child to model good behavior on the school bus for his/her safety and the safety of others. We will also review and practice appropriate bus behaviors with students at school.

PARENTS, PLEASE MAKE SURE YOUR CHILD HAS A CHANGE OF CLOTHES AT SCHOOL. Bathroom accidents are not the only spills that happen here at school. Although we do have a clothes closet, with gently used clothes, it is for emergencies. In the event that your child’s clothes get soiled here at school and he/she does not have a change of clothes, we will let your child borrow clothes from the closet (if available). If you do not wish for your child to borrow clothes from the closet, please have a change of clothes at school and send a note to your child’s teacher stating that you do not wish for your child to borrow clothes from the closet.

Thank you.

Free and reduced lunch applications will be sent home with students during the first days of school. We ask that every family complete the application as soon as possible. We are expecting breakfast/lunch to be free again this year; however, we need every family to complete the application to help us qualify for the federal waiver. You can apply now by clicking on the link below.

https://www.chalkablecafe.com:8019/gulfport?x=447.19383902004677

Students are required to wear their ID badges at school every day. These badges will be used for breakfast and lunch, to check out library books, and to gain access to the school bus. Students who do not have their ID badges when riding the bus will be given an office referral from the bus driver. Students are subject to bus suspensions; therefore, it is essential that students have their ID badges with them at school. ID badges will be distributed to students during the first week of school. Replacement ID badges will cost $5.00.

Please read the information below about student ID badges regarding bus transportation. You can access the login page for FirstView at: https://www.firstviewapp.com/.

Parents, please check your child's clothing before sending him/her to school in the morning. If a student's clothing is deemed inappropriate, you will be asked to bring a change of clothing to the school. Please pay attention to the length of your child's shorts as they cannot be any shorter than fingertip length when arms are by his/her sides. Also, students are not allowed to have holes in their jeans/pants any higher than knee-level. We need your help with this!

STUDENTS WHO ARE OUT OF COMPLIANCE WITH THE DRESS CODE POLICY WILL BE PUT IN ISD (IN-SCHOOL-DETENTION) UNTIL A CHANGE OF CLOTHES IS BROUGHT BY A PARENT/GUARDIAN.

Please review our handbook online regarding dress code. Thank you!

https://www.gulfportschools.org/Domain/99

If you are looking for a way to support your children with the ready curriculum, check out the

parent letters, tutorials, and extra practice offered from Curriculum Associates, the parent

company of Ready and i-Ready.

To Access the Tutoring Support Packs:

1 Go to the Tutoring Support site.

2 Enter the following password: TSp89TC.

3 Download the relevant subject and grade-level ZIP files for your

program.

4 Upload the files to your learning management system.

To Access the At-Home Learning Resources:

1 Go to the At-Home Learning Resources site.

2 Enter the following password: AHrs54.

3 Download the relevant subject and grade-level files.

4 Make materials available to students by printing or uploading to your learning management system.

President: Elizabeth Wise

Vice President: Beth Thomas

Secretary: Madeline Jackson

Treasurer: Ginny Blalack

Tess Lawrence, Ed. S., NBCT, Principal

Lamenda Hase, Ed. D., Assistant Principal

Elizabeth Wise, PTA President

Email: lamenda.hase@gulfportschools.org
Location: 4898 Washington Avenue, Gulfport, MS, USA
Phone: (228) 865-4625
Twitter: @BVE_BlueRibbon

The mission of the Gulfport School District is to inspire each student to become a problem solver, lifelong learner, and productive member of society.