Bear Families,

As you know we are working hard to grow thinkers, leaders and friends. This Monday, we came together for our first Bear Bunches of the year. Bear Bunches are a group of 10-12 students and one staff member. Each group is lead by one student leader from 4th or 5th grade. Students stay in the same group their whole Bluffsview career and the groups of students from every grade level. Each year we welcome a new kindergartner or two and some groups get to have a new student added. We do this to foster relationships of our older and younger students to allow students have another opportunity to build a relationship with a trusted adult that is not their teacher.

This month we focus on LOVE and EMPATHY. We spent time talking about what makes us feel loved and how we can ensure every Bear is feeling loved. It is always a special time that we truly value. If you want to learn more, just ask you child(ren). We will meet again in November for our next Bear Bunch!

Honored to be a Bear,

Julie L. Payne, Principal

Parents,

Recently, we were talking with a very smart Bluffsview parent. She was sharing about how when she and her husband noticed that their child was resistant to trying new situations that they started coming up with "Bravery Challenges". Each time they went out they would ask their child to choose a challenge. If they went to the park, their child might try to climb higher to try a new obstacle. If it was a social situation it might be to say, "hi" to someone new. After the challenge they would celebrate that their child tried, even if they didn't succeed. Over time the child's courage muscles grew stronger. Today, we are in awe of this child's bravery and confidence.

We challenge you and your family to set a Bravery Challenge and see what you or your child can overcome!

Sincerely, Julie Payne, principal and Alexandra Skura, counselor

PS- See the attached comic to help your child write about and capture their hard work on their Bravery Challenge!

At Bluffsview, we are proud of our Veterans! We are diligently planning our Veterans Day Assembly for this year, the 4th graders are learning the music for their performance, and the celebration will be here before we know it. Our Veterans Day Assembly will be held on Monday, November 11th, 2024 in the Bluffsview Gymnasium. Seating will begin at 1:15pm with the program beginning shortly afterwards at approximately 1:25pm.

To include information about your Veteran in our slideshow, please fill out this Google Form. Also, be sure to send a picture to Mrs. Daubney at cdaubney@wscloud.org if you want it to be included. If a photo is not sent, the official seal of the military branch will be included with your Veteran’s slide. Deadline to be included in the slideshow is Monday, November 4th.

Would you like to attend our assembly with your Veteran? Are you the parent of a 4th grader who is singing in the assembly? Please fill out this RSVP Form to let us know that you plan to attend. Due to space constraints, we ask that you only attend if you are bringing a Veteran or active service member, or are the parent of a 4th grader. The assembly will also be recorded and a link will be sent out to the entire school. Deadline to RSVP is Monday, November 4th.

Thank you so much for helping us to celebrate and honor the Veterans in our Bluffsview community!

Sincerely,

Mrs. Claire Daubney

The safety and well-being of our students, staff, and community are always our top priorities in Worthington Schools. Research and experience show that when students and staff are well-prepared through knowledge and practice, they can respond effectively to emergency situations. This is why we continuously engage in safety routines, drills, and learning to support the safety of everyone in our schools.

Historically, our schools have participated in several important safety drills:

• Fire Drills: These drills teach students and staff how to report fire hazards and safely evacuate the building using multiple exits.

• Weather Drills: These drills help everyone stay calm and safe during weather-related events, such as tornadoes, by identifying and using sheltered spaces within the building.

• Lock-Down Drills: These drills prepare us for situations where free movement within the school is restricted due to external disturbances or unauthorized visitors. They involve securing the school perimeter, classrooms, and common areas to keep everyone safe.

• Rally-Point Drills: These drills focus on safely exiting the building in cases of emergencies like a gas leak or unsafe visitor, and moving to a predetermined safe space away from the school.

In addition to these drills, Ohio law requires public schools to conduct a "Full Scale" Safety Drill every three years. This comprehensive drill combines elements of the previously practiced drills and includes a controlled classroom lockdown, as well as a simulated evacuation to move students away from the building in the event of danger.

Our staff has been trained in the ALICE (Alert, Lockdown, Inform, Counter, Evacuate) emergency response model, which includes additional countermeasures during a lockdown to facilitate a safe evacuation to a Rally Point. In the event of an emergency requiring relocation, students would be transported to a designated "reunification" location, with the Worthington Education Center (WEC) being our primary consideration.

In October, we will provide instructions and practice opportunities for students across our schools to prepare for a Full Scale Safety Drill. By being well-prepared for unplanned interruptions, we aim to build confidence and ensure the ultimate safety of our students. We know that when students feel safe and understand safety protocols, they can better focus on their learning.

Thank you for your continued support and partnership in keeping our schools safe.

I will share more information as we get closer to our Full Scale Drill. If you have concerns or think this will be upsetting for your child please reach out to Mrs. Payne or Mrs. Skura. Thank you!

We have smoothed out our dismissal procedures and worked to ensure that dismissal is as efficient and effective as possible. Just letting you know this so that you have a heads up that your child(ren) might be coming out a minute or two earlier. We are not ending teaching any earlier, just more efficient in our release process. This change will really only be felt by our walkers and bike riders. Bussers and car pick up are already ready to receive students.

The PTA is also looking for volunteers to help staff a glow stick and temporary tattoos table at Fall Family Fun Night. If you are able to help cover a short 30 minute shift, please sign up here:

• October 7th- 7:00 PTA Meeting, Library and Zoom
• October 8th- Planetarium come to Bluffsview- Thank you PTA!
• October 14th-16th- Conference Week
• October 17th- 6:00-8:00 Fall Family Fun Night- CORRECTION the time was incorrect before, it is 6:00-8:00!
• October 18th- No School
• October 22nd- Bluffsview Hosts XC Meet, 5:30 pm is race time!!!
• October 30th- Picture Retakes
• October 31st- Fall Parties




The calendar for the upcoming 2024-2025 school year is at this link.

Please mark your calendars and join us!

October PTA Meeting

Date: October 7, 2024

Time: 07:00 PM Eastern Time

Location: Bluffsview Library with free child care offered in the gymnasium for attendees.

For those unable to attend in person, please join us via Zoom:

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/93143402303?pwd=Qyw1IaVkWpxvTo9pQc98E17C2EWwcW.1

We are excited for another year of our Bluffsview Bears Cross Country program. We will be running on Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursday! All students who are interested in running or walking laps on a determined course on the playground on scheduled “Bears Running” days will be able to track their amount of laps across the “season” of recess running. They will earn small reward shoe tokens when having reached various mileage marks over the course of the season. We will also participate in optional races hosted by other Worthington Elementary schools throughout the fall. For more information check out our website and our Facebook page.

To sign up your Bear, please click on the link HERE.

If you would like to volunteer to help with our recess running time, please click HERE.

If you have further questions, please email Jen Miller at bluffsviewcrosscountry@gmail.com.

Mark your calendar for the evening of October 22nd when Bluffsview will host its 2nd annual XC Meet!!!

Worthington Schools is planning a change in how our Infinite Campus email is delivered. We plan to make the change before the end of this calendar year.

Prior to the change, all parents of students in Worthington Schools should view the brief parent guide linked below to ensure that emails continue to get delivered to your email inbox.

Parent Guide to Ensure Email is Received

When your child can't come to school it is important to let the office know. You can do this in two ways-

1) Call 614-450-5100 and report the absence.

2) Email bluattend@wscloud.org

Please be sure to communicate your child's name, date of the absence and reason for the absence.

THANK YOU! If you communicate it in any other way it might not get communicated to the right people and we may call looking for your child. This causes undue panic. Thanks for your help on this!

We are SO grateful to our families for ALL their support. If you are able, please click on this link and purchase an item that could really help us out! We appreciate it!

IF you missed it and you need help with technology, here are the things that were shared so that you can make sure you are receiving all the information and are able to help your child at home.

HelloID

Infinite Campus

Worthington App

Free and Reduced Application for Breakfast and Lunch

Smart Watches, including Apple Watches and Gizmos are permitted to be worn to school.

Upon arrival to the classroom students will have the choice to put the Apple Watch/Gizmo/Smart Watch in their backpack or give it to their teacher for safe keeping. Just like students are expected to keep phones in backpacks, the same expectation applies to smart watches.

"It is important that our transportation department has the correct pick up and drop off location for your child. Bus route information will be emailed to you on August 9th. Should you know in advance that your child will need an alternative bus stop on their assigned route due to child care or other reasons, please fill out the Alternative Transportation Request Form as soon as possible."

• Update Emergency Contact Info
• Login to the portal to put lunch money in your child's account
• Check to make sure my child has all the immunizations they need
• Locate my child's bus number and stop- beginning August 9th
• Apply for free or reduced meals, if applicable
• Pay fees on MyPaymentsPlus- Will be available on August 4th
• Purchase school supplies- Click on the "Supply List" button below to access the lists

Click the blue button below for assistance or to get to ANY of the items listed.

Times-

7:30 Doors Open and Buses Arrive

7:40 School Begins

2:20 Dismissal

Devices-

Students may bring web-enabled devices (cell phones, watches, etc.) to school, but they must remain turned off and in backpacks during school hours.

School Fees-

• REMOVED- Read Dr. Bower's Blog about Fee Removal Here

• Lunch prices will not change and will be $2.75

The USDA had school food services return to pre-pandemic operations last year.

Worthington Schools has eligibility-based pricing of meals (Free/Reduced/Paid).

All Worthington School families are required to complete the online Free/Reduced Lunch Eligibility Form. All students use their Lunch ID for meals. The student's number can be found in the Parent Portal. Select the Student ID tab and look for your Lunch PIN.

Families can add money to their lunch account through My Payments Plus. You can also use MPP to track your student's account and see much money remains on it. My Payments Plus is also used to pay other fees, like high school parking permits and AP testing fees.

The link below will take you to the updated handbook which is found on the district website. Parents are asked to digitally sign-off on the handbook as they update information for the school year.

2024-25 Elementary Student Handbook