Principal Chat
Happy Valentine's Day! I hope you have fun plans for this long weekend - food, fun, family (yay, no football) and something outside! According to research, being out in nature has three positive benefits for humans:
- Improves thinking and reasoning by reducing mental fatigue.
- Improves physical wellness by reducing cortisol levels, increasing your heart rate from exercise and increasing your vitamin D levels.
- Improves mental health by decreasing anxiety, stress and feelings of anger.
I am spending the long weekend hiking in Nevada - Red Rock Canyon and Valley of Fire State Park. If you like the outdoors and want to get away from our winter weather, these are terrific places to go! Both are super close to Vegas so you can even squeeze in a show, amusement park rides, good food and a couple pulls on a slot machine. Lots of people like to relax by - sitting in a hot tub, sleeping in, meditating, chilling, eating at a nice restaurant, going to a movie, etc. I relax and find my center when I am experiencing the outdoors either hiking, biking, paddle boarding or skiing.
MARCH TUESDAY TALK - Does your kiddo have a talent they want to share with the school? If so, send a video (less than one minute) to Lani@BridgeCharter.org for inclusion in our Tuesday Talk on March 4. The videos need to be received NO LATER than Monday, February 24 to be included in the March Tuesday Talk.
PARENT TEACHER CONFERENCE (PTC) - PTC is held over 2 1/2 days at Bridge.
- Wednesday, March 5 - SHORT DAY PTC = 2:00 - 7:30 pm
- Thursday, March 6 - NO SCHOOL PTC = 8:30 am - 7:30 pm
- Friday, March 7 - NO SCHOOL PTC = 8:30 am - 7:30 pm
Classroom teachers will send out a sign up for you to schedule a time to meet with your child's teacher to discuss academics, behavior, PLP and to celebrate your child's successes at school.
WELLNESS PROTOCOL - not sure if you should send your kiddo to school? We now have a Wellness Protocol that you can use to help make that decision. You can find it on our website under Resources > Policies & Procedures:
https://www.bridgecharter.org/policies-procedures
FIELD DAY DONATIONS - Our field day is an awesome event that we host on the last day of school. We have bounce houses, a magician, games and prizes, fabulous BBQ lunch, face "painting", yard games, school movie, yearbook signing and a water event. We use our dress down funds to help support this BUT donations are super helpful. The Roy Les Schwab already location donated $500 to help with field day!!!! These are the items we need:
- Water shooters (pull the plunger and fill the tube with water) from the dollar store (each 4 - 6 grade kiddo gets one).
- Prizes for the game booths. These are like the kind you get in a bag from Zurchers, Oriental Trading or the Dollar store. We have small, medium and large prizes.
- Cans of soda for the ring toss.
STAFF HIGHLIGHTS - Further in the newsletter we highlight individuals at Bridge and the important role they play in creating a positive, supportive and engaging learning environment our students. This week we highlight our amazing P90 Team and Our Extra Support Paras!
COMMUNITY CONNECTION - Ms. Chelsea, our social worker, provides a fabulous Community Connection every other week to help support kids and families. See below in the newsletter for ideas about using the "Asking vs Telling" strategy to help kids gain confidence and are increase the likliehood of them making good choices independently.
ICYMI - this is the link to our website for all previous news bulletins:
https://www.bridgecharter.org/bridge-bulletinb
Please keep reading for more information about this past week and events for the upcoming weeks.
As always, thank you for CHOOSING Bridge and sharing your kids with us! We know you have lots of options in education and we are honored that you have made the choice to have your students attend our awesome school!
This institution is an equal opportunity provider.
Lani Rounds
Principal
NO SCHOOL
- February 14 and 17 (teacher workday and President's Day)
- March 6 & 7 (parent teacher conferences)
- April 14 - 18 (Spring Break)
- May 26 (Memorial Day)
UPCOMING EVENTS
- FREE Skate Night at Classic - February 27, 5 - 8 pm
- Tuesday Talk & Talent - March 4, 2:15 - 3:00 pm
- Book Fair March 3 - 7 (times provided later)
- Parent Teacher Conferences - March 6 & 7
- Roy FD Assembly - March 17, 9 - 10 am
- Spring Pictures (FREE dress down day) - March 20
- Road to Success reading program ends - March 24
- Yearbooks on Sale - April 1 thru April 30
- Field Day (yearbooks, last day of school, short day) - May 29
- North Shore Aquatic Center - FREE for Bridge Family and Friends - June 11 - 6:30 - 8:30 pm
Social Emotional Learning
Bridge's model aligns perfectly with the state's Personalized Competency Based Learning (PCBL) framework.
Social Emotional Learning (SEL) at Bridge comes in many forms including Visible Learning traits, Seconds Steps lessons, Good Citizen tracker (grades 3+), restorative practices, and activities in the classroom. SEL includes feeling and showing empathy for others and establishing and maintaining positive relationships. Social Emotional Learning is intentionally and seamlessly integrated into classroom activities to allow students to continually build these skills. Thursday's Valentine Exchange was a way for kids to celebrate friendships and the supportive culture they have created in their classroom.
Do you have unused gift cards you know you will never use? Well, we now have a pink donation box in the front office that is the perfect place for you to put those gift cards to good use! The box can also be used for your excess change or random dollar bills that keep falling our of your wallet. Gift cards will be used for staff prize drawings and cash will be used for treats for our staff. This is a super easy way to say "Great Job Team Bridge". Ask the front office for a receipt for your donation.
At Bridge, instead of having a "maturation night" for 5th grade students which other schools typically do, we opt to provide parents the information so they can determine how much they want to share with their child and at which age they want to share it. For many girls, by the time they are in 5th grade they have already started menstruation and it is a little too late for a lesson on maturation. At Bridge, our administration and board believe parents can best determine what students should know about maturation and puberty, and when a child should know it.
Our maturation committee met and reviewed information from different sources. They determined, and our Board approved, to use the maturation information provided by Provo School District. The maturation information includes videos and packets for girls and boys that you can download and share with your child.
This is the link to the MATURATION information.
Utah is at the forefront of providing lots of educational options for families. Charter schools, like Bridge, are just one of the choices. For students with special needs, Utah has the Carson Smith Scholarship available. The Carson Smith Opportunity Scholarship Program allows a parent of a special needs child to apply for a scholarship to help cover the cost of private schools and special programs. Information about this program and the list of approved private schools and programs can be found on the state's website at:
There are MANY great options for junior high school for your student. Many of the lotteries for junior high charter schools are already open for enrollment. If you choose a neighborhood, district school, PLEASE contact them ASAP so you do not miss out on the registration process. This is not a comprehensive list:
Wallace Stegner Academy (Sunset) brand new campus - https://wsacharter.org/our-campuses
Weber School District - https://www.wsd.net
Ogden School District - https://www.ogdensd.org
Davis School District - https://www.davis.k12.ut.us
Quest Academy (West Haven) - https://www.questac.org
Venture Academy (Mariott-Slaterville) - https://www.venturelearning.org
Ogden Prep Academy (Ogden) - https://ogdenprep.org
Syracuse Arts Academy (Syracuse) - https://www.syracuseartsacademy.org
Utah Military Academy (Riverdale) - https://www.utahmilitaryacademy.org/main/campuses
DaVinci Academy (Ogden) - https://secondary.davinciacademy.org
Mountain Heights Academy (online) - https://mountainheightsacademy.org
Utah Virtual Academy (online) - https://utva.k12.com
Connections Academy (online) - https://www.connectionsacademy.com/utah-online-school
Attendance at school is SO important and the attendance data is reported to the state of Utah through our Aspire system. Chronic absence is defined as a student missing 10% of school days (excused or unexcused) in a school year (so 18 days or more). Consider these facts about how attendance impacts student success.
- Absenteeism in the first month of school can predict poor attendance throughout the school year. Half the students who miss 2-4 days in September end up missing nearly a MONTH of school
- Absenteeism and its ill effects start early. Read more...
- Poor attendance can influence whether children read proficiently by the end of third grade.
- By 6th grade, chronic absence becomes a leading indicator that a student will drop out of high school.
- Research shows that missing 10 percent of the school, or about 18 days, negatively affects a student’s academic performance. That’s just two days a month and that’s known as chronic absence.
- When students improve their attendance rates, they improve their academic prospects and chances for graduating.
If your student MUST miss school consider these options:
Ask your teacher for resources that you can use at home to keep your children learning. ALL students have access to iReady reading and math (grades 1-6) or Waterford reading and math (kindergarten).
- Identify who can support your children’s learning at home, especially if you must go to work.
- Encourage your children to call classmates and stay connected to the teacher to find out about what they missed.
As a school of choice, Bridge recognizes our model is not the right fit for every child. Nearly all children flourish with the small group and personalized learning experience Bridge offers and some children thrive in the collaborative learning pod experience complete with multiple transitions daily. However, other students may find the large learning pod with lots of movement and lots of students, provides sensory overload and is not the ideal learning environment for the them. If you have not yet had an opportunity to visit during school hours, please reach out to your child's teacher to schedule a time to come and observe your child's learning experience and environment. Parents and guardians need to carefully determine if the learning model provided by Bridge is the model that fits best for their child.
The next Tuesday Talk is Tuesday, March 4, 2025.
The first Tuesday of the month we meet in the gym as a school community, 2:15 - 3:00. During this time one grade will showcase something amazing they have completed and our Frog Squad will provide a message about kindness or one of our Visible Learning Traits. Additionally, students will get to showcase their own talent via a pre-submitted video.
Student talent can showcase any type of talent - singing, sports, dancing, stand up comedy, magic, etc.. The video must be less than one minute long and the content must be school appropriate - for example, if the student is singing the lyrics must be kid-friendly or the background music chosen for the video must be kid-firendly.
Email Mrs. Rounds Lani@BridgeCharter.org AT LEAST one week before the first Tuesday of the month to give her time to proof the video and include it in the presentation.
Social Emotional Learning (SEL) and Visible Learning - Family Connection
Social Emotional Learning resources for families and students to promote a stronger sense of self identity, mental health, and create a safer school environment. Our Visible Learning Traits (flexibility, determination, reflection, taking initiative, thoroughness, and enthusiasm) tie into Social Emotional Learning at Bridge!
Students attend a Visible Learning class where they learn about six traits of a good learner - Reflection - Initiative - Flexibility - Thoroughness - Enthusiasm - Determination (RIFTED). Teaching these traits is one way we help students learn to take accountability and ownership of their learning. Our Visible Learning (VL) class alternates with our Second Steps SEL lessons. One week students will have a VL lesson and the next week an SEL lesson. These two programs align perfectly with our Culture of Learning at Bridge.
You can find all the traits on our website at: https://www.bridgecharter.org/visible-learninga
Please discuss these traits at home and help empower your children to take personal ownership and accountability for their own academic performance. You can find information about our Second Steps program, including the scope and sequence, on our website under Curriculum and Assessment: SECOND STEPS
This week our students had an opportunity to try Lucy Apples, Colorful Bell Peppers and Stem Strawberries.
This program is designed to give students an opportunity to try a fresh fruit or vegetable they may not otherwise have exposure to. This is a grant from USDA that Bridge is SO fortunate to receive!
Brenda Hay
Hello. My name is Brenda Hay. I have worked at Bridge Elementary since the school opened. For the last three years, I have been lucky to work with the P90 team- helping students become more proficient readers. One of my favorite things about Bridge is the connections I have made with our students. Their hugs are “heart payments” and have blessed my life.
When I’m not at Bridge, I enjoy spending time with my family. We enjoy playing games, camping and cheering for the Utah Jazz.
I’m so proud to be a Bullfrog
Day Wolf
Trish Child
Hello, My name is Ms.Trish. I work with students in 1st-6th grade with specialized reading groups, progress monitoring and creating Virtual Field Trip to the fun 1st grade on Fridays.
I am lucky to have a special guy, 2 children, their spouses and 4 granddaughters in my life. I also have the bonus of having my 94 year old mom with me. My hobbies are travel, design, reading, camping and gardening. I enjoy working in local theaters as a prop master and creating set dressing/design.
I enjoy making connections and bringing a joy of reading to students at Bridge. I love that I can bring my love of crafts and design into virtual field trip and travel “virtually” around the world with your kids! I personally think I have the best job here. ;)
Gailon Tucker
I have been with Bridge Elementary since it began five years ago. I love working with our students and helping them with their reading and math!
I have been the chess and algebra facilitator for advanced math students and work with our ELL students too.
I enjoy cooking, photography, movies, Dungeons & Dragons, traveling with Mrs. Tucker, Harry Potter, and reading.
My favorite author is Orson Scott Card and I love to read science fiction and urban magic / magical realism, like Harry Potter or the Mattew Swift series.
Before coming to Bridge, I worked at Hill Air Force Base working on computers. After I retired, coming to Bridge and working with the students was a dream come true!
The best part of my day is greeting students at the door and seeing their faces and hearing their stories!
Thanks for welcoming me and letting me have a moment of time with your amazing Bullfrogs!
Collette Hopkin
Hi! My name is Collette, or Ms. Lettie (: I’ve been at Bridge for a few months and have loved being here since day one. I help out in 1st-4th grades with P90, math intervention, and anything else there may be a need for. I love giving students one on one support and watching them grow.
When I’m not working, I’m probably doing homework! I’m currently in my last semester at Weber State, and will graduate in April with my Bachelors in Family Studies. For fun, I enjoy spending time with my husband and our puppy, Archie, eating good food (especially tacos), and keeping up with Taylor Swift!
I love being a Bullfrog!
Attendance is taken every morning by 8:45 am. The computer identifies all students who are marked "absent" and then, sends a message to all parents if the student is not marked "EXCUSED". This is done for safety reasons as well as to remind parents students must be excused from school if they are absent.
Absences MUST be excused within 24 hours of the absence, otherwise it is considered "unexcused". Once a child has 7 unexcused absences parents are sent a Notice of Compulsory Education Violation and are required to meet with administration regarding the absences. All absence are reported through our state system, Aspire. Once a child has 10 unexcused absences the school may contact the Division of Child and Family Services for educational neglect.
It is super easy to excuse an absence. Either call the office (801)499-5180 and listen for the prompts or use the EXCUSE ABSENCE icon on the front page of our website.
Safe UT - See Something? Say Something?
Bridge is a member of Utah's Safe UT. SafeUT is a crisis chat and tip line that provides real-time crisis intervention for students, parents/guardians, and educators through live chat and a confidential tip line—right from your smartphone. This also allows students or parents to report potentially violent or concerning issues they see or hear about that may impact the staff or students at Bridge.
You can access the information from our website under RESOURCES at:
https://www.bridgecharter.org/safeut-see-something-say-something
or directly at https://safeut.org/students
Weber Human Services - Stabilization and Mobile Response (SMR)
Title I at Bridge
Title I was initially passed in 1965 under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA). It is the largest federal assistance program for public schools. These supplemental funds provide students the opportunity to receive a fair, equitable and high-quality education to help close achievement gaps.
Bridge Elementary receives our Title I funding based on the percentage of students that qualify for free or reduced lunch. For this reason we encourage ALL families to apply for Free/Reduced lunch through Aspire to ensure every single student receives the services needed, including access to free or reduced meals if appropriate.
Title I provides avenues for parent input and participation. We do this through our surveys and the link to the form on our website which allows parents to submit questions and suggestions.
You can find more information about Title I as well as a form to ask questions or provide suggestions regarding Title I, on our website at:
Schools cannot do this alone! We can provide students with instruction on how to read and provide them with some practice, but in order to become proficient readers, students MUST practice reading at home.
The recommendation is 20 minutes daily outside of school. This can include a student reading aloud, an adult or independent reader reading to a younger reader, or an independent reader reading silently with the child being provided an opportunity to discuss their reading. Kids can read to their dog, cat, guinea pig, siblings, parents, grandparents, etc. They can record themselves reading and then listen to it again. They can re-read a paragraph or page to improve their fluency and decoding skills. Visit the link below to find ways to help your child improve their reading and develop a love for reading.
As an added bonus, minutes can be tracked for the Road to Success reading incentive program!
About Bridge Elementary Charter
Email: info@bridgecharter.org
Website: bridgecharter.org
Location: 4824 Midland Drive, Roy, UT
Phone: (801)499-5180
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BridgeCharter