Bridport Community Newletter

Dear BCS Community,

As we wrap up the first six weeks of school, I want to take a moment to reflect on our journey so far and share some exciting updates.

We’ve seen our students settling in beautifully, building new friendships, and getting acclimated to their classrooms. It’s heartwarming to watch their enthusiasm for learning grow each day. Our teachers have worked diligently to create welcoming environments, fostering a sense of belonging and community for all.

In these early weeks, we’ve focused on establishing routines and setting expectations. We believe that a strong foundation is key to a successful school year. Our students have shown great resilience and adaptability, embracing challenges with courage.

Looking ahead, we’re excited about the upcoming events and learning opportunities. Please keep an eye on our school calendar for important dates, including parent-teacher conferences and fall activities

Thank you for your support and partnership. Together, we can make this school year a wonderful experience for our children.

Best,

Jenny

(PS Check out our finalized school rules below!)

As the weather turns less ideal, and drop offs/pick ups become busier, please keep in mind safety during pick up and drop off times. Always take heed to school busses- and be aware of any children who may be walking into school. If you are parking to drop off your child in PK, please help us by staying safe in the parking lot during these busy times of day.

Please have your child to school by 7:55AM, and pick up is at 2:45-2:50PM.

If your child will be absent or late for any reason, please contact Linda by calling 802-758-2331

Per district policy, if a student will be missing more than 3 days of school for any reason that is not illness (vacation, trip, etc), you must get approval from our superintendent, That can be done by writing a letter or email directly to her- wbaker@acsdvt.org.

Find ACSD's attendance and truancy policy here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/18rseXgsC6j_1Tm6bZ1ugXjliPHaX7A80/edit

We value every minute we spend with your child(ren) at school and want to ensure access, success and belonging for every child at BCS.

Teachers and administrators met this summer to review family and teacher survey responses regarding the progress reporting system. Aspects of the system were fine-tuned based on that feedback.

Thanks for your input.

The ACSD K-5 reporting system strives to:

1. Provide opportunities for caregivers to connect and collaborate with teachers about how their child is doing
2. Create a record of student progress towards grade level standards for families, teachers and schools.

Connection and Collaboration

Teachers will meet with parents/guardians for parent-teacher conferences TWO times during the year. These conferences will be 20 min. long, in person or virtual/by phone. They will be focused on goal setting and the student’s learning and progress. Conference windows will be: October - November and March - April

In early February, after the winter progress reports are sent home, teachers will reach out to families to answer any questions they have about the report and their child’s progress.

Student Progress Reports

Students will receive progress indicators on a 5 point scale for each subject area and a 4 point scale for Approaches to Learning skill development.

There will be comments from all teachers addressing the student’s developing Approaches To Learning skills (ATLs).

Progress Reports will be sent home in January and June.

Grade Level Standards Documents

Parents/Guardians will be given At A Glance documents at the start of the year specifying the end-of-year grade level learning expectations (standards) in each subject area. If you ever need a copy, please reach out to your child's teacher.

Students’ progress will be discussed in relation to these standards during conferences and are used to determine proficiency in the January and June reports.

In October, students will be working with the book Lets Talk about Race by Julius Lester. This book helps students understand that everyone is the same on the inside. The differences are in the details of each person’s own stories. It allows students to explore their own thoughts about race and what makes each person unique. It’s a fine book for starting a discussion about race and judging people based on their skin color, hair, clothes, etc.

Here are some resources we will be using to talk about the book as well as some links to watch the book at home.

Wednesday October 9th- Early Release

Thursday October 10-Friday October 11- No School

Saturday October 19th- Craft Fair

If students want to participate they are welcome to! it is not mandatory. If a child forgets- and wants to participate we will have extra clothes/accessories to make it happen!

Friends of Bridport School is looking for donations for our new ice rink! If you have old skates to donate- please contact Kristy Whipple

Put on your calendar...

Friday November 8th- Spaghetti Dinner and Basket Raffle!

There will also be a winter clothing swap that day- if you would like to participate please drop off your clothing @ BCS starting the week of October 21st

As a reminder, all children are entitled to free breakfast and lunch!

All school meals will be free again for ALL students.

But, it's still VERY IMPORTANT to complete the free and reduced meal application form. Our district gets $475,000+ each year based on the % of students who qualify for free/reduced meals. So, if you fill out the form, you help us qualify!

A paper application will come home with your child, or apply now online.

Last Friday afternoon, we tested our district text messaging system. To receive texts, you must opt-in. If you think you signed up to receive text messages but did not receive one last Friday around 4pm, please contact your school to make sure your wireless phone number is in our student database. If you want to receive text messages you can sign up by Texting “yes” to 67587. You will get a reply confirming your registration. (If you ever want to stop receiving texts, just text STOP.) The district and school will only use text messages for important, time sensitive communication.