Happy February to all!

I want to thank all those that participated in the parent survey I sent out to the community. I received some useful and actionable feedback that I plan to put to good use. One of the immediate changes will be how we distribute our monthly Character Awards. Beginning at the end of February (weather permitting), parents of recipients will be invited to our Character Awards Assembly on the last Wednesday of the month. Watch for an invitation from you teacher later in February!

Thank you for your willingness to share your thoughts with me. While the survey has closed, I am always available to hear your comments, concerns, and commendations.

Please join us at our next Pastries for the Parents event on Thursday, February 8 at 8:00am. Our district guest for February will be Ms. Erin DiMartini from Educational Services. Please bring your smile and we'll provide the rest.

Black History Month

Every February, people in the United States celebrate the achievements and history of African Americans as part of Black History Month.

BY KAY BOATNER

Among the notable figures often spotlighted during Black History Month are Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., who fought for equal rights for Blacks during the 1950s and ’60s; Thurgood Marshall, the first African-American justice appointed to the United States Supreme Court in 1967; Mae Jemison, who became the first female African-American astronaut to travel to space in 1992; and Barack Obama, who was elected the first-ever African-American president of the United States in 2008.

BLACK HISTORY MONTH TODAY

Since the first Negro History Week in 1926, other countries have joined the United States in celebrating Black people and their contribution to history and culture, including Canada, the United Kingdom, Germany, and the Netherlands.

Today Black History Month continues the discussion of Black people and their contributions through activities such as museum exhibits and film screenings, and by encouraging the study of achievements by African Americans year-round.

Lunar New Year, often called the Spring Festival or Chinese New Year, is the most important holiday in China and Chinese communities around the world. It is not only celebrate in China. Vietnam, Korea, Malaysia, and Singapore also practice the Lunar New Year holiday. The two-week celebration includes family and friends, feasting and fireworks, parties and parades.

For more than 3,000 years, Lunar New Year was just what it sounds like—the beginning of a new year in the Chinese calendar. The historic Chinese calendar is a lunisolar calendar, meaning dates are determined by both the moon (lunar) and the sun (solar). Months begin with every new moon, when the moon is not visible in the night sky. The new year starts on the new moon nearest the midpoint between the winter solstice and the spring equinox, sometime between January 21 and February 20.

China officially adopted the Gregorian calendar, used by the West, in 1912. In the late 20th century, however, the holiday was re-introduced as the “Spring Festival.”

Although there is rarely a set “program” for Lunar New Year celebrations, some days are associated with specific rituals or festivities. Read through some highlights below. Use the questions in the Questions tab to understand the significance of some of the sumptuous foods associated with the Lunar New Year.

Before New Year

Prior to the official start of the holiday, Chinese households are thoroughly cleaned. Cleaning symbolizes ridding the household of the previous year’s bad luck and making the home welcoming to good luck in the coming year. (On the first several days of the festival, tradition holds that brooms be stored, so that the newly arrived good luck will not be swept away.)

The days or weeks leading up to Lunar New Year are also when communities begin to decorate with red: fresh red paint on the doors of businesses and homes, red paper cut-out decorations, red lanterns. Red is the color of joy and good fortune in Chinese cultures, and is most strongly associated with new year celebrations.

One of the traditional ways to begin celebrating the Lunar New Year is the “reunion dinner,” when families gather to celebrate hopes for the new year.

During the New Year Celebrations

How do you wish someone "happy new year" in Chinese? It depends on who you're talking to. In China, the official language is Mandarin. Gong xi fa cai is how Mandarin-speakers wish you a happy new year—literally "wishing you to be prosperous in the coming year." Many overseas Chinese communities speak Cantonese. Gung hay fat choy is how Cantonese speakers wish you a happy new year—literally "wishing you great happiness and prosperity."

Some of the most common celebrations during the Lunar New Year festival include parties, firecrackers, and the famous lion dance familiar to Western audiences. During the first days of the Lunar New Year younger family members may begin receiving bright red envelopes full of money. These envelopes, known as hong bao (Mandarin)or lai see (Cantonese), are traditionally given to unmarried adults and children.

The third day of the Lunar New Year is often quieter and more somber than those preceding it. It is considered bad luck to visit friends or family, or play host to visitors yourself. This day is usually reserved for honoring deceased relatives by visiting graves or lighting incense or paper offerings in memory of loved ones.

Often times the seventh day of the Lunar New Year recognizes renri , the creation-day of human beings. To honor humanity’s connection to all living things.

The ninth day of Lunar New Year is recognized as the birthday of the Jade Emperor, the ruler of heaven in Taoist belief.

The beautiful Lantern Festival signals a close to the Lunar New Year festival. Paper lanterns light the way for lion dances and all-day parades and festivals. The bright lights of the Lantern Festival celebrate the first full moon after the Lunar New Year. The colorful lanterns, displayed outdoors as well as inside temples, are associated with guiding lost souls’ home and were originally created by monks to honor Buddha.

Workshop Series Flyer

REGISTER HERE: Rainbow Community Center (hisawyer.com)

In this webinar, panelists will share expertise and/or insight on topics such as dating, sexuality, consent, safety, trust, communication and relationships. Participants will learn how to create a safe space to have these meaningful conversations and gain a deeper understanding of these issues.Donation/Fee is $25.00 per session. If paying for this workshop will be a burden in any way for you, please go to tinyurl.com/RFLCPromoCode to apply for a promo code.

• We are HIRING for our Adults With Disabilities Program. Please contact Maureen Campbell at campbellml@mdusd.org or 925-685-7340 x. 6707 with inquiries.

• PT Instructor

• FT Instructor TOPS (Autism)

• FT Instructor Life Skills (Developmental)

• Community Based Instructor

• Senior Instructional Assistant

• Program Assistant with multi-year growth to Program Coordinator

• We are HIRING for a daytime Math/Algebra Instructor. This position can be Part-Time or Full-Time.

• Job Opening Flyer

• Math/Algebra Instructor Job Description

Tuesday, 2/6/2024 - 11:15 Foothill to visit Bancroft

Friday, 2/9/2024 - 6:00 - 8:00 Family Dance (sold out)

Tuesday, 2/13/2024 - 7:00 PFC Meeting in the library

Tuesday, 2/20/2024 - Spring Pictures in the MUR

Tuesday, 2/20/2024 - 7:00 Outdoor Info Night -5th grade

Wednesday, 2/28/2024 - 8:00 1st -5th Character Traits Assembly

Wednesday, 2/28/2024 - 5:00 School Site Council - In person

Wednesday, 3/6/2024 - 8:00 TK/K Character Traits Assembly

Bancroft uses the acronym KAHFOOTY to help teach our Bobcats about being respectful of other's space. Using the word at home will help reinforce what we are doing at school.

Mrs. Rakel Cromwell is awesome!

Mrs. Cromwell is a fantastic first grade teacher. She is a team player at Bancroft; part of our Math Instructional Leadership Team and a MDEA rep. She is approachable and always willing to listen to what others have to say. Her honesty and integrity always shine through in all her interactions. She is not only a teacher at Bancroft, but also a parent. She has a kindergartner in Ms. Davis and Ms. Winbery's class and a college student working at Dianne Adair. She is fully invested in Bancroft and only wants what is best for all her students, teaching them how to be team players and work towards success for the entire group. Thank you Mrs. Cromwell for being such a great Bobcat!

FAVORITES:

Favorite fast food: Taco Bell

Hot drink: Blond Vanilla Latte

Cold drink: Alani - Cherry Slush

Candy: Ghirardelli Salted Carmel Chocolates

Holiday/Season: Summer

Color: Purple

Snack: Strawberries

Mr. Francisco is amazing!

Mr. Francisco supports our Kindergarten classes each and every day. He is not only an IA, but also a Bancroft dad, with 2 girls of his own at Bancroft. He loves to spend time with his family and make people smile. He is so patient with our littlest Bobcats, making sure to give them the extra special attention they need. He is empathetic and loves to infuse humor into whatever he does. He would love to see the students he works with develop a life-long interest in learning. Mr. Francisco, thank you for choosing Bancroft as your school home.

Favorites:

Favorite fast food: In-N-Out Burger

Hot drink: Coffee

Cold drink: Fruit nectar

Candy: Reese's Pieces

Holiday/Season: Fall

Color: Earth tones

Sports Team: San Francisco 49ers and Real Madrid

Snack: Croquetas

Movie/TV Show: Cinema Paradiso / Northern Exposure

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1sHkJzwqjECFArmeQdCJ7Jd_Q71C-irH4/view?usp=sharing

Drop-Off/Pick-Up Safety Rules

Parents, students, staff, and volunteers all work together to ensure the safety of everyone at Bancroft Elementary. Please read this information carefully to learn about our safety rules.

To help facilitate a smooth and safe drop-off/pick-up in a timely manner, please:

 Drive carefully and slowly. Leave a little earlier so that can slow down as you approach our school.

 Use the arrival and departure paths indicated on the map below. Enter and exit Parish Dr from Arkell.

 Do not stop in the middle of the street to drop-off or pick-up children. Bicycles and cars attempt to pass and this can cause accidents. There is NO parking in any RED zone, ever.

 Do not make U-turns on any street. Follow the paths on the map below to exit the neighborhood.

 Do not drop off in the handicap parking spaces unless authorized.

 Pedestrians have the right of way! Stop at all stop signs and crosswalks.

 Once in the drop-off loop, please pull all the way forward before stopping to keep the flow of traffic going smoothly.

 Children should be ready to exit the car when you pull up - backpack ready and goodbyes said, then exit curbside for a great day. (DO NOT LEAVE VEHICLES UNATTENDED)

 Have your child exit the car only from passenger side of the vehicle when using the drop-off loop. Those who have already dropped off their children will be utilizing the adjacent drive-thru lane.

 Remember the Bus Circle is for Busses Only. Do not drop off or park in this area.

 Pedestrians – please follow crossing guard directions and wait for them to stop traffic before crossing at the corner of Claborne Dr. and Parish Rd.

https://calendar.google.com/calendar/embed?src=c_vjaeemuuv9n1pqnc56pdpanev4%40group.calendar.google.com&ctz=America%2FLos_Angeles