Jogathon is coming!

Mark your calendars for Friday, September 28, 10:30-11:30 at Lower Woodland for the annual Daniel Bagley Jogathon!



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The Jogathon is the biggest fundraiser of the year, and one where kids really feel connected to the campaign, since they're doing the work.

Adult volunteers are needed to help, too:  setting up, cleaning up, transporting supplies to and from Woodland Park track, making sure kids get on buses, cheering, punching cards after each lap, directing, and more.  If you can take the morning off work, it's a great way to get connected to the school and see the kids in action.

2013 Kindergarten Tours

New student tours are finally here!   Just show up to the Bagley front doors on the day that works best for your schedule (no kids, please - babes in arms are OK):

Tues., Jan. 29, 2013, 10-11 a.m.

Thur., Feb. 7, 2013, 10-11 a.m. <-- this date includes additional information on special education at Bagley

Mon., Feb. 11, 2013, 10-11 a.m.

Tues., Feb. 19, 2013, 6-7 p.m.

No RSVP required. Pass it on!

Monday Morning Meetings

Parents are welcome to attend Monday Morning Meetings, held right after the first bell (~9:35 or so) in the lunchroom.  Sign in at the office as a visitor if you plan to stick around.

There's a good chance that tomorrow's MMM will be an all-school one, based on (a) last year's schedule and (b) it being the first one of the school year... but I don't know.

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From a springtime Buzz edition:  LAST YEAR'S Monday Morning Meeting Schedule (2011-2012):

First day is tomorrow!

Don't forget to pack an extra change of clothes in a ziploc (stays in the locker all year), lunch, a water bottle, all those forms, and the items from your school supplies list.

The first bell is at 9:25, but get there early - it will be pandemonium on the playground with all the extra parents milling around. Find your classroom line, leave the backpack there, and play until the bell... then kids have to come back and line up to go inside.  Usually, kindergarten parents can go inside on the first day to help with locker finding and so on.  Don't forget to take photos (it's tricky with all the activity).

The annual flag raising ceremony will be around 9:45/10 at the front of the school, so stick around for that.


Pickup is at 3:30/3:35 in front of the school.  Only K-1 classes are picked up at the front of the school so it won't be hard to find them; usually they are on the lawn approximately in front of their classroom.  Children must wait for parents and teachers to make eye contact before leaving the class group, so try to enforce that right from the start.

Congratulations!  You've made it!

Classroom assignment letters?

Nope, we haven't received ours yet, either - sit tight!

One more week until school!

A few reminders:

* Check older posts for anything that might be concerning you... take a look at the labels in the sidebar for help.

* The final new family playground meetup is this Wednesday at 5:30 (bring a picnic, meet PTA reps and our principal, Ms. Ayer).

* Kindergarten Welcome Night is Thursday 6pm-7:15pm.  Meet your teacher, find your desk, and get ready for the first day of school!

Reminder: playdates and welcome night

Two more playground meetups are scheduled:  this Sunday, August 26 at 3pm, and next Wednesday, August 29 at 5:30pm.

Also, meet your teacher and find your desk at Welcome Night, next Thursday, August 30, 6-7:15pm.

New to Kindergarten? 7 tips

For new kindergarten parents:

This ParentMap article is an easy read! Enjoy.

http://www.parentmap.com/blog/13218/new-to-school-7-tips-from-the-secret-society-of-kindergarten

Where to buy school supplies

Well, you can buy them anywhere, but I can personally vouch for Costco and Target!  Avoid the before-school insanity and go this week, if you can.

Stuff you'll be seeking that is currently available:

• Fall clothing
• Juice boxes, cracker packs, and other lunch box goodies (these are life savers, folks)
• Lunch boxes and water bottles and backpacks
• All the items on the classroom supplies lists (posted at http://bagleyes.seattleschools.org)
• Bulk sized snacks for when it's your week to supply snack for the whole class - you will be asked by your teacher to sign up for one or two snack weeks, at welcome night or curriculum night.  

Get involved right from the start of the year - kids, too

Bagley could use some helpers to kick off the school year with a few easy activities. It's a great way to meet other parents and get into the swing of things. From our fearless PTA co-presidents:

Hi DBE families,

We're recruiting help in making the start of the school year successful. A short amount of time by a few of you will make all the difference. Here are a few of the opportunities:

Thursday, August 23: Back to School Packets: Join a few parents for an hour or two to collate the August mailer to our families. You'll get the inside scoop on the August Buzz and time to socialize with other parents. Children are welcome. We'll meet in the cafeteria at 10 a.m. 

Tuesday, August 28: First Day Packets: In preparation for the first day, our fabulous secretary, Randi Olson, needs help collating the packets that go home with families on the first day of school. Again, this is a great time to socialize with other parents. Children are welcome. We'll meet in the cafeteria at 10 a.m. 

Wednesday, September 5: First Morning of School and Welcome Coffee:

All School Welcome Back Party September 15, 11-2

Welcome Back to School Party, Saturday September 15, 11-2

 

Celebrate the new school year, enjoy our beautiful learning garden and playground, and spend some quality time mingling with other Daniel Bagley students and families!

 

"Chef in the Garden" kids' cooking demonstrations, games, chalk art, music, apples, and veggie planting in the Bagley garden.

Save the date!

Waitlist updates, Welcome Night, Curriculum Night

Waitlist
There doesn't appear to have been much movement yet on the waitlist, based on today's updated report, which indicates the following stats for kindergarten:
Contemporary - 9
Montessori - 20
Inclusion - 3

But, don't lose hope!  Classroom assignments haven't been confirmed yet, and there is a lot of movement toward the end of August, right through the first week of school.

Welcome Night
You will receive your classroom/teacher assignment in the mail before welcome night which will be on August 30th at 6pm (confirmed start time!).  New students and their parents are invited to meet their teachers and classmates, find their desk and locker, and get acquainted with Bagley.  Expect to be at school for about an hour.

Curriculum Night
You will get curriculum-related information at the aptly named 'curriculum night', on Tuesday, September 18 (time TBD; 6:30ish is a reasonable estimate).  

How to get connected to Bagley

For your reading pleasure, here's an updated re-post from last year.

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The PTA & Daniel Bagley staff communicate with parents using several different methods, and the fastest is by email - join the vlist to stay up-to-date.

The vlist is an email forum for Daniel Bagley parents that is sponsored by the PTA. It’s an easy way to stay connected and keep informed of what’s happening in and around Daniel Bagley. Join via: www.danielbagley.com/happening_vlist.htm.

Other means of communication you'll see:

Playdates, portables, and websites

First, don't forget to check the blog for answers to all your 'new Bagley family' questions - most of the posts from last summer are still relevant.  Search by the labels on the sidebar.  There is info on lunches, recess, afterschool activities, the PTA, class sizes, curriculum night, and much, much more.

Websites:  You might have noticed that we have two websites - the PTA one (danielbagley.com) and the brand new SPS one (bagleyes.seattleschools.org).  Volunteers are hard at work transitioning to the SPS site, but meanwhile, you will probably notice some outdated information, or might have some trouble navigating to the pages you want.  For now, your best sources of information about Bagley are probably:

New Family Playdates on Sundays in August

Don't forget about the new family playdates, every Sunday in August at 3pm at the Bagley playground.  Current and new families are welcome to attend.

Meet your future classmates... although we won't know our actual classroom assignments for another few weeks.

If anyone has any reports about the new portable or the state of the greenfield (grass yet? fences down?), shoot me an email!

Important dates (Greenwood parade, playdates, PTA, activities)

Several important date reminders from our PTA co-presidents, Kari Cantey & Alison Rice (also check the PTA calendar - or add to your iCal).

To stay in the loop, register for the Daniel Bagley families email list, aka the 'vlist', at http://www.danielbagley.com/happening_vlist.htm.

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Greenwood parade: Wednesday, July 25 

- Bagley Bees walk in the parade every year!  Meet in the parking at 95th & Greenwood (by the Salvation Army) at 5:30 - start marching at 6:00pm.  Wear Bagley shirts, or black & yellow, and bring your bikes, scooters, wagons, strollers (for siblings), and helmets.  Meet your new schoolmates... and the Seafair pirates

Kindergarten play dates: every Sunday in August at 3:00pm and one evening August 29, 5:30-7:00 p.m.

- meet your new classmates at these casual meetups on the Bagley playground

Supplies list: aka 'what does my child need for school?'

The supply list for all classes is now posted at the new Daniel Bagley website:  http://bagleyes.seattleschools.org/

On the first day of school, send your child with:

• completed forms - whatever you will have received in the mail by then - for the PTA, your teacher, Bagley, SPS (if you haven't already submitted them by the first day) 
• a full size back pack (big enough to fit a 9x12 folder for homework, kidmail, report cards, library books, etc.). If you're worried about it being too heavy for your 5 year old, there are neato rolling ones like little suitcases available.
• a reusable lunch box or lunch bag
• a water bottle to keep in the classroom
• a full change of clothes in a Ziploc on the first day of school to keep in their locker throughout the year, just in case (to be replaced as necessary)
• NOT crocs. Mr. Millsap has a no-crocs policy for Health & Fitness, and running shoes are safer in the playground anyways. Flip-flops or strappy sandals won't cut it either.

• LABEL ALL PERSONAL BELONGING WITH A SHARPIE!  You'll be checking the lost & found frequently this year.  See last year's post about that.

At some point during the first two weeks of school, please bring the following:

Classroom configurations now set for 2012/2013

Per Principal Ayer:  In 2012/2013, the classroom configurations will remain the same as this year:

Contemporary
K/1: 2 classes (Mrs. Stone & Ms. Hansen)
1/2: 1 class (Ms. Filep)
2/3: 2 classes (Ms. Scordas & *TBD*)
4/5 2 classes (Mr. Bauer & Ms. Manley)

Montessori
K/1: 3 classes  (Ms. Norton, Ms. Messom & Ms. Richards)
2/3: 3 classes (Ms. Green, Ms. Forselius & Ms. Humphrey)
4/5: 2 classes (Ms. Stackhouse & Mr. Moore)

... so, two contemporary K/1 and three Montessori K/1.  That's good news for anyone on the Montessori waitlist.

Lost and found from the ice cream social

From Susan P, one of the ice cream social coordinators:

A light blue Champion 5T fleece was left after the ice cream social. It is on the lost and found rack now.

...so email if it's yours and we will rescue it before it is donated to a worthy non-profit organization sometime next week, along with the hundreds of other items currently there (including some really nice adult clothing items, actually).




You'll become very familiar with the lost & found rack next year.  This year, my kids have lost:  two jackets, multiple mittens, a lunch box, two nice tupperware sandwich bins, a purple jump rope, a warm hat multiple times, a water bottle, a long sleeve shirt, and two hoodies.  Many were discarded on the playground and forgotten as soon as they spotted something shiny, or their friends distracted them, or the bell rang.  Luckily, we found most of these items within a few weeks.


Anyway, the lost & found rack is constantly overflowing, and there is a mass donation/clean-out every couple of months.  Labels are a good idea.  You have been warned.

Bagley is scheduled for a major building addition!

Good news, future Bagley families!  It looks like we've made the cut for an expansion to the school.  According to a current SPS RFP for architectural/engineering services, Daniel Bagley is slated to be the recipient of BEX IV (Building Excellence levy # IV) funding for a new 18,500 ft2 addition (six more classrooms), somewhere on our site.

It looks like there will need to be a final vote in October, but Bagley is a worthy recipient based on population and facility conditions, so let's keep our fingers crossed.  Note that construction wouldn't begin for FOUR YEARS - with an August 2017 opening - so don't expect any big disruptions in the near future.

For those who are wondering, yes, there is a green building requirement in the RFP, and yes, the existing school building will likely be classified as 'historic' and therefore won't be demolished.

Upcoming playdates and orientation events

Missed the ice cream social?  Plan to attend some of the other orientation activities that will be happening throughout summer:

Playground meet-ups - meet new schoolmates


New students and their families are encouraged to come out to these casual playdates (no school access or planned programming) on the Daniel Bagley playground on the following Sundays at 3pm:

* Sunday July 1, 3pm
* Sunday August 5, 3pm
* Sunday August 12, 3pm
* Sunday August 19, 3pm
* Sunday August 26, 3pm


...and a weeknight right-before-school-starts one on:
* Wednesday August 29, 5:30pm (may be a picnic and some PTA/staff representation - TBD)

Welcome night - meet your teacher/tour the school

Right before school starts in September - usually the night before - new students are invited to meet their teachers, tour the school, find their classroom/locker/desk, and generally orient themselves.

Current wait list information

For non-attendance area Daniel Bagley hopefuls:

SPS posts lists indicating the number of children on the wait list for each grade and program, by school.  These are updated each Friday.  This week's is here.

Current stats for Daniel Bagley:
K Montessori - 19
K Contemporary - 9
1st Montessori - 8
... and either 1, 2, or 3 on the list for all other grades and programs.

Don't fret quite yet; there is a lot of movement on the wait lists at the end of summer, since families hold 'just in case' spots at multiple schools until then. Last year, students as far down the wait list as #14 or 15 received calls before mid-September (n.b. if you are fairly far down the list, you should consider whether you would be willing to transfer after school has already started).  

Wait lists are dissolved as of September 30 each year, so if you don't get in but still want to, you'll have to try again during next spring's open enrollment.

Ice Cream Social Reminder - tomorrow (Thursday)!

The Daniel Bagley new student ice cream social is Thursday, June 7, 6pm in the Daniel Bagley cafeteria.

New students and their families are welcome to attend.  You'll have an opportunity to meet other families, talk to current Bagley parents, hear from the staff, and see the school.

Next year's bell times for pick-up and drop-off

SPS released official start and end times for all Seattle schools today.

Bagley's will be unchanged next year:  first bell/line up by class in playground at 9:25, second bell/start time at 9:30.  End of school bell at 3:35.

More info here.

New student playdate & ice cream social reminder

** Clarification - these events are for all new students, whether families are new or returning to Daniel Bagley **


Meet other new-to-the-school students and their families at two events this week:


* Sunday June 3, 3pm - Daniel Bagley playground meet-up 
* Thursday June 7, 6-7pm - ice cream social in the Daniel Bagley cafeteria.


Spread the word!

Full Day vs. Half Day Kindergarten

In 2012/2013, the tuition fee for full day kindergarten will be $272/month.  There is no fee for half-day kindergarten.   So, in theory, you have the option to have your child attend only half days.  

However, the curriculum is entirely based around full days, and in 2010/2011 & 2011/2012, as far as I know, there were ZERO families enrolled in half day at Daniel Bagley.  Half-day kindergarteners would miss out on lessons, activities, gym/art/library/assemblies, and socialization.  My five-year-old  (August birthday) was still taking afternoon naps when she started school last fall, so the new schedule was fairly exhausting, but we feel that her integration into the full school experience was far more important than a little bit of lost sleep.

But, if you feel that half day is a better choice for your family, talk to our principal, Ms. Ayer, about your options.  

All the pertinent information about full day kindergarten, including SPS' rationale for recommending full-day, how to apply for half-day, and tuition payment, is nicely summarized by SPS here.

The Pay for K link is here. Sign up now to save yourself administrative pain down the road!

Last year's blog post: http://bagleykindergarten.blogspot.com/2011/08/full-day-vs-half-day-kindergarten.html

New! Subscribe to Bagley K blog by email!

I've managed to add the emailing gadget in the right hand column.  Enter your email address if you want to receive updates (maximum one per day, if there is anything new).

You won't be on a list that I can see - the addresses go into some central system somewhere in google land.

Onsite before- and after-school childcare with Boys & Girls Club

If your family needs childcare, the Boys & Girls Club onsite at Bagley is terrific!  My kids LOVE it there.


The staff are fabulous.  They provide lots of activities for the kids, snacks, 'power hour' for homework, outdoor playtime, school break programs, early dismissal care, etc.  Pick-up right from the classroom at 3:35 and/or from afterschool programs (like Lego club) that end at 4:40.


But, if you are looking for fall childcare, get your application in NOW, even if you are undecided.  I saw a notice in the portable last week:  only 10 spaces left for the fall. 


Call Christine Taylor, the director: (206) 853-5297 or email ctaylor at positiveplace dot org

Still not registered for kindergarten? + some notes about next year

If you are in the attendance area, your child will be automatically be given a spot at Bagley, regardless of when you register.

However, if you aren't registered, you will miss communication from the PTA, Daniel Bagley and Seattle Public Schools.  By registering early, you can help Ms. Ayer and the staff plan classroom assignments, and provide some insight to the hopeful families on the waitlist.

All the registration details are on the SPS website.

p.s. This year, we have three K/1 Montessori & two K/1 Contemporary classes.  Possibly the same for next year. TBD.
p.p.s.  The new double-wide trailer that will be installed over the summer will NOT be a K-1 classroom next year.  Hopefully not a classroom at all...

Minimal changes to start times/transportation plans

There has been a lot of backlash over the last week against the SPS proposal to change school start times for potential cost savings due to school bus schedules.  Due to general parent outrage for various reasons, this proposal has been abandoned.

Bagley's school times in 2011/2012 were: 9:30 start (be there for first bell at 9:25), 3:35 end.  We'll probably be somewhere close to this again in 2012/2013.

More from SPS website here.

New family playdates (May through August) and ice cream social on June 7

Meet other new families on the Daniel Bagley playground every 1st Sunday at 3pm through July, with extra dates and times scheduled throughout August:

* Sunday May 6, 3pm
* Sunday June 3, 3pm
* Sunday July 1, 3pm
* Sunday August 5, 3pm
* Sunday August 12, 3pm
* Sunday August 19, 3pm
* Sunday August 26, 3pm
* Wednesday August 29, 5:30pm

Current families and PTA board members are invited to attend.

Also, save the date:  there will be an ice cream social hosted by the PTA and staff on June 7, from 6-7pm in the Daniel Bagley cafeteria, for incoming families.  Stay tuned for more details!

Casual playdates for new families - (first one March 4, 3pm)

Want to meet other soon-to-be Bagley Bees?   Come on out to an informal playground playdate!

First one is happening: Sunday March 4, 3pm, at the Daniel Bagley playground.  Raindate is the following weekend (Sunday March 11, 3pm).

Questions?  Email Brooke:  brookedoyle at yahoo dot com

Save the date: ice cream social on June 7!

New (and prospective) families are encouraged to join us for an Ice Cream Social on June 7, from 6-7pm in the Daniel Bagley cafeteria.

You'll be able to meet new schoolmates and look around the building.  Note that specific classroom assignments won't be made until later in the summer.

Save the date, and tell your friends!

--Lexy

Kindergarten and New Student Tours

Come Visit Daniel Bagley: Kindergarten and New Student Tours

January 25: 10:00 am to 11:00 am

February 6: 10:00 am to 11:00 am

February 9: 6:30 pm to 7:30 pm

February 28: 10:00 am to 11:00 am

• No reservations required; just show up!
• Meet in the Cafeteria at the beginning of the tour.
• Adults only, please: there will be opportunities for incoming students to see the school and meet other students over the spring and summer.   

• The tour will begin with an introduction from the Principal (Erika Ayer) and our PTA President (Kari Cantey).  Then parent volunteers will guide small groups around to view classrooms and answer questions.
• The evening tour will be basically the same format and there will be representative classrooms open for viewing. 
• Families particularly interested in Special Education services are encouraged to attend the first tour on January 25th.

Enrollment News from SPS

From the SPS Website:


Open enrollment for the 2012-13 school year will take place Feb. 27 through March 9. 

All students will receive an assignment letter right before open enrollment begins. This will tell you your student’s initial assignment for next year, and will also provide information on open enrollment if you want to apply for a different attendance area or option school for next year. 

Information on assignments for the 2012-12 school year is scheduled to be available on the SPS website and automated phone line (206-252-0212) on April 16. Mailed confirmation letters will be sent out the week of April 23.

Registration with Seattle Public Schools

You are probably confused by the SPS website.  We all are.

How to register your kindergartener for the 2012-2013 year.

FUN FACT:  SPS will always have a spot for your child at your 'Attendance Area' school, no matter when you register them, even if it isn't until August 31.  Sure, earlier is better, since they'd like to know whether classes will be oversubscribed earlier than that so that they can work down the waiting list, and it would be a nice thing to do so that waitlisted families can reduce their stress levels.

FUN FACT:  When you are registering your student, you're really just getting them into the SPS system.  They'll be assigned to your neighborhood school by default, pending your acceptance into your 'preferred choice' school or program.

• The Bagley attendance area default is CONTEMPORARY K.
• Montessori applications must be made during the Open Enrollment Period below

FUN FACT:  The 2012 application period for option schools/programs is short! Open Enrollment is from February 27 - March 9 2012 ONLY!