Jogathon is Tomorrow!

The annual Daniel Bagley Jogathon is tomorrow! That's Friday, September 27th, 2013 at 10:30am at Lower Woodland Track (5775 West Green Lake Way North). Map link here.





Get out that comfortable outfit tonight, and make sure the kids are well-hydrated and well-fed before they go to sleep tonight.

The Jogathon has become one of the main fundraisers for the PTA. Last year over $35,000 was raised! Our students collectively ran 11,332 laps -- approximately 1,206 miles -- in 50 minutes! Let’s beat those numbers this year!

Money raised through Jogathon pledges provides support for art, music, health and fitness, the library, classroom tutors, family fun nights and a whole lot more!

No pledge amount is too low or too high.



For families new to the school or for those who have not made it out to watch the fun, the Jogathon provides a whole lot of energy and excitement for everyone involved. Groups of volunteers and supporters join the kids as they challenge themselves and encourage each other to walk, skip and jog around the course.

We encourage and welcome everyone to come out and cheer, volunteer, or run a lap or two with the kids!

Apple Social Cancelled

We are canceling today's Apple Social due to severe weather.  We apologize to all who helped prepare for this event, but we want to make sure everyone stays safe.

Amy Perez and Brooke Doyle

T-Shirts for Sale Thursday night at Curriculum Night

Hi DB families,

 

School shirts in kid sizes will be for sale from 6-6:30 tomorrow before curriculum night begins.

This is also a great time to explore the PTA welcome tables and get questions answered, so come early if you can.

Shirts are 10.00. Cash or check to DBPTA are accepted.

 

Bagley Bees love wearing school shirts to the jogathon. Tomorrow is our last sale before that event. 

Don't miss out!!

To nut or not to nut!

Greetings parents.

I've received some great questions on the snack and lunch allergies issue/question.

Here are a few answers and guidelines in general.

snacks? What are the guidelines for snacks? On the sign-up it said no nuts, but beyond that... how do I know how much or how many?

This answer varies by teacher and classroom. The general rule is no nuts for every classroom, and then they will send out info on specific allergies on a class by class basis, usually also detailed at curriculum night. 

Good snacks are a protein (string cheese cut in half is a big hit) a fruit/veggie, and/or a carb (low salt/sugar crackers). The classrooms vary in numbers but enough for 26ish is about right.

lunches - can I pack a PBJ in lunch or is the whole building on a no nuts protocol?

PBJ is fine! There is a nut-free table for kids with allergies. Some parents avoid packing nut or nut butters just as a courtesy since handwashing is kind of sporadic as the kids learn the routine, but getting your kid fed is important -- do what you need to do!

Am I missing something? Let me know! 

The First Days - in the words of a veteran Bagley Parent

Welcome to the Daniel Bagley Community!

Starting K is a BIG deal – for you and your new student! Here are some tips for making this transition.

First of all, DBE is a great place where your child will be safe and cared for. In the first week, the school can feel big, confusing, and overwhelming, but it won’t take long to become your community. We have had a wonderful experience at DBE, but looking back to 7 years ago when our older child started, I remember that I was initially concerned. He came home talking a lot about the rules, the rules, the rules and I worried that this K thing was too institutional. His comments were partially a reflection of his developmental stage that was very justice, fairness,and rule-oriented. However, it was also because in those first few days with many students who were all new at the same time, it is important to get rules and routines established. Quickly, though, I knew that Bagley was a warm, comfortable, and welcoming place -- and you will, too.

Before the big day, ask your child if they are nervous about starting K and see if they will tell you some specifics. If they are nervous about finding the bathroom or how the lunchroom works, then make those things a priority to find out about on 9/3 at the New Student Event. If your child has lots of sadness separating from you on the first few days, ask his/her teacher if there is a K or 1stgrade buddy who can help your child.

Decide whether it is helpful to you and your child to get to school on the first day a little earlier or not (of course, be on time). Some kids feel better going to the playground and playing for a while before meeting their class and teacher on the front lawn. Some students find the playground crowded and an overwhelming way to start their first day.

After seeing your child off, bring your own wistfulness about your growing child to the first day of school welcome coffee where there is plenty of tissue and, of course, coffee. You can commiserate with other parents and get answers to any questions you have. Following that is the flag raising ceremony outside the school. All of the students attend and parent can, also. With my DBE grad and current 3rd grader, I ducked behind others so I could check out my child’s state, butthey couldn’t see me and we didn’t have to go through saying goodbye again.

We had the experience and heard from other parents whose children came home from kindergarten over the first few weeks and maybe melted down or seemed to regress in their behavior. The thinking is that kindergartners are experiencing many new things and holding it together during school, but letting go once they get home. One of our children, who was previously not much a tantrum kid, had tantrums 3 times/week until Thanksgiving, when they simply stopped. If this doesn’t happen with your child, lucky you! If it does, just keep in touch with your child’s teacher to make sure things are going all right, focus on the basics (sleep, food – are they eating their lunch?), and hang in there. In terms of lunch, some kids are very focused on socializing, getting outside, or simply find the noisiness of the school cafeteria overwhelming. These kids may need to input some calories very quickly after school.

Along these lines, it was our experience that both of our children were really tired in the beginning of K. Our son, who graduated from DBE and is now starting middle school (gulp), had been in full time day care previously, so we didn’t expect him to be as exhausted as he was by elementary school. We actually started putting him to bed earlier than we had when he was in daycare, which was helpful, but an adjustment for our whole family.

In terms of the details, if you haven’t purchased school supplies yet, don’t stress! Most things are not necessary immediately. If asked to prioritize, I’d say make sure to have on the first day whatever is on the list as a communication folder between home and school. Also, in my experience, skip Target as they are so quickly depleted and try Fred Meyer or Office Max at this point. Paperwork: some has come home already and there’s more to come, but it’s not rocket science. Pull from the stack the ones that need to be filled out (many are simply for your reading pleasure). You can hand deliver them to the front office or send them with your child.

Finally, we found elementary school to be an adjustment in terms of the level of personal information we got about our child’s day. Our daycare gave us daily written reports and because parents picked up at different times, we could usually verbally check in with the teacher each day. Information doesn’t flow that way in elementary school. While your child’s teacher wants to be in touch with you, you have to find out what works for communication (and typically before and after school times are hard) and you have to seek some information directly from your child. Perhaps you have been blessed with a child who volunteers information or answers every question you ask about their day. If so, skip ahead. For the rest of us, sometimes some creativity is necessary. We played a game with our kids where they had to tell us three things about their day, one of which was untrue, and we had to try to guess which was untrue. This game generated conversations, though we eventually had to ban certain topics as one of the three (whether or not they were first in line at various points during the day, how many times so-and-so went the bathroom that day, etc.). We asked them social questions like who they sat by at lunch and who they played with at recess. When nothing else worked, we asked them if anyone was annoying or hilarious or ridiculous during their day.

Good luck with this transition and welcome to the Bagley community!

Elizabeth Gay,

parent veteran of a Bagley 3rd grader and graduate

Update: Contract Bargaining and Negotiations

Just in case you have missed the emails from Seattle Public schools, or the posts from 100 of your closest friends on Facebook, here is the latest:

"Dear Families,

We are pleased to let you know that a tentative two-year agreement has been reached by the Seattle Education Association, which represents educators, and Seattle Public Schools bargaining teams. SEA members are scheduled to vote on the tentative agreement on Tuesday, Sept, 3 at about 5 p.m. If SEA members vote to approve the agreement, school will start on time on Sept. 4. We will inform families on Tuesday evening of the outcome of the vote, which will also be shared by media. Superintendent José Banda thanks the SEA and SPS bargaining teams for their hard work and commitment to student success. We will continue to update our website at www.seattleschools.org.

Thank you,
Office of Public Affairs
Seattle Public Schools"
 

Rain or shine! Join us for the final new family and kindergarten playdate, tonight, 6-7pm.

The final New Family Playdate is tonight at 6pm at the Bagley playground. 

Our Principal, Ms. Ayer, is planning to attend.  There will not be access to the school building.

This event will take place rain or shine.. see you tonight!

K-2 After school care at the Phinney neighborhood center

Hello!  I was contacted by the YMCA regarding this new program. Here is the info they sent me!

"The YMCA is offering afterschool care at the Phinney Neighborhood Center beginning in the fall. It is being offered for students at the new North Seattle French School at the PNC but is open to children from all local schools. One unique feature of the program is that it is for Kindergarten through 2^nd grade only, so it’s customized towards the younger age group of the elementary spectrum, and will have a very low child to instructor ratio.

 The Y will also provide transportation from nearby schools (including Bagley)

 You can sign up for the YMCA PNC Program here or you can contact Andy McClenahan at the YMCA atamcclenahan@seattleymca.org or call 524-1400 to sign up/ask questions."

Looking for something to do on Thursday mornings, even with younger siblings?

Are you looking for a way to help the PTA, meet the Bagley community and spend some time on Thursday morning with younger siblings welcome?

We have a fantastic opportunity for two parents to help coordinate a super easy and fun job that includes chatting with other parents who drop in to say hello and includes training by former Clip 'n Chat volunteers!

Here's the official blurb:

 

Clip ‘n Chat Coordinators ( 2 position s available)

Do you enjoy hanging out with other parents in a space where younger siblings can play while you get work done?  Do you like to read Kid Mail before it comes home?  We have the job for you!  We are looking for 2 parents who can coordinate Clip ‘n Chat every Thursday, 9:15-10:30am.  Parents copy the Buzz and other Kid Mail and do special projects for teachers, In a parent and kid-friendly environment! 

We would love your help, and need someone to volunteer ASAP

Please contact Susan Palmer susanwant@hotmail.com 206-779-3756 to learn more. 

First Day of School Photo Ops

Give with Target! Click to vote for Bagley

Good afternoon folks.

Short and sweet. Vote for Bagley, and pass this link along to all of your friends and relatives to do the same.

https://givewith.target.com/school/86151

Bagley T-shirts!

Hi Bees!!

I am passing some information on to you regarding T-shirt sales which will be available on the next few Playdates, as follows:
We will have children sizes s, m and l for sale. The price is 10.00. Cash or check made out to DBPTA. I will have shirts for sale on August11th, Sept 3rd and before the jogathon.

We will have a special order form go out in October for adult sizes and other options.

People are welcome to email me with questions
Beebedoula@yahoo.com

Thanks
Nadine Beebe
------------------------------

Enjoy the rest of your summer and contact us if you have questions!

Bee in the Parade with Bagley!!

It's parade week!  Hope your bikes are ready and Bagley t-shirts on on hand.

The parade is one of the largest Kiddie Parades during the Seafair season which means parking and traffic are bad in the area.  You can either park near the start of the parade and our meeting area (95th & Greenwood) or near the end of the parade route (85th & 6th Avenue NW).

For those new to the Bagley community, this a super fun way to meet other Bagley bees before the school year.  We gather for the parade, decorate our bikes with black & yellow streamers and then we "march" in down the parade route handing out candy.  The parade starts at 6pm and we are generally up towards the front.  

Here are the details:

Date:  Wednesday, July 25
Meeting Time:   5:15-5:45 (decorate bikes, get lined up
Meeting Location:  Church parking lot on the NW corner of 95th & Greenwood (look for Keri, the organizer, in the Bee Costume)
What to Bring:  Bikes, helmets, bagley shirts, sunscreen,canvas shopping bags for handing out candy,  additional black & gold decorations (optional) ...water bottles suggested too ;)
What Will Be Provided:  Black & yellow streamers, candy to hand out

The weather looks like it will be good!  Here's to a fun-filled Wednesday night!

Thanks!

Get ready to Play.....(and Pay)

A reminder, this afternoon is a Bagley Playdate!

Another not so fun reminder.... next week you will receive information about paying for full-day kindergarten!

From the SPS website:

Full Day Kindergarten for school year 2013-14 

The rate for school year is $3,110.00 per year, or ten $311.00 monthly installment.  

       

During the week of July 15-19, 2013, Accounting Services will mail a financial packet with agreements and forms to every enrolled kindergarten student’s household.  The agreements and forms should be completed and returned  to SPS Accounting Services by 8/8/2013. 

Do 'Not' send in a SY 2013-2014 full day kindergarten program participation payment without your signed agreement and forms.

           

More info here

http://www.seattleschools.org/modules/cms/pages.phtml?sessionid=b1f5690c177c7beb066ad2197ab17a06&pageid=222322&sessionid=b1f5690c177c7beb066ad2197ab17a06

Playdates at the Bagley Playground, welcome night and more!

Ok, Really, there is no "more". Just welcome night and playdates....

The next play date is coming up this Sunday, July 14, at 3pm.

When you arrive at the school, you might notice the gate appears to be locked. Never fear, as you face the playground, the gate to your left is open! Come on in, play for about 45 min and don't worry if you can't remember anyone's name. Ask questions; no question too big or too small.

Mark your calendars!

Sunday, July 14th, 3pm -the portable installation may not be complete so there may be some areas of the playground roped off - but still lots of room to play)

August playdates - A rep from the PTA will plan to attend a couple of the playdates to sell Bagley Bee t-shirts!! Bring cash or checkbook. There will also be a parent/ PTA representative available at these August playdates to answer questions about special education at Bagley.

Sunday, August 11th, 3pm 
Sunday, August 18th, 3pm

New playdate added!  August 29th, 6-7pm Principal Erika Ayer will attend.  The building will not be open during these playdates.

And.....drumroll please......

Wecome night, Sept. 3rd, 6-7:15pm. 

Head Start on School Supplies

Sure, Summer has just started, but it is never too early to start watching for sales for the back-to-school must-haves.

Official lists of school supplies can be found here:
http://bagleyes.seattleschools.org/

The supply letter for all K/1 classes (Contemporary and Montessori) is detailed below:

Each teacher on the K-1 team will take care of purchasing the bulk of the student / classroom supplies necessary to begin the school year. Over the years we have found this to be the most cost effective way to buy our materials. It is also nice for the students to begin the year with the exact same supplies, in order to avoid unnecessary conflicts and hurt feelings. These items will vary slightly for each teacher, but they consist of things such as: pencils, pencil grips, glue sticks, markers, name tags, binders, folders, tissue boxes, etc.

The cost will be $25 for class room supplies per child. There will also be an
Art Class supply charge of $5 per child for the year. So we will collect the total in a $30 payment of cash or a check: payable to Daniel Bagley Elementary, during the first 2 weeks of school. (If you can give extra for our scholarship fund, terrific! If you will need a scholarship, no problem…just ask!)
 
Some personal items your child will need are:
1. a full size back pack,
2. a reusable lunch box or lunch bag, and
3. a full change of clothing in a Ziploc bag
* Please bring these labeled items on the fist day of school.

To share with the class please send:
1. 1 box of tissues
2. 1 package of Post-its (we use all sizes, so any will do)
3. 1 pack of black permanent Sharpie markers
4. 1 container of Baby or Clorox bleach wipes


Other items you may wish to think about stocking up on:

• Fall clothing backup items (lightweight rain gear etc.)
• Ziplocs/baggies or reusable containers such as Re-pac bags
• Juice/milk boxes, cracker packs, and other lunch box goodies for those rushed days
• Lunch boxes and water bottles and backpacks - search for discount codes such as Lands End Friends and Family, usually have up to 30% off plus free shipping!
• 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. 
• Water bottles - for lunch box and for classroom/in-class snack time

Questions and suggestions? Contact me!

What's Next?

New families, Kindergartners, families with older siblings who need to review the Kindergarten process again... this is the place for you!

Miss the Ice cream social? Miss the playdate? No worries - here is a re-cap:

Ice Cream Social - Parents and kids walked around the school; kids ate ice-cream, got sticky and played on the playground!

First Playdate: Parents and kids walked around the school; playground, kids ate ice-cream, got sticky and played on the playground! ;)

So, what is next? What can you expect at a playdate on the playground?

When you arrive at the school, you might notice the gate appears to be locked. Never fear, as you face the playground, the gate to your left is open! Come on in, play for about 45 min and don't worry if you can't remember anyone's name. Ask questions; no question too big or too small. Last week's topics included:

1. What should I pack for lunch?
2. How does fundraising work at Bagley?
3. How many recesses are there?

Stay tuned for posts on these topics, and more.

Join us at the next playdate/s. Can't make this time? Send me an email using the form on the right and suggest other times/dates or stay tuned for an upcoming poll!

Sunday, July 14th, 3pm
Sunday, August 11th, 3pm
Sunday, August 18th, 3pm

Siblings, friends and family are welcome.

Ice Cream Social - June 5

Welcome NEW Bees!!

 Daniel Bagley PTA will be hosting an ice cream social for new Fall 2014 incoming students.

Come join us for an ice cream treat, an opportunity to meet school leaders, and a chance to view some of the classrooms.  

New Student Ice Cream Social

Wednesday June 5

6-7pm

Signs will be provided to direct you, and volunteers will be available to answer questions.

Don't forget to follow this blog and school Web site for ongoing updates about summer playground play dates and other events.

http://www.bagleykindergarten.blogspot.com

http://danielbagley.com/

Get Connected!

Get connected and stay in touch. Start now if you haven't already.

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: (Please note some of these websites are under construction during this weekend, until July 15.)

• mailings from the Seattle School Board
• the Buzz - weekly Bagley newsletters (http://www.danielbagley.com/happening.htm) emailed to the vlist, and monthly hard copies of 'The Big Buzz'
• kid mail - information from the principal, teachers and the PTA sent home in your child's backpack
• ***Daniel Bagley's website: bagleyes.seattleschools.org
• The Bagley google calendar (http://www.danielbagley.com/happening_calendar.htm) - you can add it to your google calendar, and others.
• SPS website (http://www.seattleschools.org/) - procedures, waitlist, school year calendar including early dismissals, professional development days, holidays, etc.
• The Source (https://source.seattleschools.org/pub/login/index.html) - your child's school records will be available here once you register
• Bulletin boards by the front doors
• Emails from your class parent liaison
• The reader board at the corner of 80th & Stone Ave N
• Parents at the playground/dropoff/pickup

You can also email the PTA officers with questions; their addresses are at the bottom of the page at: http://www.danielbagley.com/pta.htm

Don't forget to join the PTA and support our fantastic community! You will receive membership information just before school starts. We have reached 100 percent PTA membership for the past four years, meaning that we have had at least as many adult members of the PTA as there are students in the school. Thanks to our incredible, tireless PTA and parent volunteers, Daniel Bagley is able to offer an enhanced educational experience through programs such as classroom tutors (aides), vocal music, health and fitness, art, family fun nights, and much more.

Have a Sharpie handy?

If not, you'd better go buy some.

A lot of them. Don't wait for the fancy name label deal site ads to start showing up in your email in September...

Start writing names inside everything your new little Kindergartner is going to be bringing to Bagley. Favorite hoodie? Tag it! Camelbak? Mark it now...you know everyone else has the same one! Even those little plastic lunch box containers go missing... and even though we donate this stuff, wouldn't you rather bring it back home?

The first day of school, our Lost and Found looks like this:

Lost and Found, first day of school - Sept, 2012

And this is what it looks like a few weeks later

Kindergartener and New Family Playdates!

If you have an incoming Kindergartner or are new to Daniel Bagley Elementary, please join us for summer playdates at the Bagley playground to meet other families and make new connections.  

These are informal gatherings, but we will have current parents available to help answer any questions you may have as the new school year approaches.

Please help spread the word to new families.


Bagley Playground playdates:
Sunday, June 9th, 3pm
Sunday, July 14th, 3pm
Sunday, August 11th, 3pm
Sunday, August 18th, 3pm

Siblings, friends and family are welcome.

New Kindergartener? Get ready!

Are you a new Daniel Bagley family with a Kindergartner starting school in the Fall? This is the place to be to ask questions, read helpful posts and stories and share in the excitement with other families!

The Ice Cream Social is coming up on Wednesday June 5 at 6pm.

Stay tuned for more details. Got a question? Ask me -- just submit a confidential question using the form in the sidebar.

Classroom configurations for 2013/2014

Per Ms. Ayer, as of today:

Below are the classroom configurations for both programs for next year. 

Contemporary:

K/1 – 3 Classes

1/2 - 1 Class

2/3 – 2 Classes

4/5 – 3 Classes

Montessori:

K – 1 Class

K/1 – 1 Class

2/3 – 1 Class

1/2/3 – 3 Classes

4/5 – 3 Classes

Last chance for a Bagley school tour: February 19

Still planning to take a tour?  Here's your chance:

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

No kids, please.  Just show up!

Open Enrollment is Feb 25-March 8, 2013

Are you ready for open enrollment?  SPS Open Enrollment info is here.

This is your only chance to:

(a) apply for Bagley if you are out of the area

(b) apply for Montessori

It's also an opportunity to sign up if you are in the area.  Although this can be done at any time, since you're guaranteed a spot in the contemporary program if you live in the Bagley attendance area, it's nice to give the school an idea of who is coming.  It lets SPS begin the process of assigning spots to the people who apply during open enrollment.

Scan through old posts for more information about the enrollment process.  Look for the label 'registration' and take a spin through this post from last year.

New Kindergarten tours - dates & times

New student tours are finally here!   PTA members, school staff, and Bagley families will show you around and give you the inside scoop.

Just show up to Bagley on the day that works best for your schedule (no kids, please - babes in arms are OK). and follow the signs and volunteers' directions to the lunchroom:

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!