September Principal Newsletter

 

Dear Ardmore Families,

The past few weeks have been filled with joyful memories. It has been wonderful to see all our students back at school. We are officially back, and this Monday, we welcomed our youngest students in preschool.

Over the past couple of weeks, we have been working with students to focus on our Ardmore Four dispositions: Be Respectful, Be Safe, Be Responsible, and Be a Learner. We have been recognizing the students who demonstrate the Ardmore Four, and they have been doing an outstanding job. It was a joy to see all our kids this past Monday wearing their shirts and showing their school spirit.

Ardmore is truly a remarkable school because of all of you and the students we serve every day. We are so proud of our multicultural and multilingual families and students. This diversity allows our students to learn with and from each other, helping them truly become global citizens. As a school community, we want to ensure that every student feels valued and honored, and we will continue to reinforce these values throughout the school year through our social-emotional curriculum and by providing opportunities for our students to reflect on their choices every day. We believe that school is the best place for students to develop and grow their problem-solving skills and social awareness, and we are committed to continuing to support our students.

As we move through our first month, we look forward to partnering with you as we host family events and after-school activities that celebrate multicultural and multilingual opportunities for our students.

Sincerely,

Tina Bogucharova-Principal

Yusra Obaid-Assistant Principal

 

Save the Date

9/18:  Dardasha Meeting 8:30am-10:00am

9/20:  PTSA Family Event "Movie Night and Membership Meeting" 6pm-7:30pm

9/30: Curriculum Night 5:30pm-7:15pm

10/2:  Gupshup or Chai 8:30am-10:00am

10/8:  Multilingual Learner Program Parent Coffee 8:15am-9:15am

Please follow our Calendar for future events https://ardmore.bsd405.org/our-school/calendar

Driving on Campus

Please slow down when you approach campus and reduce your speed when you are on campus.  There are students and parents crossing parking lots and exiting/entering cars and it is very dangerous when cars do not slow down and stop for pedestrians.

Thank you for your attention to this very important matter.

 

Supporting Young Students by Setting Routines

We are so proud of how quickly our kindergarteners and preschoolers are settling in! We understand that some children are still adjusting, which is perfectly okay.

To help them get more comfortable with their morning routines, we kindly ask that you say goodbye at the entrance. We know it can be hard, but staying a bit longer can sometimes make it more challenging for them to transition into their day.

Please know that our staff will be there to support your child with breakfast and help them smoothly settle into their classroom. Your cooperation with this starting Monday is greatly appreciated!

Preschool Families:  Breakfast starts at 7:50. Please bring your student to the lunchroom and sign in with your teacher.  

K-5 Families:  Breakfast starts at 7:35.

Thank you for your understanding and support.

Spotlight on Bilingual Education

Students in our Bilingual Arabic and Hindi programs will learn their target language throughout the day.  Designated time for target language instruction varies from 60-90 minutes each day but we remain flexible with how we deliver instruction at the beginning of the school year; for students who are new to the target language we will start small and introduce common words and alphabets at a slower pace.  Towards the middle and end of the school year we plan to ramp up and provide more opportunities to learn the target language and increase designated language blocks. 

During the September 30th Curriculum Night classroom presentations you will learn more about your teacher's approach and daily schedule.

We truly have a team of strong and amazing teachers and we are looking forward to seeing our students acquire language proficiency this year!  You are welcome to join the "Dardasha" or "Gupshup or Chai" Advisory groups if you have students enrolled in our Arabic and Hindi program. 

Dardasha Survey  

Gupsha or Chai Survey 

Free Breakfast and Lunch at Ardmore 

We are offering no-cost meals to all of our students this year.  There is no need to submit an application to eat free meals at school.

However if you wish to receive benefits such as weekend and school break assistance please submit the Free and Reduced Price Meals application.  All eligible families will receive assistance from the Family Connections Center.  Ms. Supriya Unnikrishnan is our Family Connections Center Specialist and she can help answer your questions regarding community and school support programs.

Here is her email:  unnikrishnans@bsd405.org

Free and Reduced Price Meals - Bellevue School District (bsd405.org)

School Meal Menus - Ardmore Elementary School (bsd405.org)

  

After School Jubilee Soccer Club

We are happy to share that Jubilee Reach will be offering after school clubs very soon!

Jubilee Soccer Club (2nd/3rd Grade only):  Jubilee REACH Soccer Template (jotform.com)

Please see flyers for information about registration:

SpanishElementaryActivityOfferingsFlier.pdf

RussianElementaryActivityOfferingsFlier.pdf

EnglishElementaryActivityOfferingsFlier.pdf

 

After School Enrichment Clubs

We are also very happy to share that we will be hosting multiple after school activities that focus on enriching our students with culture enrichment opportunities. We will offer clubs over four sessions throughout the year (Fall, Winter 1, Winter 2, and Spring). Please see descriptions of our Fall clubs and click on the registration link to see details.  Registration is first come first serve and each club will be capped at 20 students.  If your student does not get place for the Fall session, we will have three additional sessions and they will have priority placement. 

Fall Clubs

Dabke Dance (K-5):  Dabke Club Registration

Traditional dance practiced in the SWANA region (southwest Asian and North African region) student learn about the history of this dance and learn how to do the Dabke.  Students will perform at the end of each series of sessions during our family events or school assemblies. 

Arabic Activity (K-5):  Arabic Activity Registration

Students will have the opportunity to immerse in arts and crafts that center on the Arabic language and culture.  Proficiency in Arabic is not required for participation in this club.

Arts and Craft (3rd-5th only):  Arts and Crafts Registration

Do you ever see your child doodling on their homework or spending all their free time drawing? Then Ardmore’s arts and crafts club is an exciting experience for your child. This club allows more time for students to express their creativity through art. We will be learning about different art styles and using different mediums of art to create unique masterpieces! We invite students in 3rd-5th grade with or without experience in art to join our club!

Bollywood Dance (K-5):  Bollywood Club Registration

Come dance!  Learn basic Bollywood dance moves and be ready to perform at our families events.  Students will also learn about the body movements, their meaning, and the importance of nonverbal communication. 

Dogs

Just a friendly reminder about dogs on campus.  When students are at school we do not allow dogs in the building or on our grounds.

Policy 4260.5P outlines BSD’s expectations regarding dogs on campuses. In order to ensure that schools are safe and comfortable for all students, staff members, parents/guardians, community members and visitors, the District does not allow dogs on school campuses, in classrooms, or in offices unless they are a service dog to a student, staff member, parent/guardian, community member or visitor, during the hours in which students are present, including arrival and dismissal times. During the hours when students are not present, all dogs must be on a leash and under control consistent with King County Code 11.04.230. No dogs are permitted at any time on District athletic fields, including after school hours and on weekends.

PTSA Family Event:  Movie Night

Throughout the year the PTSA will host a number of family events on Friday evenings with the purpose of bringing families and students together to enjoy activities, food, and make connections. 

 

Join us next Friday (9/20) for our first Family Event of the school year:  Movie Night and PTSA Meeting!

Click here to see detail MovieNight920.pdf

All families are welcome and refreshments will be provided. 

RSVP here:

 https://bit.ly/Sept20Movie

Please join the PTSA.  Your membership means a stronger partnership between school and families!  We want to build a strong and thriving school but we need your voices, ideas and support.  Thank you!  https://ardmoreptsa.givebacks.com/

Donations:  We would love to support our PTSA by donating to the budget.  We need your help!  PTSA funds fieldtrips, enrichment programs such as assemblies, and family supports.  Please donate here:  Back-to-School PTSA fundraiser! | Givebacks

Safety Drills

Washington state law and Bellevue School District policy require all schools to hold at least one drill per calendar month while school is in session. This month, we will be conducting a fire drill and practicing evacuating the building and accounting for everyone.
During a fire evacuation, students are taught to quickly and quietly exit the building. They meet on the field at an assigned location and stay silent while attendance is taken to ensure all people have safely evacuated.

Please talk with your student about preparing for emergencies and disasters such as fires. Encourage them to talk about their concerns and express their feelings. Emphasize that even though sometimes things happen that we may not expect, there are lots of things we can do to help us stay safe.

For more information on fire safety, you might want to visit the National Fire Protection Association "Kids" page at http://www.sparky.org/ Please let us know if you have any questions.

School Bus

Is your child riding the bus?  If yes, you'll want to download the parent portal to keep track of your bud rider's location.

Please sign up to receive a scan card for your rider.

Edulog Parent Bus Tracking Program - Bellevue School District (bsd405.org)

Important Reminder: if your student is taking the bus home, they must be met by an adult or an older sibling at the bus stop during the first week of school.

If your child is not met, they will be transported back to their school. And if no one is available at the school, your child will be transported back to Transportation Department located at 12025 NE 5th Street.

Learn more about our bus routes here:

https://bit.ly/3Z78ryW

Meet Nurse Prabina

We support our students' holistic development.

If your child has health needs or if you need consultation regarding developmental health in the K-5 environment please contact Nurse Prabina.  She is very happy to connect with you and support the children.

She can be reached here:  dahalp@bsd405.org

ArdmoreSchoolNurseWelcomeLetter.pdf

BSD Resources for Parents

1. All Families The 2024-2025 Official Notices  English, Spanish and Simplified Chinese PDF versions can be found on the are now available on the district website., in English, Spanish and Simplified Chinese.

Families are encouraged to familiarize themselves with the district's 2024-25 Official Notices, which include:

· Student Education Records (FERPA & Directory Information)

· Notice of Rights Under the Protection of Pupil Rights Amendment

· Notice of Students and Staff Rights and Responsibilities

· Non-Discrimination

· Harassment, Intimidation and Bullying

· Notice of Child Find

· Notice of Complaint Resolution

· Notice of Pesticide, Asbestos and Lead

· Weapons

· Truancy

· Career and Technical Education

· Office of the Education Ombuds services

 

2. If you are interested in volunteering at school please see our BSD Volunteer Guideline 20242025VolunteerGuidance.pdf