Update from Bernabi
Published on Jan 11, 2019 05:32

January 11, 2019

Greetings from Bernabi where we are rapidly approaching the very mid-point of the school year!  With that in mind, I have some “halftime” updates for you, along with some other important information.  I know I tend to write a lot, but I appreciate your willingness to stay current with all that’s going on in our school!

First up: our next half-day is one week from today, Friday, January 18.  Our instructional day, which will include grade level rotations focused on cultural awareness, will start at our regular time and while breakfast will be available as normal, there are no specials classes and no lunches on this day.  Dismissal will begin at 11:50 am and buses will be on their way home by noon.  If you plan on picking your child up due to the shortened schedule, please let us know in advance as half-days are significantly hectic with last minute changes.  In order for us to maintain a safe and efficient dismissal, it will help us to know your plans in advance.

Next: mid-year iReady reports will be on their way home in your child’s backpack next Friday.  If you are not already familiar with iReady, a letter will be accompanying this report to help you better understand what this program looks like for your child and what his/her score means.

Announcing the grand opening of The Bernabi Store, this coming Wednesday, January 16!  With the support of the BPA and our student leaders, Bernabi’s newest iteration of its bookstore will be open two days per week: Wednesdays from 12:30-2:30 pm and Thursdays from 9:00-11:00 am.  Students can visit the store, which will be located near our greeter’s desk, by asking classroom teachers for a pass (each classroom will have a total of two passes).  This approach will ensure that teachers are always aware of where their students are as well as limit the number of kids who visit the store at any one given time.

I am excited to share that Bernabi will be piloting the Raptor Visitor Management System beginning on January 28.  As you know, I have been working with the district, faculty and parents within our community over the last two and a half years in an effort to continuously improve the safety and security of our building and students.  While I am very proud of the steps we have taken together, I can also say with confidence that this new system will allow us to take significant strides in our ability to safely and efficiently manage all visitors to the building.  As a parent, I have firsthand experience signing into my children’s schools using the Raptor system and in the moments it takes to scan my license and print me a sticker with my name and photo, I am given a sense of both community and safety as I enter the building.  Stay tuned for more details and thank you for taking this journey with me!  If you take one thing away from this preview: please, please always remember to bring your government issued ID (driver’s license) with you when visit Bernabi each and every time!

Last but not least; a mid-year check-point!  As you may recall, each June I send out a parent survey asking for your input on our school’s progress specific to the building plan we create each summer.  This year, we decided to break the survey into two shorter parts, one in January and one in June.  With that said, it would be greatly appreciated if you could take a few minutes to answer a brief five-question survey by clicking here.  If you have any additional comments, please feel free to contact our parent representative Mr. Ben Hays at: [email protected].  

Thank you for your ongoing partnership!

David Caiazza
Principal