Beverly Cleary Connection

Our first (abbreviated) week is behind us, and I cannot believe how quickly it soared by! Hearing the buzz of students learning and joy in spaces again is the reason we come to work each day! Thanks, again, for entrusting us with your most precious thing in your life, your children.

This week started with 1st through 6th graders making their entrance on Tuesday! It was awesome to have one day with just 6th graders learning about all things middle school (accompanied by a few special treats) before the 7th & 8th graders returned. We appreciate the 7th & 8th grade families for making that a possibility. This week was also a time for incoming kindergarteners to ramp up in anticipation for their first full day next Tuesday. Families had one on one meet & greets with teachers, learned all about kindergarten at their very own back to school night, and closed out the fun last night at the kindergarten picnic! It was a fun way for families (and me) to engage with our newest members!

Staff have also worked hard this week to remind and reteach expectations. It can be tough getting back into a routine. Students at every grade level completed an Expectations Tour around campus; from the playground to the office, the bathrooms to the cafeteria, students now confidently know what behavior looks like in each location. One big change we made is how middle school lunch flows, and wow- is it going well! We heard student feedback of wanting to mingle with students from other grades and feeling trapped to stay longer at lunch before going to their only recess of the day, so we changed up the routine. A huge shout out to the teachers & staff who made it such an easy transition and to parent volunteers (yes- MS volunteers!!) who donated their time as well.

I'd be remiss if I didn't thank the PTA for their continued work creating opportunities for the community to gather. They provided coffee and donuts each morning a new grade level was introduced, something I've already heard from many of you brightened your day! They coordinated the Kindergarten picnic, and they will be providing another opportunity for gathering next Thursday, September 5th at 5:30 from 7:00 PM- the PTA Sponsored Ice Cream Social! We hope to see you all there!

Coming in as no surprise, my husband and I will be watching the first Ducks game of the season followed by heading to watch the Timbers play the Sounders. Have a great long weekend- it looks like it's going to be a toasty one!

The Family Advisory Council on Education (FACE) is a great opportunity for family members, parents, and caregivers to participate in conversations about PPS' educational program. The Council is a space to provide input to proposed, new, and/or ongoing academic and instructional initiatives.

The Council seeks family members that represent the demographics of the students served by the district. Meetings will be held likely monthly during the school year, potentially on the second or third Wednesday of the month, likely around 5:30-7:00pm.

If you are interested in participating, please complete this form.

We have two new staff members joining our team this year, please welcome Phil Ajjarapu and

Adam Hamler!

Phil Ajjarapu will be our new music teacher, instructing k-6 grade students! Phil Ajjarapu is a music teacher and an active performing/recording artist. He greatly enjoys watching students of all ages realize that they already know more about playing instruments and singing than they thought they did.

Adam will be teaching middle school PE. Please see a note from Mr. Hamler below.

Hello Beverly Cleary K-8! My name is Adam Hamler and I am very excited to join BCS and bring my passion for physical education to the community! My experience over the past 15 years in education has been focused on K-12 inclusive adapted physical education for students with disabilities. I graduated from Cal State University Long Beach in 2008 with my degree in Kinesiology and Pedagogy, received my masters in education and school administrative credential from Cal State Dominguez Hills in 2015. I’ve taught Adapted PE for Palos Verdes School District in Los Angeles for 12 years before moving up to the PNW with my family in 2020. My son Jackson is starting kinder and my daughter Gwendolyn will be in 2nd grade! We love the outdoors, being in nature, camping, hiking and fishing with our three dogs. Hopefully, through movement and ability awareness we can foster an inclusive culture that values mindfulness, self-improvement and respect for all!

Welcome to the PTA Newsletter, our weekly communication that you can find in the Cougar Connection. Follow the link to our newsletter every week to find out about all of the PTA sponsored events and programs that are put on for the entire Beverly Cleary School Community. If you missed it, check out the PTA Orientation Guide to learn more about what the PTA does at Beverly Cleary School and how you can get involved.

This week learn more about:

• attending the September PTA General Meeting
• attending the BCS Ice Cream Social
• joining the BCS Bike Bus
• participating in the Sparky's Pizza Night Fundraiser
• and more!