Newsletter Bacich News - Kentfield School District

Bacich Bears News

Dear Bacich Community,

Hard to believe that we are nearing the end of October! With the colder mornings and warm afternoons, we are noticing more sweatshirts and sweaters being left on the playground. If your child is missing any clothing, ask them to check the lost and found rack outside the office.

Cross Grade Level Buddies

This week, I visited a first grade classroom during a visit from their third grade buddy class. The students engaged in a writing activity with their buddy. As a classroom teacher for fifteen years at Bacich, I always looked forward to these buddy get-togethers. There is something magical about facilitating connection between groups of students that span several grade levels.

At Bacich, we have a tradition of kindergarten/fourth grade buddies and first/third grade buddies. Teachers match students up in pairs or groups of three. These pairing allow us an opportunity to teach the older students how to be a mentor to the younger students. Older students are able to develop leadership skills as they guide the younger student in the completion of an activity.

Reading Buddies

There are a variety of activities that teachers facilitate during buddy time. Activities can include science, art, writing, free-choice, and playing on the play structure. Buddy get-togethers can also simply be a time to sit and read together. Research shows that it is beneficial for students to read to each other. Younger students get to experience what fluent reading looks like. The older students learn patience and empathy in working with a younger buddy. Older students who struggle with grade-level reading enjoy a positive reading experience reading simpler, age appropriate texts to their younger buddy.

Community Building

These fun buddy experiences help us build a positive school community. Students feel connected not just to their own classroom and grade level but to another grade level. Developing friendships with students across grade levels helps foster a sense of belonging to a larger school community. Buddy time is often a favorite activity for Bacich students and teachers alike!

With gratitude,

Maria Martin
Bacich Principal
mmartin@kentfieldschools.org

Halloween/Fall Parade – October 31, 2022

This year our annual parade will be rebranded as a Halloween/Fall parade. The parade will start at 8:45 a.m. by the kindergarten parking lot and be led by our local fire department. Students have the option of wearing a costume or fall colors to school that day, but this is not mandatory. Participation in the parade is also optional and we will offer fall craft activities in the library during the parade. Students may choose either the parade or the fall craft activities. Thank you to the PTA for organizing the parade!

Since this is a school day with academic lessons, it is important that all students attend school, regardless of participation in the parade. It is also important that if your student wears a costume to school, that it be appropriate for school activities such as PE and recess. Scary, violent costumes and weapons are prohibited.

Classes will also host a Fall Party with special crafts and fall themed activities. Please refer to teacher newsletters and room parent communications for more information about the class Fall Party. All are welcome to attend. One benefit of class parties is to help build a sense of community among students, parents, and teachers. We hope you will be able to join your child’s Fall Party.

Parents are Invited to Wednesday Assemblies

We gather every Wednesday morning from 8:20-8:50 a.m. three times a month our assemblies are Bacich In-Motion assemblies and once a month they are Character Counts assemblies. We gather outside on the blacktop for these assemblies, weather permitting. Parents may join us by standing or sitting to the side or behind our student body. Please note that you will not be able to sit with your child. Students will need to remain with their class in their assigned space. Students must go to class first thing in the morning for attendance and walk to the assembly with their class. When we move our assemblies inside the Community Center due to weather, we will not be able to accommodate parent guests.

Bacich Art

Please read the Bacich Art Blog for the latest blog post featuring the following themes and art projects:

Community Building in the Art Room
Sketchbooks
Hispanic Heritage Month

Bacich Library

Check out Bacich Library Book Buzz October blog for information about how the library discusses Diwali. Come in and check out books for Halloween!

bacichlibrarybookbuzz.blogspot.com

Lear more about the library and search for books: sites.google.com/kentfieldschools.org/bacich-library

Susan Warnick
Bacich Librarian
swarnick@kentfieldschools.org