We hope you will be able to join us for our "Back to School Night" event which will be held tonight (9/16/21). Grades TK-2nd will be held from 6:00-6:45 PM, and Grades 3rd-5th will be held from 6:45-7:30 PM. This year our event will be held virtually through Zoom. Please check with your child's teacher if you have not yet received the Zoom link for your session with your child's teacher. If you have questions regarding "Back to School Night," or if you need assistance accessing the Zoom link for your child's classroom Zoom session, please do not hesitate to reach out to our school office. We are happy to help! We look forward to seeing you virtually tonight at Blackford's Back to School Night!
School News
Updated Thu, Sep 9th
Dear Blackford Community,
We are excited to launch a new, secure and private parent communications platform for Blackford families called Konstella. This user-friendly platform offers a website and an iPhone app and an Android app and includes:
- PTA and school-wide announcements
- Classroom updates
- Event reminders (syncs to calendar)
- Volunteer sign-up opportunities
- Private messaging
- Searchable directory
- Social groups and committees
- Sales and donations
- File and photo sharing
To get started, please accept the Konstella invitation that is headed your way from PTA. (See invitation link at the end of this message.)
Click on the link to get started. https://www.konstella.com/cd/SGLPNA
Below are two short videos overviews of Konstella and a one-page Cheat Sheet to learn more about Konstella.
-2 minute high-level video
-6 minute video deep dives into 3 features
-One-page cheat sheet that helps you navigate
Our hope is that Konstella will streamline and centralize previous means of communication to create a great experience for everyone in our Blackford community. We look forward to hearing what you think about it!
Sincerely,
Blackford PTA
Updated Mon, Sep 6th
This year our school theme is "Better Together" and together we know we can all make a difference in keeping our students, staff and each other safe. In that spirit, we are asking all parents and family members to please wear a mask when arriving on campus. We ask that everyone wears a mask when they exit their vehicle and when they walk on to the front of campus, in the parking lot, and on school grounds, which includes the very front of the school before you enter the gates.
If you do not have a mask, we ask that you do not enter campus through the gates. We do have adult masks in our front office, as well as student masks in case your child forgot their mask for the day.
Thank you for helping us keep students and staff safe by taking the extra precaution of wearing your mask in the parking lot, drop off zones, and front entrances of our school.
Updated Sun, Sep 5th
Do you enjoy being part of a team and making decisions? If so, then we have a role for you! Blackford needs five new School Site Council members. The Council is one of the most important decision-making groups at our school and is composed of five parent/community members and five representatives from the school’s staff.
The Council reviews the school LCAP plan (Local Control Accountability Plan) and budget annually, makes modifications as necessary, and assists in the evaluation of the school’s programs. Members are elected by the groups that they represent. Parent and community representatives and alternates are elected for a two-year term. If you are interested, please email me a short description (see example below) about why you'd like to be on the School Site Council and I will add your name to the ballot.
SAMPLE:
**______Hi! My name is XXXXXXXXX I have two children at Blackford (in Kinder and 5th Grade). I would like to be on the School Site Council because I feel it is a very important job that helps the school and the student body on a short term and long-term basis. I feel that I can be an asset because I am often on campus serving our community as part of the PTA. I know many people in our community and I appreciate this opportunity to contribute further to ensure every student has their needs met.**
Please consider becoming a candidate for the School Site Council. All interested parents should contact me at aajlouni [at] campbellusd.org () for more information.
Our first SSC meeting will be held virtually, via Zoom, on September 30th from 3:00-4:00 PM.
Updated 13 sec ago
This year our Back to School Night will be held virtually on
Thursday, September 16th via Zoom.
Grade TK-2 will be held 6:00-6:45 PM.
Grade 3-5 will be held 6:45-7:30 PM.
Your child's teacher will send out the Zoom link via SeeSaw or email.
Our teachers/staff look forward to seeing you via Zoom!
Updated Fri, Sep 10th
We appreciate everyone's patience and understanding as we begin our new dismissal process using the iDismiss app. We are working to streamline the dismissal and pick up procedures which will faciliatate a safer, quicker, smoother pick up for you and your child(ren).
1. Please make sure you pick up your numbered placard in the office.
2. When coming to campus, please have your placard displayed or show your placard when you approach the grade level gate.
3. Please do not park in the drive thru lane. This impedes the flow of traffic and delays students from exiting quickly and safely.
4. If you are driving, please make sure your child knows they should meet you at the car. Our school staff will supervise your child getting safely to the vehicle as you approach the drive thru lane and pull forward.
5. You do not need to download the iDismiss app. The app is used by teachers and school staff. Parents/family members only need the orange placard/number.
6. If you have any questions or concerns regarding our dismissal process, please do not hesitate to contact the school office. Thank you!
Updated Fri, Sep 10th
On Friday, September 3rd we will host our first "Coffee with the Principals" via Zoom. Our meeting will be held virtually on Zoom from 8:30-9:30 AM. Our Community Liaison, Mariza Ramans, will be discussing family/student resources and various outreach programs our district partners with to support families. She will also talk about our ELAC (English Language Advisory Committee). Our PTA president, Julie Tate-Judge, will also be joining our meeting to introduce the PTA and also explain how you can get involved in the PTA. The principals will give an update regarding school happenings, as well as disucss upcoming events. Please join us! A Zoom link will be emailed to parents who complete the registration form below.
Please let us know what future topics you would like to see discussed or presented:
Updated Sun, Sep 5th
School starts with a Warning Bell at 8:13 AM. Instruction begins at 8:15 AM and we would like all students in their classroom by that time. Our teachers take attendance promptly around 8:15 AM. Thank you for helping your child arrive on time each day. This will alleviate stress for both you and your child. PLEASE MAKE SURE TO SEND YOUR CHILD WITH A LABELED WATER BOTTLE. Water fountains are still closed due to COVID. Masks should be worn while on campus.
Updated Sun, Sep 5th
At Blackford, we use an app called iDismiss. This app has helped faciliate a smoother, safer process when we are dismissing students at the end of the day.
To begin with, each family will be assigned a numbered placard. Siblings are given the same number. You can pick up your placard in the front of the school on August 19th and 20th. Tables will be set up in front of the school and staff will be there to assist you.
Starting Monday, August 23rd, when you, a family member, or an identified person listed on your child's PI Card come to pick up your child:
if driving: As you enter the front parking lot, a staff member will be looking for your orange numbered placard hanging from your rearview mirror or they will ask you for your placard number. Please hang the placard from your rearview mirror before you enter the parking lot. Once our staff member has identified your placard number, they will notify your child's teacher, who will then release your child to walk to the front grade level gate. As you proceed through the drive thru, your child will meet you as you approach.
if walking: Please approach your child's grade level gate and inform the staff member of your placard number. Our staff member will then notify your child's teacher, who will release your child to walk to the front grade level gate. Your child will meet you at the gate.
if your child walks home independently: Please let your child's teacher and our front office know that your child will be walking home each day. This way we can inform our staff and when your child approaches the gate, your child will communicate with our staff member, who will exit them from the gate.
If you have any questions or concerns regarding our process, please do not hesitate to call our front office.
Here is a video which demonstrates how the iDismiss app works:
Updated Sun, Sep 5th
We are so excited to see all our Blackford Bobcats on Thursday, August 19th. The teachers and staff have been working so hard this week getting everything ready for the 21-22 school year and our students to return!
Reminder that students will begin the day by entering through one of three gates in the front of our school. We will have signs indicating grade level gates. Parents/family members will be allowed to walk their child(ren) to the classroom door. All parents/family members must wear a mask when on school grounds. Our gates will open at 8:05 and gates will close by 8:20 AM. Parents/family members will only be allowed on campus for a total of ten minutes due to safety. Thank you for respecting the parameters and process. Our goal is to keep everyone in our community safe.
The first two days we will have students meet their parent/family member at the end of the day (dismissal) at the grade level gates they entered through at the beginning of the day. On Monday, August 23rd, we will begin using our iDismiss app. Every student (siblings) will receive a numbered placard. Please pick up your iDismiss placard in front of the school beginning on Thursday, Aug. 19th. Staff will be at tables in front of the school to assist you. More info to follow regarding the iDismiss app and process.
As you get ready at home for school to begin, please remember:
-Masks need to be worn by all students indoors. We suggest that your child brings a couple of masks in their backpack in case they need to change their mask during the day. We will have extra student masks in all our classrooms as well! Masks are optional when outdoors. If you prefer your child wears a mask during the morning recess and lunch recess, please discuss this with your child.
-Have your child bring a water bottle daily. Our water fountains have been turned off and capped due to safety concerns. Every classroom has a sink with a working faucet so students can wash their hands and refill their water bottles as needed. We also have a water bottle filling station located on our playground for student use.
-Make sure your child knows who will be picking them up from school or where they need to go afterschool (examples: Campbell Care, afterschool program, etc.) Please note: Our Blackford students will not be participating in bussing this year.
-Students will be eating outside during our "before school" breakfast program, morning recess, and lunch.
-If your child needs a backpack, please contact our Community Liaison, Mariza Ramans, by calling the school office. Our site has some donated backpacks we can provide to our students.
-Most importantly: Get ready to have a lot of fun... learning, playing, meeting new friends, having a lot of new experiences and being a Blackford Bobcat! It is going to be an incredible year! Here's to "Bobcats Better Together 21-22."