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SY 2017-2018 ISSUE #2 MARCH 2018
Dolphin Digest
Newsletter of Brewer Island Elementary
Spring is finally here! The warmer season is back and the
outdoors are calling. Have you started planning your vegetable
gardens? Or maybe thought about your family camping trip?
We are surrounded by so many outdoor opportunities here in
the Bay Area— bird watching, hiking, water activities, parks
and recreation activities, among others. It doesn’t really matter
what activity we choose. What matters most is the quality of time that we spend
with our families. And Spring Break is happening, so let us all take this special
Wellness Focus:
time to refresh and reconnect with ourselves and families. With the new season,
Packing a Healthy
comes changes. As we think ahead into the next school year, the PTA is Lunchbox
encouraging everyone to consider to share their time, skills and talents through
volunteering. We have a special feature that will hopefully motivate you to sign
up. Also, we have great news as Mr. Kotani and
Brewer Island Elementary School were selected
to receive the 2017 Jump Rope for Heart Rookie
Award for the school’s outstanding 2016-2017
American Heart Association event. The California
Association for Health, Physical Education, PTA volunteers share
Recreation and Dance (CAHPERD) sent in their their experiences.
congratulatory correspondence, highlighting
commitment and passion for the Jump Rope For
Heart program. Mr. Kotani expresses his gratitude to the community—
“Without the BIES community's continued support, this JRFH award would not
have been possible! Specially, I was extremely impressed with our PTA’s
enthusiasm and contribution. I am very lucky to work with such a fantastic
community! Thank YOU!!”
Nut-Free Tables
Allergy sufferers
have a safe table
VOICES at the lunch court.
We are kind.
2017 Jump Rope for What do you look We are safe
Book Fair Heart Rookie of the Year forward to this year? We are responsible.
Spirit Days
Open House BIES at PTA Reflections
Art Showcase State LevelWELLNESS FOCUS : PACKING A HEALTHY LUNCHBOX
For those of us who choose to send our children to school with food from home, it is not always easy to
decide from the many choices that we have. And when we are sometimes saddled by our busy lives,
choosing pre-packaged options that are carb/sugar/sodium heavy is the easy way out. However, with a
little planning and reflection, we can definitely work towards packing a healthy lunchbox. A good packed
lunch has to meet certain standards so that we can assure that our children eat what we packed—
Filling: Consider food with fat, protein and fiber
as they slow down digestion; making them feel “Parents need to consider nutrition, children’s
full longer preferences and how much time children have to
Appetizing: Consider their favorites, involving eat. Parents should try to squeeze in as many food
them in packing and making a visually appealing groups as possible — protein, dairy or non-dairy
spread of food items, like in a bento box alternative, grain, fruits and vegetables to
maximize nutrition. It’s important that kids have some
Healthy: To ensure that healthy choices are
say in what goes in their lunch, with older kids helping
packed, prepare a list that includes fruit or make key choices and even making their own lunch
vegetable, protein, a drink, small dessert & grains some days. … Parents can check in with their kids on
a regular basis about lunches. Is it enough or too
much food? Do they enjoy it? What changes would
they like to see?”
Sample List:
FRUITS VEGGIES GRAINS PROTEIN DESSERT By Maryann Jacobsen, Registered Dietician
raisins carrots bread meat fruit
apple broccolI crackers sun butter*
banana rice DRINKS
apple sauce milk or water Making food from scratch doesn’t need to be hard
*sun butter is suggested rather than peanut butter to be considerate and complicated. Here are a few fairly easy recipes
to those who have a life threatening allergy to peanuts that we’ve collated and want to share with you—
Yogurt Fruit Bars: relies on natural sugars from a mix of Grab and Go Granola Bars: an easy mix of natural
dried fruit and is recommended by the American Diabetes ingredients, no chemicals nor additives like in
Association:http://www.geniuskitchen.com/recipe/yogurt- manufactured ones; nuts can be replaced with roasted
fruit-bars-128810 pumpkin seeds (pepitas), or sunflower seeds, or even
crushed pretzels for a nut free mix: https://
Lunch Box Veggie Wraps/ Bunny Rabbit Rolls: uses fresh community.kidswithfoodallergies.org/blog/how-do-you-
crunchy cut up veggies that can easily be adjusted to suit replace-nuts-in-recipes
your child’s taste, for a little sweetness, add apple slices; it’s a
rolled up salad that can be enjoyable to kids: https:// Easy Kid-Friendly Meatball: an egg-free and grain-free
www.momskitchenhandbook.com/recipes/lunch-box-veggie- recipe that uses healthy veggies and flavorful spices in
wraps/ the mix; ground chicken or turkey may replace beef and/
or pork: https://www.kitchenstewardship.com/easy-
Healthy Apple Muffins: uses whole wheat flour, coconut oil, meatball-recipe/
apple sauce and maple syrup: https://
www.superhealthykids.com/healthy-apple-muffins/ Healthy Kids Fish Fingers: this homemade recipe uses
only 6 ingredients compared to about 25 in
Homemade Fruit Roll-Ups: a one ingredient recipe (just manufactured options that are also high in sodium:
FRUITS) that is easy to make and can replace those https://www.healthymummy.com/recipe/healthy-kids-fish-
manufactured sugar-loaded options: https:// fingers/
www.superhealthykids.com/homemade-fruit-roll-ups/
Additional Source: https://vitals.lifehacker.com/how-to-pack-a-healthy-lunchbox-for-your-kids-1723899097Principal Highlights
Principal Alexis O'Flaherty encourages everyone to be guided by
the following reminders regarding events, concerns, and special
dates.
Safety
Alexis O’Flaherty
As a top priority at Brewer Island, we take multiple Principal
Office Staff
measures including monthly emergency drills to ensure
Alexis O’Flaherty - Principal safety at our school. The different types of drills are Evacuations, Fire drills, Drop,
aoflaherty@smfcsd.net Cover & Hold-On Earthquake drills, Secure Campus, Lockdown and Barricade. For the
month of March, we practiced a Drop, Cover & Hold-On drill. Watch out for advisories
Grace Chang – Admin. Assistant
gjchang@smfc.k12.ca.us on drills in the coming months.
Barbara Rothe – School Office
Assistant brothe@smfcsd.net Positive Behavior Intervention and Support (PBIS)
PBIS is a school-wide, systems approach to establish the social culture and behavioral
Becky Glikbarg – School Office
supports needed for all children in a school setting to achieve both social and
Assistant bglikbarg@smfcsd.net
academic success. Everyone is encouraged to extend this approach to your homes
and everyday lives. Our three school expectations are:
Contact Us We are Kind. We are Safe. We are Responsible.
Report Absences
(650) 312-7648 option 3 Volunteer Appreciation
The BIES staff is very appreciative of all our volunteers and their dedication to the
Phone
school. As our way of saying “Thank You”, the staff invites all volunteers to hike on
(650) 312-7532
over to Camp Brewer at the school library to celebrate all of our valuable
Fax
volunteers on April 18th at 1 pm. For helping in the classrooms, chaperoning field
(650) 312-1976
trips, organizing PTA events, being a part of the PTA and volunteering your time, we
honor and thank you all from the bottom of our hearts.
Address
Dates To Remember
1151 Polynesia Drive April 2-13 No School due to Spring Break
Foster City, CA 94404 April 16 School Resumes
Website Wishing you all a bright and happy spring!
http://brewer-island.smfcsd.netPTA NEWS
Executive Board Father/ Daughter Winter Dance, December 8th
It was an Enchanted night indeed on December 8, 2017. The dance , music
Carla Pursnani, President
carla.pursnani@aol.com
& the photo booth were greatly enjoyed by the fathers & their daughters.
Mirissa McMurray, Vice Pres. It was a delight to watch them shake their legs to the hit dance
mirissa@yahoo.com numbers. A big thank you to the team ofJamie Halaby, Heather Agcoili
Bonnie Bao, Treasurer & Lisa Sqair.
bonniebao@gmail.com
Elite Yuen, Secretary
elite.yuen@gmail.com
Yoomi Kim, Historian Science Exploration Day, March 9th
yoomi.bies@gmail.com
Gracie Castillo, Auditor
It was an incredible science day for the students of Brewer Island. They
nonimowfg@gmail.com
Julie Chamberlain, were so thrilled to explore more about science, may it be about Dry ice ,
Teacher Representative environment etc. Thanks to the wonderful team of Mrs Elizabeth
jchamberlain@smfc.k12.ca.us Martin, Mrs.Vaishali Nayak & Ms. Heike Fuhrmann Strissnigg who
Alexis O’Flaherty, Principal
aoflaherty@smfc.k12.ca.us worked behind the scenes to make it a big success.
The following positions are open:
Vice Pres. - Finance
Vice Pres. - Programs
Financial Secretary
Spring Book Fair, March 23rd to 29th
Parliamentarian
Auditor The PTA- sponsored Fall Book Fair happened before spring intercession.
PTA Website The goal of increasing BIES students’ reading minutes had been achieved
through the help of many volunteers. Thank you to Joanne Choi and Erin
brewerislandpta.membershiptoolkit.com/
Jensen for all your hard work and dedication.
CA State PTA Member Perks
Scholarshare 529 Spirit Days, Various Dates
Scholarshare 529, California’s College
Savings Plan, is pleased to offer a new
Matching Grant program. It offers a dollar- The students of Brewer Island celebrated the following Spirit days—
to-dollar match contribution of up to
$200 on new accounts. Check out Pajama Day: Dec 21, 2017
www.mgp.scholarshare529.com for
additional information on eligibility. Twin/Multiples Day: January 26,2018
ca academy of sciences
PTA members can save time and 15% by
Disney Day: February 23,2018
purchasing discount tickets online at
www.calacademy.org! Use sales code Thanks to the spirit squad for the great enthusiasm shown towards
CAPTA. Black out dates apply. planning such events which bring together the school community.
comcast internet essentials
Bring the power of internet to more
students and families through
www.internetessentials.com. Qualifying Open House & Art Showcase, March 29th
households in Comcast service areas
receive discounts on monthly service and This is a wonderful community event as the school opens its gates to all
free internet training, and to those who
receive HUD housing assistance. Brewer Island families. The classrooms were set up with the students
enterprise
PTA members are eligible for a discounted
works and the gym showcased beautiful art projects done through the
rate on all cars. Visit www.capta.org/ Art-in-Action program. The taco truck and Kona Ice truck were there to
member-perks to access the discounted
online ordering link. provide an opportunity to have dinner at the school grounds.By Kseniya Vorontsova, Reflections of Art Chair
The judges at the district level (San Mateo Countywide) were thrilled at the
creativity that the students have shown in all of the 120 entries that they
viewed. The Award of Excellence went to the best ranked entry in each
category for each grade division which totaled to 24 entries that were
forwarded to the California State PTA for judging. Results will be in by late
March. Entries will be returned by to school offices by late May.
Congratulations to Anthony Zolnikov for his Film Production entry, My Fire, which received the Award of Excellence and moved
on to the California State PTA level.
Entries that received Award of Merit and Honorable Mention were displayed at the 17th District PTA’s Founders Day Luncheon
on February 26th at Dominic’s at Oyster point.
The following students represented Brewer Island at the District level. Congratulations and more power to all of you!
Award of Merit Honorable Mention
My Wish, Dance, by Veronica Vorontsova, Gr.4 Working From Home, Dance, by Takhota Bowman, Gr.TK
Reach For Your Dreams, Literature, Global Warming- Saving Earth is Within Reach, Film,
by Medha Challapilla, Gr.1 by Anjali Kalyanakrishnan, Gr.3
Within Reach-Reaching The Overlook Summit, Golden Snake Crazy Dance, Music, by Jun Yi Chen, Gr.4
Literature, by Anjali Kalyanakrishnan, Gr.3 Dreams Within Reach, Visual Arts, by Vaishvi Joshi, Gr.TK
Honey Is Within Reach, Photography, by Arya Misra, Gr.K Black Belt Journey, Visual Arts, by Sarah Jongejan, Gr.3
Is There Room For Me Up There?, Photography,
by Alina Zolnicov, Gr.4
2018-2019 Theme Award of Excellence
My Fire, Film Production, by Anthony Zolnikov, Gr.1
Anthony tells us about his work in GETTING TO KNOW YOU.
For details, check out :
https://www.pta.org/home/programs/reflections/Reflections-Awards-EventsPTA, MAKING A DIFFERENCE…
ONE MEMBER AT A TIME
Why Schools Need PTA Each of us have our own reasons why we choose to or not to volunteer in the PTA.
We weigh in what available time we have to spend for family, work, and personal
Harnessing the Power of Volunteers endeavors. Serving in the PTA may not be for everyone but for these five passionate
Shrinking budgets. Increasing class sizes. Government and hardworking volunteers, getting involved in the PTA provided more benefits
mandates. The challenges of delivering quality education are than what they initially expected.
daunting. There is help. It’s the PTA.
It doesn't take much time to get a Parent Teacher Association Carla Pursnani is our current PTA President and with the
started either. Find just one parent in your school to take the position comes a lot of challenges but she maintains that it
lead, and before you know it, there will be a group of has brought far more rewards than she could imagine. She
dedicated parents doing what PTA does best: providing
resources and programs to all families. is happy to have made great friendships and alliances with
PTAs Benefit Everyone amazing teachers, parents, principals and kids, brought
PTA addresses issues that are important to parents and public impressive programs to the school, helped find solutions to
school administrators. We fight for full funding, quality difficult problems, and opened doors to issues in the
teachers, and capabilities for schools to thrive. If your school community that are important to her. Her love for kids and
or district does not have a PTA, now is the time. Membership
is open to everyone. Your PTA is autonomous but supported the community drives her to serve. For her, kids are the future— future doctors,
by a national structure. It sets its own dues. lawyers, mechanics, engineers, etc… they will continue to propel the world after
Some of PTA’s Benefits we’re gone. She wants to ensure that they have the resources they need to succeed.
Leverage Volunteer Power. PTA organizes hard- Here is what she says about how serving in the PTA effectively suggest change in our
working, dedicated volunteers. Parents are ready to help school as she highlights a few outstanding volunteers who have the passion to
implement school improvement programs.
create positive changes in our school community—
Improve Communication. PTAs frequently coordinate
production of a school newsletter and information “When a parent is passionate about a topic and is willing to stand up, volunteer and
fliers, keeping the entire school community informed of
current events, issues, and accomplishments. Regular organize their thoughts and plans, change happens. There are so many examples of
meetings allow PTAs to share information with this. Norman Owyang is passionate about art and volunteered to work with Art-In-
members. Action. As a result, our kids are getting a fantastic art program that would have gone
See Measurable Results. More than 85 research studies away without parent support. There is The Math Olympiad. Two years ago we had a
conducted over the past 30 years prove that kids do
better when parents are involved. Grades are higher. passionate parent, Gayatri Picha, who wanted the program and was willing to follow
Test scores improve. Attendance increases. up with the appropriate people and persist through the challenges. Now we've had a
Discover More Dollars. Local PTAs are self-funding. By very successful event for the last two years. Our Book Fair is another example.
inviting the entire school’s parent community to join, JoAnne Choi is passionate about books and learning. She brings a highly successful
they generate membership fees to pay for programs.
Local PTA fundraisers support school programs, book fair to our students twice a year. This helps encourage a love for reading in our
building improvements, and educational events. kids and helps keep our library stocked with fun books that they love to read.”
Tap into Proven Programs. Local PTAs have access to
ready-made, easy-to-use programs with proven success Carla offers her full support to all who choose to share their talents and passions
records. From health and safety topics, to collaborating through the PTA. She has two campaigns that she would love to see strengthened at
with teachers and community members, to fundraising, Brewer Island— First is Start with Hello, which is a program that focuses on
the programs get results.
strengthening kindness and empathy in students in order to reduce the incidents of
Boost Children’s Well-Being. PTAs focus on what
students need to be successful in their learning, violence that we are seeing on an ever increasing basis in our society. This fits in
including nutrition, health, school safety, physical nicely with the school’s Positive Behavioral Intervention and Support (PBIS)
fitness and general well-being. PTA works with schools approach. She encourages everyone to learn more about it through https://
to ensure that children succeed. www.sandyhookpromise.org/bringstartwithhello. Second is to strengthen our
Enjoy Informed Parents. Involved parents understand
the challenges schools face and become part of the focus on healthy choices. She sees our society is bombarded with sweets and
solution. By developing a closer relationship with unhealthy food; that most of our holiday celebrations involve candy, ice cream or
parents, student achievement improves, and the school some other high calorie, low nutrition food. She shares that her family struggles with
develops a positive reputation in the community. avoiding these foods, and having it so plentiful at school really challenges the efforts
Fulfill ESSA Obligations. Finally, PTAs can help
they make at home.
schools fulfill the parent involvement requirement of
the Ever y Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). PTA
understands the needs behind ESSA. In fact, it’s Julie Chamberlain is our current Teacher
National PTA’s definition of parent involvement that is
Representative who have met some of her closest friends
used in ESSA.
through the PTA. She started working with the PTA when her
Source: https://www.pta.org/home/About-National-Parent- first child was young. It allowed her to meet other parents
Teacher-Association/Benefits-of-PTA-Membership/Why-Your-School- and to feel valuable as part of a team. The opportunity to
Needs-a-PTA meet so many people and to work on projects and eventsthat she never thought she would be able to accomplish were both rewarding and exciting. When asked how she would convince someone to join the
PTA, here is what she says— “No special skills are needed to help the PTA. We are all parents that want the best for our children. It’s a great opportunity to
get to know more parents, staff, community members and students at your child’s school. Any help and any time commitment, no matter how big or small
is beneficial to the students and will be a rewarding experience for you.”
She further explains that having more opportunities to be involved in her children’s school provided her more chances to interact with her own kids. She
got to know more about their experiences and allowed her to relate to them more effectively. She believes that her participation in the PTA highlights
how important her children’s education and school experiences are for her. Parental involvement in the school community greatly affects our children’s
school experience.
Bonnie Bao, PTA Treasurer, shares that serving in the PTA makes her life busier, but in a good way. In order to find more time
volunteering, she needs to manage her time more wisely. She was an auditor before being a homemaker. She is glad that her
professional skills could benefit the school community. Being the current treasurer not only allows her to be connected but she
is also gaining some new experiences. Above all, her daughter is proud that she is involved. She believes that we, as parents, are
setting a good example for our kids by getting involved in the community. We are showing them that we give education a lot of
importance. In addition, she believes that a nurturing, inspiring and friendly environment can benefit kids a lot; not only from
day to day classroom experience, but also from a variety of fun and educational community activities. These create opportunities
for friends and families to socialize. Without volunteers, events such as Math Night, Science Day, Book Fairs, Art Show, Movie Night, Father
Daughter Dance, Ice Cream Social, Spring Fling, etc. won’t come into fruition. Volunteers make these happen.
Furthermore, she believes that a good PTA can make a huge difference in the school community. It is not possible for the school and teachers to provide
everything. Many parents are very talented and knowledgeable. If each can contribute even just a little knowledge, skills, talents and time, the school will
become better with kids directly benefiting from it. Asked what she would like to see more of in PTA efforts, she says— “I would like to have more parent
education opportunities, which can be held either at the daytime or at night. We will have presentations or dialogues about parenting or other issues that
many parents are interested in or concerned about.”
Jill Vega is our Dolphin Drive Director this year. Love drives her to serve in the PTA. She loves Brewer Island and her kids love
Brewer Island so she wanted to be a helpful part in keeping it the school they all love. She feels much more a part of a
community through volunteering, and she likes that her children get to see that school activities and programs don't just
magically happen. That it takes work, passion and a community to get and keep the activities and programs they love. Her kids
see the time that she puts into helping out the school and they see the things that are produced from her efforts to benefit their
school. This in effect show how important she feels her kids’ school life and experience is to her. As the director of the school’s
main fundraiser, her efforts greatly affect not only her own kids but the entire school population as well. She believes that all
volunteers essentially strengthen and bring together the school community as every person get to know each other and strive to work effectively together
to help provide a better environment for the children. She is confident that being a part of the PTA and attending the meetings assure that her thoughts
and ideas are heard directly by the other members and appropriate actions can be taken. Project Night Night, Read-a-thon and Jump for Heart are
examples of initiatives that were direct results from past meetings. Asked if there is one change that she wants to happen in the PTA, she replies—
“We always could use much more help. There is an abundance of great ideas on different fundraising opportunities, or activities for the children. The reality
of it is that these great ideas need people who are willing and able to run them. I hope that convincing others to volunteer wouldn't be necessary. There are
many roles that can fit into anyone's schedule that I hope all parents can see how they can participate in the strengthening of our community. Work ranges
from in-class help, to at home preparation for classroom activities, or for projects that need attention once in a while and for those that require much more
dedicated time. There are so many possibilities and they are all flexible to our own schedule.”
Yuka Kobayashi has been our Spirit Wear Chairperson for two years now. Improving her spoken and written English was
what motivated her to volunteer. In-class volunteering got her started and continued to encourage her to keep coming back. The
students would recognize her and made her feel welcome and grateful for her help and presence. She greatly enjoyed her time
talking and sharing stories with her sons classmates. For Yuka, to see her sons learning and growing along with their friends is
truly enjoyable. Being in charge of the school’s Spirit Wear not only allows her to help but to be creative as well. With the recent
development of the new school logo, working with students, parents, teachers and suppliers have given her a sense of
fulfillment. She is proud to have all merchandise available for purchase online and offline but hopes to have a more frequent
opportunity to sell in-campus where everyone can see, feel and try them on. Also, she maintains that her sons realize the value of helping others through
what she does. Her fourth grader is a Spirit Squad member as he believes it is a great way to help the school. The PTA is a great opportunity to meet
parents and teachers and to learn from their perspectives. For Yuka, it was better than attending ESL! Not only is she improving her English, but she is
also gaining a lot of friendships, experience and self fulfillment. She will continue on as Spirit Wear Chairperson in the next school year and she is
looking for a partner to help her. Be sure to let her know if you are willing to share the experience with her.VOICES VOICES VOICES
Voices are responses from our students about random topics. Our respondents were asked—
What do you look forward to this year?
Tanishka
Shridhar, TK
I would like to
read new
storybooks and
make new friends
this year.
Kavya Konduri, Grade 3 Tavian Bowman, Grade 4
This year, I want to be able to take care
Mary Francez Santos, I am looking forward to turning ten and
of my dog well and be good to my
Grade 3 going to Hawaii plus my Nana and
family.
Papa are coming to visit from SA!
I want to learn something new, make Udai Dogra, Grade 2
more friends and have fun. Tapnoor Johal, Grade 2
Christian Valentone, Grade 4 I will try to be nice to everyone. This year, I look forward to visit India
and meet my cousins. I also look
I want to make new friends this year. Jasper Liggins, Grade 4 forward to be in third grade and make
new friends.
Sophia Moessmer, Grade 4 I look forward to practicing kindness
and being more helpful to others this Riya Yennam, Grade 4
I want to make new friends this year. year.
I look forward to visiting India to meet
Iniya Srinivasan, Grade 4 Jessica Serizawa, Grade 1 my family.
I want to Ahana Chandra, Grade 3
I look forward to helping my friends
make new learn how to read.
friends this I look forward to going to Legoland
year. Aaratrika Sharma because I love Legos!
Nuha, For this year, I want to help make
Nabat, Grade 3
Grade 2 everyone feel safe and to not be rude.
I look forward to going to Disneyland
I look forward to making new friends. Hanalise Agcaoili, Grade 4 and Legoland!
Takhota Bowman, TK Saira Siraj, Grade 4
This year I will practice kindness more.
I am excited about starting a new year I look forward to go on the field trips.
making more friends and learning to
read and write. Emma Acosta, Grade 2
Isha, Grade 4 I look forward to
going on a road trip
I look forward to making new friends to visit family, to
this year. celebrate my sister’s
graduation and visit
south California and Universal Studios
with my visiting uncle and grandpa.VOICES VOICES VOICES
Voices are responses from our students about random topics. Our respondents were asked—
What do you look forward to this year?
Amber Vaani Shania Wilson,
Dogra, Joshi, Grade 2
Grade 4 Grade 2
I look forward
I want to get I am waiting to playing
good grades in for my aunt more tennis
all the subjects I (dad’s sister)
this year.
have! to visit. I will play and do a lot of fun
stuff with her!
Lisa
Aarav Misra, Grade 1 Popeanga, Grade 2
Leanna Cuevas, Grade 1
I look forward to doing more math! I want to learn tether ball this year.
I look forward to go on a BIG vacation
and celebrate 4th of July!
Alice Wang, Grade 2 Sruthi Hariharan, Grade 2
Aheli, Grade 2
I look forward to get better grades. I want be a Pusheen collector. I want to
I look forward to having a big party and master manga drawing. I want to be
Gabby Xiao, Grade 4 stay at a hotel near Universal Studios. funnier than a joker. I want be a better
person. I want be the best at Math. I
I look forward to playing piano better Kavya Konduri, Grade 3 want to have a great year.
and work on finishing my home work
faster. I am looking forward to taking care of
Krisha Gupta, Grade 2
my dog and being good to my family.
Gabriela Sapugay, Grade 4 I want to join a swim class this year.
Shifa Walia, Grade 3
I look forward to go to fifth grade and
Marcus Kim, Grade 4
meet my new teacher. I look forward to making my Mom
I look forward to Outdoor Ed and meet
proud!
Anvitha Rayala, Grade 3 new people.
Siddhi Prasad, Grade 3
Tanvi Ishat, Grade 2
I look forward to passing the GATE test
and be able to do more exercise this I look forward to baking a cake with my
I want to be better at gymnastics this
year. Mom.
year.
Advika Singh, Grade 3 Navya Singh, Grade 2
I look forward to go to next grade and I look forward to playing more
to do new science experiments. monopoly with my grandma and go to
San Diego this year.
We want to hear from your children. Please send in their responses to the editors or to biesnewsletter@gmail.com.
Next issue’s question is:
What is the most valuable lesson you learned this school year?Computer Lab
with Mrs. Mohita Gupta
Computers have changed the way our rapidly transforming society functions these days. Future generations will
need to compete with these growing trends of a technologically-driven society that relies on computers to
perform day to day tasks in one’s life. I strongly believe that the classroom is a good starting point for kids to
get acquainted with the new technologies to learn the appropriate skills and use of various devices and machines
to bring ease to our lives.
The students who learn word TK students are working on iPad and focusing on tracing alphabets and
processing and other computing numbers, drawing various shapes, working on the sounds and building words.
skills and make use of the internet
under proper guidance and care Kindergarten students concentrate on acquiring beginning technology
early in their lives are better skills with a strong focus on developing mouse, keyboard typing and learn use
prepared and equipped in using of function keys like shift & control.
technology for more complex work
later on. Computers and similar 1st Grade students concentrate on acquiring beginning technology skills
devices grant access to the with a strong focus on developing mouse, typing, and word processing skills.
internet, which hosts tons of
Students will learn to change font sizes, styles, and colors as well as learn how
academic research and offers
educational support. Historical insert, size, and position clipart / images, add page borders, and print
records and social organizations are documents. Students will also explore their creativity with the art programs on
only a click away, providing a computers.
wealth of information for studying
history and social studies, among 2nd Graders are utilizing their foundation in typing and word processing to
other disciplines. expand into more diverse skillsets including, internet research, creations on
word processing, coding, programming logic, and continue their development
of word processing, Google docs and typing proficiency.
Educational Links
www.typing.com 3rd Graders are combining multiple skillsets to complete projects that
www.goodtyping.com challenge students to research facts, collect images, name, store, and manage
www.typingclub.com file sets, and create report presentations. Students will work with a variety of
www.starfall.com computer applications for word processing, google docs. 3rd graders are also
jr.brainpop.com exploring internet, coding and visual programming concepts.
www.raz-kids.com
4th & 5th Graders are involved in science and social studies slide show
www.abcya.com
presentations, a variety of research assignments, as well as coding and
www.mathplayground.com
programming games. Students will also develop skills in graphic and photo
www.khanacademy.com
editing, website creation, forms creation, narrated slideshows, word
www.code.org
processing, typing and emerging technologies.
www.hourofcode.comFrom Our School Library
By Jordan Kan, BIES Librarian
We’re out of the freezing winter and into beautiful (and allergy-filled) spring! I don’t know
about you but I’m excited and here are the many reasons why:
I’m excited for our Spring Scholastic Book Fair from March 23rd to 29th just
before Spring Break! There are lots of books available to purchase for your bookshelves and
even as gifts for your wonderful teachers! Buying books at the book fair is crucial to supporting Brewer Island’s Library in its
funding and provision of many new books. We are grateful for your continued support.
Also, the California Young Reader Medal Award Book reading for out 3rd through 5th grade students allows any
student who reads all three of the short chapter books to check out an extra book from the library for the rest of the school
year. The California Young Reader Medal Award nominees are:
Pax by Sara Pennypacker
Dash by Kirby Larson
Ms. Rapscott’s Girls by Elise Primavera
Current feedback has Ms. Rapscott’s Girls as the favorite choice thus far!
In addition, here are a few suggestions on books to check out.
If you were following the Winter Olympics, we have a number of books on the host site South Korea! Learn more
about the country’s history, culture, and people!
For those into fantasy novels we have the latest in these book series:
Wings of Fire by Tui Sutherland – Darkness of Dragons
Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard by Rick Riordan – The Ship of the Dead
The Land of Stories by Chris Colfer – Worlds Collide
Before Jumanji became a popular movie it was a picture book by Chris Van Allsburg, and we have it at the library.
Barbed Wire Baseball by Marissa Moss with illustrations by Yuko Shimizu, is a wonderful picture book on
baseball’s role in the lives of Japanese Americans during the Japanese Internment of World War II; with baseball
season (aka America’s Pastime) in full swing, it is great to check it out!
Lastly, here are some new books available now. I’ll see you all at the library!GETTING TO KNOW YOU
We bring you a talented young artist who’s work has gotten the nods of judges. BIES is very proud to support and be represented by this young man.
ANTHONY ZOLNIKOV
Award of Excellence Winner, Reflections of Art
Anthony’s Film Production entry, My Fire, is now in the California State PTA level.
Results of the judging will be announced in late March.
Check out his winning video at:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/18VwdNhtu-dyYXXY2XJWQ2Kybire51QDp/view?usp=drivesdk
What inspired you to make your production?
Magical fire was my inspiration. Magical fire is a special packet that you put inside your fireplace or fire pit to make
flames to change colors. I wanted everyone to see it.
What does your project represent?
Simple things like “fire” could be fun and beautiful. It is so easy to find really fun stuff all around you. They are
within reach.
How did you make it?
For the movie I used an app on my mom’s phone. I took some pictures and little videos and then put them
together. I used some special effects to make it cool, like putting some sparks in-between photos.
What is the hardest part in making this project?
The difficult part of making the movie is choosing the right photos and the right videos and deciding where to put
them. I made a lot of different photos, but only used few of them.
What is art for you?
I think when you are having fun it is easy to do any work. My movie is a combination of fun and art together. There
are no mistakes in making art. Art helps everybody to feel good and proud about themselves.
Are you interested in other forms of art?
I’m interested in pipet art. I’ve tried it on Science Day.
Do you have any advise to others who may be interested in Reflections?
Don’t be afraid to participate. Even if you don’t win you can still have fun making art. The best part is sharing it with
others.PERCEPTUAL MOTOR TRAINING
(PMT)
with Ms. Sharon Haselbach, PMT Teacher
What does PMT stand for?
PMT means Perceptual Motor Training. We focus on a variety of activities throughout the
year. Our very first unit deals with spacial awareness (personal and communal space) and
moving within space while being considerate of others. Students work on the gross motor
skills – walking, running, hopping, jumping, galloping, skipping, side sliding and leaping.
They explore pathways, speed, levels, and directionality.
The students play group games and begin to use equipment
appropriately while learning balance, and skills such as
throwing, catching, kicking, and striking a ball. We have just
finished our volleyball unit, and are currently working on
tetherball and four square.
Throughout the year the students practice their social skills
also. They learn to cooperate and share with one another,
and communicate with their classmates. They also learn how to be courteous, play fair,
and be responsible for oneself, others, and our school environment.
PMT helps children build relationships with their peers and the adults that they work with
on a daily basis. The skills that they develop carry over into their classrooms, and will stay
with them in the future.
“Children learn as they play.
Most importantly, in play children learn how to learn.”
by Fred Donaldson, Play SpecialistPHYSICAL EDUCATION (PE)
with Mr. Nobu Kotani, PE Teacher
What are the students currently working on?
Dance Unit:
This unit provides all students many opportunities to move to music and express
themselves in ways other activities do not. The dances in this unit develop and enhance all
students’ rhythmic and movement skills, while maintaining enjoyable, health-promoting,
moderate-to-vigorous, physical activity during class. To further encourage the
development of social and personal skills, the dances included in this unit incorporate
cooperation and teamwork in pairs, small groups, or with the entire class. Several dances
also promote the understanding of diverse cultures and may be used as a tool to teach or
reinforce cultural awareness.
JRFH Unit:
Jumping rope has been a popular activity throughout history and around the world.
Today, jumping rope has continued to be part of a child’s leisure activities, an adult’s
fitness routine and an athlete’s national competition schedule. The activities in this unit
give students the opportunity to enhance their aerobic capacity, muscular endurance and
body composition in a fun and social atmosphere. Activities in this unit can be adapted for
a variety of skill levels. Aligned with the NASPE and state content and performance
standards, activities are designed to include and challenge all students’ physical skills,
while maintaining enjoyable, health-promoting, moderate-to-vigorous physical activity
during class.Family Events Around the Bay Area
The Bay Area offers a lot of possibilities to spend weekends and holidays with the family and great friends. These are some suggested family
events and/or activities that we found. If you know of any for the coming months and suggest to include for our next issue, please feel free
to email the editors or send the information to biesnewsletter@gmail.com.
Bird Watching For Beginners Foster City Library
When: April 1-May 6, 2018 Check out the many community program
Where: Coyote Point Recreation Area offerings at our city library— from Bilingual
1701 Coyote point Dr.
Mandarin Story Time, Baby, Toddler or Family
San Mateo, CA
Story Time, Meditation for Adults, Book
TreasureFest Readings, Mini Concerts, Paws for Tails, Lego
When: April 1- Nov 25, 2018 @ 10:00 AM Club, homework assistance, and more
Where: Treasure Island enrichment classes in Cooking, Crafts, and
TreasureFest (formerly Treasure island Flea) is a Arts.
locally curated festival that features the best of the Where: 1000 E Hillsdale Blvd, Foster City, CA
bay. Attendees can shop 400+ craft & vintage
vendors, eat from 35+ top food trucks and
eateries, enjoy local libations, listen to live music
and participate in other games entertainment.
More Websites for Family Events:
Traveling Stitches: Quilts Made at the Day
http://redtri.com/events/san-francisco
Worker Center of Mountain View
When: April 1-29, 2018 @ 12:00 PM
Where: Los Altos History Museum http://www.bayareaparent.com/Events/
Seven Quilts are displayed, created block by block
by the day workers. Each square depicts the http://www.bayareakidfun.com/family-
stories, memories, dreams, ideas and hopes of the
day of the day worker who created it. Open friendly-events-in-the-bay-area/
Thursday–Sunday 12 noon to 4 pm, free
admission. http://sf.funcheap.com/category/event/event-
types/kids-families/
Inside Out & Back Again
When: April 1- May 27, 2018
https://www.care.com/c/stories/7272/101-
Where: Bay Area Children’s Theatre Second Stage
things-to-do-with-kids-in-the-bay-area/
A family flees from Vietnam to Alabama with their
10 year old, who struggles to adjust in a strange
land, in this Bay Area Children's Theatre
production for ages 8 and up. Weekends at 11am,
2pm and 7pm; $26 adults, $20 ages 2-14Our Contributors We thank everyone who contributed to the completion of this issue. No amount of help is too little. Your efforts and support are most valuable. If by any chance we miss to include anyone, we apologize. We remain grateful. — Jeanette, Lois, Chaitali & Jill Alexis O'Flaherty Nobu Kotani Grace Chang Carla Pursnani Barbara Rothe Julie Chamberlain Becky Glikbarg Bonnie Bao Mohita Gupta Yuka Kobayashi Jordan Kan Kseniya Vorontsova Larysa Zolnicov VOICES Student Contributors Sharon Haselbach _____________________________________________________________________________________________ Connect to Dolphin Digest Newsletter Jeanette Acosta jeanetteacostabrewer@gmail.com Lois Wilson lois.wilson01@gmail.com Chaitali Joshi chaitali.gj@gmail.com Jill Vega jhans_3@yahoo.com biesnewsletter@gmail.com
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