There are two months left in the school year. It is hard to believe! Last week the students in 1st and 2nd grade took the Stanford-10 test in Reading Comprehension and Math. As soon as we receive the scores from the district we will send them home to you. We use this data to help plan for student learning for the upcoming school year. Our 3rd graders took the Florida Standards Assessment ELA portion this past week too. The state mandates that students in 3rd grade must score a Level 2 on the FSA to be promoted to 4th grade. As soon as scores return to the school, we will let you know how your child performed on the FSA. (We know that they rocked it this week!!!) During the month of April we will celebrate our students with Autism by wearing blue on Friday, April 7th. Our Exceptional Student Education department will have a special breakfast for the students and their families on this day at 8:00 a.m. in the cafeteria. Last month our staff members participated in a book study that provided valuable insight when working with students who have Autism. We were able to come away with some strategies that will be incorporated into every classroom on our campus. April is also Month of the Military Child. We currently have approximately 130 students with parents actively serving our country. We want to take a moment and thank you for all you do to keep our country safe and free. On Friday, April 21st, we will have our annual Month of the Military Child breakfast, more information regarding this event will be sent home soon. On Saturday, April 22nd, our Dad’s Club will be hosting our 9th Annual Bulldog Bash at Carmine’s in Ybor City. All proceeds come back to the school for different projects. The cost for the event will be $50 per person this will cover dinner and two beverages. The local YMCA will be hosting a Parent’s Night Out that evening. Please see flyer information on the next page. During the Bulldog Bash there will be a silent auction. This year we have Ballast Point T-Shirt quilt available, beginning on Monday, April 10th you can start purchasing raffle tickets for the quilt. The raffle tickets will cost $5 for 1 ticket or $20 for 5 tickets. Please stop by the office to see the quilt in person. Beth & Shannon

Note from the Principal

Mission Building Unstoppable Lifelong intrinsic Learners by Differentiating for Our Growing Students of the world Vision Preparing Students for Life

Ballast Point Elementary

The Happiest Place to Learn 2016-2017

Volume 1, Issue 9

April 2017

Contact Information

Beth Hastings-Principal Shannon Hayes-Assistant Principal 2802 Ballast Point Blvd Tampa, FL 33611 813-272-3070 School Number 813-275-5923 Fax Number Website http://ballastpoint.mysdhc.org/ PTA Website http;//ballastpointpta.org MySpot registration https://myspot.sdhc.k12.fl.us/register/

School Hours Arrival & Dismissal

Breakfast 7:30-7:50 AM First Bell 7:55 AM Tardy Bell 8:00 AM Dismissal Bell 1:15 PM (Monday) 2:15 PM (Tuesday-Friday)

Important Dates

Please see attached Refrigerator Calendar with upcoming events

Month of the Military Child

April is Month of the Military Child, a time to celebrate our military and veteran-connected children and their families for their service and sacrifice.

Nearly four million children and youth have parents serving in the Active Duty, National Guard and Reserve forces, as well as those of post 9/11 Veterans. Many military and veteran-connected children face the challenges of frequent transition, mobility, and separation throughout their lives. Academic, social, and emotional challenges can arise from reintegration, prolonged sepa-rations, ill or wounded parents, and even trauma. The well-being of these children depends heavily on a network of supportive adults.

Volume 1, Issue 9 Page 2

Throughout the past month, myself and Mrs. Hayes had the pleasure of guiding 25 of our teachers through a book study. Even though this time of the year is extremely hectic, I was so impressed and proud of the engagement and reflec-tion that took place during each session. The book, Uniquely Human: A Different Way of Seeing Autism by Dr. Barry Prizant, challenges readers to re-frame the characteristics and “behaviors” of students on the Autism Spectrum. Here are a couple examples of how this book impacted our teachers here at Ballast Point: “I have learned to ask "why" not just with my students with autism but with all my students. By asking why and looking past the behavior you can learn so much more about a person and ultimately (for a teacher) learn how to reach them and teach them!” “I have learned so much from this book!... I was enlightened to learn that these "behaviors" are forms of expression or regulation. ALL people have ways of coping and expressing themselves—those with autism just exhibit them in different ways. “After reading this book, I have a different perspective on autism. The book has opened my eyes to things I didn't realize before (dysregulation, enthusiasms). It has also made me want to become a more "IT person" when teaching my students with autism.” I can’t wait to see the great ideas and teaching strategies that these teachers develop after engaging in this professional development opportunity!

Testing Calendar

3rd Grade Testing 4th Grade Testing

SAT 10-Reading Comprehension-April 5th Math FSA-April 17th & 18th-Computer Based

Math FSA-April 12th & 13th-Computer Based ELA FSA April 19th & 20th-Computer Based

5th Grade-ELA FSA –April 10th & 11th—Computer Based End of Year testing for Music, Art, & PE-Grades 1-5

Math FSA –April 24th & 25th-Computer Based May 1st-26th

Message from our School Psychologist

April 5th—Dad’s Club Meeting @ Artifacts @ 7:30 pm

April 6th—PTA Meeting @ Ballast Point @ 8:00 a.m.

April 22nd—Bulldog Bash @ Carmines in Ybor City from 6-10 pm

Stop by the office to order your ticket for the event. Pay early and avoid the day of event charge. See flyer on next page.

Message from PTA/Dad’s club:

Bulldog Bash is April 22nd. Limited seats are available. Purchase tickets online at ballastpointpta.org or at the school office.

PTA & Dad’s Club