Dear Bates families,
I am excited to announce that beginning Friday, March 4 and throughout the following week, all Bates classes will participate in the global movement called Hour of Code. During their scheduled library classes, students will receive a brief introduction to computer science, which is designed to familiarize students with coding and show that all students can learn the basics. Computer science nurtures problem solving skills, logic and creativity. Some of our kindergarten and third grade students received a brief introduction to coding in the fall. It was a huge success and we look forward to all Bates students having this opportunity in the coming weeks. For more information, check out Hour of Code.
Please join me for another Principal Coffee this Thursday, March 3 at 9:00 in the library. I would love to hear your thoughts on what’s going well and what can be improved, as well as receive feedback on a shared vision for Bates, particularly as we begin the process of writing a three-year School Improvement Plan. We expect to include plans to support social emotional learning, differentiated instruction and the 4 Cs: creativity, collaboration, communication and critical thinking. As always, these coffees are informal opportunities to talk, ask questions and share ideas. Please join me if you are able.
Finally, I’d like to make you aware of an ad-free app featuring the popular math game KenKen. If you haven’t played it, you should try it! It’s really fun and develops great problem solving skills. The app’s level of difficulty easily can be adjusted, so it is suitable for all ages.
Warm regards,
Toni Jolley
Upcoming dates:
Thursday, March 3 Principal Coffee 9:00 a.m. in the library
Friday, March 4 Walk to School Day
Bates Spirit Day
Saturday, March 5 Kindergarten Round-up 9:00 – 12:00 at Sprague
Tuesday, March 15 – Friday, March 18 Book Fair at Bates
Thursday, March 17 Grade 5 Parent Night at WMS 6:30 p.m.