Annual Fund 2-for-1 Challenge Grant

An anonymous donor has stepped forward with a $25,000 two-for-one challenge grant towards BPC's Annual Fund.  All donations to the Fund between now and June 30th will be doubled, if we can raise $12,500 by then!  Don't bother with stamps, do it online today!

Accreditation Update

The "friendly mirror" process continues for another 10 months...
The faculty's monthly pedagogical meetings are given an extra "umph" by the imperative to continue examining every aspect of the school's curriculum towards this NAIS-WASC Accreditation, from academics all the way through to physical education, inclusivity, and health & body image.

February saw the last meeting with folks from the Bay Area Writing Project,
going over the grade level-specific rubrics, goals, expectations, assessment.

In this spirit of continuous self-examination and improvement, the faculty and administration's focus turns to Socratic teaching at all grade levels, and the Math program.

March Admissions Update

We're now in "quiet week"... 
Letters have gone out and the administration waits for families to make their decisions. There were 73 applicants for the 20 openings in the 6th grade, and 15 applications for 1-2 openings in 7th & 8th.  There were 65 applications for 35 openings in the lower school.  It's not the three or four-to-one ratio of pre-recession years, but solid.  Even better news is that the candidates were strong, including the applicants interested in joining the current K class, with a good chance to bring the class up towards full strength.

High School Admissions decisions are coming in now as well.
Full report on where the 8th graders are going, in April.

Throw a Party for the sake of your kid's school!

Last year's Parties:

Together, these parties and experiences raised $7000 in the Soiree's Auction!
The first group will be offered again this year, woo-hoo!

• An evening of Tapas delights: (5 parents cooked together)
• Studio 15 Disco Inferno (hosted by 2 families)
• A Javanese Feast: view slideshow (be prepared to salivate...)
• Amtrak Adventure to The Tech Museum of Innovation (drop off your kids or come with)
• After hours beauty bash at BeneFit- makeup party on 4th street

•••

• Chick Flicks: fine dining and a film in elegant surroundings
• Tamale-making class and fiesta!
• Tippett Studio tour for eight upper schoolers
• Pixar Tour for seven upper schoolers
• A Night with Coach Vince and the Oakland A’s
• Geocaching adventure (10 families used their new GPS devices to find hidden caches)
• Free Radical Salon: 8 parents took turns sharing creative projects with each other (a photo tour of Morocco, songs, storytelling, poetry), after a lovely host-prepared dinner
• Hula Hooping (an introductory class for adults)

What should I do, if I’m considering hosting a party to be sold in the online Auction April 1-8th?
1. Choose the party concept (one of the ideas below, or create your own).
2. Set the location, date and time for the event.
3. Choose how many guests.  Will we sell places by couples or individuals?
4. Remember, BPC isn’t going to reimburse you for expenses, but your expenses are tax deductible.  We can also provide you with a letter you can use to solicit donations for your event.
5. Invite one or more friends to host the party with you.  One model that folks have employed in the past is: one person provides the space, another the food cost, a third the beverages.  You get the idea.

Some more party ideas

A Wine Tasting
Paintball and Johnny Walker?  OK, call me crazy.  (Santa Clara or Sunol)
Dessert party
A Backyard bbq with a house concert

Feb Admissions Update

The tour season is winding down.  Applications for the upper school are once again strong. Kindergarten applications are similar to last year (a bit light), so these next 3 weeks are key for re-connecting with folks we know who are making their decisions. 

A New Co-ed Berkeley Baseball team (9-12 yr olds)!

A Berkwood Hedge parent sent us this invitation:

BERKELEY BEARS BASEBALL!

Looking for your daughter or son join a team where he/she will have fun learning to play baseball?

Understanding Lice

Lice happens. In every school, in every socioeconomic bracket, in every town. We do our best at BPC to keep lice exposure at a minimum and, when an exposure occurs, that it disrupts classroom life, students, and families as little as possible.

The school administration is grateful to the parent body for educating yourselves about lice (See the Lice Tips below) and being both proactive and responsible about this annoyance.

Parents' Circle Lice Tips

No parent or school welcomes an outbreak of lice – but unfortunately, outbreaks are inevitable. Our goal is to minimize (as best as possible) the impact on families, staff, and most important of all, the educational process.  

How do I know if my child has lice? 

1. It won’t be obvious.  This is why weekly screening is strongly recommended. Combing your child's hair with a fine toothed metal lice combs is the best way.  It's a 5-10 minute chore.

2. There are very few symptoms. 

3. In some cases (not all), the head may be itchy. 

4. In some cases (not all), there may be red marks behind the ears and neck. 

What should I do if my child has lice? 

1. Notify BPC immediately (Contact Lucy Morris or Sonam Gonsar).  Please also tell us who else may have been exposed at a sleep-over, play-date, carpool, etc. 

2. Contact the other families of children who may have been exposed.  

3. While BPC does not have a rigid "no lice & no nits" policy, we urge responsible action. (See bottom and please note that while many over-the-counter products may claim to kill live lice, there is no treatment that can substitute for hand-removal of nits. Family, friends, or professionals must do this.) 

4. A number of parents at the school may be available guidance, questions, & support. Would you like to learn more?  Or would you be available to help others with this?  Contact lowerschooloffice@blackpinecircle.org or parentscircle@gmail.com

Solutions: 

There are a number of local businesses that offer resources and lice removal services. While Black Pine Circle School does not endorse or stand by any service or product that claims to get rid of head lice, many many parents have relied on these services with positive results. Please add your comments below about positive experiences with these providers of lice/nit control services.

Lice Control in Castro Valley: www.lice-control.com, 510-727-1280.  They come to your home and employ the latest technology, a glorified hair dryer that kills lice and nits very handily.  They come back if it didn't work 100%.

Montclair’s NitPixies: www.nitpixies.com, 510-530-4247. a favorite of many BPC families

Nit-Wits:  www.nit-wits.com, 925-787-6020.  

Other Resources:

HeadLice.org