Announcements
Weekly Annoucements:
December Service Project: The elementary school will be collecting cans & coins from 12/9-12/18. All coins should go in the bucket on the table in the foyer at the front entrance and all food items will go on/under the table. The money will be donated to the new community soccer complex being built on Snider Rd and the cans will go to the food pantry.
Spring Soccer Registration: Students with birth years 2010-2018 (Players U8-U15) who are interested in being on a Bluffton Soccer Club Spring team can sign up online at https://blufftonsoccerohio.com/registration/ . January 31, 2025 is the Spring Registration Deadline. Visit Bluffton Soccer Club-Ohio on Facebook for more information.
Lost & Found: Items that have been on the Lost and Found table will be taken to the Etcetera Shop in Bluffton at the end of the week on 12/6.
Christmas Spirit Week 12/16-20: Mon 12/16: "Merry Morning Monday"~ Wear your favorite PJ's; Tues 12/17: "Holiday Headwear"~ Wear a Holiday headband, hat, scarf etc.; Weds 12/18: "Candy Cane Day"~ Celebrate the Holidays or the Pirates and wear something Red & White, striped or your Pirate spirit wear; Thurs 12/19: " Merry & Bright"~ Wear something Red or Green; Fri 12/20: "Santa's Workshop" Wear elf, reindeer and Santa stuff
Weds 12/4:
- Lunch: BBQ glazed chicken chunks, steamed green beans, romaine salad, fruit, roll & milk
Thurs 12/5:
- Lunch: Scrambled eggs, sausage links or Go-Gurt, French toast sticks, tator tots, fruit & milk
Fri 12/6:
- Lunch: Turkey croissant, romaine salad, fruit, cookie & milk
Mon 12/9:
- Lunch: Hamburger/Cheeseburger, romaine salad w/ dressing or steamed corn, fruit & milk
Tues 12/10:
- Lunch: Pizza, tossed salad or steamed green beans, fruit, cookie & milk
Weds 12/11:
- Lunch: Sloppy Joe sandwich or an Uncrustable, carrots w/ dip, fruit, Gold fish crackers & milk
Thurs 12/12
- Lunch: Chicken nuggets, steamed green beans, fruit & milk
Fri 12/13:
- Lunch: Hot dog, veggies w/ dip, fruit, cookie & milk
Mark your Calendar: Thurs. 12/19~Choral Christmas Concert (2nd and 3rd Graders only and parents....limited seating) at 2:00 in the MS gymnasium; Mon 12/23-Weds 1/1~Christmas Break
Closings due to teacher development training: 3/24 School Closed
Winter Sports 2024/25 for Elementary Students
Spring Soccer Registration: Students with birth years 2010-2018 (Players U8-U15) who are interested in being on Bluffton Soccer Club Spring teams can sign up online at https://blufftonsoccerohio.com/registration/ . January 31, 2025 is the Spring Registration Deadline. Visit Bluffton Soccer Club-Ohio on Facebook for more information.
4th Grade Boys Basketball: Any boy interested in being on a 4th grade boys basketball team can attend practices on Monday's from 4:30-5:30 and Thursdays from 6:30-7:30 in the elementary gym. Practice started on 11/18.
2024 Bluffton Youth Wrestling: Any K-6th grade boy or girl interested in youth wrestling can sign up at this time. The practices are on Tues & Thurs evenings from 6:00-7:15 in the Old HS gymnasium. The cost is $20 for the USA Wrestling membership and $25 for a team shirt ($45 total). To sign your child up, please fill out a form for each wrestler online on the following link: https://forms.office.com/r/R5bjfmnKnX?origin=lprLink More information can be found on our Facebook Page "Bluffton Youth Wrestling Club" or call/text 567-328-8216 with any questions. An information sheet will also be sent home with your child.
Girl's 3rd Grade Basketball Clinic: If enough girls sign up, there will be a third grade girls weekly skills development clinic designed specifically for young athletes who want to enhance their basketball skills without competing in an organized league. Practices would be held on Mondays in January and February after school until 4:30. Ryan Dunlap and Ashley Fry will be the coaches. A form was emailed to 3rd grade parents on 10/16 with more information. You can sign up using the following link: https://forms.gle/ZXtui3j34ENxXabc8
Girls Basketball: Any 4th, 5th or 6th grade girl interested in playing basketball can sign up via a QR code on the form that was emailed to parents on 9/19 via Final Forms. You can contact Cory Meyer with any questions 419-890-2925
Boy's 5th grade Basketball: If you have a 5th grade boy interested in playing basketball this winter, contact Seth Amstutz at 419-615-0173 by 10/21. He needs at least 8 boys to form a team. Games will begin in January on Saturdays. There are two practices per week that they need to attend. It's a great opportunity to learn the game, fundamentals and teamwork! There will be a fee to cover league and uniform costs which will be determined at a later date.
Bluffton YMCA Basketball Grade K-3: Starting on January 7 on Tuesdays and Thursdays the Bluffton YMCA will have Junior Cavs basketball for boys and girls in grades K-3. It will run 1/7-2/9. The cost is $45/members and $60/non members. Each participant will receive a reversible Cavs jersey and 2 free Cavs tickets. Contact Bluffton YMCA for more details.
CHRISTMAS BREAK
Bluffton Schools will be closed for Christmas Break from Monday, December 23-Wednesday, January 1. Our first day of 2025 will be on Thursday, January 2.
STATE TESTING SCHEDULE for 2024-25
2024-2025 State Tests will be given on the following days. Please avoid scheduling appointments and vacations on these days if at all possible.
October 15-16: Third Grade ELA Test
April 15-16: Grades 3-5 English/Language Arts Testing
April 23-24:Grades 3-5 Math Testing
April 28: Grade 2 Iowa/CogAT Testing
April 29-30: Grade 5 Science Testing
Alert System
If you would like to be notified of delays and/or cancellations via a text message on your cell phone, visit sendit.live to sign up for this service. Contact the office if you have any questions.
PTO Fundraisers
Community Market Receipts are being collected by the PTO so DO NOT throw yours away. This is a great way for them to earn money from the Community Market and Chief stores. Receipts can be turned into the Elem office or to your child's homeroom teacher. Remind your parents, aunts, uncles, brothers and sisters to save theirs too!!
Box Tops for Education: Instead of cutting out the actual Box Tops, you now need to download an app to collect them which actually is easier to do than tearing up a box. Check out the following link for more information and help out the Bluffton Elementary PTO collect more money for equipment and activities: https://www.boxtops4education.com/s/
Progressbook/Report Cards
Progressbook: 3rd-5th grade students whose parents had not yet signed up for Progressbook were given a letter to bring home with a Registration # which is needed when you first sign in. Grade cards will NOT be sent home with 4th - 5th graders this year. They will be able to be viewed and or printed out through this account. You can log into Progressbook through blufftonschools.org. Click on Parent and then Progressbook at the top of the school's webpage. If you have a K-2nd grader and would like to access Progressbook, contact the office for a Registration #.
Free/Reduced Lunches
Free/Reduced Lunches: If you think you would qualify for a Free or Reduced lunch, complete an application asap. You can find it on the schools website @ blufftonschools.org and then click on "Parents" and then "Payschools Central" and set up an account if you don't have one already. It will then let you complete an application online or you can stop in the superintendent's office and pick up a hard copy. You can also add money to your child's lunch account through Payschools or you can drop off a check to the cafeteria before school starts each morning. (There is a mailbox inside the cafetorium to put checks in). Make sure the check has the students first and last name and their student ID# in the memo line or put cash in an envelope with this information.
Elem Procedures
School absences: ALWAYS contact the office regarding absences 419-358-7951 by 8:20. We will inform the teacher. If a student will be leaving early for an appointment, please have them stop in the office as soon as they get to school and we will give them an "Early Dismissal Slip" to give to their teacher. If they do have a Dr Appt, please return a Dr excuse to the office so that we can mark it down as a medical appointment.
School Hours & Lunches: 8:10-3:05 daily. Students CANNOT get into their classroom prior to 7:45. They must sit in the cafetorium if they arrive prior to that time. Walkers are dismissed at 3:00 and the bus riders at 3:05.School breakfasts are $1.50 and lunch is $2.50.
School Fees: Pre-K $20/ Full day Kindergarten-5th grade $40. Fees can be paid online through Payschools or a check can be made out to Bluffton Elementary School and dropped off in the office. If you qualify for a free lunch, school fees will be waived so do not make a payment on fees until you see if your application has been approved/denied.
Transportation Change/Bussing
Transportation Changes: Makes sure to call the Elem. Office 419-358-7951 with any transportation changes (ie. picking up your child instead of riding the bus etc) prior to 2:00 p.m. daily. We will need to know their bus # if a bus rider. Even if you contacted the teacher, you need to also contact the school office. Just a reminder that students are NOT allowed to ride the bus home with each other for a playdate, alternative transportation must be arranged.
Bussing: If you have a bus change email westrickd@blufftonschools.org. If your child has a change in their transportation for the day, you must contact the office 419-358-7941 prior to 2:00 p.m. that day in order for us to make the change.
FINAL FORMS
Bluffton Schools is using Final Forms to update your child's personal information including address, phone # and contact information, to register a new student, to sign off on forms, as well as signing off on the parent/student handbook. Please go to our website, www.blufftonschools.org and under the Parents Link, choose Student Registration-Final Forms tab, and follow the instructions. This is where you make changes for your child throughout the school year. This form needs to be updated and forms digitally signed before the beginning of each school year.
Breakfast Program
A small grab-n-go breakfast (cereals, poptarts or granola items with milk) will be served before school on a daily basis from 7:35-8:05 a.m. in the Middle School Cafetorium. The price of a breakfast is $1.50. The federal government has extended their free breakfast and lunch program for all students.
Delays or Cancellations
When it is necessary to close or delay school due to bad weather, announcements will be made on the WLIO website (School closings) , radio stations: WIMA, T102, & WFIN, and on WLIO TV 35. Please do not call the school offices for delay/cancellation information. See “Alert System” below for information on how one may sign up to get alert text messages for delays or cancellations.
Two Year Kindergarten Delay Schedule Plan B
When school is delayed for two hours, the two year Kindergarten class will go to Plan B. This means that the two year kindergarten students will attend school, but will stay in school one hour later than usual. The two year kindergarten class dismissal for walkers and bus students will be at noon.
Dismissal Procedures
Please remember that if your child is going home a different way than normal, he/she will be required to have a note from a parent. If your student does not have a note, then he/she will be sent home the normal way. A Bus Request form must be signed in the elementary office if a parent is changing a daily pick up or drop off.