BA Blast Newsletter
 September 27, 2026 In this issue:
Mark Your CalendarSept. 28 - Oct. 5: SCEF Fall Auction Oct. 13 - Oct. 26: STEAM Rotations begin Weds, Sept. 30: SSC meeting, 4:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m, virtual (Zoom link | Agenda) Sun, Oct. 4: BA Fall Festival, 11:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. (RSVP | Volunteer) Oct. 5 - Oct. 9: Conference Week, Early Dimissal at 12:25 p.m. every day Weds, Oct. 7: International Walk to School Day Mon. Oct. 12: Local Holiday, no school Weds, Oct. 14: BA Assembly with K9's Atlas & Teddy, 8:30 a.m. Principal's Message Dear BA Families, It is hard to believe we are already heading into the final few days of September! As I walk around campus, I continue to see so many examples of our students learning, playing, solving problems, and taking care of one another. One of the things I appreciate most about working with elementary students is that growth is happening all the time, and not just academically. Children are learning how to join a game, work through frustration, speak up for themselves, listen to another perspective, and try again after making a mistake. Those moments may seem small, but they are a big part of what school is all about. Thank you, as always, for the partnership between home and school. It makes such a difference for our kids. In partnership, Announcements & Reminders   Hispanic Heritage Month Continues!We continue to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month through October 15. This is a wonderful opportunity to learn about the histories, cultures, languages, traditions, and contributions of Hispanic and Latino communities. At home, families might explore a new book together, listen to music from a Spanish-speaking country, learn about an influential Hispanic or Latino American, or share a family tradition. Some great books for elementary readers include Paletero Man, Alma and How She Got Her Name, Dreamers, My Papi Has a Motorcycle, and Mango, Abuela, and Me.  Recess Volunteers at BAWe are still welcoming parents and caregivers who would like to volunteer during morning recess or lunch recess. Having additional adults on the yard helps us provide positive supervision, connect with students, and support safe and fun play. Recess duty requires Level 2 volunteer clearance. You can find available times and clearance information on our Recess Volunteer Sign-Up. Thank you to everyone who has already volunteered. We really appreciate having you on campus! (Helpful step-by-step instructions to clear for BA volunteering)  How Reading Grows: When Your Child Gets Stuck on a WordLearning to read takes practice, and getting stuck on an unfamiliar word is a normal part of that process. What adults say in those moments can help children build the habits they need to become stronger, more independent readers. When your child gets stuck, encourage them to look carefully at the whole word rather than guess from the picture or the first letter. You might say: “Look all the way through the word.” After your child figures out the word, encourage them to reread the sentence. Rereading helps the sentence sound smoother and gives your child another chance to think about what it means. Pictures and the rest of the story are wonderful tools for building understanding. But when children are figuring out what a word says, we want them to learn to rely on the letters and sounds in the word. And remember, reading together should still feel good! If your child is becoming frustrated or the text is too difficult, it is absolutely okay to take turns, read the harder part aloud, or simply enjoy the book together. Try this at home: The next time your child gets stuck, wait a few seconds before jumping in. Give them a chance to look at the word, work through the sounds, and try it themselves.  October Character Focus: ResponsibilityThis month, our schoolwide character focus is Responsibility. At BA, responsibility means doing what you are supposed to do and taking care of your actions, your work, and your things. For young children, that can look like following directions, cleaning up after themselves, taking care of classroom materials, completing their work, and making a better choice when something does not go as planned. We also want students to understand that responsibility is not about being perfect. It is about learning to own our choices, fix mistakes when we can, and keep trying. A simple question to ask at home this month is: “What is one responsibility you have at school, and what helps you remember to do it?” We are excited to spend October helping our Bruins grow as responsible members of our school community.  October Principal Read AloudsOur October principal read alouds connect with this month’s character focus of Responsibility. For UTK–Kindergarten, we’ll read The Pigeon Wants a Puppy! by Mo Willems. It’s a funny story that gives us a chance to talk about wanting something, making promises, and thinking about whether we are really ready for the responsibilities that come with our choices. For 1st–3rd grade, we’ll read But It’s Not My Fault! by Julia Cook. This book helps students think about taking ownership of their choices, especially when it is tempting to blame someone else when something goes wrong. As we read together, we’ll talk about what responsibility looks like at school and at home, how we can fix mistakes, and what it means to own our choices and try again.  Third Grade Visits the Woodside StoreOur third graders had the chance to step back in time with a field trip to the Woodside Store! Mrs. Corea’s class visited on Thursday, and we’re excited that all of our third grade classes were able to make the trip this year. Students explored what life was like long ago, tried some hands-on activities, and had a lot of fun learning together. Here are a few photos Mrs. Corea shared from the day!  Family-Teacher Conference WeekA reminder that October 5 through October 9 is Conference Week. Conference week is a chance for families and teachers to connect about how your child is doing at school. Conferences are an opportunity to celebrate growth, talk about strengths, discuss areas where a child may need support, and make sure home and school are working together. A little preparation can help you get the most out of the conversation. Before your conference, think about what is going well for your child and any questions you may have about learning, behavior, friendships, routines, or school in general. It can also be helpful to share anything that may be affecting your child outside of school. During the conference, ask questions, listen to what the teacher is noticing, and share what you are seeing at home. The goal is not for anyone to have all the answers. It is to leave with a clearer picture of your child and a shared plan for how we can support their continued growth. We look forward to meeting with you and continuing our partnership to help every Bruin thrive.   The Bruin Bear visits Rm. 8Congratulations to Room 8 for earning the BA Bruin Bear! The Bruin Bear travels each week to a classroom that stands out for demonstrating the BA Way: Be Safe, Be Kind, and Be Responsible. Our Bruin Bear gets to become an honorary member of the class for the week, join students on classroom adventures, and contribute another chapter to our traveling Bruin Bear journal. Room 9 earned an extra recess with me and we had the Bruin Bear join us in the fun! Congratulations, Room 9! We can’t wait to see where our bear travels next. Video of Room 8 Winning the Bruin Bear: IMG_6714.MOV  Golden Bear Hug Winners!Each week, we recognize students who are doing an especially great job showing the BA Way: Be Safe, Be Kind, and Be Responsible. Our Golden Bear Hug winners are students who have stood out through their kindness, effort, responsibility, growth, leadership, inclusion, or the positive way they contribute to their classroom and our school community. Congratulations to this week’s Golden Bear Hug winners: Kindergarten: Emmy M., Lucia C., Riley S., Anderson Z. 1st Grade: Garvit C., James R., Benjamin D., Adrian S. 2nd Grade: Avya P., Tejas S., Leela R., Briley R 3rd Grade: Mirhat G., Everett B., Ellie B., Bryan E. We are proud of our Bruins! Remember, a Golden Bear Hug is not about being perfect. It is about growing, making positive choices, and contributing to our community. Seen Around Brittan Acres  Toothless Corea is Growing!!  This week's Breakfast & Lunch menuFree for all students, no pre-order needed. Weekly menus will be posted here in the Blast, in the entrance hallway to Brittan Acres and in the school office. Click the button below for full month's menu and nutritional/allergen information. Reminder: School meals do not include a recess snack, so please send your child with a snack each day. School and PTA News Sebastian, BA’s own MacGyver, with a London Fog iced latte at our 9/18 Staff Appreciation Coffee & Bagels event 💛 Help Support Our Brittan Acres Staff! 💛The Staff Appreciation Committee is collecting donations to help us celebrate and support our 40 wonderful teachers and staff members throughout the school year. Donated items and gift cards will help with our monthly staff lunches, conference week snacks, and ongoing supplies for the staff lounge and kitchen. If you’re able to contribute, please take a look at our sign-up and choose an item to donate. Every contribution—big or small—helps us keep our amazing BA staff feeling appreciated and supported! Thank you for helping us show our teachers and staff how much we value all that they do for our kids and our school community. 💛  1st, 2nd and 3rd Grade Art in Action Lesson Sign UpsVolunteer to be a Docent and teach an Art in Action Lessons! Leading a lesson as a docent is easier than it sounds.
Sign up here: 2026-2027 Brittan Acres Art In Action Lesson Schedule Contact grade level coordinations  Join the Magic at the Brittan Acres Fall Festival! 🍁🎪This event cannot happen without volunteer support! Sign up to volunteer and enjoy making this magic happen! Find out more at our Fall Festival website where you can also RSVP. Celebrate autumn and BA “magic” with fellow Bruin families for an afternoon of fun, games, and entertainment! Enjoy live performances from a magician and bubble artist, balloon artist, face painting, arts & crafts, pumpkin pie, hot chocolate, and delicious bites from our visiting food trucks. Date: Sunday, October 4th Featured Food Trucks: Lots of Entertainment:
Have questions? Feel free to reach out to Liz ([email protected]) or Laura ([email protected])  Thank You to our SponsorsThank you to our generous sponsors who make events like Fall Festival possible! Marquee Level Silver Level Bronze Level Community Partner Interested in becoming a Brittan Acres event sponsor? We welcome realtors, orthodontics, and businesses owned by BA families to participate. Reach out to Laura Blaich ([email protected]) to find out more!   International Walk to School Day, Oct 7On Wednesday, October 7, schools around the world will celebrate International Walk to School Day. Join us in celebrating International Walk to School Day! Students, families, and staff are encouraged to walk, bike, or scoot to school and enjoy a healthy, active start to the day. It’s a great opportunity to spend time together, connect with our community, and promote safe, active travel. If walking from home is not practical, families can still participate by parking a little farther away and walking the last few blocks together. However you get to school, please remember to use crosswalks, follow traffic rules, wear helmets when biking or scootering, and help us keep arrival safe for everyone. Looking for tips on walking, biking, or rolling safely to school? San Mateo County Safe Routes to School has family resources, safety guides, and information to help make the trip to school safer and easier.
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