New School-Wide Service Learning Project Beginning at BV

Moving forward from our successful Empty Bowls events of the last two years, we’re beginning a new composting project where all of our students will have direct, ongoing involvement. This new project approaches the food waste issue from a different angle with a more concrete, long-lasting impact—a different approach than an Empty Bowls event.

Upper Elementary students got us started with a great lesson from Dr. Mary Mauzy on the history of garbage, along with the why’s and how’s of composting. We’ll continue with lessons on food separation, then collecting and depositing food waste from lunch. We’ll also be gathering and re-purposing water from the water bottles served at lunch for the composting process, then recycling the water bottles and sporks. We’ll keep track of the amount of food waste we’re composting, and see if it reduces the overall amount of garbage we produce from school lunches.

Once Upper Elementary students are proficient and running the project independently, we’ll involve Lower Elementary and Primary students. Upper Elementary students will be teaching, modeling, and coaching younger students on the process.

We hope that by starting small, we’ll build a sustainable foundation that ultimately becomes a part of the BV fabric. We’re already excited about the growth potential and the opportunities this project provides!

Stay tuned for more details, and opportunities to participate at BV and at home.

Carrie Delius

Keep your eyes open for a new School District 11 monthly e-newsletter that will be delivered right to your inbox! The new e-newsletter will feature regular updates on the 2017 mill levy override implementation, what is top of mind for district leadership, a student and/or staff spotlight story and videos of our new Superintendent, Mr. Michael Thomas as he visits schools and works with students and staff.

School District 11 has a new superintendent! We welcome Mr. Michael Thomas who joined D11 at the beginning of July. Mr. Thomas comes to D11 from Minneapolis Public Schools, where he served as chief of schools. He has also served as a district coordinator for equity and integration, an elementary and secondary principal, and as a social worker at the elementary level. Mr. Thomas is excited to be a part of School District 11 and looks forward to continuing the positive work being done in our school district.

Check out our Quick Tips for BV Parents

Summer will be here before we know it, along with the FREE D11 Summer Enrichment Series! The Summer Enrichment Series consists of three weekly classes open to all current D11 kindergarten through 7^th grade students and will run June 11 – June 29^th this year. These hands-on, interactive classes offer students fun learning opportunities with a focus on science, technology, engineering, arts and math (STEAM). Registration is now open. Visit www.d11.org/SES for registration and details.

School District 11 is getting ready to launch a new electronic flyer communication tool called Peachjar on April 12.

This “green” initiative will save our schools tons of paper and reduce copy costs by thousands of dollars. On top of that, posting school flyers in this electronic backpack removes a significant administrative burden from teachers, office staff, and volunteers.  No action is required on your part. You will receive a welcome email from our service provider (Peachjar) that includes a username and password. This is provided to give you the opportunity to manage your account and flyer delivery preferences. You do not need to login to receive or view school digital flyers. This system is used exclusively for distribution of school-approved flyers. Your email address will not be shared or used for any other purpose. Thank you for supporting our efforts to ensure parents and guardians are well informed about school programs, activities, and events.

For more information, please visit https://www.d11.org/peachjar

Do you have a question about Buena Vista: a Public Montessori? Be sure to check out our Frequently Asked Questions!

Have you even been interested in how you can support Montessori at home?

Come check out a book from our newly organized Parent's Montessori Library located in the Buena Vista Library.