With only fourteen more school days remaining, I wanted to remind you of some important dates:

• MAY 5: This was the due date for your final tuition installment. If you have not yet made this final payment please do so by May 20th. Students with outstanding balances after that date may not be allowed to return to classes.
• MAY 17, SPORTS AWARD BANQUET: This event is open to all student athletes and their immediate family. Please RSVP to the school office right away.
• MAY 21, CLASS FIELD TRIPS: Please speak with your student’s teacher as to the time and location of their class trip. There will be no classes and no extended care on this date.
• MAY 26, ANNUAL AWARDS PROGRAM: The awards program will begin promptly at 9:00 a.m. All parents are invited; and encouraged; to be present for the presentation of academic awards for the 2009-2010 school session.
• MAY 27, KINDERGARTEN GRADUATION: The ceremony will begin at 7:00 p.m. The students will perform a short play based upon Mother Goose nursery rhymes. Academic awards for the kindergarten students will immediately follow the graduation ceremony.
• MAY 28, LAST DAY OF SCHOOL: This will be a half day. All students must be picked up at noon. There will be no afternoon extended care on this date.
• MAY 28, HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION: The ceremony will begin at 7:00 p.m. The speaker for the evening will be Pastor V. Mark Smith. All families are encouraged to be present for this ceremony to honor our graduates for this year.

We have not yet finished totalling the pledges from the Human Race event. As soon as the final numbers are available we will post them to our website. That being said, I would like to express my most heartfelt appreciation to all the students and parents that labored to raise funds for this event.

If you have not yet re-registered for the 2010-2011 school year, please do so right away. Please contact me with any questions or concerns you may have concerning this.

As always, my door is open to all of you. Please contact me with any questions you may have.

That’s right! BBCA now hosts an online mall. Simply log on to our website; select the “School Office” tab; then select the “Online Store” option. From there you can choose from: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Blockbuster, Kmart, Office Depot, Sears, Target, and Walmart (others may be added soon) for your online purchases. Whenever someone browses the store through these links, and makes a purchase, BBCA will receive a percentage of each sale. That’s it! It’s that simple. Please make sure and tell all your family, friends, neighbors, and co-workers about this program. It’s a simple way to help BBCA without expending any additional funds! For more information on this program speak with Mr. Abshire or Mr. Petro.

We are firmly into the third quarter. Things slow down just a bit during the month of February, and we look forward to making good progress in all our classrooms.  Following are the events scheduled for this month:

• February 5th – 2nd Quarter Merit Shop
• February 5th – Crusader’s Volleyball Home Game – 6:00 pm
• February 15th – President’s Day – No School, No extended care
• February 19th & 20th – BBCA Rock-A-Thon Athletic Fundraising Event

In the next week or so, you will receive information detailing re-enrollment for the 2010-2011 school session.  Please make sure to read the information carefully and if you have any questions contact me directly.  Re-enrollment for currently enrolled families will begin on March 1st.  Open enrollment will begin on April 1st.  We are working very hard to keep your tuition costs as low as possible.  Remember, you can help us save you money by referring our school to your family and friends.  Please review the informational videos on our website (http://bbcacrusaders.org/news/category/videos/) for ways that you can save money on your tuition.

I trust that all had a very restful and enjoyable Christmas break. It is wonderful to be able to spend time with family and friends. But now, we must turn our attention to the new year approaching, and return to the classroom and to the task of educating our students.

Please mark your January calendars for the following dates:

• January 4 – Classes resume at 8:30 a.m.;
• January 5 – Tuition installment 6 of 10 is due (delinquent after the 20th of the month);
• January 8 – BBCA Crusader’s Basketball – this is a home game, begins at 6:00 p.m.;
• January 9 – Pioneer Club Pine Car Derby Workshop – here at the school – 10 am til 1 pm;
• January 15 – End of first semester;
• January 18 – No School – C.A.L. Tournament @ BBCA – Schedules TBA
• January 23 – 5th Annual Pine Car Derby – 10:00 a.m.

Please remember the many ongoing programs to help our school raise funds: EScrip programs at Safeway and Raley’s, Box Tops, and Campbell Soup Labels. Please speak with Donna Chamblee or Tina Balderrama for more information on these programs. Also, please remember our referral program which could help you earn a $100 credit for every student enrolled by your personal referral. Go to the video archives on our website and learn all the details concerning this program, or call the school office for more information.

This is one of our busiest times of the year. Our students and staff have been working very hard in preparation for the 14th Annual BBCA Christmas Pageant. From our youngest students to our graduating seniors, all have a part in this year’s program. Please make plans to be here and lend your support and encourage to your child. Invite all your relatives and friends. The cost of admission is: $5 per adult, $2.50 for children 12 and under (BBCA students attend for free), and no cost for children 3 and under. A nursery will be provided for all children 3 and under. Tickets must be purchased through the school office. Ticket order forms are available upon request from your student’s teacher.

Please remember that we depend upon the timely payment of all tuition accounts to meet the obligations of the school. Thank you for your prompt attention to this matter.

On behalf of the entire staff of both BBCA and the Berean Baptist Church, I wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a prosperous New Year.

Our annual Fine Arts competitions are a wonderful opportunity for our students to develop the talents God has given them. Whether it be a talent in: art, music, photography, academics, crafts, or a combination of these; we encourage every student to discover and develop these talents, and we attempt to facilitate this through these competitions.  Therefore, we ask that you encourage your student to do their best and participate in as many of these areas as they can.

Following is the schedule of competitions:

• MUSIC: Monday, November 23rd – 9:00 a.m. – Main Auditorium
• ACADEMICS: Bible and Mathematics – Monday, November 23rd – 10:00 a.m. – Classrooms
• STRATEGY: Chess – Monday, November 23rd – 10:00 a.m. – ULC Classroom
• CULINARY: Entrees – Monday, November 23rd – Hourly throughout day – Kitchen
• SPELLLING BEE: Monday, November 23rd – 1:00 p.m. – Classrooms
• ART: Tuesday, November 24th – All Day – Main Auditorium
• JUNIOR ART: K students only – Tuesday, November 24th - All Day - Main Auditorium
• PHOTOGRAPHY: Tuesday, November 24th – All Day – Main Auditorium
• CRAFTS: Tuesday, November 24th – All Day – Main Auditorium
• CAKE DECORATING: Tuesday, November 24th – All Day – Main Auditorium
• JUNIOR CULINARY: K students only – Tuesday, November 24th – 9:00 a.m. – Main Auditorium
• CULINARY: Entrees – Tuesday, November 24th – Hourly, if necessary – Kitchen
• CULINARY: Desserts – Tuesday, November 24th – 10:00 a.m. – Main Auditorium
• STRATEGY: Scrabble – Tuesday, November 24th – 10:00 a.m. – ULC Classroom

Awards will be presented on Tuesday evening at 6:00 p.m. in the main auditorium. We encourage as many parents as possible to stop in and view the competitions and entries presented. If you have any questions please contact the school office.

This time of year is so exciting and filled with expectation and anticipation. I see this spirit emerge in both student and staff alike. This is also a very busy time of the year for us. Our daily schedule is filled with classroom studies and rehearsals in both singing and acting. This year, in addition to our Christmas program, we have added two programs to our Fall schedule: Fine Arts Competitions and Young Artist’s Sale. 

FINE ARTS COMPETITIONS – NOV 23rd & 24th. Please encourage your student to participate in the many areas of competitions. For more information speak with your student’s teacher, or call the school office.

YOUNG ARTIST’S SALE – Tuesday, December 1st, 6:30 p.m. Every student enrolled at BBCA will submit their own painting. These paintings will then be auctioned off to the highest bidder. The funds from this auction will go to benefit the programs at BBCA. More information on this program is forthcoming.

CHRISTMAS PAGEANT – Thursday, December 17th, 7:00 p.m. On this evening you will enjoy two separate performances. First, the students enrolled in grades K through 6 will present a musical entitled, “One Starry Night.” This cantata is under the direction of Mr. Gary Moline, Choir Director, Berean Baptist Church, and is sure to warm your heart. Then, the students enrolled in grades 7 through 12 will present a drama entitled, “Christmas in Iraq.” This drama is set in suburban America, and chronicles the events surrounding a young man, Matt, whose father has been called up to active duty in Iraq. This drama is sure to touch you and stir up the truth of love and faith epitomized by the Christmas season. The cost to attend this program will be $5 per adult, $2.50 for children 12 and under; children under 3 are free. The funds from this program will go to benefit the programs at BBCA. Tickets must be purchased through the school office. An order form will be sent home with your student; simply complete the form and return it with you payment and the tickets will be sent home with your student. If you have any questions please contact the school office.

Please plan now to participate in all of these holiday programs. We appreciate your help and support.

The holiday’s are upon us; and with it comes one of the busiest times of our school year. During the month of November, our students will be busy: rehearsing for the upcoming Christmas programs in December; as well as getting ready for the Fine Arts Competitions in November. Following is the schedule of events for November 2009:

• November 1: Tuition Installment #4 is due and payable.
• November 9 – 13: BBCA Book Faire, 8-8:30am and 2:15-6:00pm Monday thru Friday.
• November 12: Family Fun Night, 5-7pm, games, book reading, projects, etc.
• November 20: BBCA Crusaders Basketball Game, 6pm.
• November 23 – 24: 13th Annual Fine Arts Competitions.
• November 25 – 27: Thanksgiving Holiday, no school, no extended care.

Please plan to visit our book fair. A percentage of the sales of these books goes directly back to your child’s classroom; making it possible for us to obtain much needed resource and literature books for our school library.

Please encourage your child to participate in this year’s Fine Arts competitions. This is always a very enjoyable time of the school year, and a wonderful opportunity for our students to share their individual talents with their classmates.

Thank you for your continued confidence and support. As always, please feel free to contact me with any questions or concerns you may have.

October came in with a big bang! On Friday, October 2nd, our Boys Crusader Basketball team won their first game in four seasons. And furthermore, this victory came on the road as they defeated the Arlington Baptist Patriots in El Cerrito, by a score of 46-35! Congratulations Crusaders!

We have several things happening in October:

• October 12 – Columbus Day holiday; no school, no extended care;
• October 13 – Crusader Basketball game at Heritage Baptist in Antioch, 4pm;
• October 19 – Spirit Week begins with Hawaiian Day - dress in Hawaiian garb;
• October 19 – Crusader Basketball Home Game, main auditorium, 6pm;
• October 20 – Spirit Week: Jersey and Ball Cap Day - wear your favorite team cap and jersey!
• October 21 – Spirit Week: Western Day - wear your favorite western gear
• October 22 – Spirit Week: Crazy Hair Day – tease it, perm it, frizz it!
• October 23 – Spirit Week: Patriotic Day – put on the red, white, and blue!
• October 23 – Crusader Basketball Home Game, main auditorium, 6pm;
• October 23 – End of 1st Quarter;
• October 26 – Crusader Basketball game at Calvary Baptist in Fairfield, 5:30 pm;

We have already begun conducting Fine Arts Workshops to help prepare and motivate students for the upcoming competitions, November 23rd and 24th. More workshops will be conducted over the next few weeks. These will include: art, cake decorating, culinary, music, photography, sculpting, and sewing. Please encourage your child to participate in as many areas as possible. If you need more information, or would be interested in helping in the fine arts programs, please speak to Mr. Abshire or Mrs. Charon.

Please remember our incentive programs designed to help increase enrollment and save you money. Refer a friend or relative to BBCA and, upon their enrollment, you can receive a $100 credit against your tuition account. I am sure that all of us could use an extra $100 in our bank accounts. If you need more information on this program please speak with Mr. Abshire.

Please remember that tuition payments are due by October 5th and are delinquent after October 20th. Help us keep our programs running smoothly by making your payments on a timely basis. If you have any questions or need any information remember that my door is always open to you.

School is well under way, and I am very pleased to see the good attitudes and the hard work of all students enrolled this year. Following is the schedule for September 2009:

• September 6 – Pioneer Clubs begin – Sunday evenings at 6pm
• September 7 – Labor Day holiday - no classes, no extended care
• September 11 – Family Film Night – “Facing The Giants” – Snack Bar opens at 6pm – Movie starts at 6:30pm – Baked goods available for purchase to benefit BBCA
• September 15 – Child Guard Day – 8:00am – See Mrs. Charon for more details
• September 21 through 23 – Fall Teen Retreat, Mt. Gilead Conference Center – Grades 6-12 only
• September 24 and 25 – No classes for Upper Learning Center students (Grades 7-12)
• September 26 – Pre-season Basketball Tournament – Location and times TBA
• September 29 – School Pictures – Casual dress (must conform with school dress code guidelines)

The second installment of your tuition is now due. Please remember that we depend upon the timely submission of these funds to operate our school. If you have any questions or concerns please contact me at your convenience via email (dabshire@bbaptist.org) or stop by the school office.