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.

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.

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.

With under three weeks until the end of school, please remember the following:

TUITION INSTALLMENT 10: Please remember that the final installment for your annual tuition was due by May 5th. Students with an outstanding balance after May 20th will not receive credit for the fourth quarter until the balance is paid in full.

SPECIAL ELECTIONS: On Tuesday, May 19th, our facilities will host 3 precincts for the statewide special elections. Therefore, there will be no classes and no extended care on this date.

ANNUAL PICNIC: We will hold our annual picnic on Friday, May 22nd, at Howarth Park. Meal tickets must be purchased through the school office prior to the picnic. You may stop by the school office at any time to purchase the meal tickets. The cost for meal tickets is: $5 ages 13 and older; $4 ages 12 and under; Free for ages 3 and under. Only those with a meal ticket will be served a meal at the picnic. If you will provide your own lunch you do not need to purchase a meal ticket. We have reserved the park from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m.

LAST DAY OF SCHOOL / ANNUAL ACADEMIC AWARDS: Wednesday, May 27th, we will assemble in the main auditorium at 9 a.m. to present our student body with their individual academic awards. Parents are invited to attend this presentation. Following the awards presentation, students will return to their classrooms to collect their personal belongings and, at Noon, will be dismissed for the summer. Please note that there will be no afternoon extended care provided on this day.

KINDERGARTEN GRADUATION / ACADEMIC AWARDS: Please plan to attend the graduation program for this year’s K5 students. This program will be held on Thursday, May 28th, at 7 p.m. Following the graduation program, students enrolled in the K4 and K5 class will be presented with their academic achievement awards for the 2008-2009 school year.

Yes, it is once again time to re-enroll for the next school year.

Over the next couple of days, you will receive a re-enrollment packet in the mail. Please look over the enclosed information, and call me with any questions you may have. Closed enrollment; for currently enrolled students; began on March 1 and will continue throughout the month of March. Open enrollment will begin on April 1. At that point seats will be given on a first come, first served basis. Please watch our website for more information regarding re-enrollment.

We value the trust you have placed in us to help you educate your children. We take this responsibility very serious, and are totally committed to you and your family. Please do not hesitate to speak with me concerning this and, as always, remember that my door; and ear; is open to you.

Who could use a little extra money these days? What would you say to earning a $100 credit towards your tuition account?

Several years ago we began an incentive program for our school; for every student that enrolls because of a referral from an enrolled family, a $100 credit is given against the referring family’s tuition account. If the referring family pays their annual tuition in one lump payment, the credit is applied to the next year’s tuition.  There is no limit to the number of credits a family may earn.

You can help us help you; that’s right! Every student that we enroll increases our budget by an amount equal to one fundraising event. How can you help us reduce the amount of tuition increase from year to year? And further, how can you negate the tuition increase from your personal tuition account? The answer to both of these questions is for you to help me promote our school to our community. In addition to keeping your tuition cost down, you can also help insure that the students of our school are the type of children you want your child to be with on a daily basis. Imagine the luxury of choosing your child’s classmates. This is all possible, and all you have to do is talk up our school to your family, friends, neighbors, and co-workers.

If you need more information, or for promotional materials, call the school office and speak with Mrs. Smith or Mr. Abshire.