Please read the following important information regarding the start of classes on Monday, August 22nd.

• ANNUAL FEES: Please remember that all annual fees should be paid in full prior to the start of the school year. If you have not taken care of these fees, please contact Mrs. Smith at the school office right away.
• 1st TUITION INSTALLMENT: Please remember that the first tuition installment was due on August 1st, and must be paid before your student will be allowed to start classes. If you have any questions concerning this contact the school office.
• OPEN HOUSE: Please note your calendars for Friday evening, August 19th, 7:00 p.m. All parents are encouraged to be present for this evening as we will review important changes and updates to our school program.
• SCHOOL SUPPLIES: Please refer to our web page for a complete list of student supplies for all classes: http://bbcacrusaders.org/supply_list.pdf
• CLASSES BEGIN: Classes begin Monday, August 22nd, 8:30 a.m. Students may begin arriving as early as 8:10 a.m.

If you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact the school office. I look forward to seeing all of you Friday evening, August 19th.

Welcome back to all of our returning students and families! Classes resume on Monday, August 22, at 8:30 a.m. Please make sure that your child is on time.

There are a few changes that you will notice right away this year. As most of you know, Mrs. Charon resigned her position with our school and church and has moved to Arizona. Taking her place in the primary elementary classroom is Mrs. Donna Miller. Mrs. Miller is experienced in teaching these grades, as she taught here at Berean in previous years. Also, some exciting changes have been made in our middle elementary classroom as well. The addition of Mrs. Brett Petro to our teaching staff; along with the return of Mrs. Zamacona and Mrs. Ruppert; will give our students an unparalleled advantage in the teacher to student ratio in each subject.

You will have an opportunity to meet and discuss this year’s program with all the staff at the annual Parent Orientation meeting, to be held on Friday, August 19, 7:00 p.m. Please make every effort to attend this meeting, as we will discuss the fundraising and volunteer needs of the school. In addition to this, you will receive your family packet containing important documentation that must be completed and returned to the school office.

Please try to complete all financial work with Mrs. Smith before the start of school. Students cannot be allowed to begin the new semester until all financial obligations have been met.

We are looking forward to a great year!

There are only seven more days of classes until the close of the school year. Students are busy finalizing their work for this semester.

Following is the schedule for the final week of school:

• Wednesday, May 25th: Academic Awards program, (grades 1 thru 12), 9:00 a.m. All parents are invited to attend. This will be followed by a special recognition for Mrs. Zoe Charon.
• Wednesday, May 25th: Final Merit Shop.
• Thursday, May 26th: Final day of Kindergarten classes (dismisses at noon). Also, final day of classes for all junior and senior high school students (dismisses at usual time).
• Thursday, May 26th: Kindergarten Graduation, 7:00 p.m. Academic Awards for the kindergarten students will be presented following the graduation ceremony.
• Friday, May 27th: Final day of school for elementary students; grades 1 thru 6. Dismissal will be at noon. There will be no afternoon extended care on this day.

It is with great sadness that we say goodbye to Mrs. Charon. She has been a fixture in our school for the past 20 years, but this summer she will move to Arizona. The influence she has made on hundreds of children will live on for generations to come. Please join us as we take a moment to show her our gratitude and to express our sorrow at her retirement. Refreshments will be served. For more information contact the church office.

Each of you should have received your re-enrollment information for the coming year. Please complete these forms and return them to us as soon as possible. Also, you will receive annual fee information in the coming days. Please remember that these annual fees are payable in two installments (June 1st and July 1st). If you have any questions please contact Mrs. Smith or me at the school office.

Lastly, please remember that all tuition accounts should be paid in full by this time. If you have an outstanding balance please take care of this right away. Academic awards and second semester credits will not be given to a student with an outstanding account until all tuition and fees have been paid. If you have any questions concerning this please contact me directly.

We are coming around the final turn in our school year. The finish line is drawing very near. However, before we cross that line there are some important dates and events to remember.

• April 19 & 20: Achievement Testing. All students enrolled in grades K thru 12 will take the annual National Achievement Test. Please make sure your child is present on these dates. All testing materials will be provided.
• April 22 – 29: Easter Break. Classes will resume on Monday, May 2, at their usual time. There will be no extended care provided during the break.
• May 5: Final tuition installment is due. All accounts must be settled in full by this date. Please refer to the student handbook concerning this.
• May 7: Human Race. Please make every effort to help us in this final fundraising event of the year.
• May 14: C.A.L. Volleyball Tournament. The tournament will be held in El Cerrito. The tournament will begin at 9:00 a.m. and continue through 7:00 p.m. For more information speak with Mr. Zamacona.
• May 16: 14th BBCA Sports Awards Presentations. This event is open to all student athletes and their immediate family. Dinner will be served, followed by the presentation of awards.
• May 26: 20th BBCA Kindergarten Graduation Program. Make plans to join us as we graduate our Kindergarten students into First grade. The program begins at 7:00 p.m. This is the final day for all Kindergarten (Levels I and II) students.
• May 27: Final day of school. All students are dismissed at noon. There is no afternoon extended care on this date.

Please be sure and submit your re-enrollment paperwork and fee as soon as possible. Open enrollment will begin on May 1st. Seats, after that date, will be on a first-come first-served basis. If you need more information please call the school office at 584-7275, or come by the school and speak with either Mrs. Smith or me.

As we turn our calendar to February we prepare for another busy month. Please refer to the following events scheduled for this month:

CRUSADERS VOLLEYBALL: Our girl’s volleyball team will host a match every Friday evening during the month of February. Games will begin at 6:30 p.m. Fans are encouraged to begin arriving at 6 p.m. There is no charge to attend these volleyball games. Please come out and support our student athletes.

SAFEWAY FUNDRAISER: We were able to raise over five thousand dollars for our school during the months of September and October thanks to the efforts of the parents and students that volunteered to collect receipts at the Rohnert Park and Santa Rosa stores. We are happy to announce that Safeway is once again conducting their “Back To Schools” program. Mrs. Lucy Kunz is organizing teams to collect receipts from January 29th through February 22nd. Please make every effort to participate and help us duplicate our efforts from the fall program. Contact the school office for more information, or to volunteer to help supervise the students at one of the Safeway stores.

FIELD TRIP: A field trip to the Lawrence Science Museum located in Berkley, is scheduled for Thursday, February 24th. The cost to attend this field trip is $7 per student. The students will leave the school at 8:45 a.m. and will return by 2:45 p.m. on this date. A permission form and informational sheet was sent home with your child. If you have not received these forms please contact the school office right away. The permission form and the fee must be returned to the school no later than Wednesday, February 23rd. For more information, or to volunteer to drive students for this field trip, please speak with Mrs. Charon or Mrs. Zamacona.

PRESIDENT’S DAY: Please remember that classes will be closed on Monday, February 21st in observance of President’s Day. We will not offer any extended care on this date. Classes and extended care will resume on Tuesday, February 22nd at their usual times.

TUITION: I would like to thank all of you for keeping current on your tuition accounts. We depend upon the timely submission of tuition to meet the obligations of the school. Please remember to make your February payment before the 20th of the month to avoid any delinquencies. If you have any questions please contact the school office and ask for me; Mr. Abshire.

We look forward to a productive month for our students in their academic studies. Please remain pro-active in following up on your child’s progress. If you have any questions or concerns, do not hesitate to come in; at your convenience; and speak with me.

As we welcome the start of a new year, we go forward with great anticipation and expectation. With the new year comes opportunities for a fresh start in our life. I am sure that each of us will examine the last twelve months, and make “resolutions” for the coming year. Let us strive to remember and keep these resolutions.

Classes resume on Monday, January 3rd, at 8:30 a.m. sharp. Extended care also begins on Monday, at 7:00 a.m. Please help us by getting your child here on time, in uniform, and prepared to work. We have only two more weeks in this first semester, and each student will need to be focused and motivated.

We will kick off January with a renewed effort to raise funds for our school through the programs made available by Safeway Stores. We were able to raise over $5000 in September, and we hope to repeat this effort once again. Mrs. Lucy Kunz is busy organizing this effort and she will need all of our help. Please speak with her at your first opportunity to see when, where, and how you can help. Remember, every dollar we raise through programs such as this will result in direct savings to the families of our students. Also, please remember our “referral” program. You can receive a credit against your tuition account in the amount of $250 for each student that enrolls in BBCA through your referral. Parents typically make decisions to move their children at the mid term break; therefore, this is a golden opportunity for you to save some money by referring BBCA to all of your family and friends. For more information concerning this program contact the school office.

The annual C.A.L. Basketball Tournament is scheduled for Monday, January 17th, in El Cerrito, CA. Our Crusaders will participate in this tournament. There is no school on this date; therefore, we encourage as many families as possible to come out and cheer for our boys basketball team. For more information on this please speak with Mr. Abshire. Also, Girl’s Volleyball is in full swing, with their first match scheduled for Friday, January 28th, here at BBCA. The match will begin at 6:30 p.m. Please make plans to be in attendance and cheer on our team.

Lastly, please make sure that your tuition account is current. Delinquent accounts must be brought current before students will be allowed to return to classes. If you need more information please speak directly with Mr. Abshire. Our office staff is not able to make arrangements on tuition accounts.

If you have any questions or concerns please do not hesitate to come in and speak with me.

I am appalled today at the advertisements I see during the Christmas season; yes, I said CHRISTMAS! Retailers are so concerned about “offending” someone that they very carefully design all of their advertisement to exclude Christ. They speak of the “holidays” or the “season,” but they will not give homage to the one for whom the holiday season exists. We here at BBCA are not ashamed of our LORD and Saviour, Jesus Christ. And furthermore, we encourage all students to proclaim His name now and throughout the year.

This month, we offer each family an opportunity to come together and contemplate what the season is all about: the birth of Jesus Christ, our Emmanuel. On Thursday evening, December 16th, our student body will come together and share the love and beauty of Christmas in two parts. First, the elementary students will perform a beautiful Christmas Cantata entitled, Signs of Christmas. Then, the junior and senior high school students will perform a play for your enjoyment entitled, The Magi. It is a look at the Christmas story through the eyes of the wise men who travelled from the East to worship and pay homage to their newborn King.  The cost for this evening is $5 per adult, $2.50 ages 12 and under, free for all children under 3.  A nursery will be provided for infants (aged newborn thru 3).  Tickets may be purchased in advance through the school office. Please invite all your family and friends to this heartwarming event.

Christmas break begins on Friday, December 17th. All students are dismissed at noon on this date. There will be no afternoon extended care, so please make arrangements to have your child picked up by noon.  Also on Friday, the students will enjoy their classroom Christmas parties. Please insure that your child brings a present for the gift exchange. For more information on your child’s classroom party please speak with their teacher.

I would also like to take this opportunity to invite all of you to share in our celebration of Christmas by attending our annual Christmas Eve Candlelight Service, on Friday, December 24, 7:00 p.m. Come and enjoy the uplifting hymns and carols, the inspiring message from God’s Word, and the warmth and joy of the Christmas story.

Lastly, please make sure to submit your December tuition before the 20th of the month. Our obligations must be met and in order to do so we must depend upon the timely submission of family accounts. On behalf of the entire staff of BBCA and the Berean Baptist Church, I wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a most prosperous and Happy New Year!

It is time for our children to demonstrate the talents that God has given them. Please refer to the following schedule for the date, times, and events of this year’s competitions:

• Monday, November 22nd, 9:30 a.m.: All Music Competitions, Main Auditorium
• Monday, November 22nd, 10:00 a.m.: Strategy (Chess, Scrabble) Competitions, Room 9
• Monday, November 22nd, 10:30 a.m.: Culinary: Desserts, Kitchen
• Monday, November 22nd, 11:00 a.m.: Testing, Library
• Tuesday, November 23rd, 9:00 a.m.: Art, Photography, Crafts, etc., Main Auditorium
• Tuesday, November 23rd, 9:00 a.m. – Culinary: Entrees, Kitchen
• Tuesday, November 23rd, 9:00 a.m. – Testing: Make-up tests
• Tuesday, November 23rd, 10:00 a.m. – Spelling Bees, Library
• Tuesday, November 23rd, 1:00 p.m. – Strategy Finals (if necessary), Room 9

This schedule is subject to changes, due to numbers of students involved.  Culinary: Dessert entries are to be brought in on Monday morning, and placed on the table provided in the foyer. For students competing in the Culinary: Entree competitions, all cooking utensils, service settings, and food items are not provided by the school. Competitors must provide these items from home. All Art entries (paintings, drawings, photos, crafts, sculptures, etc.) should not be brought in until Tuesday morning. We cannot guarantee the safety of items brought in on Monday. All these entries must be in the main auditorium before 9:00 a.m. Late entries will receive point deductions. All entries must be framed and information cards provided (see competition rules for instructions).

Please help us make this a great experience for our students by: encouraging them, supporting them by being here to see them compete, and help them insure they have followed all the competition rules and guidelines.

November is finally here, and with it comes the excitement and warmth of the holiday seasons.

This will be a busy month for our students. We are in full swing with rehearsals for the upcoming Christmas Pageant, to be held on Thursday evening, December 16th, 7:00 p.m. Please make plans to be present and invite all of your family, friends, and co-workers. This pageant is an important fundraiser for our school. Admission is $5 per adult, $2.50 ages 12 and under, free for all children under the age of three. All students enrolled at BBCA are participating in the performance, so their admission is free.

Spirit Week is also upon us. Students demonstrate their school spirit by participating in the special “dress up” days. A flyer was sent home detailing each day’s theme. Please remember to contact the office with any questions concerning what a student may or may not wear. Then, on Friday afternoon, November 5th, 1:30 p.m., we will hold a Homecoming Pep-Rally for our students. Winners of the spirit days contests will be announced, a three point shootout will be held, a classroom cheer competition will be held, and we will conclude with a “Little Tykes Basketball Championship” for our kindergarten boys. You will not want to miss this, so make plans to be in attendance. Finally, our Crusader Basketball team will take the floor on Friday evening, 6:00 p.m. for this year’s Homecoming game. Please join us and cheer on our boys.

On November 8 – 12, we will host the Scholastic Book Faire. This annual event gives each family a wonderful opportunity to purchase books for their children and our school. Book sales will begin on Monday, November 8th at 8:00 am, and will continue throughout the week. A family night will be held on Friday, November 12th, 6:00 p.m., complete with activities, book readings, contests, and refreshments. Please make plans to be present for this event. Proceeds from this event go to add resource books for our classrooms and reading materials for our library.

Fine Arts Competitions are scheduled for Monday, November 22nd, and Tuesday, November 23rd. Students will compete in areas such as: Music, Singing, Art, Photography, Crafts, Academics, Strategy, and Culinary Arts. A complete competition schedule will be available at a later date. Please encourage your child to use the talents God has given them and enter into as many competitions as possible. Awards will be presented at the weekly chapel service on Wednesday, December 1st.

Thanksgiving break is Wednesday, November 24th through Friday, November 26th. There will be no classes and no extended care on these dates. Classes and extended care will resume on Monday, November 29th at their usual time. We invite you to join us for our Thanksgiving service, Sunday, November 21st, 11:00 a.m. This service will be followed by our annual Thanksgiving luncheon. There is not cost for this luncheon, and we would count it an honor to have you as our guests. For more information please contact the office.

Please make sure you remain current with your tuition installments. The financial pressures of the holiday season can sometimes cause us to alter our spending habits, but please remember that we depend upon the timely payments of the tuition accounts to meet the financial obligations of the school. Thank you for your understanding and cooperation.

Please note the following important dates:

Monday, November 1st: There will be no classes and no extended care provided on this date due to Parent/Teacher conferences. Please be sure and confirm your scheduled conference time as soon as possible. If you have not received an appointment notice contact the school office right away.

Tuesday, November 2nd: There will be no classes and no extended care provided on this date due to the statewide elections. Our facility is used as a polling place for all statewide and local elections. Due to the high traffic volume in and out of the building during these elections we do not attempt to conduct classes.

If you have any questions, or need more information concerning these dates, please contact the school office.