Blakely Newsletter - March 9, 2026

Dear Blakely Community,

I’ve been enjoying time with students during our class counseling lessons, as we’ve been flexing our creativity (our school-wide focus for March) and have been highlighting the connection between the brain and body! 

Kindergarten & First Grade:

Students are learning various mindfulness practices to help them notice “body clues” related to emotions. For example, when we feel nervous, we might notice butterflies in our tummy, a racing heart, or sweaty hands. These practices will help students pause, tune in to their bodies, and better understand their feelings. At home, you can continue the practice through breathing and guided mindfulness exercises available online, in books, etc. One student favorite is The Mindfulness Teacher.

Second graders continue to explore the analogy that friendships are like gardens. Students created unique “flowers” that represent themselves and discussed what friendships need to grow and thrive—like respect, fun, togetherness, encouragement, support, and trust. We are now moving into learning about the boundaries/“fence lines” that help keep friendships safe and healthy (just as fences keep gardens safe and healthy).

Students are continuing to design their “brain caps” while learning about the power of the brain; like how our prefrontal cortex is the wise leader helping us pause and make good choices, how the brain stem keeps our bodies safe and calm by helping us breathe, how the temporal and occipital lobes help us listen, see social cues, and understand others’ feelings, etc. Learning about these brain-body connections will help them recognize their emotions, regulate their bodies, make thoughtful decisions, and build positive relationships with others. In the coming weeks, we will use this knowledge to talk about test anxiety and strategies to help students feel at ease and prepared for the Smarter Balanced Assessment beginning in May.

Fourth graders are wrapping up our unit on gossip and rumors, discussing how they spread and how our word choices can affect others. Next, we will shift to test-taking strategies and ways to manage test anxiety ahead of the Smarter Balanced Assessment.

With Care,

Thank you for all of the items that have been dropped off. We don't need any more cardboard at this time but could still use the items below.

BLAKELY LIBRARY BOOK FAIR is March 23 – March 26: A percentage of all

sales go directly to support the Blakely library.

E-WALLETS: Don’t forget to set up your child’s e-wallet! It’s the easy way to pay. Fill your child's e-wallet here: Book Fair Homepage 

Volunteers are needed to make our book fair a success, we have many open slots for volunteer times organized by classes. Sign up here: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/20F044EA9AF29AAFA7-62717813-book

QUESTIONS? Contact Melinda Ackles blakely.treasurer@bainbridgeptos.org

Lunchtime Sales (you can volunteer when your kid’s class is shopping!):

Tuesday: Alder, Claiborne, Claesson, Hoag

Wednesday: Sheehan, Ball, Olsen, Ledbetter

Thursday: Clark, McCassey, Reuling, Tibbals

Monday (March 23): 12:50 pm – 2:30 pm

Thursday (March 26): 6:00 pm - 7:30 pm

Parents and caregivers are invited to attend Hidden in Plain Sight, a virtual presentation designed to help families better understand current youth trends and how to recognize potential warning signs of risky behavior. This informative session will provide practical tools for navigating the teen years and tips for starting meaningful family conversations.

Click on this link to join the Zoom: Hidden in Plain Sight

Looking for things to do around town? Visit our Community Events page for local happenings, classes, and family activities—updated regularly.

Check out the Arms Around Bainbridge Bingo Night on 3/14 at the following link: https://www.armsaroundbainbridge.org/bingo2026