August 5, 2024 

Dear Parents, Guardians, and Students, 

Welcome back to our new 2024-2025 academic year at John Bidwell Elementary School!  We hope this letter finds you in good health and high spirits.  As we embark on this journey together, we are excited about the opportunities and experiences that lie ahead.  Our academic year begins Monday August 19, 2024. 

We hope you had a fantastic and rejuvenating summer break.  Our dedicated faculty and staff have been diligently preparing for the start of the school year, and we are thrilled to welcome both new students and staff to our vibrant learning community. 

We warmly welcome Montea Gaines to our 4th Grade community, and new RSP teacher, Leila Paraso.  

John Bidwell has always been committed to providing a nurturing and stimulating environment that fosters academic excellence, character development, and personal growth.  We believe that every student is unique and possesses immense potential.  We believe that “ALL” students can learn, and our goal is to inspire, challenge, and guide them to unlock their talents and reach their full potential. 

This academic year, we have several new initiatives and enhancements planned to enrich your child’s learning experience. 

1. Community Schools: We have begun our process and partnership with placement of our Community Schools Specialist; Tonieya Donker.  She will be our coordinator and support as we move forward with planning and implementation.  We look forward to what Community Schools can do to contribute to build a strong collaborative culture to enhance our school resources.  (More information to follow). 
2. Culture/Climate: We have also begun the process of bringing on board a Culture/Climate, Social Emotional Learning (SEL) Resource Professional to support, enhance and build more collaboration as well as consistent implementation of SEL practices which are crucial for a student’s success. (More information to follow). 
3. Visual and Performing Arts (VAPA): We are adding a VAPA teacher to our school community weekly to enhance experiences for students.  (More information to follow). 

Partnering with families is crucial to promote a healthy transition to school both socially and emotionally.  We will continue to place a strong emphasis on Culture/Climate and Social Emotional Learning while focusing on building classroom community.  We encourage families to stay connected and informed by following our DOJO messaging, district website, and announcements sent through Parent Square. 

We will be holding a “School Years Eve” Popcorn/Snow Cone Social, and Information exchange event Thursday August 15th, 3:30-4:30 PM.  We look forward to seeing you there. 

Again, welcome, and we cannot wait to make this school year the best yet! 

Sincerely, 

Celeste White 

Principal, John Bidwell Elementary