This year, Cap & Gown Pictures for Pre-K, Kindergarten, & 5th Grade will be held on Wednesday April 14th.

• IN-PERSON Students Cap & Gown Pictures
  • 8:30-9:00 In-Person PreK
  • 9:15-9:45 In-Person Kindergarten
  • 10:00-10:30 In Person 5th Grade

• VIRTUAL Students Cap & Gown Pictures
  • Virtual Students will drive through the carpool line. There will be a teacher who will let them in through the gym door. Students will take their picture and immediately return to the vehicle once their picture is taken. Students must arrive during their designated grade-level time frame because the photographers will dismantle and change the set for each new grade-level.
    • 9:00-9:15 - Virtual PreK
    • 9:45-10:00 - Virtual Kindergarten
    • 10:30-10:45 - Virtual 5th Grade

ALL STUDENTS MUST WEAR THEIR BRCVPA UNIFORMS. THE UNIFORMS WILL NOT SHOW UNDER THE CAP & GOWN WHICH WILL BE PROVIDED BY THE PHOTOGRAPHERS.

• Depending on the hair style, students may choose to wear the cap or hold it in their hand.
• Only students who buy a package will have their picture taken.
• Picture envelopes will be given directly to the photographer. Virtual students may bring an envelope with the package information written on the outside. If sending cash, please send the correct amount of change as the photographers are not bringing cash, so they will not be able to make change.
• Please send the correct amount of cash, a check, or money order on, or before, April 14th.
  • You may also pay online at www.SpencerStudios-BR.com
  • Online orders MUST BE COMPLETED BY 2:00 pm on Tuesday, April 13th!!!
  • Checks and money orders should be made payable to Spencer Studios.
• There will be no picture retakes and late orders will not be accepted.

This year, Cap & Gown Pictures for Pre-K, Kindergarten, & 5th Grade will be held on Wednesday April 14th.

• IN-PERSON Students Cap & Gown Pictures 
  • 8:30-9:00 In-Person PreK
  • 9:15-9:45 In-Person Kindergarten 
  • 10:00-10:30 In Person 5th Grade 
• VIRTUAL  Students Cap & Gown Pictures
  • Virtual Students will drive through the carpool line. There will be a teacher who will let them in through the gym door. Students will take their picture and immediately return to the vehicle once their picture is taken. 
    • 9:00-9:15 - Virtual PreK
    • 9:45-10:00 - Virtual Kindergarten
    • 10:30-10:45 - Virtual 5th Grade 

ALL STUDENTS MUST WEAR THEIR BRCVPA UNIFORMS. THE UNIFORMS WILL NOT SHOW UNDER THE CAP & GOWN

• Only students who buy a package will have their picture taken. 
• Picture envelopes will be given directly to the photographer. 
• Please send the correct amount of cash, a check, or money order on, or before, April 14th. 
  • You may also pay online at www.SpencerStudios-BR.com 
  • Online orders MUST BE COMPLETED BY 2:00 pm on April 13th!!!
  • Checks and money orders should be made payable to Spencer Studios. 
• There will be no picture retakes and late orders will not be accepted.

The author of Circle and Scissors, Jenny M. Iverstine, will be at BRCVPA for a special presentation for all Pre-k and Kindergarten students on April 12th. She will read the book, discuss the importance of handwashing, and spend a few minutes answering questions, taking pictures with the students, and signing their book.

The author will also have a separate meet the author and book signing opportunity for all students in grades 1-5 who purchase a book. During this presentation, she will share the process of becoming an author, from brainstorming to publication. Students will leave inspired to find their passion, write about it, and maybe we will have a few future authors! 

Parents, you can visit the website 
www.circlesandscissors.com/ to order a copy of the book so the author can sign it! 

About the book:
Bubble your way into clean hands with the new children’s book ‘Circles + Scissors Handwashing’ by Jenny M. Iverstine! No more boring and difficult to remember handwashing methods! Circles + Scissors is a 5-Step mnemonic that teaches children exactly how to wash so the result is cleans hands every time. Uniquely crafted illustrations and cue language remind tiny readers that getting to clean hands is easy breezy. Just follow the checklist! Circles + Scissors turns this mundane life skill into a joyful childhood memory as you teach your child this fun and effective method. 
By the time readers finish this board book, toddlers or pre-K students will know how to wash their booger fingers clean! *Ages 2-5*

The Story: 
Meet the cutest 5-year-old and her playful poodle who are preparing for a best friend's birthday party. If they want to go, they must stay healthy! The story teaches proper handwashing and offers a motivation for kids to wash their hands; so they don't get sick and miss out on the fun! The 5 steps of Circles + Scissors are presented in such a simple way that even the youngest readers can follow along. 

About the Author:
Jenny M. Iverstine is a native of Baton Rouge and now resides in Denver, Colorado with her family and red standard poodle, Bleu.  While enjoying all the outdoor sports of the West, she also loves rollerblading, cooking anything with rice and making paper-cut cards. Circles and Scissors is Jenny's first book to publish. She wrote and illustrated the book as well as designed the entire concept of Circles and Scissors Handwashing over a period of 4 years.  After teaching the Circles and Scissors curriculum to over 20,000 students in the classroom and on-line, she created the Circles and Scissors book as a condensed version of the method for parents and teachers to use as an educational resource. Circles + Scissors is being taught in 32 states across the US and 5 countries. Jenny’s goal is one million pairs of clean hands! ​

What if you could explore some of the nation’s top research museums, talk with women scientists to learn about their adventures in math and science, AND enjoy a fun and creative hands-on learning experience all from your computer?

You can do all of this and more at LSU’s Girls Day at the Museum.

This year we are offering a virtual experience that could help set the stage for girls to have their own math and science adventure. We also have museum tour guides to lead us through a day of exciting exploration like Aditi Jayarajan, graduate student at the Florida Museum of Natural History. Aditi works in the Mammal Collection where she and other researchers study the evolutionary history of mammals to see what their DNA may reveal about their past. Exciting, right?

​Complete the Girls Day at the Museum online application in the hopes of being one of 40 girls selected to spend a Saturday with the LSU Museum of Natural Science. The application requires a one-page essay about what important question you would like to answer as a scientist or mathematician, why this question is important, and how you would use science and math to answer your question. The application also includes a participant authorization form and a photography and social media release form that must be completed and signed by a parent or legal guardian. 

The Arts Staff welcomed all kids to April and the last day before Spring Break in style! Music and dancing and costumes brought a smile to all parents, students, and teachers in carpool this morning. 

Congratulations to Tiffany Pham and Cydney Tucker, both BRCVPA alumni!! We are so proud of these two talented artists. Both students placed first in their divisions. You can see a list of all winners and their artwork on the Magnet Schools of America website. 

Valued BRCVPA Families and Friends,  

Today the superintendent held a press conference.  You can watch the full press conference here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tvEKPjS31GU  
Here is a quick overview of his big announcement. As a result of the Covid19 pandemic, the district has seen academic and social emotional gaps across the district. By starting school early through the mandatory Smart Start school year, EBR's goal is to provide students additional time in the classroom and ultimately provide more time to bridge the learning gaps for students. Additionally, the district will be providing a full week of targeted PD for school system leaders and full week of targeted PD for our educators.

EBRPSS is currently anticipating a full in-person return to school for the 2021-2022 school year. A separate all virtual option will be available for families who choose to remain virtual. The district will provide more information on the all virtual option once it becomes available.  

Here are the important dates that are currently available:  

• 07/12/2021  Principal and Leadership PD Week
• 7/19/2021  Teacher Professional Development Week
• 7/26/2021  EBRPSS Employee Convocation (Hybrid Event)
• 7/28/2021  First day of School for EBRPSS Students (In Person)

We know this news comes with many questions, and we will try our best to answer them sufficiently. Please click on the link below and use this form to provide us with any questions, concerns, and comments so that we can work to address them.  

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScx_gcpIjKt1IXaNvBgXdYSOsYCBodG_lbIt1Rgm2AyeUMskw/viewform?usp=sf_link 
​
Thank you! 

UPDATE: District FAQ 
Students and Families
Q: Is attendance mandatory? If my child is unable to attend because of prior engagements, will my child’s attendance record be impacted? 
A: Yes, these will be considered a true instructional day. Absences will be counted. 
Q: Is the second-semester calendar impacted? 
A: No, the second semester will remain the same. 
Q: Will transportation be running for the first day of school? 
A: Yes, transportation will run. The department will send out bus route cards over the summer with more information.
Q:  Will  students receive all of their schedules at the high school level and will the schools have freshman orientation?
A: Schools will adjust any previously scheduled activities to adapt to the new calendar.
 Q:  Will virtual schools still be available for students who would like to continue in the virtual environment? 
A:  Yes, the EBR Virtual Academy will be open to students who wish to learn virtually. 
Q:  Will the school cafeterias provide meals for the students during Smart Start? 
A:  Yes, the Child Nutrition department is committed to providing children with nutritious meals.

We are so very proud of all of our featured artists this month! Please click on the picture below for the entire sildeshow!