BRCVPA hosted the East Baton Rouge Parish Elementary Strings Camp this week. Students and teachers from across district, including Shenandoah Elementary, McKinley Middle,  Forest Heights, and Buchanan rehearsed under the direction of stellar guest conductors from the Baton Rouge area. Throughout the day, ensembles developed a concert program and performed for a room packed full of guests.  Students also received enrichment instruction in improvisation, music theory and history. Everyone had the opportunity to develop their technique, play fun music, and meet new friends. It was another great day at BRCVPA! 

The 5th grade production of 101 Dalmatians Kids  is quickly approaching.

• May 14th – 1:30 PM
  (Audience: Kindergarten, 2nd Grade, and 5th Grade Families)
  
• May 15th – 1:30 PM
  (Audience: 1st Grade, 3rd Grade, 4th Grade, and 5th Grade Families)
  
• May 16th – 10:00 am
  (Audience: Visiting Schools & Pre-K)
  
• May 16th – 6:30 pm
  (Audience: Anyone who purchases a ticket!)

Please click on the link above to download the order form and select the items that you wish to purchase. All order forms are due to the office by by Wednesday April 12, 2019. Tickets and programs will be sent home a few days before the show. Please note: We are charging an admission fee for the evening performance only. You may pre-order your tickets or buy them at the door the night of the show.

**A copy of the order form will be sent home with your child this week. 

Our very own BRCVPA Jump, Jive, & Giggles Crew performed a dynamic routine for the New Orleans Pelicans and the BRCVPA Choristers did an outstanding job singing the National Anthem to kick off Tuesday night's game against the Atlanta Hawks. Some of our little buddies also had a chance to stand next to the players as Anthem Buddies! It was such a great night to celebrate all the hard work our students, parents, and teachers put in to making this an incredible place to educate students. Thank you to Ms. Wells and Ms. de Silva for putting together a terrific performance, and a HUGE THANK YOU to all the parents for bringing your kids to New Orleans on a school night. :-) Check out some of our highlights below! 

To kick off National Poetry Month in April, our 2nd, 3rd, and 4th Grade students will participate in our annual Poetry Cafe' event during their arts block on Wednesday, March 27th.

This is a student-only event, where the kids recite a self-selected poem for their classmates, arts faculty, and teachers. The students select their poems ahead of time, and practice them to prepare for the event. 

The audience happily snaps in appreciation after each performance, and the kids have a great time. 

Students are welcome to bring a pillow, blanket, or towel to sit on, as well as a drink and a snack (no candy, please). All items should fit in the students' backpacks.

It's here! The East Baton Rouge Parish School Board has approved the school year calendar for the 2019-2020 school year. Click the image below to view and print. Let the scheduling begin! 

Friday was our 3rd Grade Mini-Production, followed by our Brotherhood-Sisterhood Awards Program. 

We would like to extend a major THANK YOU to the Arts Faculty for the beautiful adaptation of the book, Malala's Magic Pencil. We could not have been more proud of the performance! It was a perfect production to accompany the Brotherhood-Sisterhood Program.

We were also delighted to welcome our guest speaker, Subbah Mir. Ms. Mir is a Fulbright Scholar and the current President of the International Student Association and the International Cultural Center.  She is from Pakistan, and plans to return home once she has completed her studies. Faculty, Staff, Students, and Parents enjoyed hearing her story and her words of inspiration. 

Following the guest speaker, the Brotherhood-Sisterhood Award Recipients were announced. The Brotherhood-Sisterhood award winners are nominated by the faculty and staff based on characteristics of a good citizen. The 2019 Brotherhood-Sisterhood Award winners are:

5th Grade Boy - Jacob H
5th Grade Girl - Skylar D

Staff - Leslie Pierre
Faculty - Hollie Montero

Check out the slideshow below, and scroll down to read more about the winners!

Jacob’s positive outlook and attitude towards life are contagious. He truly does not seem to know what a bad day looks like. He is resilient, funny, kind and respectful. He is quick to encourage and cheer on his classmates. He is willing to try anything and is not afraid to take on a challenge! Everyone likes Jacob. His teachers say he could get along with a brick wall. In addition to all of these great qualities, he is an important member of the school band, and rocked our socks off in this year’s variety show with his drumming performance. One teacher commented that he might grow up to be a stunt double because of how he throws himself around on the football field. Whatever he grows up to be, we know it will be amazing. Congratulations Jacob, we are so proud of you!

Skylar is a super-sweet student, who works hard and never gives up.
She is not afraid to ask for help when she needs it, and commits her time to self-improvement. She is responsible, constantly smiling, and always has nice things to say. In addition to all of this, she supports her friends and classmates, and cracks everyone up with her fun sense of humor. She has entertained us in the Variety Show for the past two years, even choreographing her own routines. Skylar embodies what it means to be a BRCVPA star student. We know she is going to do amazing things with her life, and we are lucky to have her!

Ms. Pierre has been a welcome addition to our staff this year! She does a wonderful job as the small group test coordinator, and we are lucky to have her. Not only does she excel at her official job title, but she is also Johnny on the Spot and is there to help whenever and wherever we need her. She is one of the most hard-working and efficient people ever - you blink and the task is done, and done well! Ms. Pierre also works our extended day program and our summer camp. Ms. Pierre is dependable, positive, and kind. She is always smiling and laughing and is a lot of fun to be around. I know her two daughters will join me in recognizing what a wonderful person their mom is.Congratulations, Ms. Pierre! Thank you for being a great sister to all of us at BRCVPA!

Ms. Montero is a shining light at BRCVPA. Her classroom environment is warm and friendly, and her relationship with her students is one of mutual respect. She sets high expectations, and creates rich learning opportunities for her students to reach their full potential. Ms. Montero has served as both a parent and a teacher at BRCVPA. She mentors new teachers and student teachers happily. She participates in after-school and summer programs, and is ready to lend a helping hand and words of encouragement to anyone who needs it. Ms. Montero never misses an opportunity for professional development, and seeks out learning experiences to develop her craft. Ms. Montero has a joyous outlook on life, and kids in general, and her patience is unending. As an added bonus, she makes the best snickerdoodle cookies in the world!Congratulations Ms. Montero, BRCVPA respects and admires you, and we are so glad you are on our team!

We are incredibly proud of all of our winners!