Bruno M. Ponterio 

Ridge Street School

Home of the Bluebirds

Weekly Highlights 1/27/25 - 1/31/25

Wishing all of our Bluebird Families who celebrate the Lunar New Year a Happy, Prosperous, and Healthy New Year!

Celebrating Lunar New Year

Bluebirds celebrated the Lunar New Year in our classrooms with special guests, books, making lanterns and other activities! 

We also had a special assembly as the Chinatown Community Young Lions came to our school to showcase a Lion Dance!  

BIG thanks to the Blind Brook PTA for funding this special assembly! 

Bluebird Wishing Trees

The "Bluebird World Wishing Tree" project is almost complete.  Though inclement weather (freezing temperatures) interrupted the hanging of more than 600 wishing ribbons, we can already see how these “wishes for the world” have brightened our winter courtyard with a rainbow of colors!

This past week during all art classes, the power of hope and the tradition of making a wish were discussed.  The students learned how many countries and cultures around the world make wishes on wishing trees.

After, each class read My Wish for the World by Kristine Lombardi, every student made their own wish for the world and placed it on a colorful ribbon.  

 The Fifth Grade Student Council members helped in gently hanging the ribbons on the trees in the courtyard. 

Placed on the courtyard window is this explanation of why our Bluebirds made their wishes:


BLUEBIRD WISHING TREES

OUR WISHES SPREAD KINDNESS

 AND POSITIVE ENERGY

 INTO THE WORLD.

THEY HELP US TO BELIEVE

IN THE POWER OF HOPE!


Mrs. Aquino and Mrs. Fagan would like to thank Mrs. Murphy, and Student Council Coordinators Mrs. Fernandez and Mrs. Pumarejo, and the Student Council students for all their help with this project.

Bluebirds Learn to Meditate

Mrs. Battiwalla came to teach Mrs. LaRoche's first grade students breathing techniques and meditation.  The class enjoyed being mindful with their stuffed animals!

Kindergarteners Enjoy Hot Cocoa Day!

Mrs. Fisher's kindergarten class had a fun Hot Chocolate Day!  Mrs. Magnotta, our Bluebird teacher aide, made the secret recipe at home using real chocolate and milk.  It was super chocolatey!  We had our own "hot chocolate bar”; mini marshmallows, whipped cream, candy canes and sprinkles.  The rest of the day was filled with cool things to do -- a hot chocolate sequencing story, math activities and games.  It was a sweet way to spend the day.

Special Guest Visits Fifth Grade Bluebirds

Mrs. Wolf, one of our Bluebird parents, visited our fifth graders today to talk about Google.  Mrs. Wolf leads a global sales team at Google where she has worked for the last 12 years. She provided an overview of the origin of Google, its mission (organizing the world's information and making it universally accessible), its values (collaboration, bring your whole self to work, respect the user/each other) including DEI, and how technology enhances our everyday life.  At the end, the students spent time designing and creating their own "Google Doodle."

"Warm Up With A Book" Reading Challenge

As the weather starts to get colder, what better way to get warm than to cozy up with a book!  

Ms. Taylor and Mrs. Letizia have officially announced their "Warm up with a Book" Reading Challenge!  Every student received their reading challenge grid on December 6th.  Once a bluebird completes the whole grid and hands it into the Main Office, he/she will get a reading award and prize!  This can be completed through the winter months!  

Click here to check out our Bluebirds who completed their Reading Challenges!

Zoe B.

BMPRSS Student Council Snack Drive - Voluntary Activity

Message from Karen Vitti,
Director of Pupil Personnel Services

Mental Health Resources in the Bluebird Nest

Click HERE to go to our BMPRSS Mental Health Resources page. 

Updating Emergency Contact Information

As part of our ongoing commitment to student safety, we are strongly encouraging all families to review and update their emergency contact information in eSchoolData. In the event of an emergency where we are unable to reach a parent or guardian, having accurate and comprehensive contact details is essential.

We kindly ask that you include anyone you trust who might serve as an emergency contact, such as a babysitter, family friend, or relative. Updating this information now ensures that we are prepared in case unforeseen circumstances require us to reach out to someone other than parents.

For your convenience, here is the information we have been sharing in the Weekly Highlights:

Thank you for taking the time to keep this critical information up to date. If you have any questions or need assistance, please don’t hesitate to contact us.

Thanks,

BMPRSS Administration, Faculty, and Staff

Young Engineers Donation Items

We would appreciate if you would look in your house for the items listed below as we would greatly appreciate using them in our Young Engineers’ (STEAM) Program.  Please make sure what is sent in is clean.  

Please drop off all items at our school!

If you have any questions about donations, please email our Young Engineers teacher, Ms. Rosen - mrosen@blindbrook.org


It's Time for Lunch!

Lunch served at our schools this year will be provided by Aramark.  Below is a link to the menus.

February 2025 Lunch Menu

All payments for lunch is through My School Bucks.  Cash is not accepted as payment.

Click here to set-up a My School Bucks account.

For questions in regards to lunch please reach out to our food service provider Aramark at aramark@blindbrook.org 

Important Notes Concerning our School Lunch Program

The Blind Brook-Rye School District utilizes an independent 3rd party, My School Bucks, to process charges and payments to individual student accounts. The parent/guardian sets up this account and decides which options they want to utilize including automatic payment and low balance notices. We do not have access to this information due to privacy concerns and to safeguard personal financial information. If you believe there is an issue with your My School Bucks account, we suggest you contact the company directly. We are unable to intervene on your behalf.


Once this account is set up, you can view your child’s purchases and balances. If you have specific questions concerning individual items purchased, please contact our food service company here.  If you wish to restrict your child’s purchases to only meals or only one additional item per day, you can contact our food service management company  and they will note that in your child’s account. 


If a student’s balance becomes negative and exceeds $50, the student will no longer be allowed to charge supplemental meal items such as snacks, second servings of meal components or additional drinks. However, the Blind Brook-Rye School District will still allow the purchase and charging of a lunch.  Please log into your "My School Bucks" account and check if there is any balance remaining on the account.


If any family is experiencing financial difficulties, please contact our guidance department. They will be able to provide resources and contact information. All personal information provided is strictly confidential.

SEID Webinars

SEID (Supporting Every Individual Difference) Leadership partners with Westchester Independent Living and Putnam Independent Living to put together some wonderful webinars. They are at no cost and are very informative!  These are the dates that have been scheduled, along with the subject of the webinar.

CLICK HERE TO JOIN or scan QR Code Above

Blind Brook PTA - BMPRSS Read-A-Thon!

Read & Get Prizes with BMPRSS Read-A-Thon Jan 27 - Feb 10! 

Ready? Set? Read! Our Read-A-Thon is officially underway!!!


Make sure to activate your child's dedicated reader page, share with friends and family, log their reading, and earn prizes. We suggest doing it with your child so they feel a part of the action. Read on for more info! 


*HOW TO ACTIVATE YOUR CHILD'S READER PAGE:

If you haven't already, be sure to activate your child’s personal reader page. It only takes a minute or two by clicking on this direct activation link: Read A Thon Activation

This account will serve as a hub for recording and monitoring your child's progress as a Reader in the event, and for you to share their Read-A-Thon message with friends and family. 


*HOW TO SHARE YOUR CHILD'S READER PAGE:

Once you've registered, you can share your child's Read-A-Thon page with friends and family via email, text, social media and more, right from the following link with support tools and prizes: Read A Thon Sending Emails


The more you share, the more Read-A-Thon "rat-bucks" your child gets to pick prizes from the prize store. 


*SHORT VIDEO

To learn more, check out this short video (Note: The video also shows you how to sign-up your reader using a flyer in their folders this week, but you can also just use the direct activation link above): You Tube Video


Together, we can make this Read-A-Thon an amazing experience for our young readers!  


If you have any questions, please email bbptafundraising@gmail.com

Blind Brook PTA - Made With Love:  Valentine's Craft Event

Get ready for a delightful, hands-on evening at our Valentine’s Craft Event, designed especially for Grade 2-3 students and one special adult— a parent, grandparent, guardian, or family member! 

Spend quality time together, unleash your creativity, and make unforgettable memories with your little artist! 

Here’s all you need to do:

📢 Note: This is not a drop-off activity — an adult (age 18+) must participate with each child.

Don't miss out on this exciting, laughter-filled evening of creativity and connection! 

We can’t wait to see everyone there and celebrate all the amazing creations made with love!

Blind Brook PTA - Valentines for Seniors:  Sending Love Across Generations

Our Bluebirds are crafting heartfelt Valentine’s cards for the Rye Brook Senior Center now through Monday, February 10!  Members of the PTA and Fun Night Committee will gather the cards and deliver them on February 13 — just in time to brighten their Valentine’s celebration. 

Let’s make their day extra special! 

Blind Brook PTA - Indoor Recess Wish List

Let's stock the classes for indoor recess!

The PTA is excited to share that we've set up an Indoor Recess Amazon Wishlist to help support our teachers and their classrooms. The lists include items the teachers have selected for their individual class. Every contribution big or small makes a difference in providing fun and engaging resources for the students.

You can browse the list each teacher has requested using these links:

K-2 indoor recess wishlist

3-5 indoor recess wishlist

When you are making your purchase, please write the teacher's name in the gift note (it will be shipped directly to RSS). If a teacher is not listed it means they did not request any items.

Please reach out to Ann Sedrish, RSS liaison at bbptarssliaison@gmail.com with any questions. 

Thank you for supporting our schools!

Rye Brook Recreation After School Program Registration

Registration for Rye Brook Recreation's After School Program is going on now.

The Rye Brook Recreation Department coordinates an after school program that is held at the Bruno M. Ponterio Ridge Street School each day of the school year.  If you are interested in having your child in their after school program, please register through Rye Brook Recreation.  Registration is done online. 

Please click HERE to register your child for the Rye Brook Recreation After School Program for the 2024-2025 school year.   

If you have any questions, please contact the Rye Brook Recreation at  https://ryebrookny.gov/activities-programs/ or call 914-939-3235.

Rye Brook Recreation Spring Baseball Program

The Rye Brook Recreation Department has been working hard during the off-season to enhance and strengthen our in-house baseball program. With the growing demand we’ve seen over the past year, it’s clear that the program needs to evolve to keep up with our expanding community.

To enhance the program, we’re partnering with professionally trained coaches to provide the best possible learning and playing experience for our kids. We’ve specifically chosen JustinTime for their expertise—not only are they experienced coaches who’ve played the game, but they are also highly trained in the nuances of youth baseball. With over 15 leagues currently running in the surrounding areas, JustinTime’s focus aligns perfectly with our goal: to expand the program across all age groups and deliver an exceptional experience for our children.


Parent volunteers will continue to play a vital role in the success of the program. We’ve had incredible support from our Rye Brook families in the past, and we look forward to welcoming many new volunteers this year.


Program Details: 

League Structure and Age Divisions


Season Schedule:


Spring baseball will kick off-on April 5th with a parade and celebration!  More information regarding the season-opening festivities will be sent in the coming weeks.


Evaluation & Team Creation

Two evaluation sessions will be held in March and will be conducted by JustinTime Pro Trainers. The goal is to create balanced teams by age group and skill level.


Practices & Games:

Other Fun Highlights:


Registration will OPEN on February 5th on CommunityPass

We’re looking forward to a fantastic season and can’t wait to see you all on the field!

Community Event - Voluntary

Disruptive Devices and Items

While our bluebirds are in school they will be focusing on what is all around them, and should not be distracted by disruptive devices or items.  Our BMPRSS Family Guidebooks have always contained a section dedicated to disruptive devices and items. Please be mindful of the following - which has been in place - and will continue to be in place:

DISRUPTIVE DEVICES/ITEMS

Any equipment/item that interferes with the educational environment is not permitted in the school building or on the school grounds at any time.

The following items are specifically not permitted:

Toys and collectibles (Baseball cards, Football cards, Silly Banz, trading cards, Pokeman cards, any popular/trendy item, etc.) - These items should be left at home and are especially not to be brought to school unless authorized by a member of the BMPRSS administration, faculty, or staff. Trading of these items is also not permitted.

NOTE: This list is not exclusive and any other item that is unsafe or disruptive to the educational process will be prohibited. Students bring personal possessions, inclusive of Nooks, Kindles, and personal iPads, to school at their own risk. NOTE about Nooks, Kindles, personal iPads: Students must have prior permission from an administrator or faculty member. Students bringing these items in do so at their own risk.  As our students all have iPads in our school, there is no reason for a student to bring in his/her own personal iPad.

CAMERAS AND RECORDING DEVICES

Cameras and recording devices may be used in class only with prior approval of the teacher. We understand that there are a lot of phones and devices that have the capability to take photos or videos. Students are not permitted to take photos or videos of other students in school, are not permitted to record anything in the classroom, on school property, or on the school bus. If a student is witnessed doing this, the device may be confiscated.

Transportation Information

If your child is eligible for our bus service, you will receive information in August on the Parent Portal of your child's bus number and bus time pick-up and drop-off.  If you have any questions about bus transportation, bus stops, or pick-up/drop-off times, please reach out to Mr. Juan Zhindon (Head of Transportation) via email: jzhindon@blindbrook.org

If you're found NOT to be eligible for the District's bus transportation you are considered a non-bus student (NBS) will receive an NBS tag to display on your vehicle's rearview mirror.  Information has been sent to families.

Visitors - Photo ID Required

In our effort to maintain a safe and secure environment, all school visitors must enter through the school’s main entrance, provide a valid photo ID, sign in at the security desk, and wear a VISITOR sticker while they are in the building.  If you have a meeting with a teacher, staff member, or administrator, please enter through the Main Entrance as the security monitor will have a list of scheduled meetings.  

Visitors will not be allowed in the building unless there is a scheduled meeting.

Blind Brook District Technology Resources for Families and Students

Please check out this link below for any tech resources that you need!

Also, please do not hesitate to contact our Technology Department if you need any assistance at ANY time:

Mr. Charles Von Hollen - cvonhollen@blindbrook.org

Mrs. Jen Vazquez - jvazquez@blindbrook.org

UPCOMING EVENTS

February 5

District Professional Development Day - 1:30 pm Dismissal

All K-5 students are dismissed at 1:30 pm.

Lunch will be served on this day, but the children will have an abbreviated daily schedule.


February 7

BMPRSS 1st Semester Report Cards

Report Cards will be posted on the Parent Portal at 3:10 pm.


February 11

Blind Brook Board of Education Meeting

BBMS/BBHS Library

7:30 pm


February 12

Bluebird Parent Chat

BMPRSS Cafetorium

6:30 pm


February 13

Blind Brook PTA Meeting

BBMS/BBHS Cafeteria

7:00 pm


February 17 - 21

Winter Recess - No School


February 24

School Resumes