Bruno M. Ponterio

Ridge Street School

Home of the Bluebirds

Weekly Highlights 11/17/25-11/21/25

November is Native American Heritage Month

November is Native American Heritage Month, a time to celebrate the history, cultures, and contributions of Native Americans, American Indians, and Alaska Natives. Also referred to as American Indian and Alaska Native Heritage Month, the observance was first designated in 1990 and is a national opportunity to educate the public about indigenous people, honor their traditions, and recognize their achievements.

Joy Harjo - Native American Poet

Joy Harjo, a member of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation, made history as the first Native American U.S. Poet Laureate. Her poetry explores themes of identity, heritage, and the environment, offering a unique perspective that allows us to appreciate the power of words and storytelling. Joy Harjo is author of eleven books of poetry, including the highly acclaimed, Weaving Sundown in a Scarlet Light: Fifty Poems for Fifty Years, several plays, children's books, and non-fiction works, and two memoirs, Crazy Brave and Poet Warrior.

Here is a video of Joy Harjo read her poem, Remember, which was made into a book: https://youtu.be/ltt9axKm2cA?si=tsC3HAOBOe1XfN0m

Cranberry Thanksgiving

After reading the story, Cranberry Thanksgiving by Wende and a Harry Delvin, Mrs. Krouskoff and Mrs. Bigler's second grade class worked together as a class to make Grandmother’s Famous Cranberry Bread, a special recipe from the story!

It's the "Giving" Time of Year

Mrs. Bal’s fourth grade class recently organized a successful collection of peanut butter jars to support local food pantries. Peanut butter is one of the most requested and valued items among donation centers, as it provides a nutritious, shelf-stable source of protein and is a favorite among families. Thanks to the generosity of students and their families, the class gathered an impressive assortment of jars that will help stock community shelves and support neighbors in need. Their efforts highlight the power of teamwork, empathy, and service within our school community.

BFG Book Club

In honor of our BFG Book Club, students found a special bottle of Friscobble waiting on their desk today! Just like in The BFG, by Roald Dahl, this fizzy, whizpopping drink is a magical reminder of all the fun, adventure, and imagination we’ve shared in our reading journey. This Friscobble, brought a giggle, a sparkle, and a little bit of giant-sized joy to our day!

BMPRSS Student Council has once again teamed up with The Friendly Fridge!!

The Friendly Fridge Network is working to distribute over 1,200 +complete Thanksgiving meals to families in Westchester, Brooklyn, NYC and CT, as well as those served by partner organizations.

Each meal for a family of 4 costs approximately $35-$40 dollars. Please consider donating to the Friendly Fridge wishlist for the sides! This is a VOLUNTARY activity!

To learn more about the Friendly Fridge Network click here - https://www.thefriendlyfridgenetwork.org/

Native American Art Museum

Mrs. DeLuca’s and Mrs. Litchfield’s fourth grade students — Sophia, Celia, and Ray — delivered a glowing five-star review of Mrs. Bal’s Native American Museum. Their enthusiasm absolutely made our day, and the rest of the students were thrilled to hear such wonderful feedback.

Drawing "Peanuts" characters

Last week, fourth-grade teachers Mrs. Litchfield and Mrs. Pedersen, along with our technology facilitator Mrs. Gambino, attended a workshop titled “Unleashing Creativity in the Classroom.” They returned with a variety of innovative ideas to use across the curriculum and share with their students. After exploring different Apple tools, fourth graders built on their knowledge of the Pages app and created original self-portraits inspired by the Peanuts characters.

A highlight of the week was when Emma, Emme, and Rey enthusiastically taught Ms. Taylor how to follow the same steps so she could create her own Peanuts-style character, too!

Greenhouse Activities

The entire Kindergarten planted their spring Tulip bulbs out in the courtyard! Each class planted five (5) beautiful spring colors: red, orange, pink, purple and orange! We can’t wait until spring when all the colors pop out of our planters and brighten up the courtyard! More tulips will soon be planted out front by our bench that is dedicated to Mr. Bruno M. Ponterio.

5th Grade Student Council Greenhouse Activities

Several very enthusiastic BMPRSS Student Council members have been helping in the Bluebird garden! Late Fall is a great time to clean up and put the gardens to bed for the winter months. Vivi, Taylor, Rebecca and Christina have helped pull vines that are done for the season as well as cut Marigolds to save seeds for spring. Our volunteers have been enjoying themselves while learning about how the seasons effect a garden and how we prepare for spring.

Blind Brook PTA - BMPRSS Book Fair: Everything You Need to Know

The RSS Book Fair Is Almost Here!

We’ll be in the Old Gym from Dec. 3–6, and every class will visit during the week. We’ll also offer evening and weekend hours so everyone can get in on the fun.

Go Cash-Free with eWallet

Set up an easy, secure eWallet so kids can shop without carrying cash:
Click here: Set up E-Wallet

We Really Need Volunteers!

The Book Fair is one of the most exciting weeks of the year for our students—and it depends on parent support. Volunteering is fun, low-key, and the kids love seeing familiar faces when they shop.

To Sign up (and see when your child’s class is visiting) here: Class List and Volunteer Sign Up

Extra Shopping Hours

Parent/Teacher Conferences: Friday, December 5, 12:30–3:15
Weekend Shopping: Saturday, December 6, 9:00–12:00

Online Fair

Can’t make it in person? Shop online from Dec. 3–16 for even more selections —
and 25% of every online purchase directly benefits our school.

Online Shopping Includes:

A larger selection of exclusive books, new releases, and value packs
Direct-to-home shipping
FREE shipping on book-only orders over $35

More Information:

Please visit the PTA website and click the Book Fair link: https://blindbrook.givebacks.com/ for all things book fair!!! For any questions you can email Lynda Frischer at laf5305@gmail.com

Let's Play Chess

2025 December Chess Tournament has been open for registration! The tournament will be held on Friday, December 12, and is open to both members and non-members — so please help us spread the word. Tournament sign-up link and details are available in a separate flyer below.

2025 December Chess Tournament: https://forms.gle/P1n3cfzXK2XSCkdSA

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Registration for the 2026 Winter Session is now open! Classes begin January 6 and run for 10 weeks, with sessions offered on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays. All K–12 students and all skill levels are welcome.

Early Bird Offer: Register by November 30 and complete payment to Brian to receive one free class ($35 off)! Please see the flyer below for more details.

2026 Winter Registration Link: https://forms.gle/Gnhd99mTNErgekxx6

Kindergarten Registration for 2026-2027 School Year

CLICK HERE TO LET US KNOW YOU ARE COMING TO KINDERGARTEN IN THE 2026-2027 SCHOOL YEAR!

BB PTA White Post Farms Pies and Not Pies Pickup Information

Community Activities and Programs - Voluntary

BMPRSS STUDENT COUNCIL TOYS FOR TOTS TOY DRIVE

Blind Brook Destination Imagination Booster Club Fundraiser

The Blind Brook Destination Imagination Booster Club is hosting our annual talent show "Blind Brook's Got Talent"

on Saturday, January 24th from 4pm to 6.30pm in the BMPRSS Cafetorium.
This will be a great night to showcase some of Blind Brook's amazing talent and raise money too!
Please click HERE or use the QR Code on the flyer to register!

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

**PARTICIPATION IN THIS FUNDRAISER IS VOLUNTARY**

BMPRSS Main Office - Contact Info

If you need to reach anyone in the BMPRSS Main Office, please make sure you use our Main Office email address and Main Office phone extension:

- - - Email - ridgestreetmainoffice@blindbrook.org
    - Phone - 914-937-3600 x2199

Reporting Absences

If your child will be absent please remember to email all three:

BMPRSS Nurse's Office - rssnurse@blindbrook.org
BMPRSS Attendance Office - rssattendance@blindbrook.org
Your child's teacher

Health Office - Contact Info

Our school nurses are responsible for all matters relating to individual student health issues, including verifying medical excuses, monitoring individual student health matters, emergency intervention, and special programs related to student health.

The BMPRSS Nurse is the main point of contact for:

Parents to inform the school of children's absences
Assessing and caring for infirm children during the school day
Contacting parents to report children's illnesses and injuries
Maintaining and dispensing children's medications
Ensuring that food brought into the classroom (i.e., for parties) is nut-free

We are very happy to have three nurses at our school - Nurse Frannie, Nurse Tara, and Nurse Erica. Please use our Health Office email to contact them about any medical questions! If you need to contact the BMPRSS Health Office PLEASE email rssnurse@blindbrook.org so that ALL of our BMPRSS receive important information.

If your child has severe allergies, or a newly diagnosed medical condition, and you have NOT notified the school at this time, please email rssnurse@blindbrook.org ASAP!

BMPRSS Health Office Email Address: rssnurse@blindbrook.org

BMPRSS Health Office Phone Number: 914-937-3600 x2217

November Lunch Menu

Please click here for the November Lunch Menu!

NutriKids/MySchoolBucks - NutriKids is the system that our cafeteria uses to manage student food purchases. Parents may view what their children purchase in the cafeteria as well as add money to their student's lunch account through My School Bucks. A quick reference guide containing directions on setting up your account can be found at this link. Please note that there is a service charge for putting money on a student's account electronically.

Don't forget! All payment for lunch is through your My School Bucks account. Please click here to set up your My School Bucks account for your child/children! Please see the IMPORTANT NOTE BELOW about our school lunch program.

Important Notes About 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.

Transportation Information

If your child is eligible for our bus service, you will receive information 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. By now, all NBS families should have received information in the mail. If not, please contact the BMPRSS Main Office for your NBS bus info.

We are a "Nut Aware" School and Allergy Aware School!

Dear BMPRSS Families:

The Blind Brook School District has established a Health and Wellness Policy committed to providing a school environment that promotes and protects children's health, well-being, and the ability to learn by fostering healthy eating habits and physical activity.

As a school community, we are committed to the health and safety of our students. We are writing to alert you that some of our students have a type of food allergy that can be particularly serious and, in some cases, life threatening. If the child comes in contact with the offending food (whether airborne, ingested or physical contact) there may be an anaphylactic reaction resulting in the inability to breathe. For this reason, we have a “nut aware” environment at the Bruno M. Ponterio Ridge Street School. Our food service vendor does not sell peanut butter and jelly sandwiches or use peanut oil or any tree nut products in the preparation of the food sold in our cafeteria. Our faculty and staff are trained and take great measures to ensure the safety of our children.

In addition, there are things that you and your children can do to help keep these specific children safe. In particular, please do not send food to school that “contain peanuts or tree nuts”, “may contain nuts”, “are made in a factory that processes peanuts”, or “are made in a facility that makes or processes tree nuts”. If your child eats peanut butter or any product containing tree nuts for breakfast, please have your child wash his/her hands and mouth thoroughly and brush their teeth after eating. This will help avoid contact with any peanut or tree nut residue, which can cause a potentially fatal reaction for a child with a peanut/tree nut allergy. Children who happen to bring a food item to school for lunch, and this item contains or may contain peanuts/tree nuts, will sit at a specifically designated peanut/tree nut table during their lunch period, and they are allowed to ask one friend (who is not allergic to peanuts/tree nuts) to sit with them. Please pack a wipe packet and stress to your children that they must wash their hands after eating their food containing peanuts/tree nuts. (Please note that hand sanitizer is available to all children. We also have a handwashing station in our Cafetorium.)

We are asking you to scrutinize labels and if there is ANY sign of peanuts/tree nuts, please do not bring the food items to the classroom. Our classrooms remain peanut/tree nut free. Any food item that is brought in must contain a label. We recognize that some of our children may have allergies to foods other than peanuts/tree nuts. Our BMPRSS nurses will send out specific information to those classes and grade levels so that everyone is mindful of any allergens. As such, we do NOT condone the sharing of food during lunch time or in the classroom.

For your convenience, we have attached a list of healthy food guidelines and suggestions. If you are sending in a food item not listed in these guidelines, you MUST send in the label. We have taken these measures to protect all of our students. We understand that this may be an inconvenience for many of you, but exposure can be life threatening to some. If you have any questions, you may contact the BMPRSS Health Office at ANY time: 914-937-3600 x2217 or via email rssnurse@blindbrook.org

Thank you for helping keep our children safe!

Tracy Taylor, Principal
Dr. Teresa Letizia, Assistant Principal
BMPRSS Health Office - rssnurse@blindbrook.org

Visitor Information

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 an ORANGE VISITOR LANYARD 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 without a valid Photo ID and a scheduled meeting.

Disruptive Devices and Items

(This includes reference to the NYS Distraction-Free School Law)

At BMPRSS, we strive to create a learning environment where all of our bluebirds can engage fully with the world around them—learning, connecting, and growing together each day. To support a distraction-free environment, we are reminding families of our long-standing expectations around personal devices and disruptive items.

In alignment with New York State’s Distraction-Free Schools Law (NY Education Law § 2803), "Students cannot use devices like smartphones, tablets, and smartwatches (or any device accessing the internet) on school grounds from the start of the school day until the end, including all instructional and non-instructional time." This applies even if the internet or WiFi is turned off. These items must remain off and out of sight during school hours.

As outlined in our BMPRSS Family Guidebook, the following items have always been considered disruptive and should not be brought to school or on school grounds unless authorized by a member of the school staff or administration:

Smartwatches (including those that send/receive messages or connect to the internet)
Phones, tablets, iPods/iPads, hand-held video games
Toys or collectibles, such as Pokémon cards, trading cards, Silly Banz, etc.
Any item that resembles a weapon of any kind
Clickers or noise-making devices

Please note: This list is not exhaustive. Any item that disrupts the learning environment or poses a safety concern will not be allowed in school.

We appreciate your support in helping us maintain a focused and safe learning environment for all our bluebirds!

School Safety Drills

BMPRSS will begin to conduct all of our required fire drills and lockdown drills starting in September for the 2025-2026 school year. Families are required to receive notification of drills prior to the scheduled drills. If you have any questions about these drills, please contact Dr. Letizia - tletizia@blindbrook.org

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:

Log onto the eSchoolData Parent Portal and click on the name of your BMPRSS child.
Click the “Contact Verification” button below your child’s photo.
In the Guardian Information section:
- Ensure that each guardian is assigned a contact priority number. Priority numbers must begin at 1 and cannot be used more than once.
- Ensure that all listed phone numbers are accurate.
- Ensure that guardian email addresses are correct.
In the Emergency Contact Information section:
- Ensure the name and contact information for any adult (over the age of 18) who will be permitted to sign your child out in the case of an emergency.

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

Rye Brook Recreation After School Program

Registration for the 2025-26 RYE BROOK AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAM is now open!

We offer many different options. Below are our monthly fees:

2 days per week: $295

3 days per week: $400

4 days per week: $495

5 days per week: $575

Have a fun & safe rest of the summer. We look forward to providing your child/children with After School care for the upcoming school year.

If you have any questions please feel free to contact Rocky Furano at rfurano@ryebrookny.gov or 914-438-2087.

Rye Brook Recreation Staff

P.S. If you are thinking about sending your child in September, please see click here for the Health and Registration Form that will need to be submitted, along with your child's immunization report, before the start of the program. Email forms to Rocky Furano at rfurano@ryebrookny.gov.

Rye Brook Recreation Activities

FROM RYE BROOK RECREATION

The Village of Rye Brook is offering some new pickleball programs for the Fall. We are offering pickleball for kids and adults from 8 years old to 99, on Saturday mornings at Rye Hills Park. We also have lowered our prices for the programs so it's very affordable to learn or brush up on your pickleball skills. Some of our programs will be at our new 3-court pickleball courts at Garibaldi Park.

See you on the courts!

Rye Brook Recreation

Click here for the Rye Brook Parks and Recreation Department Brochure