Dear BPCE Families,

Welcome back to another school year! In just one short week we will begin the 2025/2026 school year. If you have not yet updated your Skyward app and registered your child for the new school year, please do that. If you have any difficulty with that, please contact the elementary school office or stop in and we can assist you. Also, if your student will be riding a bus to or from school, please reach out to the bus garage (309-772-3153) to confirm your route information, even if your child rode last year.

As a reminder, at BPC staff will only be using school phone numbers, school email and the ParentSquare app to communicate with families. Please do not reach out to staff using personal cell numbers, social media sites or other messaging apps as they have been instructed to communicate with families using only the school approved methods listed above. If you have any questions or concerns about any of this, please do not hesitate to reach out to me.

As you finish gathering  school supplies, please note that students are encouraged to wear tennis shoes every day to school or be able to change for recess and PE. Students are allowed to have water bottles in the classroom, but they must have a sealable lid (no straws) and be 32 ounces or less. Bottles are to have water only and students can not add powders or mixes. The rest of the needed school supplies can be found in the School Supply List on ParentSquare and the district website.

In preparation for the first day of school, we will have Meet the Teacher Night on Wednesday, August 13 from 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm. Your child can come meet their teacher, see the classroom and bring their school supplies to get settled. Our first day of student attendance will be Friday, August 15. Students may begin arriving at 7:45 am and breakfast will be available. Dismissal will be at 3:10 pm on our first day. As in past years, Wednesdays will be an early out day where students will be dismissed at 2:10 pm. The full school calendar can be found on ParentSquare or the district website.

Students attending Preschool will not begin classes until August 21, 2025. We will be holding a Preschool Screening on August 19 between 8:00 am and 2:30 pm. If you or someone you know has a child eligible for preschool, please contact the elementary office (309-772-9464) to schedule an appointment.

Again this year, we will have an After-School Program available on Wednesday afternoons following our 1 hour early dismissal. This program is intended to assist families who are unable to secure childcare as a result of the change in dismissal time. Permission slips and more information will be available at Meet the Teacher Night. The permission slip will need to be returned to school before your child will be allowed to stay. If you have any questions, please contact the elementary school office.

I look forward to seeing you all soon! Please contact me with any questions or concerns! Enjoy your final days of summer vacation!

Mrs. Michelle Rodeffer

BPCE Principal