Fact Sheet 1999-2000

B.F. Day has a long and proud history of educating children in Seattle. We are the oldest, continually operating school in the city. Our building is a designated historic landmark having undergone state-of-the-art renovation in 1991.

B.F. Day has an outstanding record of parent and community participation in school governance and support. Our school was one of the first Seattle elementary schools to institute a Site Council with staff, parent and community participation. We have an active Parent Teacher Student Association (PTSA), which supports the many special programs offered to our students. A Parent Volunteer Coordinator helps place parent and community volunteers in classrooms, the library and tutoring programs. In 1996, B.F. Day instituted a Parent/Teacher/Student contract signed by all teachers and families attending the school. Parents make a commitment to volunteer a minimum of 15 hours per family to support the school. Eighty percent of all B.F. Day families currently fulfill this commitment.

B.F. Day has a long-term relationship with the Fremont Arts Council, which provides volunteer involvement for school art, projects. The Fremont Chamber of Commerce partners with the school for annual fundraising activities. Our neighbors, Adobe Systems and Getty Images, provides technology and resources to the school.

Academic Focus

School Demographics

B.F. Day has a diverse population of students and staff. Our teachers have developed an award winning multicultural curriculum integrated into classroom instruction. B.F. Day is a designated bilingual center.

B.F. Day has a safe school environment with supervised recess. Our school's incidence of disciplinary infractions is below the district average.

Check the calendar for the time and dates for the following events:

B.F. Day has an on-site before-and after-school program, and summer camp, administered by the Wallingford Boys and Girls Club.
B.F. Day is an official ALO (Advanced Learning Opportunities) School.
B.F. Day has an active Art Committee, coordinating special art projects including the Tile Mural, Banner project and Artist-in-Residence programs.
B.F. Day implements the School-to-Work Village Program. Students learn about the work world, create products to sell and engage in mock trade at an all-school fair. Students also provide a public service.
Since 1992, B.F. Day has offered an innovative Family Night Dinner Program, providing unique Friday sit-down dinners with special programs. Dinners are open to the entire school community. Past programs featured lectures, art activities and student and professional dance, musical and dramatic performances representing the many cultures present at our school.
Our All Aboard Enrichment Program funded by the PTSA provides free classes in dance, foreign language, woodworking and many other subjects. B.F. Day has a free after-school academic tutoring program to assist students with reading math and writing.

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Kindergarten Reading and Writing at B.F. Day

In the Kindergarten program children are offered many opportunities to make connections between reading and writing. Our program employs different themes, and each theme includes a collection of related literature. Children are encouraged to personally respond to the literature through drawing and writing in their journals.

Kindergarten projects involve various modes of writing, such as creating posters and invitations, making class books, story innovations and writing letters and reports on an individual and group basis. Children are also given an opportunity to write letters and words through our phonics study of the alphabet.

Some of the themes include opportunities for learning centers where children may work independently, in pairs or in small groups to complete interdisciplinary activities. These activities also provide opportunities for different modes of writing.

Our Kindergarten students participate in Literature Circles. Our older students facilitate the circles which discuss particular books.

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School Lunch: $1.75— Funds for multiple meals may be placed in the student’s ‘account’ with lunchroom manager and accessed by the student on those days a hot lunch and/or milk is desired. Free or reduced price breakfasts and lunches are available for those who qualify. Free and Reduced-Price Meal application forms are mailed to all households if you have enrolled in Seattle School by mid August. The number of qualifying (even if you don't use it) students in a school determines some funding for B. F. Day students. Filling out these documents when you receive them in the summer and mailing them in to Nutrition Services, as noted on the form, eliminates a lot of potential problems at the beginning of the school year. You must fill out this form every year to utilize the program. Forms are also available in the school office and can be turned in there.