We are continuing to raise money so that we can provide BxC students with the wide variety of rich experiences that all children deserve. Meeting our 2008-09 fundraising goals will enable us to:
1) Provide a Drumming Program We hope to fund a Latin and African percussion program for our students. This program would provide instruction in African and Latin drumming, teach them about the cultural context and significance of African and Latin drumming, and provide them with opportunities for independent exploration and experimentation with the drums to encourage their creativity and self-expression.
2) Meet the Social and Emotional Needs of Students and Families We wish to provide an expanded counseling program to further meet the social and emotional needs of our students. This would enable the counselor to spend more time in classrooms and collaborating with teachers, devote more resources to developing relationships with families and connecting them with community resources, and offer workshops on a wide variety of topics for families and for staff.
3) Focus on Health and Fitness We would like to participate in a holistic health and fitness partnership with Montefiore Hospital’s School Health Program. This program will connect BxC staff with outside expertise in order to cook healthy food with students in the classroom, discuss issues of health with students in meaningful ways, and take part in fitness programs.
4) Plan for Our Future Facility We need to plan for our future facility needs by working with development groups and architects to plan a permanent facility for BxC.
On Tuesday, September 2nd, BxC welcomed its 100 founding students. Half of them had come for an open house the previous week and rushed right to the teachers they had met at that time. The other half arrived anxious to meet their teachers, and were warmly welcomed in. The preparation of the BxC staff was evident in the smoothness of the day, with students moving easily from buses and cars to their classes to recess and lunch.
