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No school next week: Monday, November 24th – Friday, November 28th.
Classes will resume Monday, December 1st. |
| Please take a little time during the break to label your child’s winter gear with their first and last name. |
| A Community Simmered in Gratitude: Reflections on the Week |
| This past week has reminded me in the most beautiful ways what a remarkable community we are privileged to be part of. It began on Saturday, when students and their families gave up their morning to decorate our Cosmic Community Tree in Cathedral Square Park for the 2025 Milwaukee Holiday Lights Festival. As our group headed to the tree, the morning drizzle gave way to the scent of evergreens, hot cocoa warming chilly hands, and nostalgic holiday music, punctuated by bursts of laughter, drifting through the park. Children eagerly hung ornaments created by students across our school, Mr. and Mrs. Clause handed out candy canes, and serendipitously, we ran into friends decorating a neighboring tree. Even the weather seemed to join in the celebration, magically shifting from cold and rainy to sunny and warm, as if Mother Nature herself were grateful for the joy unfolding around us.
A heartfelt thank you to all the groups and individuals who contributed hand made ornaments, and to the adolescents in Ms. Jamie and Ms. Cathy’s class, whose small origami stars inspired the striking oversized star that now crowns the tree. That remarkable topper was envisioned and created by students Natalie Mathy and July Newborn, who applied the mathematical principles they’ve been studying to build something truly extraordinary. The tree, in all of its stellar splendor, will be on display until January 1st, 2026. We hope this becomes an annual tradition where we craft ever more elaborate designs year after year.
On Wednesday, I had the honor of witnessing something truly beautiful at our Lower Campus. The K5 students in Ms. Alethea’s and Ms. Emily’s classes – guided with care and creativity by parent Becca Marten – performed “Stone Soup”, the classic European folktale that reminds us how generosity, cooperation, and small acts of kindness can transform an entire community.
In the story, a traveler arrives with nothing but a stone and a pot of water, slowly encouraging wary villagers to each share just a little of what they have. What begins as almost nothing becomes a meal that nourishes everyone. Watching our students bring that message to life moved me more than I expected. Their voices, their enthusiasm, and their pride onstage brought tears to my eyes reminding me of how fortunate I am to be part of this community – of the teachers and staff who work far beyond what anyone ever sees, of the smiling children who greet us every morning, of the families who stop by to help, donate, or support events without ever being asked, and of the extraordinary individuals who consistently create magic out of nothing.
The experience didn’t end with the performance. The entire first floor filled with the comforting scents of rosemary and thyme as parent Sam Ek prepared a real pot of Stone Soup, built from ingredients our students brought from home. It was a delicious celebration of flavor – warm, savory, and made even more special by the loaves of homemade bread, still warm from the oven, lovingly baked by parent Crystal Vallance. We’re grateful to Sam for sharing the recipe for the exact Stone Soup our community created and enjoyed together. You’ll find it included below for anyone who wants to bring a little of that warmth into their own home this season.
In the day-to-day bustle, it’s easy to forget how blessed we are. But moments like children decorating a tree in the crisp morning air, a school hallway scented with soup and fresh bread, and the joyful work of hands creating something together remind us of the extraordinary community we share.
As we head into the Thanksgiving holiday, I want to extend my deepest gratitude to all of you and wish you all a joy, peace, and rest. Thank you.
If you or your family could use support this season, please know you are not alone. We’ve included a list of local meal sites and holiday food distribution opportunities below so please take what you need or share with anyone who may benefit.
Wishing you all a peaceful, restorative, and joy-filled Thanksgiving. |
| BVM’s version of Stone Soup | Recipe written by parent Sam Ek
Ingredients
1 stone, preferably a really cute one.
4 onions, small dice
8 small carrots, small dice
1 bunch of celery, small dice
10 cloves garlic, minced
4 oz tomato paste
4 Tbsp avocado oil
2 cups corn
2 cups spinach
2 cups potatoes, small dice
2 cups tomatoes, small dice
2 cups green beans, cleaned, 1-inch batons
8 qt mushroom stock (or veggie stock)
8 dry shitake mushrooms
8 bay leaves
6 sprigs of rosemary
8 sprigs of thyme
8 sprigs of oregano
1 bunch of parsley, chopped
1 bunch scallions, chopped
6 tbsp salt
2 tbsp black pepper, ground
½ cup corn starch
½ cup water
Directions
1. Sweat onions, garlic, carrots, celery & tomato paste in oil until translucent. Add stock.
2. Add corn, potatoes, tomatoes, green beans – simmer 30 minutes until soft.
3. Add shitakes, bay leaf, rosemary, thyme, oregano, salt and pepper.
4. Add corn starch and water.
5. Finish with parsley and scallion.
6. Add stone. Stir and enjoy. |
| Reminder: Dine and Donate: Sunday Morning Coffee Edition |
| Brew-Jas Coffee House
3062 S. 13th Street, Milwaukee, WI 53215
This Sunday, November 23 | 9:00 am – 1:00 pm
Brew-Jas Coffee House is Indigenous and Latino owned by John and Marissa, whose mission is simple: to spread joy and coffee. They’ve graciously offered to donate 10% of all sales during the event to support Bay View Montessori! Come sip, shop, and connect with other BVM families while supporting our school and a local small business and perhaps even wish John a happy belated birthday! |
| Make holiday shopping a breeze with Marcus Movie Tickets! Forms are due Friday, December 5th. Tickets will distributed before the winter break. |
| Student Lead Community Support Projects |
| Girl Scouts Cat Food & Supply Drive
Our 4th Grade Girl Scout troop is leading a Cat Food & Supply Drive to support Second Hand Purrs, a nearby no-kill cat shelter located right on Howell Avenue. The drive will run from just after Thanksgiving through the start of Winter Break, with beautifully decorated donation boxes available at both Upper and Lower Campus. Your generosity will help provide essential nutrition and care for cats in need. The shelter is requesting:
Clorox Wipes (no Lysol or generic brands)
Hand Sanitizer
Fancy Feast canned food
Dry cat food: Purina One, Purina Pro Plan, or IAMS
Tomter’s Toys for Tots
In the spirit of the season, Mr. Tomter’s class is partnering with the Toys for Tots campaign to bring holiday cheer to children across our community. Families are invited to donate new, unwrapped toys as these small contributions that can have an outsized impact. Collection bins will be available at school, and every gift helps ensure that no child is left without a moment of joy this holiday season.
Bay View Community Center Food Drive organized by students in Ms. Emma’s Class – Ira Brhely, Allison Fisher, and Ben Keto
We, Ira Brhely, Allison Fischer, and Ben Keto, are setting up donations to the Bay View Community Center. We chose this topic to do a good deed in the world. No matter what happens, there’s still good in this world. Everyone deserves food, water and love but not a lot of people have all that. We have multiple bins around the school, so drop by and donate if you can. Everyone knows that poverty, like sickness, can not be eradicated, but we can help stop it in our community, little by little. Drive goes from December 1st to January 9th
WE NEED:
Jam/jelly
Cereal
Pasta and pasta sauce
Mac and cheese
Canned chicken or tuna
Individually wrapped, single serving snacks
Toilet paper
Dish soap/laundry detergent
Menstrual care items like tampons
Please Support Us.
Winter Holiday Placemats for Seniors
Decorate placemats for Thanksgiving or another winter holiday meal delivery for low-income seniors in Milwaukee and throughout southeastern Wisconsin. Community Projects for Seniors Holiday Meal Program delivers free, hot-and-hearty, ready-to-eat meals on Easter, Thanksgiving, and Christmas to approximately 4,000 low-income seniors living in subsidized apartment buildings. A kid-designed holiday placemat is delivered with each meal! Individuals who sign up for a meal usually don’t have family in the area (or at all), don’t have a place to go for the holidays (or access to transportation), can’t easily walk or drive (due to weather and/or a disability), can’t afford to buy a holiday meal or find it physically challenging to cook. Meal recipients report that they love their Holiday Meals; not just the yummy food, but also the loving experience volunteers provide them. This is where our kids come in!
Decorate a paper placemat for the holidays for low-income seniors in Milwaukee and throughout southeastern Wisconsin.
Pick out a piece of paper. Whatever you have at home is great!
(Construction paper size: 11×17 is ideal but 8.5×11 works too!)
Select your favorite medium: sharpies, crayons, paints, colored pencils, etc.
Feel free to add some bling: sequins, puffy paint, glitter glue, etc. Sky is the limit!
Consider adding a one-liner joke or an inspirational phrase or word. Keep these positive and bright or humorous and fun!
Ask your child to write their first name, age, and “Kids Impact Community” somewhere on their completed placemat.
Your kids will create human connections, help fight loneliness, and build community by brightening the lives of senior citizens who are in need of some extra love this holiday season.
Create these placemats at your home and drop off at either office before December 17th.
Thank you for helping our students make a meaningful impact in our community! |
| MPL 2025 Book Sale and “Wish-cycling: Creating Art from Contamination” Exhibit at Central Library |
| Sponsored and staffed by The Friends of the Milwaukee Public Library volunteers, the very popular quarterly Book Sales feature thousands of books marked down to bargain prices. The book sales are always an exciting event typified by the—ahem—enthusiasm of the participants!
Cold weather is not that far away, so get ready to Warm up with a NEW Book at the Winter 2025 Friends of MPL Kids’ NEW Book Sale. Need a gift for a child with a winter birthday? Looking for new books for a classroom? Want to stock up on books for the kids in your life to read during the snowy winter days to come? This is your once-a-year opportunity to purchase brand new books for pre-readers, young readers, tweens and teens while supporting programming at MPL and the branch libraries.
The one-day-only sale will be held on Saturday, November 22 from 9am-4pm in the Rotary Community Room on the first floor at Central Library.
Most of the NEW books will be $2-$6. In addition, check out the $1 bargain corner of new kids’ paperback books. And don’t forget to stop by The Bookseller across the hall from the Rotary Community Room for used books, media and magazines, Little Free Library boxes, grab bags and more.
While you’re at Central Library don’t forget to stop by the “Wish-cycling: Creating Art from Contamination” exhibit featuring work from Ms. Angela’s class, open November 8–30. |
| Art Room Donations Needed |
THIN CARDBOARD (PREFERRED)
THICK CARDBOARD
TOILET/PAPER TOWEL ROLLS
ANY FABRIC
**SMALL ANIMAL FIGURINES**
Donations can be dropped off in the office, or students can drop off at the art room.
All cardboard and recyclable donations are ALWAYS accepted through the year! |
| Planning Meeting for May Fundraiser |
| Tuesday, December 2nd at 5:30 pm | Upper Campus East Cafeteria
Virtual Link: meet.google.com/wwx-zygt-bkn
Each spring, the PTO and the FUND host our major adults-only fundraiser, which has helped make big projects possible such as playground improvements and expanded environmental learning experiences.
As we begin planning for this year’s event, there is a growing conversation about how we can best support programs that enrich our students’ experience and keep them thriving. Our beloved strings program, in particular, may benefit from a little extra attention to ensure it remains as vibrant and accessible as it is today. Your perspective could make a meaningful difference.
Please join us at the upcoming planning meeting on December 2nd at 5:30 pm as we determine which school initiatives should be prioritized this year. The decisions we make together now will help preserve the opportunities our students enjoy and shape what’s possible for the year ahead. |
| BVM Students at 2025 Holiday Folk Fair International |
| Holiday Folk Fair International celebrates the cultural heritage of the people living in southeastern Wisconsin. This year’s theme is “Celebrate the Culture of Traditional Music” and it turns out our own students will be performing with a number of different groups! Come and see our kids represent Irish, Italian, Ukrainian, and Polish cultures (among many others!) on Sunday morning during the Children’s Showcase. If you have children that are participating, please let us know so we can cheer them on extra loud! Or stop by the chess tournament and quietly cheer on BVM’s chess club.
Special attractions include invited international performers from Poland and Utah, plus groups representing Japan, photographic exhibits, cultural murals produced by Milwaukee Public Schools students, the Artisan Corner, the Dirty Kettle Native American interactive display, the Milwaukee Area Woodturners, a Children’s Area, a bonsai exhibit, and Senior Day activities.
Friday, Nov 21, 2 pm – 9 pm
Saturday, Nov 21, 10 am – 9 pm
Sunday, Nov 22 10 am – 6 pm
For more information on the 2025 Holiday Folk Fair International, visit Folk Fair or call 414-225-6225. |
| Nominate an Inspiring Teacher |
| Do you know a teacher who’s making a real difference in the lives of Milwaukee students? The Milwaukee Metropolitan Association of Commerce (MMAC) is accepting nominations for its “Ignite the Spark” Teacher Award Program—aimed at recognizing classroom teachers across all grade bands who create inspirational, inclusive learning environments. All educators with primary teaching or co-teaching responsibilities in a Milwaukee building are eligible. Honorees will be announced in May 2026 and will receive classroom or professional development funding, recognition by the business community, and opportunities to engage in meaningful dialogue for educator support and retention.
Nominate a teacher today: Nomination Form |
| Order Classroom Group Pictures |
| If you would like to order group class pictures, the link to order is active now until 1/4/26. Group pictures will be delivered to the school the week back from winter break.
Order at: https://srphotos.accessmyevent.com/729125 |
| Vote for Your Favorite “I Voted Early” Sticker Design! |
The Milwaukee Election Commission and Milwaukee Public Schools are excited to share the finalists for the “I Voted Early” Sticker Design Contest!
Students, families, and staff from across MPS sent in amazing designs and now it’s your turn to help pick the winners!
Vote online November 17 – December 17, 2025
Head to www.milwaukee.gov/election to see the finalists and cast your vote.
Winning designs will be printed as official “I Voted Early” stickers for the 2026–2027 elections and handed out to voters all over the city!
Let’s show our Milwaukee pride and make voting something to celebrate. |
| A Very Merry Milwaukee Event hosted by Milwaukee County Historical Society |
| A Very Merry Milwaukee
Sunday, December 7th, 2025 | 10am – 1pm
MCHS | 910 N. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive
Join MCHS for a Very Merry holiday celebration!
Bring the whole family to experience the magic of the season at Very Merry! Kids and parents alike can take photos with Santa, make festive holiday crafts, and sip on delicious hot chocolate while enjoying cookies straight from Mrs. Claus’ kitchen.
Free Event!
It’s the perfect way to kick off the holiday season with family fun, treats, and memories to last a lifetime. Don’t miss this cozy holiday gathering! |
| MPS Invest and Grow Community Meetings |
| Join MPS Academic Superintendents at meetings across the city to hear important updates and give feedback.
Leadership will be making the rounds from November 2025 through May 2026 to present information to students, families, staff, and community members. Sessions are hosted on Wednesdays from 6:00–7:30 p.m. Refreshments will be served.
BVM will be hosting a community meeting on April 22nd, 2026.
For dates and locations, go to mpsmke.com/investgrow. |
| Halal Turkey Drive-Thru Giveaway
They will be distributing one Halal turkey per family, along with lentils, rice, canned corn, and green beans provided by Islamic Relief USA and Hunger Task Force.
Saturday, November 22nd | 11 am – 1 pm
5000 W Electric Ave, West Milwaukee, WI
Register
Thanksgiving Meal Giveaway at Gee’s Clippers
They will be giving away 500 turkeys, hams, and all the sides to make your holiday complete. First come first served.
Saturday, November 22nd | 1:30 pm
2200 N Dr MLK Dr, Milwaukee, WI
Turkey Giveaway and Dinner made possible annually by Chris Abele
They will be giving away one turkey per household. It is a drive up only event and you must stay in your vehicle.
Monday, November 24th | 12 pm – 2:30 pm (While Supplies Last)
1730 S 13th Street, Milwaukee, WI
Free Thanksgiving Meals
You are invited to come inside from the outdoors, sit down, fellowship, and enjoy a hot, delicious, free Thanksgiving meal.
Monday, November 24, 2025 | 3:00 pm – 4:30 pm
King Center | 1531 W Vliet St
St. Vincent De Paul | 931 W Madison St
2025 Thanksgiving Meal Sites
Saturday, November 22nd | 11:30 am – 12:30 pm
Gathering @ Ascension | 123 S Layton Blvd
Saturday, November 22nd | 11:30 am – 12:30 pm
Gathering @ Running Rebels | 1300 W Fond du Lac Ave
Saturday, November 22nd | 11:30 am – 12:30 pm
Gathering @Mt Carmel | 8424 W Center St
Sunday, November 23rd | 11:15 am – 12:45 pm
Open Door Cafe | 831 N Van Buren St
Tuesday, November 25th | 5 pm
All Saints Church | 4060 N 26th St
Tuesday, November 25th | 5 pm – 6 pm
Metropolitan Meal | 1345 W Burleigh St
Tuesday, November 25th | 6 pm – 7 pm
Koinonia Family Center | 2944 N 9th St
Thursday, November 27th | 11:30 am – 1 pm
Repairers of the Breach | 1335 W Vliet St
Thursday, November 27th | 12 pm -12:45 pm
SVDP Crossroads Kitchen | 931 W Madison St
Thursday, November 27th | 12 pm -12:45 pm
SVDP Harambee Kitchen | 2600 N 2nd St
Thursday, November 27th | 1:30 pm
St. Ben’s Meal | 924 W State St |
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