Student Programs
BESCA plays an important role in organizing and funding a variety of enriching programs at Booksin that contribute to the growth and resilience of every student. From supporting arts and athletics to enhancing educational resources, these initiatives are made possible through the dedication of our incredible parent volunteers and the generous financial contributions from donors. Together, we create a nurturing environment where every child can thrive academically, socially, and emotionally.
Art
Booksin’s parent volunteers have developed an art curriculum to foster imagination and expose students to diverse art styles and techniques. The program, called Art@Booksin, is entirely managed and led by volunteers, with BESCA covering the cost of art materials. Each student receives a different 50 minute monthly art lesson using different materials and techniques such as clay, collage, weaving, drawing, and painting. Every spring, our art program culminates in an annual Art Show, showcasing a piece of art from every Booksin student.
Music
Research shows that music education facilitates academic achievement by improving recall and retention of verbal information, advancing math skills, and boosting reading ability. Sadly, funding for music education has virtually been eliminated from public elementary schools in California without the help of organizations like BESCA. BESCA partners with Rhythm & Moves to provide every classroom with 40 minutes of weekly music education. Lessons are based on the California Visual and Performing Arts Standards for music education.
Garden
Booksin proudly features “The Bulldogs' Backyard Garden,” a fully functioning school garden that serves as an outdoor classroom. Our garden offers students hands-on learning experiences in life science as students participate monthly in the planning, maintenance, and harvesting of the garden. They learn valuable gardening skills, taste fresh fruits and vegetables they grow, and experience the satisfaction of seeing the results of their hard work. Booksin’s garden program is entirely managed and led by volunteers, with BESCA funding the cost of supplies. Every student at Booksin receives a 50 minute garden lesson once per month, and upper-grade students have the opportunity to volunteer as “Garden Guardians,” where they help shape the direction of the garden.
Recess Support
Recess is an essential part of the school day, providing important unstructured time for a child's development. It can also be challenging for school staff, as conflicts and behavior issues can arise during this period. To address this, BESCA has partnered with BGS Kids to promote character building, conflict resolution, and social interaction skills. Our goal is to help students build resiliency and create a positive school climate where they are excited to learn and play.
Project Cornerstone
Project Cornerstone is a community initiative of the YMCA of Silicon Valley that works with more than 400 schools and community partners to change the personal behavior of adults, strengthen programs that serve youth, and impact public policy. Asset Building Champions (ABC) is Project Cornerstone’s literature-based program addressing important issues like respect, tolerance, honesty, peaceful conflict resolution, taking a stand against bullying behaviors, and refusing to participate in gossip. Parent volunteers are trained in the developmental assets model for positive youth development, and meet with their class once per month for a 50 minute lesson where they read a specially selected children’s book and lead related activities and discussions that help teach valuable lessons related to these issues.
After School Theater
Booksin's theater program is an optional after-school enrichment opportunity for 3rd, 4th, and 5th-grade students. The program culminates in a spring production following approximately three months of rehearsals. Entirely volunteer-led, this program is made possible by the dedication of a volunteer director and parent team committed to delivering a professional yet affordable experience. BESCA partially sponsors the theater program, covering essential costs like facility and licensing fees, while participant donations fund the remaining expenses. The program benefits the entire Booksin community, as the student performers present two special productions during school hours for the entire student body to enjoy.
Field Trips and Grade Level Funds
There's nothing more fun for our students than field trips! Each grade level receives funds from BESCA to use toward field trip and grade-level educational expenses for the year. Past field trips include visits to Ardenwood Farm, Mission San Juan Bautista, the San Jose Museum of Art, the San Jose Tech Museum, and many more! In addition, a highlight of 5th grade is spending a week at the YMCA’s Camp Campbell, an overnight outdoor science camp, in the spring. BESCA supplements the cost of science camp to ensure that it is affordable for every student to attend.
Teacher Funds
Teachers spend hundreds or even thousands of dollars of their own money to buy supplies and materials for their classrooms. BESCA provides a dedicated fund for each teacher to use to supplement their classroom materials to help them purchase what they need to successfully teach our students. We want our teachers to be free to give their best to our students without the personal financial burden.