Our current month has been nothing short of a whirlwind with new school beginnings, fresh faces joining our program, and the familiar rhythm of life falling back into place. After a splendid two-month summer break, witnessing our students return to school has filled our hearts with joy.

In addition to our regular monthly newsletter, I personally wanted to craft this letter as a way to connect with you on a deeper level.

It's a chance to share my thoughts on parenting, offer educational resources, life hacks, and hopefully bring an extra layer of value beyond our usual emails.

Speaking of which, if you're familiar with my personal journey, you'd know that I also have a full-time position at a Biotech company.

I'm part of a small team of three, reporting directly to the CTO. Last week, we had a delightful get-together in the Bay Area.

Even though my team is entirely remote, the opportunity to spend time together was invaluable.

I had a chance to express my thoughts for nearly 30 minutes with CTO, and it felt wonderful to know that my opinions truly matter to my colleagues.

I cherish intimate group environments because they echo our fundamental wish for our thoughts, efforts, and inputs to be recognized, regardless of their size. 

This perspective aligns perfectly with how we view the distinctiveness of our afterschool program.

Each day, we have three dedicated teachers looking after a group of twelve energetic kids. 

• The younger ones engage in Spanish/Chinese storytelling led by our bilingual teacher, while the 2nd to 3rd graders receive guidance from a tutor.

• Our older children are led by an experienced director who's dedicated to nurturing their leadership skills. 

• We make sure to create an environment where they can express their thoughts freely, and it warms our hearts to witness their satisfaction when they're heard by both their peers and teachers.

This approach is something I truly value, and I believe that even as we transition to a larger space, maintaining our teacher-to-student ratio of 1:4 for the afterschool program is vital.

Lately, I've been quite occupied with the search for a bigger location.

It's not about expanding the business; it's about having distinct spaces   for our afterschool program and cooking classes.

This expansion aligns perfectly with our mission to continue serving the community, families, and schools with our unique offerings.

Today, I received some exciting news – the owner approval for our rental application!

I can imagine you might have a bunch of questions popping up: Where is it located? Will it mean a longer commute for afterschool pickup? How many kids will we accommodate?

I promise, I'll address all of these in an upcoming email as I'm buzzing with excitement and need to fine-tune the announcement details.

So, what does this development mean for all of us and our programs? It's quite the change:

- BCD Art and Music Studio will transform into BCD ART MUSIC SCHOOL at our current location.

- Our Afterschool program will now stand alone as BCD Academy at the new location.   

- Afterschool kids might enjoy the benefits of both locations, broadening their experiences.

- We'll have room for more cooking classes and perhaps even a Kung Fu class (a bit of humor never hurts!). 

- And, most importantly, it means a lot to our wonderful parents. 

Remember, we're not just a school – we're a community center that supports local businesses, the SSF/SB school district, and the Peninsula families. Exciting times are ahead in the next couple of months.

I won't pretend that the first year was easy, nor was the second. Challenges have come our way, but we've embraced them wholeheartedly. The relationships we've formed with you, the support you've shown, and the love we have for our students are what keep us going.

I truly hope you've enjoyed this letter from me. I'm eager to hear your suggestions or any questions you might have.

See ya next month!

Warm regards,

Emma