Roosevelt Ravens Review
August 2019
Welcome Back to the 2019-20 School Year!
Welcome back everyone. I am really excited to get the school year rolling. We have been busy through the summer hiring new staff members and preparing for new programs to our school. As many of you know, we are now home to the K-5 behavior program and we are adding the Roosevelt preschool back to our campus. As a result of these programs, we have added a lot of supports to our school. We now have a full-time counselor, a school psychologist that will work 4 days a week in our building, a full-time mental health therapist (on top of the two days a week of our BHR therapist), and a significant increase in paraeducator time. We have a full-time behavior technician, and I have hired a half-time Dean of Students.
Construction Update
Construction is moving along at a lively pace these days. The school is filled with contractors and sub-contractors, busily trying to get the school ready for the Fall. By the time school begins, most of the construction will be done. The gym and cafeteria will be complete, along with a new look at the front of the school, with new procedures for parking and pick-up/drop-off. More details to come as we get closer to the beginning of the school year.
Class Placement and Family Access Through Skyward
I will have all class placements finalized and ready for viewing on Friday, August 30th. You will be able to see your child’s new teacher by accessing Family Access through Skyward. If you do not have access to Family Access (or have never tried to access it before) now is a good time to try. You can access Skyward through the home page of the Roosevelt website. When looking in Family Access, please make sure your contact information (including your email address) is current and up to date.
Supply Lists
Supply lists are all available on the Roosevelt website. There is one supply list for each grade level. The supply lists are no longer individualized by teacher. My hope is that this will help you be able to buy supplies earlier in the summer and do not have to wait for the class lists to be published. The teachers have worked hard to consolidate and streamline the lists.
Back to School Ice Cream Social and Supply Drop Off
Please join us on September 3rd, for our annual Back to School event. Beginning at 3:30, the classrooms will be open and teachers will be available to help organize school supplies in the classroom. At 4:00, the classrooms will close and everyone will be directed outside for an ice cream social on the playground behind the school. This is a great time to see friends and say hello to everyone before school starts the next day.
Roosevelt Equity Council Meeting, September 19th from 6:00-7:00 PM
Beginning in September, the Roosevelt equity council will meet monthly through the year. The group will use an equity lens to critically analyze school structures and practices that are currently in place. The ultimate goal of our work is to break down historical barriers that are in place for students and families that come from traditionally underserved subgroups. One major goal of our work this year is going to be working to improve family engagement practices. This meeting is open to anyone who is interested in attending.
Early Release Days in September
Every Wednesday through the school year will be a 50-minute early release. Students will release on Wednesdays at 2:42 PM. During this 50-minute early release, teachers will be working together to align their instruction and design intervention/enrichment activities for students. As this time is very limited, please make sure to pick-up your students promptly at 2:42 PM on these days. In September, every Wednesday (11th, 18th, and 25th) will be early release days. The first day of school is not included. September 4th is a full day with dismissal at 3:32 PM.
School Hours, Drop-Off, and Pick-Up
Regular school hours are from 9:10 AM-3:32 PM. Please make plans to be at school no later than 9:05 AM. The gym and cafeteria will open in the morning at 8:55 AM. Students should not be at school before 8:55 AM.
When dropping off and picking up, there are a few things to know. The turn-around in the front of the school is for quick drop-off and pick-up. While in the turn-around, it is essential that you pull forward as far as possible and remain in your vehicle at all times. If you need to come and pick your student up from the office or from a teacher, you should park in the main lot or on the streets surrounding the school and walk in for pick-up. Please do not park in the turn-around. These tips help pick-up and drop-off go smoothly.
Attendance Information
Attendance throughout the school year is critical for success in school. In order to set your child up for success, it is important to arrive on-time and stay through the entire school day. Please try to arrange vacations and appointments with the school day in mind. If you need to be gone for more than 3 school days, you will need to complete a planned absence request form. All of our attendance policies are available for viewing on the Roosevelt website. Simply navigate to the attendance button at the top of the page. It is important to read the criteria for excused and unexcused absences. Attendance letters and meetings with school administration may become necessary at the point that a student has three or more unexcused absences. To excuse an absence, you will need to call the attendance line at 360-596-6703. You should add the main line and the attendance line to your contacts in your cell phone now. That way you will always have them available when you need them.
Picture Day in September
Mark your calendars now for individual picture day. Pictures will be taken on Wednesday, September 16th during the school day.
Curriculum Night and Conference Week
Curriculum night will be held on Thursday, September 26th, beginning at 6:00 PM. Kindergarten through second grade will go first from 6:00-6:45. Mr. Shaughnessy will speak to families in the gym from 6:50-7:10. Third through fifth grade classrooms will present from 7:15-8:00. During curriculum night, you can expect to hear a presentation from your teacher regarding curriculum and instruction for the year. This is a time for parents to gain an understanding of what to expect in terms of learning for the year. Individual family conferences will be held in October. This will be a time set aside to discuss topics related to your individual child.
Conference week will be held on October 22nd, 23rd, 24th, and 25th. These will be half days for students. School will dismiss at 12:15 PM. Conferences will be held between the hours of 1:00 PM and 4:00 PM on each of the 4 days listed above. Scheduling for conferences will begin in late September via Skyward. Please make sure you are signed up for a Skyward account so you can schedule your conference with your child's teacher.
Lost and Found and Labeling of Clothing
Take time this summer to label all removable clothing with your child’s first and last name. Coats, hats, gloves, etc. will be returned to your child if you write the name. Otherwise it will be held in the lost and found for a short period of time and then donated to a local charity. Help us eliminate the need for a lost and found by labeling clothing at the beginning of the year.
Volunteer Application (Great Idea to Do It Now)
We love our parent volunteers! However, in order to volunteer in the school (including field trips), you must complete a volunteer application. Volunteer applications must be done every school year. You can find a link to the volunteer application on the home page of the Roosevelt website. Please take time to do the application now. It is a very frustrating experience to get to the day of a field trip and learn that you cannot go because the application was not complete. The application takes a couple of days to process. This is why it is a good idea to do it now.
Recycling and Compost Program at Lunch
Roosevelt Ravens are leading the way in recycling and composting. We have a very strong program at our school where students are involved in learning how to be environmentally responsible. If you plan to send lunch from home, please send re-useable containers or paper bags. Limit the use of plastics, which can only go into a landfill. Let’s see if we can eliminate the need for a garbage container by using only recyclable and re-usable materials!
Kindergarten Information for New Families
The first day of Kindergarten will be Monday, September 9th. School will begin at 9:10 AM and will dismiss at 3:32 PM. All families should receive a letter from your new teacher in mid-August. This letter will let you know who your teacher is for the year and let you know when your family meeting is scheduled for. The first three days of school (September 4th, 5th, and 6th) are used for family meetings. Supply lists are available right now through the school’s website.
All school communications will be sent through email. Please take time this summer to gain access to Skyward (Family Access) and update your personal information. It is essential that you have an email address listed in Skyward. This email address is used for all school communications. Please contact the main office with any questions.
On September 9th, you will meet your teacher in the front of the school, near the flag pole. Students will gather in the front of the school for the first week. This will help the students acclimate slowly. The teachers will work with you and your student to know when and how to line up in the gym with the rest of the school, beginning on or around the week of September 16th. Parents are encouraged to come into the classroom on the first day of school. This will help students settle into the new classroom and get comfortable before you leave for the day. We typically have parents stay for the first 30 minutes of the day on the first day. If your child has difficulty separating from you, we will work with you to create a supportive plan for your child.
Take a minute this summer to label your child’s clothing. Typically, this includes coats, hats, gloves, etc. All of the things that a child might remove at recess because they get too hot. If you write a name on the tag on the inside, we will make sure to return the clothing. Otherwise, it will be held in the school’s lost and found.
Also, remember to include a change of clothes in your child’s backpack. This can save you valuable time if your child gets wet or dirty during the day. If we have a change of clothes, we can help them get changed. Otherwise, we will have to call for support.
Upcoming Events
- August 19th: Office opens to the public 9:00-2:00 M-F
- September 3rd: Back to school event @ 3:30 PM
- September 4th: School begins for grades 1-5 (9:10 AM - 3:32 PM)
- September 9th: School begins for Kindergarten (9:10 AM – 3:32 PM)
- September 10th: PTA Meeting @ 6:30 PM
- September 11th: Early Release. Dismissal @ 2:42 PM
- September 16th: Individual Picture Day (During school day)
- September 18th: Early Release. Dismissal @ 2:42 PM
- September 19th: Roosevelt Equity Council Mtg. @ 6:00 PM
- September 25th: Early Release. Dismissal @ 2:42 PM
- September 26th: Curriculum Night @ 6:00 PM
Roosevelt PTA
Welcome back from Roosevelt PTA!
Hello Roosevelt families and welcome back! With the new school year comes a new PTA board: Ashley Otheim as President, Aniysa Zuchowski as Vice President, Helen Berry as Treasurer, and Amber Kilczewski as Secretary. We are excited to get this school year started with the amazing Roosevelt Community! Joining the PTA offers so many opportunities and we hope you'll join us a PTA Member this year! Please stop by the PTA table at the Ice Cream Social to find out more about PTA and how to get involved.
We have monthly PTA meetings which is a great place to learn about upcoming events, get an update from Mr. Shaughnessy and interact with other parents. Meetings are held in the Roosevelt Library @ 6:30 pm. FREE childcare is provided. Be sure to follow our Facebook page here! We post regular updates on the Facebook page as well as on our website.