Roosevelt Ravens Review
August 2018
Roosevelt Ravens are always Respectful, Responsible, and Safe
Welcome Back to the 2018-19 School Year!
I hope everyone has had a great summer. I can’t wait to see the students again and begin our work in the 2018-19 school year. To get us started, I want announce that the new mascot has been selected. From this point forward, we will be known as the Roosevelt Ravens! This update was made at the request of students, staff members, and parents who wanted to see the mascot reflect our local natural environment. In the remodel, we are incorporating all different kinds of natural elements into the design. The Raven will be the perfect symbol to represent our new school. The Raven is widely known to be a highly intelligent and curious animal (just like the many students of Roosevelt Elementary School). We have plans to unveil the new mascot at the first day assembly in September. A huge thank you goes out to Nikki McClure (a local artist), who spent many hours working to create the logo that you see above. New Roosevelt spirit wear will be available through the PTA in the near future. The new school colors that were selected are dark blue and dark grey. Thank you to everyone who participated in this process. From the committee members who helped me navigate this process to the individual students and families that completed the various surveys through the year. The mascot and school colors that were selected both received over 80% of the total vote. In order to commemorate the mascots of the past, we are in the process of compiling all previous mascots and will put them together and place it in the main office for everyone to see.
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 August 31st, we should have the main office, reading and math intervention classrooms, LEAP classroom and Pod C completed. The project is on-schedule and should be done on-time. The new playground is also coming along nicely. The bark area is being replaced with a soft foam surface (like you would find at Friendly Grove Park) and a new big toy and ring structure are being installed. All other toys have remained in place (with the exception of the blue toy with metal slides as it no longer met current safety requirements). We will be working to replace the one toy that was removed. The playground should be ready by the second week of school.
Class Placement and Family Access Through Skyward
I will have all class placements finalized and ready for viewing on Friday, August 31st. 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 BBQ and Supply Drop Off
Please join us on September 4th, from 3:30 PM to 6:00 PM for our annual Back to School BBQ and supply drop off. The supply drop-off will begin at 3:30 and conclude by 4:00. During this time, you may go to your child’s assigned classroom, drop-off supplies and meet the new teacher. The BBQ will begin at 4:00 in the covered play shed and will conclude by 6:00 PM.
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 (12th, 19th, and 26th) will be early release days. The first day of school is not included. September 5th 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 have them 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 26th during the school day.
Curriculum Night and Conference Week
Curriculum night will be held on Thursday, September 27th, 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 23rd, 24th, 25th, and 26th. 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.
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 10th. 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 5th, 6th, and 7th) 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 10th, 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 the 17th of September. 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 20th - Office opens to the public 9:00-3:00 M-F
- September 4th - Back to school BBQ and Supply Drop-Off 3:30 PM
- September 5th - School begins for grades 1-5 (9:10 AM - 3:32 PM)
- September 10th - School begins for Kindergarten (9:10 AM – 3:32 PM)
- September 12th - Early Release. Dismissal at 2:42 PM
- September 19th - Early Release. Dismissal at 2:42 PM
- September 26th - Early Release. Dismissal at 2:42 PM
- September 26th - Individual Picture Day (During school day)
- September 27th - Curriculum Night 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM
Roosevelt PTA
Welcome Back
Hello Roosevelt families and welcome back! With the new school year comes a new PTA board: Elaine Tomita as president, Aniysa Zuchowski as vice president, Katie Greer as treasurer, and Amber Kilczewski as secretary. We are all so excited to work with this wonderful community to support our amazing students and staff and bring folks together through events like our movie nights, school musical, after school programs, and so much more! Please visit the PTA table at the back-to-school BBQ to get more information on how the PTA supports our community and ways you can be involved. Like to paint? The musical would be a great place to share your talents. Have a green thumb or good with a shovel? The garden committee might be right for you. Visit our webpage and like us on Facebook for more information on our monthly meetings and upcoming events. Please contact us if you have any questions/suggestions/comments. We would love to hear from you.
Roosevelt Auction
The auction is happening again on November 17th. Stop by the PTA membership table at the back-to-school BBQ to purchase tickets (pre-sale ticket price) and be entered into a raffle for a great prize basket. On-line ticket sales will also be available beginning on August 15th. Check out the PTA website for the ticket sales link and for event updates. We hope to see you there!