
September 2023 Volume 7 Issue 1
Message from Ms. Marti Shefveland
Dear Penny Creek Families,
We are looking forward to the year ahead! At this point, we are the largest elementary school in the district. We also like to think we are the best 😊. As our enrollment has grown over the last year, we have added two new portables to our site. Many people went the extra mile to get these ready for occupancy by opening day. Work was finalized this week and teachers are working hard to set up these rooms.
Another exciting change to our campus is new playground equipment for both our large (main) playground and our small, Kindergarten playground (in front of the school). It will be ready for use by the start of the year. We are grateful to Everett voters for supporting the funding of this much needed and very fun update.
We also have several staffing updates to share with you. They are provided in alphabetical order below:
- Andrea Gales joins the Fourth Grade team. She comes to us from Garfield Elementary where she taught third and fourth grades.
- Dustin Gowan is our new full-time Resource Room teacher. Most recently Mr. Gowan was a Teacher on Special Assignment (TOSA) in Everett’s Special Education Department, coaching and supporting Special Education teachers throughout the district.
- Anastasia Hollenbach is our new .6 Resource Room teacher. Mrs. Hollenbach comes to us from Edmonds School District where she completed her teaching certification and worked as a para -professional in Special Education.
- Jarucia Jaycox joins us half-time as a Social-Emotional Learning instructor. Most recently Mrs. Jaycox taught sixth grade Communication Arts at Eisenhower Middle School.
- Molly McDonald, who began with us part time last year as our Educational Psychologist, will be with us full time this year. We are so glad to have her back and on board from the beginning of this year.
- Andria Raines is transitioning from her role as an English Language Arts Coach, to teaching second grade.
- Robert Richert, Counselor, joins us half time this year. He will also work half time at Jefferson Elementary. Mr. Richert has 15 years of counseling experience in nearby districts, most recently in Snohomish School District.
- Deb Strong, who was a TOSA in our district Math Department coaching and supporting teachers with math instruction, joins our Hi Cap team where she will be teaching fifth grade.
- Mrs. Wright is also joining the Fourth Grade team. She comes to us from Forest View Elementary where she taught third grade. Mrs. Wright was previously a para-professional here at Penny Creek as well.
- Melissa Yaniv, Speech Therapist, joins us full time this year. Mrs. Yaniv has worked at various schools, including Penny Creek part time, in previous years.
As we begin the year, we encourage you to participate in several upcoming events:
On Friday evening, September 22, our Parent Teacher Association (PTA), is hosting a Back-to-School Event. This will be a fun time to get to know other students and families at Penny Creek.
On Thursday, September 28, we hold Curriculum Night. This is an important opportunity to learn more about your child’s curriculum and classroom learning experiences in the year ahead.
Please take time to peruse our website to learn more about the goings on at Penny Creek and Everett School District. If I can answer any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out.
Sincerely,
Marti Shefveland
Principal
Message from Mrs. Stephanie Kirkpatrick
This year, I would like to work closely with you to improve our student attendance.
In the 2022-23 school year, Penny Creek experienced a high rate of student absence. 27% of our students missed 18 or more days of school, which equates to chronic absenteeism. Whether these absences are excused or unexcused, the effect on student achievement is equally adverse. As a staff, we will be actively seeking ways to support students and families so that all kids attend regularly.
The following are a few ways you can support regular student attendance:
- Talk to your child about the importance of being in school every day.
- Ensure students to attend the entire day. If a child is regularly arriving late or leaving early, they are likely to repeatedly miss a key part of their learning, resulting in academic struggle.
- Reach out to your child’s teacher or counselor for support! Our staff can work to support you student and family in multiple ways, including wake-up calls, implementing an attendance incentive plan, providing access to school supplies, supporting access to public resources.
Together we can make a difference for students!
Thank you for your partnership,
Stephanie Kirkpatrick
Assistant Principal
Arrival and Dismissal Procedures
*** NEW THIS YEAR: ARRIVAL DROP OFF BEGINS AT 9:00 A.M. ***
ARRIVAL: supervision will begin at 9:00 a.m.
Parent drop off (Ferry Lanes) - drive up while remaining in the car.
- This is supervised until 9:10 a.m.
- Enter the parking lot through the west entrance.
- Turn right into the Parent drop off lane loop.
- Follow the Parent drop off lane around in front of the gym. Pulling forward to the undercover playground area.
- Stay in the right lane, making sure to drive slowly.
- Driver remains in the car.
- When the car comes to a complete stop, the student unloads from the passenger curb side door.
- Students will walk through the undercover area and on to the campus.
- Driver departs from the Parent drop off by following the lane to the west exit on to 132nd Street SE.
Parking car at main parking lot and drop off student.
- Park car in main parking lot and walk on to campus using the crosswalk.
- Parents walk students to the front iron gate drop off point by the office (blue area on map).
Arrival after 9:15 a.m. - park your vehicle and walk your student to the office. A guardian or designee will need to sign in your student at the office. Students arriving after 9:15 a.m. will be tardy.
DISMISSAL: begins at 3:30 p.m. Monday - Thursday and 2:15 p.m. Friday
Parent pick up (Ferry Lanes) - drive up & pick up while remaining in the car.
- This is supervised until 3:45 p.m.
- Enter the parking lot through the west entrance.
- Turn right into the Parent pick up lane loop. There are three ferry style lanes to wait in.
- Penny Creek staff member will release each ferry lane in an orderly manner.
- When the lane is released, follow the Parent pick up line to the front of the undercover playground area.
- Make sure to drive slowly and to pull as far forward as possible. Students will be waiting in the undercover area.
- Driver remains in the car.
- When the car comes to a complete stop, the student will load into the car from the passenger curb side door.
- Driver departs from the Parent pick up by following the lane to the west exit on 132nd Street SE.
Parking car at main parking lot to pick up students at departure time.
- Park car in main parking lot and walk on to campus using the crosswalk.
- Parents wait for students to be released from the doors located between Office and Kindergarten Playground (green area on map).
Wednesday, September 6
- First Day of School for Grades 1 - 5
- Kindergarten WA Kids Connection Meetings
- Learning Improvement Friday. Student Dismissed at 2:15 p.m.
- First Day of School for Kindergarten
- Learning Improvement Friday. Student Dismissed at 2:15 p.m.
- Penny Creek PTA General Meeting - PCE Library @ 6:00 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.
- Spirit Day - Theme to be Announced
- Learning Improvement Friday. Student Dismissed at 2:15 p.m.
- Penny Creek PTA Back to School Event - Undercover Playground @ 5:00 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.
- Curriculum Night Grades K, 1, 2 @ 5:00 p.m. - 5:45 p.m.
- Curriculum Night Grades 3, 4, 5 @ 6:00 p.m. - 6:45 p.m.
- Learning Improvement Friday. Student Dismissed at 2:15 p.m.
AND... A LOOK AHEAD INTO NEXT MONTH:
Friday, October 6
- Learning Improvement Friday. Student Dismissed at 2:15 p.m.
- NO School for Students
- Penny Creek PTA Skate Night @ Lynnwood Skate & Bowl @ 6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.
- Individual Student Picture Day
- Penny Creek PTA Popcorn Friday - during student lunches
- Learning Improvement Friday. Student Dismissed at 2:15 p.m.
- Mathquerade Night - PCE Cafeteria @ 6:00 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.
Friday, October 27
- Spirit Day - Theme to be Announced
- Learning Improvement Friday. Student Dismissed at 2:15 p.m.
If your student is absent or tardy from school, please email the attendance office at pceattendance@everettsd.org to let us know the reason for the absence or tardy. There is also a direct link on our webpage at: https://www.everettsd.org/pennycreek
- Absences must be reported (by email or note) within 30 calendar days after a student returns back to school, not including Holidays or weekends, in order to have the absence excused. Emails or notes turned in past the 30-day timeframe will be accepted; however, the absence is not excused and will be coded as such.
- Automated attendance calls will be sent out daily at 10 a.m. If your student will be absent or tardy you must notify the office before 9:15 a.m. If it is reported after this time you may receive the automated call.
- Please view the Everett School District Attendance Procedure 3122P for more information (including definitions of absences).
- Did you have a medical appointment for your child, or they were sick, and you brought them to the doctor? If so, make sure to ask for a medical note from the provider. Email the note to the attendance office so those absences can be coded as a medical note excused absence.
- Please fill out a Prearranged Absence Form if your student will be going on vacation/traveling or will miss school for an extended period of time. As per district policy, the principal or designee may excuse up to five (5) school days for a prearranged absence per student each school year.
Welcome back to school PCE Families. We hope you had a great summer!
This year we plan on doing more events, dine outs, and activities for our students. We are also giving back more to our school in staff grants, books, programs, etc.
Our PTA welcome packet will be sent home on Friday, September 15. Let us know if you don’t get a copy and we will send one to you!
Please join us at our first PTA General Membership & Volunteer Orientation meeting on Monday September 18 from 6:00 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. in the library. We will go over our PTA general business, do a brief volunteer orientation, and complete a quick tour of need-to-know places to be a successful PTA, school, and/or classroom volunteer.
Our Back to School Event is Friday, September 22 from 5:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Join us for some fun with music, balloon artists, temporary tattoos, food trucks and more!
We are excited to get this year started. Let’s go Frogs!
If you have any questions, contact us via Email or visit our Website. Also, follow us on Facebook and Instagram.
If the plan of how your student is going home at the end of the school day changes, we ask that a guardian sends an email to the school office at PennyCreek@everettsd.org and the classroom teacher by 2:45 pm.
Please include in your email message:
- name of your student
- name of their teacher
- details of the the change of plan
Our office will deliver this information to your student. This method of communication helps to support our staff with accurate dismissal information.
If your student needs to leave before the end of the school day, email the school office at PennyCreek@everettsd.org in advance. Please include in your email message:
- The specific DATE
- The TIME you will pick up your student. Please know, we will call your student to the office once you have arrived to the school.
- WHO will be picking up your student. If an adult designee is coming to pick up your student, an email from the guardian needs to be sent to confirm the information.
For the safety and security of students, we will ask for photo identification.
The images below serve as a preview of the content. You must open the .pdfs under these images for the embedded links to work.
Thank you for your consideration.