Pathfinder News

Julie Harris, Principal

Melissa Walker, Dean

Connie Holmerud, Administrative Assistant

Ruth Carton, Registrar

Email: HolmerudCM@mukilteo.wednet.edu

Website: https://www.mukilteoschools.org
Location: 11401 Beverly Park Rd., Bldg B, Everett, WA 98204
Phone: (425) 366-3800

Thanks so much for taking the time to come to Pathfinder for conferences with teachers and for orientation. We know that we shared a great deal of information with you in a short period of time so please don’t hesitate to contact your child’s teacher or our office if you have questions. If you need an interpreter in another language, let us know which language you need. We have resources for an interpreter in many different languages. Our part-time Family Liaison, Esther Amador, is fluent in English and Spanish.

Normally you will receive school newsletters electronically once a month through ParentSquare. Newsletters will include information on school activities and events, important announcements, and suggestions for extending learning at home. We will also be sending important reminders using ParentSquare, so please check your messages and posts regularly.

We have had a wonderful time getting to know your child and watching our students quickly learn the routines in our community. We are also looking forward to the year ahead and partnering with you in your child’s learning. Our motto at Pathfinder is Explore, Nurture, Thrive. My hope is your child will enjoy forming new friendships and get excited about learning. I am committed to protecting, nurturing, and keeping your child safe so they grow and thrive.

Warm Regards,

Julie Harris

As we settle into the school year, we want to take a moment to emphasize the importance of safety in our parking lot. Keeping our students safe is our top priority, and we all play a role in making sure our campus is a secure environment. Here are some key reminders for everyone:

1. Drive safely.
Please drive carefully while on school grounds. Our speed limit is 5 miles per hour. This slow pace allows you to react quickly to pedestrians and ensures everyone’s safety.

2. Be alert.
Always be vigilant and look for merging vehicles and people walking in the parking lot. Our goal is to limit the number of people walking in the parking lot during arrival and dismissal. Keep an eye out, especially near crosswalks, in case someone must travel by foot during these busy times.

3. No cell phone use.
To maintain focus, please refrain from using your cell phone while driving on campus. Distractions can lead to accidents, so let’s keep our eyes on the road!

4. Stay in your vehicle. Do not park and walk to drop off/pick up your child at our front entrance.
For the safety of all students, we ask that all parents remain in their vehicle during arrival and dismissal. This helps prevent congestion, keeps the flow of traffic moving smoothly, and avoids the potential danger that comes with walking in a crowded parking lot.

5. Watch for vehicles that travel in the passing lane.

Preschool families need to use the passing lane near the front of the school to make their way to the preschool drop zone. Watch for preschool cars that must merge to the front curb and be alert as you pull away from our kindergarten drop zone.

Together, we can ensure a safe and pleasant drop-off and pick-up experience for everyone. Thank you for your cooperation and commitment to safety!

KIDS Photography will be at Pathfinder on October 22 and on October 23 to take individual photographs of children. The photographers will take photos of all children so that we have a picture available for identification purposes. Orders may be placed online at the button below or by returning a paper order form packet, which will come home in your child's backpack soon. The deadline to order pictures is Wednesday, October 23. In the event you are unable to order before the October 23 deadline, you may still be able to order online through KIDS Photography.

• Grasshopper & Bumblebee pods and All Preschool AM/PM - Tuesday, October 22
• Caterpillar & Ladybug pods - Wednesday, October 23

International Orange Shirt Day is Monday, September 30. The district Indigenous Family Committee in partnership with the Tulalip Tribes invites everyone in the district to honor this important day.

Originating with the Esketmc First Nations People, a sovereign nation located in British Columbia, Orange Shirt Day is a way to honor ongoing efforts to heal from their residential boarding school experiences and work with the Canadian government on acts of reconciliation.

While this day of remembrance and action began with the First Nations peoples in Canada, many Indigenous Nations in the US use this day to elevate their own healing and efforts to hold the US government responsible for the ongoing impacts of the boarding schools they ran and/or supported.

We are encouraged to stand in solidarity with the Indigenous Family Committee and the Tulalip Tribes Education Division, by taking time to honor local and international survivors of boarding schools.

Show your support and wear an orange shirt next Monday!

We are already starting to see our first wave of illness here at school. Here is the general guideline for when to keep your child home from school:

Common cold symptoms, COVID-19, Influenza (flu) or other respiratory illness:
Your child should stay home when he/she feels sick and is having a lot of nose and throat drainage. Students may return when feeling better and they have been fever-free for at least 24 hours without the use of fever reducing medicine, such as Tylenol or ibuprofen. Testing for COVID-19 is recommended but not required.

Note: Please remind your child to cover their coughs and wash their hands after blowing their nose. Thank you for your cooperation in helping to keep our schools healthy!

Volunteers are an important part of our Pathfinder community! Volunteers are needed in our Family Center daily to assist with projects and preparation of materials. Talk to your child's teacher about volunteer needs in the classroom.

What is Required Before Beginning to Volunteer?

• Washington State Patrol Online Volunteer Application/Background Check Form
• Review District Volunteer Policies & Procedures

Who Can Volunteer?

Volunteering in a school is a wonderful experience and privilege for both the school and the volunteer. Opportunities are designed to promote and maintain supportive relationships for students, teachers, and school staff. The ideal volunteer would:

• be friendly, flexible and reliable
• enjoy children
• have the ability to work cooperatively with school staff
• have good moral character and be a positive example for children
• support the work of school staff
• be dependable

Please check the folder in your child’s backpack each day for information from your child’s teacher. Look for papers to sign and return to school, as well as information to remove and keep at home. We look forward to partnering with you!

This year all children are eligible to receive free breakfast and lunch. If your child has dietary restrictions, please let us know. If you don’t want your child to eat the school-provided meals, please tell your child’s teacher. If you send lunch from home, please make sure your child can independently open all items and that you send healthy foods your child will eat.

You are welcome to send a small, nutritious snack. If you want your child to eat the school lunch and you send a snack, please be sure your child knows that what you are sending in the backpack is a snack and not lunch. It’s less confusing for kids if you send only a lunch in the lunch box and snacks in a separate container.

Please send a clean, filled water bottle with your child to school each day. Reusable water bottles are preferred.

Birthdays are very big events for children. Our goal is to celebrate and honor every child in a similar way on their special day. Teachers will provide brief in-class recognition of each child. We ask that parents not send food or gifts from home. Given an increasing number of children with food allergies, concerns about sugar intake, loss of instructional time, and our goal of equitable treatment of all children, we are unable to distribute any treats or gifts sent from home.

We recognize that some parents want to encourage friendships and social opportunities for their children, and school is the primary source of social contacts for many students. While we would like to encourage parents to invite all children in a class to birthday parties, we recognize that this is not generally possible in terms of space and funds. If you request that invitations be distributed at school, invitations must be given to the teacher, and teachers will discretely place the invitations in folders or mailboxes. Students will be asked to avoid discussing birthday parties and invitations at school in order to avoid hurt feelings of those who are not invited.

Pathfinder Phone 425-366-3800

Website Pathfinder Kindergarten Center - Home (mukilteoschools.org)

Address 11401 Beverly Park Road, Building B, Everett, WA 98204

A ParentSquare message or email is often the best way to communicate with teachers, allowing them to read and respond when their day allows. We are unable to interrupt them during instructional time and they are often not near their phone before and after school because of meetings. The office team is happy to support and answer any questions. They can also take a message to give the teacher or forward you to their voicemail.

When you need to call the school, keep in mind that someone will answer the phone between the hours of 9 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. If you call and the phone goes directly to voicemail it means all of our lines are busy. Outside of our office hours you can leave a message for the office or a teacher, or you may reach our 24-hour information line. If you are calling after 4:30 p.m. and have a question about a late bus, call Mukilteo transportation at 425-356-1306 or choose option 4 if you call Pathfinder.

Students are not allowed to have cell phones (and other electronic devices) at school. There is a phone for student/public use in the office. Student outgoing calls are limited to emergencies only. Please talk with your child about changes in pick-up arrangements before school and send a note to school to inform teachers of any changes. If you MUST make a change in transportation arrangements, call the office.

What time should my child arrive at school? If you drive your child to school, please arrive with preschool students at 9:25 a.m. Kindergarten students should arrive between 9:15-9:25 a.m. Kindergarten students should not arrive prior to 9:15 as supervision is not provided until that time. All children report directly to their pods in the morning and students are dismissed to classes at 9:25. Children who arrive after 9:30 a.m. are tardy and need to stop by the office for a tardy slip before reporting to class.

What should I do if I need to change end of the day dismissal arrangements? To maximize student safety and eliminate confusion, please have students go home the same way (bus or parent pick-up) each day. If it is necessary for you to make a change for a particular day, please call the Pathfinder office at (425) 366-3800. Please call before 10 am (AM preschool), before 2:30 pm (PM preschool), before 2:30 p.m. (kindergarten) Mondays-Thursdays and before 1:00 p.m. (kindergarten) on Fridays.

When can parents be in the building? Parents are welcome to stop in the office for support or questions between the hours of 8:30 a.m-4:30 p.m., Monday-Friday. We do not allow visitors beyond the office during the school day unless they are scheduled to volunteer and have done their volunteer requirements or have a scheduled meeting.

What should I do if my child is absent? Call the attendance line before 9:45 a.m. to report absences (425-366-3805). Your message should include your child’s name, teacher’s name, date of absence, reason for absence, and parent name.

What are good reasons for staying home from school? Regular attendance is critical to success. Students should only stay home for valid reasons including contagious illness or symptoms. Children should not come to school if they experience vomiting or diarrhea, a fever of 100 degrees or higher, or a consistent cough within the last 24 hours. Other excused absences include religious or cultural observances, court proceedings, or true emergencies, like a death in the family. Appointments and family vacations should be scheduled on non-school days or outside school hours whenever possible to prevent loss of instructional time.

What will happen if a child gets sick or injured while at school? We have a nurse and health room support members who manage our health room. If your child is sick or injured, or becomes ill at school, we will contact you to pick him/her up immediately.

What happens to lost items? Our lost and found is located in the first floor hallway by the bus entrance. Glasses, keys, and other valuable items can be claimed in the office. To make it easier to return items to students, please be sure to write your child’s name (in permanent ink) on backpacks, jackets, gloves, lunch boxes, and all personal items your child brings to school. Unclaimed items are donated to a local charity in December and June.

Notification to Parents – Title I, Part A

Right to Ask for Teacher’s and Paraeducator’s Qualifications

Mukilteo School District

In compliance with the requirements of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) the Mukilteo School District would like to inform you that you may request information about the professional qualifications of your student’s teacher(s) or instructional paraprofessional(s) [ESSA Section 1112(e)(1)(A)].

The following professional qualification information may be requested pertaining to your child’s teacher(s):

1. Whether the teacher has met Washington teacher certification requirements for the grade level and subject areas in which the teacher provides instruction.
2. Whether the teacher is teaching under an emergency or other provisional status through which Washington qualifications or certification criteria have been waived.
3. The college major and any graduate certification or degree held by the teacher.
4. Whether the student is provided services by paraprofessionals, and if so, their qualifications.

The following professional qualification information may be requested pertaining to an instructional paraprofessional instructing your child:

Paraeducators must be at least eighteen years of age and hold a high school diploma or its equivalent, (for more detailed information on what is considered equivalent, please read the FAQ (document) https://docs.google.com/document/d/1mS3yqB93IQymwsFxVv3WJd3-2B51Boz0RsAIsSIh5kw/edit.

In addition, a paraeducator must meet one of the following:

1. Have received a qualifying score on the Education Testing Service (ETS) paraeducator assessment

2. Hold an associate degree or higher from an accredited college or university

3. Have earned 72 quarter credits or 48 semester credits at the 100 level or higher at an accredited college or university

4. Have completed an apprenticeship as a paraeducator, in a program registered with the Washington State Apprenticeship and Training Council.* For more information go to Minimum employment requirements - Professional Educator Standards Board (whttps://www.pesb.wa.gov/paraeducator-certificate-program/minimum-employment-requirements/a.gov).

Note: Paraprofessionals must work under the supervision of a certified teacher. In schools that operate a schoolwide program, all paraprofessionals must meet professional qualifications. In a Target Assistance program, only paraprofessionals instructing Title I intervention, under the direct supervision of a certificated teacher, must meet the above qualifications.

If you wish to request information concerning your child’s teacher’s and instructional paraprofessional’s qualification, please contact Julie Harris, PKC principal at 425-366-3800.

Mukilteo School District does not discriminate in any programs or activities on the basis of sex,

race, creed, religion, color, national origin, age, veteran or military status, sexual orientation,

gender expression or identity, disability, or the use of trained dog guide or service animal and

provides equal access to the Boy Scouts and other designated youth groups. The following

employees have been designated to handle questions and complaints of alleged discrimination:

Civil Rights Coordinator and Title IX Coordinator Simone Neal (425-356-1244),

nealsr@mukilteo.wednet.edu, Section 504 Coordinator Becca Anderson (425-356-1277),

andersonra@mukilteo.wednet.edu, and the ADA/Access Coordinator Karen Mooseker (425-356-

1330), moosekerkw@mukilteo.wednet.edu. Address: 9401 Sharon Drive in Everett, WA.

Inquiries regarding ADA/Access issues at Sno-Isle TECH Skills Center should be directed to

Wes Allen, Director (425-348-2220) allenwr@mukilteo.wednet.edu. Address: 9001 Airport Road

in Everett, WA 98204.