Principal Weekly Update to Families

Dear Prairie Families,

Did you ever wonder how decisions are made regarding late starts and school cancellations on inclimate weather days? Starting at 3:30 a.m. on these days, our district Superintendent and Transportation Administrators drive the roads throughout the district to evaluate the road conditions? It is not an easy decision to make as the district landscape varies and spans 192 square miles. School delay or closure decisions are made as early as possible to allow for communications for all by 5:30 a.m.

Below are ways Yelm Community Schools communicates changes in school scheduling:

• You will receive an automated phone call, email and text.
• The information is posted on social media and all school websites.
• The message is posted on Flash Alert that goes out to all TV and Radio broadcasts and subscribers.

As we head into winter, fingers are crossed for a mild season! Please feel free to contact our office with any questions.

In partnership,

Tami Beach

Prairie has two Functional Learning Classrooms (FLC) that are a self-contained classroom with an inclusion based model for non core time instruction. Highlighted this week is the FLC classroom for students in grades 3-5, Ms. Kayla's class. Currently, this class serves 16 students with the assistance of three AMAZING paraprofessionals – Mrs. Melinda, Mr. Jacob, and Miss Nataly. Together the team has over 35 years of behavior experience. Ms. Kayla is currently getting her masters in special education, Mr. Jacob is currently pursuing his teaching license. Fun fact — Ms. Kayla once saw him fight off a bear! This is Miss Nataly's first year in the FLC program, and Mrs. Melinda enjoys riding motorcycles in her free time! They all love being Prairie Panthers!

At Yelm Community Schools, we value our partnership with families. It is important that all families experience a sense of belonging in our schools. Please complete the survey to help us understand your perspective of your experience at Prairie. The survey will be available from November 1– December 15 and is available in both English and Spanish. You are welcome to complete a separate survey for each campus where you have a student. Prairie Survey link: https://bit.ly/PRfambelong.Thank you for taking the time to provide us with this feedback.

The annual PTO Santa Shop starts Monday, December 4! Students are invited to shop for family and friends at the gift shop. Informational packets, shopping list, and envelopes were sent home earlier this week. If you haven't seen one, check your student's backpack. The office also has some information available. Students will need to bring envelopes containing their shopping list and spending money in on their assigned shopping day. A makeup day is scheduled for students who miss their assigned class day on Thursday December 7. Santa's helpers are excited to help the students shop next week!

• December 4–7: PTO Gift Shop. Click this link to be a Santa's helper. Below is the class schedule for shopping:
• Monday, December 4: Gonzalez, Dahlberg, Friesz, Bartram, Ziesemer, Connally, and Dunnam.
• Tuesday, December 5: Duncan, McLaughlin, Oakes, Burnham, FLC K-2, Harmon, Johnson, and Lee.
• Wednesday, December 6: Shepherd, Kier, Frost, Stenbakken, and Jons.
• Thursday, December 7: Makeup shopping day
• December 7: Popcorn Day
• December 14: Popcorn Day

Do you use Facebook? Follow Yelm Prairie PTO! Their posts offer lots of great reminders and information on upcoming events at Prairie. You can also reach out to them by email at yelmprairiepto@gmail.com at anytime for questions or to volunteer.

Sometimes during the school year, we face the possibility of inclement weather and school closures or schedule changes. Typically, families will be notified of emergency schedule changes by an automated phone call, email, and/or text. We will announce closures and delays as early as possible but not later than 5:30 a.m. Occasionally, circumstances change quickly and late announcements are unavoidable. The following information is for reference in the event that the schools are closed or buses operate on an emergency schedule:

• School Closure: All schools will be closed all day and any activities planned for the day or evening will be announced by 12:00 p.m. on the district website.
• Emergency Schedule: Indicates that schools will start on a delayed schedule. Parents are reminded that although the buses will start the runs later if we are on an emergency schedule, the buses may be slightly later near the end of the run. We request that parents make allowances for this.
• Limited Transportation: Limited transportation will prevail if some roads become inaccessible or if the county announces road closures. The school will be in session unless otherwise announced by the Superintendent’s Office.

Stay informed about Emergency Closures & Delays by:

• Signing up for FLASH ALERT to receive an email notification.
• Updating your Family Access email address, home, and cell phone numbers
• Opting In for Text Messaging (Text YES to 67587)
• Following Yelm Community Schools on Facebook and Twitter
• Visiting the district website for detailed information and updates.
• Tuning in to other media outlets

It is requested that parents/guardians do not call the media stations for closure information.

• Saturday, December 2: Christmas in the Park, Yelm City Park
• 10:30 a.m.–Fifth Grade Band performance
• 1:15 p.m.—Third Grade performance
• Friday, December 15: Assembly, 8:40 a.m. (in-person)
  
• Monday, December 18: Spirit Day—Pajama Day. Wear some cozy pajamas.
• Monday, December 19: Spirit Day–Hype for the Holiday. Wear any Christmas attire you would like.
• Wednesday, December 20–Tuesday, January 2: Winter Break! Please contact our attendance line if your family will be planning to start your vacation early. Click here to contact our Attendance office to pre-approve your student's absence.