December 2023 Volume 7 Issue 4
Message from Ms. Marti Shefveland
Dear Penny Creek Families,
The month of December welcomes a variety of holidays. Many of you may look forward to the upcoming Winter Break to celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanza, or New Years. You may be looking forward to time for travel or rest. No matter your plans, I hope Winter Break brings rest and joy to your families.
This month, I want to highlight our work on Learning Improvement Fridays at Penny Creek. The early release time is consistently used for what we call Professional Learning Communities (PLC’s) focused on our School Improvement Plan (SIP). Select HERE to view the SIP.
Grade level teacher teams work collaboratively with our instructional coaches and administrative team to develop instruction aligned to state learning standards, review performance data, and plan interventions and best methods to support students’ academic growth. At these meetings, teachers analyze student performance data and share strategies to help improve their instructional practice.
Additionally, we use monthly staff meetings to provide professional development for teachers that aligns with our SIP. Beyond our SIP focus, you should know we continue our focus on Penny Creek PRIDE. Recall that PRIDE at Penny Creek stands for Problem Solving, Respect, In Control and Safe, Do Our Best, and Show Everyone We Care. At our next PRIDE assembly, we will recognize students for showing Respect. We will also award more Pencil of Power awards, which go to students showing strong growth and/or performance in their academics.
As always, if I can answer any questions, please reach out.
Sincerely,
Marti Shefveland
Principal
Message from Mrs. Stephanie Kirkpatrick
Penny Creek Attendance Challenge: First Quarter Update
We did it! Our first quarter goal was to achieve 33,750 or more student days present by November 8. We surpassed this goal, with a grand total of 35,913 total days! Students each received a bookmark, and are excited to work toward our 2nd quarter goal of 67,500 student days present by February 1! Way to go, frogs!
Did you know that chronic absenteeism equates to 10% or more of school days missed per year? For this year, that equates to 6 or more days out of school for any reason. If you are having trouble getting your child to school, please reach out. We would love to work with you to support an improvement in daily attendance!
Kindly,
Stephanie Kirkpatrick
Assistant Principal
Friday, December 1
- Learning Improvement Friday. Student Dismissed at 2:15 p.m.
- PTA Movie Night - PCE Cafeteria/Gym @ 6:00 p.m. (Doors open at 5:45 p.m.)
- 4th Grade Winter Concert at 6:00 p.m. at PCE Cafeteria
- 5th Grade Winter Concert at 7:00 p.m. at PCE Cafeteria
- Penny Creek Food Drive - see flyer below
Friday, December 8
- PTA Popcorn Friday
- Learning Improvement Friday. Student Dismissed at 2:15 p.m.
- Natural Leaders - Holiday Around the World Potluck @ 6:00 p.m. PCE Library
Friday, December 15
- Spirit Day - Ugly Sweater Day
- Early Release Day. Student Dismissed at 1:00 p.m.
- No School - Winter Break
AND... A LOOK AHEAD INTO NEXT MONTH:
Friday, January 5
- Learning Improvement Friday. Student Dismissed at 2:15 p.m.
Saturday, January 6
- PTA Goodwill Textile Drive
- Hearing Screening for grades K - 3 and 5
Thursday, January 11
- Natural Leaders Meeting @ 6 p.m. PCE Library
Friday, January 12
- Spirit Day - Hat Day
- Learning Improvement Friday. Student Dismissed at 2:15 p.m.
Saturday, January 13
- PTA Missoula Drama Program - Treasure Island Performance at Eisenhower MS
- NO School - Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday
Friday, January 19
- PTA Popcorn Friday
- Learning Improvement Friday. Student Dismissed at 2:15 p.m.
- PTA Bingo For Books @ 6 p.m. PCE Cafeteria
- Learning Improvement Friday. Student Dismissed at 2:15 p.m.
Tuesday, January 30
- Penny Creek PTA General Meeting @ 6:00 p.m. PCE Library
Lost and Found Located in the Foyer of the Gym
Our Lost and Found is overflowing! Please come by before or after school hours to check for items your student has lost. Any item remaining during the Winter Break will be donated.
Scholastic Classroom Magazines - Has your student's fee been paid?
Please Note: Students in Kindergarten, Third Grade, and Ms. Cooper's class DO NOT have a classroom Scholastic Fee . Thank you!
Ms. Roberts
Mr. Richert
School phone: (425) 385-7220
At Penny Creek Mondays, Wednesdays, some Fridays.
Focus group:
Third graders are starting their Bully Prevention Unit the first week of December. Parents, please ask them what the word “bullying” might look like or sound like. Can they describe the meaning of Bullying?
Bullying: is ongoing (it keeps happening), mean or on purpose and the bully won’t stop when asked.
Please take time with your child(ren) to celebrate their growth (in anything) during the Holidays!
Hello from Mrs. Wood in the gym!
It has been a busy fall at Penny Creek. Students who participated in the Penny Creek Pacer program ran 2,878 miles. Several students ran the equivalent of a Marathon which is 26.2 miles. Congrats to Ariel P., Parker O., Jacob L., Yazan N., and Aidyn H. for being our first students to achieve marathon status. In the spring, after spring break, we will continue the program and see how many more kids can hit the marathon goal.
If you are looking for a special gift or something for your children to do over the winter break, we have been using Speed Stacks, which can be found on Amazon for about $10.00. It is a fast-paced series of unique stacking patterns which can be timed. It is an amazing sport which has a similar feel to Rubik’s Cube competitions. See the link here to learn more. Another unit we will begin mid-January, is our Kids Heart Challenge program, which raises money for the American Heart Association. The students will be learning to jump rope and practice tricks while working their way up the JUMP ROPE NINJA BELT ladder. This was a huge hit last year and we even had our own jump rope team perform at one of our Pride assemblies.
Both cup stacking and jump rope could be amazing acts for PTA’s Talent Show which will be happening in March.
I hope everyone has a happy and healthy winter break!
Susan Wood
THANK YOU to our Penny Creek PTA! The Scholastic Book Fair was a huge success and a fun event for students, parents, and staff. It was fully organized and staffed by parent volunteers. Nicole Ward and Shelly Nguyen-Jefferson did a fabulous job with this event, allowing students access during the school day, and remaining open during conference hours. The success of the book fair allowed the PTA to make a generous donation to our school library, allowing ALL students access to popular new titles. Classroom teachers were also gifted sets of books to support classroom libraries.
This Thank You also extends to all families who joined the Penny Creek PTA. Please know that your support makes a difference for all students. If you have not joined our school's PTA, please consider doing go. Membership does not require volunteering, but your membership provides opportunities and resources to our school in many ways. Click PTA MEMBERSHIP to join!
Kim Woodrum, Teacher-Librarian
kwoodrum@everettsd.org
We cannot believe this year is coming to an end and wish all our PCE families a wonderful holiday season. We are very grateful for your support and looking forward to 2024!
Join us for a family movie night out on Friday, December 1. Wear your pajamas, bring blankets, stuffies, and pillows to watch either Monsters, Inc or Super Mario Bros. Concessions (candy, chips, popcorn, and drinks) are available for purchase. You are also welcome to bring a take-out or picnic dinner. As a reminder, this is not a drop off event and a parent/guardian must remain with their student(s).
The PTA is partnering with Missoula Children’s Theater to put on two performances of Treasure Island on Saturday January 13. If your student(s) are interested in participating in this weeklong program, please make sure to get your pre-registration form and fee in by December 8. For more information, contact Jenna Chandra at jennamarie2009@gmail.com.
Help us reach our PTA membership goal before the year is over! We are 13 members away from our goal of 273. We would appreciate the endorsement by numbers to show that our families and community supports us. Join online HERE , reach out if membership financial assistance is needed, or email us for a paper form to complete.
If you have any questions or need a copy of PTA forms, contact us via Email or visit our Website. Also, follow us on Facebook and Instagram.
Yours,
Penny Creek PTA Board 2023-2024
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Thank you for your consideration.
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).
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.
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.
If the plan on 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.