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Laker Anchor

January 9, 2023

Laker AnchorJanuary 9, 2023

Greetings, Laker Families-

Happy New Year! We had a productive four days back as a Laker community last week. Tuesday was a day for school-wide PBIS reboot with students rotating through different stations as a class to revisit our Laker Way of being Safe, Respectful, and Responsible. They did such a great job! We are super proud of our students.


As we kick off 2023, we think about New Year’s resolutions and setting goals for ourselves. In addition to academic goals for students, we are excited about the work in our building setting social emotional and health and fitness goals for January. As we focus on the character trait of “perseverance” this month, we will be highlighting it within our skills for learning, emotional management, and problem solving. Here are the details for two challenges we have as a Laker community to support our goals:


PE/Fitness (K-5)

KIDS HEART CHALLENGE!

The American Heart Association’s “Kids Heart Challenge” (formerly known as “Jump Rope for Heart’) kicked off with a schoolwide Zoom assembly last Thursday! We are so excited to Be the Torch that will light the torch of hope in the fight against heart disease and stroke! Our goal this year is to raise $7,812 and have 100% of our families learn the lifesaving skill Hands-Only CPR. Thank you for all your HEART work supporting our school and the American Heart Association! (For more information, please see communication coming from our PE teacher, Mr. Holme.)

  • Pledge collection window 1/5-1/26

  • 1/26 – Kids Heart Challenge jump rope event…4:00-5:00pm at Emerald Hills


Laker Life Lab (K-2)

1,000 HOURS OUTSIDE CHALLENGE: Screen Time vs. Green Time
Did You Know? The average American child receives over 1,200 hours of screen time each year! That works out to over three hours per day, per kid! Between Smartboards and Chromebooks at school, and phones, tablets, and TVs at home, those hours tend to add up. When kids are ‘plugged in’ they are often not using the most important tools they have for learning: their bodies, their hands, and their curiosity. Excessive screen time has been shown to have negative impacts on our kids, including focus, social well-being, and general health.

  • In the Life Lab, students are celebrating the great outdoors by joining kids all over the country for the 1,000 Hours Outside Challenge! Your family can join in by tracking the time you spend outside. Simply color in a circle for every hour you spend together! (See attachment to this newsletter.) Each month K-2nd grade families will receive a list of ideas and stories from Mrs. Young to help you feel inspired to get out, rain or shine. (Families of 3rd-5th grade students that do not have Laker Life Lab can still participate using the attached forms and by reaching out to Mrs. Young’s email.) laura_young@sumnersd.org

  • Good luck getting outside in our big, beautiful world! Find more information at www.1000hoursoutside.com.


From our front office team

  • Contact info: EHE@sumnersd.org or (253) 891-4750

  • If you have a change in your regular dismissal plans for your child (bus, car pick-up, or walker pick-up), please contact the main office by 3:00pm.

  • Bus schedules: Click here

  • Tues.-Fri. Student Day: 9:00-3:45 (drop off can begin at 8:45)

  • Mon. Student Day (90-min late start day): 10:35-3:45 (drop off can begin at 10:20)

  • Important District Dates for the 2022-23 School Year: LINK

  • Free and Reduced Meals (link) – apply for the 2022-23 school year to access services (school breakfast/lunch are NO longer free to all students) **More information on school meal service and loading money on accounts...link HERE.

  • Instructions for Online Payment of the School Supply Donation of $25 can be found on the district website…LINK: Welcome Back to School (this will cover the school supplies for your student this year).


Important Upcoming Dates for EHE:

  • 1/12 – PTA Meeting…6:30pm

  • 1/13 – District STEM Fair Registration Closes (see below)

  • 1/13 – Temperance/Good Citizenship Day

  • 1/16 - MLK Day (No school)

  • 1/24-1/27– Winter Benchmark Testing

  • 1/26 – Kids Heart Challenge Event…4:00-5:00pm

  • 1/31 – PTA Chick-Fil-A Dine Out Night (5:00-8:00pm)

  • 2/7 – Kindergarten Registration Opens

  • 2/7 – District Elementary Curriculum Showcase (see below)

  • 2/20 – Presidents Day (No school)

  • 2/20 – PTA Round Table Pizza Dine Out Night (4:00-8:00pm)

  • 2/25 – District STEM Fair


Information from the District

Please join us for our 2nd Annual Regional Elementary Curriculum Showcase*

When: Tuesday, February 7th

Time: 5:30-7:00 PM

Location: Maple Lawn Elementary

Address: 230 Wood Ave. Sumner, WA 98390

*This is an adult event to provide parents with information about the elementary curriculum.

There will be no activities for children nor childcare available.


This district event will feature:

  • Our Elementary core curriculum in Language Arts, Math, and Social Emotional Learning for each grade level as well as intervention materials and additional curriculum used to support our students in Special Education.

  • An opportunity to view our 5th grade Human Growth and Development (puberty) and HIV Videos

    • Opt out forms will be available after viewing the videos for current 5th grade students.

  • Meet and talk with some of our Emerald Hills Elementary teachers as well as teachers in nearby SBLSD schools.

  • Obtain information about 2023-24 Kindergarten Registration and programs like READY for Kindergarten.

  • Visit resource tables hosted by elementary specialists in PE, Music, and STEM.

  • Light refreshments available


If you are unable to attend this event, please consider attending our other regional Curriculum Showcase:

  • Thursday, January 26th at Victor Falls Elementary- 5:30-7:00 PM

11401 188th Ave Ct E Bonney Lake, WA 98391


STEM Fair Projects

We are so excited to be hosting the first STEM Fair and Art Show since 2020. As we move closer to the event, we want to encourage students to submit science, technology, and engineering projects to showcase at the STEM Fair. Registration closes on January 13th, 2023.

Here is the link that students and parents can use to register


PTA Information

PTA January Newsletter (see attachment)


In order to stay up on our PTA, please make a note of the following contact information:


2022-23 PTA Executive Board

President - Jenn Dery eheptaprez@gmail.com

Co-Vice President - Virginia Read & Debbie Epperson eheptavp@gmail.com

Secretary - Sarah Fisher

Treasurer - Rhiannon Dodgen eheptatreasurer@gmail.com

PTA website: https://emeraldhillspta.memberplanet.com/

PTA link on EHE Website

You can always like "Emerald Hills Elementary PTA" on Facebook


We celebrated our Laker of the Month winners for December with assemblies just before the winter break and are so proud of all of our students for demonstrating “empathy” throughout the month! Our January Laker Purposefull People Character Trait is “Perseverance…The ability to work through situations even when there are obstacles or challenges in the way.” Your follow up at home reinforcing your child as he/she demonstrates “perseverance” each day would be a wonderful home-school connection. The background for our Laker Purposefull People Character Traits can be accessed through the Character Strong website. Thank you for raising such amazing children that desire to be Purposefull People and for your continued support of our school community.


Have a wonderful January!

Mrs. Scheerer, Principal


Please continue to follow us on Facebook and

http://instagram.com/emeraldhillselementary