The Falcon Flash

Dear Skamania Families,

Thank you so much for taking the time to participate in our Parent/Teacher Conference week. Your involvement and support are greatly appreciated, and it was wonderful to connect with so many of you about your child’s progress.

We’re also excited to share that our students are having a blast with our new 3D printer! They’ve been creating all sorts of imaginative projects, and it's been amazing to see their creativity come to life. We're looking forward to seeing all the innovative designs they continue to build.

As we continue through November, I want to share some important dates and updates to keep you informed about our school community.

First, please remember that there will be no school on Veterans Day, November 11. We honor and appreciate the sacrifices made by our veterans and encourage families to take time to reflect on their contributions.

Penny Wars will be held the week of November 18-22. The money raised from this event goes toward purchasing Thanksgiving baskets for families in our community. Penny Wars is a popular fundraising activity where participants compete to collect the most points by adding coins to a collection container, with each type of coin having a different point value. Typically, pennies & dollars are worth positive points, while other coins (nickels, dimes, quarters) are worth negative points. The goal is to collect as many pennies/dollars as possible in your team’s jar while sabotaging opponents by adding higher-value coins to their jars. At the end of the event, the team with the most points wins. It's a fun and competitive way to raise money for a cause!

As we approach the end of the trimester, we will have an early release day on November 22. This is a great opportunity for teachers to prepare report cards and reflect on student progress.

Following that, we will celebrate the Thanksgiving holiday from November 27 to November 29. I hope everyone enjoys this time with family and friends, giving thanks for all that we have.

I’m excited to announce that our 3rd-8th graders will be performing at Skamania Lodge on Saturday, December 7, at 4:00 PM. Due to our increased enrollment and limited space, this performance will be exclusive to our 3rd-8th grade students this year. It promises to be a wonderful event!

Additionally, our annual winter concert will take place on December 10 at 6:30 PM. Mark your calendars for an evening filled with festive music and cheer!

As a reminder, we are moving towards using ParentSquare as our primary means of communication. Please take a moment to sign up if you haven’t already, so you can stay updated on all school happenings.

Finally, I want to extend a heartfelt thank you to everyone who joined us at the Fall Festival in October. It was a fantastic event, and it’s wonderful to see our community come together.

Thank you for your continued support and involvement in our school. Wishing you a joyful November!

Warm regards,
Katie Chavarria
Principal
kchavarria@skamania.k12.wa.us

November 11

Veterans Day Holiday

NO SCHOOL

November 18-22

Penny Wars

November 22

Last Day of Trimester

Adjusted Dismissal @ 12:30

November 27-29

Thanksgiving Holiday

NO SCHOOL

December 7

4:00 PM

Grades 3-8 Performance @ Skamania Lodge

December 10

6:30 PM

Annual Winter Concert

December 23 - January 3

Winter Break

As we approach the Thanksgiving holiday, we want to ensure that all families have the support they need. If your family is in need of assistance with food for Thanksgiving, please fill out the attached Google Form by Tuesday, November 12. We will do our best to fill as many requests as possible, based on availability and on a first come, first served basis.

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSe7IcFE8IyYjfFL3LJBr1eQ0Cwhu5EWbZ5fl32tOe5hLR1seQ/viewform?usp=sf_link

Thank you, and please don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any questions.

October's character trait of the month was respect! Treating others with respect means interacting in a way that demonstrates care for their well-being and feelings. Throughout the month, our teachers have been emphasizing the importance of respect in their classrooms, recognizing students who consistently go above and beyond to embody this trait. Below, we proudly highlight one exceptional student from each class who has shown outstanding respect to their peers and teachers. Congratulations to these amazing individuals!

TK/K - Sawyer F.

1/2 - Lincoln F.

3rd - Journey L.

4th - Abigail W.

5/6 - Frieda P.

7/8 - Ilyas M.

We are excited to announce the return of the Associated Student Body (ASB) at Skamania School after a few years’ hiatus! Recognizing the importance of fostering student leadership and giving our students a voice in school decisions, we felt it was essential to bring back this vital organization.

The ASB provides students in grades 3-8 the opportunity to engage in leadership roles, develop teamwork skills, and contribute to the school community. This initiative allows students to express their ideas, share their perspectives, and collaborate on projects that enhance our school environment.

Through the ASB, students will have a direct impact on various aspects of school life, from planning events to advocating for their peers. We believe that by empowering our students, we are helping to cultivate the next generation of leaders.

We’re thrilled to introduce our newly elected ASB officers for the 2024-25 school year! Please join us in congratulating:

Alison M. - President

Alison has been a cornerstone of our school for 9 years, demonstrating exceptional leadership qualities that inspire everyone around her!

Mallory M. - Vice President

With 7 years at Skamania, Mallory is a beloved figure among both staff and students. Her positivity and dedication shine bright!

Frieda P. - Secretary

Although Frieda is new to our community, her friendly demeanor and genuine smile have already won us all over. We’re excited to see her contributions!

Gus H. - Treasurer

Gus is also a newcomer but has impressed us all with his intelligence and innovative ideas. We can’t wait to see what he brings to the table!

We look forward to seeing the positive changes and innovative ideas our ASB will bring to Skamania School. Stay tuned for updates on their initiatives and activities!

• Attention bus riders: If your child rides the bus daily and you intend to pick them up instead, please inform the office as early as possible. We maintain a daily waiting list for families who wish to use the bus when space is available. Early notification allows us to offer these openings to other families who are waiting.

• Please dress your child for the weather. We nearly always go outside - rain or shine. Also, please remember to wear PE-appropriate shoes on PE days (every day but Wednesday and other early dismissal days.)

• Please contact the office if your child is supposed to ride the bus home with another student or get off at another student's stop. We do not have much (if any) extra room on the bus for additional riders. We also like to hear from a parent on both sides to make sure everyone is on the same page.

• Cell phones must remain in backpacks during the school day. Phones that are taken out will be held in the office until the end of the day.

• Gum is not allowed at school. Please help to remind your child of this policy.

• During school hours, please avoid parking in the staff parking lot on the side of the building.

• If your child arrives after 8:00, an adult must walk him or her into the office and sign in.

• If your child will be absent, please call or email the school to let us know.

Sara Genova

3rd/7th/8th Math/Science Teacher

All About Me: Hello! My name is Sara Genova and I am so happy to be teaching math and science this year in 3rd, 7th, and 8th grades at Skamania School! This is my 5th year teaching and I love it and I love learning. Outside of school, my daughters and I love to be outside as much as possible with our dogs, cats, and flock of feathered friends. During the summer you can find us at the softball fields, swinging on a rope swing, exploring a new cave, or at the Skamania County Fair in the animal barns. In the winter you can find us sledding, building snow forts, exploring, or sitting next to a warm fire drinking hot cocoa. I am very happy to be here at Skamania School and hope I get to say Hi to each of you!

Did you know that Skamania School is a schoolwide Title I school? This means we receive additional support to help all students succeed, and we prioritize family engagement in our efforts!

We’re excited to share our proposed Family Engagement Plan for the 2024-2025 school year, and we’d love your feedback before we finalize it. The attached version is the “CliffsNotes” summary, but if you’d like to dive deeper, I can share the full plan with anyone who’s interested.

Your input is valuable! Please email me at kchavarria@skamania.k12.wa.us with any feedback or to set up a time to chat. Let’s work together to make this the best year yet!

Welcome to Skamania School PTO!

We are excited to have you join us as we work together to support our students, teachers, and school community. Your participation is invaluable, and we truly appreciate the time and energy you invest in making our school PTO the best it can be. To show our gratitude for attending meetings, we’re offering an exciting incentive—a chance to win a $20 gift card to a local business at each meeting! It's a fun way to encourage everyone to get involved, and we hope to see you there as we continue building a strong, vibrant school community.

Meetings will generally be the first Tuesday of every month.

We want to hear your ideas and suggestions!

Write to us at ptoskamania@gmail.com, thank you!

Montse Chang

President of Skamania School PTO