Collins Coyotes Howler Newsletter
November 20, 2023
Collins Coyotes
Location: 1920 128th Street East, Tacoma, WA, USA
Phone: 253-298-3400
Facebook: facebook.com/collinscoyotes
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COMING UP!
November 22 - 12:35 dismissal
November 23-26 - NO SCHOOL, Thanksgiving
November 29 - 12:35 dismissal
December 1 - Collins Dental Day
December 6 - Books and Blankets, 6:30-7:30
December 12 - 2nd and 3rd grade concerts, 6:30, Collins Gym
December 15 - Cozy Drive ends
December 15 - PTA's Winter Dance - (more info to come)
December Food drive ends
December 18 - Ugly sweater day
December 19 - School wide pajama day
December 20-January 2 - Winter Break
A Note from Ms. Kehoe
As we head into the chilly weather and shorter days, we have time to reflect on our what we grateful for. There is so much to be thankful for her in our school community.
We have a beautifully diverse student population that inspires us to dream and hope for the future. Each morning, I am grateful for each of them as I greet them when they enter the building.
I am grateful for the hard working, caring families who encourage and support their students to be the best they can be.
I am also grateful for our Collins staff who work tirelessly to create a positive learning environment and meaningful, engaging learning opportunities. In the upcoming days, I hope you have a moment of gratitude with your loved ones.
I want to give an extra special welcome to John Caillier, our new second grade teacher! Ms. Smith had to suddenly leave our community. I am grateful for the interview committee and their selection of Mr. Caillier to assume the responsibility. Welcome to the pack Mr. Caillier!
Thank you for taking the time read our newsletter. A lot of important information about safety and upcoming events is included.
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact the office and they will direct you in the right direction.
With gratitude,
Ms. Kehoe
A Bit from Ms. Bobbi...
BULLYING PREVENTION MONTH
At Collins, we want all of our Coyotes to feel safe and supported! This month we will be recognizing bullying prevention school wide. On Friday we kicked off the theme at our CHAMPS assembly. We appreciate support as we continue to partner with families. There are many reasons why working together is important.
*Children who bully are five times more likely to become adult criminals than those who don’t bully.
*Continual emotional distress can create deficits in a child’s intellectual abilities, hurting the capacity to learn.
*Targets of bullying are more likely to be depressed as adults.
*Preventing bullying lowers rates of vandalism, fighting, theft and truancy.
* Preventing bullying behaviors improves school climate.
We can help change patterns of aggression by developing programs in school and by building homes that are characterized by warmth, positive interest, and adult involvement. Together we can support pro-social behaviors when we set firm limits to unacceptable behavior in non-hostile, consistently teachable ways.
Our Coyote pups will be learning the difference between normal peer conflict and bullying. They will learn how to report and how to get help if they see bullying occur or if they are the target of bullying. We define bullying as one-sided, intentional and repeated behavior. Bullying happens when there is an imbalance of power and someone purposefully hurts, frightens, or threatens someone else. Bullying can also be leaving someone out, teasing, spreading rumors or making offensive comments to someone else. We know that sometimes normal peer conflict and bad behavior occur. When the problem is two-sided, the target is not afraid, the isn’t an imbalance of power and behavior is not repeated, mediation might be the solution.
Our school rules against bullying are:
1. We will not bully others.
2. We will help students who are bullied.
3. We will include students who are left out.
4. If bullying is happening, we will tell an adult at home and at school.
If you would like more information about bullying prevention and how to help your child, please feel free to call the school counselor, Bobbi Northcott at 253- 298-3410. Thank you for your partnership to make Collins a place everyone can learn and build positive relationships!
Have you heard about these Franklin Pierce School District Resources?
The Farm at Franklin Pierce. Food at the farm is grown by and for the community! Everyone is invited to visit the farm on Thursdays from 4-6pm to receive “Fresh and Free Veggies”!
The Farm is located at 9516 Waller Rd E.
If you have any questions about either of these resources, please check out our school district’s website, fpschools.org; or call our school’s front office.
District Calendar 2023/2024
Please review our district calendar. It can also be found on our district website.
Red = 90-minute early release days (dismissal at 2:35pm)
Orange and Green = 3.5-hour early release days (dismissal at 12:35pm)
Blue = no school
3.5 Hour Early Release (dismissed at 12:35pm)
- November 22nd
- November 29th
- May 20th-May 23rd
- June 12th
90 Minute Early Release (dismissal at 2:35pm)
- Every Wednesday except for March 20th
DISTRICT CALENDAR:
Notes from our Nurse, Mrs. Cruz!
Medications
If your child needs to have medication(s) administered during school hours, we must have a physician's order. The order has to be signed by both the prescribing physician and the parent. This applies to all prescription AND over-the-counter medications (i.e. cough drops, eye drops, ear drops, etc...). All medications are required to be transported to and from school by an adult or another designated adult. We do not allow students to carry medications, unless they have an order that states otherwise.
Illness
Please continuously monitor your child for symptoms. If your child is sick, keep them at home. Please see the attached document for guidance. If you have questions, please do not hesitate to contact the health room.
Clothing Donations
The health room is in need of "like-new", gently used, and clean items sizes 5-18 for all students. Any undergarments donated must be new and still in-package. Your donations are greatly appreciated!
Fall Weather and Outdoor Recess
We are finally heading into the colder, wetter months of the school year. We will have outdoor recess as much as possible as long as conditions are safe for students to be outside. Please be sure your students come to school dressed for the weather. Wear coats, hats, gloves, socks, shoes that protect their feet, and maybe even a change of clothes in case they get wet.
Please also take a moment to label outer-wear with a permanent marker in case it is misplaced. If your child is missing their coat, please ask them to check the lost and found in the gym. All unclaimed coats left in the lost and found when we leave for Winter break will be donated.
Weather and Emergency Updates:
In the event of emergencies, a team of Franklin Pierce Schools staff work to balance safety and our commitment to support student learning. The choice to delay or cancel the start of a school day includes assessing road conditions and consulting with other local services. Franklin Pierce Schools will attempt to offer updates about delays and closures by 5am.
Staff and families can expect to receive information about school closures and delays in the following ways:
Recorded Telephone Message contact the main office at your child's school to ensure your contact information is up to date
SMS Message for families/staff who have opted-in, click herefor Text Message if you would like to opt-in
Email from info@fpschools.org
Website www.fpschools.org
Flash Alert Notification sign up to receive email notifications and download the Flash Alert App, click here.
Local Media including KIRO 97.3 FM, KOMO 1000 AM, KIRO TV Channel 7, KOMO TV Channel 4, and KING TV Channel 5
Lost and Found
Collins' Attendance Auto-Dialar
If your student is absent and we haven't heard from you, you will receive an automated safety call to let you know that your student is not in class. When you receive this call, please call the office at 253-298-3400 to let us know the reason for the absence. Alternatively, you could send a signed note with your student when they return to school. Please remember that all absences remain unexcused until we hear from you. Thank you for your help in this important matter!
Attendance Matters!
If you know your child will be absent or will be either leaving early or arriving late, please call our office. The number is 253.298.3406. If your child is sick and you cannot see a doctor you can bring your child in to see the nurse. ** Please note: our nurse will assess your child to determine if they are well enough to stay at school. She will not diagnose. If your child is too ill to be at school, the absence will be excused.
The number of days missed matters!
Whether excused or unexcused, the number of days your student misses can greatly impact their academic success. Families should strive for regular attendance. Regular attendance means having, on average, less than two absences per month. An absence is defined as missing 50% or more of their scheduled day.
Most children miss a few days of school each year without long-term consequences. However, when students miss too many days, the effects are almost always negative. We are continually working to make our school environment a place where everyone is safe, healthy, and ready to learn.
Attendance and Nurse contact information
Contact information:
Attendance office- 253.298.3406 or khallett@fpschools.org
Text office cell phone-253.341.1467
Mrs. Cruz, Nurse - 253.298.3408 or scruz@fpschools.org
IMPORTANT SCHOOL REMINDERS
SCHEDULE CHANGES - The end of the day at Collins is very hectic. If you forgot to send a note in the morning (which is preferred) and need to call the school with a change to your child’s schedule, please do so before 3:30 p.m. After 3:30 the office is busy assisting students and parents and will not be able to answer your call or get a message to a student before they leave for the day. All end-of-day schedule changes must be made through the office, not with the classroom teacher. Thank you!
UPDATE CONTACT INFORMATION - If any of your information has changed (address, contact info., email address, etc.) please contact the office right away. This year more than ever, it will be important to have the most current information. Also, let us know what your preferred method of contact is - phone, email, text. You can reach the office at 253.298.3400.
PTA News!
PTA will be hosting a FREE Winter Dance on Friday, December 15th in the Collins Gym. Please note the date so your family can attend. There will be more details at a later date.
We still need members sign-up for PTA. We have a minimum number we must meet to keep our PTA running. Please help us keep the PTA at Collins.
Membership Sign-up Link https://www.memberplanet.com/s/collinspta/23-24ptamembership
PTA Board:
President - Chrissie Richardson
Vice-President - Marissa Kimble
Treasurer - Naomi Ibarra
Secretary - Danielle Toler
Social Media/Communications - Jessica Slusser
PTA has decided to join Remind to increase our communications. This is the same app that the school uses and hopefully this will help keep everyone in the loop. Please make sure to join our "classroom" for the school year.