Collins Coyotes Howler Newsletter

Creating connected, capable, contributing learners who achieve their highest potential every day

Location: 1920 128th Street East, Tacoma, WA, USA
Phone: 253-298-3400
Facebook: facebook.com/collinscoyotes

Para traducir, busque el BOLETÍN TRADUCIDO a la derecha.

Чтобы перевести, найдите БЮЛЛЕТЕНЬ ПЕРЕВОДА справа.

ត្រូវការការបកប្រែទេ? រកមើលប៊ូតុង TRANSLATE NEWSLETTER នៅខាងស្តាំ។

Cần bản dịch? Tìm nút BẢN TIN DỊCH ở bên phải

Manaʻomia le faʻaliliuga? Vaʻai mo le TRANSLATE NEWSLETTER button i le itu taumatau.

Потрібен переклад? Праворуч натисніть кнопку ПЕРЕКЛАТИ БЮЛЕТЕНЬ.

I hope you all had a wonderful summer vacation, enjoying the longer days to create memories or just relax with some downtime. I was fortunate to visit family in Wisconsin and North Carolina this summer. Plus, play golf with my family and root for the Mariners and Rainiers. But I always look forward to seeing the return of our students!

Our staff has been eagerly waiting for this new year to start. Several hours, days have been spent by everyone preparing for students’ arrival. A very exciting addition to our community is the Support Centers. Adding these classrooms allows students in our community who have exceptionalities to attend their home school. We hired a team of amazing educators to support the students’ individualized needs. Ms. Kragel and Mrs. Wilmot lead the classrooms. Please see the article in this newsletter introducing some of our new teammates.

This will kickstart a new feature in our newsletter for this school year. Each newsletter we will introduce you to some of our staff. Eventually, I would like to interview families and feature them in our newsletters.

This week, we will have our first assembly of the school year. We will introduce several incentives and our core values of this school year to our students. For the first assembly, we hope everyone will wear Coyote gear or Coyote colors!

A couple of the incentives we will continue is our Be Slip and Pick of the Pack recognitions. Students can earn as many Be Slips for demonstrating at least one of our 4 Bes. They put their slips into a drawing in the office. Everyday, after the last recesses, we draw 4-6 names, announce the winners for the day and then they come to the office for a small prize.

Pick of the Pack awards happen a little less frequently and are given to students who show great growth, exceptional kindness/tolerance/cooperation or something else that stands out to an adult. When students receive this award, they bring it to the office to draw a bingo number in the hopes of getting a bingo! on our board. Students also have the choice to call a grown-up to share what they did to earn the award. When we have a bingo!, we have a party with everyone who is on the row or column.

I am looking forward to great year with you all! Please remember that you can always reach out to our exceptional office team if you have any questions. They will point in the right direction for the support you need.

Kindest regards,

Ms. Kehoe

Introducing our New Teachers!

Mrs. Wilmot joined our Collins team to lead the instruction in our Primary Support Center. She comes to us from our district’s Early Learning Center where she taught Special Education for six years. She is married and has two kids and two dogs. She enjoys coffee, gardening, music, movies, taking walks and spending time with her family and pets. We are so pleased to have her support our youngest learners in their individualized learning environment.

We are very excited to welcome Ms. Caldera to our Second Grade Team. This is her tenth year of teaching in our school district. In her spare time, she enjoys going for walks, reading and spending time with family and friends. We are looking forward to all the amazing contributions she will bring to our dedicated team of educators.

With Ms. Kragel moving to the newly formed Intermediate Support Center, we had the opportunity to welcome Mrs. O’Neil to lead instruction in the Resource Room and support students with Individualized Education Plans (IEPs). Mrs. O’Neil has over twenty years of teaching experience in nearby school districts. She is married and has two daughters that keep her busy. Her oldest daughter is very active in gymnastics. This summer she spent time camping, hiking and going to the beach. She also enjoys reading or listening to audio books. We are very excited to have her join our school community.

We are very excited to have Mr. Schultz as our new music teacher! After he student music in college, he taught ESL in South Korea for five years, and for the past 12 years, he taught Special Education English at Curtis High School. He and his wife have three kids aged 12, 9, and 7. They have a kitten named Mylo. He enjoys multiple musical endeavors in his spare time- bands, orchestra and at church. Mr. Schultz’s passion for music and promoting his students’ creativity will be exciting to enjoy!

September 4 - 2:35 dismissal

September 6 - Collins Spirit Day!

September 8 - Collins Swag sale ends

September 11 - 2:35 dismissal

September 18 - 2:35 dismissal

September 25 - 2:35 dismissal

September 30-October 4 - Custodial Appreciation Week

Welcome back, Coyote families. I am Mr. Kiepert, the PE teacher, and I want to let you know the first few things we will be working on in fitness. The first thing I like to teach are recess games, on top of my classroom expectations. I will be teaching 4-Square, Switch, Tetherball and a few other games that can be played at recess. SUPER important this year is that when students come to fitness, they NEED to be wearing sneakers, that means no crocs, no boots, or no slides. If they come wearing the wrong shoes, they will not be able to participate in class and will walk around the gym or the track if outside. Thanks so much!

We have a limited number of Free Disposal Vouchers for either the Hidden Valley or Purdy Transfer Station. Vouchers are good until September 30, and are on a first come, first serve basis. Feel free to call the office at 253-298-3400 to request one!

If you are interested in volunteering as a chaperone for field trips or in any other capacity that may come up, please complete the volunteer application as soon as possible. It may take up to two weeks to process an application and we don't want you to be left out of a volunteer opportunity because you are not approved yet! Click here to begin your volunteer application. If you were cleared as a volunteer last year, please complete a new application. Volunteer applications must be completed every year.

If your Coyote comes to school late, we ask that you please come in with them to sign them in. Often times, students are just dropped off at the door, and we are trying to avoid that. Thank you for your cooperation!

Attendance is key for students to thrive so please try to schedule appointments outside of the school day. Every absence, tardy and/or early dismissal needs to be reported to the office.

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. If the nurse says the 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.

Chronic absenteeism is defined as missing 10 percent or more of school days due to absences for any reason (both excused and unexcused absences). It can translate into students having a difficult time learning to read by the third grade, achieving in middle school, and graduating from high school. Every day a student is absent is a lost opportunity for learning.

What Can Families Do?

Attending school regularly helps children feel better about school and themselves. Families can start building this habit in preschool, so they learn right away that students go to school on time, every day. Good attendance will help children do well in high school, college, and in their careers. Here are some suggestions:

• Set a regular bedtime and morning routine,

• Set out clothes and pack backpacks the night before,

• If they choose to pack lunches do so the night before,

• Schedule appointments and travel when school is not in session,

• Have a back-up plan in place with family members, neighbors, or other parents for getting your child to school in case something comes up,

• Keep track of your child’s attendance,

• Talk about the importance of regular attendance and about how your child feels about school. Regular attendance helps to make and build connections with friends and staff. It also supports learning!

• Reach out for support. If you need support and resources to address the barriers to school attendance, or a reason that they aren’t looking forward to school regularly please connect with your child’s teacher, counselor, or the front office staff so we can address it. We are here to help!

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 a parent 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. If exhibiting Covid-like symptoms, testing is recommended. Please see the attached document for guidance. If you have questions, please do not hesitate to contact the health room.

Important reminders for drop-off:

1. Pull forward when there is room so other cars can enter our lot (rather than blocking the street).

2. Cars need to pull up to the curb before students exit them. Students may not cut through cars as this is a safety hazard.

Important reminders for pick-up:

1. Students will be waiting in their assigned pick-up zone. Zones are broken up by the first letter of their last name. Please review the map for details.

2. Cars must pull up to the curb before a child will be released by the supervising adult.

3. Please make sure to not block traffic by waiting for an open spot. Instead continue to drive around until another car departs (similar to an airport).

We will have outdoor recess as much as possible as long as daily 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 next to the gym.

Our school district office has a Family Resource Center. They can offer connections and resources for families who need support. The Family Resource Center is open to all community members.

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.

Please read these important reminders from the office!

1. If you need to come into the building, please press the intercom button on your right as you look at the front door. This will enable the office to see you and to buzz you into the entry if needed.
2. Please notify the office of any changes in the way your child will go home at the end of the day. We need this information before 3:30 so we have time to get a note to the teacher.
3. Call the office (253)-298-3400 if your child will be absent. If they have an appointment, please ask the doctor, dentist, counselor, etc. for a note for school. Offices that treat children are used to giving notes to students for excuses! Tardies and leaving school early shows on your child's attendance record. Please make appointments outside of school hours when possible.
4. If you need to take your child out of school before the end of the school day, please come before 3:30 so we can easily locate your child! You will need to sign your child out and wait for them to come from their classroom, so allow plenty of time.
5. If your phone number, email address, or home address changes, please let us know so we have the most up-to-date contact information for you. If students become ill, or otherwise need your help, we need a way to contact you! Thank you.

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!

• hfgh

• Join the PTA! Click to join - https://collinsptacoyotes.givebacks.com/store/items/1011926. Everyone is welcome, and whether you have a little time or a lot, your involvement makes a huge impact.
• Shop Collins Gear from 8/28-9/8! Go to www.bsnteamsports.com and login with code pzygBWfmzB.
• Our first PTA meeting is Tuesday 9/17, 5-6PM at the Summit Pierce County Library (5107 112th St E, Tacoma, WA 98446). Hope to see you there!
• Save the Date for Harvest Market! Saturday, 10/12/24, 10am-4pm at Collins. Bring your gently used Halloween costumes for our costume exchange!

Franklin Pierce Schools does not discriminate on the basis of sex, race, creed, religion, color, national origin, age, honorably discharged veteran or military status, sexual orientation including gender expression or identity, the presence of any sensory, mental, or physical disability, or the use of a trained dog guide or service animal by a person with a disability in its programs and activities and provides equal access to the Boy Scouts and other designated youth groups. Questions and complaints of alleged discrimination should be directed to James Hester, Compliance Coordinator for State and Civil Rights Laws; Dr. Julian Pollard, Title IX Officer; or John Sanders, 504/ADA Coordinator at 315 129th ST S, Tacoma, WA 98444-5099 or at (253)298-3000