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

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May 6-10 - Teacher Appreciation Week

May 6-10 - Nurse Appreciation Week

May 10 -PTA Spring Dance

May 8 -2:35 Dismissal

May 15 - 2:35 Dismissal

May 15 - 5th grade camp meeting, 5:30

May 20-23 - Conference Week, 12:35 dismissal

May 20 -23 - Scholastic Book Fair (see more info below!)

May 20-23 - Administrator Appreciation Week

May 21 - Evening conferences

May 24-27 - No school, Memorial Day

May 29 - 2:35 Dismissal

May 30 - 4th/5th Grade concerts, 6pm

It is unbelievable that May is here! May brings a lot of activities to our school. Please stay informed with all of the upcoming activities by reviewing messages from your teacher and our school’s media. If you have any questions, please contact your teacher or our school’s office staff.

A very special thank you to everyone who donated to our Student Council’s fundraiser. The kids had a great time dancing with their friends, and they raised over $5200!

I hope the beginning of May finds you and your family well and ready to enjoy all of the upcoming activities.

Ms. Kehoe

BOGO Book Fair is coming!!! 3 Days only, don't miss out!

Monday, May 20th - 1:00 - 4:00

Tuesday, May 21st - 1:00 - 6:00

Wednesday, May 22nd - 1:00 - 4:00

Students must be accompanied by an adult to shop. To shop online, visit: https://www.scholastic.com/bf/collinselementaryschool16

If you would like to volunteer, please contact Tara Sanderson at 253-298-3413 or tsanderson@fpschools.org

Teaching is one of the best jobs in the world and one of the most challenging. Our teachers go above and beyond to make school a positive and productive experience for our students. We are grateful to our teachers for their heroic efforts, dedication, heart, and skills to break down barriers and open the doors to our students' unlimited potential. Please join us this week in expressing our appreciation for our wonderful teachers: Miss Ketner, Mrs. Luebke, Mrs. McGowan, Mrs. Nasinec, Miss Robbins, Ms. Ramos, Mrs. Knox, Mrs. Rushton, Ms. Bishop, Mrs. Bartel, Mr. Caillier, Ms. Glover, Mrs. Sandoval, Mr. Burnett, Mrs. Yevchev, Miss Dandridge, Miss Demke, Mrs. Johnson, Ms. Russell, Mrs. Walton Ms. Poole, Mrs, Dobner, Mrs. Fayth, Mr. Fitch, Miss Schramm, Mr. Gaulke, Mrs. Sanderson, Mrs. McKee, Miss Kragel and Mr. Kiepert!.

Mrs. Cruz is an extraordinary school nurse. Her skills, expertise, kindness, and calm demeanor help keep our students safe and sound. Mrs. Cruz is a treasured member of our team. She takes great care of all our Collins Coyotes, and we appreciate her every day. Please join us in celebrating her during Nurse Appreciation Week

FPYF is co-hosting a Guiding Good choices parenting class. This is a FREE of cost to all attendees. An amazing parenting class opportunity for all parents/guardians with teenagers (essentially, kids ages 10-14).

Upcoming Guiding Good Choices Sessions set to start next week.

There are a total of 5 sessions, the first 4 are virtual via Zoom platform.

With the last session - number 5 to be held in person on May 21st (English session) from 5:30PM to 7:30PM & June 6th (Spanish session) from 5:00PM to 6:00PM.

More details found in the attached flyer.

It’s time to order yearbooks! Yearbooks cost $12. You can pay cash anytime by sending exact change to school in an envelope with your student’s name clearly marked or using the order form sent home with your student.

We will continue to accept payments in cash until all of the yearbooks are sold. Yearbooks will be handed out to students around June 14th.

We once again have a limited number of Free Disposal Vouchers for either the Hidden Valley or Purdy Transfer Station. Vouchers are good from April 1-June 30 and are on a first come, first serve basis. Feel free to call the office at 253-298-3400 to request one!

This year, Mary Bridge will be hosting a FREE 3-day bereavement camp for children ages 6-17 years old who are grieving the death of a significant person in their lives. At YMCA Camp Seymour, children will participate in traditional camp activities while exploring their grief, learning important coping skills, and making friends with peers who are also grieving. Space is limited, and you must complete an application for your child to participate. If you would like an application, contact Ms. Bobbi at (253) 298-3410 or bnorthcott@fpschools.org.

At this time, we are taking registration only for those children who live within our attendance boundaries, or have daycare in our area. All registrations will be done online beginning March 25th. Enrollees must provide a copy of their child’s birth certificate, immunization records, and proof of residence by uploading them to our district's website along with their registration information. To be eligible for kindergarten, children must be five years of age by August 31, 2024.

Please visit fpschools.org - click on the red "Enrollment" circle - follow the instructions for the 2024-25 school year.

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!

As we finalize the transition between Skyward and Qmlativ, we ask that parents and guardians review and update their student's information in our Qmlativ/Skyward database. This information allows FPS and your student's school to stay connected with you and access vital information about your child's health and safety.

For a tutorial on how to complete the Annual Student Information Update, visit https://www.fpschools.org/departments/k-12-office/asiu.

Thank you in advance for completing the Annual Student Information Update!

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 in 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 and you won't be stuck in the end-of-the-day pick-up line! 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!

Due to a bus driver shortage, your child's bus may be cancelled. Our Transportation Department and Public Information Office are working hard to be sure our communication is timely and effective. If you experience a bus cancellation, please remember the following:

1. When a bus is cancelled in the morning, it is also cancelled in the afternoon. If you bring your child to school, please be sure they also have a way to get home. If someone who is not listed as an emergency contact is picking up your child, please be sure to call the school office.
2. If you are not able to drive your child to school, please call our attendance office at 253-398-4500 to report your child's absence, so that it will be excused.
3. If your child's bus has not come and you have not heard anything, please check the Franklin Pierce Schools website at www.fpschools.org for updated information. Bus cancellations are always posted on the front of the website. You may also contact the transportation department at 253-298-3865.

We apologize for the inconvenience these cancellations cause

Spring Dance this Week!!!

Our Spring Dance is on Friday, May 10th, from 6pm to 8pm. It is a luau, Hawaiian, tropical theme so we encourage you to dress that way (but still school appropriate). Friday will be a Spirit Day, so make sure to dress in your 🌺🌴Hawaiian/tropical🌴🌺 attire to start the dance celebrations early!!!

Teacher and Staff Appreciation Week

PTA is providing fun foods and gifts all throughout the week to show our teachers and staff how much we love them. PTA also has thank you cards in the office if you wish to write a note to your favorite teacher or staff member.

PTA 2023 - 2024 Board Elections

We will be having our board elections at our May 14th meeting (4:30 pm in school library). Please attend the meeting in person or on zoom if you wish to be a candidate for next years board or if you wish to vote. The board will be taking over at the end of the school year and complete planning for the next year.

If any parent or guardian volunteers would like to help at our Dance on Friday, please email the PTA at collinsptacoyotes@gmail.com

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; Wendy Malich, Title IX Officer; or John Sanders, 504/ADA Coordinator at 315 129th ST S, Tacoma, WA 98444-5099 or at (253)298-3000