Collins Coyotes Howler Newsletter
September 16, 2024
Collins Coyotes
Location: 1920 128th Street East, Tacoma, WA, USA
Phone: 253-298-3400
Facebook: facebook.com/collinscoyotes
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COMING UP!
September 18 - 2:35 dismissal
September 25 - 2:35 dismissal
September 30-October 4 - Custodial Appreciation Week
October 2 - 2:35 dismissal
October 7 - No School
October 8-11 - Conference week; 12:35 dismissal each day
A Note from Ms. Kehoe:
Hello Coyote Families!
Since our last Howler we have had our first assembly, an emergency drill and commenced our Fall Benchmark Testing. The first assembly was an opportunity for students to hear about our 4 Bes and how they can earn recognition and rewards for demonstrating them. We also had our first Coyote Challenge. Staff from our building and the main district office competed with a couple of students in cup stacking. The winning student received 10$ in Scholastic books.
Our emergency drill was very successful, in the fact that teachers were prepared to teach students how to respond and the students followed the directions incredibly well. Our School Resource Officer joined our kids at recess for some fun and positive connections to help kids feel more comfortable. (see pictures below).
Today we began our Fall Benchmark Testing. This testing is conducted three times per year. It is another indicator for student growth and will guide teachers’ instructional practices. The scores will be shared at our upcoming Student Led Conferences.
In the next day or so you should receive a link from your classroom teacher to sign up for the Student Led Conferences we have the week of Oct. 8-11. If you have any questions, please contact your teacher. During this week we will have a Scholastic Book Fair in our library. PTA will also have Coyote swag available for purchase. Also, during this week, we will host a student led community group, Roots and Shoots, for their clothing drive. More information will be forthcoming.
I am excited to introduce you all to a couple of new staff members- Breanne Bainbridge and Sandeep Rattan. Breanne Bainbridge is one of our new paraeducators in the Support Center. She has volunteered in our school for about four years. She is a mom of two boys and enjoys doing crafts with them. She is also learning how to bake Gluten free. We are so glad Bree has joined our team in this new capacity! Sandeep Rattan is another paraeducator in our Support Center. This is her fourth year working in our school district. She has a Bachelor’s degree in Education. She has a son and husband at home. She enjoys doing yoga, cooking, gardening, and teaching. We are very happy to have Sandeep on our team again! Thank you both for your commitment to our exceptional students in the Support Centers.
We are off to an amazing start to the school year. We have welcomed over sixty new families to our community. We are looking forward to making wonderful memories with all of our Coyotes throughout the year. As always, if you have any questions, please contact our main office and Erica or Kacy will connect you with the right folks.
Best regards,
Katie Kehoe
Our School Resource Officer (SRO) having fun at recess!
A note from Ms. Bobbi
Dear Families,
We are fortunate again this year to partner with Our Savior Lutheran Church in the Backpacks for Kids Program. Every week, volunteers at OSLC pack and deliver bags of food to students of families in need. Food bags are delivered to the school every Friday, with the exception of a few Thursdays due to school closures. Our Savior’s generosity extends district-wide, serving all 12 schools in Franklin Pierce.
If your family would like to be referred to this program, please reach out to Ms. Bobbi at 253-298-3410 or bnorthcott@fpschools.org . Should you choose to participate, you can receive this support as long as it is needed during the school year. You can end your participation at any time during the school year, too. Friday food bags will be sent home with your student, you do not need to come pick them up.
Thank you!
Free Disposal Voucher
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!
Attendance Matters!
Pieces are missing when kids are not at school! We want our Coyotes to be here every day, all day, on time, and ready to learn. As an attendance incentive, on days when all students are in class, on time, and at school the entire day, classes will receive a piece of a coyote (similar to Mr. Potato Head). They will receive a class reward whenever a class has earned all pieces of the coyote. We understand that sometimes children must miss school due to illness or special circumstances, but we want to encourage being present as much as possible in fun, positive ways. Thank you for having your child/children here regularly!
Attendance reminders!
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!
Late Pup?
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!
Calling all volunteers!
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.
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 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 Parent Pick-Up and Drop Off
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).
Outdoor Recess
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.
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.
Please read these important reminders from the office!
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
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!
PTA Corner!
- Join the PTA! Click to join - https://collinsptacoyotes.givebacks.com/store. Everyone is welcome, and whether you have a little time or a lot, your involvement makes a huge impact. The Secretary board position is still open to fill if interested.
- Our first PTA meeting is tomorrow Tuesday 9/17, 5-6PM at the Summit Pierce County Library (5107 112th St E, Tacoma, WA 98446). Hope to see you there!
- Miss the Spirit Wear Store? We'll be selling youth blue coyote t-shirts during conference week if you want to grab one!
- Save the Date for the Harvest Market! Saturday, 10/12/24, 10am-4pm at Collins. Come shop over 60 vendors and food trucks. Enter to win a raffle prize or make a craft at the kids craft corner. Don't forget to bring your gently used Halloween costumes for our costume exchange!