Nelson Elementary

Hi Navigator Families,

As we move into the spring season, I want to take a moment to express my gratitude for your continued support in making this school year a success. We have seen remarkable growth in our students, both academically and personally, and it’s been a joy to watch them thrive.

Spring brings exciting opportunities and I encourage you to stay connected with us for updates. Our teachers and staff are working hard to provide engaging learning experiences, and we look forward to finishing the year strong!

Thank you for being an essential part of our school community. I look forward to the continued success and joy of learning in the months ahead.

Go Navigators!

Tami Nelson

SBA testing is coming up for the 3rd-5th grade students! Please ensure your student gets a good nights rest and eats a healthy breakfast before their test. PTA will be providing some snacks for students during their testing but students are always welcome to bring their own.

There are crossing flags at our crosswalk both before and after school. The flag system is such that when a person is crossing, they grab a flag to carry across the street and then place the flag in the holder on the opposite side of the street. Thank you for helping us model for our students how to safely cross the street.

We've noticed a safety concern that we need your assistance with. When dropping off or picking up students at school, please avoid parking on the parent-loop side of the road. This area should be left clear for the traffic entering the loop. Vehicles may park on the Frontier Middle School side of the road.

We would also like to request that if you are picking up your student early or dropping off your student late that you please park in a designated parking spot instead of pulling up to the curb by the front of the building. We need to reserve this space for some of our buses that pull up to the front of our building as well as emergency personnel.

Student safety is our top priority, so thank you for ensuring that vehicles are parked in a safe area.

As we get closer to the time of the year when testing is a really big focus, I want to share some strategies that can be helpful. It is normal for students to feel a heightened sense of test anxiety about the upcoming standardized tests. If you're concerned and looking to help a child deal with test anxiety (or just anxiety in general), check out these strategies as you help them prepare for the days ahead!

Get Prepared!

• Attend school everyday to participate in practice tests and build confidence
• Review notes and ask clarifying questions
• Pack bags, lunches, and lay out clothes the night before
• Go to bed and get up on time
• Eat a healthy breakfast at home or get a school breakfast

Practice Calming Strategies!

• Practice controlled breathing exercises
• Make a test day mantra and practice repeating it often
• Practice grounding exercises (5 things you see, 4 things you hear, 3 things you smell, 2 things you can touch, 1 thing you taste)
• Try progressive muscle relaxation

Build up that positive self-talk! Practice it over and over and over again before the test so it comes more easily and naturally on test day! You've got this!!!

In the meantime, enjoy Spring Break and have a wonderful time relaxing and spending time with your family!!

We know that sometimes your student needs to miss school whether it is for an appointment or because your student is not feeling well. It is important that we hear from you if your student is going to be absent. There are several ways to report that your student is going to be absent - entering an absence on ParentVue, calling in to the office 253-800-6400, or by emailing Mrs. Riley at lriley@bethelsd.org.

If you know that your student will be out for 3 or more days, we ask that you please fill out a pre-arranged absence forms. The forms can be located here - https://www.bethelsd.org/resources/pre-arranged-absence-forms

We encourage all parents/guardians to download the ParentVue app. The ParentVue app works in tandem with our new tardy check-in and early release system. The ParentVue app allows for parents/guardians to sign their student out quickly and efficiently.

Attendance can also be submitted through the app! If you need any help with logging in to ParentVue or getting set up, please contact our office at 253-800-6400.

We have noticed that there is quite a few items in lost and found daily. Periodically we will donate our lost and found, however, before we make any donations, we make sure to walk all of our students through the lost and found to see if they notice any of their items. We also make sure to check each item for names. Any items labeled with a student name are returned to that student. Please help us keep our lost and found numbers down by putting your students name in all coats, hats, umbrellas, water bottles, etc.

Why join the PTA?

Your membership supports the PTA in our mission to advocate for every child, along with being able to provide academic enrichment activities for students as well as putting together staff appreciation events! The PTA also creates fun, family friendly events throughout the school year. Some of these include Trunk or Treat, the Holiday Bazaar, Book Fairs, spiritwear, and school fundraisers.

Do I have to volunteer as a PTA member?

Your participation as a PTA member is very flexible to your personal schedule. Volunteering and attendance at PTA meetings is not a requirement for PTA members. While volunteering is an important part of being able to put on PTA events and fundraising throughout the year, we appreciate any amount of time families are able to give, big or small! All volunteers require a current Bethel background check. Background checks can be completed online by going here - https://bethelvolunteers.myschooldata.net/

Membership Fees:

Individual Membership $12

Click here https://nelsonelementarypta.givebacks.com to join!

If you have any PTA questions, please feel free to reach out via email - info@nelsonnavpta.org

Volunteer Opportunities - https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScYXy1YywMRsVjmGzL0LO_kmYWSLqJe14RzVkic-J_MVeLn1A/viewform

This fall, students will only be assigned a bus route after parents complete the ParentVUE Student-Family Update and select that they need bus transportation. So even if your student has ridden the bus for years, you will still need to complete the update and opt in to bussing for the 2025/26 school year. Starting March 31, you will be able to do this by completing the annual Student-Family Update for the 2025/26 school year when you log into ParentVUE. Learn more at bethelsd.org/parentvue

If you have any end of day transportation changes, please contact the office prior to 3pm on a regular school day or by 11am on an early release day. Changes to end of day transportation can either be made by sending a note with your student or by calling the office at 253-800-6400.