Columbia Crest

Dear Rainier Families,

We hope that the new year has started off well for all of you. We are busy with learning and activities every day here at Columbia Crest!

It is hard to believe that we are at the halfway point of the year. Students are settled in routines and understand our school-wide expectations. Teachers have worked hard to create meaningful learning opportunities and teach school-wide behavior expectations. Consistency and predictability are key factors for student success, as well as a calm learning environment to better focus on learning. We hope the second half of the year is successful for everyone.

As the cold weather continues, we would like to stress the importance of students wearing the appropriate winter outerwear. Our goal is to have children go outside for recess whenever possible because outdoor play is not just FUN, it is also good for them. According to health experts, children who play outside are happier, healthier and stronger.

Dates to Note:

• February 1: After School Middle School Art Club Begins every Thursday through June 6

• February 2: Monthly Award Assembly at 7:50am

• February 2: 2nd Quarter Ends, Half Day, Release at 11:05am - buses will drop students off 3 hours earlier than normal

• February 5: PTO Meeting for all CCA Parents at 2:30 with Superintendent Brower

• February 5: Semester 2, Quarter 3 Begins, Middle School students begin new schedule

• February 9: Report Cards are available on Skyward for parents to view

• February 13: Please Vote

• February 14: Valentine Parties (details provided in newsletter)

• February 15: 100th Day of School, Dress Like a 100 Year Old

• February 19: No School in observance of Presidents Day

We’re fortunate to work with your students every day. Thank you for allowing us to play a role in their development.

Warmly,

Principal Burslem

Pizza Wednesday Club hit the road in January and went up the line to Columbia Crest STEM Academy!

This was our second annual trip to provide pizza, drinks, and PRIZES to their lucky middle school students, under the leadership of their very enthusiastic Principal Burslem and her brilliant staff!

But wait, there's more!!!!

We can't just show up and throw pizza at these kids (although let's face it, if you know a middle schooler, you know they would probably love it), we have to bring along some entertaining servers!

Cue the Pierce County Sheriff's Department ! Thanks to Jason LaLiberte with the Eatonville Police Department , we were able to make a connection with a handful of folks just hoping to have an opportunity to get some positive face-to-face time with local kids!

Thank you to:

• Lieutenant "Pepperoni" Brown
• Sergeant "Cheesy" Clark
• Sergeant "Supreme hold the Mushrooms" Oetting

... and a Rockstar Social Media Coordinator who made sure this event went down with style! She's sneaky.

Of course when there's mention of a school party, you know Jay Brower and some of the Eatonville School Board are going to pop in!

Director Ronda Litzenberger and Director Ashley Sova served up juice, napkins (again, middle school kids thrive on messy), and raffle tickets!

Pizza makes kids thirsty, and Columbia Crest PTO President Krista Sarver knew what to expect, providing a SWEET hot Cocoa bar and "minutes to win it" games for kids who had EXTRA energy to burn off!

Thanks to our AMAZING sponsors ( Ray Arment and an anonymous Community Nana), we were able to provide not just pizza, but 4 RAFFLE PRIZES worth over $150! Students were able to choose what they wanted to win, and surprisingly they were pretty evenly divided between:

• Ceramic Paint Kit
• Pop Up Badminton Set
• LED Frisbee
• Letter Light Board

(The BEST was hearing them cheer for each winner, as if they were ALL winning the prize... )

And finally, thank you Ashlyn Heagle at Myles Pizza Depot for working with The Club to make this happen every month- their BIG hearts and thoughtful discount help us to continue to provide these FUN events!

NEXT Pizza Wednesday Club MEETING WILL BE AT MYLES PIZZA- VALENTINE'S DAY!!! After school until 3:15pm! All ESD aged kids are welcome to come grab a FREE slice of pie and a cold fountain drink!

And yes, every kiddo gets a Valentine's Gift because WE YOU!!

National Counselor Appreciation Week is February 5 - February 9. Please help us celebrate our wonderful counselor, Ms. Noble-Perry who works so hard for all of us.

The CCA 4th & 5th grade classes are preparing to learn how to play soprano recorders during music. This began the second week of January. Students may either 1) check out an CCA soprano recorder, 2) use their own personal recorder, or 3) check out an CCA recorder until a personal recorder is purchased and then return the CCA recorder.

Recorders that are checked out from the school need to be returned in good, playable condition. These are Yamaha 3-piece recorders made out of hard plastic and cost around $8. Parental permission is needed for students to check out a school recorder.

If you would like your child to check out and use an CCA recorder, please fill out and submit the following Google form:

CCA Recorder Check-Out Form

If you would like to purchase a recorder like the one we are using at CCA, here is one that is offered by Ted Brown Music:

Ted Brown Music 3-piece Yamaha Recorder

The recorder should be stored in your child's backpack at all times so it is available at school during music class and at home for practice.

When purchasing a plastic soprano recorder, it is best to purchase a 3-piece plastic recorder (the head, body and foot pieces come apart), but a 2-piece recorder will also suffice. Single piece recorders are limited in that they cannot be tuned to another instrument and the foot piece cannot be adjusted to the right hand little finger if needed. You may purchase any color of recorder you like, and it does not matter if the recorder is transparent or not. Most plastic soprano recorders run between $6 - $10. Also keep in mind that family and friends may have unused recorders in their homes they may be willing to loan or give to you!

Please let me know if you need any additional information. It is a pleasure to work with your student!

Blessings!

Jason Hunter - CCA Music director

Both classes went outside and used the staple gun to put frost cloth over a couple beds. They also cleaned snow off the hoops, and got everything snug for the frigid weather. Then they got to play! 5th period just practiced falling in the snow, but 6th period built a giant snowman and started on an igloo.

Parents who are looking for community resources, therapeutic referrals, etc may complete the form linked below to initiate support. These are all free or affordable confidential resources. Please click this link or scan the QR code.

Our school social worker, Miss Meysenburg will reach out by email within the week it is received, or you can reach out to her by email at k.meysenburg@eatonville.wednet.edu.

Dear 4th and 5th Grade Parents,

We hope this newsletter finds you and your children in high spirits and eager for new adventures in the world of literature! We are thrilled to announce the upcoming 2023-2024 Battle of the Books competition, and we have some exciting news to share with you.

This year, we have decided to introduce a fresh twist to the Battle of the Books competition. Instead of finalizing teams at the beginning of the contest, we have compiled a list of 10 captivating titles that they can explore at their own pace. By doing so, we aim to provide more flexibility and allow students to choose books that truly engage their interests.

The Battle of the Books competition is open to students in grades fourth through fifth, and we encourage all interested students to participate. It promises to be an enriching experience where they can discover new authors, immerse themselves in thrilling stories, and engage in vibrant discussions with their peers.

To facilitate these book discussions, we will be holding monthly meetings at the school. During these gatherings, students will have the opportunity to share their thoughts, insights, and favorite moments from the books they have read. We believe that these conversations will not only foster a love for reading but also promote critical thinking and teamwork among the participants.

We are excited to announce that the Battle of the Books competition itself will take place in the spring. More detailed information, including specific dates and guidelines, will be shared with you in the coming months. So, please keep an eye out for future updates to ensure that your child doesn't miss out on this wonderful opportunity.

We sincerely hope that your child will embrace this chance to delve into the world of literature, discover new stories, and make lasting memories with their peers. If you have any questions or need further information, please don't hesitate to reach out to us. We are here to support and guide your child throughout this exciting journey.

Thank you for your continued support in fostering a love for reading and learning among our students. Together, let's make the 2023-2024 Battle of the Books competition a resounding success!

Greetings CCA Band Families,

Because of very limited band practices that we are able to schedule during the regular school day, Mr. Hunter will be available to help individual band members on their instrument, rhythm mastery, and song mastery from 7:00 – 7:30 a.m. on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays. Mr. Hunter is not at CCA on Wednesdays.

The location for extra help will depend on if it is a band day or non-band day:

• On BAND DAYS, we will meet on the STAGE.
• On NON-BAND DAYS, we will meet in the MAKERSPACE building.

Attendance is optional of course, but much can be accomplished during these special practice times. Students are encouraged to attend as often as they like.

~ Mr. Hunter

Are you able to help the PTO purchase items for upcoming events? Check out their needed items below.

So many significant accomplishments will be celebrated, during our Monthly Recognition Assembly. Parents and family members are always welcome to attend.

ABSENCES & TARDIES: If your child will be absent or arriving late. If you do not submit the form by 8am, you will receive communication regarding your child's absence. Absences will be reported as unexcused.

TRANSPORTATION CHANGE: Transportation Changes must be completed no later than 1pm on the day the transportation change is needed.

PICK UP EARLY: Please submit the time and reason for picking up your child early from school.

Every Wednesday morning before school, students have a chance to spend real money to purchase items. Items include snacks, hygiene items and school supplies.

Price List

• Chips $1

• Capri Sun $1

• Cookies $1

• Fruit Roll Ups $1

• Goldfish $1

• Rice Krispies $1

• Earbuds $2

• Eraser $.25

• Pen $.50

• Pencil $.25

• CC Socks $2

• Popcorn $1

• Granola Bars $1

If you're driving your child to school in the morning , please kindly drive up and drop off your child at 7:25am. Students will be greeted at the main door by a staff member and may walk to class. Parents do not have to get out of their car.

Preschool and Transitional Kindergarten families may escort their child to their classrooms.

In an effort to improve the efficiency and safety of the daily dismissal of students’ who are car riders, please carefully review our dismissal procedures.

• Please make sure to use the form in this link to let us know who will be picking up your student. For safety reasons and per our policy, we no longer accept phone calls or written notes for changes.
• Adults picking up students at the end of the day will park in our main lot.
• Please step out of your vehicle so we can see you. A staff member will greet you outside to inquire which student you are here for (if we do not know you).
• Students who are car riders will wait inside the building for their ride to pull up to the loading zone
• As soon as we see you have arrived, we submit the alert to the teacher. We begin releasing students at 2:05pm every day.
  

Please review our new "Student and Parent Handbook" for the 23-24 school year by clicking this link.

Principal: Ms. Allison Burslem

Secretary: Mrs. Kim Davis

Counselor: Ms. Deb Noble-Perry

Main Office Hours: 7:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.

I look forward to a stellar year full of growth and learning.

Email: a.burslem@eatonvilleschools.org
Website: https://www.eatonville.wednet.edu
Location: 24503 Washington 706, Ashford, WA, USA
Phone: 360-641-1700
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ColumbiaCrestASTEM
Twitter: @CC_STEM_School

Please follow Columbia Crest on Facebook and Instagram.

Eatonville School District #404 will provide equal educational opportunity and treatment for all students in all aspects of the academic and activities program without discrimination based on race, religion, creed, color, national origin, age, honorably discharged, veteran or military status, sex, sexual orientation, gender expression or identity, marital status, 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.

The district will provide equal access to school facilities to the Boy Scouts of America and all other designated youth groups listed in Title 36 of the United States Code as a patriotic society. District programs shall be free from sexual harassment. Auxiliary aids and services will be provided upon request to individuals with disabilities.

Address: 200 Lynch St. W., Eatonville, WA 98328; Telephone: 360-879-1000

Title IX Coordinator, Section 504/ADA Coordinator & Civil Rights Compliance Coordinator: Cristin Blaskowitz, Executive Student Services. Email: c.blaskowitz@eatonvilleschools.org