ROCKY RIDGE NEWS

THIS MONDAY, JAN. 20: NO SCHOOL (Martin Luther King Jr Day)

EARLY DISMISSAL (End of Semester): Jan. 24

• Dismissal is at 12pm!

LATE ARRIVALS: Jan. 27, Feb. 3, Feb. 10, Feb. 24

• Drop off begins at 10:15am!

NO SCHOOL (Snow Make-Up Day): Feb. 14

NO SCHOOL (President's Day): Feb. 17

NO SCHOOL (Waiver Day): Feb. 18

Mrs. Rice (Recess), Hallie D, Oliver K, Royce T, Evelyn P, Major W, Anthony H, Zavior C, Violet N, Amilcar S, Esme D, and Summer B

Throughout January, our students have been discussing Dr. King’s dream and writing about their own dreams for a better world. Please take some time this week to discuss Dr. King's optimism about the inherent potential of humanity.

Some ideas to honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. include:

• Volunteering with your children and helping them understand the importance of giving back to their community.

• Discussing the importance of treating others with kindness and respect.

• Talking about the impact of words and actions.

• Reflecting on how we can all make a difference in the lives of those in our family and our community.

• Contemplating on what we are doing for people who don't look like us or for people with whom we disagree.

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Parents & Guardians --> Ms. Lamar has gathered FREE resources to help integrate learning at home with what we are learning at school about the life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. CLICK HERE!

SPRING BOOK FAIR and CONFERENCE WEEK

*** March 28 - April 3rd ***

Dismissal each day @ 12pm.

More details to come.

It's time for Highly Capable referrals!

Referrals are due by January 31.

Anyone (parents, teachers, community, etc.) can refer a student to be tested for potential qualification for next year's highly capable programs. Referred students will be tested in the school building in February and March. Results will be sent home through postal mail to families by the end of the school year.

Learn more about the program and fill out an online referral form here:

https://www.bethelsd.org/programs-departments/highly-capable-program.

We need your help! We have been noticing an uptick with the usage of cell phones, smart watches, and other electronic devices while at school. Please talk to your child about the electronic device expectations and help us keep the focus on learning.

Students may bring cell phones and smartwatches to school. Cellphones are kept in the students backpacks and turned off throughout the duration of the school day. Students can wear smartwatches, so long as, they are only used as a basic watch (NOT as a communication device). Students may use their cellphones and smartwatches AFTER school with staff permission, when helping staff contact parents regarding dismissal. Cellphones and smartwatches canNOT be used on the bus. The following steps will apply for all students who do not meet these expectations.

1. The item will be confiscated by a staff member and placed in the front office. The student can take it home at the end of the day.
2. The item will be confiscated by a staff member and placed in the front office. The item will be held in the office for a parent to pick up.
3. If a student gets the item confiscated more than two times, progressive discipline may take place.

Please note that the school cannot be responsible for ANY of these items.

Our school Read-A-Thon begins on Monday, February 10th and is sure to be a fun and exciting event.

We understand that your time is valuable. We also know that providing the best education for your child is important. That's why we are encouraging everyone to activate their student's Read-A-Thon account as soon as possible. The instructions are straightforward, making it quick and hassle-free, and it should take less than 5 minutes of your time. Watch a short video to see how to signup your reader: https://youtu.be/12tmuXH8zCg

This account will serve as a hub for recording and monitoring your child's progress as a Reader in the event, and for you to share their Read-A-Thon message with friends and family. Use the link below to activate your student's Reader account:

https://www.read-a-thon.com/readers/r/323830333739/1

Thank you so much for your participation and support. Together, we can make this Read-A-Thon an amazing experience for our young readers!

Thank you,

Friends of the Library | Rocky Ridge Elementary

Questions can be directed to Ms. Lamar at: tlamar@bethelsd.org

At Rocky Ridge, our top priority is keeping our students, staff, and families safe. Please help us with the following expectations.

1. At morning drop-off, parents are welcome to come to the office to address needs. Please note that visitors are not permitted beyond the double doors.

2. Per district policy, everyone who enters our building must use the video doorbell. This includes parents/guardians, siblings who do not attend our school, and former Rocky Ridge students.

3. Per district policy, everyone is required to have a valid picture ID ready to provide. The office staff will also ask you to briefly explain the purpose of your visit. The office staff might need to ask additional questions to help clarify the purpose of your visit but will work on welcoming you into the building as quickly and safely as possible. The safety of our students and staff is our top priority, so we thank you in advance for supporting this process.

4. A staff member might run into you outside or see you through the door. They have been asked not to let anyone into the building and to strictly adhere to this policy.

5. Although we are a very friendly school, we ask that you do not let any other adults enter the building with you... Even if they have a child with them AND you know them. The office will probably ask you to wait outside the locked doors until all adults entering the building with you have been cleared.

6. We love our volunteers! All volunteers must be pre-scheduled AND approved. Volunteers must remain at their assigned location at all times and attend to the purpose of their volunteer time.

We thank you in advance for your grace, patience, and support of the safety measures we take to keep our students and staff safe at Rocky Ridge.

Comprehensive Sexual Health curriculum can be opted out of by filling out THIS FORM. This form must also be completed on a yearly basis.

UPDATE MESSAGE: Parents and guardians are invited to review the HIV/AIDS curriculum that will be introduced to students as part of the HIV/AIDS Prevention education later this year. To opt your student(s) out of this curriculum, attending a parent preview session is required. This process must be completed each school year. There will be 6 more preview sessions conducted via Zoom. To sign up for a session and to learn more, please visit

https://www.bethelsd.org/resources/hivaids-parent-preview

The dragon is back in town! Well… not really. That’s the story a group of innkeepers makes up, desperate to draw questing heroes to the struggling Dancing Dragon Inn. Soon the inn is full of unexpected guests: an army of princesses out to prove their bravery and a group of overwhelmed heroes trying to hold onto their fame. But will they discover the innkeepers’ dragon story is made up? Could there be more than one way to save the day?

Permission slips WERE DUE by Wednesday, January 15th, for 1st-5th grade students who want to audition to be in the play, and for 4th-5th grade students who want to apply to be part of the stage crew. Students who turn in permission slips to audition were given a packet with their confirmed audition date and more information. They need to practice a song and poem (information is in the packet) to prepare for their audition. 4th/5th graders crew applications were due by January 17. All students who audition/apply will be told by Monday, January 27th whether or not they have earned a part in the play. There are roles available for approximately 45 students.

There are several versions of this play available to view on YouTube; search for "Imagine a Dragon Beat by Beat Press." It's going to be an exciting show!!

All questions regarding this play are being directed to Mrs. Molinek at cmolinek@bethelsd.org.

First consideration deadline for accepting student transfer requests for the 2025-26 school year will be March 14, 2025 for all grades, K through 12. Requests received after the deadline may not be considered until the week of August 11. Requests submitted after August 18 will be reviewed after September 5 when actual enrollment counts are in. A student transfer request form may be completed and submitted online from the district’s website beginning January 6, 2025. All transfer requests will be done electronically.

If the request is submitted by March 14 parents will be notified by April 15 if the request has been approved or denied. Approval or denial of transfer requests will be based on established criteria outlined in board policies and procedures 3131 and 3141. Note: Parents will provide transportation for students who voluntarily attend a school outside their attendance area.

In-district Student Transfers: Students who are currently approved for in-district student transfers do not have to complete a new form unless they are changing from elementary to middle school or middle school to high school.

Out-of-district Student Transfers: Nonresident Transfer Requests are good for one year at a time and must be renewed annually. If you intend to renew your student’s nonresident status for the 2025-2026 school year, please (1) obtain a Choice Transfer/Release of Attendance from your resident district and (2) complete the Nonresident Transfer Request form which is available online at bethelsd.org. Submit both forms online -- in most cases, districts use the OSPI Choice Transfer System for releases.

For more information, call Mary Ann Mulloy-White at 253-800-2012 for secondary or Rayna Messer at 253-800-2014 for elementary.

The current menu can always be found by clicking --> HERE.

School Board meetings begin at 7 p.m. and will be held at Bethel School District's Educational Service Center (ESC), 516 176th St. E., Spanaway 98387 unless otherwise noted. The public is welcome! To join via Zoom, visit https://bethelsd.diligent.community/Portal/

• January 28: Regular School Board Meeting

Join us on Facebook for up-to-date information of what's happening at Rocky Ridge! Just click ... HERE!

AVAILABLE HERE!

Bethel School District does not discriminate in any programs or activities on the basis of sex, race, creed, religion, color, national origin, age, veteran or military status, sexual orientation, gender expression or identity, disability, or the use of a trained dog guide or service animal and provides equal access to the Boy Scouts and other designated youth groups. The following employees have been designated to handle questions and complaints of alleged discrimination: Civil Rights Compliance / Gender-Inclusive Schools Coordinator, Debbie Carlman, dcarlman@bethelsd.org, 253.800.2019; Title IX Coordinator, Bryan Streleski, bstreleski@bethelsd.org, 253.800.4302; and 504 Coordinator, Melissa Munson-Merritt, mmunsonmer@bethelsd.org, 253.800.2301. All individuals may be reached at this address: 516 176th Street East, Spanaway, WA 98387. // Title IX inquiries may also be directed toward the U.S. Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights (OCR): https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/index.html. Information about the nondiscrimination and sex-based discrimination policies and grievance procedures, and how to report a concern or complaint: bethelsd.org. // El Distrito Escolar de Bethel no discrimina en sus programas o actividades por motivos de sexo, raza, credo, religión, color, nacionalidad, edad, condición de veterano de guerra o grado militar, orientación sexual, expresión de género o identidad, discapacidad o por el uso de perro guía entrenado o animal de servicio; además ofrece igualdad de acceso a los Boy Scouts y a otros grupos de jóvenes especificados. Los siguientes empleados han sido designados para atender consultas y quejas de supuesta discriminación: Cumplimiento de los Derechos Civiles/Coordinadora Escolar de Inclusión de Género, Debbie Carlman, dcarlman@bethelsd.org, 253.800.2019; Coordinador del Título IX, Bryan Streleski, bstreleski@bethelsd.org, 253.800.4302 y Coordinadora 504, Melissa Munson-Merritt, mmunsonmer@bethelsd.org, 253.800.2301. Todas las personas pueden ser localizadas en esta dirección 516 176th Street East, Spanaway, WA 98387. // Las consultas sobre el Título IX también pueden dirigirse a la Oficina de Derechos Civiles (OCR) del Departamento de Educación de EE.UU.: https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/index.html. Para más información sobre las políticas de no discriminación y discriminación por razón de sexo; los procedimientos de reclamación y sobre cómo comunicar una preocupación o queja visite: www.bethelsd.org.