This month we are challenging students to work hard and stay determined. We are partnering with you to acknowledge your child’s achievement of goals- big and small! By helping your child develop perseverance now, you can prepare them to learn from their future failures and work hard to achieve future successes. This month, look for opportunities to teach and model the power of perseverance!

Ask each family member to write down a list of things they would like to learn to do but just haven't done yet. For example, "I haven't learned ______." Choose a few phrases from each family member and repeat these phrases, adding the word "yet" to the end. Remind your family that we must work daily to learn new things and keep trying even when it's hard.

Ask each family member to think of a word that describes the best version of themselves or a word they would like to live out. It may be a word from their class or family Social Contract. (For example., respectful, responsible, a good listener, etc.). After each member decides on one word, ask everyone to identify three actions they can take to persevere and model their word to ensure they become the best version of themselves. Have weekly check-ins to see how things are going.

This spring, plant a garden as a family. It can be big or small! Discuss the daily commitment needed to help this garden grow and the patience necessary as you wait for the final product. Weed this garden together and as you do, discuss how this garden is like many challenges in life. Perseverance helps us to win over weeds!

• What is something you're good at that took a lot of hard work and practice?
• What is something you're still learning to do in school that is difficult?
• Who is someone at school you feel comfortable asking for help from when you need it?

Visit this link for more information about this recognition:

Visit our website to stay up to date about upcoming events, lunch and breakfast menus and other important information.

At Cottonwood Elementary, we prioritize focused learning and student safety. To support this, all smart devices, including phones and smartwatches, must be powered off and kept in student backpacks throughout the school day, including during dismissal while students wait to be picked up.

This policy is in effect to minimize distractions, promote safety and encourage social interactions.

If you need to communicate with your child during the school day, please contact the front office, and we will ensure they receive your message promptly.

Thank you for helping us maintain a productive and safe environment for all students

Cottonwood has two committees that depend on the support and involvement of families. We encourage you to consider joining one of these teams. If you're interested, please reach out to the front office.

This committee is dedicated to organizing enjoyable activities, such as family and student events, fundraising efforts, and staff appreciation initiatives

This committee plays a key role in reviewing budget decisions, school-wide academic and behavior data, and setting goals for the year. It’s a great opportunity to gain insight into the decision-making process and understand how and why we implement various strategies at Cottonwood.

Cottonwood families and community,
We want to hear from you! Please let us know what we are doing well, where we can improve and if you have any safety concerns that need to be addressed. I would love to follow up with you about your input! Please include your contact information if you would like to hear from me.