Eagle Sightings June

Here we are already in June. Wow! Once again, it is hard to believe another school year is coming to an end. To finish out the school year, this June we are focusing on Kindness. The definition we are working with is acting with understanding, generosity, and care. Our pledge to actively display this definition is announced daily, and students and teachers are working on kindness activities in classes. We also have a school spirit day (color wars) on Friday to show our kindness spirit.

I continue to be filled with gratitude after another year as FHES Principal. I learn so much from the students and families/caregivers every year, and I want to thank you for growing with me. I am grateful for a school full of responsible, kind, and hardworking students who bring joy to our hallways each day! These FHES students are SOARing Eagles! They worked together to earn a whole school dance party for surpassing our goal for SOAR awards. It was a blast, and a great opportunity to learn some new dance moves!

I am also so grateful to work with the best teachers and staff. Every member of our team put their heart into teaching and learning every day throughout the year, and we have made the most of opportunities to collaborate this year. We have continued our work around Literacy with a focus on writing this year. We are dedicated to our study of the most recent research and best practices and will continue to make instructional adjustments to reach students with varying strengths and needs.

Thank you to all of you! We can’t do this work without families and caregivers who continually love and support these children as they grow as learners and members of this wonderful community. We look forward to continuing to partner with you in the 2024-2025 school year!

Thank you,

Holly Wehner

Summer Reading

We have less than two weeks left in the school year before summer break! We all hope FHES students will keep reading, writing, and learning throughout the summer to prevent what is often referred to as the Summer Slide (loss of knowledge learned throughout the school year)! Some recent research shows that 3rd to 5th grade students lose, on average, about 20 percent of their school-year gains in reading (and 27 percent in math) during summer break. The good news is that there are many simple ways families can support sustained/continued progress! Encourage your students to keep reading by checking out free books/games from the SJI Public Library, trading books with friends and family, finding free books in a local Little Free Library, etc. Be on the lookout for a SJI Public Library newsletter (coming home soon) explaining the Summer Reading Program, including Wednesday performances on the FHES playground, prizes, free books, and more! Click here for 5 Tips to Keep kids reading all summer long.

Please remind your child/ren about the following school policies:

• Personal electronic devices are not to be used at school. If a CELL PHONE OR SMARTWATCH is brought to school for afterschool use it must remain in the student’s backpack until the end of the school day.
• No texting or calling during school hours from student devices.
• All communication to or from home must go through the school office.

Please remember that all visitors must check in with the office and wear a visitor badge while on school grounds during school hours.

We hope you are looking forward to a wonderful break with your students. We have been busy at school this year focusing on social-emotional learning! Social-emotional learning can help students in all areas of life, including academics, relationships, behavior, mental health, and more.

That’s why we wanted to send home resources to encourage social-emotional learning at home as well. These resources and activities are not required, but we wanted to give you the opportunity to support your students in this way throughout the break. Attached you will find several resources that can be used by both you and your students.

Here are some ideas for how to use the resources:

• Social Emotional Learning Bingo Challenge Board: Over the break, encourage your students to complete all of the tasks on the board, marking each one as it is completed.

• Social Emotional Learning Family Resources: We are including lists of books and electronic resources that you can use with your students to learn about and practice various social-emotional learning competencies. Enjoying these activities together is a great way to bond with your student while you learn!

• Social Emotional Learning Discussion Questions: These 25 discussion questions each address the different social-emotional learning competencies. These are great questions to ask your student at dinner, in the car, etc. The questions come in list form as well as card form. To use the cards, cut them out and place them in a small basket, or hole punch them and place them on a shower curtain ring.

• Family Goal Sheets: Use the goal sheets provided to set goals together as a family and as individuals. These are the perfect way to keep track of what you want to accomplish this summer. On both sheets, there is an area for reflection.

We hope these resources are helpful for your families while we are on break! As always, don’t hesitate to reach out with any questions.

Terra Holmgren, School Counselor

terraholmgren@sjisd.org

360-370-7341

June 3rd: 3rd Grade American Camp

June 4th: 2nd Grade Animal Wax Museum

June 5th: 4th Grade Jackson Beach Seine

June 6th: Kindergarten Guard's SJ Valley Farm

June 6th: 5th Grade Walking Trip to FHMS

June 7th: FHHS Graduation walk at FHES

June 8th: FHES Garden Clean up day 9am-noon

June 10th: PTO Meeting 5:30 pm FHES Library

June 11th: 2nd Grade South Beach

June 11th: 5th Grade Roche Harbor Pool Party

June 11th: Kindergarten Jackson Beach

June 11th: 1st Grade Fourth of July Beach

June 11th: 4th Grade English Camp

June 12th: Field Day, 5th grade vs Staff Kickball Game

June 13th: 5th Grade Promotion

June 13th: Lost and Found on Display

June 13th: 11:10 am Early Dismissal

June 14th: Lost and Found on Display

June 14th: 11:10 am Early Dismissal-Last Day of School!

Have a great summer!

1st graders: Brooks and Graysen. They ran so many laps! They were so determined to win the contest and they DID IT! (for 1st grade)

Lost and Found items will be placed outside on Thursday, June 13th, and Friday, June 14th. Anything left by the end of the school year will be donated.

Please remind your child/ren to turn in their library books before the end of the year.

Thank you!

We are pleased to share that we’ve had a wonderful year in Title I. So many of our students have made tremendous progress in reading this year. To continue to build progress, please check out the summer reading resources and ideas below. If your child is currently receiving Title I support in K-2nd grade, we will be sending home some copies of our Whole Phonics books for your child to read repeatedly over the summer, as well as some fun Reading Bingo sheets and bookmarks. Don’t forget, that the Whole Phonics decodable books can also be checked out at the San Juan Public Library.

Summer Reading Ideas and Routines from EVERYONE READING:

Parents play a crucial role in fostering their children's reading habits, especially during the summer when school is out. Below are some effective strategies that can help lessen the impact of the summer slide:

1. Create a Reading Routine: Establish a regular reading time each day. Research suggests that consistency in reading habits significantly contributes to reading development (Cunningham & Stanovich, 1997).

2. Set Attainable Reading Goals: Encourage your child to set reading goals for the summer. Let them tell you how many books or pages per week they want to read. Goal setting enhances motivation and engagement (Locke & Latham, 2002), but we need to make sure the children are in the driver’s seat – so it is fun and doesn’t become a chore.

3. Visit the Library or Local Book Store: Take regular trips to the library or a bookstore to explore new books. Public libraries often have summer reading programs and events designed to encourage reading (McMillan & Saffran, 2008).

4. Lead by Example: Let your child see you reading regularly. Children are more likely to develop a love for reading if they observe their parents or caregivers reading for pleasure (Sénéchal & LeFevre, 2002).

5. Discuss Books: Engage your child in discussions about the books they're reading. Asking open-ended questions about characters, plot, and themes can deepen comprehension and critical thinking skills (Duke & Bennett-Armistead, 2003).

6. Incorporate Reading into Daily Activities: Encourage reading in various contexts, such as cooking recipes together, reading road signs during car rides, or exploring nature books during outdoor adventures (Morrow, 1990).

7. Use Technology Wisely: Introduce educational reading apps or websites that align with your child's interests and reading level. Digital platforms can complement traditional reading materials and provide interactive experiences (Clark & Rumbold, 2006).

8. Reward Progress: Offer incentives for reaching reading milestones, such as small rewards or special privileges. Positive reinforcement can motivate children to continue reading (Ryan & Deci, 2000).

Excellent summer reading resources to get your child ready for 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade:

https://textproject.org/teachers/free-texts/summerreads/

Short videos to help with irregular high-frequency words:

https://www.reallygreatreading.com/heart-word-magic

In addition to exploring new books, we wish all our families a summer filled with time to explore the great outdoors! Enjoy the summer sun, beaches, and lots of outdoor activities!

Darlene Clark

Title I Reading Intervention Specialist

darleneclark@sjisd.org

June 13th- Students will be dismissed at 11:10 am

June 14th- LAST DAY OF SCHOOL- Students and Staff will be dismissed at 11:10 am

Do you have a child who will be five on or before August 31, 2024?

It's time to register for Kindergarten!

Please stop by Friday Harbor Elementary office to pick up an enrollment packet.

If you have any questions please call 360-370-7301.

As elementary staff get ready for next school year it is extremely helpful if you tell the office of plans to switch schools or move out of the area.

We are strongly encouraging full participation; not only are the cost savings significant, but we’re hoping to save families' time as well. Students are assured an equal start with supplies teachers have tested and know to be of good quality.

1. In the fall bring $37 cash or check per enrolled K-5 student into the office OR log onto your SKYWARD account and make a payment.
2. FHES will order all student supplies in bulk.
3. Your child starts the year with all the necessary supplies!

Each student will need a backpack.

Attention FHES community:
The PTO will be back at the famous Pie booth at the San Juan County Fair this summer!!!

Save the dates: August 15-18!

The Pie booth is a major (and delicious) fundraiser for the PTO to support FHES. We need your help! Please sign up for a shift at the booth or to bake fruit pies to donate!
Sign-up to donate pies
Sign-up to volunteer at the booth

The Next Meeting is June 10th at 5:30 pm

Pie Booth Organizing and Planning for the 2024-25 School Year!

Please Reach out to PTO with any questions: Ptofhes@gmail.com

Get involved....student safety | child care for evening parent events | classroom supplies | I Love to Read month | hearing and vision screenings | classroom liaisons | book fair | Kings receipts

Please find the message below from the Rotary Foundation:

Are you interested in receiving a food bag delivered each week?

Foods are delivered to your doorstep each Thursday or Friday to assist working parents. Who is eligible? All students in the HeadStart Program, through elementary, middle school and high school. The easiest way to sign up is to go to the link below and fill out the forms electronically.

Please be aware this program is a privately funded program, with no government requirements or reporting.

We look forward to serving the children/families of San Juan Island this summer as we have been all school year.

Please contact Paul Mayer at 206.369.3907 if you have any questions.

https://rotaryfoundationsanjuanislands.org/36-weekends

Please remember No Dogs are allowed on school grounds. This includes the fields for games and practices.

Thank you for your support 🐾

Please remember that there is no supervision at school until 8:00 am. We ask that your student does not arrive on campus prior to 8:00 am for safety reasons. Supervision ends at 2:45 pm so please remind your student to go directly to their after-school plans.

If your child has to miss a day of class please remember to excuse the absence by emailing jeannarheinberger@sjisd.org or calling 360-370-7302.

Thank you!

Wondering about local groups and businesses that offer youth activities and/or support? San Juan Island School District has them posted on our Community Partners page.

We love to hear from you!

Email: roslynbutcher@sjisd.org
Website: sjisd.wednet.edu
Location: 95 Grover Street, Friday Harbor, WA, USA
Phone: 360.378.5209

San Juan Island School District Commitment to Non-discrimination

San Juan Island 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 San Juan Island School District offers classes in many career and technical education program areas such as Culinary Arts, Career Prep, STEM, and Computer Science under its open admissions policy. For more information about CTE course offerings and admissions criteria, contact CTE Directors, Liz Varvaro, elizabethvarvaro@sjisd.org, PO Box 458, FH, WA, (360) 378-4133. Lack of English language proficiency will not be a barrier to admission and participation in career and technical education programs.

The following people have been designated to handle inquiries regarding the non-discrimination policies:

Faith Knight, Civil Rights Compliance Coordinator, Title IX Officer

PO Box 458, Friday Harbor, WA 98250

(360) 378-4133

faithknight@sjisd.org

Becky Bell, Special Services Director, 504 Officer, ADA Coordinator, Gender-Inclusive Schools Coordinator

PO Box 458, Friday Harbor, WA 98250

(360) 378-4133

beckybell@sjisd.org

Fred Woods, Superintendent, Harassment, Intimidation, and Bullying (HIB) Coordinator

PO Box 458, Friday Harbor, WA 98250

(360) 378-7905

fredwoods@sjisd.org