Betz Buzz

Viking Families,

The 2024-2025 school year is off to a stellar start! Students left the building with big smiles last week and came back this week ready for more learning.

In classrooms, teachers have been engaging children in activities to help them connect with one another to build strong classroom communities - the foundation for learning and teamwork. Each day, we've practiced the routines and procedures that will help our Vikings be successful through the school year. Students are really enjoying our new brightly-colored playground (shout out to Gabe in the maintenance department!) and demonstrating respect for our hallways and common spaces.

Last year, we worked to develop a vision that will guide the work we do here at Betz. It is important for you, as families, to be a part of this process, as each and every one of you are a part of our Viking community!

The Betz community strives to ensure that all members:

• feel safe, secure, and supported,
• belong,
• have the tools necessary for academic growth, and
• are connected with each other and the larger community.

One area of focus for us this year is developing a sense of belonging - for students, families, staff, and the community as a whole. We may be reaching out to you throughout the year to ask you some questions about your experience as a Betz parent. Rather than sending a bulk survey, we want to take a more personal approach, so we're picking up the phone and calling. We hope you'll take a few minutes to share with us the ways you feel a sense of belonging here at your child's school, and what we can do to keep improving.

I am so honored to partner with you as we continue strengthening our community together!

At Betz we care, we grow, and we learn ~ every day, the Viking Way!

~Mary Stoyko, Principal

We are excited to introduce ParentSquare as our new communication platform, which will allow school-to-home and district-wide communications at Cheney Public Schools. This way, parents will receive communications from one, consistent source.

Activating your account will allow you to confirm that we have accurate contact information, and you can choose how you would like to receive communications (email, text,). In addition, you can download the ParentSquare app to your phone if you choose to.

All Cheney School District students qualify for the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) program, and are eligible to receive one reimbursable breakfast and one reimbursable lunch at no cost.

At breakfast, four (4) items are offered, a reimbursable breakfast consists of three (3) items. Students have the choice of 1 Entree, choice of 1 Misc. item (optional). Students are required to take 1 Grain items and 1/2 Cup of fruit.

At lunch, five (5) components are offered, a reimbursable lunch consists of three components, one component must be ½ cup of fruit or vegetable. The five components are (1) grain, (2) meat/meat alternate, (3) fruit, (4) vegetable and (5) milk.

ALL families are encouraged to submit a Benefits Application.

For students to qualify for additional reduced fees, Nutrition Services must first obtain a Benefits Application (free and reduced price meal application) AND Parental Consent Survey.

Only ONE Benefits Application is needed per household.

Each student will need an individual Parental Consent Survey submitted.

Each year, we ask families to complete a packet of forms to ensure that we have the most current information on file for you and your student(s). This year, you are able to complete the forms online, through Skyward Family Access. Paper copies will be available upon request. If you need your login credentials for Skyward, please call the office at (509) 559-4800 or email agodsil@cheneysd.org.

It is important that ALL families complete these forms each year.

We are excited for another year of hustle and hard work from our students.

Practices will be after school. We will be limiting participation to students in grades 2-5 again, with the exception of K-1 siblings of participants.

PRACTICES

Tuesdays and Thursdays

Sept. 19 - Oct. 15

3:25 - 4:25 pm

CROSS COUNTRY MEET

Thursday, October 17

3:45 pm

The deadline to turn in forms is September 11th.

Confirmation slips will be sent home September 16th.

Remember that ALL medications used at school must have Health Room approval. If you plan to send your child to school with over-the-counter medications, please stop by the Health Room to complete the necessary documentation. This includes, but is not limited to:

• Pain relievers, such as Tylenol or Advil
• Cough Drops
• Lotions
• Allergy medications, such as Benadryl, Zyrtec, or Claritin

These types of medications should only be brought to school as needed, on a temporary basis: 2 weeks or less. If you feel that your child has needs beyond that, please speak with our Health Room staff.

• APPEARANCE, BEHAVIOR - unusually tired, pale, lack of appetite, difficult to wake, confused, or irritable.
• COUGHING, CHRONIC COUGH - if persistent and accompanied by other symptoms such as episodes of coughing followed by gagging, or a whooping/barking sound, vomiting, fever, loss of appetite, or weight loss, then medical evaluation is needed.
• COVID - Positive test. Student required to isolate for 5 days since symptoms first appeared if: You have had no fever within the past 24 hours (without medication), AND your symptoms have improved. Wearing a well-fitting mask through day 10 is recommended, but not required.
• EYES - appear red and irritated, thick mucus or pus draining from one or both eye(s). Contact your health care provider for diagnosis and treatment options.
• DIARRHEA - 3 or more watery stools in a 24 hour period. Keep your child home until symptoms subside. Contact your health care provider if symptoms persist.
• FEVER - temperature of 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit or higher. Students need to be fever-free for 24 hours before returning to school, WITHOUT using medications to reduce fever.
• GREENISH NOSE DISCHARGE - Nasal discharge accompanied by a fever or headache, may need medical evaluation.
• IMPETIGO - a bacterial skin eruption beginning with a small blister and later may contain pus and become scabbed. The secretions from the sores, which are frequently found around the nose and mouth, are very contagious. Contact your health care provider.
• SCABIES - may return to school after treatment.
• RASH - body rash, especially with fever or itching or that is spreading. Heat rashes and allergic reactions are not contagious. Please contact your health care provider for evaluation to determine if infectious.
• SORE THROAT - a persistent sore throat with additional symptoms (i.e. fever, swollen glands in the neck, stomachache, or headache).
• VOMITING - twice within 24 hours

The above conditions are symptoms of contagious diseases and follow WAC 110-301-0205. Students will not be sent home on the bus with any of the above conditions.

After School Plans

Any time your child's after-school plans change, whether it's a permanent change or just for the day, you must communicate with the school. We will not allow your child to do something out of the ordinary without your permission. Please notify the office no later than 2:30 of that day that the plan is new or different.

Playgrounds

From 8:30-4:00, playgrounds may only be used by Betz students. Siblings and guardians are welcome to use the playground before 8:30 and after 4:00.

Dismissal

Please remind walkers (including bikers, scooterers, etc.) to head home promptly after dismissal. We love that students want to stick around and socialize, but we do not have supervision available for students after the school day.

Crossing Guard

We are looking for a few volunteers to help our students get across the street safely as they walk to and from school. If you are available and interested, please contact Mrs. Stoyko at mstoyko@cheneysd.org.

Preschool Classes being on Monday, September 9th for our Monday/Wednesday class

and Tuesday September 10th for our Tuesday/Thursday Class.

Space is still available in our ECEAP Program.

Every Friday we show our school spirit by wearing our Betz Viking clothing! You can place your order through Momentum Ink online. The deadline to order is September 17th.

Order Online here: Momentum Ink Betz Spirit Store

RESPECT IS RECOGNIZING, CONSIDERING AND PROPERLY HONORING THE WORTH OF ONE'S SELF AND OTHERS.

Throughout the month of September we will look for examples of students demonstrating respect. If you have an example of your child being respectful at home, we'd love to share it on the morning announcements! Click on the button below to submit a shout out!

To learn more about respect and for additional resources, visit the PACE website:

https://pacecommunity.org/trait/september-respect/

2 - No School - Labor Day

9 - First Day of Mon/Wed Preschool

10 - First Day of Tues/Thurs Preschool

10 - PTA Meeting, 3:30 PM, Betz Library

11 - Deadline to turn in Cross Country Forms

11 - School Board Meeting, 6:00 PM, Cheney High School

19 - Cross Country Begins

25 - School Board Meeting, 6:00 PM, Cheney High School

27 - Mod Pizza Fundraiser Day

7 & 8 - Individual Picture Day

8 - PTA Meeting, 3:30 PM, Betz Library

9 - School Board Meeting, 6:00 PM, Betz Elementary

11 - No School, Professional Learning Day

17 - Cross Country Meet, 3:45 pm

23 - School Board Meeting, 4:30 PM, Windsor Elementary

Here's how to contact us:

Email: betzoffice@cheneysd.org

Website: https://betz.cheneysd.org/
Location: 317 N 7th St, Cheney, WA 99004
Phone: (509) 559 - 4800
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100057570664379