Collins Coyotes Howler Newsletter
January 8, 2024
Collins Coyotes
Location: 1920 128th Street East, Tacoma, WA, USA
Phone: 253-298-3400
Facebook: facebook.com/collinscoyotes
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COMING UP!
January 10 - 2:35 dismissal
January 12 - MLK assembly, 2:15
January 15 - No school, MLK, Jr. birthday
January 17 - 2:35 dismissal
January 24 - FULL DAY, 4:05 dismissal
January 25 - CHAMPS Assembly, 3:15
January 26 - No School, Teacher Training
A message from Ms. Kehoe
Happy New Year Collins Community!
Please take a look at our newsletter for important reminders and upcoming events. If you have any questions, please contact the office and they will answer your questions or connect you with who can.
I hope the start of 2024 is off to a pleasant start for you and your loved ones. I am looking forward to continuing building relationships with your students and our community in this new year.
With gratitude,
Ms. Kehoe
Lunch with the principal
Congratulations to Talanoa, Mason, Riley, Victor and Skylar! Their Bee Slips were chosen to have a special lunch with Ms. Kehoe!
Attendance reminders!
Attendance is key for students to thrive so please try to schedule appointments outside of the school day. Every absence, tardy and/or early dismissal needs to be reported to the office.
If you know your child will be absent or will be either leaving early or arriving late, please call our office. The number is 253.298.3406. If your child is sick and you cannot see a doctor you can bring your child in to see the nurse. If the nurse says the child is too ill to be at school the absence will be excused.
The number of days missed matters!
Whether excused or unexcused, the number of days your student misses can greatly impact their academic success. Families should strive for regular attendance. Regular attendance means having, on average, less than two absences per month. An absence is defined as missing 50% or more of their scheduled day.
Most children miss a few days of school each year without long-term consequences. However, when students miss too many days, the effects are almost always negative. We are continually working to make our school environment a place where everyone is safe, healthy, and ready to learn.
Chronic absenteeism is defined as missing 10 percent or more of school days due to absences for any reason (both excused and unexcused absences). It can translate into students having a difficult time learning to read by the third grade, achieving in middle school, and graduating from high school. Every day a student is absent is a lost opportunity for learning.
What Can Families Do?
Attending school regularly helps children feel better about school and themselves. Families can start building this habit in preschool, so they learn right away that students go to school on time, every day. Good attendance will help children do well in high school, college, and in their careers. Here are some suggestions:
- Set a regular bedtime and morning routine,
- Set out clothes and pack backpacks the night before,
- If they choose to pack lunches do so the night before,
- Schedule appointments and travel when school is not in session,
- Have a back-up plan in place with family members, neighbors, or other parents for getting your child to school in case something comes up,
- Keep track of your child’s attendance,
- Talk about the importance of regular attendance and about how your child feels about school. Regular attendance helps to make and build connections with friends and staff. It also supports learning!
- Reach out for support. If you need support and resources to address the barriers to school attendance, or a reason that they aren’t looking forward to school regularly please connect with your child’s teacher, counselor, or the front office staff so we can address it. We are here to help!
Notes from our Nurse, Mrs. Cruz!
Medications
If your child needs to have medication(s) administered during school hours, we must have a physician's order. The order has to be signed by both the prescribing physician and the parent. This applies to all prescription AND over-the-counter medications (i.e. cough drops, eye drops, ear drops, etc...). All medications are required to be transported to and from school by a parent or another designated adult. We do not allow students to carry medications, unless they have an order that states otherwise.
Illness
Please continuously monitor your child for symptoms. If your child is sick, keep them at home. If exhibiting Covid-like symptoms, testing is recommended. Please see the attached document for guidance. If you have questions, please do not hesitate to contact the health room.
Important reminders for Parent Pick-Up and Drop Off
Important reminders for drop-off:
1. Pull forward when there is room so other cars can enter our lot (rather than blocking the street).
2. Cars need to pull up to the curb before students exit them. Students may not cut through cars as this is a safety hazard.
Important reminders for pick-up:
1. Students will be waiting in their assigned pick-up zone. Zones are broken up by the first letter of their last name. Please review the map for details.
2. Cars must pull up to the curb before a child will be released by the supervising adult.
3. Please make sure to not block traffic by waiting for an open spot. Instead continue to drive around until another car departs (similar to an airport).
Fall Weather and Outdoor Recess
We are finally heading into the colder, wetter months of the school year. We will have outdoor recess as much as possible as long as daily conditions are safe for students to be outside. Please be sure your students come to school dressed for the weather. Wear coats, hats, gloves, socks, shoes that protect their feet, and maybe even a change of clothes in case they get wet.
Please also take a moment to label outer-wear with a permanent marker in case it is misplaced. If your child is missing their coat, please ask them to check the lost and found in the gym. All unclaimed coats left in the lost and found when we leave for Winter break will be donated.
Weather and Emergency Updates:
In the event of emergencies, a team of Franklin Pierce Schools staff work to balance safety and our commitment to support student learning. The choice to delay or cancel the start of a school day includes assessing road conditions and consulting with other local services. Franklin Pierce Schools will attempt to offer updates about delays and closures by 5am.
Staff and families can expect to receive information about school closures and delays in the following ways:
Recorded Telephone Message contact the main office at your child's school to ensure your contact information is up to date
SMS Message for families/staff who have opted-in, click herefor Text Message if you would like to opt-in
Email from info@fpschools.org
Website www.fpschools.org
Flash Alert Notification sign up to receive email notifications and download the Flash Alert App, click here.
Local Media including KIRO 97.3 FM, KOMO 1000 AM, KIRO TV Channel 7, KOMO TV Channel 4, and KING TV Channel 5
Have you heard about these Franklin Pierce School District Resources?
The Farm at Franklin Pierce. Food at the farm is grown by and for the community! Everyone is invited to visit the farm on Thursdays from 4-6pm to receive “Fresh and Free Veggies”!
The Farm is located at 9516 Waller Rd E.
If you have any questions about either of these resources, please check out our school district’s website, fpschools.org; or call our school’s front office.
Please read these important reminders from the office!
- If you need to come into the building, please press the intercom button on your right as you look at the front door. This will enable the office to see you and to buzz you into the entry if needed.
- Please notify the office of any changes in the way your child will go home at the end of the day. We need this information before 3:30 so we have time to get a note to the teacher.
- Call the office (253)-298-3400 if your child will be absent. If they have an appointment, please ask the doctor, dentist, counselor, etc. for a note for school. Offices that treat children are used to giving notes to students for excuses! Tardies and leaving school early shows on your child's attendance record. Please make appointments outside of school hours when possible.
- If you need to take your child out of school before the end of the school day, please come before 3:30 so we can easily locate your child and you won't be stuck in the end-of-the-day pick-up line! You will need to sign your child out and wait for them to come from their classroom, so allow plenty of time.
- If your phone number, email address, or home address changes, please let us know so we have the most up-to-date contact information for you. If students become ill, or otherwise need your help, we need a way to contact you! Thank you.
Collins' Attendance Auto-Dialar
If your student is absent and we haven't heard from you, you will receive an automated safety call to let you know that your student is not in class. When you receive this call, please call the office at 253-298-3400 to let us know the reason for the absence. Alternatively, you could send a signed note with your student when they return to school. Please remember that all absences remain unexcused until we hear from you. Thank you for your help in this important matter!
Due to a bus driver shortage, your child's bus may be cancelled. Our Transportation Department and Public Information Office are working hard to be sure our communication is timely and effective. If you experience a bus cancellation, please remember the following:
- When a bus is cancelled in the morning, it is also cancelled in the afternoon. If you bring your child to school, please be sure they also have a way to get home. If someone who is not listed as an emergency contact is picking up your child, please be sure to call the school office.
- If you are not able to drive your child to school, please call our attendance office at 253-398-4500 to report your child's absence, so that it will be excused.
- If your child's bus has not come and you have not heard anything, please check the Franklin Pierce Schools website at www.fpschools.org for updated information. Bus cancellations are always posted on the front of the website. You may also contact the transportation department at 253-298-3865.
We apologize for the inconvenience these cancellations cause
PTA News!
We still need members sign-up for PTA. We have a minimum number we must meet to keep our PTA running. Please help us keep the PTA at Collins.
Membership Sign-up Link https://www.memberplanet.com/s/collinspta/23-24ptamembership
PTA Board:
President - Chrissie Richardson
Vice-President - Marissa Kimble
Treasurer - Naomi Ibarra
Secretary - Danielle Toler
Social Media/Communications - Jessica Slusser
PTA has decided to join Remind to increase our communications. This is the same app that the school uses and hopefully this will help keep everyone in the loop. Please make sure to join our "classroom" for the school year.