BROOKDALE BOBCAT PRINTS

Brookdale Elementary

611 132nd ST S Tacoma, WA 98444

Connie Holman - Principal

Ashley Landes - Assistant Principal

Office Hours - 9:00 to 4:30

253-298-3100 / FAX 253-369-1134

GREAT START TO A GREAT YEAR – Thank you to families for everything you’ve done to make the transition back into school a smooth one for your children. We so appreciate the time it takes to get families back into the routine of school.

Our students work so hard each and every day, learning skills that will stay with them for the rest of their lives. We strive to develop life-long learners who will continue their education beyond elementary, middle, & high school. Each morning we remind students of the high expectations we have for them by starting the day with a chant - "Brookdale students are... On time, every day, ready to learn" and "Brookdale Bobcats are... Successful!" Believing that our students are capable of all things is the Brookdale way.

Remember, you can view our school newsletter (comes out twice a month) and other important information on the school website. Go to www.fpschools.org, under schools Brookdale will be listed. You can also find transportation and lunch information online. Please keep our website in your favorites. Our goal is to keep this up to date throughout the school year.

Thanks for all you do for your children!

September 11 ~ EARLY RELEASE - 2:35

September 14 ~ Blue Zones Celebration - 11:00 @ Spanaway Lake High School

September 14 ~ Brookdale Night at the Mariners!

September 18 ~ EARLY RELEASE - 2:35

September 25 ~ EARLY RELEASE - 2:35

October 2 ~ EARLY RELEASE - 2:35

October 3 ~ Picture Day

October 7 ~ NO SCHOOL - Staff Training

October 8-11 ~ 12:35 EARLY RELEASE - Conferences

October 12 ~ Beat the Bobcat Fun Run 9:00 a.m. - PLU Meadows Disc Golf Course

As you may know, Student Led Conferences (SLCs) are just around the corner. This is an excellent opportunity for teachers, students, and their families to talk about the coming year. Teachers will have information to share and students will be sharing their goals. Very soon, you will be receiving a link to sign up for a conference time from your child's teacher. Please be sure to click on the link right away in order to secure a time for your conference. School will be dismissed Tuesday - Friday, Oct. 8th – 11th at 12:35 pm. Students will be served a sack lunch before they leave each day. Please be sure that you have made plans for your student(s) for these early dismissal days.

We are happy to have Quality School Portraits do our school pictures this year! Picture day is scheduled for Thursday, October 3rd . Your child will bring home a picture order envelope soon.

Lace up your running shoes and get ready to Beat. The. Bobcat!! That's right, for the 2nd year, all Brookdale Bobcats are welcome to join in the Fun Run happening before the Fall Classic Cross Country Invitational Race. The Fun Run will start at 9:00, with onsite registration starting at 7:30 a.m. Online registration is open now - Oct. 9. All Brookdale proceeds will go towards the Bobcat Store!

Please pack an extra pair of clothes, including underwear, socks, and pants in your child’s backpack. Accidents do happen and we would like to be prepared. It is nice when a child can wear a pair of his or her own pants. The health room has a very limited supply of clothing. If your child does borrow clothing from the health room, please return the clothing items to the school after it is washed.

In order to assure your child's safety, please call the school office at 253-298-3100 if your child is ill or unable to attend school. You can call and leave a message on our 24-hour voice mail if it is before school hours or email brookdale@fpschools.org . If your child is not in attendance, and we do not receive a call from you by 10:00 a.m, we will attempt to call you to confirm the reason for the absence. Your phone call saves time for the office and is greatly appreciated!

Please be patient, the first couple days of school the busses might be running late. We have a very helpful transportation department; if you have any questions, issues about something that happened on the bus or at the bus stop, or concerns about a late bus, please call the transportation office directly at 253-298-3865. To cut down on the number of calls received in the office daily we ask that if you wish for your child to ride a bus other than the one they normally ride, or get off at a bus stop other than their normal stop, you must send a note. The same holds true if you want your child to walk rather than ride their normal bus. Without a note, we will not allow students to walk or change their regular bus, bus stop, or end of the day routine.

Please be aware that any bus-riding kindergarten student that is not met at the bus stop after school will be returned to Brookdale for parent pick-up. It is very important to meet your students at the bus stop on time!

The health room is staffed daily from 9:15 - 4:15 with a LPN to provide first aid to students who become ill or injured at school, and to give medications prescribed by state approved medical providers. Our goal is to keep healthy children learning in the classroom and to get ill children home.

State law allows for students to be administered only oral medications at school (including inhalers). The two exceptions in this law are for insulin and Epi-pen use. Please do not ask the school to give your student ear drops or eye drops, or to apply lotions and ointments, as we are unable to do so. All medications, even over-the-counter products such as pain relievers and cough drops, require an appropriate order from an approved medical provider. We must have a new medication order each school year. Please do not send medication with your child, as it is illegal for them to carry it on school grounds. Do not hesitate to contact our school nurse, Ms. Rambow at 253-298-3108, if you have questions or desire further information.

Please read these important reminders from the office!

Office Hours ~ 9:00 a.m - 4:30 p.m (Hours vary on early dismissal days)

1. 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 and hear you and buzz you into the entry if needed.
2. 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 one hour before dismissal so we have time to get a note to the teacher.
3. Call the office 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!
4. If you need to take your child out of school early, please make sure to come to the office at least 35 minutes before dismissal time. On a regular school day, please be in the office by 3:30 and on an early dismissal day, be in the office by 2:00. You will want to make sure to come early enough so that we can locate your child and so you won't be trapped in the after-school 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. Thank you for your help!
5. 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 your child becomes ill, or otherwise needs your help, we need a way to contact you! Thank you!

If you wish to bring treats for your child’s birthday, please notify the classroom teacher. All birthday treats must be store bought. Please deliver to the office before lunch.

Due to safety on the bus and classroom distractions, balloons are not allowed at school, please save them for your child at home.

We are pleased that Brookdale will once again be participating in the federal Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) Program as part of the National School Lunch and Breakfast Program.

In a CEP school, ALL enrolled students receive a nutritious breakfast and lunch at no cost during the school year, regardless of family income.

If your child brings a lunch from home and wishes to have only milk, it will cost $.60. Milk by itself is not free in a CEP school. Student meal accounts are still available in CEP schools if parents wish to put money on accounts to purchase milk.

If you have any questions concerning school meals or CEP please contact the Nutrition Services Department at 253-298-4618.

Franklin Pierce Schools does not discriminate on the basis of sex, race, creed, religion, color, national origin, age, honorably discharged veteran or military status, sexual orientation including gender expression or identity, the presence of any sensory, mental, or physical disability, or the use of a trained dog guide or service animal by a person with a disability in its programs and activities and provides equal access to the Boy Scouts and other designated youth groups. Questions and complaints of alleged discrimination should be directed to James Hester, Compliance Coordinator for State and Civil Rights Laws; Wendy Malich, Title IX Officer; or John Sanders, 504/ADA Coordinator at 315 129th ST S, Tacoma, WA 98444-5099 or at (253)298-3000.