Happy October Woodside Families!
We are off to a great start to the 2024-25 school year! Thank you to the parents who attended Curriculum Nights in September. The teachers shared information about the curriculum, special programs, and school-wide expectations for students. We are ready to provide rigorous instruction that engages, challenges, and enhances student learning.
At the beginning of the school year, we focus on classroom routines, procedures, and school-wide behavior expectations. All teachers are spending time teaching SOAR expectations and RULER lessons for all areas of our school. When you are at the school, you will see the SOAR and RULER acronyms posted throughout the school campus.
S – Stay Safe (Be Safe)
O – Own Your Actions (Be Responsible)
A – Always Be a Leader (Be a Leader)
R – Respect Yourself and Others (Be Respectful)
SOAR is part of our school-wide Positive Behavioral Intervention and Support Program (PBIS). PBIS is a data-driven program that focuses on improving a school’s ability to teach and support positive behavior for all students.
RULER is an acronym for Recognizing, Understanding, Labeling, Expressing, and Regulating emotions (the “RULER” skills). RULER implementation involves systematic professional development for the adults involved in the education of children (school leaders, teachers, support staff, and adult family members) so that emotions become central to learning, teaching, and parenting.
R - RECOGNIZING emotions in yourself and others
U - UNDERSTANDING the causes & consequences of emotions
L - LABELING emotions accurately
E - EXPRESSING emotions appropriately for culture & context
R - REGULATING emotions effectively with helpful strategies
Three major focuses of PBIS are:
· Teaching appropriate behavior in all settings.
· Interventions when behavior expectations are not met.
· Recognition when behavior expectations are met.
Throughout the year, parents will hear more about PBIS practices at school and PBIS strategies you can follow at home.
Student safety continues to be a priority at Woodside. We work closely with the school district and with emergency responders, such as police, firefighters, sheriff department, etc. to create emergency plans and procedures should we ever need them. During the school year, we conduct regular drills to acquaint students with safety procedures during an emergency. By practicing often, students will become familiar with expectations, know what to do, and remain calm during any emergency. At Woodside, we have at least one drill per month. We ask for your help in keeping your child’s emergency contact information current.
If there is a large disaster and students need to be picked up, we will set up a check-out station for you to collect your child. We will check for identification (photo ID) and only sign out and release students to individuals listed on your child’s emergency release form. To further support student safety at Woodside, we practice emergency drills every month.
Fire drills - there will be a loud voice announcing throughout the school, there is a fire in the building, evacuate immediately. This message is repeated until all buildings are clear. Students are to evacuate the building by pre-planned routes in a quiet and orderly manner. They walk with their class to the rear playground where we have painted “blue lines” where each class will line up. Attendance will be taken, and every student and staff member will be accounted for. If students are at specialists, recess, with the nurse, or in a special class, they will be brought to their class line and be counted.
Earthquake drills - begin with staff and students hearing an announcement over the intercom. Students and staff are to immediately drop, cover and hold on. They remain in this position until the drill finishes, or the earthquake stops shaking. We evacuate the building and make sure all are safe.
Lockdown drills - are done periodically to practice how to close the building quickly should we have a threat on campus. Woodside School’s doors to our campus are always locked during the school day. Teachers remain with students, lock their classroom doors, pull shades, and turn off the lights. Students sit on the floor in an area of the classroom where they are not visible or vulnerable through any windows or doors. They do not open the door until a special signal is heard over the intercom. Again, as in any drill, support staff will search all areas of the building, including bathrooms, to ensure that all students and staff are accounted for. In the event of a real Lockdown, there is an emergency button located in the office, when pressed police are notified immediately.
BE ASSURED THAT WE ARE DOING EVERYTHING POSSIBLE TO KEEP YOUR CHILD SAFE. Please do not call the school in the event of a real emergency. Our phones will be needed to reach emergency response agencies first, then to contact parents/guardians. Woodside will communicate to all parents/guardians via the EPS Parent Square system with the necessary information as soon as we can.
The Woodside PTA also supports safety for students and families. Special thanks to our wonderful PTA for organizing the School Safety Night that took place on September 26. We had a great turnout. Thank you to all who attended. Special thanks to Ms. Nikki Manley, who is the School Safety Night Committee Lead.
Thank you in advance for helping us keep Woodside students safe.
Sincerely,
Ms. Danielle DeJong, Principal
Woodside Elementary
October 11 Non- Student Day: A reminder this is a non-student day. Our staff will be engaging in professional development focused on Social Emotional Learning (SEL). SEL is an essential part of our commitment to fostering a supportive and inclusive environment for all students. By investing in these practices, we aim to continue enhancing the emotional well-being and academic success of your student.
Panorama Survey, Grades 3-5: Students in these grade levels will take a social and emotional learning survey to reflect on their own actions and thoughts as well as their general experience at school. Survey data will help school staff create a more positive experience at school for all students and provide specific support for students in need. The results from these surveys will be shared with pre-approved adults who work closely with your children in the school. SEL data, alongside academic and attendance information, will allow our staff to provide targeted interventions to support students succeeding at school. The questions that students will answer are research-based, valid, and reliable.
Parent-Teacher Conferences:
Looking ahead to November, Parent-Teacher will be held during over two days, November 4th – 5th. This year we will have two full days with Monday November 4th the being the late night option and no school on either day. This is an excellent opportunity to discuss your student’s progress and get to know their teacher better. Sign-up information and scheduling details will be sent out soon.
Community Engagement:
We invite you to get involved in our school community. If you’re interested in volunteering or have suggestions for upcoming events, please reach out to our Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) and/or attend one of the general meetings.
Safety Reminders:
As the days get shorter, please remind your child(ren) to be extra cautious while walking or biking to and from school. Also, ensure they wear a bike helmet and appropriate clothing for the changing weather. A friendly reminder, if you drop off in the mornings, please note our supervision staff starts at 8:05am. For safety, please do not drop them off prior to 8:05am. They may enter the cafeteria upon arrival and eat a free school breakfast.
🏃♀️ Fit and Fun: Your P.E. Scoop! 🏃
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Hello Woodside Elementary School Parents,
As we embark on a new month, I wanted to share some important information regarding your child's physical education class at Woodside Elementary. Safety and your child's well-being continue to be our top priorities, so please take a moment to review the following reminders and updates:
Illness/Injuries:
If your child isn't feeling their best or has sustained an injury, please don't hesitate to communicate this with me. We want to ensure that every student has a safe and enjoyable experience during physical education class. To assist us in providing the appropriate support, kindly send in a parent or doctor's note to me. Having this information allows me to stay updated on your child's health status and make any necessary accommodations in class. With a note from either a parent or a doctor, I can adjust their physical activity level accordingly to ensure their comfort and safety.
Proper Footwear:
Safety is paramount during physical education class, and appropriate footwear plays a crucial role. I urge all parents to ensure that your child wears tennis shoes to their physical education class each week. This helps to provide stability, reduce the risk of accidents, and promote a safe environment. Please refrain from sending your child to school in rain boots, crocs, sandals, dress shoes, or any footwear that isn't suitable for physical activity on their P.E. days. While rain boots may be necessary for rainy days, please make sure your child has a change of tennis shoes available for their physical education class. I recommend advising your child to bring an extra bag with their tennis shoes to school, allowing them to change just before P.E. class.
October Activities:
Here's what your child can look forward to in October:
Grades K-2:
Our younger students in grades K-2 will be focusing on developing their locomotor skills, including walking, jogging, running, jumping, galloping, sliding, hopping, and skipping. Additionally, they will have the exciting opportunity to explore parachute activities during the last week of October!
Grades 3-5:
Students in grades 3-5 will participate in fitness testing throughout October. We'll be evaluating their fitness skills in various areas, including the Pacer Test, Curl-ups, Burpees, and Sit and Reach. The week of October 9th will be a "free choice" week, allowing students to engage in activities such as basketball, soccer, jump ropes, hula-hoops, and football.
Volunteer Opportunity:
Please look in the PTA newsletter for upcoming volunteer positions for fitness testing in October.
Thank you for your continued support and for prioritizing the well-being of your child during physical education classes. Should you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to reach out to me.
Sincerely,
Mr. Langley
Physical Education Specialist
Woodside Elementary School
What’s happening in music this October?
All students at Woodside have been doing wonderful things in music class since school started. Each week in music we focus on different concepts and skills so we can become well rounded and informed musicians. All grade levels have recently spent time each music class on the drums. Drumming together as a class teaches students how to listen, perform, and create music as an ensemble.
3rd, 4th and 5th Grade have been opening every music class with a listening activity as we learn about a variety of styles and genres of music from all around the world. So far, we have listened to music from Singapore, India, Mali, and Kenya. We have also been reviewing rhythms including quarter note, eighth notes, and quarter rest through songs and games. This month 4th grade will begin preparing for their Veterans Day Assembly which will be on Thursday, November 7th at 9:00AM in the Woodside gym. Families are invited to attend the morning performance.
2nd Grade has been reviewing quarter note, eighth notes, and quarter rest rhythms through songs and games. We have also been reading melodies using sol and mi notes on the music staff.
1st Grade has been reviewing rhythm and beat through songs and games since school started. This month we will learn about the music staff as we begin reading high and low notes.
Kindergarten has been listening and moving to a variety of music as we work on building our music repertoire.
4th and 5th Grade Choir
I am so proud to announce that there are 85 students in the before school choir at Woodside! I am thrilled that so many students are willing to wake up early and come sing every Wednesday morning from 7:30-8:20AM. I look forward to all the wonderful music we will be singing in choir this year.
Upcoming Music Events
4th Grade Veterans Day Assembly - Thursday, November 9th
9:00AM in the Woodside Gym
Choir Concert- Thursday, December 12th
2:00PM and 6:30PM in the Woodside cafeteria
Woodside and Heatherwood Combined Choir Concert- Monday, December 16th
7:00PM at Everett Civic Auditorium (2415 Colby Ave, Everett, WA 98201)
§ Woodside students report at 6:30PM to rehearse with the middle school.
Choir Caroling and Cocoa/Cookie Party – Wednesday, December 18th
2:00-4:30PM in the neighborhood and Woodside Cafeteria
If you have any questions or concerns, please email Mrs. Hill at: thill@everettsd.org
Attendance is vitally important to success in school. All students must be in school unless they are excused for a medical appointment or illness. We ask you to call our 24-hour attendance line, (425) 385-7805, or e-mail Woodside Attendance at WoodsideAttendance@everettsd.org to report your child’s absence. Please call or e-mail the morning of the absence (or before). You may also send in a note excusing the absence on their first day back. If we have not heard from you, you will receive a computer-generated message reminding you to call the school. Woodside runs attendance reports at the end of every month. Notes will go home with students who have two or more unexcused absences or five or more excused OR unexcused tardies. Washington State has a mandatory school attendance law. Continued unexcused absences may result in filing a truancy petition. Please make every effort to get your student to school each day on time. Your efforts are appreciated by our staff and your child’s classroom teacher.
PARENT SQUARE
We have launched ParentSquare, a new communication platform to keep our district, schools, and families connected. Please check your email for an invitation sent on August 22 to activate your account and update your contact information. If you didn't receive it, check your spam folder or click the headline for assistance and app details. Don’t forget to scroll down to our FAQs for more information, including what unregistered users can see and do in ParentSquare.
VERSATRAN STOP APP
We’re excited to announce that our Versatrans My Stop App is now available and here to make your life easier. Real-time bus tracking and estimated arrival times for your child’s school bus. Get started today! Click the headline for more information and to sign up for the My Stop App!
