Liberty Ridge Elementary Newsletter

3/6/23 READY! for Kindergarten @ Emerald Hills Elementary (see below)

3/8/23 Dental Day at Liberty Ridge

3/8/23 READY! for Kindergarten @ Sumner Early Learning Center (see below)

3/13/23-3/16/23 Spring Book Fair

3/15/23 Lunch with Loved Ones

3/15/23 Kindergarten Round Up 4:00

3/17/23 - No School Elementary Only - Grading Day

3/28 & 3/29 - Conferences, dismissal at 11:40

4/3 - 4/7/23 Spring Break

As we are starting to plan for the 2023-2024 school year, I want to take this opportunity to let you know that our beloved Mr. Gould will be leaving us at the end of the school year. He will be staying in the SBLSD serving as assistant principal at Bonney Lake Elementary. This will be a great opportunity for him to experience a different school and community allowing him to learn, grow and add more tools to his toolbox for when he steps into a principal position. These types of decisions are difficult to make, but the end goal is to enhance the capacity of our district as a whole. Mr. Gould has done impactful work here at LRE over the last six years and he will continue this for the remainder of this school year and in the future at BLE. Please join me in congratulating him on his new position.

I also want to welcome our new assistant principal for the 2023-2024 school year. Connie Halvorson-Tran will be joining our team. Mrs. Halvorson-Tran is currently the assistant principal at Bonney Lake Elementary. She will bring new ideas and skills to LRE!

-Julana Hardtke

Principal, Liberty Ridge Elementary

My name is Connie Halvorson-Tran and I am honored and humbled to serve as your new Assistant Principal. My professional background is rooted in education and leadership. For the past 6 years I have been the Assistant Principal at Bonney Lake Elementary. Prior to that I was a third grade teacher, reading intervention teacher and instructional coach in the Olympia School District. I look forward to using these collective experiences to serve the Liberty Ridge community.

In addition to my professional achievements, my greatest accomplishment is my family. My husband Danny and I are parents to our three amazing children, Breanna (16), Jaxon (8) and Braelynn (8 months). As a parent, I always want what is best for my children and will work tirelessly to ensure your children have the best possible experiences at Liberty Ridge.

This summer I plan to work closely with Mrs. Hardtke to ensure a smooth transition. I am looking forward to meeting our students, staff, families and community members. My door is always open to you, and I sincerely welcome your input. I am thrilled about all that we will accomplish together for our students and to celebrate our collective success.

Let’s go Thunder Eagles!

We are so excited to bring back Lunch with Loved Ones! Whether it's a grandparent, aunt, friend or neighbor. Your student can have a guest come be with them during lunch.

Things to know:

• The drop off loop with be available for parking.
• Prepaid tickets will be given to the teachers to hold so they don't get lost in folders going back and forth. TICKETS ARE ONLY NEEDED IF THE GUEST IS EATING THE SCHOOL PROVIDED LUNCH.
• PTO will have the book fair open during this event.
• Since we do recess before lunch, once the lunch time is over, guests will need to say their goodbyes or may go to the bookfair. Students will be staying in the class at this time since learning will reconvene.
• If you send in money for a prepaid ticket, please make sure to include your student's name with the payment.
• Space is limited and we have a lot of kids, so please be mindful of the number of guests invited.

The Spring Book Fair is being hosted by our PTO in the library March 10th, and 13th-16th. It will also be open during the Lunch with Loved Ones. Interested in volunteering? If you have been cleared with your online SBLSD background check, PTO is in need of your helping hand! Please see their Facebook page to sign up on the Sign Up Genius.

Kindergarten registration is in full swing, with a variety of activities and resources to help families and incoming kinders prepare for the first day of school. This month our school is hosting orientation, called Kindergarten Roundup on March 15th at 4:00. Prior to kinder screening, Roundup provides students and families an opportunity to physically tour the school, meet staff and receive pertinent information regarding registration.

If you’re unable to make it in person, view each elementary schools' virtual kindergarten tours. Learn more about kindergarten at sumnersd.org/kindergarten.

EarlyAct is a school-wide service club for elementary students sponsored by Rotary Clubs. The mission of EarlyAct is to promote goodwill, understanding, and peace through active participation of student members so that with committed citizenship and effective leadership they improve the quality of life for their school, local and global communities.

EarlyAct teaches…Caring, Respect, Empathy, Responsibility, Tolerance, Citizenship, Compassion, Friendship and Leadership. EarlyAct engages student members in character-building activities and prepares them for leadership roles to identify and carry out projects which benefit their school, local and global communities. Through its association with Rotary, EarlyActors gain increased awareness and knowledge of their community and the world and understanding of the dignity and worth of each individual which builds respect for others.

Our EarlyAct club is run by Mrs. Parmley with help from our Bonney Lake Rotarians. They are working on a project right now to help our school with earning a Trex Bench for our building. They are collecting items to be recycled that will be made into a bench! Please read the items they are collecting below and send them in with your students!

Also, this quick YouTube Video helps explain what is acceptable. Items marked with a recycle triangle with a 2 or 4 OR is strechy can be used. Items that are shiny and crinkly (like cups or a clamshell type holder for salads, etc) are not accepted.

Do you know a child who will be five years old on or before Aug. 31? Maybe it's your neighbor, friend or even your own child. Now’s the time to enroll kindergarten students for the 2023-24 school year. The sooner you enroll, the better we can keep you informed.

Kindergarten kickoff video

To learn more about kindergarten in the Sumner-Bonney Lake School District, watch this video for an overview of kindergarten, the registration process and forms, resources, transition events and kindergarten readiness.

New immunization requirements

New requirements are in effect for students in preschool and kindergarten who are four years old or older on Sept. 1. Learn about the requirements, documentation, exceptions and more.

Registration

Enrollment into the District is online. Visit our enrollment page for details on the three-step registration process. Hard copy registration packets are available at our schools.

For more information, go to www.sumnersd.org/kindergarten.

Registration is open for Right At School, a nationally-recognized school enrichment provider for before- and after-school care for elementary-aged students at all of our elementary schools and the Sumner Early Learning Center starting with the 2023-24 school year.

Right at School staff hosted a parent information session via zoom earlier this week. For those unable to attend, view the recording to learn details about the program and hear answers to some common questions.

Register for 2023-24 School Year

Registration for Right at School is now open.

About Right at School

Right at School provides families flexibility in enrollment options and a comprehensive enrichment curriculum to keep students engaged while they participate. Students will have a healthy snack, engage in dynamic fitness activities, student-driven projects, team building, leadership development, and have the opportunity to complete homework assignments.

Program highlights:

• Open from 6:30 am to 6 pm

• Flexible schedules and pricing options

• Tuition discounts available

• Childcare available during breaks, non-school days, and summer

Visit Right at School’s SBLSD website for more information, including program offerings, curriculum, registration and billing, electives, camps and more.

• Memorial Day weekend: School will be in session on May 30. This is a weather make-up day from when schools were closed on Dec. 1.
  

• Last day of school: Due to the Feb. 14 school closure, the last day of school is now June 22 with a half-day/early dismissal.

Free workshop helps families prepare children for kindergarten

Ready! for Kindergarten is a free program that offers age-appropriate targets, training and tools for parents and caregivers of children birth to age five that ensure success in school. Learn more about the importance of nurturing a child’s development in their earliest years in this video.

Register:

Click here to register now for our winter sessions. Families new to Ready! must attend orientation from 6-6:30 p.m. on the date of their registered session.

Dates*

• Monday, March 6 at Emerald Hills Elementary, or

• Wednesday, March 8 at Sumner Early Learning Center

*Please select one session date to attend per registered child.

Time:

All sessions are held from 6:30-8 p.m.

More information at sumnersd.org/ready.

Dental Day for Liberty Ridge is on March 8th this year! Please be looking in your child's folder for a permission slip form. Please only complete the permission slip if you would like your child to participate in this optional service. Permission slips are due by March 1st if you would like your child to participate. This program is offered by the Tacoma/Pierce County Health Department and is onsite at Liberty Ridge and separate from the event happening at the Sumner Community Food Bank.

Please contact smilesavedhs@gmail.com with any questions you may have about this program.

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Email: LRE@sumnersd.org
Website: sumnersd.org/lre
Location: 12202 209th Ave Ct E, Bonney Lake, WA, USA
Phone: (253) 891-4800