Mary Purcell Grizzly Growl
Fall/Winter 2022
Letter from the Principals, Mr. Cullum & Mrs. Torgeson
Greetings, MP Families!
We are excited to share successes that Mary Purcell students and staff had in the month of October! Our fabulous Parent Group hosted the Scholastic Book Fair in our school library. This event takes a tremendous amount of energy and coordination and is so well liked by our students. Thank you to all the parent volunteers that make this happen! Our fifth grade classes (forty four students) traveled by bus to the North Cascades Environmental Learning Center on Diablo Lake to attend Mountain School for the first time since before the pandemic. Students, staff and parent volunteers stayed two nights and three days exploring the wilderness in a structured learning setting filled with hands-on learning while bonding and having fun! We are thrilled to have Mountain School return to our fifth grade students.
Student of the Month (SOM) recognition has returned in a big way! Students are chosen each month based on our four foundations: Respect, Responsibility, Perseverance, Safety, along with Kindness. With our return to “normal”, assemblies are back in place and allowing our Students of the Month to be celebrated with their family guests, peers, and staff. Again, thank you to our Parent Group for supporting our SOM celebrations.
Upcoming events in November include Parent Teacher conferences next week (Nov. 7-10). Each family should have received notice of their child(dren)’s scheduled conference day and time. Parent Teacher conferences serve an important role in creating a strong alliance between home and school. Our teachers are busy preparing for their time with you and this is a great time to prepare questions that you may have for your child’s teacher. And, please remember that we have early dismissal @ 12:30 November 7th - 10th.
Back by popular demand, is the Mary Purcell & Central Elementary Veterans Day parade through downtown Sedro-Woolley! On Thursday, Nov 10 we will honor our veterans with a school-wide assembly followed by the parade through town to the beat of the Sedro-Woolley High School marching band. Please consider joining the downtown merchants and line the streets as the parade passes. Be on the lookout for the permission slip coming home with your child that must be signed and returned prior to participation.
Lastly, we want to encourage parents and guardians to consider volunteering in our school. We have lots of opportunities for families to be engaged and welcome the opportunity to answer questions or support any and all that might be interested!
IMPORTANT EVENTS
November 2022
1 - MP Fall Picture Retake Day
2 - End of 1st Quarter (Grades 7–12)
2 - All Schools - One Hour Late Start for Professional Development
6 - Daylight Saving Ends
9 - No Late start - Early Release @ 12:30 K-6 Conferences
7-10 Early Release @ 12:30 K-6 Conferences
No after school MLL program due to conferencing
10 - Veterans Day Parade in downtown Sedro-Woolley - Metcalf 11AM
11 - Veterans Day- No school
23 - No Late start - Early Release @ 12:30
24-25 Thanksgiving Break - No School
December 2022
2 - Student of the Month Assembly - K-2 @ 1:50-2:10; 3rd and 4th grades - 1:25-1:45; 5th and 6th grades 1:00-1:20
7 - One hour late start
12 - School Board Meeting @ 6pm
14 - One hour late start
15 - K and 1st grade Winter Program K @5:30; 1st @ 6:15 in gym.
19- January 2 - Winter Break No School Happy Holidays!
January 2023
3- School resumes
ARRIVAL & DISMISSAL TIMES
STAFF CONTACT INFORMATION
2022-2023 Emergency Communications Bulletin
FOURTH GRADERS!
Get passes, download activities, or plan a life-changing field trip for your fourth-grade students at: https://everykidoutdoors.gov/
Learn about other available park passes at: https://www.nps.gov/planyourvisit/passes.htm
FAMILIES WITH LOW OR NO INCOME CAN FILE FOR THE $3,000 CHILD TAX CREDIT
This year, more families and individuals with low or no incomes across Washington could get thousands of dollars in federal payments due to policy changes - even if they have never filed taxes before. To get this money, eligible families can file a simplified tax return in 15 minutes or less (if they have not already filed taxes this year).
It is estimated that at least 46,000 children in Washington could miss out on at least $3,000 each with the Child Tax Credit. More information can be found at getctc.org.
FOUNDATIONS K ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS
COVID-19 GUIDANCE FOR K-12 SCHOOLS & CHILD CARE
The Washington State Department of Health (DOH) has released its updated COVID-19 guidance for K-12 schools and child care. The guidance takes lessons learned from the first two and a half years of the pandemic, and outlines both required and recommended measures for the 2022-23 school year to help reduce COVID-19 transmission in school and child care settings. Schools, child care providers, and families can expect limited changes focused on clarifying and simplifying the guidance.
Clarified requirements and recommendations in this school year’s guidance include:
- Students, children, and staff who test positive for COVID-19 are required to stay at home and isolate for 5 days.
- Students, children, and staff returning from 5 days of isolation should wear a well-fitted mask from days 6 to 10. Those returning are encouraged to test before doing so.
- Schools and child care providers are no longer required to directly notify high risk individuals of exposure but must continue to have a process in place to inform students, staff, and families of cases and outbreaks.
- Schools and child care providers continue to be required to report outbreaks (3 or more cases within a specified core group) to local health jurisdictions (LHJ) and to have a system in place to respond.
Sedro-Woolley School District Health Services team will continue to offer access to timely diagnostic testing for SWSD students with symptoms of COVID-19. The testing will be free of charge and will only be offered to ONLY students and staff showing symptoms.
Schedule an appointment and complete pre-test paperwork
Testing will be available from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Friday on regular school days. All appointments will need to be scheduled, as drop-ins cannot be accommodated at this time.
All employees, volunteers and indoor contractors in educational settings are required to be fully vaccinated* or have a medical or religious exemption per Governor’s proclamation 21-14.3. Visitors are not required to be vaccinated. Visitors would be those picking up students from the office, or signing them in, or attending an extracurricular activity.
*Fully Vaccinated: An individual is fully vaccinated when they have received both doses in a two-dose COVID-19 vaccine primary series or one dose of a single-dose COVID-19 primary series approved or authorized for use in the United States. Staying up to date with all recommended vaccinations and boosters is the best option to protect from severe disease and hospitalization.
Symptom Decision Tree and Contact Tracing Checklist for K-12 Schools
While the guidance is specific to COVID-19 prevention, it can also help to reduce transmission of other common respiratory viruses such as influenza.
Covid questions
Email: covidquestions@swsdonline.com
Phone: (360) 855-3059
If you want to check COVID-19 cases, you can find it on our district website under community, click on this link: COVID-19 Dashboard.
VOLUNTEERING
We are excited that you are interested in volunteering your time for our students and staff in the Sedro-Woolley School District! All volunteers, student-teacher observers, and PTO members must complete several forms and undergo a background check verification.
Complete the required background check paperwork available from the building secretary
Provide a copy of your photo ID
Wait for the background check to be completed and approved
Forms must be turned in and verified by the building secretary.
Thank you for your support of the Sedro-Woolley School District!
REPORT SAFETY CONCERNS
Vector Alert is the tip reporting system that the Sedro-Woolley School District uses for students, staff, and parents to submit safety concerns to our administration.
• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: Dial 988
• Are you feeling bullied, harassed or intimidated? Report it at:
- https://swsd-wa.safeschoolsalert.com/
- Text to: 1-855-764-8877
- Email: 1376@alert1.us
- District ID Code: 1376
Easily report tips on bullying, harassment, drugs, vandalism or any safety issue you're concerned about. Tips may be submitted anonymously too. Thanks in advance for helping to make our school community a safer place to work and learn! We appreciate your support.
PUBLIC LIBRARY CARDS AVAILABLE FOR ALL DISTRICT STUDENTS
All SWSD students have an existing library account with the Sedro-Woolley Library! Stop by today, all we need is your student's name to get started.
Questions? visit us at 110 West State Street, call 360-755-3985, or email help@centralskagitlibrary.org.
DISTRICT NEWS
OPT-IN FOR TEXT MESSAGES
The Sedro-Woolley School District utilizes the SchoolMessenger system to deliver text messages, straight to your mobile phone with important information about events, school closings, safety alerts and more.
You can participate in this free service* just by sending a text message of “Y” or “Yes” to our school’s short code number, 67587.
You can also opt out of these messages at any time by simply replying to one of our
messages with “Stop”.
MENTAL HEALTH RESOURCES
Mary Purcell Elementary
Website: https://www.swsd.k12.wa.us/Domain/431
Location: 700 Bennett Street, Sedro-Woolley, WA, USA
Phone: (360)855-3555
Facebook: www.facebook.com/marypurcellboosterclub
Disclaimer:
Sedro-Woolley School District does not discriminate in any programs or activities on the basis of sex, race, creed, religion, color, national origin, age, veteran or military status, sexual orientation, gender expression, gender identity, disability, or the use of a trained dog guide or service animal, and provides equal access to all youth groups identified in U.S.C., Title 36. The District has designated the following employees to handle questions and complaints of alleged discrimination: Civil Rights Compliance Coordinator, Title IX Officer, Affirmative Action Officer and ADA Coordinator (Daniel Lee | dlee@swsd101.org | 360-855-3500), Gender-Inclusive Schools Coordinator (Mike Schweigert | mschweigert@swsd101.org | 360-855-3500), and Tony Smith, Section 504 Coordinator (tosmith@swsd101.org | 360-855-3500). Address: 801 Trail Rd., Sedro-Woolley, WA 98284.