The Sailor Signal
Cottage Lake Elementary - March 21, 2021
A Note from Principal Welch
Dear Families,
In past years, March has always been the longest month of the school year. A month with no breaks or days off, but this year, it is hard to fathom it is already the 21st. To me, perhaps because I am deep into hybrid planning, this month has seemed to move quickly. I hope you are all remaining safe and healthy!
I am keeping my intro really short this week, as I want your attention in reading the information below. It is really important we all stay connected and informed. I am doing all I can to inform you all about Bridge Weeks and beyond. Please find the information below which will provide more details.
It is my hope that next week I can provide even more information regarding hybrid and fully remote. Let's have a great week ahead and I can't wait to see students so very soon!! I'm having the September jitters again. :)
Take care and stay dry,
~ Jen Welch, Principal
•• SCHOOL NEWS ••
-- All Things Reopening --
Bridge Weeks are only for students in Kindergarten through 3rd Grade.
Important Information for Bridge Weeks....
We are excited to welcome students back to Cottage Lake during our Northshore Bridge Weeks!
On your student’s designated Bridge Week day, you can expect your child will:
Have their temperature checked upon arrival;
Have their Health Check form verified for completion (Each morning, parents and guardians must complete a Health Check form for their student prior to their student arriving on campus during Bridge Weeks. Health Check forms are located in ParentVUE and instructions are explained at www.nsd.org/healthcheck);
Engage in activities with peers;
Learn from a Northshore School District employee who will facilitate their small group time; and
Move with their small group through a series of activities, which will change each week.
The majority of your child’s time will be spent outside, practicing health and safety protocols, learning recess games, and understanding how to move about the school campus. The activities have been designed with children’s developmental level and age-appropriateness in mind. The Northshore leaders understand our school’s SAIL expectations (Show Respect, Act Safely, show Individual Responsibility, and be Learning Ready), as well as Northsrhore’s COVID health and safety protocols.
To ensure your child is prepared to fully participate in Bridge Week activities, please ensure they wear and/or bring the following items:
Warm coat or jacket
Clothes that are appropriate for outdoor activities
Close-toed outdoor shoes (e.g., athletic shoes)
Masks (having an extra mask is desirable in case the one worn becomes soiled)
If your child requires medication to be administered at school, please contact Audrey Wilde at awilde@nsd.org. Medication will need to be sent to school in the original container and with a physician’s prescription. There will not be time built in for students to eat snacks.
TRANSPORTATION:
When you drop off your child, Northshore employees will be there to welcome your child. Please remain in your car when dropping off your child. If you need to contact the school, please park and call or email the office.
At the end of your student’s Bridge Week time, please be ready to either pick up your student at school or meet their bus at their designated bus stop. Please see the information below regarding transportation routes.
AM Session (9:30-11:30 AM): The pick-up times and locations are listed on e-link (see e-link instructions below).
AM Drop off: Please be at the bus stop 5 minutes after the end of Bridge Week activities. The bus may be late the first day. After the first day, the drop-off times will likely be consistent. Please be at the times/location listed on e-link.
PM Session (2:00-4:00 PM): The pick-up times and locations are listed on e-link; Please add 4 ½ hours to the AM pick-up time.
PM Drop off: Please be at the bus stop 5 minutes after the end of Bridge Week activities. The bus may be late the first day. After the first day, the drop-off times will likely be consistent. Please be at the times/location listed on e-link.
EAP students will ride into their service area school (please check the e-link); They will then shuttle to their EAP site (the shuttle buses are listed below.)
Cottage Lake to Sunrise; Bus 154
E-link Instructions:
For the E-link bus stop location/time look-up; https://versatrans.nsd.org/elinkrp/
Enter the word public for the username and password
Enter your student's grade level, house number, street address, and zip code
Click “Find School/Transportation Info”
Thank you for helping your child prepare for their Bridge Week experience. We’re so excited to welcome students back to Cottage Lake!
Hybrid Learning or Fully Remote Schedules
I am also not at a place yet where I can announce any staff assignments. There are so many moving pieces, but please know I am working diligently and hope to have this information to you soon.
What I can share is that if you have multiple children at Cottage Lake, your students will be attending school on the same day. That has been confirmed and double-checked. :)
A little of this and a little of that for hybrid learning
- All students will have their temperature checked every day.
- All students must have a completed Student Health Check completed EACH day BEFORE they arrive on-site for learning. We ask that all Student Health Check forms are completed by 9:00 AM. We will print the list before greeting students.
- All students in 2nd grade through 5th grade and all staff will be regularly COVID tested. This testing is a nose-swab, that is completed by each student/staff. Tests will be completed by cohorts (or classes).
- There will be NO before school recess this year!
- All students will be able to access breakfast at school.
- All students will eat breakfast and lunch in their classrooms.
- Students should be wearing a face mask for the entire day. Students will also be practicing social distancing while walking in hallways and out at recess.
- At this time, all recess playground structures are CLOSED during school hours. Additionally, we will not be sharing recess equipment either. Students are being taught games during Bridge Week they can play by not touching others, keeping their mask on, and remaining socially-distant. Students will also stay with their cohort/class during recess.
- For dismissal, we have assigned every family a number. If you are picking up or dropping off your student, we have created a bright PINK paper that has your last name and the number for your family. You can use this when picking up your student(s). In the past, we have called names for students to come forward we will be changing to numbers, as I feel those will be easier to understand with masks on. I encourage you to keep this paper in your car, so it is super handy.
Medications at school
Hello Cottage Lake families!
I am very excited that we have a timeline for your children to return to school, some starting as soon as March 22, 2021! It’s been a long time coming, but we are all so happy to see our Cottage Lake Sailors returning to campus. While it is March instead of August, I am taking this opportunity to review with you the process for bringing your child’s medication to school before they return to campus.
If your child requires ANY type of routine, as needed, or emergency medication to be given at school, you must provide a completed Authorization for Medication form that is signed by your child’s doctor and yourself. The form is available on the nsd.org website. [https://www.nsd.org/backtoschool/health-information] This requirement applies to prescription AND over-the-counter medications (like Tylenol, ibuprofen, or cough drops) and is only valid for this 2020-21 school year.
Elementary students are not permitted to self-carry any medications, including inhalers, without prearranged medical authorization.
Medication cannot be left at the front desk in the office, as it has to be counted and co-signed by the parent and nurse. I cannot accept any medication without having the authorization form completed. I will be on campus to check-in medications the week before our first students return on campus for their Bridge Week activities :
- March 15, 16, 18, and 19: 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM
- March 17: 9:00 AM - 2:00 PM
Emergency medications for any life-threatening conditions MUST be at school before your child’s first day. If medications are not here at school, your child cannot stay on campus, no exceptions.
Important details:
- All prescriptions and over-the-counter medication must be in the original container. (Your dispensing pharmacy can provide an extra bottle for school with a duplicate label.)
- Bring only enough medication to last one month at a time.
- Please remember to wear a mask when you come to school to check in medications.
I’m here to answer any questions you may have.
I look forward to seeing everyone!
Nurse Audrey
Phone: 425.408.4206, Fax: 425.408.4202
•• REPEAT OF SCHOOL NEWS ••
Kindergarten registration is OPEN!!
Spread the word!! We want Kindergarten students!!
If there are questions about the registration process, please email Mrs. Negrin (tnegrin@nsd.org) or Mrs. MckInnon (smckinnon@nsd.org). Email is the best communication avenue at this time. We do not have staff regularly working on site.
We are excited to welcome new families to Cottage Lake!
Book Circulation for ALL!!
Beginning this week, March 22, our book circulation will look a little different. We will be holding curbside pick-up only. We no longer will have book delivery. As we move closer to our hybrid launch, this will change a little bit more, but we are still articulating out this plan.
If you would like books for your student, please follow the information below:
- ALL STUDENTS - Your upcoming book distribution day is: Thursday, March 25
- If you want books, please fill out this form http://go.nsd.org/sailorbooks by MONDAY, March 22 @ 8:00 PM.
- Curbside pick-up will occur 12:00-1:00 PM on Thursday, March 25
There will be NO BOOK CIRCULATION the week of March 29. Mrs. Sterling will be working to update her Schoology groups to reflect our new classes and preparing for our hybrid and fully remote transition. We will have book circulation the week of April 5, so students have books as they head into Spring Break.
•• PTA Update ••
Pictures needed for the yearbook!
Calling all photographers! We need yearbook photos!
Visit our PTA website to upload photos of your kids for the 2020-2021 school year. Did you capture their first day of school or the ice cream parade? Playing in the snow? Paint and PJs? Halloween? Kids working in your home "classroom"? Art Docent? We'd love to see them all! Please make sure if photos include other kids that you have permission from their parents to submit them for the yearbook.
Name the photos with your child's grade and subject area and visit https://www.cottagelakepta.org/Yearbook-Photos.html for upload instructions.
Photos must be received by March 28th.
Class photos: If your child attended picture day we'll get them from Dorian. If you have portraits you'd like to use instead, upload them to the folder with their teacher's name under ClassPhotos.
** Name the file with your child's grade, teacher, and name (ex. 1st-McGonagall-HermioneGranger.jpg).
Questions? Contact yearbook@cottagelakepta.org
•• District News ••
•• REPEAT of District News ••
School Waivers
Waivers for the 2021-2022 school year will soon be accepted. This is earlier than before, as we look to have a better understanding of our student numbers for the next school year. Please see below for the dates we will begin accepting waivers.
If you live In-District:
- Grades K-12 - February 22, 2021
- IHS IB Program - December 7, 2020
- ILHS 10th Grade - December 7, 2020
- 9th grade - Fill the application online
- 9th grade - Fill the application online
If you live Out of District:
- Current Students staying at their current school - February 22, 2021
- Current Students transitioning to 6th or 9th grade - April 19, 2021
- New Students - May 7, 2021
- IHS IB Program - December 7, 2020
- ILHS 10th Grade - December 7, 2020
- 9th Grade - Fill the application online
You can also find further waiver information by visiting: https://www.nsd.org/schools/get-started/waivers
Meals during remote learning and hybrid learning
Beginning Wednesday, September 9, we are offering free meals for ALL children ages 18 and younger. Students do not need to be enrolled in the Northshore School District to receive meals. This is GREAT news for each of our families; these are your tax dollars at work. I am so pleased this funding has been continued, allowing us to extend these meal services until the end of December.
For quick links:
- CLICK HERE to place an order for DAILY MEALS. [The order window time will be 2:00 PM-11:59 PM the day prior to meal pick-up. Orders include breakfast and lunch, including 16oz of milk. Orders placed for a Friday pick-up will also include meals for the weekend.]
- CLICK HERE to place an order for WEEKLY MEAL PACKS. [Weekly Meal Packs will include breakfast and lunch for an entire week, including a gallon of milk. The order window will open at 2:00 PM every Wednesday and close at 2:00 PM every Thursday. Pick up for these meals will be on Wednesday the following week.]
Please consider ordering food! Our district is committed to feeding our children during this challenging time.
•• PTA NEWS ••
- Our next PTA Meeting is this week: April 6, 2021 from 7:00-8:00 PM.
- Learn more about the PTA and get your 2020/21 membership at www.cottagelakepta.org.
- Your 2020/21 PTA President is Rachel Tarr and can be contacted at president@cottagelakepta.org.
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Search: Cottage Lake PTA.
[YES, our PTA accounted is listed in Tacoma, but it IS our school's PTA located in Woodinville, WA.]
After selecting our school's PTA, each time you want to shop, begin with visiting www.smile.amazon.com, and then shop. You must first log into the smile.amazon.com for purchases to be eligible for the cash back opportunity.
Cottage Lake Elementary
Email: jwelch@nsd.org
Website: https://cottagelake.nsd.org/
Location: 15940 Avondale Road Northeast, Woodinville, WA, USA
Phone: (425) 408-4200
Facebook: facebook.com/ourschool
Twitter: @ourschool