The Falcon Report
Foothills Elementary School
November 23, 2022
Upcoming Events
- 11/1-11/30: CANNED FOOD DRIVE!
- 11/23: Half Day, dismissal at 11:55 am
- 11/24-11/25: No School for Thanksgiving Break
- 11/28: PTA meeting @5:30 in the Library, childcare is available from WRHS Leadership students.
- 12/9: Falcon of the month assembly for Flexible, Grades 1 & 2 @ 12:00. Grade 3rd, 4th, & 5th @ 2:45
- 12/19-1/2: Winter Break, no school
Weekly Update
Please have a wonderful long weekend with your family. Stay warm and enjoy the time together!
Grades 3-5 SBA Results are in Skyward
Family Score Reports for students who took the Smarter Balanced Assessment (SBA) in Reading & Math last spring are now available to view in Skyward. Directions for viewing and accessing these reports are as follows:
With snow in the forecast, a reminder about our procedures...
How are decisions made to delay or cancel school?
On days when snow and/or ice are predicted, we have a team that begins driving the roads throughout our District before 4:30 am to assess road conditions and possible hazards. We also check multiple forecasts to see what the weather will do in the near future knowing that conditions can change quickly between 5:00-8:00 am. We have a large District in terms of geographic area and the conditions in one area of the District are often different than another area so this factors into our decision-making process. Our primary concern when making decisions is always the safety of our buses and bus riders as well as the student & parent drivers
and staff commuters. Our goal is to make a final decision by 5:30 a.m. so that parents, students, and staff have time to navigate the impact of these decisions.
How are parents & staff notified when school is delayed or canceled? Information is sent by telephone and email using our automated messenger system and posted to the WRSD Facebook and Flash Alert. To receive these messages, we encourage parents to:
Log into Family Access and make sure all contact information is up to date
Sign up for Flash Alert to get emergency alerts
Follow us on Facebook
Check email and make sure your phone is on when severe weather is in the forecast
What options will the district consider when weather conditions are severe?
Two-Hour Late Starts allow everyone additional time to get to school and for temperatures to climb above freezing. It also gives us time to work on grounds and facilities (i.e., de-icing, clearing sidewalks, etc.). Visibility often improves later in the morning, as well. There are no a.m. preschool or early kindergarten classes and no out-of-district transportation when schools are operating on a two-hour delay.
Canceling School is necessary when the weather forecast and current conditions at 5:30 a.m. indicate that a late start won’t give us the time we need to run our buses and open our schools safely. School closure is usually caused by snow and ice, but it is also possible for other reasons (i.e., wind, power outages, etc.). If we cancel school, we will make up the day later in the year.
Closing School after it Starts. We never want to send kids home early once they are at
school and we will try hard to avoid this difficult scenario. This decision would only be made in extreme circumstances and staff would remain on site with students who can’t be picked up until later in the day. In the past this has happened when we experience extended power outages and severe flooding that threatens to close roads and prohibit us from getting kids home.
How are school buses affected when it is snowing or icy? When road conditions on side streets are poor, we will run buses on “limited transportation routes for inclement weather”. Limited transportation routes are very different with new stops and different pick-up times. If your student rides a school bus make sure to take a look at limited transportation route schedules on the Transportation Tab of our website. If you have questions, please call our transportation department at (360) 829-3361.
Zones of Regulation
This week, students will continue to work to identify situations that cause them to shift zones. For example, when my birthday party is after school and I am so excited, I may be in the red zone with excitement for much of the day. Or if my grown-ups are out of town, I may be in the blue zone and have a hard time focusing. When I can identify my zone and the cause, it helps me find tools that help me regulate. It also helps me take the perspective of others. Be sure to ask your falcon when they feel each zone and what tools they use to be able to regulate.
Buckley Food Bank Needs
Here is what the Buckley Food Bank could use if you are able to donate. From their page...
Here's our wish list for the month!!
Pasta/Noodles of any kind -- elbows, spaghetti, rotini, ditalini, shells, lasagna = tasty!
Peanut Butter - crunchy, creamy = yummy!
Tomato paste - big cans, small cans = savory!
Diced/stewed tomatoes = big cans, small cans, jars = flavorful!
Cups of mac n cheese = easy and kid pleasers!
Chef Boyardee - ravioli, Spaghetti Os, spaghetti and meatballs, Beefaroni = delish!
Side dishes - Rice a Roni, Knorr flavored pasta, Hormel Compleats, Hamburger/Tuna Helper, Pasta Roni, boxed potatoes (au gratin, scalloped, mashed, hash browns, julienne) = delicious!
Attendance
An unexcused absence is when a student is absent from school, and the parent or guardian has not called to inform the school of the reason for the absence. An excused absence is when a student is absent from school, and you communicate with the office.
You can call and leave a message with a reason for the absence 24 hours a day at (360) 829-3355 or email at mclay@whiteriver.wednet.edu
Flexible
Our character trait of the month for November is Flexible.
- Being flexible means that you can accept changes and are willing to think differently about things.
- Being flexible can look like a willingness to adjust your schedule or even remove something fun and trusting your teacher they will return to that fun thing as soon as they can.
- Being flexible can happen in the classroom, on the playground or at home!