BROOKDALE BOBCAT PRINTS
August 31, 2021
Brookdale Elementary
11213 Sheridan Ave S, Tacoma, WA 98444
Connie Holman - Principal
Kari Ferguson - Assistant Principal
Office Hours - 9:00 to 4:30
253-298-3100 / FAX 253-298-3115
Principal Message
On behalf of the staff at Brookdale Elementary, I am happy to welcome you to the 2021-22 school year! We are looking forward to a productive partnership with you to ensure your children can achieve their highest potential.
We recognize that in order to be successful in school, children need support from both the home and school. We know a strong partnership with you will make a great difference in your child’s education. As partners, we share the responsibility for your children’s success and want you to know that we will do our very best to carry out our responsibilities. Regular communication between home and school is vital! Be sure to check-in regularly with your child’s teacher. We ask that you guide and support your child’s learning by ensuring that he/she:
1) Attends school daily and arrives on time, ready for the day’s learning experience – after all, “Brookdale Bobcats are on time, every day, ready to learn!”
2) Completes all homework assignments given by teachers, this includes reading to and/or with you each night. Any homework that is given will be a review of concepts already learned in class and will not be new learning for students.
3) Shares school experiences with you so that you are aware of his/her school life – all it takes is asking your child questions. Here is a link to 15 Questions to Replace to How Was School Today.
4) Knows that you expect he/she to succeed in school and go on to college
KEEPING BOBCATS SAFE
The health and safety of students, families and staff remains our highest priority in welcoming students back to school for in-person instruction. Please know that we will take a careful and deliberate approach to not only support students and families, but also to maintain a safe learning and work environment. If you have further questions, please call the school office at 253.298.3100.
- Students will be expected to wear masks on the bus.
- ALL students and staff will be required to wear masks all day at school.
- All classrooms will have students seated 3 feet apart.
- Students will be 6 feet apart when in common areas or while eating.
- Students will eat lunch in the multi-purpose room. Students will be encouraged to eat quickly with a voice level of 0. They will also have assigned seats.
- We will have recess. The playground will be zoned to keep classes together. Students will wear masks outside to be closer than 6 feet apart.
- Students are encouraged to bring their own water bottle from home.
WELCOME NEW STAFF
We warmly welcome the following staff members to our Brookdale community: Ms. Farrow, kindergarten; Ms. Chanthabouly, first grade; Mr. Long, fourth grade; Ms. Almand and Ms. Lawyer, fifth grade; Ms. Manley and Ms. Berntsen, Support Center; Ms. Crawford, resource; Ms. Gibbard, STEM specialist; Ms Rambow, school nurse; Ms. Jarvis, Speech. We also welcome our new paraeducators - Ms. Allen; Mrs. Gonzalez; Ms. Pol; Ms. Hansen.
OUR DAILY SCHEDULE
9:20 - Students allowed on campus/breakfast
9:35 - All students report to classes ~ Tardy bell
10:40 – 10:55 -Morning Recess – Kinder, First, Fourth Grades
12:15 – 12:55 - Lunch/Recess – Kinder, Third & PSC
12:40– 1:20 - Lunch/Recess – Second, Fifth & ISC
1:05– 1:45 - Lunch/Recess – First, Fourth & Excel
3:10 – 3:25 - Afternoon Recess – Second, Third, Fifth
3:20-3:35 - PSC & ISC
4:00 – 4:05 - student dismissal
PLEASE MARK YOUR CALENDARS WITH THESE IMPORTANT DATES
September 3 ~ NO SCHOOL
September 6 ~ NO SCHOOL - Labor Day
September 15 ~ EARLY RELEASE - 2:35
September 22 ~ EARLY RELEASE - 2:35
September 29 ~ EARLY RELEASE - 2:35
October 4 ~ NO SCHOOL
October 5-8 ~ Student-led Conferences - EARLY RELEASE - 12:35
EARLY RELEASE WEDNESDAYS
Franklin Pierce Schools will continue with 2:35 dismissals on most Wednesdays this year. The first early release Wednesday is September 15. Teachers use this time to collaborate with student achievement in mind.
WEBSITE
You have the ability to view our school newsletter and other important information at our district's website. Go to www.fpschools.org, Brookdale is listed under the schools tab. You can also find transportation and lunch information online. Please keep our website in your favorites.
RESTORATIVE PRACTICES & COMMUNITY
Do the words ‘Community Circle’ & ‘Restorative Practices’ sound familiar? At Brookdale we believe that positive relationships are at the heart of everything we do. These practices help build healthy communities, repair harm and restore relationships. At Brookdale, staff and students will utilize elements of restorative practices by incorporating community circles in the classroom, using affective statements, and using restorative questions. Our goal is to be proactive rather than reactive when responding to students, thus developing positive relationships with all students. Look for more information on restorative practices in the coming weeks.
BUS PROCEDURES
Please be patient, the first couple days of school the busses might be running late. We have a very helpful transportation department; if you have any questions, issues about something that happened on the bus or at the bus stop, or concerns about a late bus, please call the transportation office directly at 253-298-3865. To cut down on the number of calls received in the office daily we ask that if you wish for your child to ride a bus other than the one they normally ride, or get off at a bus stop other than their normal stop, you must send a note. The same holds true if you want your child to walk rather than ride their normal bus. Without a note, we will not allow students to walk or change their regular bus, bus stop, or end of the day routine.
FAIR TICKETS
This year we will be sending home a free Washington State Fair admission ticket with each student over the age of five on Thursday, September 2. This ticket will be good for any day of the fair. There will be no early dismissal of school that coincides with the run of the fair. Please take advantage of an early release Wednesday if you can.
MEDICATION AT SCHOOL
The health room is staffed daily from 9:15 - 4:00 with a LPN to provide first aid to students who become ill or injured at school, and to give medications prescribed by state approved medical providers. Our goal is to keep healthy children learning in the classroom and to get ill children home.
State law allows for students to be administered only oral medications at school (including inhalers). The two exceptions in this law are for insulin and Epi-pen use. Please do not ask the school to give your student ear drops or eye drops, or to apply lotions and ointments, as we are unable to do so. All medications, even over-the-counter products such as pain relievers and cough drops, require an appropriate order from an approved medical provider. We must have a new medication order each school year. Please do not send medication with your child, as it is illegal for them to carry it on school grounds. Do not hesitate to contact our school nurse, Ms. Rambow at 253-298-3108, if you have questions or desire further information.
Franklin Pierce Schools does not discriminate on the basis of sex, race, creed, religion, color, national origin, age, honorably discharged veteran or military status, sexual orientation including gender expression or identity, the presence of any sensory, mental, or physical disability, or the use of a trained dog guide or service animal by a person with a disability in its programs and activities and provides equal access to the Boy Scouts and other designated youth groups. Questions and complaints of alleged discrimination should be directed to James Hester, Compliance Coordinator for State and Civil Rights Laws; Wendy Malich, Title IX Officer; or John Sanders, 504/ADA Coordinator at 315 129th ST S, Tacoma, WA 98444-5099 or at (253)298-3000.