DHES News and Notes
February 3, 2023
Educating every child for confidence today and contribution tomorrow.
A Message From the Principal
DHES Families,
Wow! It is hard to believe it is already February. This is the midterm of the second trimester, which means we are officially over halfway through the school year. With the snow days, we are adjusting the calendar to extend the year in June. The last day of school will now be June 21st barring any additional closures. What this also means is that we are moving our 100th day of school celebration to February 14th. Teachers will share any special plans they have for this day in the near future. February 14th will also be Red, White and Pink spirit day in honor of Valentine’s Day.
The Character Trait of the Month is Honesty. This is a critical trait for our students to learn about and instill as a part of who they are becoming. Being honest has an impact in every part of our lives, whether academic, social, with our friends, family and so on. Students need to see the adults around them modeling these behaviors as well. Never doubt that they see and hear all that we do. I can’t tell you how many times I saw or heard my words or actions come out in my children. James E. Faust said, “Honesty is more than not lying. It is truth telling, truth speaking, truth living, and truth loving.” Let’s all live lives of honesty and truth.
Have a great weekend!
Kevin Anderson, Principal
DHES
Calendar of Upcoming Events
Feb 03 PTA Movie Night (Minnions, The Rise of Grue) 6:30PM
Feb 07 MLK Jr Assembly 9AM
Feb 08 PTA meeting LTES 6 pm
Feb 14 100th Day of School
Feb 14 Valentines Day: wear red/white/pink
Feb 15 Preschool Registration Closes
Feb 15 4th Grade Music and Movement Program 7pm
Feb 16 Preschool Lottery 6pm (virtual)
Feb 17 Preschool selected families notified
Feb 20 Presidents Day NO SCHOOL
Feb 21 - 24 Mid Winter Break NO SCHOOL
A child who will be five years old on or before August 31 is eligible to enroll in kindergarten for the next school year.
Enrollment for the 2023-24 school year is now open. Click on this link to access registration information.
Preschool Registration
Dieringer Cougar Cub Preschool Registration Opened January 17, 2023
In preparation for the 2023-2024 school year, the Dieringer Cougar Cub Preschool is accepting registration materials between January 17 and February 15, 2023. You will find instructions for registering and additional information on our website. There are a limited number of spaces available in our preschool program. A lottery will be held on February 16th to select students for enrollment.
Timeline:
1/17 Registration opened online
2/15 Registration Closes
2/16 Lottery 6:00 pm (Virtual)
2/17 Selected families notified
4/3 Deposit/payment due
Any spots still open after 4/3 will become available to the next child on the waitlist.
If you have questions or need assistance please contact the school at 253-826-4937
Cougar Cub Preschool Tuition 2023-2024
3’s Classes:
Annually $3,100.00
Monthly $310.00 (Sept-June)
4’s Classes:
Annually $3,800.00
Monthly $380.00 (Sept-June)
HEAR YE, HEAR YE, BY ROYAL DECREE FROM THE QUEEN OF HEARTS
The annual LTES PTA Daddy-Daughter Dance will return this spring. (Any adult chaperone is welcome)
More details coming soon.
Be on the lookout for the White Rabbit's announcement.
A NOTE FROM DHES COUSELOR, MS. BOBEN
January 2023 Counseling Quarterly Vol 1 Issue 2
Dieringer Counseling Team Newsletter
School counselors are certified/licensed educators who improve student success for ALL students by implementing a comprehensive school counseling program. They hold at a minimum, a masters degree, and complete yearly training to maintain their ESA certification.
Recommended Caseload for school counselors is 250:1
School counselors help all students:
apply academic achievement strategies
manage emotions and apply interpersonal skills
plan for postsecondary options (higher education, military, work force)
Appropriate duties include providing:
individual student academic planning and goal setting
school counseling classroom lessons based on student success standards
short-term counseling to students
referrals for long-term support
collaboration with families/teachers/ administrators/ community for student success
advocacy for students at individual education plan meetings and other student-focused meetings
data analysis to identify student issues, needs and challenges
acting as a systems change agent to improve equity and access, achievement and opportunities for all students
(American School Counselor Association/ASCA)
Social Media Awareness and Tech Use
Most of us know that technology and screens impact kids, and if we are truthful, adults too. Parents and guardians, ask your older students how they feel after looking at social media or texting with friends. Are they playing the “I should be” or “I wish I had” game in their heads? Sometimes being on social media can make us feel like we should look a certain way or be doing certain things. It can also make us say ‘I wish I was invited to this or I wish I had that.” Too much of this type of thinking can lead us to feel down or anxious. It’s good to do a mental check-in after getting off screens to see how you're feeling and what you are thinking to gauge the impact that screen time has on you.
Is it challenging for your kids to turn off their screens? Do your younger kids (or older kids) have meltdowns when screen time is limited?
Here are some suggestions for students and parents surrounding technology:
Shut down or put electronics on sleep mode an hour before bed.
It is a good idea for phones and other electronics to charge in a specific spot (i.e. parents room).
Set time limits for screen time.
Know what apps your kids are using and how they interact with them. There are often “hidden apps” that parents/guardians are unaware of.
Model good screen time usage and talk to your kids about it.
Spend time on phones/ devices together and educate your kids about what you do or do not post online and why.
Be aware of texting groups. Kids are forming large texting groups that can be very hurtful at times. Check in with your kids about the groups they are in and how they make them feel.
Remember that cyberbullying happens and help your children know what to do if they are being harassed or bullied online.
Remind your children to limit any personal information they give out online, and also remind them to not text, chat or post anything they are not comfortable with you, their principal or their friends' parents seeing.
Bullying Prevention
By now most students 1st-8th should have received lessons about bullying prevention. These lessons are designed to help students better understand what bullying is and what bullying is not. Students learn the ways to recognize bullying vs. conflict and disagreement. They also learn what to do if they are being bullied, or see someone else being bullied. The power of bystanders to stand up, speak up and report is also highlighted.
Katie Leslie LTES ~ Mary Boben DHES ~ Krissy Brubaker, NTMS ~ Jennifer Roscoe, NTMS
From the School Nurse
How to Order Your Free Covid Test
Did you know that you can order free Covid home tests from Washington State? Here is the website to order free tests for your family:
Washington State: https://sayyescovidhometest.org/
Substitute Teachers and Paras Needed
Call the District Office at 253-826-7019 or stop by for more information. Applications can be found on our website under Employment!
**If you have a 4 year degree, you are eligible to be a substitute teacher!
Contact Us
Website: https://dhes.dieringer.wednet.edu/
Location: Dieringer Heights Elementary, 34th Street East, Lake Tapps, WA, USA
Phone: 253-826-4937
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dhescougs
Twitter: @dhescougs