Brookdale Bobcat Prints
January 19, 2021
11213 Sheridan Ave S, Tacoma, WA 98444
Connie Holman - Principal
Kari Ferguson - Assistant Principal
Office Hours - 8:30 to 3:30
253-298-3100 / FAX 253-298-3115
Principal News
It's exciting that we are making plans to bring students into the building! We miss our students! We know it can also produce some fear or anxiety. In our recent survey of Kindergarten, First and Second grade families, almost one-third are not yet ready for their students to come in, but would like them to remain remote either until everyone is vaccinated or the pandemic is more under control. We are working hard to make plans that include all Bobcats to continue their school year, with the least amount of impact and change in classrooms and teachers. This week we will be working on plans and then communication will go out about buses, schedules, and school expectations for those who are coming back.
As we begin planning to bring students back into the building, it is good for families to begin planning with their students. We want to maintain a healthy environment for students and staff. Here are a few things that you can talk with you child about now:
- All families must complete a daily health attestation. This will be an email or text (your choice) to verify that your student does not have a fever and has no symptoms of illness. These will start going out to kindergarten families Thursday of this week - so you can practice.
- 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 6 feet apart.
- Students will eat lunch in the classrooms, to minimize the number of students who are together with masks off. Students will be encouraged to eat quickly and not to talk.
- We are still determining whether breakfast will be served at school or sent home with students the day before.
- We will have recess. The playground will be zoned to keep class cohorts small and together. Students will wear masks outside to be closer than 6 feet apart.
Starting Thursday, January 28th, Brookdale will begin our normal bell schedule, which is 9:35-3:05. This will be for our in-person students. Students who are remote will move to the following times:
- Cohort A: 9:15-11:45
- Cohort B: 12:25-2:55
The survey for families with students in grades 3-5 will be coming out soon. Please watch your email and phone messages for more complete information in the coming weeks.
NO SCHOOL ~ MONDAY, JANUARY 25
IMPORTANT MEETING REGARDING KINDERGARTEN
Mrs. Ferguson & Mrs. Holman will host 2 kindergarten parent meetings this Wednesday, Jan. 20 - 10:00 a.m. & 7:00 p.m. At these meetings, we will review expectations for returning to school. 1st-5th grade families, don't worry, we'll be sure to host meetings for you, too, as we get closer to those start dates.
Kindergarten Welcome Back mtg - 10:00 a.m.
Kindergarten Welcome Back mtg - 7:00 p.m.
While we are looking forward to having our students back in the building, we recognize that there are a number of things to think about. Please know we have worked (and are still working) diligently to make sure that the transition is a safe and as smooth as possible for our students and staff.
Honoring Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Over the weekend, I came across this great article that marks 7 ways that we can honor Dr. King's legacy. I have included a link to the article below.
DECEMBER AWARD WINNERS!
Lunch with the Principal: Adi Ayala, Joaquin Herrand-Neaves, Austun Schaefer, Troy Levu, Gabriel Varney and Alyssa Cinalli. They enjoyed a Zoom pizza lunch with Mrs. Holman last Friday.
PAW Slip Winners: Dominic Melendez Andres, Desmond Williams, Aimee Jimenez, Eli Atualevao-Ioane, Felix Garcia Collins, Neveah McCalpine, Thomas Dolly. They received a Bobcat t-shirts.
Perfect Attendance Winners: Jaquez Pierre Paul and Willow Bury. These students received a gift card compliments of Mrs. Holman.
Upcoming Dates to Remember
January 20 ~ Asynchronous learning day
January 25 ~ NO SCHOOL - PRAD Day
January 27 ~ Asynchronous learning day
January 28 ~ Welcome Back to our in-person kindergartners
IMPORTANT BUS INFORMATION
With our return to in-person learning come many considerations. One thing to work out is our transportation. All students received bus information in the fall on a postcard mailed to the address on file. Although the bus stops on the postcard are still correct, the times are now incorrect. For updated times the bus will pick up and drop off your student, please use the E-LINK SITE and type in the following information:
Username: guest
Password: guest
Then enter your child's grade level and address in the indicated fields. Your child's bus route and pick up and drop off times will appear.
It is important to check back a few days prior to the start of school as route schedules change as more students are enrolled.
BUS BULLETIN - Once you know your child's route, you should consider signing up for bus route notifications using 'Bus Bulletin'. Bus Bulletin will send text messages to your cell phone with real-time updates on your child's route. For example, if your child's route is running late, Bus Bulletin will let you know.
To sign up to use Bus Bulletin, follow these steps:
- Log into the website http://busbulletin.com/parents/
- Look to the right side of the screen. Click on 'Sign In'
- Click on 'Register Here' and answer the simple prompts providing your name, email address, a password, and select Franklin Pierce Schools.
- Enter the code on the screen, accept the rules of use
- Click submit
- Select the route which is written in a code - the first two numbers are the ROUTE NUMBER, and the letters are the SCHOOL ABBREVIATION - for example 32JS is Route 32 at James Sales
- Preschool: HDS for Head Start and ELC
- Primary: BD, CA, CH, CO, ELM, HA, JS, MD
- Secondary: FMS, FPHS, KMS, WHS, GATES
IMPORTANT HEALTH INFORMATION
- A Certificate of Immunization Status (CIS) signed by a doctor or health care provider.
- A CIS filled out by a parent or guardian with medical records attached.
- A CIS from MyIR.net. Print your family's official vaccine records from any device.
- A CIS printed from the state immunization system by a health care provider or school.
Per Washington state law, students who do not have all required immunizations will not be able to attend school in person. If you have questions about immunizations, please call our school nurse, Jen Van at 253-298-3108.
New Brookdale Update
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 Sander, 504/ADA Coordinator at 315 129th ST S, Tacoma, WA 98444-5099 or at (253)298-3000.