Columbia Splash
April 2022
Hi Columbia families and caregivers!
We are excited that Spring Break is here. We hope that whatever you are doing, whether relaxing or playing, it is safe and enjoyable. Here is our monthly newsletter!
Kind regards,
Minh
IN THIS EPISODE:
2. Upcoming Events
3. Calendar Updates
4. Kindergarten Registration
5. YETI
6. Free Books from Dolly Parton's Imagination Library
7. Free COVID Tests
8. Key Concepts at Columbia
9. Free Dinner Program for Children
10. A Note From Our School Counselor
11: The Promise Tomorrow Initiative
12. A Note From Our CPA
13. School Grounds
14. Keeping Students Information Updated
15. Safe Schools Reporting & Tip Line
ENRICHMENT CLASSES RETURN! After-school enrichment programs are returning this spring! For details on the different classes, how to register, and scholarship info, check out the Spring 2022 Enrichment Schedule & Class Info. Registration opened Monday, March 28th and runs through April 15th. We are beyond excited to finally bring these programs back for our kids!
CHILDREN'S ART WALK: The 2022 Allied Arts Children's Art Walk will be on Friday, May 6th. Student artwork from Columbia, as well as other local schools, will be displayed at businesses and restaurants throughout downtown Bellingham. We realize this is the same date as our big school dance, but not to worry: all of the art will be on display throughout the month of May.
SCHOOL DANCE: Our School Dance will be on Friday, May 6th! There will be Dancing, Food Trucks, and the Basket Raffle. More details are coming soon, but put this date on your calendar now!
SHUKSAN INCOMING 6th GRADER PARENT NIGHT: At Shuksan Middle School, Wednesday, May 11, 2022
CPA MEETING (last one of the year): May 19, 2022 at 6:30 PM
5th GRADE TRACK MEET: On June 3rd ALL 5th grade students from around the district will come together at Civic Field. This event showcases their learning, builds community, and is really fun!
CALENDAR UPDATES!
- May 20 are now regular school days. They were built into the calendar to account for “snow days.” We have had three districtwide closures due to flooding in November and snow in January. We will share more details about whether another make up day is needed.
- Our tentative last day is still June 17. We will wait to see how winter plays out before making final decisions about changing the last day of school.
- Please note that Monday, June 20 is the observed date for Juneteenth since the holiday occurs on a Sunday. If we need to extend the school year beyond June 17, there would be no school on June 20.
Kindergarten Registration: To register your child for school, please complete our online registration process. We can also provide the registration forms on paper upon request. Please call the office at 360-676-6413 if interested.
Children must be 5 before Sept. 1 to attend kindergarten. Kindergarten tours and open houses begin in May. Check with the office for early entrance opportunities.
What you need for registration:
- Your child’s birth certificate to verify date of birth and legal name
- Medically verified immunization records
- Proof of address (current utility bill or copy of lease)
- Parenting Plan (if applicable)
Still need help? Watch this video: "How to Enroll Online"
YETI stands for "You’ll Enjoy These Incredible" books
Free Books from Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library Arrive in Whatcom County
Free books for children aged birth to 5 will soon be available in Whatcom County thanks to the Dolly Parton Foundation and her flagship early childhood reading program called the Imagination Library. United Way of Whatcom County is serving as the local affiliate for Dolly’s world-wide program.
Once a child is registered, a free, age-appropriate book is delivered monthly to them until they are five years old. That’s it. It’s that simple. The books are selected “to provide a variety of inclusive and diverse titles,” according to United Way’s news release. Read the full news release here.
Free COVID Tests
Free COVID tests are available: Keep our community healthy this Spring break and beyond
Testing before returning to school after Spring Break can help our community stay healthy. At-home rapid tests are available to families and staff. Please come to our front office to pick up tests.
Testing continues to be available for staff and students at our schools and the Family Resource Center at Shuksan Middle School each school day from 7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. The testing center will be closed over Spring Break.
Key Concepts at Columbia Elementary School
Asking questions is one way to support your child in deepening their understanding and exploring a concept. One structure that we use at Columbia, are the Key Concepts. The Key Concepts are one of the essential elements of the Primary Years Program.
A concept is a “big idea”—a principle or notion that is enduring and is not constrained by a particular origin, subject matter, or place in time (Erickson 2008). Concepts represent ideas that are broad, abstract, timeless, and universal. Concepts add depth and rigor in student thinking to the traditional “two-dimensional” curriculum consisting of facts and skills. Concepts place no limits on breadth of knowledge or on depth of understanding, and therefore are accessible to every student.
Look at examples of how students at Columbia are learning through a conceptual lens:
After-school dinner program free for all children 18 and under
Bellingham Public Schools serves hot dinner at no cost to all children 18 and under. These meals are offered from 5 to 6 p.m. Monday to Thursday through June 16, 2022. Dinner is served in the Shuksan Middle School cafeteria, located at 2717 Alderwood Avenue (at the corner of Northwest and Alderwood). It does not matter what school you attend in the district.
Accompanying adults are charged $4.75 per meal — please bring cash or check. Please plan to eat onsite in the Shuksan cafeteria.
The daily Monday through Thursday dinner menu is listed on the school menu webpage by day after the lunch listing.
Please note: Dinner will not be served on school holidays or on the following all school early dismissal days: March 10 and April 28.
Screens, screens, everywhere!
Recently, I have heard from more and more parents concerned about how much their children are using screens. Screen use for many kids and families increased during the pandemic, and now that more regular activities have returned, kids are still seeking screens as their primary form of entertainment. Let’s face it, kids LOVE screens. Because kids access these things by themselves, it's crucial to continue to supervise their activities and help them stick to your rules. The following are a few tips and strategies from Common Sense Media to help parents manage and think about screen use:
Start with an endpoint. Most games and shows on platforms such as Netflix don't have built-in endings (and are, in fact, designed to make kids play as long as possible), set a timer, or some other cue, that says "time to stop."
Help them balance their day. Kids this age need guidance from you on a daily plan that includes a little bit of time for everything. Stay involved and help your child create a balanced day including hobbies, movement, chores, academics and downtime in addition to some screen time.
Practice what you preach. It's tempting to keep reaching for your phone to check email, texts, Facebook, or the news. Model the media behavior that you want your kids to emulate.
Find ways to say "yes." Look for movies and games they can watch. Find games you're OK with. If your children ask to see something you don't approve of, help them find alternatives.
Not all screens are created equal. Simply calling all device use "screen time" can miss some important differences. Common Sense Research studies identify four main categories of screen time:
· Passive: Mindlessly watching videos or shows, scrolling, vegging out
· Interactive: Playing games, problem-solving
· Communication: Video-chatting, using social media
· Content creation: Making digital art or music, coding
Clearly, there are a lot of differences between these activities. And as valuable as many of them can be, it's still important for kids' overall healthy development to balance their lives with enriching experiences away from screens.
Pay attention to how your kids act during, and after watching TV, playing video games, or hanging out online. There's no need to worry as long as:
· They're using high-quality and age-appropriate content.
· Their behavior is positive.
· Screen time is balanced with other parts of life like sleep, connecting with family and friends, and time outdoors.
The reality is that most families will go through periods of heavy and light screen use, but as long as there's a balance, kids should be just fine.
To Learn more about screen use and media guidelines visit: https://www.commonsensemedia.org/
Alisson.bonner@bellinghamschools.org
Office Hours: 7:30am-3:00pm
Monday - Friday
School Phone – 360.676.6413
The Promise Tomorrow Initiative Quarter 4, grades 3-12
- Registration for spring quarter March 28 – April 14
- Weekly one-hour sessions on zoom, April 25 – June 2
- Symposium June 2
The Promise Tomorrow program is similar to a virtual science fair or Ted Talk, open to all students in grades 3-12. Students meet after school online in collaborative groups for about an hour a week supported by a volunteer and supervised by a coordinator. Spring quarter’s topic is state and local culture and community. For more information about Promise Tomorrow, visit our Promise Tomorrow program information.
COLUMBIA PARENT ASSOCIATION (CPA)
Next and last CPA Meeting of the year: May 19, 2022 at 6:30 PM
CPA Board for 2021-2022
President - Shelby Giltner * shelby.giltner@gmail.com
Co-Treasurer - Liz Snyder * liz@elizabethasnyder.com
Co-Treasurer - Louise Salem * louise.salem@hotmail.com
Secretary - Regan Levinson * reganlev@gmail.com
Communications - Molly Belvo * molly.ruf@gmail.com
Volunteer Coordinator - Megan Ball * megan.ball@me.com
Honorary Board Member - Zed Blue * zed_blue@hotmail.com
Website: http://www.columbia-cpa.org/
Dog Poop Reminder and Care for Our Grounds
We love that our school is like a community park after-hours. Just like we work to teach our kids to be stewards of our community, we know it takes the whole village. Please make sure that when you bring your furry friend, to please pick up your poop. If you bring your pet to drop off and pick up, please make sure that it is on a leash.
Many families allow their older children to play on our school grounds outside of school hours. Please make sure to talk to them about caring for our school by throwing away garbage, staying off the storage shed and being aware of language and communication as we frequently have small children around.
Keeping Students Information Updated
It is important that you contact our office when there are changes made regarding your students address, health, or contact information. Throughout the year, you will receive emails and phone messages concerning your child(ren), from Columbia and the Bellingham Public Schools. Please take the time to update your preferences at here.
Safe Schools Reporting and Tip Line
Columbia Elementary School
Email: Michele.Foster@bellinghamschools.org
Website: https://columbia.bellinghamschools.org/
Location: 2508 Utter Street, Bellingham, WA, USA
Phone: 360-676-6413