Leopard Pride Newsletter
March 2022
Lockwood Mission
We provide a learning community that recognizes all students as capable learners. We promote high standards, expect accountability, and celebrate success. Cooperation, responsibility, and confidence promote our goals of life-long learning and responsible citizenship.
School Information
In This Issue
- Principal Message
- School Information and Dates
- District News
- PACE and PTA Information
Principal's Message
Dear Lockwood Families,
Welcome back from mid-winter break. I hope your family was able to rest and spend quality time together. It is hard to believe that more school days are behind us (107) then are left in this school year (73). Your partnership and support this year has been so appreciated. Lockwood is lucky to have such a supportive parent community!
With wet weather upon us in full force, please remember to send your child to school with a warm coat and water resistant shoes (or a change of socks/shoes). Our field loves to hold onto the water and we tend to get lots of large puddles. Please remind your child to resist the temptation to jump into what we have fondly termed, "Lockwood Lake." We appreciate your support in this.
As spring approaches, we have lots to look forward to. We will be welcoming parents to join us for a Career Day and as presenters at our Multicultural Awareness Forum. We also have Science Fair this month and our Multicultural Night in April. Restrictions are also starting to ease up around COVID protocols as we see the numbers decline and the governor/CDC/DOH update the guidelines for schools (as we get these updates, we will share more). We will have spring break in April followed by warmer weather. So much to look forward to! What are you most looking forward to?
As a diverse community that values one another's humanity, I want to acknowledge the escalating conflict taking place in Ukraine and the significant weight it has on our Lockwood families. I recognize that many in our community are impacted by these events, and as a school, we will lean into our value of compassion as we recognize your thoughts, feelings, and needs at this time. I also recognize that some of our Lockwood families may have friends and relatives currently living in Ukraine and Russia. I see you, I support you, and my thoughts are with you.
I know that this is a complex topic to process, especially for our youngest learners. Please consider the following resource when talking to your child(ren) about crisis and these current events.
If you are concerned about your child(ren) or feel they need additional support, please contact their teacher, school counselor, or Lockwood administration.
As I sit and reflect on my first year as principal of Lockwood, I cannot help but feel so much joy. I know I have had missteps, but I have learned from them and will continue to grow as part of the Lockwood community. I cannot wait to see what the rest of this year and the years to come will bring!
In partnership,
Tamorah Redshaw
Proud Principal
School Information and Dates
Traffic Reminders for Drop-off
We are now over halfway through the year and into the daily routine of dropping off and picking up students on a daily basis. With that in mind, there are a few reminders I would like to share around afternoon pick up:
- Please arrive no earlier than 3:45 on Mon./Tues./Thurs./Fri.
- Please arrive no earlier than 2:15 on Wed.
- When parked and waiting for dismissal, please turn your car OFF (especially when on school grounds as the exhaust fumes are unhealthy for those on school property)
These reminders go for those picking up at KMS as well. We appreciate your flexibility and partnership in this and wish you a wonderful March!
School Bathroom Reminder
We have been having a lot of issues with our school bathrooms. Students have clogged toilets with overuse of toilet paper, urinated on the walls, as in ALL over the walls, and also, in some cases, caused flooding in certain areas where we had to close. We are asking parents to help remind students about proper bathroom etiquette. Our PAWS expectations for responsible bathroom usage are very simple: Go, Flush, Wash.
Lockwood Multicultural Night in April
On Tuesday April 19, 6:30-8pm, we are having our Lockwood Multicultural Night at the cafeteria and gym. We need your help to take our students on a tour around the world. We are seeking parents and families to showcase their customs, talents, languages, and culture. The culture does not need to be from another country- it can be from Appalachia or India, hip hop or the Horah.
Can you teach someone to count or say hello in another language? Make a craft from your culture and teach it to others? Do a cooking demo to show how you prepare traditional food at home or teach students to make a quick snack?
If you have an activity to share, please use this Signup Genius link to sign up by Mar 30th, 2022.
There will be a flyer coming home next week for students to sign up to do a performance or trifold board display to showcase their cultures on the multicultural night. Any questions please contact Zhihua Hu at lucia.hu@gmail.com
Dr. Reid Parent Meet and Greet
Dr. Reid will be hosting a Parent Meet and Greet on Tuesday, March 29th from 9:00am to 9:30am in the Lockwood Library. There is no agenda. This is an opportunity for parents to come and ask questions, provide feedback, or just sit and visit with Dr. Reid. Please be sure to sign in at the office before making your way to the Lockwood library. We look forward to meeting with you then.
Family Education Links
Lockwood has started a resource page for parents to learn more about reading strategies for young learners and about racial & educational justice. Please learn more about these topics and how to engage in conversations with your children on the Lockwood Parent Education website.
There are a few important dates and events you will want to mark on your calendar in preparation for the upcoming months:
District News
Bonds and Levy Initiatives
The Educational Programs and Operations Levy, Technology Levy, and Capital Projects Bond have been approved by voters, with the election results certified by King and Snohomish counties. Thank you to our community for your support of our students, school, and staff!
COVID Guidelines Updates
As many of you know, the guidance around the layers of health and safety protocols implemented to protect against COVID-19 and its variants continues to change. Before adjusting protocols in the Northshore School District, all guidance from state officials, the Department of Health (DOH), Public Health Seattle and King County, and the Snohomish Health District are collaboratively reviewed.
Effective Tuesday, March 1, 2022, consistent with King County Health Department and State DOH guidance, we will transition to becoming mask-optional for all elementary, middle, and high school students and staff when outdoors on school and District building campuses.
As layers of protection against COVID-19 are removed, it will be more important than ever to track transmission trends. Therefore, we expect to continue our batch testing program in collaboration with the Department of Health. We will continue to share our external-facing data dashboard as we collectively monitor data trends moving forward.
Over the past two years, we have proven that we are a community built upon support and respect for one another. Students and staff are welcome to continue wearing masks outdoors, and that decision will be supported. For some, removing this layer of protection may bring about relief. For others, it may cause uneasiness and concerns. Regardless, we expect everyone in Our House to be courteous and thoughtful of each other as we provide robust educational experiences for each of our students. Disrespectful behavior and language will not be tolerated. We understand this has been a long road, and we remember that we’re on this road together as One Northshore; together all things are possible.
Experiencing a Crisis?
You are not alone. There are community supports for mental health, suicide prevention, substance abuse, self-harm and more. Please see the NSD website for contact information via the button below.
PACE and PTA Information
Parents Active in Cooperative Education (PACE) at Lockwood is an elective program located at Lockwood Elementary that provides an enriched educational experience for students in grades 1-5. PACE students benefit from additional support in the classroom provided by parent volunteers who assist with small group instruction and a variety of enrichment opportunities.
If you are interested in learning more about PACE at Lockwood, join us for a virtual tour. Please use the link below to sign up for a tour.
Contact tours@paceatlockwood.org or membership@paceatlockwood.org for questions.
A Brief Moment with Joe & Jay (Mar 8, 7-7:30pm)
We’ve invited Joe Kim, M.Ed., our school Counselor (check out his website here) and Jay Martini, Ph.D., our school psychologist, to join us for a special Zoom Presentation and Q&A. They’ll let us know about some of the services that NSD and Lockwood provide, as well as talk through some of the strategies and best practices for helping our children manage stress, worry, and anxiety – whether from COVID, foreign wars, or the upcoming SBA Testing. It’ll be a short, but impactful meeting and we hope you can all join us at https://washington.zoom.us/j/97358271114