BEAR TRACKS
May 1, 2022 • Updates from Roosevelt Elementary
Which state tests will my child take this spring?
- State testing is required by state law and by the federal Elementary and Secondary Education Act.
- Students in grades 3-5 take the Smarter Balanced Assessment (SBA) in English/Language Arts and Math.
- Students in grade 5 also take the WCAS—Washington Comprehensive Assessment of Science.
When are the state tests?
- State testing starts this week for Roosevelt 3rd-5th grade students.
- English/Language Arts SBA: Tuesday and Wednesday, May 3-4 (possibly Thursday also)
- WCAS (science): Tuesday, May 10 (5th-grade only)
Math SBA: Tuesday and Wednesday, May 16-17
How can I best prepare my child for state tests?
- Talk to your child about doing his/her best, answering every question, and checking his/her work.
- Ensure that your child gets at least 8 hours of sleep the night before the test.
- Ensure that your child gets to school on time, eats breakfast, and is ready to start.
Why is state testing important?
- State testing helps ensure that all students receive a quality education because they are measured to equal standards.
- Test scores help us know how we can improve at Roosevelt.
- Test scores also give your family valuable information about how well your child is learning compared to other children across the state.
Your child will only be a Roosevelt student for fewer than 35 more school days. We can hardly believe it, and we know that moving to middle school is a huge transition. Here are some important steps in May for families to prepare for:
- On May 2nd, your family will be mailed a letter that states your child's boundary middle school. (You can also check the boundary map here.)
- On May 3rd, your child will bring home a registration packet to review. The packet will include choices for classes, including electives (for example, orchestra, band, choir). Please send the signed form back to school by May 6th.
Families of 5th-grade families are invited to an Incoming 6th-grade Student/Parent Night at your child's future middle school. Principals will welcome incoming students and their families to their school and share highlights about the school community.
Wednesday, May 4th, 2022
6:30 PM - 7:30 PM
All Middle Schools - Washington, Franklin, Lewis and Clark, and Wilson
The meetings will include:
- School tours
- Teacher/staff introductions
- Information about classes and curriculum materials
- Academic, band/orchestra/choir, and extra-curricular programming
- Support available for students
- Student safety and behavior protocols
- Attendance expectations
This week, one of our very own Roosevelt parents—Mrs. Beatriz Blanco—was featured in the newspaper El Sol de Yakima. Mrs. Blanco has 2 daughters who attend Roosevelt.
She's being celebrated as a person who is on the path to achieving her dreams and who has overcome many obstacles. Mrs. Blanco moved from Colima, Mexico, 25 years ago and has achieved many accomplishments. She credits hard work and help from La Casa Hogar, where she studies English and builds and builds her technology skills.
Congratulations, Beatriz Blanco, for being an inspiration to your family and to all of us at Roosevelt!
Congratulations to our fantastic first-grade teacher, Mrs. Julie Fry. Mrs. Fry was awarded our staff rotating award, the Spirit of the Bear Award, for the week of May 2, 2022.
Here's what Mrs. Emerson wrote when nominating Mrs. Fry:
- This Roosevelt family is truly amazing and I LOVE coming to work with all of you each day!
I would like to pass the Spirit of the Bear Award to Julie Fry. Julie has been my mentor, colleague, and friend for many years. She makes learning new teaching strategies and curriculum fun and exciting. Thank you, Julie, for being such a great teamie to so many people at Roosevelt!!
- What is DIBELS? DIBELS stands for Dynamic Inventory of Basic Early Literacy Skills, and it's a set of short, 1-minute reading tests given to all Roosevelt students 3 times a year. DIBELS lets your child’s teacher quickly check your child’s reading progress and provide the right support for all readers. (For more info on DIBELS, watch this short video.)
What's my child's DIBELS score, and what does it mean? Families receive information about their child’s DIBELS scores on their report cards and during fall and spring parent conferences. DIBELS has goals for students to meet to stay on track. If your child’s score meets these goals, your child receives core instruction and is continually monitored. If your child does not meet these goals, he/she is identified for extra support.
Haga clic para ver en español.
This week, your child will continue learning about PROBLEM SOLVING in Second Step Unit 4. Your child will learn how to think of solutions, decide which solutions might be best, and apologize.
These lessons come from Second Step® Elementary, a research-based social-emotional learning program that builds children’s social-emotional skills.
Check out this chart to learn more about this week's Second Step lesson, PLUS a skill that you and your child can practice at home!
Netflix is full of entertainment for kids. Of course, it also has tons of inappropriate shows that kids could easily stumble across. The good news is that Netflix allows parents to restrict mature content so kids can only watch shows geared for their age.
- To enable parental controls on Netflix, you first have to create a user profile for your kid. You can set a few parental controls through the Netflix app, but you get more options by going through your account on a web browser.
- Parental controls are just one way to help your kid learn to make appropriate choices and manage screen time independently. They work best with conversation about what's healthy for kids to watch and why.
Here's how to set up parental controls in Netflix.
Families and teachers everywhere trust Common Sense Media for expert reviews, objective advice, helpful tools, and more.
- Visit Yakima School District's Highly Capable Program webpage for more information and to download a referral packet in English or Spanish.
- Highly capable students are students who perform or show potential for performing at significantly advanced academic levels when compared with others of their age, experiences, or environments. Outstanding abilities are seen within student's general intellectual abilities, specific academic abilities, and/or creativity.
- Our district has a variety of services for students who qualify for the Highly Capable Program (HCP): differentiation, flexible grouping, independent study, enrichment, independent projects, supplemental instruction in area of interest, content acceleration, and supplemental materials in the area of interest.
Have a child who will turn 5 before Aug 31? Register for kinder by following these steps:
- Contact your neighborhood boundary school or YSD Student and Family Center (105 N. 4th Ave) for an enrollment packet.
- Submit proof of address (recent utility bill)
- Provide age documentation (birth certificate)
- Submit immunization records (from doctor's office)
New kindergarten students will receive a student prize bag for early registration!!
Kids Bowl Free is back, and registration is open now at Nob Hill Bowling. Register your kids to get 2 FREE games of bowling each day all summer long. Enjoy an entire summer of FUN and bowling at your local bowling center. Register and get more information here.
Attention future thespians! A summer drama camp will be hosted at Eisenhower High School this summer for kids entering1st-9th grades next school year.
Registration forms can be found here. Registration is due by May 27th! Be sure to register soon, spots fill quickly!
Visit our YSD COVID information page for the latest testing and vaccine updates, data, safety updates, and more. Here are some of the important changes:
- Masks are now optional.
- Visitors can enter the building, and volunteers fall under the vaccination requirement
- Anyone with COVID-19-like symptoms is required to be sent home for a minimum of 5 days (cough, shortness of breath, fever, chills, muscle pain, sore throat, lost of taste or smell, nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea). Students may return after day 5 IF the symptoms are mostly improved. IF returning to school days 6-10, the individual is required to wear a well-fitted mask OR test negative with an antigen or at-home test after day 5 before returning without a mask.
- The FREE YSD COVID-19 testing site is open for students, YSD staff, and their immediate families on Mondays through Fridays from 1-4 pm. The testing site is located at the new Health and Wellness Education Center at 331 N. First St.
Stay Home if Sick
Symptoms Flowchart
ParentSquare Attendance Notices
Afternoon Dismissal
Thank you for cutting our dismissal time in 1/2!! Please show your car tag so we can quickly deliver your child to your car. Call 573-1700 if you need a new tag. Arrive early (3:05) if you have children ONLY in K or 1st grade. Avoid the rush--wait to pick up older children at 3:20. Also, save time by parking nearby and walking walk 1 block to pick up your child.
No Peanuts Please
Please do not send any food to Roosevelt that contains peanuts. We have a no-peanut policy because many Roosevelt students have severe allergies. Thank you for your help in keeping all students safe at school!
After-school Programs
Yakima Parks and Recreation hosts Beyond the Bell, with children riding a bus from Roosevelt to the program every day after school.
2021-22 Laptop Information
What Homework Should My Child Do Each Night?
Roosevelt's Mission, Vision, and Equity Statements
Roosevelt Student Handbook
PBIS—Positive Behavior Supports
Click para leer en español Roosevelt's PBIS (Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports) is how we work together to build a positive, supportive school that leads to academic, behavioral, and social-emotional success. Please call our MTSS Specialist, Mr. Joshua Alexander, at 573-1783 with any questions about how we can support your child at school.
Roosevelt Schedule
YSD Student, Parent, and Staff Handbook
Each year the Yakima School District sends the Student, Parent, and Staff Handbook to families of our students and to staff. Please review it to learn up-to-date information regarding the rights and responsibilities of students, parents, staff, and the school district.
Character Education
Roosevelt Elementary School
Email: smith.nancy@yakimaschools.org
Website: ysd7.org/Roosevelt
Location: 120 North 16th Avenue, Yakima, WA, USA
Phone: (509) 573-1701