Leopard Pride Newsletter
September 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
- Important School Information and Dates
- PACE and PTA Information
- District News
Principal's Message
Dear Lockwood Families,
The first 3 days of school were an amazing start to the year. Students were filled with joy and wonder as they met their new classmates and teacher. Communities are being built with belonging, inclusion, and safety in mind. The first few days of school would not have been so successful without the help of our amazing parent volunteers. Thank you, parents, for partnering with us in starting this year off right.
This year we are focusing on a sense of belonging for students and having the ability to use their voice in advocating for themselves. A sense of belonging at school can support students through a particularly vulnerable time when they are forming their identity, developing psychosocial skills and being influenced by their peers. It can also shape their future interactions, relationships and achievements, and their ability to function and adjust on a psychosocial level, well into adulthood. Research shows feeling like you belong at school is linked to higher levels of student emotional and physical wellbeing and better academic performance and achievement. It is positively associated with optimism, self-efficacy, self-esteem, self-concept and sociability. It can reduce the likelihood of mental health problems, promote resilience when mental health difficulties arise and reduce suicidal thoughts and behavior. Here are some tips to support these initiatives at home:
- Encourage positive relationships with teachers and school staff: Students should be encouraged to have at least one supportive adult within their school environment – someone who they know, like and have a safe, mutually respectful and supportive relationship with. Not just academic support, but emotional support as well.
- Create a positive peer culture of belonging: Schools that have students with a high sense of belonging create a school culture where a sense of school belonging is the norm. They offer school-sanctioned activities and events that promote the school’s ethos and values. These usually are well attended.
- Value learning: Students with a high sense of school belonging value learning, are highly motivated academically and can see the importance and value in what they learn.
- Take proactive steps toward mental health: Here relationships are key. If school staff genuinely know students as individuals, they are more equipped to detect minor nuances that could indicate problems may be occurring, such as an absence in class, or changes in behavior. Be sure to partner with teachers and school staff in sharing about your child.
- Don't neglect your role as a parent: Parents have an important role in school communities. However, their perceptions of school and education, and how they value and support their child’s educational experience, have a big influence on their children’s attitudes and beliefs about school. A parent who values education, sees education as an opportunity for successful outcomes and values and respects school culture and rules is more likely to have a child who feels a sense of school belonging, compared to a parent that grumbles about school, had a bad school experience themselves, and constantly expressed a dislike towards schools.
The Lockwood PTA and PACE deserve a huge shout out as well. These two programs have helped to feed staff during our August days, have provided the amazing volunteers who have helped to launch the school year, and will support students and staff all year long. This is what Lockwood does, brings everyone together. So, thank you, Gavin and Kelly for your leadership and partnerships, they are an essential part of what makes Lockwood such an amazing community for all.
I will leave you all with the following quote, "Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much," Helen Keller. I've seen the community's love for Lockwood and its students in all who have shown up and am both honored and humbled to serve such a community as this. Thank you.
Warmest Regards,
Tamorah Redshaw
Proud Principal
Important School Information
IMPORTANT REMINDERS ABOUT DROP-OFF AND PICK-UP:
Drop-off and Pick-up:
What a great first week! Thank you all for your ongoing support and patience as we get underway. We understand that getting back into the routine of dropping off and picking up your child can be an adjustment and may not always go as smoothly as we would like.
Here at Lockwood, please know that student safety is our number one priority. We continue to work to make both drop off and pick up more efficient and safe for all. With that in mind, we appreciate your understanding and flexibility. Just a few reminders about dropping off and picking up your child (ren):
When dropping off your child, please do not arrive at Lockwood before 8:45am. With that said, please understand that we do not start to open car doors to welcome students until 9:10am. This is to ensure that we have adequate adult supervision at the playground for morning recess and that breakfast is ready for those who are choosing to grab a breakfast.
Also, when dropping off your child, please remember that your child should be ready and independently able to climb out of the car when the door is opened for them. Once your child is out, please immediately pull forward to exit campus.
When picking up your child, please do not arrive at Lockwood before 3:45pm. School does not let out until 4:00pm. It is important that we try to not block the intersection of Locus and Lockwood.
When picking up your child, please remember to post the template that indicates the the grade of your youngest child, the name (s) of your child (ren), and the name (s) of their teacher (s).
When picking up your child, remind them to look for your vehicle. Also, for students in kindergarten and 1st grade, have them practice buckling and unbuckling their own seatbelt. When a child is loaded, we need vehicles to immediately pull forward to exit campus.
When picking up your child as a walker, please look for your child. It might be useful to remember the following tips:
Have an item or token you can hold up that is easily identifiable by your child.
Once you have your child, please leave the walker pick-up zone. This allows parents to be seen more easily by our students so that they too can cross and go home.
Morning Drop-Off
For parents walking students to school, please understand that due to safety protocols and guidelines, you must say goodbye to your child at the crosswalk. You will not be able to walk your child onto campus.
When dropping students off in the morning, please use the front loop via Lockwood Road.
Please use our front parking lot when parking to volunteer. The lot on the east side is designated Staff parking and you must have a parking pass to park there.
Student Pick-Up Zones
We utilize 2 pick-up zones for student pick-up:
Front of the School via Lockwood Road is designated for K – 2nd grade students and their older siblings.
Kenmore Middle School via Carter Road is designated for 3rd – 5th grade students that do not have younger siblings. These students walk directly with School Staff to KMS and pick up begins at 4:00pm. Crossing guards and adult supervisors monitor this area. Please remember to be RESPECTFUL OF THE KMS CAMPUS as we are just visitors in the afternoon.
Student safety is our top priority Please follow these procedures:
Students enter/exit vehicles from the curb side only.
Students stay within the crosswalk. Never cross between cars.
Once your car is loaded, please be patient for cars to move forward.
No cell phone use while driving in the school zones.
Students who will walk Please follow these procedures:
All walkers will line up out front based on the upper / lower crosswalk.
Students will then be escorted to the crosswalk in front of the school.
Parents will need to wait on the OPPOSITE side of the street from the school to greet students from the upper crosswalk and on the school side sidewalk for the lower crosswalk (only parent volunteers who have completed a health check form are allowed on campus due to safety protocols and guidelines).
Change in After School Plans
Any change in your child’s daily routine must be validated by a note from a parent/guardian. If a note is not possible, please call the office 425.408.5800. Emailing staff is not always reliable due to absences or substitutes.
Taking a Vacation on a School Day?
We understand that things come up on occasion (doctor/dental visits, weddings, funerals, birthdays, etc.). However, your child is expected to attend school every school day that school is in session. Some absences are "excused" (such as medical appointments, cultural/religious observances, school events, etc.) and some are "unexcused" (such as family vacations). This doesn’t mean you can’t take a family vacation—just that you should try to avoid taking them during school days.
In addition, your child’s teacher is not obligated to provide advance homework packets, and catching them up with the class can be difficult. That said, if there happens to be some overlap of your vacation and a school day, you’ll just get a letter reminding you that you shouldn’t take unexcused absences. After three unexcused absences, parents/guardians will be asked to meet with the principal to make sure this is not going to become a regular occurrence. If your child continues to have unexcused absences (5+), families will be asked to sign an attendance plan and only after that fails will next steps be taken. For all the NSD requirements, go here (https://go.boarddocs.com/wa/nsd/Board.nsf/files/ALZMGL4E59C5/$file/3122-ExcUnexcAbsences.pdf)
The Library Corner with Mrs. Fig & Mrs. McFarlane
Welcome Back to Books, Lockwood Families! We are so happy to have students back in the library searching for that perfect book, listening to amazing stories, and building community. This year our library theme is “All Are Welcome- Everyone Belongs!” We will be reading books to support this theme throughout the year along with STEAM activities, digital citizenship lessons, and much more. **Important Note: every student will be going home with a library bag to safely transport books to and from home. Please have your students return library books in the bag each week.
Thank You and Happy Reading!
Mrs. Fig & Mrs. McFarlane
5th Grade Washington, D.C. Trip Info Night
On September 20th there will be an optional information night for parents interested in learning more about a 2023 Spring Break trip to Philadelphia, Gettysburg, and Washington DC. The trip is for current Lockwood 5th Graders and KMS 6th Graders. It will be held in the Lockwood Library at 8:00PM on September 20th (after 5th grade curriculum night). Can't attend, but want more information? Email Mr. Larson at mrlarsondc@gmail.com
Think Sheets
Our PBIS team (Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports) has designed a school-wide "Think Sheet". The idea behind the Think Sheet is for students to reflect on their behavior, as well as to foster a discussion between the student and staff member. This is not a punishment, but rather a time staff sets aside to support students, 1:1, in a positive way.
On the copy that students bring home is a place for a parent signature. This helps us communicate what happened and what was discussed. The idea is not for the student to be punished when they get home, but to continue the discussion on emotions, mood, expectations, strategies, goals, etc.
Finally, we are using the Think Sheets to look for patterns in behavior in individual students, as well as school-wide for all students. For example, is it often happening at recess, or mostly during a certain time of day? Are many students having trouble in a certain area of the class, playground, etc.? As a staff, we can then discuss ways to be proactive when we see patterns.
Important Dates for September and October
PACE and PTA Information
Outdoor Education, Parent-Led Mini Units, in STEM and Art, Monthly Field Trips, Weekly Spanish Lessons, Guest Speakers, Family Camping, Parent Volunteers in the Classroom, Cultural Events
Parents Active in Cooperative Education
PACE at Lockwood is a choice enrichment program offered to students in grades 1-5 that provides enriched educational experiences. Want to learn more about PACE? PACE Information Night is October 18, 2022, so mark your calendar. More details to come soon!
Join the Lockwood PTA Today!
The Lockwood PTA is a group of parents, teachers, and community members who work together to provide financial and volunteer support for every child’s education. We organize community events, we fund books in classrooms, we offer grants to teachers, we help keep you informed. And we do the fun stuff too—movies nights and bingo nights, game nights and skate nights. We run after-school clubs. And we get the kids to run during Leopard Laps! We help build community—a place where all kids can thrive.
There is no wrong way be a PTA member. We have volunteers at all levels of engagement. But joining or renewing your membership now means that you support Lockwood PTA’s investment in your child and in every child. Please, renew or join us here.
District News
REQUIRED 2022-23 FORMS
As we prepare for the return of school next week, the District is reaching out to provide the annual notification of forms that must be acknowledged by parents/guardians, including:
- WA State Attendance Letter
- Rights and Responsibilities Handbook
- Weapons Letter
- Student Housing Questionnaire
- Tech Use Agreement
- Permission to Withhold Student Directory Information (optional form)
We ask that you log in to ParentVUE to view these forms. If you have never logged into ParentVUE, you will find instructions on how to do so when you click the link above. Please know that when you next log in to ParentVUE, you will be prompted to download, read, and take action for each of the forms listed above. Additionally, secondary students will be prompted to download, read, and acknowledge the Rights and Responsibilities Handbook when they log in to StudentVUE. Families with elementary students are encouraged to review the handbook together in ParentVUE with their students. These forms must be completed no later than Oct. 14, 2022.
The required forms are available in English, Spanish, Chinese Simplified, Chinese Traditional, Russian, Portuguese, Vietnamese, Korean, Hindi, Tamil, and Telugu. If you would like to access a paper copy of these forms, please contact your school’s main office.
While logged into ParentVUE, we ask that you click the “Online Enrollment or Student Information Update” button in the top right corner of the screen to verify and/or update your student’s information. If you have any questions about updating your student’s information, please contact your school. Thank you for your cooperation as this will ensure we can reach you as needed. If you have any questions about any other forms, please contact Student Services at (425) 408-7725 or by email at studentsvcs@nsd.org.
2022-23 COVID-19 PROTOCOLS
On August 5, 2022 the Washington State Department of Health released updated COVID-19 guidelines for K-12 schools and childcare, and on August 11, 2022 the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released revised recommendations.
These policy changes reflect a significant shift towards long-term COVID-19 management and away from an emergency response. Northshore School District has adjusted our COVID-19 protocols accordingly while continuing to prioritize the health of our students, staff, and communities and safely preserve in-person learning.
The most significant change is that the District won’t be offering universal batch testing (screen testing) in alignment with revised guidance from the CDC. The CDC no longer recommends testing of individuals without COVID-19 symptoms. Instead, our testing program will focus on responding to suspected or confirmed outbreaks and preserving in-person learning. To learn more, please review the 2022-23 COVID-19 protocols on the District website.
STUDENT MEALS
Are you Ready for the 2022-23 Meal Program Changes? Northshore School District, like most districts in Washington, will again charge for school lunch and breakfast at the start of the 2022 school year. The Federal COVID-19 waivers that allowed U.S. public schools to offer free breakfast and lunches to all students, regardless of income, expired this last June.
Now more than ever, it is important that if you believe your family qualifies for free or reduced-priced meals, please fill out an application as soon as possible. Families must qualify for benefits each year. In addition to meals, those who qualify can also receive discounted or free school services including athletic fees, field trip fees, ASB fees, college application fees, and more! The online application is the easiest way to get approved and is available in 9 languages. To learn more, including meal prices for 2022-23, please visit Northshore’s Food Services webpage.
TECHNOLOGY
Please remind your students to locate their assigned technology device, charger, and bag before school starts if they are returning to a Northshore school and had a device checked out over the summer. Coming to school the first day with a fully charged tech device will help make for a smooth transition back to school. Also, if you have located missing devices or chargers over the summer, be sure to notify your school and return this equipment to your school. Students who are new to Northshore or do not have a tech device will receive information from their school about getting a device for 2022-23.
STUDENT DROP OFF/PICK UP
On Monday, August 22, 4th and 5th grade students participated in the District’s crossing-guard training. A huge thanks to these student leaders for helping ensure other students can enter and leave school campuses safely.
Please do your part! While our students are busy making sure crosswalks are safer, we need everyone to do the same in drop off and pick up areas around our schools. Many of our schools are located in busy neighborhoods. This may result in traffic congestion. Please obey traffic rules, be courteous of neighbors, and stay alert for young people walking to and from school.
SCHOOL ATHLETIC FIELD USE
Fall sports are back in session and our school fields are busy. School field use is prioritized for school-sanctioned sports followed by community use scheduled through the District’s reservation system. If you are interested in reserving a school field, you may do so by visiting the Facilities & Grounds website to learn more about rentals.