Purdy's Newsletter
Important Upcoming Information
Important Dates
- 2/19-2/23 Mid-Winter Break
- 2/26 Bond Phone Calling @ Windermere Professional, 6:00-8:00
- 3/3 Purdy Auction
- 3/14 Science Fair- 5th grade projects required
- 3/16 No School for students, teacher professional day
- 3/22 report cards sent home
- 3/22 Conferences
- 3/22 & 3/23- 12:15 early dismissal for conferences
- 4/9 Phone Calling @ Windermere Professional, 6:00-8:00
- 4/9-4/13 Granparents Week
- 4/12 Granparent & Family Night @ 6:00 pm
- 4/16-4/20 Spring Break
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A Message From the Principal
5 Reasons Using Technology and Chromebooks in the Classroom Matters for Our Students
Using technology in the classroom is no longer a novelty. Students worldwide routinely use digital applications as part of their learning experiences. However, it is crucial to recognize that technology is only a tool. It is how we employ it that permits truly exceptional learning experiences to happen.
1. Equal access and opportunity for all students.
Using Chromebooks in the classroom gives students the foundational technology skills they’ll need after they graduate. Purdy teachers and staff are working toward the goal of having one-to-one Chromebooks for students in grades 3-5 to support our state, district, and school goals of preparing students to be 21st century learners. Currently we are 77 short of this goal. We also want to increase our Chromebooks in grade K-2 to support learning and technology goals for our primary students. We currently have 44 Chromebooks to support 292- K-2 students. With Washington adopting the ISTE Standards for Students as our new Education Technology Standards, we will be learning how to better use technology as a tool to support effective teaching, not to replace it.
2. Because human life is no longer solely digital or physical — it’s a hybrid.
Students today grow up immersed in technology but they don’t automatically understand technology’s pitfalls — or its opportunities. It is the responsibility of parents, educators, and members of the community to provide children with an understanding of what it means to live and work in a digital society. We recognize the importance of digital citizenship, want to help students understand the potential dangers of the digital world, and how to protect them during this digital age. We all need to work together to mold the digital society we envision for future generations and protect our children from the dangers of the internet.
Here are two resources to support digital citizenship and safety.
Click the links below for more information:
3. Because it’s about the teaching, not the tools.
Even as schools become more tech-infused, education is still striving to truly transform learning. Technology is a reality but students and teachers need new ways to envision its purpose and possibilities. When carefully designed and thoughtfully applied, technology has the potential to accelerate, amplify, and expand learning.
We continue to learn and grow in the area of integrating technology into learning at Purdy. Here are a few examples of powerful learning through the use of technology at Purdy during the 2017-18 school year:
Digital citizenship, keyboarding, writing stories, Google forms/surveys, student blogs, collaborative writing/editing, support for students with disabilities, global communication, virtual field trips around the world, preparing for state testing, practicing reading fluency, speaking/recording for parents, sharing learning with parents, coding/scratch, student assessment and immediate feedback, science investigations, student presentations, Genius Hour, virtual tutoring, Flipgrid, practicing letter sounds, English Language learning, computer pals, digital movies, research for reports, and much more.
4. Because being a global citizen is no longer optional.
Thanks to technology, we now live in an age where collaboration can and does happen between individuals living around the world, and people can share and communicate with a global audience in an instant.
Students at Purdy have had the opportunity to learn and collaborate with students all around the world to discuss rules/laws, national anthems, cultures, and environments. We look forward to continuing to learn from global communication with other cultures in peaceful, ethical, and productive ways.
5. Because students care about their lives and learning, and the role of technology within both.
To honor the momentum we’ve seen around empowering students, we need to hear student perspectives on using technology in the classroom. Student feedback so far has been insightful and thoughtful.
What are our students saying about technology?
“All students in our school should have the opportunity to use Chromebooks regularly. Some classes get to use them everyday and others don’t.” Isaac Schultz-Tait
“Using Chromebooks and technology helps prepare us for jobs in the future.” Ben Roberts
“Using Chromebooks helps us learn important skills like coding and how to design coding.” William Welter
“Chromebooks help us communicate and learn from students far away.” Ava Miranda
“Using Chromebooks helps us prepare for important state tests that we have to take on Chromebooks.” Maci Miller
Thank you for your continuous support!
Best regard,
Kristi Rivera
Principal
What do students think about learning with Chromebooks?
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Kindergarten Registration for 2018-2019 Begins March 1st
Do you have a child who will be 5 years old on or before August 31st? If yes, then you can begin enrolling on March 1st!
The Peninsula School District offers FREE full day Kindergarten, 5 days a week at all elementary schools! Registering your child early offers the best opportunity to receive communication about summertime school events and to receive Kindergarten specific information. We are moving to an online system for registration this year – please see the instructions for online registration here: https://psd401.net/registration
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Purdy's Read & Lead
Super Readers!
Read and Lead is going strong, but I still have too many ducks that need homes. It is NOT too late to start reading for Read and Lead. Here are the super prizes you can earn!
Read & Lead Prizes
100 minutes
400 minutes
700 minutes
1,000 minutes
4th & 5th Grade Reading Minute Totals
Class Reading Minutes:
DeLos Santos 52 average minutes
Sams 110 average minutes
Komen 33 average minutes
Beene 86 average minutes
Tolman 26 average minutes
Jackson 145 average minutes
Crowell 50 average minutes
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The Changing Role of Technology at Purdy
Second grade students add writing to their blogs.
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A Message From the Assistant Principal
It is with both excitement and sadness that I share with you that this will be my last year at Purdy Elementary. I have accepted the Principal position at Vinland Elementary in the North Kitsap School District in Poulsbo beginning the 2018-2019 school year.
This is my 17th year working in the Peninsula School District. Eleven of those years I taught science enrichment, highly capable pullout, and fourth and fifth grades at Purdy Elementary. I then went to the district office to work with teachers and curriculum for three years before returning to Purdy as the Assistant Principal. I have grown tremendously at Purdy both personally and professionally. I refer to Purdy as my extended family as I have made many deep and meaningful relationships here with students, parents, and staff. I have been blessed to have so many people cross my path and touch my life. I feel that I have learned more than I ever could have taught my students. I will miss greeting kids in the morning at the bus loop, chatting with them at lunch, connecting with them and their teachers in the classrooms, and watching the amazing growth both personally and academically of all of our students.
I want to thank you for all of your support and caring throughout the years. I am proud to say that I worked in the Peninsula School District and especially at Purdy Elementary. If I can develop relationships in my new school and community that are half as good as those here I will feel fortunate. I will cherish my remaining four months here. Please let me know if there is anything I can do for you during my remaining time here. I hope our paths will cross again.
Warmly,
Bridgit Reichel
Assistant Principal
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Smarter Balance State Assessment Information
This spring, along with other students across the country, our 3rd, 4th and 5th graders will again be taking the Smarter Balanced Assessment (SBA). For more information about the assessment, or to take a practice test yourself please visit the following website:
http://www.smarterbalanced.org/
If you have a student(s) in 3rd-4th grade please mark your calendars for the following dates as their class will be testing at these times:
WA Comprehensive Assessment of Science - WCAS
May 7th-8th, 9 AM - 10 AM
- 5th grade only
May 14th & 15th
· 5th grade 9:00 - 10:00
· 3rd and 4th 10:15-11:30
May 17 and 18th
· 5th grade 9:00 - 10:00
· 3rd and 4th 10:15-11:30
May 21 and 22nd
· 5th grade 9:00 - 10:00
· 3rd and 4th 10:15-11:30
May 24th and 25th
· 5th grade 9:00 - 10:00
· 3rd and 4th 10:15-11:30
Our goal is to have 100% attendance during this time in order provide the most effective testing environment for your student(s). We appreciate your support by trying not to schedule appointment during this time.
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Kiwanis Club Donates to Purdy Teachers
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Celebrating Black History Month
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Grow.Learn.Inspire ~ Wonderful happenings at Purdy!
All District Choir Performs at Chapel Hill
What an inspiring performance by our all-district choir! The voices together were music to the soul.
Drama Students Perform Charlie & the Chocolate Factory
What a wonderful performance of Charlie & the Chocolate Factory by many of our Purdy Panthers! Thank you to the Purdy PTA & Chelsea Paige foundation for providing our students with the opportunity to perform through drama & the arts!
Parents Teach Hands on Art
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Purdy PTA's Auction
When: Saturday, March 3, 2018 @ 5pm @ Canterwood
Seats are still available and can be reserved through the PTA website or at the school with an invitation. 60% are sold.
Look for the auction committee on Wednesday afternoon at Parent Pick Up
Cost is $60 per seat, $120 per couple or $750 for VIP table.
The proceeds from the PTA's auction funds educational enrichment at Purdy for the next two years. The PTA supports the students, teachers and staff by funding various educational enrichment activities and materials such as field trips, technology, assemblies, Hands on Art, and much more.
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PTA Supports 3rd Grade Field Trip to Pioneer Farms
Third grade is working with the support of our PTA on a fundraisers to help reduce student costs on a field trip to Pioneer Farms. They will be selling coupon books from Taco Time. Taco Time will give the books free of charge and 3rd grade will sell them for $1.00. The coupon books have five coupons that are for $1.00 off any menu item. You can save $5.00 on food for a $1.00 investment. Coupon books are good through April 30th. There will be a flyer sent home on Thursday in go-homes with more information. You can also contact a third grade teacher to purchase a Taco Time coupon book through the PTA. We appreciate your support!
Mrs. Brueckner, Mrs. Frame, Mr. McDougall, Ms. Reuling, and Mrs. Yost
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The District is committed to running a bond in the near future that will provide safe, updated schools, lessen our overcrowded classrooms and provide the kind of classrooms and work environments that are inspirational, focused on 21st Century learning goals and will provide the best educational and professional experience for our students, staff and the community.
We want all of our students to graduate from the Peninsula School District with the confidence, capability and critical thinking skills to take advantage of whatever future opportunities may be presented to them – whether this is a four-year university, two-year college, tech school, entrepreneurial opportunities or living wage career jobs. Having up to date facilities with up to date teaching spaces and tools will help to support this mission!
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Kristi Rivera, Principal
Email: riverad@psd401.net
Website: https://pes.psd401.net/
Location: Purdy Elementary School, 62nd Avenue Northwest, Gig Harbor, WA, United States
Phone: (253)530-4600
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pes.psd401.net/
Twitter: @PurdyElementary