Salish Ponds Elementary
March 2024
Getting ready to conference!
Conferences are right around the corner! If you have not set up a conference time with your student's teacher, please reach out and schedule a time to meet during March 15th or 16th. You are also welcome to call the office at 503.492.7260 and we will get you in touch with your scholars' teacher.
Conferences will run on Wednesday March 20th from 4:00-8:00PM and again on Thursday, March 23rd, from 8:00 AM till 8:00 PM.
This is an important time of year to see how your scholar has grown, what areas are independent and what areas need supports, and we can also discuss looking ahead to next year.
We look forward to seeing you at conferences!
Counselors Corner!
Happy March, Dragonflies!
This month, we celebrate Courage and our ability to believe in ourselves even when things feel scary or difficult! Courage takes practice; the more we practice, the more confident and brave we feel.
Remember, being brave doesn't mean being fearless. It means doing our personal best to try (and try again) even when we doubt ourselves or feel nervous. For many of us, we might have already practiced Courage!
· Trying a new activity
· Starting a new school
· Learning a new skill
· Standing up for ourselves or other students
There are so many books and movies that show great examples on how to practice Courage! Please see below for resources to start a conversation at home:
Books:
K-2:
I am Courage by Susan Verde
The Pink Hat by Andrew Joyner
Tomorrow I’ll be Brave by Jessica Hische
Shy by Deborah Freedman
3-5:
I Color Myself Different by Colin Kaepernick
Wishes by Muon Thi Van
I Dissent: Ruth Bader Ginsburg Makes Her Mark by Debbie Levy
The Undefeated by Kwame Alexander
A Long Walk to Water by Linda Sue Park
Media:
The Adventures of Milo and Otis-Ages 5+
Finding Nemo-Ages 5+
Kiki’s Delivery Service-Ages 5+
The Iron Giant-Ages 6+
The Good Dinosaur-Ages 7+
The Black Stallion-Ages 8+
Hugo-Ages 8+
Spirited Away-Ages 9+
Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions or need support: You can always contact us by email, phone, or ParentSquare: Arianne Delos Reyes, x3008, adelosreyes@rsd7.net; Virginia Rose, x3037, vrose@rsd7.net; Michael Vanpool, x 3016, mvanpool@rsd7.net.
Library Corner!
March is Read Across America Day and Women’s History Month
The month of March has two exciting celebrations. Read Across America Day is Saturday, March 2, 2024. As this falIs on a weekend, I encourage you to take time to read a book with your student, have them read to you, have an older student read to a younger sibling, anything to celebrate reading! To learn more about Read Across America, check out this website. https://www.readingrockets.org/calendar/readacross
The second important celebration for the month of March is Women’s History Month. This is a time to celebrate all the contributions women have made throughout history to better our world! We will be learning about this through the library with book read alouds, videos, and activities. If you would like to support your student with an additional resource, this is one I recommend. https://www.womenshistorymonth.gov
March is also Women’s History Month. This is a time to celebrate all the contributions women have made through history to better our world! We will be learning about this through the library, through book read alouds and activities, but if you would like to support your student with additional sources, this is a great place to start.
State Testing Opt Out
State standardized testing will start at Salish Ponds in April. If you do not want your student to participate in the state testing this year, please contact the school so we can provide you with the appropriate form.
The ELPA (English Language Proficiency Assessment) will open on January 16th. Your child's attendance during our testing times will be imperative for the success of their completion and results.
If you have other questions, you can contact Mrs. Bentley.
Cultural Awareness: Women's History Month!
During the month of March, scholars will be learning about Women's History month. This year the theme is "Women who advocate for Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion." We will be recognizing women of past and present, who have been active in all forms of media and storytelling. The theme honors women Women from every background have long realized that an uneven playing field will never bring equality or justice. Many feel the critical need to speak up and work harder for fairness in our institutions and social interactions. Please look for activities coming home from your scholars' learnings and further information.
Arrival and Dismissal/ Safety Concerns
Your patience at arrival and dismissal keeps our kids safe and the traffic moving! Thank you for driving with slow speeds, using our designated drop off areas, and for always checking with the adult on duty before leaving with your child.
Safety Concerns We need your help to ensure everyone's safety so we can avoid potentially dangerous situations for our students as they are getting dropped off to / picked up from school:
- Please do not drive around/over/through the orange cones - they are there to help traffic patterns and ensure your vehicle, your students and our staff remain safe!
- Park in the center parking lot only if you need to go into the building.
- Drive slowly and be considerate of drivers backing out of parking spots
- Allow students to get into/exit vehicles on curb side only
- Keep students buckled-up until vehicle is at a full stop
- Call the school if your student will be going home with a different person or in a different way
"Pro Tips" Here are some ideas for these times of the day that might benefit your family and help make our processes more efficient:
- We do not release students until 3:20pm and the pick-up line is complete in less than 15 minutes. Arriving early to line up in the car pick up lane doesn't always mean a faster pick up!
- If you consistently pick up your student in different cars or by different people, ask the teacher for another dashboard name sign so your pickup person will not need to be verified
- Park at the middle school north lot and walk to drop off/pick up your student! This could be a great time to talk and connect with your scholars without distractions (not to mention exercise a bit!).
This is a process we continually strive to make better and faster for you! Let us know if you have ideas!
Spring Break!
Don't forget that Spring Break is just around the corner. There is no school the week of March 25th- 29th. We will see you all back on Monday, April 1st. Have a safe and fun Spring Break! Go Dragonflies!
Upcoming events in March
- 7th, Thursday, Last day of Winter SUN
- 14th, Thursday, Spring Picture Day
- 20th, Wednesday, Conferences No School
- 21st, Thursday, Conferences No School
- 22nd, Friday, No School
- 25th- 29th, Spring Break
We are the Salish Ponds Dragonflies!
Website: https://www.reynolds.k12.or.us/salish
Location: 1210 Northeast 201st Avenue, Fairview, OR, USA
Phone: (503) 492-7260