The Dolphin Tale
Woodmoor Community Newsletter for the month of April
Message from the Principal
I hope you are all enjoying the vibrant energy that comes with this season of renewal. It's a time of growth and transformation, both in nature and within our school community. Spring is a fun and busy time at Woodmoor and we are excited for all the upcoming events!
One event that I'm particularly thrilled about is the upcoming 5th-grade camp. This immersive outdoor experience promises to be both educational and unforgettable, providing our students with the chance to explore nature, build teamwork skills, and create lasting memories. I'm confident that this adventure will be a highlight of the school year for our fifth graders, and I can't wait to see the enthusiasm and camaraderie that it inspires.
As we move forward into the remainder of the academic year, let's continue to approach each day with a sense of curiosity, determination, and joy. Together, we can make the most of this season of growth and opportunity, ensuring that every member of our community thrives.
Thank you for your ongoing support and partnership. Here's to a fantastic spring and a bright future ahead!
Nancy Johnson
Principal, Woodmoor Elementary
Midterm - 3rd Quarter Progress Reporting period
Progress reports will be available via ParentVue by April 22
Not everyone will receive a 3rd quarter progress report. 3rd quarter report cards are utilized only for students who are presently below standard in one or more academic areas, or for whom an improvement in behavior needs to be communicated formally.
Accessing ParentVue
A single username and password allow parents to access information for all of their children, regardless of the grade level or school of attendance. Each parent has an individual account that covers all children.
If you are already registered, use the ParentVUE login.
If you have never used ParentVUE, you will need to request an activation key. If you have accessed ParentVUE in the past or enrolled online, please click the "Forgot Password" link on the ParentVUE login page.
Click here for directions on how to view Report Cards in ParentVUE: Navigating to Report Cards
Dates at a Glance
April 8-12th: Spring Break
April 19th: PTSA Movie Night
April 24th: 3rd Grade Music Concert (6pm) 4th Grade Music Concert (7pm)
April 26th: Fifth Grade Racial and Educational Justice Workshop
May 1st: 1st Grade Music Concert (6pm) 2nd Grade Music Concert (7pm)
SBAC Testing Information
May testing dates for 3rd, 4th, & 5th grade are listed above. Please make sure your child is in school, well rested, and free from all outside appointments during testing days. Tests are not timed so students may have additional time if needed with supervised breaks. Accommodations will be followed for children with an IEP or 504 Plan.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION REGARDING CELL PHONES, APPLE WATCHES, BLUE TOOTH EARBUDS, AND OTHER SIMILAR ELECTRONIC DEVICES:
The Directions for Administration from the State of Washington states: Many students and staff members carry cell phones and other electronic devices. Due to their capability to record, reproduce or transmit secure test content, cell phones and all other communications devices must be turned off and kept out-of-view and out-of-reach until the testing session is complete and all secure test materials have been collected. While these devices are not restricted from the classroom, care should be taken with their availability while the assessment is being given. Since these devices may not be with students during testing, it is recommended, due to security purposes, to leave them at home. Use of these devices during testing will result in a testing irregularity and possible invalidation.
Recess Volunteers
Hello to parents, grandparents, and important adults in Woodmoor students' lives! I want to encourage you to jump into a special and impactful opportunity to support your student(s) and their Woodmoor community: being a recess volunteer! For the last year, I have enjoyed volunteering about one day a week at afternoon recess for kindergarten and first graders.
Things I love about this role that you might also:
*seeing my kids playing and interacting with their peers
*when my kids run up to me with delight to say hi and chat when they come out to recess
*observing with my kids in a more informal setting than the classroom
*getting steps in as I cruise the playground keeping an eye on and helping out children...one day I volunteered for a few recesses in a row and added several miles to my daily log! ;)
*taking a recess walk with my kids as we check on kids
*caring for the playground by picking up garbage
*connecting with a greater number of children in the Woodmoor community
*playing with my kids
*helping out kids who speak Spanish (I speak Spanish) and being able to connect with them in their language
*time commitment is about half an hour per recess
*running into kids I meet at recess around Woodmoor and saying hi... it makes the community feel smaller and more connected
*knowing and working as a team with the other lovely adults who work at recess to keep our children safe
*30 minutes of fresh air in the middle of the day
*supporting our school to be a safer place for our children
I hope you'll consider this small time commitment volunteer possibility with a BIG impact on your kids and the kids of Woodmoor as a community!
Dulcy Hernández
Kindergarten and First Grade Mom
Woodmoor STEM Night
Woodmoor's Natural Leaders, ELD Department, WABS and engineers from Boeing and McKinstry hosted STEM Nights at Woodmoor on March 28th and April 4th. Families and students worked in teams to solve real world challenges. They created towers that could withstand weight and cars that could travel long distances. Families tested and shared their projects and also enjoyed dinner together.
PACE at Woodmoor
Are you looking to be more involved in your child's educational experience? The end of this year is coming up fast, and the PACE at Woodmoor program is still enrolling for the 2024-2025 school year!
PACE is a choice educational program offered through NSD and hosted here at Woodmoor. The program serves grades 1-5 and is committed to an enriched learning environment facilitated by parent-teacher-student partnership emphasizing innovative teaching techniques and active parent participation.
We'd love to have you join our community! To find out more about the program and if PACE is right for your family, please join us for a tour and Q&A on Monday, May 13th at 5pm. Questions? Email enrollment@paceatwoodmoor.org
April 2024
Seasonal Allergies
The allergy season is starting very early this year, and predications are that it will extend longer than usual. Tree pollen - cedar, alder, birch, and cottonwood are the major culprits in March and April.
We are seeing more students with allergy eyes, which is sometimes confused with pink eye which can be a viral or bacterial infection that is contagious.
See below for some tips to help distinguish between the two and links for further information.
Is it Allergies or Pink Eye?
Differences between pink eye vs. allergies are:
Allergies typically affect both eyes at once, while pink eye typically starts in one eye before spreading to infect both eyes.
Pink eye is associated with mild itchiness while allergies have intense itchiness and burning.
Pink eye can have a mucus-like discharge of pus while allergies can produce a white stringy discharge.
Pink eye can crust your eyelashes, causing your eye to stick shut—allergies should not.
Pink eye is contagious, so people around you or living with you may be infected as well.
Allergy eye symptoms
Eye allergies typically cause symptoms like:
Burning
Itching
Light sensitivity
Redness
Swelling of the eyelids
Watery eyes
Causes
Allergens, including dust mites, mold, pet dander, and pollen, cause eye allergies. Your body overreacts when one of those harmless substances come into contact with your eye and releases histamine. This chemical causes the blood vessels in the conjunctiva to swell, resulting in itchy, red, and watery eyes. Symptoms can appear right away after exposure.
Pink eye symptoms
Pink eye typically occurs in one eye, but it can eventually spread to the other eye. You can experience symptoms in one or both eyes:
Redness
Itchiness
Green or white mucus-like discharge
Dried, yellow crust in eyes (especially in the morning)
Sensitivity to bright lights
Swollen around the eye(s)
Gritty feeling in the eye(s)
Causes
Pink eye is caused by a viral or bacterial infection, and both are very contagious. The most common (viral) comes from exposure to a viral infection like the common cold. Bacterial pink eye is caused by exposure to a bacterial infection. It may be several days from exposure before symptoms appear.
How To Prevent Spreading Pink Eye
Wash hands regularly.
Avoid touching your eyes.
Change and clean your contact lenses as instructed.
Do not share personal items like towels, face cloths, make-up brushes and anything that comes in contact with the eye or eye lid.
Regularly change your pillowcases.
Replace eye makeup if it expires.
When to see a doctor
If you don’t know the cause of your conjunctivitis, head to the doctor. They can confirm if you have a contagious form of pink eye—like viral or bacterial. Your doctor might also prescribe antibiotic eye drops for bacterial pink eye, which can help you recover faster. As for viral pink eye, most meds won’t be effective, so you’ll likely have to wait a week or two for the infection to clear up on its own, according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC).
It’s also a good idea to call your doctor if your symptoms become severe. Think: eye pain, blurred vision, sensitivity to light, intense redness, or symptoms that don’t improve with antibiotics, according to the CDC. You should also seek medical care if you have a condition that causes a weakened immune system.
Tips to Help Manage Your Allergies
Shower after being outdoors To remove pollen you pick up outside, take a shower and change your clothes.
Minimize indoor pollen Keep your windows shut and use your AC or a HEPA purifier to filter allergens.
Check the Weather Learn when conditions such as the wind increase pollen levels, so you can prepare.
Know your allergy relief options From medications to nasal sprays, talk to your doctor about your options.
https://allergyasthmanetwork.org/allergies/pollen-allergy/what-is-tree-pollen-allergy/
https://www.nwasthma.com/pollen-count/
https://weather.com/forecast/allergy/l/Seattle+WA?
https://weather.com/health/allergy/news/2024-03-07-home-remedies-for-allergies
Spring Break
If you are traveling over Spring Break and arriving home late on Sunday night, please keep in mind that your student may not be ready for school first thing on Monday morning. If they are overly tired or have ill symptoms, please keep your student at home. If you are not sure whether you should send your student to school, please call before sending them.
Mental Health & Crisis Support:
You are not alone. There are community supports for mental health, suicide prevention, substance abuse, self-harm, and more. Click here for more information.
April Celebrations
El Dia Del Nino- Children's Day in Mexico is a national celebration of children and childhood. Families participate in festivals, dances and games.
https://naatikmexico.org/blog/el-da-del-nio-childrens-day
El Día Del Niño - Children’s Day — Na'atik Language & Culture Institute The last day of April every year marks a special occasion all across Mexico. El Día del Niño or Children’s Day, a national celebration of children and childhood, often surprises visitors with its importance and genuine warmth. Family and children in particular are highly valued in Mexican culture,
Passover- Passover commemorates the Israelites escape from slavery and departure from Egypt. It is celebrated with a traditional meal called a seder.
https://www.history.com/topics/holidays/passover
Passover - Bible, Meaning & Traditions | HISTORY In Judaism, Passover commemorates the story of the Israelites’ escape from slavery and departure from ancient Egypt, which appears in the Hebrew Bible’s books of Exodus, Numbers and Deuteronomy, among other texts.
World Autism Awareness Day-The United Nations General Assembly declared April 2 as World Autism Day in 2007. Autism is a lifelong neurological condition that manifests during early childhood, irrespective of gender, race or socio-economic status. The United Nations has observed the day as a means to affirm and promote the full realization of all human rights and fundamental freedoms for autistic people on an equal basis with others.
https://www.un.org/en/observances/autism-day/background
Earth Day- The first Earth Day was on April 22, 1970. Since then, Earth Day has evolved into the largest civic event, activating billions of people across 192 countries to safeguard our planet.
National ASL Day- National ASL Day celebrates American Sign Language. ASL is over 200 years old. Since the time American Sign Language was created, it has been enthusiastically accepted throughout the world. Today American Sign Language is used in Canada, all across America and even in Central Africa, West Africa, and Southeast Asia.
https://deafchildren.org/2023/04/celebrate-national-asl-day-with-asdc/