Discovery Elementary Newsletter
Home of the Dolphins - November 2, 2020
News from the Principal
As we accept our current reality and settle into better routines with learning behaviors, I want to take a moment to sincerely thank each of you for the incredible work you are doing at home to ensure your child stays engaged and connected to learning and school. Over the past week, I have completed several "classroom" observations and am pleased to see students showing up on time, ready to learn during their synchronous instruction! We know this is extremely challenging for everyone and we appreciate your continued support.
Later this week we will welcome back some of our students that receive services through our Lighthouse Program. We are thrilled to be able to serve students in person, in small groups, according to their IEPs and according to current Department of Health guidelines! It gives us hope for more students returning as the Health Department allows us to do so.
I also want to take time to clear up some confusion about WHEN students are supposed to be in live WITH the teacher - synchronous time, and WHAT they are responsible for in the asynchronous time - NOT WITH teacher. Students are expected to be online, for synchronous learning, with their teacher every morning (most classes are 9:00 - 12:00 with scheduled breaks). During this synchronous time, your child should be using Zoom and the Schoology platform to be with their class the whole time. We have some kids attending synchronous learning for short amounts of time, but they should be with the teacher the whole time. Some students also have other groups, such as Resource Room or English Language services. During the afternoon, asynchronous time, if students are not working in a small group or in Office Hours with their teacher, they should do their assigned classwork/homework during this time. When students are not working directly with a teacher, students should attend their grade level specialist time (music, library, PE, or counselor) each afternoon on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday.
Please remember Wednesdays are official school days and while students only meet with their full class during the first part of the day, some students will participate in small groups and all students are expected to engage in asynchronous classwork. Attendance is taken by participation and work completed during Zoom sessions and on Schoology. It is important for students to login to Schoology to find out what assignments the teacher has assigned each day.
Finally, please be mindful that the camera picks up all that is going on behind the students when they are logged onto their computers – both, sight and sound. And other students (and sometimes families) can see and hear what is happening in your home.
As we approach the Thanksgiving Break, I wish you and your families a restful holiday.
In partnership,
Mrs. Koehnen
Shannon Koehnen, Principal
Remember to Vote!
Tomorrow is the last day to vote in this election. Tomorrow, November 3rd, is Election Day - remember to get your ballots to the ballot box. Did you already send in your ballot? Track your ballot to make sure it was received and complete (signature accepted, etc.). https://snohomishcountywa.gov/5723/Track-Your-Ballot
SAVE THE DATE: Parent-Teacher Conferences are Coming
Parent-Teacher Conferences are November 23, 24, and 25. Please work with your child's teacher to schedule your conferences and interpreters as needed. (Please remember: Parent Teacher Conferences will occur November 23rd-24th-25th, followed by Thanksgiving Break November 26th-27th. During this week there will be no school, just parent conferences.)
What should you expect at the conference? During distance learning, your partnership has been a very important part of your child's learning. Classroom teachers have had to adapt to different forms of assessment than they would use in our typical classroom setting, so this makes parent-teacher conferences more of a conversation about what you and the teacher are seeing in your child’s learning. During the conference you will talk about your child’s strengths and areas for growth. Please come prepared to ask questions, listen, and share any information that will be helpful to the teacher in meeting your child’s learning needs.
Progress Reports are a part of parent-teacher conferences and are a way for the teacher to share how your child is progressing in alignment with our academic and behavior standards. You may see scores of NA (not-assessed) or NE (not-evaluated) for standards that have not yet been taught. Your child’s teacher will explain more during your child's conference.
As teachers prepare to share with you in the weeks ahead, it is also a good time to prepare as a parent. Be thinking about questions you may have; observations you have to share regarding your child and things you wonder about. Having this one-to-one time is a great opportunity to address those things. In the meantime, please remember teachers have office hours and you can also email them to remain in touch.
Primary Classes THURSDAY, Nov. 5th - Supply and Materials Pick-up
Important student supplies and instructional materials are available each month for pick-up by families. Primary and Intermediate pick-up dates are different and coincide with our Curbside Library pick-up. This week pick-up is for Kindergarten, 1st and 2nd grade students. If your family is ever in need of supplies, please call our office (425) 366-2700 to make arrangements to get additional supplies.
November Supply and Materials Pick-up:
K, 1st - 2nd grades - Thursday, November 5th; 8:00 - 9:00 a.m. or 2:00 - 5:00 p.m.
3rd - 4th grades and Lighthouse - Last week - If you missed pick-up last week, please call school (425) 366-2700 to make arrangements to pick up your student's materials. The office is open from 8:00 - 4:00 p.m.
When you arrive at Discovery to pick up materials, please stay in your vehicle and drive to the south side of the gym. You will drive onto the playground and stop to pick-up materials near the undercover play area. If you are walking, please also walk to the gym area. Staff will be available to direct you.
Veterans Day - November 11th - No School
Veterans Day is a time for us to honor military veterans, people who have served in the United States Armed Forces. We stand united in respect for you, our veterans. Throughout the week of November 9th our students will be learning more about Veterans Day during their daily live Specialist sessions. We hope all students will plan to join their grade level sessions. On Veterans Day, Wednesday, November 11, there is no school.
In November 1919, President Wilson proclaimed November 11 as the first commemoration of Armistice Day with the following words: "To us in America, the reflections of Armistice Day will be filled with solemn pride in the heroism of those who died in the country’s service and with gratitude for the victory, both because of the thing from which it has freed us and because of the opportunity it has given America to show her sympathy with peace and justice in the councils of the nations…"
This holiday started as a day to reflect upon the heroism of those who died in our country's service and was originally called Armistice Day. It fell on Nov. 11 because that is the anniversary of the signing of the Armistice that ended World War I. However, in 1954, the holiday was changed to "Veterans Day" in order to account for all veterans in all wars.
Attendance is taken based on student's participation in Schoology. Work does NOT have to be done during scheduled class time, it can be done anytime of the day. However, if your student does not show engagement by logging into their teachers Schoology page, attending daily Zoom meetings or working independently on assignments provided by their teacher, your student will be marked absent.
When students have unexcused absences, their families will receive a daily robocall at 6:00pm. However, students can reverse this absence by logging into Schoology and completing work after receiving the call. If a student does not correct the absence by logging into Schoology that evening, the absence will remain marked as unexcused.
Please call 425.366.2700 or email your child's teacher to report an absence.
From Nutrition Services: Thanksgiving Meal Kit Raffle!
The drawing will take place on Nov. 18th. We will coordinate the meal kit pick-up with each winning family. What's in each kit?
- Turkey roast
- Potatoes
- Stuffing
- Rolls
- Carrots
- Corn
- Green beans
- Cranberry sauce
- Gravy mix
- Pie
- Milk
Quick Links for Distance Learning
Families can watch short videos on topics such as joining a Zoom meeting on Family Orientation Videos Web Page. Currently, the videos are available in English and Spanish, with more languages and more videos to come later this week.
Curbside Library Check-Out
Does your child need books at home? This week is curbside library check-out for K-2 students. Check out days are Thursdays between 8:00-9:00 a.m. or from 2:00 - 5:00 p.m. All books must be requested prior to your arrival on Thursday. The procedures for check-out are as follows:
- K-2 Grades (Thursday, Nov. 5th)
- New Google form
- https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfSfCvKVyOQhk94VTFDOxjEKSOseQIWEy3ObqL5iHU_Ap-kMw/viewform?usp=sf_link
- Kids must return books to receive new books
- Kinder and 1st grade kids will have books selected and ready for them each week with or without the form.
- 2nd graders will use the form and we will select based on their wishes.
Weekly Grab and Go Meals - Available Tuesdays and Thursdays
November 3rd - Election Day
November 5th - Grades K-2, Supply and Material Pick-up, 8:00-9:00 a.m. and 2:00-5:00 p.m.
- Grades K-2 Library Checkout, 8:00-9:00 a.m. and 2:00-5:00 p.m.
November 11th - Veterans Day - No School
November 19th - Grades K-2, Supply and Material Pick-up, 8:00-9:00 a.m. and 2:00-5:00 p.m.
- Grades K-2 Library Checkout, 8:00-9:00 a.m. and 2:00-5:00 p.m.
November 23rd - 25th - Parent Teacher Conferences - No School
November 26th - 27th - Thanksgiving Break - No School
December 3rd - Grades 3-5 & LH Supply and Material Pick-up, 8:00-9:00 a.m. and 2:00-5:00 p.m.
- Grades 3-5 & LH Library Checkout, 8:00-9:00 a.m. and 2:00-5:00 p.m.
Discovery Elementary
Principal: Shannon Koehnen, KoehnenSA@mukilteo.wednet.edu
Assistant Principal: Mikey Trexel, TrexelMA@mukilteo.wednet.edu
Dean of Students: Dr. Irina Kourilenko, KourilenkoIN@mukilteo.wednet.edu
Elementary Support Specialist (ESS): Kristen Ching, ChingKL@mukilteo.wednet.edu
Administrative Assistant: Debbie Fischer, FischerDL@mukilteo.wednet.edu
Email: koehnensa@mukilteo.wednet.edu
Website: https://www.mukilteoschools.org/Domain/147
Location: 11700 Meridian Avenue South, Everett, WA, USA
Phone: (425) 366-2700
Mukilteo School District does not discriminate in any programs or activities on the basis of sex, race, creed, religion, color, national origin, age, veteran or military status, sexual orientation, gender expression or identity, disability, or the use of trained dog guide or service animal and provides equal access to the Boy Scouts and other designated youth groups. The following employees have been designated to handle questions and complaints of alleged discrimination: Civil Rights Coordinator and Title IX Coordinator Bruce Hobert (425-356-1319), hobertbl@mukilteo.wednet.edu, Section 504 Coordinator Lisa Pitsch (425-356-1277), pitschla@mukilteo.wednet.edu, and the ADA/Access Coordinator Karen Mooseker (425-356-1330), moosekerkw@mukilteo.wednet.edu. Address: 9401 Sharon Drive in Everett, WA. Inquiries regarding ADA/Access issues at Sno-Isle TECH Skills Center should be directed to Wes Allen, Director (425-348-2220) allenwr@mukilteo.wednet.edu. Address: 9001 Airport Road in Everett, WA 98204