Columbia Elementary School
Developing Confident, Competent and Compassionate People.
Principal: Bruce Denton
Principal's Message
Dear Columbia Families,
Every three months, my wife and I measure our children and mark their heights on a growth chart. I know they are growing all the time, but on a daily basis that growth is not so evident. I love spring at school because there are a lot of opportunities to check out where students are now and compare that to where they were earlier in the year. It is especially fun to see all the progress and growth our students have made. I enjoy seeing the growth as students use skills to solve problems with each other, and as they engage in one-on-one discussions with their teachers. There’s evidence of learning and growth wherever you look!
It can be easy to take all of this effort and progress for granted, but it is really amazing! While your child has grown and grown, your child’s teacher has planned lessons, taught, assessed, and given feedback to not only your child, but to a room full of students. Other teachers have supported your child’s teacher or supported your child directly, whether in our Resource Room, in the gym, in the kitchen, on the playground, or in the front office. I really appreciate this quote from Mr. Rogers:
Where would anyone of us be without teachers – without people who have passion for their art or their science or their craft and love it right in front of us? What would any of us do without teachers passing on to us what they know is essential about life?
- Fred Rogers
I am so thankful for the dedicated staff at Columbia who consistently pass on what they know is essential about life. I feel fortunate to be part of a staff who collaborates well, continually learns, and consistently looks for ways to help our students be successful. Did you know that Teacher Appreciation week is next week, May 8-12? It is a great opportunity to recognize not just teachers, but all staff; it takes everyone, in all types of positions to support students and make the school run smoothly. I hope you and your child take this time as an opportunity to let teachers and other school staff members know how much you recognize and appreciate their hard work. Everyone enjoys receiving a thoughtful note or a friendly email that reminds them that they are appreciated.
I hope you and your family appreciates this talented and committed staff as much as I do!
Warm regards,
Bruce Denton
Message from our Dean of Students
Our 3rd-5th graders will be taking their Washington State Smarter Balanced Assessment (SBA) at the end of May and first week of June. Please keep a few things in mind during these weeks to best support our students.
As much as possible, avoid scheduling appointments for the testing dates.
- Ensure your child arrives at school on time.
- Try to have your child get a good night’s rest.
- Have your child eat a healthy breakfast at home or at school.
SBA Spring testing schedule
THIRD GRADE
Thursday - 5/25 Math CAT
Friday - 5/26 Math PT
Tuesday - 5/30 ELA CAT
Thursday - 6/1 ELA PT
FOURTH GRADE
Tuesday - 5/16 ELA CAT
Thursday - 5/18 ELA PT
Tuesday - 5/23 Math CAT
Friday - 5/26 Math PT
FIFTH GRADE
Tuesday - 5/16 ELA CAT
Thursday - 5/18 ELA PT
Tuesday - 5/23 Math CAT
Thursday - 5/25 Math PT
Wednesday - 5/31 WCAS
SBA Makeup days 6/2 – 6/9
Mark Your Calendars!
- School Dates and Observations:
May 5 Dismissal (2:10 PM)
May 5 Popcorn Friday
May 5 Kindergarten Open House (3:00-4:00 PM)
May 8 School Board Meeting (6:00 PM)
May 8-12 Teacher's Appreciation Week
May 12 Dismissal (2:10 PM)
May 18 PTA General Meeting (7:00 PM via ZOOM)
May 19 VIP & ME Breakfast
May 19 Dismissal (2:10 PM)
May 22 School Board Meeting (6:00 PM)
May 24 2nd Grade Field Trip
May 25 Choir and Band Concert (6:30 CO Gym)
May 26 Dismissal (2:10 PM)
May 29 Memorial Day (NO SCHOOL)
- Other Upcoming Dates and Observances:
Asian/Pacific-American Heritage Month
Better Hearing and Speech Month
May 5 Full Moon
May 5 Cinco de Mayo
May 1-7 Screen-Free Week (TV Turnoff Week) – An annual invitation to play, explore and rediscover the joys of life beyond screens.
May 6-12 National School Nurses Week, with National Nurses Day, May 10.
May 14 Mother's Day
Mat 15 International Day of Families
May 21 World Day for Cultural Diversity
May 21-22 Eid al Fitr
May 25 Africa Day
May 25-27 Shavuot
Last Day to Submit your Parent Input Form for Class Placement
At Columbia Elementary we carefully assign students to classes considering academic, behavior and social needs. This is a collaborative team process working toward balanced classrooms that are best for our students. In addition, each team makes it a priority to place your child with a teacher who best fits your child’s learning style and needs. Parents may have additional insights that help us ensure a productive year. If you would like to provide input to this process, an online parental input form is available. Please know that we cannot accommodate requests for specific teachers. Completing the form is optional. Submissions are due by Friday, May 5.
Keep in mind, your child’s teacher will receive this input and present it to the placement team. Please click the button below and use this form only. Please avoid letters, calls or emails for placement purposes, unless you need help with the form.
Please click the link bellow to fill out the parent input form.
Teacher Appreciation Week
We will be celebrating our annual teacher and certificated staff appreciation week May 8-12. This year the theme is FIESTA! Below is an itinerary of events, along with a suggestion of ways you can contribute to the fun, to shower our teachers and certificated staff with the appreciation they deserve!
The ideas below are optional suggestions to participate in the daily themes/activities. Be creative! If you have other ideas or would like to show appreciation in different ways, please feel free.
We can't wait for all the fun to begin!
School Nurse Appreciation Day, May 10
School nurses serve as the vital link between education and the health of our students. On behalf of all Columbia staff and students, we’d like to say Thank You Nurse Liberty. You are always there for us no matter how difficult the situation or issue. Your impact is felt and appreciated.
Happy School Nurses Day!
Fitness and Health Corner
May is National Bike Month. With the nice weather right around the corner, more students will be out riding bikes. Please be on the lookout for them when driving and please encourage all kids to wear helmets when they are riding anything that has wheels. It is also important to teach kids the rules of the road when riding bikes. We will spend some time in PE talking about being a responsible bike rider.
For more information, please visit this website.
HYPERLINK "https://bikeleague.org/bikemonth" https://bikeleague.org/bikemonth
Safety Videos for your children - HYPERLINK "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PT1-mDlVyaI" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PT1-mDlVyaI
HYPERLINK "https://www.pedbikeinfo.org/bicyclesaferjourney/el_en.html" https://www.pedbikeinfo.org/bicyclesaferjourney/el_en.html
Have fun in the sun!
Mrs. Beiermann & Mrs. DuBois
Message from the Library
A big “thank you” to all our PTA coordinators, volunteers, families, and readers for supporting the spring book fair. Thanks to your support, we will be adding new titles to Columbia’s school library, classroom libraries, and our Little Library.
As we approach the end of the year, please note the following important dates for the library:
- Week of June 5th: Final Week of Check Out
- Week of June 12th: All Library Materials Due
- Tuesday, June 13th: Visit from the Mukilteo Library to learn information about the summer reading program.
We will also begin reaching out to families with information regarding missing books. Thank you for checking all of those unexpected nooks and crannies to help locate books that may have been misplaced throughout the year. We appreciate your efforts and assistance!
Teacher/Staff Appreciation Lunch: May 11
May 8-12 is National Teacher Appreciation Week! To celebrate our amazing teachers (and staff), we are hosting a Teacher Appreciation Lunch on Thursday 5/11. Please checkout the sign-up list below to see what items are needed. All items need to be dropped off at school by 10am on the morning of Thursday 5/11 (non-perishable items may be dropped off earlier in the week). If you want to contribute but can't drop off Thursday morning please email Jaime to make other arrangements.
Please also check out the Teacher/Staff Wishlist if you want some gift ideas for your teachers.
Thank you for making Columbia's educators feel loved!
VIP and Me: May 19
You've probably all heard of events such as Muffins with Mom or Donuts with Dad...we're changing it up and hosting a VIP & Me event on Friday, May 19.
Start your day with a donut, coffee, and your favorite Columbia student on Friday, May 19th from 8-8:30am in the Columbia gym! This event has limited seating and is a RSVP ONLY event, so please sign up via the link bellow by Friday, May 12. Due to seating capacity, there are only 100 slots available.
We look forward to seeing you there!
Upcoming Events/ Volunteer Opportunities!
Mark your calendars! We have a lot of fun activities coming your way. Some of these activities include:
- Teacher Appreciation Week ~May 8-12
- May PTA General Meeting ~May 18, 2023 at 7:00pm on Zoom
- Columbia Cougar Beach Party ~June 2
We're planning another Beach Day for our End of Year Celebration. Join us at the Mukilteo Lighthouse Beach Park for our Columbia Cougar Beach Party on Friday, June 2 from 4pm to 7pm. We're looking for a couple people to help plan this event! If you are interested, please email Jaime at president@mycolumbiapta.org
We have the resources, we just need volunteers to bring these events together! This is a great opportunity to work together with friends, neighbor, and family members to organize fun, community building events. It's also a great way to meet people!
Attendance Line
If your student will absent or tardy, please leave a message on our 24 Hours attendance line at (425) 366-2605. If the absence is reported after 10:00 am, you may receive an automated call.
Please include:
- Student First and Last Name
- Date of absence
- Reason for absence.
We will only return your call or voicemail if we have questions.
Attendance Matters
Did you know that just TWO absent days a month can make it harder for students to stay on track? Attendance matters for all of us at Columbia Elementary, and we need your help! If you need support, please call (425) 366-2600.
- Early Pick-Up
If your child will be leaving early for the day, families/guardians will need to send a note, email the teacher or call the office on the main line at 425-366-2600. Please do not leave a message on the attendance line. Please avoid picking up during their scheduled lunch, recess or time with specialists as it may take extra time to retrieve your student. Only an authorized person may take a child from school. Any student being dismissed prior to the regular dismissal time must be met in the office, where the student must be signed out by the parent/guardian or authorized person.
- Pre-Arranged Absence
Any absence not specifically covered, such as family vacations or other extended absence, must have a Principal approved pre-arranged absence form in order to be excused. This form must be completed and submitted to the school office one week prior to the scheduled absence.
Free Meals for all Students!
This year all children are eligible to receive free breakfast and lunch. If your child has dietary restrictions, or you don’t want your child to eat the school-provided meals, please tell your child’s teacher. If you send lunch from home, please make sure your child can independently open all items and that you send healthy foods your child will eat.
Breakfast is served from 8:35-8:50 AM daily.
Lunch is served by grade level at their designated lunch time.
Family Outreach
Hi. My name is Libby Stewart-Finerty, aka “Mrs. Finerty. I help support your child’s social wellbeing at school. Your students will see me in their classrooms teaching Bully Prevention, and Child Safety classes for K-5. I also meet with students and families regarding mental health, behavioral and social emotional concerns.
In addition to dealing with matters associated with your child's social wellbeing in school, I am here to assist with school clothes and other resources such as food.
The quickest way to contact me is to email me at StewartfinertyEH@mukilteo.wednet.edu or call me at 425-366-2623. Please checkout my website: Mrs. Finerty, Elementary Support Specialist/Social Worker to find helpful resources for your family.
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