Picnic Point Elementary
January Newsletter
January Food Drive
Non-perishable foods are urgently needed.
Click on the link below to learn more:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/14fttQiN57CfNuQhxU4voyST4fmvM11BY/view?usp=drivesdk
Message from Principal Ali Williams
Happy New Year Picnic Point Families:
I want to start out by letting you know how wonderful it is to have students back in school this year! The students come to school and are enthusiastic and smiling. Even though the masks cover their mouths, you can see it in their eyes. It is impressive how they adapt to changes! Our staff is committed to providing quality instruction and is working to meet the needs of all children.
On behalf of all our staff, we want you to know how much we appreciate the support and guidance you provide for your child and the Picnic Point Community.
I want to give a big shout out to our PTA for hosting the first Winter Lights Caravan on December 16th, it was a huge success and a lot of fun to see so many families participate.
I hope you all have had a nice winter break, enjoying family time and some fun. We look forward to seeing the students back in school in January.
Very Sincerely,
Ali Williams
Rhya Milici, Dean of Students
Welcome back from winter break! We hope students and families had a chance to rest and recharge, and we are excited to be back at school for more learning.
Coming up in January, we have a few testing windows that students may be participating in, based on what programs they are apart of. Students will be taking iReady Reading and Math progress monitoring tests over multiple sessions between January 24- February 18. Most teachers will schedule this testing over 3-4 days in 30-45 minute sessions to help minimize the impact on daily scheduling. Teachers will communicate the expected days for testing for their classroom later in January, and we will have additional make-up days available as needed. Bilingual students in our ELL program will complete the WIDA assessment during the testing window from January 31- March 25. Mrs. Suzanne Lavelle, our ELL teacher, will be coordinating that testing.
If you have questions regarding testing or your student’s academic progress, please reach out to their teacher or for more general questions about scheduling, contact me at MiliciRC@mukilteo.wednet.edu or 425-366-3421.
Thank you.
Dulce Estrada - Parent Liaison
Hi Dear Picnic Point families,
I want to remind you about my work schedule. It is Monday, Tuesday and every other Friday from 8am to 4:30 pm. You can call me at 425-366-3430 or email me at: estradadx@mukilteo.wednet.edu
If at any time you have questions or need resources, please do not hesitate to contact me. I will be happy to help you look for resources in the community. If you have children attending high school and are about to graduate and if you or your child need help completing the financial aid application FAFSA / WASFA please let me know!
Bethenee Grant, Elementary Student Support
Dear Parents,
Welcome back to school, and to the start of a new year! I can honestly say that it is really a joyful moment for me to see all our students arriving back to school after a long break---they breathe life and excitement into this building, and we are all so happy to be on this journey of learning and life with your students.
In January, for our social emotional learning lessons we will be going over Bullying Prevention. This year’s training will build on the concepts that everybody (except our kindergarteners) learned last year. Bullying is a human problem, not just a school problem. It currently occurs across cultures, age groups and income brackets. In the United States 1 in 5 students reports that they have encountered bullying by other students. Unfortunately, it appears that the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on isolation, mood and stress levels has actually resulted in increases in bullying-type behaviors in many districts.
We have worked hard at Picnic Point to encourage and develop a strong sense of belonging, and to build strong, connected relationships with every student. It is my hope that every member of our community will recognize what is (and what isn’t) bullying behaviors, will understand what to do (report and refuse bullying) and will commit to being a caring bystander should they see bullying occur to another student in any context (in-person or online).
We use Second Step Bullying Prevention Lessons. If you’d like to review the curriculum, you’re certainly welcome to! Please email me and I will gladly send you access codes to review the online resources.
Again, wishing you a healthy, happy new year! Thank you for your support and partnership with us as we teach and guide our wonderful students. I look forward to a wonderful winter together (with no snow please 😊)!
Warmly,
Bethenee Grant
What's happening in Music 2022
It has been so nice to see students in person again! One main benefit to meeting in person has been that it is much easier to see when students are understanding a concept. I don’t have to wait for them to submit a video anymore. Music time has been a great opportunity to let all the students know just how special they are.
Currently in our Kindergarten, First, and Second grade classes, we are learning how to feel the music, move to the beat, and the basics of vocalizations. Playing unpitched instruments reinforces knowing where the beat is. We have used hand drums and tambourines to help with this. We also played the sand blocks and used them to make train sounds while we became trains and snaked around the room. This helped us to experience fast and slow beats. Soon we will be using rhythm sticks to play games and students will create their own rhythms. We also are learning how to play the guiro.
In 3rd and 4th grade, we are learning more about barred instruments like the xylophone, metallophone, and glockenspiel. We are exploring the pentatonic scale which will lead us to further our improvisation/composition skills. We also have been enjoying ear training games using solfege hand signs. Students listen to a “Do” given from a glockenspiel, and then they are asked to use a hand sign to show what they think an unknown pitch might be. We’ve been studying Do, Re, Mi, Fa, Sol, and La. That’s almost all of them in the scale! Most students either know the note or are one away. And every time we play, they get better!
Fifth graders have started their ukulele unit and I couldn’t be more impressed! Most students know the parts of the uke, the correct playing positions, and the string names. We’ve been focusing on learning how to play the C Major chord and the F Major chord, and most students can find and play each of them well! Our next steps are to become more comfortable when moving back and forth between the chords. Then we might branch out to learn the G Major chord. Once we have that done, they should be able to perform about 85 percent of today’s songs! Look out world, here we come!
-Mr. H
PTA News
We had a great end to 2021:
It was a fabulous turnout at the Winter Lights Caravan! We hope you and your students enjoyed the evening and made some amazing memories.
Thank you to all that donated cookies for our Staff Appreciation Cookie Walk! They absolutely loved it and it was a great way to start winter break!
Coming up this month:
Our PTA General Meeting is on January 13th @ 7pm - get ready for lots of info and a pretty awesome door prize!!
We are planning a project for all the students to create some unique snowflakes and get them posted up in the front office - be on the lookout!
Committee Chair Openings:
5th Grade Party: with additional volunteers, they will fundraise and organize the 5th grade party
Restaurant Fundraising: this person will schedule and work with restaurants to implement fundraising nights
**please email the PTA if you are interested or have any questions picnicpointpta@gmail.com
As always, please consider joining the PTA and help support Picnic Point Elementary
Membership Link: https://pppta.cheddarup.com
Follow us for up to date info regarding your PTA and Picnic Point
Facebook Page: Picnic Point Elementary PTA (private group)
SNOW, SNOW, SNOW
- District webpage at www.mukilteschools.org
- Flash Alert at www.flashalert.net
- Listen to local radio/TV stations: 710 AM, 1000 AM, 1380 AM, KOMO 4 TV, KIRO 7 TV, and FOX 13 TV.
PTA Staff Cookie Day
We were truly amazed at the number of parents that took their time to bring in goodies for us.
We truly think we have the best community here at Picnic Point and appreciate each and every one of you!
Free Meals for all Students!
- Meals for all students are free of charge regardless of Free/Reduced Status for the 21-22 school year.
- We encourage you to complete free/reduced applications, as you do need that completed to receive other benefits that are available (P-EBT Cards).
- Hot food will be served daily by Miss Kathy!
Lost and Found Items
Parents, please make sure to stop by the school office if your child has lost something and we will hopefully find it on the rack!
We normally donate unclaimed items to charity right before Winter Break, but this year as the campus has been closed to parents, we don't feel like people have had as much of a chance to look through it.
Come January, please stop by and we will look for you during the school day or you can look after school is out and the students are gone.
Message from our librarian, Troy Miller
We’re ready to head into 2022!
Here is the weekly library schedule for 2nd trimester:
Monday: Shubert, Tollefson, Naficy, Im-Hamper, Miles
Tuesday: Veenendaal, Kraft, Price
Wednesday: Nguyen, Crawford, Bowen/Findley, Addicott, Oglesby, Dodson
Thursday: Hutchison, Rooney, Manselle, Jenson, Purkey, McGinnis, Gerasimchuk
Every Friday: Sidhu
Every-other-Friday: Shubert, Crawford, Chamberlain, Naficy, Im-Hamper, Miles
You may have noticed that the district has turned on the auto-dialer for overdue books, including elementary. Thank you to all who have reached out to me with questions. To avoid the phone call, all books can be renewed until your child has finished reading it. It can be renewed even if they forget to bring the book to school on library day.
Theresa Dixon, School Nurse
Cold Weather Clothing is Important!
Many health room visits in the winter are related to lack of cold weather clothing. Students need hats, gloves and warm jackets for recess. These clothing items help prevent drops in core body temperatures which can cause stomach aches. This leads to health room visits and time lost in the classroom. Please make sure your student comes to school prepared for the winter weather.
Nurse Theresa
Update on school rules for sickness
If you student experienced only vomiting or only diarrhea FOR LESS THAN 24 hours, please keep them home until 24 hours have passed since the illness resolved.
If your student's symptom persists, keep them home and notify the school office at 425-366-3400.
Extra Clothing
We have been keeping a supply of clothes in the nurse's office, but it has dwindled down to only a few sizes.
If you have pants/leggings especially in sizes 6,7 and 8 that you would like to donate to the school, please drop them off in the main office.
Thank you!
Job Opportunities
https://www.mukilteoschools.org/Page/10#calendar6564/20211012/month
Quote of the Month!
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 Dan Dizon (425-356-1319), dizonds@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.