Rocketeer Newsletter
Rock Creek Elementary - Oct. 31, 2019
Rock Creek is a candidate school for
the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme
Rock Creek School Hours- Monday thru Friday 8:30-3:00
Please Note: There is no early release this year.
Upcoming Events
10/31 Class Parties
10/31 No Choir Today
11/1 No School for Students- Grading Day
11/3 Clocks Fall back One Hour
11/7 No School for Rock Creek Students- Parent/Teacher Conferences
11/8 No School for Rock Creek Students
11/11 School Closed in Observance of Veterans Day
11/13 PTC Meeting 9:00 am (Cafeteria)
11/15 Hearing Re-screening K-2
11/15 PTC Carnival
11/22 Picture Retakes
11/27 No School Thanksgiving Holiday
11/28 No School - Thanksgiving
11/29 No School - Thanksgiving Holiday
12/2 No School for Students- Staff Development Day
Student Arrival Time- Doors open at 8:15 AM
Students should not arrive before 8:15 am. The doors are locked and there is no supervision for students. Please remind your students not to block the doorway. We ask that students sit on the benches outside the front doors until the door is unlocked. After 8:15 am, students can go to the cafeteria OR proceed to other supervised areas.
Fall Class Parties- Today, October 31st
Room party volunteers will be hosting the parties in classrooms on today. Our goal is for students to enjoy their classroom parties and socialize while demonstrating good citizenship and making good choices.
During the fall party, children have an option of wearing Halloween costumes. Please remember costumes are not to be worn to school. Costumes should be brought in a bag and be easy for students to put on over their clothes. Costumes are taken off before leaving for the day. Please help your child use good judgment if they are bringing a costume to school. No gruesome or scary costumes, no masks and no pretend weapons of any kind, are allowed. Hair color or face paint may not be applied at school. Volunteers that choose to dress up for the parties are expected to follow the same guidelines for costumes.
Please be aware, only background cleared volunteers will be able to assist with the classroom parties. Visitors and younger siblings will not be able to attend the classroom parties. All volunteers must sign in on the volunteer computer and wear their badges.
Please let your child's teacher know if you do not want your child to participate in the party. You can pick them up early or they can go to an alternative setting during this time.
Parent/Teacher Conferences (Link Closes Friday, Nov 1 at 3:00 pm) Sign Up Now!
Parent/Teacher Conferences are fast approaching and we use the Instant scheduling online program.
As a reminder, there will be no school for students on November 7th and 8th due to Parent/Teacher Conferences. Please see the individual teacher conference schedules after you click on their name at the link shown below.
To schedule a conference please follow these steps:
1. Click the following link:
https://instant-scheduling.com/sch.php?kn=1919022
2. Click on Next Step.
3. Then select the teacher you want to schedule your conferences with.
4. Choose your preference date for conference (see available dates on calendar).
5. Choose your conference in the available time slots. Only available times will populate this screen.
6. Submit your request and complete the required fields (on the right-hand side of the screen). If you submit an email address, the system will send you a reminder email.
7. To schedule a conference for a second teacher for a sibling conference go back to #2 and repeat.
Thank you for participating in fall conferences. We look forward to seeing you.
Note: Unfortunately, our schedule does not allow us to hold separate conferences for separated families. Please inform the main office if there is a court order that mandates an exception to this policy. If two conferences for the same student are booked, the later of the two conferences will be canceled.
If this process is not working for you, please contact Jessica Vogel at 503-356-2452 or your child's teacher
The Arctic Adventure Book Fair was a whale of a success!
Students were able to add to their libraries at home and we will be adding to the Rock Creek library as well. The book fair would not happen without the help of so many volunteers starting with Nancy Wiggins who helped with ideas, volunteers, decorations and the fair itself. Other thanks go to Colleen Adler, Amy Anderson, Sarah Barrett, Maddie Coudriet, Golnaz Hakim Elahi, Erica Johnson, Linda Jones, Jennifer Kaneaster, Laurie Maheu, Fran and Ted Miller, Katie and Victoria Murry, Jenny Sawyer, Nia Schoenclark, Michelle Shipley, Carmen Steen, Yu-Wen Su, Pritoo Tiwari, Jason Wiggins, Shawna Williams, Sharon Zell, Kerstin Oberwagner and Xiaoli Zheng.
The Guess How Many winners were Tyler B, how many fish can a polar bear eat. Anna B, how many bears can you fit in a jar. Jaiden N, how many snowballs.
Thank you to all who helped and all who shopped. Mrs. Hilger
Change of After School Plans- Please Send a Note
Please be sure that your child knows what they are doing after school, before they leave in the morning. If there is a change to their normal dismissal plans, please send a note with your child. If we don’t have a note, students will be sent home per their normal plan.
If you need to make weekly changes to your child's after-school plan, please email the teacher with all the dates and details. We ask that phone calls with change of plans be limited to emergencies only. Urgent messages should not be left on teacher voice mails during the school day. Teachers pick up after school notes at their lunch time. We cannot guarantee that last minute changes will be delivered after 2:00 pm. Thanks for helping us limit classroom disruptions.
Rocket Run Info!!
Thank you for the tremendous support with the Rocket Run. We are excited to share that we have reach the fundraising goal of $32,000!!
If you still have a pledge envelope to turn in it is NOT too late! Pledge envelopes will continued to be collected thru Friday and can be turned into classroom teachers.
Prize winners will be shared soon.
Late Arrivals
Make arriving to school on time a priority. Students should arrive at school between 8:15 and 8:25 am and be in their classroom ready to learn by 8:30 am. Students who arrive late disrupt the entire class and miss important information teachers share about the plans for the day. Children who exhibit chronic lateness often struggle with organization in general. They may find it hard to keep track of personal items or forget to turn in homework. Helping them establish the habit of timeliness tends to have a positive ripple effect to other areas of life.
Help your child have a good start to their day by making sure they arrive to school on time!
School and District At-A-Glance Reports
School and District report cards for the 2018-19 school year are available at https://www.ode.state.or.us/data/reportcard/reports.aspx. (Select Beaverton in the school or district search bar). We welcome the opportunity to share this information with you on the progress we are making to improve academic achievement for each student in the Beaverton School District. We are making progress.
In 1999, the Oregon Legislature enacted ORS 329.105 requiring that the Oregon Department of Education produce and issue annual report cards for all schools and districts. The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), signed by President Obama on December 10, 2015, encourages schools and educators to innovate and create systems that address local needs. As a part of this work, the Oregon Department of Education redesigned the School and District report cards to engage and inform families about their school’s approach to learning, academic and extracurricular offerings, and student performance.
The School At-A-Glance Profiles include graphics showing how a school or district compares to the statewide average in categories like chronic absenteeism, graduation rates, average class size and more. The profiles were developed with extensive input from Oregon families, including families of historically underserved students.
The data points represent a more comprehensive approach to evaluating and measuring a school’s impact on students. In five minutes or less parents can get the comprehensive look at their school or district that they’ve been requesting. All of these changes are part of Oregon’s Plan which is the state of Oregon’s plan for meeting federal requirements under the Every Student Succeeds Act.
Final Opportunity to Participate in Phase I of BSD's Speak Up 4 Student Success
Phase I of our community engagement process is coming to a close. Thursday, October 31, 2019 is the last day to submit comments on what is going well in the Beaverton School District and what improvements are needed.
Your voice matters! We welcome your perspective and opinion. Take our BSD Needs Assessment Survey!
November Dine in Fundraiser- It’s Pizza Time Rock Creek!
RSVP here - https://www.groupraise.com/events/113791.
Cell Phone, Smart Watch & Electronic Device Policy
As stated in the Rock Creek Parent-Student Handbook, cell phones and other electronic devices such as apple watches, are not to be brought to school. If a student needs a phone for safety, it must be turned off and put away as soon as students arrive at school. If they bring out their phone/apple watch to use during school hours, staff will take it to the office and a parent will need to come pick it up.
Connect with your Parent Teacher Club!
Volunteer opportunities, events and fundraising, oh my! Get the latest news on all your favorite PTC activities by connecting with us.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RockCreekElementarySchool/
Website: www.rockcreekptc.org
Text: text @rcptc to 81019
Calling all 5th grade parents
Upcoming Volunteer Opportunities
Conference Week - Staff Appreciation Dinner
Help us thank our amazing Rock Creek teachers and staff during conferences with some yummy food and beverages! Please sign up in Better Impact to bring a dish or two! Food and drinks should be dropped off to the school office by 4:30PM on Wednesday, November 6th. Please label gluten free dishes and clearly label any dishes that contain nuts and/or shellfish. Our teachers and staff love our students so much! Let's show them how much we love them too!
Fall Carnival
Rock Creek's Fall Carnival is Friday evening, November 15th and there are a ton of FUN volunteer opportunities! A bounce house, ping pong basketball, toilet paper toss and food sales are just a few of the events we need help with! Please consider volunteering and we promise you'll have a fabulous time! Shifts will be in Better Impact soon so please check back and mark your calendar!
Thank you for volunteering!
Katie & Nancy
Volunteer Coordinators
3rd-5th graders- Try a new sport- A game for readers!
3rd-5th graders- Try a new sport- A game for readers! Keep working on forming your OBOB team and getting contracts turned in to the library! All teams need to have forms filled out by TODAY!! Email KatieEMurry@hotmail.com with any questions.
Check Out the New Rotation Day Calendar.
Inclement Weather Information
When the weather gets snowy or icy, school schedules may be affected. The District generally posts the announcement of delayed school opening or school closure by 5:30 a.m. All Portland Metro area media outlets announce the information on TV newscasts and online.
The District will notify parents and staff via SchoolMessenger with a Non-School Hours Emergency message. Please manage your communication preferences in SchoolMessenger InfoCenter.
For the latest inclement weather information:
Log on to the District website and a page pop will be posted in the middle of the main page with the status of District operations.
Opt-in for SMS Alerts from SchoolMessenger
Subscribe to Flash Alert for email or text message updates
Like the Beaverton School District on Facebook or follow us on Twitter.
The Beaverton School District Inclement Weather Policy and transportation snow routes can be found on the Public Safety webpage.
New Rock Creek Gear is Now Available!
Order Rock Creek gear anytime - pick up at their location on Cornelius Pass or have it sent directly to you. There are tons of fun options in adult and youth sizes too. Visit Gear Up Sports to order today - https://rockcreek.gearupsports.net/index.php?route=common/home.
Email customerservice@gearupsports.net with any questions.
Background Checks
Please be aware: For the safety of our students, we encourage all adults that are on school property during school hours have an approved background check with the Beaverton School District. Please fill one out today, it may take 3 weeks to be approved:
https://www.beaverton.k12.or.us/departments/communications-community-involvement/volunteer
PYP Corner
Just as the leaves are changing outside, so are our students and classroom communities changing within! At times it’s brilliant and apparent right before our eyes and at other times it’s more subtle, with just a glimmer here and there for the keen observer to take in and celebrate. Our staff at Rock Creek is committed to the growth of every child, and we are seeking to engage our students through inquiry-based units of study.
Here are our current units…
Kindergarten- How the World Works: Patterns help us understand the Earth and how it works.
First Grade- How We Organize Ourselves: Community systems can solve problems and help others.
Second Grade- Who We Are: Responsibilities help communities function.
Third Grade- How We Organize Ourselves: Citizens collaborate to organize themselves.
Fourth Grade- How We Organize Ourselves: The resources and environment of a community influence decision-making.
Fifth Grade- How We Organize Ourselves: Government influences people.
Learning Options Application Process 2020-2021
The Beaverton School District is nationally recognized for high student achievement and innovative programs. Beaverton students in grades 6-12 have the opportunity to investigate learning options that best fit their academic needs. Students can choose their neighborhood school, or apply for one of a number of Learning Option Programs. Transportation is provided.
Applications for the 2020-2021 school year will be available starting Monday, October 14, 2019. Please do some early investigation of the Learning Options Programs online and plan to attend one or more of the open houses that are available. Students may only select one option on their application.
All applicants must reside within the Beaverton School District boundaries. Beginning October 14, current Beaverton School District students are able to apply online using their BSD student ID. Resident students not currently attending a Beaverton school will need to complete a paper application available online, or at any school office beginning October 14, 2019. Applicants who do not have Internet access may also complete a paper application available at any school office. Please give careful consideration to your choice of school. Once an application has been submitted, no changes will be allowed.
Applications must be received no later than Friday, December 6, 2019 at 4:00 p.m. (PST).
OFFICE OF LEARNING OPTIONS
Information Line: 503.356.4440 • FAX: 503.356.4415
Mon., October 14, 2019 ------- Applications for the 2019-2020 school year will be available.
Fri., December 6, 2019 ------- Applications due no later than 4:00 p.m. PST.
Wed., December 11, 2019 ------- Electronic Lottery conducted for the 2020-21 School Year.
Acceptance or wait pool notifications will be sent via email.
Students who are not selected via the lottery will be emailed a Second Consideration application for the school for which they applied where applicable.
Thurs., January 9, 2020 ------- Second Consideration applications due to schools.
Wed., January 29, 2020 ------- Deadline to accept/decline enrollment – by 4:00 p.m. PST
For online links to academic and extra-curricular activities offered in the community, please use this link: https://www.beaverton.k12.or.us/departments/communications-community-involvement/after-school-activitiesflyers
Rock Creek School Hours: Monday - Friday 8:30 am to 3:00 pm
No Early Release this year
4125 NW 185th Ave
Portland OR 97229
Main Office-503-356-2450
Attendance-503-356-2451
Fax- 503-356-2455
Principal: Tiffany Wiencken
SAFEOREGON TIP LINE
Keep Rock Creek safe: report any student safety threats to SafeOregon. Tips can be reported by phone or text (844-427-3367), email (tip@safeoregon.com), or online (safeoregon.com). For more information, visit safeoregon.com.