STAR GAZER GAZETTE
October 2022 Star Lake Newsletter
Greetings Star Lake Families,
Wow! The busy month of September just flew by! It was so wonderful to see so many families at our Back to School BBQ, our staff was excited to show off our new school and to share information about your child’s classroom.
Our teachers are continuing to focus on learning routines and our students are sure doing a great job showing kind, safe and productive behavior as they wait in the hallways in the morning and transition to lunch, recess and specialists. Learning routines this month are focused on “student talk” and we are providing students with strategies and practice in order to have productive student talk centered on what they are learning. It is so exciting for me to go into classrooms and hear students talking about how they solved a math problem, what questions they might have about vocabulary in a reading passage, and talking to each other about strategies and solutions. The best way to learn something is to talk about it!
Please consider joining us next Wednesday, October 12th from 4:00-5:30pm for our Evergreen/Star Lake ribbon cutting celebration. There will be district and city officials there, we will hear from Star Lake and Evergreen students, and then visitors will be able to tour the school.
There is still room for parents on our parent advisory team. We meet once a month to discuss what’s going on here at Star Lake, I share information and data, and then our team discusses any wonders, input, concerns or ideas they have. It is a great opportunity to hear from our families. This month’s meeting is Wednesday, October 5th at 6:00pm via zoom. If you are interested in joining us next month, please send me an email.
I wish your family a great month ahead; please don’t hesitate to reach out with any questions, feedback or input you have!
Kris Rennie, principal
253-045-4007
Mark Your Calendars
OCTOBER
12 - Early Release - School ends at 1:35
12 - Ribbon Cutting Event. With Tours - 4:00-5:30
13 - Wear College Gear or College Color for DiscoverU
14 - Dress Like Your Future Career for DiscoverU
14 - Coffee With The Principal For Parents - 9:00
20 - Picture Day
21 - Crazy Hair/Hat Spirit Day
26 - Early Release - School ends at 1:35
NOVEMBER
9-10 - NO SCHOOL - Scholar-Led Conferences
11 - NO SCHOOL - Veterans Day
16 - Early Release - School ends at 1:35
16 - Picture Retake Day
23 - Early Dismissal - Time TBD
24-25 - NO SCHOOL - Thanksgiving Break
30 - Early Release - School ends at 1:35
Join Us As We Celebrate The Completion Of The New Star Lake!
We are ready to officially celebrate the completion of the new Star Lake Elementary School with a ribbon cutting program. Join us for this exciting event on Wednesday, October 12, from 4-5:30 p.m., which will also celebrate the completion of our feeder school, Evergreen Middle School.
The construction of Star Lake was made possible by voter approval of the 2017 school construction bond. Now that the school has been completed and is occupied by scholars and staff, we are excited to showcase the new building to the community.
The joint ribbon cutting will start promptly at 4 p.m., featuring members of the Evergreen community, Superintendent Dr. Pfeiffer, and government officials. Following the program, 20-minute community tours will be offered at both Star Lake and Evergreen to showcase the innovative buildings.
Learn more at www.fwps.org/RibbonCutting.
Picture Day, October 20th
Please make sure your scholar looks nice and is wearing school appropriate clothes for pictures.
If you happen to miss our picture day, Retakes will be on November 16th.
October Is Hispanic Heritage Month
This year Mrs. Hilderbrand (Family Liaison), Mrs. Williams (Counselor), & Mrs. Nelson (Librarian) will be organizing displays to showcase and celebrate the rich cultural history of our scholars, families, & staff. Families, please let us know what cultural observances are important to your scholars! Please reach out to Mrs. Hilderbrand (jhilderbrand@fwps.org) or Mrs. Nelson (jnelson@fwps.org).
To celebrate Hispanic Heritage month they will be putting together an Altares (ofrenda) de Muertos for Dias de los Muertos. Families who would like to participate can send a picture of a loved one who has passed to be included in the altares. Star Lake's altares (ofrenda) will be outside of the library for all students, staff and families to view and participate in. Photos should be sent between October 20th – October 26th in a sealed envelope with Mrs. Hilderbrand’s name written on the front. If you would like the photo to be returned please be sure to write your students name on the back of the photo.
What is Dias de los Muertos?
The Day of the Dead (el Día de los Muertos), is a Mexican holiday where families welcome back the souls of their deceased relatives for a brief reunion that includes food, drink and celebration. The holiday is celebrated each year from October 31-November 2.
Coffee With The Principal
Parents, please join us Friday, October 14th, at 9am for coffee & treats. This is your chance to get updates on how our schools year is progressing, as well as upcoming events. Bring any questions you may have for Mrs. Rennie.
Practice "Shake Out - Earthquake Drill" on October 20th
Scholar Led Conferences Are Next Month
Teachers will be sending home times they are available to meet with you. Please set aside time on Nov 9th or 10th to meet with them. We want to meet ALL our parents!
There is NO SCHOOL on these days.
Library Learning
This month Star Lake Students will have library lessons on Internet Safety and Digital Citizenship. Students will watch internet safety videos, listen to internet safety stories and discuss important safety tips.
Here’s some great safety tips to keep in mind:
· Students should always ask parents first to use technology at home.
· Students should only talk to people they know when using technology. Don’t talk to strangers.
· Students should stick to kid friendly websites, apps and games. Parents please check out new websites, apps and games first.
· If students feel they are being cyberbullied:
Step away from technology. Take a break.
· Tell a trusted adult at home or at school for help. Adults can report and block uncomfortable situations.
· Go to kid friendly sites, apps, games.
· Pause and Think online: Do I feel uncomfortable about this?
If you have any questions about internet safety, please email Ms. Nelson at the Star Lake library at: jnelson@fwps.org
Ms. Nelson, Star Lake Librarian
Counselor's Corner
On Wednesday, we had an assembly put on by Taproot Theatre, titled "Bugs". It taught us:
- How to recognize, report and refuse bullying behavior
- Being a positive bystander
- Celebrating differences
- How to welcome newcomers/form friendships
This was a great way to reinforce the skills taught in Second Step.
We will be having a special DiscoverU week on October 10-14. Please see below for more information.
Feel free to contact me if you have any questions.
Tiffany Williams, M.Ed
School Counselor
(253) 945-4005
PBIS: SAFE, KIND AND PRODUCTIVE!
Nurses News:
Below is a chart showing what you should do if your child is feeling sick. If you need a COVID-19 test, you are welcome to pick one up from our office.
For Free Covid Vaccine Clinic options, go to: https://www.fwps.org/Page/8337
Bus Expectations
Now that we have adjusted to our new bus routes, our bus drivers are asking we share the common expectations we are using to teach our scholars about the expectations for riding the bus.
If your scholar rides the bus, please take a couple of minutes to review with your scholar the importance of a safe bus ride. These expectations are right out of our PBIS common expectations matrix. If you want to know more about our PBIS structures at school please email Mrs. Clark liclark@fwps.org or Mr. Geving tgeving@fwps.org
Attendance Reminders And Updates
STATEWIDE DEFINITION OF EXCUSED ABSENCES
Bereavement, Illness, Medical appointment, Court, Absence related to homelessness.
Have a doctor’s Appointment? Please have your student bring a note from their appointment. If your student is out for more than 3 days with an illness a doctor’s note is recommended by the district.
TARDY/LATE TO SCHOOL UPDATE
Just a reminder that class starts at 8:35am. This means students are Tardy (late to class) at 8:36am. If you bring your child to school late please park in the lot and come in the main doors to sign in.
Breakfast is available starting at 8:15am Please try and arrive to school by 8:20 if your student would like breakfast so they can make it to class on time.
Tardies can have a significant impact on the start of class, as teacher needs to stop and repeat the morning/daily information taking away from classroom time.
SCHOOL ATTENDANCE IS REQUIRED BY STATE LAW
If your child has 3 unexcused or 5 excused absences in one month the school is required to schedule an attendance conference.
After 7 Unexcused absences in a month and no later than 15 Unexcused absences in a school year, the school district may file a truancy petition with the juvenile court.
Remember: Every Day Counts and Every Day Matters!
Does Your Scholar Need Extra Support Academically?
We are happy to announce the FREE availability of Tutor.com for all scholars in grades 4-12. For your scholar's success, Tutor.com will:
· Provide one-to-one FREE tutoring help
· Provide access to SAT and PSAT prep
· Available 24/7
· Scholars may access through Launchpad to Learning
For more information and to access this vital service go to: https://www.fwps.org/Page/8221. It will also be explained in various languages.
Before and After School Childcare
2022-23 school year childcare registration is now open for K-5 grade students!
With Right At School, there are:
- Childcare options, including before and/or after school for K-5 students starting September 6, 2022, between 6:30 a.m. – 6 p.m.
- Locations at all elementary and K-8 sites.
- Flexibility to build a schedule for 3 or 5 days and parts of the day when families need care.
- A monthly billing option and they accept state subsidies.
- FWPS district subsidized rates
To register, visit https://www.rightatschool.com/program-finder/ or call 1-855-287-2466.
PTA Updates
Star Lake Parents and Guardians,
We had a wonderful day for our first spirit day. It was so nice seeing all the students enjoying popcorn being back! We look forward to many more popcorn Fridays this year.
Let's all give a warm welcome to our new executive board!
President- Angelina M. Heredia
Co-President- Jessica Kundert
Vice President- Wynne Nuernberg-Park
Treasurer- Dega Farah
Secretary- Julia Strand
It's membership time! We would love for you to join the Star Lake PTA community! No volunteering is required, but is a plus if you are interested. The membership comes with lots of discounts for rental cars, hotels, and theme parks including Great Wolf Lodge! Get an application from the front desk or apply online at https://starlakepta.memberplanet.com/Membership.html
Our next PTA meeting will be on Wednesday, October 19th at 6 pm in the school library. We hope to see you there. We will be discussing fundraising ideas, book vending machine, and much more.
Mark your calendar-October 26th 5-9pm! Please support the PTA and grab dinner at Chipotle 512 Ramsay Way Ste 101, Kent, WA. A percentage of sales will support the PTA and students at Star Lake!
Star Lake PTA is looking for volunteers to help with Reflections art contest, Popcorn Fridays, Book Fair, and Staff Appreciation.
If you are interested please email us at starlakepta@gmail.com
PTA SPIRIT DAYS:
October 21st- Crazy Hair/Hat Day
November 18th- Sports Day
Join our Facebook page to keep up with the Star Lake PTA 9.4.55: https://www.facebook.com/groups/StarLakeElementary
* Remember that a successful PTA needs your participation. We appreciate your support! If you have any questions, please email us at: starlakepta@gmail.com
2022/23 School Calendar
Staff List:
Volunteer Applications:
Star Lake Elementary
Email: comments@fwps.org
Website: https://www.fwps.org/starlake
Location: 26812B 40th Ave S , Kent, WA, USA
Phone: 253-945-4000
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/StarLakeFWPS