Salish Ponds Elementary
March, 2023
March Conferences!
Conferences are right around the corner! If you have not set up a conference time with your student's teacher, please reach out and schedule a time to meet during March 15th or 16th. You are also welcome to call the office at 503.492.7260 and we will get you in touch with your scholars' teacher.
Conferences will run on Wednesday March 22nd from 4:00-8:00PM and again on Thursday, March 23rd, from 8:00 AM till 8:00 PM.
This is an important time of year to see how your scholar has grown, what areas are independent and what areas need supports, and we can also discuss looking ahead to next year.
We look forward to seeing you at conferences!
Communication on skills
Learning together
Thank you for being part of our community!
Counselors Corner!
Hello, Salish Ponds Families!
We hope the old saying, “March comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb” is true because our weather for the beginning of March is roaring in. We wish you cozy warm nights at home spending time with your families.
This month, we are spotlighting courage, specifically confronting our fears and standing up for what we believe in. Our anxieties and fears are real, and so is courage. Throughout time, we have bore witness to leaders who have persevered and demonstrated courage such as Wilma Mankiller, Stacey Abrams, Malala, Greta Thunberg, Naomi Osaka, and Marsha P. Johnson. Most importantly, our students and community have you. We encourage you to continue these conversations at home and share what courage means, what it looks like, and how to navigate those fears.
Here are suggestions for books and videos to help start conversations:
K-2: · I am Courage by Susan Verde
· The People Shall Continue by Simon J. Ortiz
· The Year We Learned to Fly by Jaqueline Woodson
3-5:
· Ron’s Big Mission by Rose Blue
· Courage by Bernard Waber
· Spaghetti in a Hot Dog Bun by Maria Dismondy
· Nasreen’s Secret School: A True Story from Afghanistan by Jeanette Winter
Daring Greatly: How the Courage to Be Vulnerable Transforms the Way We Live, Love, Parent and Lead by Brene Brown, Ph.D.
Media:
https://www.facebook.com/PBSKIDS/videos/pbs-kids-talk-about-bravery-and-courage/605770353625618/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-8yjphM969Y https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yqr2GcFlY3I
As always, we are here to support your student and your family. Please feel free to contact us at the following extensions at school: Puka Ahina, Social Worker, x3008, Arianne Delos Reyes, K-2 Counselor, x3016, Virginia Rose, 3-5 Counselor, x3037
Assemblies!
We want to invite you to come to our community gatherings. Please check-in, in the office, get a visitors badges and join us to celebrate all the accomplishments our scholars have made!
State Testing Opt Out
State standardized testing will start at Salish Ponds in April. If you do not want your student to participate in the state testing this year, please contact the school so we can provide you with the appropriate form.
The ELPA (English Language Proficiency Assessment) will open on January 17th. Your child's attendance during our testing times will be imperative for the success of their completion and results.
If you have other questions, you can contact Mrs. Bentley.
PTO Spring Planning
rjones@rsd7.net and vrose@rsd7.net
We look forward to supporting our scholars!
Spring Break
Learning about IEPs
Learning about IEPs
Individualized Education Program (IEP) meetings can sometimes be confusing and overwhelming for parents/guardians. Become familiar with the development of the IEP and how your participation is essential in this process.
Attendees will:
- Learn about the special education process
- Understand the purpose of an IEP
- Review each section of the IEP
- Recognize the value of parent and guardian expertise during the process.
Cultural Awareness: Women's History Month!
During the month of March, scholars will be learning about Women's History month. This year the theme is "Celebrating Women Who Tell Our Stories." We will be recognizing women of past and present, who have been active in all forms of media and storytelling. The theme honors women in every community who have devoted their lives and talents to producing art, pursuing truth, and reflecting the human condition decade after decade. Please look for activities coming home from your scholars' learnings and information about the Women your scholar's class will be creating a door decoration about!
Women's
- "Girls are capable of doing everything men are capable of doing. Sometimes they have more imagination than men." — Katherine Johnson, one of the first Black women to work as a NASA mathematician
History
Month!
"I raise up my voice — not so I can shout but so that those without a voice can be heard ... We cannot succeed when half us us are held back." — Malala Yousafzai, Pakistani activist for female education and the youngest Nobel Peace Prize recipient
Meet some of our staff!
This month We want to introduce our First-grade teachers, a specialist, and 2 support staff.
Anita Johnson
Michele Chung
Jackie Crocket
Craig Harden
Jenni Blake
Emily Lasselle
Craig Harden
Jenni Blake
Emily Lasselle
Arrival and Dismissal/ Safety Concerns
Your patience at arrival and dismissal keeps our kids safe and the traffic moving! Thank you for driving with slow speeds, using our designated drop off areas, and for always checking with the adult on duty before leaving with your child.
Safety Concerns We need your help to ensure everyone's safety so we can avoid potentially dangerous situations for our students as they are getting dropped off to / picked up from school:
- Please do not drive around/over/through the orange cones - they are there to help traffic patterns and ensure your vehicle, your students and our staff remain safe!
- Park in the center parking lot only if you need to go into the building.
- Drive slowly and be considerate of drivers backing out of parking spots
- Allow students to get into/exit vehicles on curb side only
- Keep students buckled-up until vehicle is at a full stop
- Call the school if your student will be going home with a different person or in a different way
"Pro Tips" Here are some ideas for these times of the day that might benefit your family and help make our processes more efficient:
- We do not release students until 3:20pm and the pick-up line is complete in less than 15 minutes. Arriving early to line up in the car pick up lane doesn't always mean a faster pick up!
- If you consistently pick up your student in different cars or by different people, ask the teacher for another dashboard name sign so your pickup person will not need to be verified
- Park at the middle school north lot and walk to drop off/pick up your student! This could be a great time to talk and connect with your scholars without distractions (not to mention exercise a bit!).
This is a process we continually strive to make better and faster for you! Let us know if you have ideas!
Library Corner!
March is Women’s History Month and Read Across America Day
The month of March has two exciting celebrations. Read Across America Day is March 2, 2023. This is a national celebration of reading that was started by the National Education Association in 1998. In our school, on March 2nd, we participate by everyone stopping to read once it is announced over the intercom. To learn more about Read Across America, check out this website. https://www.readingrockets.org/calendar/readacross
March is also Women’s History Month. This is a time to celebrate all the contributions women have made through history to better our world! We will be learning about this through the library, through book read alouds, and activities. If you would like to support your student with additional resources, this link to National Geographic for Kids is great place to start. https://kids.nationalgeographic.com/history/article/womens-history-month
Upcoming events in March and near future.....
- 2nd: 3rd- 5th Assembly at 11:10-11:40, and K-2nd Assembly at 12:30-1pm. Please let your scholar's teacher know if you are coming, so we can set up additional chairs.
- 6th-10: Classified Appreciation Week!
- 17th: St. Patrick's Day
- 22nd-23rd: Conferences, No school
- 24th: No school
- 27th-31st: Spring Break, No school
- June 2nd Assembly: It will be "out of this world". Please mark your calendars to come and join us for our end of the year assembly to celebrate the growth of all our scholars and their academics! The assembly will be in our cafeteria at 2pm.
We are the Salish Ponds Dragonflies!
Website: https://www.reynolds.k12.or.us/salish
Location: 1210 Northeast 201st Avenue, Fairview, OR, USA
Phone: (503) 492-7260