The Sailor Signal
Cottage Lake Elementary - January 23, 2022
A Note from Principal Welch
We are about to enter our final week of school in January. We continue to prepare for the end of our first semester and the preparation of report cards. This is a reminder that we have No School on Monday, January 31, as teachers will be working on student grades. Report cards will be available for families at the end of next week. More information will be shared in our next newsletter about report cards.
I continue to be thankful for each of you doing your part to help minimize the spread of COVID at school. Thank you for keeping your student(s) home if they are not well and showing signs and symptoms. COVID is in our community and we learn of new positive cases daily. The symptoms we are seeing most often right now are: headache, fever, sore throat, coughing, sneezing, and tiredness. Please don't hesitate to reach out to Nurse Audrey or me if you have questions. I want to also share that Northshore has updated our safety measures and is following the most recent CDC guidelines. You can click the link below in the COVID safety updates to learn more.
In closing, as we move closer to the February 8 special election, please do make sure you are registered to vote. It is very important that all those who are eligible to vote do vote! Ballots are arriving soon in your mailboxes. Please find more about our Northshore Bond and Levies under the District News section below.
I hope we have a fabulous week ahead of teaching and learning.
Take Care,
~ Jen Welch, Principal
The Great Kindness Challenge/Spirit Week
This coming week, January 24-28, Cottage Lake will be participating in The Great Kindness Challenge. Our Student Council will be distributing Kindness Checklists on Monday to classrooms. The checklists may provide your student with ideas of what they could do to show kindness, but the checklist is not exhaustive. During this week, we challenge all students to complete as many acts of kindness as they can.
In addition to the checklists, our student council has also decided to make a few days this week spirit days, as well. The themes of the days are below.
- Monday: Acts of Kindness checklists Spirit Day
- Tuesday: Sailor Pride (school colors...Blue and Yellow) Spirit Day
- Wednesday: Team Kindness (sports attire) Spirit Day
- Thursday: Happy Hearts (peace, love, hearts attire) Spirit Day
- Friday: Dream of Kindness (pajamas) **Turn-in Acts of Kindness checklists
I hope you all join our school in spreading kindness!
•• School News ••
COVID batch testing update
We had 0 vials return positive.
We do continue to have individuals who have tested positive through individual testing.
I want to thank all families for taking our safety measures seriously and keeping symptomatic students home. It matters! We continue to work hard to minimize the spread of COVID and our newest variant. We are seeing this variant spread quickly and symptoms also present quickly. The biggest symptoms we are seeing are: headache, cough, sneezing, fever, and tiredness.
If you are on the fence on whether to keep your student home, I encourage you to err on the side of caution and keep your student home. Please also consider reaching out to Nurse Audrey, as well.
Thank you for all you are doing to help keep our school open and safe for staff and students!
•• REPEAT SCHOOL NEWS ••
COVID safety updates
Families can find the most up-to-date COVID health and safety information by clicking the links below.
- King County Quarantine and Isolation Guidance
- Families can access the 2021-2022 NSD COVID-19 Safety Protocols by clicking here.
- Families can access our NSD COVID-19 Data Dashboard by clicking here.
Health Check Question to review daily
Health Check Questions:
1. In the past 24 hours has the student experienced any of the following symptoms:
- Fever of 100.4 or above
- Cough
- Shortness of Breath or Difficulty Breathing
- Chills
- Loss of Taste or Smell
- Fatigue
- Muscle Pain or Body Aches
- Headache
- Sore Throat
- Congestion or Runny Nose
- Nausea or Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Other signs of new illness that are unrelated to a preexisting condition (such as seasonal allergies)
2. Has the student had any of the symptoms of COVID-19 listed above within the past 3 days that lasted more than 24 hours?
3. Has the student been in close contact with anyone with confirmed COVID-19 within the last 14 days? Close contact means being within 6 feet (2 meters) of an infected person for 15 minutes or more.
4. Has the student had a positive COVID-19 test for active virus in the past 10 days?
5. Within the past 14 days, has a public health or medical professional told the student to self-monitor, self-isolate, or self-quarantine because of concerns about COVID-19?
Home Internet Access
The FCC’s Emergency Broadband Benefit (EBB) has become the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP). Information about these excellent programs for providing families true high-speed Internet access at their homes (and not just the limited access that a hot spot provides) is available at https://www.nsd.org/internetaccess.
The website above provides information regarding eligibility and application process. Any family eligible should definitely apply.
Newly expanded testing at Cottage Lake
Beyond the batch testing, we are also now able to test close contacts at school, as well. If students are fully vaccinated (which includes 2 weeks after the final shot), students remain at school if asymptomatic and we can test students after day 5 of exposure. If your student is unvaccinated, we can make an appointment for a time for you to bring your student by school so we can test them after day 5.
All confirmatory tests will be processed through our partners at CIC Health. Results right now are taking between 30-72 hours. We hope results will be processed quicker again very soon. We are excited about this change in testing so we can have our students in school and this also helps with the challenges in finding PCR test availability in our community.
Registration with CIC Health
If you register now, this will speed up the process should your student need to be tested due to a positive batch or a close contact test.
Directions for registering in the CIC Health database:
- Visit this link: https://covid.cic-health.com/s/addSchoolMember?RRAccount=0014R00003ABUrT
- You will enter information about your student(s) and you will also need to verify your email with a code, as well.
If you have questions, please reach out to Nurse Audrey or Principal Jen Welch.
i-Ready online instruction available
After your students take the new winter iReady diagnostic assessment in the areas of Math and Reading, all students have access to an individualized online instruction pathway. The pathways are created from their iReady diagnostic assessment, which highlights their successes and areas of continued development and learning.
Students access their learning pathway by logging into iReady through their Clever page.
As a guideline, we would like students to be using this online instruction between 30-45 minutes, each week, for each subject (Reading AND Math). Some of our teachers are providing some time during the school week for students to engage in the online learning, but if you are able to have your students access this learning at home, that would be great!
Last week, we had 134 students access the online learning, with 60% of students accessing it between 10-29 minutes. Our student's average score for lessons passed was 84%. This learning tool has shown it can help reduce learning gaps and increase achievement for students.
If you would like to know your own student(s) time engaged in the iReady online learning from September to current, please reach out to Ms. Welch.
Child Sick or Change of Plans After School?
If you have a trip planned and are going to be gone during school days please fill out the request for excused absence form at this link Cottage Lake Pre-Approved Absence Form
•• DISTRICT NEWS ••
Viewing K-5 English/Language Arts Curriculum Adoption options
State of our Schools w/ Superintendent Reid
The fifth annual State of Our Schools event will be held on February 3, 2022. Superintendent Michelle Reid, Ed.D. will share important initiatives and successes, as well as provide a look ahead to what’s next in Northshore. More details will follow.
Dual Language program
Northshore Families… Have you ever thought about Dual Language?
The K-5 Dual Language Program at Woodin Elementary is a bilingual educational program integrating multilingual learners and English-speaking students for instruction in and through two languages (Spanish and English) with the goal being to create students who are multilingual, multiliterate, and multicultural.
Find out if the dual-language program is the right choice for your family at an upcoming information night!
Tuesday, February 8th, 2022
- 6:00-6:30 PM
- Zoom Link: https://nsd.zoom.us/j/86074343897?pwd=RUZ6NzZPSHJYckY4R3B4dEFoOGV1QT09
- Please RSVP to Danielle Lewis (dlewis@nsd.org)
Parents Active in Cooperative Education (PACE)
PACE (Parents Active in Cooperative Education), a choice educational enrichment program offered through the Northshore School District, is currently accepting applications for the 2022-2023 school year. All applications are due prior to the Feb. 10 PACE lottery drawing deadline, and a virtual tour is required prior to application.
PACE builds a learning environment that includes active family participation; innovative teaching techniques; and a unique partnership of teachers, families, and students. The PACE program serves students of all learning capabilities, follows the Northshore School District curriculum, and also provides an enriched educational experience through additional field trips, events, and speakers. Placement for PACE is by blind lottery, open to children in grades 1-5, space permitting. Lottery application forms are due no later than Feb. 10, 2022. A virtual tour is required prior to submitting your application.
- Pre-register for a Lockwood PACE virtual tour by emailing membership@paceatlockwood.org
- Pre-register for a Wellington PACE virtual tour by emailing enrollment@PACEWell.org
- Pre-register for a Woodmoor PACE virtual tour by emailing enrollment@paceatwoodmoor.org
CLICK HERE to learn more about PACE.
•• REPEAT of DISTRICT NEWS ••
School Board approves three funding measures
The Northshore School District is seeking renewal of two key funding measures – our Educational Programs & Operations Levy and our Technology Levy – as well as approval of a Capital Projects Bond in the Feb. 8 election. Below are opportunities to learn more about these important measures:
Participate in a Community Conversation webinar on the Bond & Levies with district leadership on either of the following days:
- Virtual Brown Bag Information Session - Tuesday, Jan. 25 from 12-1 p.m. on Zoom: https://link.nsd.org/3FLwUfO
- Virtual Information Session - Thursday, Jan. 27 from 6-7 p.m. on Zoom: https://link.nsd.org/3tJVYBm
Thank you for taking the time to learn more, and please watch your mailbox for your ballot, which is scheduled to arrive this week. Ballots are due by Tuesday, Feb. 8.
CLICK HERE to learn more about the Bond and Levies.
Lunch menu changes
If you are printing out the menu at the beginning of the month, there will inevitably be changes before the month is over.
Although our department strives to make changes at least 7 days ahead, there are weeks when we must make a change with 2-3 days' notice due to delivery shortages, today we have had to make a change to Friday's menu.
For up-to-date menu information please review our menu online (see the link below).
https://www.myschoolmenus.com/instance/449/district/448/school/3797/menu/20136
Free and Reduced lunch application
Remember: families must reapply every year!
Submit a Free or Reduced-Price application.
You can also visit the Northshore Free and Reduced Priced meals website here: https://www.nsd.org/schools/get-started/food-services/free-and-reduced-price-breakfast-lunch
•• PTA News ••
Calling All Volunteers!
As 2022 swings into action, the Cottage Lake Elementary PTA is going to be busy with various events, fundraisers, and programs. If you are interested in helping, please click on the link below and specify your area(s) of interest! Thank you for your continued support!
Sign up link:
Cottage Lake Elementary
At Cottage Lake Elementary, it is our united mission to build a safe, engaging, and inclusive environment of resilient lifelong learners. In partnership with our vibrant community, we embrace our diversity and strive to foster trust and kindness.
Email: jwelch@nsd.org
Website: https://cottagelake.nsd.org/
Location: 15940 Avondale Road Northeast, Woodinville, WA, USA
Phone: 425-408-4200