Otter News
December 9, 2022
Otter Families,
Winter Holidays are upon us. I'm looking forward to spending time with my family here in Seattle and returning to Minnesota to spend time with family there. I hope you enjoy the extra time with your children too. Below are a couple of important pieces of information for family/school partnerships.
In an attempt to complete the 22/23 school year before July 1, Seattle Public Schools, the Seattle Education Association and a team at John Rogers have completed plans for virtual snow days. In the event we are not able to gather at John Rogers Elementary, school will be held remotely. You can expect:
- To follow a regular schedule (unless 2 hour late is called)
- Students to carry devices to and from school throughout the winter.
- In a virtual day at least %70 of instruction will be synchronous (meaning with the teacher)
- Teachers to send home brief log-in instructions so you may help your children
- Students will be practicing using Microsoft Teams in school too.
Report cards will be published in via The Source sometime before January 10th. For older students, there is a new element to the elementary progress report. We are just transitioning to using Lexile Levels as a measure to determine if students are meeting grade level expectations as independent readers. The Lexile Level will now be the single measure teachers use to answer Yes or No to Independent Reading: Student meets grade level performance expectations. This is just one measure of reading with a focus on comprehension from one point in time (their Fall MAP test). As with any new measure, we often see students not meeting the expected target when first adopted. Your child’s teacher uses other measures to determine proficiency in reading and likely discussed these measures and your child's progress at conferences. Measures we use may include DIBELS, SIPPS and F&P assessments, depending on your child’s grade level. If you have questions or concerns about your child's reading progress, please let your child’s teacher know. If you have questions about the Lexile measure, please contact me.
Happy Holidays!
In partnership,
Brent Ostbye
Principal
206-550-9156 (c)
Bell Schedule
7:55am - 2:25pm (M, T, Th, F)
7:55am - 1:10pm (W)
Important School Dates
- December 12-16, Staff Appreciation Week! And, Spirit Week! (see flyers below).
- December 16, 1-hour early dismissal
- December 19-30, Winter break (no school)
- January 2, New Year's Day Observed (no school)
- January 12 African American Parents Breakfast with the Principal (we will share current ideas for the new building and are looking for input.
Staff Appreciation Week!
*If the QR codes aren't working for you, please access the Signup Genius to help stock the staff lounge here: John Rogers PTA: Stock the Staff Lounge @ John Rogers Elementary (signupgenius.com)
*Help contribute to the staff holiday party here:PTA PayPal link
Internet Access
Affordable Connectivity Program for Family Home Internet Access
DoTs is highly recommending that students and families in need of internet access apply to the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) www.ACPBenefit.org.
The ACP provides a discount of up to $30 per month toward internet service for eligible households and up to $75 per month for households on qualifying Tribal lands. This can make many of the plans no-cost for internet access.
A household is eligible for the ACP if the household income is at or below 200% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines, or if a member of the household meets at least one of the criteria below:
- Based on your household income
- If you or your child or dependent participate in certain government assistance programs such as SNAP, Medicaid, WIC, or other programs
Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) Schools, please use the provided family letter template to confirm student enrollment. Letters should be copied onto school letterhead for families to include in their application when prompted.
Hotspots will be made available, in limited capacity, to eligible students at the start of the 2022-23 school year. More information is available on the MySPS Student Device Support webpage.
Contact Student TechLine laptops@seattleschools.org
Spirit Week!
Wishlist for our library!
Our library has a wishlist that Ms. Landis created. Let's help build our library book offerings!
winter weather
If inclement weather changes the school day schedule, SPS will notify families via email/call/text.
Absent at John Rogers protocol:
Is your student going to be absent?
Please email the office at: kejolgren@seattleschools.org and add your child's teacher (so, emailing two accounts in one email). If you would prefer phone, please call the attendance line (you can leave a message at any time) at 206-252-4324.
Flu and COVID-19 Vaccine Clinics:
COVID-19 vaccine clinics are provided by Othello Station Pharmacy and Safeway Pharmacy. Pre-registration is encouraged.
All COVID-19 vaccine clinics at SPS will offer vaccines for any person aged 3 and older. COVID vaccines are free, and insurance is not required. For more information and to register, visit the COVID Vaccine Page.
To be in the school directory, click here:
VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES
*Heritage Night is a John Rogers Elementary annual event that is an interactive evening of exploring the many cultures and stories of our school community. Help us bring back this special night this school year!! Heritage Night will be held this spring. Are you interested in joining the committee? leading this event? If so, please email Tricia Groebner @ triciagroebner@gmail.com Thank you for considering!!
*Would you like to get involved with other parents supporting equity, diversity, and inclusion in our school community? The John Rogers parent EDI team meets monthly. All are welcome to attend. Please email parent Tricia triciagroebner@gmail.com for information including meeting date and link, meeting minutes and/or join the email list.
*Name change to our school possibility - Are you interested in the years-long process to think critically about and potentially change the name of John Rogers Elementary?
Email Shirin Gallagher: shirin.venus@gmail.com
We love our volunteers and prior to volunteering please complete the SPS required volunteer online application and allow for 2+ weeks for processing and approval. More information: Volunteer Application Process - Seattle Public Schools (seattleschools.org)
JOIN OUR PTA!
BECOME A PTA MEMBER TODAY!
Membership is $9. JOIN NOW! Scholarships are available by emailing John Rogers PTA Questions? Contact John Rogers PTA
*Memberplanet charges a small service fee ($0.59)*
PTA GROUP ON FACEBOOK John Rogers PTA Facebook page
Two membership questions required to join this private group. Thank you!
PTA Website to find helpful information: https://johnrogerspta.org
DID YOU KNOW THERE IS A WEBSITE ALL ABOUT THE JOHN ROGERS ELEMENTARY REBUILD?
Check it out to find out the latest updates on the upcoming rebuild of our school! The Latest Zoom meeting with the Community and the design team is on the below webpage. To see renderings (like the one below of the south, field entry) of the design and details check out the recorded meeting!
https://www.seattleschools.org/.../schoo.../projects/rogers/
22/23 SPS SCHOOL YEAR CALENDAR
PTA NEWSLETTER REQUESTS:
PTA blurbs must be less than 75 words and & include contact info. Email: Kristi Yee by 12noon Thursday: frappuccino35@hotmail.com
