EBE Home Connections
October 3, 2021
Weekly Message from Mr. Hanzeli
Hello Elger Bay Families,
Welcome to October! It was great to see all the fun our students had with their first sprit day last Friday. We are anxious to see how they do with Crazy Hair / Hat Day this coming Friday, October 8. I hope to gather up a few photos for next week's newsletter :-) Meanwhile, here are a few items to serve as reminders and prompts on other school related items. As always, don't hesitate to get ahold of us here at school if you have any questions.
~ Mr. Hanzeli
PE Shoes Reminder for Fun Run
Just a quick reminder that students, weather permitting, will be doing their EBE PTA Fun Run running during one of their PE classes during this week (10.4 - 10.8). Please make sure that your students comfortable running shoes on their PE day. If you are not sure what day that is, please Email your child's teacher.
October Student Progress Conferences
Watch for teachers to begin reaching out to you in the next couple of weeks to schedule this opportunity to talk about how the year is going so far for your child. Here are the basics:
Who: Parents/Guardians, Teacher, and (in some grades) Students
What: Parent / Teacher Conference (approximately 20 minutes)
When: October 27, 28, or 29 (half day school / half day conferences)
Where: In person or Virtual to accommodate parents
Why: We believe strongly in communicating and this is a great 1:1 chance to be sure we are on the same page in terms of supporting each student :-)
Wednesday, October 27 Special NOTE re Schedule
One of the (above) parent conference days is a Wednesday. On that Wednesday it is a unique schedule so please mark your personal calendars.
- School begins like the other normal days, 9:00. Follow the MTRF bus schedule.
- Students are dismissed at 12:00.
- Parent conferences for teachers begin at 12:30
Weather and Recess
We do our best to get the students out and playing during recess, even if there is light drizzle. We do not allow umbrellas because they too frequently turn into 'swords' or young students aren't quite able to see their neighbors and we end up with poked eyes. We do encourage students to have a hooded jacket or knit cap they can throw on for if we do allow them out in drizzle or light rain. When the rain becomes heavier we direct them under the covered walks and covered area.
EBE PTA Drive Through Trunk or Treat Needs List
Check out this LINK if you are interested in following all the outdoor safety guidelines and being a host car for the PTA Drive Through Trunk or Treat or might willing to donate.
Music Teacher Update (Repeat)
As most of you know that as a part of our school program in the SCSD at elementary we offer basic music instruction. Depending on the grade, this includes about 45 minutes +/- per week when they would normally meet with and learn from a music specialist. To date we have not yet been able to secure a qualified music teacher to fill that position. In its place we have had an excellent substitute teacher who has been working with our teachers and our school counselor to use this time to support our Character Strong program for students. Students have been having a great time and staff are working together to make this time meaningful to support our students in their journey through school. Please be assured that I continue to post, monitor, and look for any leads towards securing a music teacher for the children but I just wanted to be transparent and let you know where things stand as of this moment.
Assessment Window (Repeat)
Students in Grades 1 - 5 will participate in the Measurement of Academic Progress (MAP), and students in Grades 4 and 5 will participate in the Smarter Balanced Assessment (SBA). These online assessments will each require two sessions each 30 - 90 minutes depending on the grade and the individual student. Neither assessment is a timed assessment. The window for MAP and SBA is coming up in October. Your child's teacher will communicate the specific dates for her/his class and we will post the grade levels on the online calendar at our website for your reference. These assessments will provide us with an excellent baseline about each student.
Dropoff Door Locked at 9:00 (Repeat)
The dropoff door in the morning (north) is locked and no longer monitored at 9:00. If you arrive at 9:00 or after, you will need to drive around to the main entrance (west), park, and sign your child in as tardy.
EBE PTA Quick Notes (Repeat)
- Reminder that the Fun Run pledge sheets were delivered last week. Fun Run for students will take place the week of October 4 during a 35 minute PE session.
- PTA has begun plans for a return of the hugely popular EBE PTA Trunk or Treat "Drive Through" event on Friday, October 29, 6:00-7:30.
Upcoming Dates
Week of October 4 - October 8
EBE PTA Fun Run (held during each student's PE session)
Friday, October 8
EBE / PTA Spirit Day: Crazy Hair / Crazy Hat Day
Tuesday, October 12
EBE PTA General Meeting, 6:00-7:00
Stay Tuned for Details re Location and/or ZOOM access
Thursday, October 14
Vision / Hearing Screening Day
Thursday, October 14
EBE / PTA Spirit Day: Mismatched Shoes / Socks Day
Friday, October 15
No School for Students, Staff Training Day
Friday, October 22
EBE / PTA Spirit Day: EBE or Spartan or Seahawk Spirit Wear
(For those who may not have any spiritwear, join in by wearing colorful clothes: Explorer green and white, Spartan Red and White, or Seahawk Blue and Green)
Wed., Thurs., Fri., October 27-29
Half Days for Students; Student Progress Conferences Afternoon
Thursday, October 28
EBE Picture RETAKE Day
SCSD School Full Year Calendar Link
For your convenience, I am going to permanently leave the SCSD Student Calendar Link at the bottom of my newsletter calendar so you might always have it handy.
Superintendent Deborah Rumbaugh’s Friday Message, 10.1.21 (Repeat)
Hello Families,
It is hard to believe October is already here! This has been a challenging and rewarding start to the school year. We are hopeful that our schools may return to a more “normal” routine as we see COVID case rates slowly starting to decline in Snohomish County. Districts in our region meet weekly with the Department of Health to review current case rates, listen to medical experts and plan our next steps.
A recent outcome of these meetings was our ability to lower our standard quarantine period from 14 days to 10 days. This means, if your student(s) tests positive for COVID, or is a close contact to someone that tested positive for COVID, the quarantine period is now 10 days. Please connect with your school nurse if you have any questions about close contacts, tertiary contacts or have questions about your student(s) circumstances. Please see this infographic from the Department of Health that describes how we determine close contacts in schools.
Listening Sessions with the Superintendent
During Tuesday night’s virtual listening session, families had the opportunity to share celebrations and needs that they and their students are experiencing. 20 families joined in this one hour session; some of the topics that were discussed included:
- Ensuring schools provide adequate time for meals and snack
- Appreciation for school newsletters and Friday Family Messages
- Clarifying the amount of quarantine days and procedures
- Addressing class size and enrollment at Cedarhome Elementary School
Our team will use these topics as opportunities to improve our practices and procedures. We sincerely appreciate the time our families took in giving us feedback. Our next listening session will be on Tuesday, November 30, 2021. Please check the District Calendar for details.
Change in Days Required for Quarantine (additional detail)
At the guidance of both Snohomish and Island County health districts, we will be shortening our close contact quarantine period to 10 days. Beginning Monday, September 27, any student or staff member who is determined to be a close contact to someone who is COVID positive will need to be quarantined for 10 calendar days. As before, a quarantine restriction does not affect other family members who are not determined to be close contacts. Students and staff who are quarantined are expected to remain home, avoiding contact with anyone outside their household, during this 10-day period (e.g., extracurricular activities, etc.)
This decision was made, along with several other districts in our area, in order to return our staff and students back to school as quickly as possible without sacrificing safety. This move is being made with the guidance of our local health departments; it may be rescinded by local health departments, if circumstances dictate a change back to a more conservative timeline.
Finally, thank you for your patience and understanding as we navigate another unusual school year. We strive daily to ensure your children receive the best possible education. We know that safety protocols can be stressful for students and families, but we are committed to keeping COVID cases low, students and staff in school and learning a priority!
Thank you for your partnership in this important work.
Spread the Word, Call Your Friends
If you have a child to register for next year, you may stop in to the office. Please bring:
- Registration Forms
- Copy of their birth certificate (or other age verification document, as noted)
- Immunization records.
For enrollment purposes, we accept birth certificates, adoption decrees, baptismal certificates, immunization records, previous school records, or entry in a family tree. Other documents not outlined here may also support age verification.
Students entering kindergarten must be 5 years old by August 31, 2021.
Please call us at 360-629-1290 if you have any questions.
REGISTER ONLINE: New Student and Kindergarten Registration for 2021-2022
CONTACT YOUR ELGER BAY TEAM
Email: ebeinfo@gmail.com
Website: ebe.stanwood.wednet.edu
Location: 1810 Elger Bay Road, Camano, WA, USA
Phone: 360.629.1290