STAR GAZER GAZETTE Monthly Newsletter March 2018 Star Lake Elementary Federal Way Public Schools UPCOMING EVENTS Friday, March 16 EAGLE MART OPEN 2:00-3:00 pm Thursday-Friday, March 22 & 23 NO SCHOOL STUDENT LED CONFERENCES Teachers Will Set Up Times To Meet With You Thursday, March 22 BOOK FAIR 9 am - 7 pm, Library Monday, March 26 TRACK BEGINS, K-5th Grades (schedule included) Ends at 4:15 pm Monday, March 26 ED SPEC PARENT MEETING WITH ARCHITECTS 5-6:00 pm Computer Lab Wednesday, March 28 EARLY RELEASE FROM SCHOOL 1:35 pm Thursday, March 29 READING FAIR 5:00-7:00 pm, Gym Friday, March 30 BATTLE OF THE BOOKS 1:35 pm, Gym Monday-Friday, April 2-6 NO SCHOOL Spring Break Wednesday, April 11 EARLY RELEASE FROM SCHOOL 1:35 pm Thursday & Friday, April 12 & 13 EAGLE MART OPEN 2:00-3:00 pm LOOKING AHEAD Saturday, April 21 TRACK MEET—MEMORIAL STADIUM 12:45-3:15 3rd-5th Grades, 3:30-5:30 K-2nd Grades Wednesday, April 25 EARLY RELEASE FROM SCHOOL 1:35 pm STAR LAKE OFFICE HOURS (Doors Unlocked) 8:00 am – 3:30 pm Attendance messages can be left any time at: 253-945-4000 STAR LAKE ANNUAL READING FAIR MARCH 29th 5:00-7:00pm GYM Come enjoy our students’ story board displays and learn about the interesting books our students have been reading Students will be available to answer questions and tell you about their favorite book Students may also choose to dress up as their favorite character from their book, which will allow them a FREE DRESS pass for the next day so they can wear their costume to school
Transcript
STAR GAZER GAZETTE Monthly Newsletter
March 2018 Star Lake Elementary
Federal Way Public Schools
UPCOMING EVENTS
Friday, March 16
EAGLE MART OPEN
2:00-3:00 pm
Thursday-Friday, March 22 & 23
NO SCHOOL
STUDENT LED CONFERENCES
Teachers Will Set Up Times To Meet With You
Thursday, March 22
BOOK FAIR
9 am - 7 pm, Library
Monday, March 26
TRACK BEGINS, K-5th Grades
(schedule included)
Ends at 4:15 pm
Monday, March 26
ED SPEC PARENT MEETING
WITH ARCHITECTS
5-6:00 pm Computer Lab
Wednesday, March 28
EARLY RELEASE FROM SCHOOL
1:35 pm
Thursday, March 29
READING FAIR
5:00-7:00 pm, Gym
Friday, March 30
BATTLE OF THE BOOKS
1:35 pm, Gym
Monday-Friday, April 2-6
NO SCHOOL
Spring Break
Wednesday, April 11
EARLY RELEASE FROM SCHOOL
1:35 pm
Thursday & Friday, April 12 & 13
EAGLE MART OPEN
2:00-3:00 pm
LOOKING AHEAD
Saturday, April 21
TRACK MEET—MEMORIAL STADIUM
12:45-3:15 3rd-5th Grades, 3:30-5:30 K-2nd Grades
Wednesday, April 25
EARLY RELEASE FROM SCHOOL
1:35 pm
STAR LAKE
OFFICE HOURS
(Doors Unlocked)
8:00 am – 3:30 pm
Attendance messages can be left any time at: 253-945-4000
STAR LAKE
ANNUAL READING FAIR
MARCH 29th
5:00-7:00pm
GYM
Come enjoy our students’ story board displays
and learn about the interesting books our students
have been reading
Students will be available to answer questions
and tell you about their favorite book
Students may also choose to dress up as
their favorite character from their book,
which will allow them a FREE DRESS
pass for the next day so they can wear
their costume to school
Greetings Star Lake Families, Wow, the beautiful weather this past weekend helps me to believe that spring is right around
the corner! And springtime is a busy time here at Star Lake. We have student led conferences,
readers’ fair, battle of the books, spring break and state testing all coming up! In my last
newsletter I said our staff was engaged in our mid-year data summit, analyzing our progress
within our school improvement plan. Here are some highlights, please email or stop by if you
would like more details!
Great growth in number of students at standard in reading and math:
And great growth for all of our students both at standard and approaching
87% made the targeted amount of growth on i-ready reading
58% made the targeted amount of growth on i-ready math
Our average growth on IRLA is .78 years which is slightly above the district average
In the fall we had 53 kindergarten and 1st grade students in the lowest “emergency” reading level of “read to
me” and 1Y, we now have only 3!
We have moved 120 students in grades K-5 from the emergency level in IRLA to reading in grade level text!
67% of our students have made accelerated growth (above what’s expected) on IRLA
What do we still need to focus on:
Our ethnicity gap: There is a 30% gap between white students and Hispanic and black students on standard as
measured by IRLA.
Our performance gap: While 61% of our white students are meeting standard on IRLA, only 24% of our ELL
students, and 17% of our special education students are meeting.
We are seeing the need to build vocabulary, background knowledge and schema to help our students with
reading comprehension both in fiction and informational texts
We are seeing the need to build geometry and numbers and operations skills in math.
Addressing these needs is the focus of our team collaboration meetings and staff professional
development. We are consistently analyzing data to determine the best instructional strategies to
use for our students!
Happy Spring to each of you!
Kris Rennie, Principal
IRLA Oct Feb
On grade level 31.9% 54.4%
On target (at standard) 15.3% 37.7%
i-Ready Fall Winter
On level reading 19% 1st-5th 36% 1st-5th 50% K
On level math 11% 1st-5th 26% 1st -5th 39% K
17% points higher
than the district
average of 20.4%!
HEALTH ROOM NEWS:
Spring trees are blooming! People are
starting to cut grass and do yard
work. For some, that means their
eyes are itchy and their noses are running, espe-
cially on sunny days.
If your student has that issue, you might remember
to give them a non-drowsy antihistamine like Clari-
tin (Loratadine) before school if that is your family’s
practice.
Once they are here, we can’t give them any medi-
cation unless we have the medication in an original
container and we have a doctor’s order including
the guardian’s/parent’s signature.
Becky Dorsett, RN, BSN
MARCH 28TH AND APRIL 11TH
EARLY RELEASE DAY
Students at Star Lake will be dismissed at 1:35
pm.
Breakfast and lunch will be served as usual.
Students who ride the bus will have regular bus
service transportation at 1:35.
Parents who usually pick up students may pick
up at 1:35.
If there is a hardship, please contact our Star Lake
Office.
KINDERGARTEN ENROLLMENT HAS BEGUN
Kindergarten registration for the 2018-19 school year is now open.
Families with a child who will be five-years-old by Aug. 31, 2018 are welcome to enroll their scholar online at home or may use a comput-er in the school office. Additional paperwork must be completed at the school to complete the entire registration process. To enroll online, visit: www.fwps.org/kiosk, and click on the “Student Registration” link to start the process (make sure to select the
2018-19 school year). The following documents are recommended at the time of registration:
Your child’s birth certificate
Proof of your address (rental agreement, purchase agreement, or
utility bill)
Your child’s immunization records for measles, mumps, rubella,
polio, diphtheria, whooping cough, tetanus, hepatitis B, and vari-
cella (chickenpox)
If your child has life threatening conditions such as allergies, asthma, diabetes, and seizure disorders, a meeting will be scheduled with the school nurse to confirm that all medications, medical supplies, and health care provider orders are in place prior to the first day of school.
It is also suggested that parents provide:
Two emergency contacts, including addresses and phone num-
bers
Physician, dentist, and child care addresses and phone numbers
Safety Patrol
There is still plenty of space for any students 10 years old or older wishing to contribute to the safety of their school community. Forms are available in the office and from Mr. Leonard.
STUDENT LED CONFERENCES
Student Led Conferences will be held on March 22 & 23. Similar to our Fall Conferences, you will have an individual conference with your student’s teacher. This will be sched-uled for each and every student in our school. If you have not received an appointment time from your child’s teacher, please contact them ASAP. We are going for 100% attendance for the 3nd time in a row. Let’s keep our 100% attendance streak going strong!!
Preschool Registration for 2018-2019
There are two kinds of preschools available through the Federal Way School District:
Tuition Preschool—Registration Opens March 15:
Current cost for preschool is $2,100 for the school year and can be paid in nine installments. Enroll at the school site. Current locations are: Brigadoon, Camelot, Enterprise, Lake Grove, Meredith Hill, Rainier View, Sherwood Forest, Twin Lakes & Wildwood. http://www.fwps.org/Page/337
Free Preschool for Income Eligible Families (Head Start & ECEAP) Registration Will Open in April:
For an application, email [email protected] or call 253-945-2379. Paper copies will be available at Truman Head Start Center—31457
28th Ave S and the district office—33330 8th Ave S, or they can be
downloaded from the website. Classrooms are currently located at: Brigadoon, Decatur HS, Norman Center, Sherwood Forest, Star Lake, Thomas Jefferson HS, Truman Center, Mirror Lake, Totem Middle School, and Uptown Square Apartments. Applications for ECEAP 18-19 school year will be available in
THE SECOND ANNUAL STEM EXPLORATION NIGHT MARCH 28TH, 6:00-8:00 PM
Scholars of all ages and their families are invited to attend the second annual STEM Exploration Night at Todd Beamer High School
on March 28, 2018 from 6-8 p.m. You’ll have the opportunity to explore science, technology, engineering, and mathematics
(STEM) careers by meeting representatives from STEM companies and college and apprenticeship programs. After-school STEM
clubs will host interactive booths and show off pieces they’ve created, and there will be a live Sphero robotics programming com-
petition, a chess tournament and more!
More information about STEM Exploration Night is available in the FWPS app and online at www.fwps.org/STEMExpo. We look
forward to seeing you there!
Spanish:
Estudiantes de todas las edades y sus familias están invitados a asistir a la segunda Noche de Exploración Anual de STEM en la pre-
paratoria Todd Beamer High School el 28 de marzo del 2018 de 6:00 a 8:00pm. Usted tendrá la oportunidad de explorar las carre-
ras en el área de ciencias, tecnología, ingeniería y matemáticas (STEM) por medio de representantes de empresas, universidades y
programas de aprendizaje STEM. ¡Clubes de STEM de después de la escuela serán los anfitriones de puestos interactivos y mostra-
ran partes que han creado, y habrá un concurso en vivo de programación robótica de Esfero, un torneo de ajedrez y mucho más!
Más información sobre la Noche de Exploración STEM está disponible en la aplicación FWPS y en línea en www.fwps.org/
STEMExpo . ¡Esperamos verle allí!
Just a Reminder:
Due to inclement weather on Feb. 22 our built-in snow make-up day will be utilized on Tuesday, May 29, to make
up for the instruction that was missed on the 22nd.
Please make sure to update your calendar that we WILL have school on Tuesday, May 29th. FWPS has a decision-making process in place when making decisions about school closures and delays. This information can be found on our district website at www.fwps.org
EDUCATIONAL SPECIFICATION
MEETING WITH ARCHITECTS
Our Educational Specification Review Meet-
ing for Star Lake parents is on Monday,
March 26, 5:00- 6:00 PM
This is an opportunity for parents to meet
with the Design/Project Management team
again, to hear the proposed Educational
Specifications that will serve as the guide
for all the elementary school bond projects
and to provide additional input.
We hope to see you in the
computer lab on the 26th!
It’s not too late to connect with your child’s school!
When parents and schools work together, the results can be incredible, including increased academic achievement and better student attitudes
and behavior. In today’s busy world, however, the idea of getting involved can be overwhelming. “What do I have to do?” you may wonder. “I’m already short on time!” Don’t worry. Involvement doesn’t need to be complicated or time consuming. Even though the end of the school year is right around the corner, it isn’t too late to get involved. Starting right now, you can: Attend school events. While at school, make an effort to talk to staff and other families.
Pay attention to school information sent home and posted online. Keep track of im-
portant dates, such as end-of-year tests and celebrations.
Volunteer. Ask your child’s teacher if there is anything you can do to help out. Perhaps
you could prepare items at home for a craft, organize a class party, read to students or
help in another way.
Join the parent-teacher group. If you can’t make it to meetings, take time to read the
minutes from each meeting.
Ask the teacher questions. “How can I help my child succeed?” “What are the most
important school tasks for us to accomplish each day at home?”
Keep talking to your child about school. Let her know her education is
Congratulations to the 129 students who earned a bonus
ticket to shop at Eagle Mart for their perfect attendance
during the month of February. As we head into spring, our
3 year attendance data is showing this 129 number of stu-
dents with perfect attendance should be getting higher now
that we are out of the cold and flu season. Keep in mind
that attendance is still important at year’s end.
Even though you know that it’s important for your child to
be in school, sometimes it is easy to think “This would be
such a wonderful time to take a family trip. And, after all,
my child is only in first grade. Surely a few days’ absence
won’t matter, will it?”
It will. In fact, research shows that elementary schoolers
don’t have to miss much school before their learning suf-
fers. In the early grades, students are mastering reading and
basic math skills. And these are the skills most affected
when children miss school. Being in school consistently is
the only way students can develop a strong foundation on
which to build the rest of their learning.
When your child misses school, he is not the only one who pays a price. When the teacher has to stop to meet the needs of a student who was out of school, everyone else’s learning comes to a halt.
Source: H. Chang and M. Romero, Present, Engaged, and Accounted For: The Critical Importance of Addressing Chronic Absence in the Early Grades, National Center for Children in Poverty.
Remember Eagles, every day counts and every day matters!
Star Lake Battle of the Books Competition is Near!
Friday, March 30th is the date for the Star Lake Battle of the Books competition. Ms.
Nelson, our librarian, will be hosting teams in the gym from 1:15 to 2:45pm for this annual competition.
Parents are welcome to attend. Scorekeepers are desperately needed! If you would like to help out and be a scorekeeper, please email or call Ms. Nelson, [email protected] or 253-945-4010 or let the office know you’re available.
IT’S TIME FOR TRACK!
Practices for track will be after school and
will last until 4:15. Parents will need to
pick up your student at 4:15. Students
should bring a pair of tennis shoes/
sneakers to keep in their backpacks for practice. If stu-dents are wearing boots or slip on shoes they will not be
able to participate that day. This is for safety purposes.
Practices will be on the following Mondays
& Thursdays:
March 26, K-5th April 23, K-2nd
March 29, K-5th April 26, 3-5th
April 9, K-2nd April 30, K-2nd
April 12, 3rd-5th May 3, 3rd-5th
April 16, K-2nd May 10, 3rd-5th
April 19, 3rd-5th
Meets at Federal Way Memorial Stadium:
April 21st Practice Meet:
12:45-3:15pm, 3-5th Grade. Please arrive at 12:15.
3:30-5:30pm, K-2nd Grade. Please arrive at 3:00.
May 12th Final Meet (K-2nd Grades Only):
2:30-4:30pm, K-2nd Grades Only. Please arrive at 2:00.
May 12th Qualifying Meet (3rd-5th Grades):
8:30-2:00, 3rd-5th Grades Only. Please arrive at 8:00.
June 2nd Championship Meet (Qualifiers
Only):
1:00pm, 3-5th Graders Who Qualified at Previous Meet
Only. Please arrive at 12:30.
It is always cold and windy at Memorial Stadium so
please dress accordingly. The kids cannot wear their
coats onto the field so please have them wear an extra
shirt under their track shirt. Also bring a water bottle.
There are concessions (coffee, hot cocoa, hotdogs and popcorn) for sale at all meets.
Parents are required to stay at the meet. If you do not
stay, your child will not be able to participate. Parents
must check their child in and out with their coach.
PBIS And Eagle Mart Classrooms are being caught following our school PBIS guidelines in all areas of the school and have been receiving Eagle Wings for attendance, following guidelines at recess, in the hallways and during specialists, and at lunch. A total of 144 Eagle Wings have been presented to classrooms for the month of February. Classes have then chosen a special opportunity for all the scholars to participate in including: free dress day, pajama day, class party, donuts or special entertainment (music or movie). Mrs. Blair’s class continues to lead the school with 12 Eagle Wings but several classrooms have come close with 11 (Bartlett and Coleman) and 10 (Thomason, Withrow, Hall)!
A great BIG thank you all our teachers for their continued support our school wide PBIS program including giving out Star Lake Way tickets. Please welcome our ECEAP program as they have begun to participate in our PBIS program and have redeemed 85 tickets this past month! Our scholars have come ready to spend them and for the month of February have turned in over 6, 035 Star Lake Way tickets. Our classrooms shopping with the most tickets have included Mrs. Hall with 620 and Ms. Mata with 520. Classes continue to save for whole classroom incentives like free dress day, class parties. Please note below those students whom have turned in an excess of 20 tickets or more.
Humprey: Lillian
Van De Riet: Penelope, Maria, Jude, Leighton, Logan, Summer, Andrew, Praise, Romero
Thank you for supporting our PBIS program here at Star Lake!
Katherine Hinkle, PBIS Incentives Chair
Federal Way Public Schools 3rd—5th Grade 4 Square Jamboree
March 17th 3rd—5th grade boys and girls are invited to participate in a district wide Four Square Jamboree on
Saturday, March 17th at Valhalla Elementary School from 9:00-12:00. All ability levels are encouraged to sign-up. Participants will be guaranteed a 60 minute block session. This even is FREE, but transportation to Valhalla will not be provided. Participants attending must have an adult with them in order to attend. To sign up, please get a permission slip from
Mr. Mullins and return it no later than March 16th. Contact Mr. Mullins at [email protected] or 253-945-4008 with any questions about this event.
STEM Exploration Night Shuttle Route E Serving families at Lake Dolloff, Kilo, Meredith Hill, Camelot, TJHS, Valhalla, Star Lake, and Totem
Departures to STEM Exploration Night Stop Location First Run
