September 2023
From the Principal
Arrowhead Community,
This is just a quick note to let you know we are off and running. It’s going to be a great year! We spend these beginning days getting to know our students and helping them learn to be responsible, kind and courageous learners in their learning space.
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We want to send children home at the end of the day who have full, satisfied brains and full, satisfied hearts. We want them to face all the right sorts of challenges during the school day and have all the right supports. We want them to feel loved and to be loving. I look forward to everything this year brings, especially the arrival of our kindergarteners next Monday and Tuesday. Kristin Principal Kristin Bailey kbailey@nsd.org
Around the School
Kindergarten Staggered Start
Welcome to the nest Kindergarten families! Due to Kindergarten Family / Teacher Meetings Sept. 6-8, all kindergarteners will follow a staggered start next week.
- Sept. 11 - Kindergarteners with last name A-L come to school (M-Z stay home)
- Sept. 12 - Kindergarteners with last name M-Z come to school (A-L stay home)
- Sept. 13 - All Kindergarteners attend together. Early Release 2:00pm
Curriculum Night
Curriculum Night is an educational open house where parents and guardians will receive critical information that benefits their child's learning throughout the year. Meet Principal Bailey in the Gym at 5:30 for a short presentation and then proceed to your child's classroom for their 6:00pm presentation.
- Sept. 12 - Curriculum Night grades K - 2, 5:30-6:30pm
- Sept. 19 - Curriculum Night grades 3 - 5, 5:30-6:30pm
Picture Day is September 20
Dorian picture envelopes will go home with students on Sept. 13. Families may also place their order online at dorianstudio.com
Extra envelopes are also available in the Office. Please return your envelope by Picture Day. Here are some helpful tips to make Picture Day great!
- Schedule haircuts 7-10 days prior to picture day!
- Wear simple clothing. Solid shirts or small patterns, along with sleeves, photograph best. A simple collared shirt is a timeless classic.
- Avoid logos and text on clothing. Graphics or wording may not photograph completely and can become partially cropped out of your picture.
Injuries at School and Optional Student Insurance
Injuries at School
The health and safety of our students is of critical importance to the Northshore School District. Even so, accidents may and do happen and the resulting medical bills can be expensive. However, many families are unaware that the district does not carry insurance for student personal injury costs and cannot assume responsibility for them.
What this basically means is that if your child gets hurt during the school day or during a school activity, you as the parent/guardian, are financially responsible for any medical bills incurred.
This includes students participating in athletics, PE, recess and after school activities. If your student participates in a sport, please make certain your family insurance plan covers athletic participation.
Optional Student Insurance
As a service, the district provides information on an optional student accident/sickness insurance plan. Other coverage such as Interscholastic Tackle Football and Exchange Student insurance are also available. Although not the only provider of this coverage type, Meyers-Stevens & Toohey has been recommended by our Washington Schools Risk Management Pool. This coverage plan is made available by many school districts across the state.
If you have questions regarding the available plans, please call Myers-Stevens & Toohey at 800.827.4695 or visit their website at www.myers-stevens.com.
Downloadable forms and a link to applying online can be found on the district's website under Student Insurance. If you'd like a hard copy brochure and enrollment form, please contact ccash@nsd.org or 425.408.7630.
Coaches Corner
Cross Country is coming!
Coach Allemann
valleman@nsd.org
Coach Barstow
sbarstow@nsd.org
WELCOME BACK HAWKS!!!
Cross Country Season is right around the corner! This fun sport is open to all 3rd - 5th grade students!
- The registration fee is $45. Free and Reduced Lunch program qualifiers pay $0.00 and need to submit a new application every year.
- To apply and register, please visit Free and Reduced Meals and Fee Waived or Elementary Sports.
- Join Coaches Allemann and Barstow at the first team meeting/practice in the Library at lunch recess on Sept. 12. Practice will be every Thursday and Friday during lunch recess.
- Meets will be every Tuesday at 4:45pm in October. Locations announced soon.
For more information and how to register, please visit Elementary Sports Northshore School District.
Counselor's Corner
Ms. Joan Gonda
jgonda@nsd.org
425.408.4024
Hello Arrowhead Families and Community!
I hope you all enjoyed a wonderful summer, and looking forward to the oncoming school year! We are in transition mode and there are lots of things to keep in mind for your student & the family to help have a great start to the school year!
MINDSET:
Summer has brought amazing memories, times for relaxation, and so much family & friends time, that we are not ready to leave that behind! There can be some anxiety, nervousness, and excitement students start to experience. THAT’S PERFECTLY OK.
- Set some time to talk to your student and family, and know it’s ok to have those feelings.
- Your student may not be ready to leave the nest just yet! Make a plan to prepare each other for what would help through the changes.
ROUTINES:
Time will be one of the more big changes and challenges at home. Having to wake up early, saving time for breakfast, and the route to get to school whether by bus or car.
- What are some changes at home to get everyone ready for the school changes?
- What are some routines that worked last school year?
- What are ways to make those changes in the coming weeks?
HOMEWORK AND SCHOOL WORK:
Your student’s brains are going back into power mode, and it can be tiring or overwhelming. We are all here to support the best in your student’s learning experience.
- Take time for breaks and let that brain muscle rest from all the work!
- Let your student know they’re working hard, continue encouraging and motivating them.
- Please reach out to your student’s teacher and support staff if you have any questions, concerns or resources.
PBS kids has a few extra tips and resources to help through back to school!
https://www.pbs.org/parents/back-to-school
Looking forward to seeing you all again, and also welcoming our new Arrowhead families!
Ms. Gonda
From the Library
Ms. Ginny Allemann
Librarian
vallemann@nsd.org
Hello Arrowhead Families!
Arrowhead Library is open each morning at 8:35! Stop by and start the day with reading and exploring the library! I’ll be working hard to support our students’ growth in reading and research, tech and citizenship skills. This year the library will be closed Monday and Thursday afternoons when I’ll be teaching library lessons at Frank Love Elementary.
Each child will have library once a week for 45 minutes. Children can check out books each week. Older students will have access to the library on some recesses once the weather changes.
Check out our Library Website here!
My favorite thing about being a librarian is connecting my students to resources (digital and print) and just right books for their needs and wants! Are you searching for a book? Try Destiny Discover, our library catalog!
Mark you calendars! We’ll be having an in-library Secret Garden Book Shop BOOK FAIR during fall conferences, November 16-21 (excluding the weekend).
How can you support our library?
- Encourage your children to read each day! Read aloud with them. Share a family book. Repeat.
- Volunteer– If you are interested in helping, email me. Some jobs can be done at home, and I’ll need help with Book Fairs and other projects.
Hope to see you soon @ the library!
From the Health Room
Nurse Anne Janssen
Registered Nurse
ajanssen@nsd.org
425.408.4006
Up to date Emergency Contacts & Parent Square
Please be sure to update your emergency contacts with the office and be sure you are signed up to receive Parent Square notifications.
When to Send my Child to school & Medication updates:
It is not unusual for students to feel great in the morning and then worse as the day goes by. The school is not equipped for prolonged care of your sick student. We require that you or an emergency contact pick up your sick child within the hour that you are called. The emergency contact list for your student can be viewed and updated by parents in ParentVue. Thank you for helping us keep our schools safe and healthy.
Sick students cannot be sent home on the bus. Please be sure you have an emergency contact who can pick up your student during the school day, if you are not able to.
If your student has a life-threatening condition, health plans and medication must be in place before your student can attend. If your health provider has prescribed an EpiPen for your student’s allergy, we are required to have this rescue medicine at school and health plans in place before your student can come to school. Please call the nurse if you have not already informed the school of your students' allergy.
Any medicine your student may need during the school day must be discussed with the nurse. Please do not put any kind of medicine, including Tylenol, inhalers, vitamins, or cough drops in your child's lunch box, backpack, or pockets. Unidentified medicine can never be given at school.
Please refer to the following NSD link for health services if you are unsure when to send your student back to school after illness; for COVID updates; and any required health forms
https://www.nsd.org/schools/get-started/health-services
Covid
If your child is sick with fever, vomiting or diarrhea, or new/worsening cold symptoms, please keep your child home. Please see this link for guidance on "What to do if you have Covid symptoms" https://doh.wa.gov/sites/default/files/2023-02/420456-COVID19DecisionTrees.pdf
Note: We do not test students for Covid at school. If your child is sick they will be sent home.
Volunteers Needed
We need a few parent volunteers to help with vision and hearing screening here at Arrowhead on Monday, September 25th between 9am-noon. Please contact the nurse if you are interested at ajanssen@nsd.org.
Clothing Resources
Please see the following resources for clothing for your student. Many other resources can also be found at the district website: https://www.nsd.org/resources/support/assistance
Threads & Treads Clothing bank at Canyon Park Middle School:
https://cpptsa.org/programs-activities/threads-treads/
Clothes for Kids:
Technology Tidbits
Mrs. Amy Smith
School Technology Specialist
asmith@nsd.org
Student Devices
All students in Kindergarten and 1st grade will have an iPad assigned to them to use at school. This device will not go back and forth between home and school.
All students in 2nd - 5th grades are assigned a Chromebook. This device should be charged every night and brought to school every morning. Please be sure to transport the device in it's case. For information regarding caring for the Chromebook, please see this document.
Device Protection Program
Since Northshore moved to a 1:1 computing model to support student learning, we have been foregoing charging families for damaged equipment due to accident or negligence. Doing so has meant that the district has borne the cost for all repairs on devices assigned to students. As a measure to close the budget gap and increase accountability for students, we will be charging families for damage incurred on their student’s assigned device. Families were notified of this change via email on Friday 8/25.
Beginning September 1, all damage on student devices will be reviewed by the STS and if the damage appears to be due to negligence, accident, or intentional misuse, a fine will be assessed to the family. The damaged device will be collected from the student and a new one assigned to limit disruption to learning.
To offset the potential costs related to accidental damage, we have implemented a new assurance option for families called the Device Protection Program. This optional program costs $25 and provides discounts on damages to devices. Under the DPP, the first accidental damage will cost the family $0. The second will be 50% of the cost of the repair. All damage beyond the 2nd event will be full cost.
The DPP does not cover loss. If a student loses their device, charging cable, or bag, the family will be fined the entire replacement cost. DPP will also not cover obvious intentional damage to a device.
For more information, please visit the DPP page on the NSD website.
Notes from the Office
Ms. Poe Joya, Secretary/Registrar
pjoya@nsd.org
425.408.4003
425.408.4002 fax
Ms. Kelly Vedaa, Office Manager
kvedaa@nsd.org
425.408.4001
23-24 Northshore District School Year Calendar
September |
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| 9/6 | School Begins for grades 1-5, No Early Release |
| 9/6-9/8 | Kindergarten Family Meetings with teachers |
| 9/11 | Kindergarten last name A-L attends school (M-Z stay home) |
| 9/12 | Kindergarten last name M-Z attends school (A-L stay home) |
| 9/12 | Curriculum Night grades K-2, 5:30-6:30pm |
| 9/13 | All Kindergarten attends together, Early Release, 2:00pm |
| 9/19 | Curriculum Night grades 3-5, 5:30-6:30pm |
| 9/19 | PTA General Membership Meeting, 6:45pm, Library |
| 9/20 | Individual Picture Day |
| 9/25 | Health and Vision Screening for grades K, 1, 2, 3, 5 |
| 9/29 | Family Fitness Night |
Arrival and Dismissal 2023-2024
8:45am Students may arrive on campus
8:57am Welcome Bell
9:00am School Begins*
3:30pm Dismissal
2:00pm Wednesday Early Release
12:10pm Conference Day Early Release 11:00am Last Day of School Dismissal
*Students arriving after 9:00 a.m. must check in at the office and get a pass before going to class.
Attendance
Late Arrival / Excused Absence
If your child will arrive late or be absent from school:
Please call out 24-hour Attendance line 425.408.4010 or email ahattendance@nsd.org and your student's teaher by 9:00am.
Prearranged / Extended Absence
In the event that your child will miss more than 2 school days in a row for a reason
other than a health or medical issue, please complete and return a printed copy of the Absence Request Form to the office or email a copy of the completed form to ahattendance@nsd.org.
Change in After School Plans
If your child is going to change from their normal method of getting home or has some other alternate plan, please complete and return a printed copy of the Change in After School Plan Form or send a note with your student.
Lost and Found - Please clearly label all of your child's belongings so they can be returned to them when lost. Please check for your student’s items when on campus. Our Lost and Found Rack is located outside the Library.
Volunteers
We love our volunteers! All volunteers in the Northshore school district are required to complete an online volunteer application before being able to volunteer in classrooms or on field trips. Volunteers have to renew their application annually and will receive an email alert one month before their application expires. All field trip Chaperones must be Level 2 status to go on a field trip.
If you completed a Level 2 background check in the past, (required for field trip chaperones) you will only need to complete a Level 1 update to renew your volunteer status.
Please reach out to the office if you are unsure of your volunteer status, 425.408.4000.
ParentSquare and StudentSquare Communications Tool
What are ParentSquare and StudentSquare?
ParentSquare (for families) and StudentSquare (for middle and high school students) is an easy-to-use communication tool that combines multiple communication streams into one interface for families, staff, and students.
Here’s what you can do with ParentSquare and StudentSquare this year:
- Receive information from the school via email, text, phone call, or mobile app notification
- Two-way messaging with translation between staff and families/students
- Choose to receive information as it comes, or all at once at 6 p.m. daily
- Communicate in your preferred language
How do I activate my ParentSquare account?
There are three different ways to activate or register your ParentSquare account so you can log in to the website. View our reference guide for details on each method or download the Getting Started - English or Getting Started - Spanish PDF guides for tips.
Update Emergency Numbers and Contacts
Parents are able to update their information and emergency contact information through ParentVUE . We ask that you have the most up to date information in our system in case we need to get a hold of you in an emergency.
If you need help logging into ParentVue, please contact the Office at 425.408.4000.
Closures and Delays
If no schedule changes are posted, schools and buses are operating on normal schedules.
Emergencies such as inclement weather, power outages and hazardous road conditions can alter school schedules and affect bus transportation. The decision to close or delay schools is made by the superintendent as early as possible, usually around 5:30 a.m. Early dismissals will occur only if a delay in dismissal significantly increases hazards.
Viking Girls Select Basketball
Website: facebook.com/inglemoorgirlsselectbasketball
Email: info@inglemoorgirlsselect.com
Northshore School Foundation
This is us...
...Devon, a lively third grader needs a wobble chair to help concentrate and focus while trying to learn vocabulary and work on his handwriting.
...Alana, who just moved here from Portugal, needs books written in Portuguese to help her transition to reading in English.
...Ivan, a middle schooler whose family is experiencing financial challenges, needs a backpack and school supplies.
What if the Northshore Schools Foundation wasn't here to fund Devon's wobble chair, Alana's multilanguage library, Ivan's backpack, and more?
Will you join us?
From the PTA
ptaarrowhead.org
Arrowhead PTA
Arrowhead Elementary Parent Teacher Associations mission is to positively impact the lives of all children and families within the Arrowhead community. We strive to support and advocate for our children by partnering with staff, families and the wider community to create a safe, inclusive and healthy learning environment allowing our students to excel personally, academically and socially.
Join or Renew your PTA Membership
If you haven’t joined or renewed your PTA membership yet, please take a minute to do so. Cost: $15 per person (or $25 per family). More info on our website. Or go directly to the MemberPlanet site to join. Note: If the fees are a financial hardship for your family, we have membership scholarships available. Email membership@ptaarrowhead.org to apply.
Subscribe to Highlights newsletter:
Our weekly newsletter provides the latest on what’s going on through the PTA. Easy to subscribe on our website.
Volunteer for the PTA!
We have lots of opportunities to get involved listed on our website. We need your help to make the PTA a success for the school and your families. There are a variety of roles with varying levels of time-commitment. Don’t see something you want to do? Propose it! Here are some key positions we need filled:
- V.P. of Activities
- V.P. of Programs
- Fundraising
- STEM Night
- Art Auction
- Before/After school programming
September & October PTA Events
September 19: General Membership Meeting – 6:45 pm in the Arrowhead library.
Join us in the library for the first membership meeting of the school year! Meet other members of the PTA and learn about what we have planned.
October 1: PTA Fundraiser, OL Reign Soccer!
Join your arrowhead community on Sunday October 1st, 5 pm at Lumen Field to watch Seattle’s professional women’s soccer team, OL Reign. Each ticket sale benefits our Arrowhead PTA. Purchase tickets here.
October 3: PTA Pizza Night – 6:30 pm in the Arrowhead library.
This is being rescheduled for another night. More info to come later.
October 17: General Membership Meeting – 6:45 pm in the Arrowhead library.
Join us in the library for our monthly membership meeting. Vote on upcoming initiatives, connect with other members of the PTA, and discover what help is needed.
For more event information, visit our calendar or follow us on Facebook.
AfterSchool Enrichment Class - Mighty Coders
Sign up today for our Fall after school computer programming class presented by Arrowhead PTA and Mighty Coders. Starts September 20th! Sign up here.
- Wednesdays, 2:15-3:15 pm
- $270 for 10 week course (Scholarships available)
- Open to 3rd-5th graders
Registration discount for NSD parent volunteer. Email vp@ptaarrowhead.org for more information!
Thank You Volunteers!
Community Serve Day Volunteers
On August 27, over 100 community members and Arrowhead families joined together to get Arrowhead ready to welcome students. Volunteers weeded, pruned, spread bark, painted, stuffed folders and made Arrowhead shine! We could not have done it without your help.
PTA
We are blessed to have PTA and this community for our partners! Recent SEC Grants were approved to provide students with school planners in 4th and 5th grade, school wide student folders, school wide supplemental materials covering ELA, Math, Engineering, Technology, health, arts, and 5th grade Playwriting Residency with Studio East.
Library Volunteers
Our amazing Library volunteers keep our Library in top shape, checking books in and out, helping find that just right book and assisting Ms. Ginny with special projects.
We are so grateful to PTA and this amazing community for their support!
Champions Before and After School Care
Champions offers extended before and after school care right here on campus! Give your child the creative space to discover what they love, build friendships, and find a new place to belong.
Details:
Morning Care - 7:00am to Bell
Afternoon Care - Bell to 6:00pm
Contact - Meghan Larsen, Arrowhead Site Director
ch001095@discoverchampions.com or 425.281.9644
District News
Need Mental Health Support? You are not alone. There are community supports for mental health, suicide prevention, substance abuse, self harm, and more. Learn More
At Arrowhead, we create resilient and empathetic learners who confidently navigate their world through being innovative, creative, critical thinkers.
Arrowhead Elementary
6725 NE Arrowhead Dr
Kenmore, WA 98028
425.408.4000
425.408.4002 fax
arrowhead.nsd.org