Happy New Year

 

Dear K8 Team,

As we continue to enjoy our Christmas break, I hope you’re finding time to relax, recharge, and cherish special moments with your family and friends. This season is a gift—a chance to pause and reflect on the year behind us and set our sights on the year ahead.

As we approach the new year, let’s think about how we can continue to help our students reach their very best. Together, we can inspire and guide them toward growth and success in meaningful ways. I also encourage each of you to take some time for personal reflection—consider your own goals and how you’d like to grow in the coming year, both professionally and personally.

I’m looking forward to seeing everyone back in the building on Monday, January 6. Let’s kick off the second half of the school year with energy and purpose!

Wishing you all a Happy New Year!

Brett

 Good Morning K8 Staff!

Happy day-before-Christmas-break! The excitement is in the air—students are buzzing, and we’re all ready to embrace some holiday cheer! Here’s the plan for our festive and fun-filled day:

K-5 Christmas Singalong Concert at 1:00 PM

• Please take a moment to review the slide deck linked here to ensure your class songs are listed correctly.
• Students should be seated in the gym by 12:50 PM. There will be an open aisle down the center for you to walk your class to their designated spots on the floor, which will be clearly marked by grade level.
• Helpers will be available to assist with seating.
• Families may already be present, so let’s ensure students enter the gym quietly and respectfully.
• The concert will wrap up just after 2:00 PM, and students will return to classrooms with their families for Christmas Parties and Cookies! (Note: Hot cocoa won’t be available—our apologies!)
• Yes, Santa will be present and will be visiting classrooms too!

Middle School Christmas Dance at 2:30 PM

• Middle schoolers will take over the gym for a lively and festive dance, hosted by none other than DJ Mr. Mix-Alot-McLain! 
• It’ll be a fantastic way to end the day with group-style dances and holiday fun.

Let’s keep the energy positive, the smiles bright, and make this a day full of memories for our students and families. Thank you for all you do to make this season special. 

Brett

K8 Weekly Memo

 Dear K8 Team,

The week before Christmas break is always a special time, filled with the excitement and anticipation of the season. As we enjoy this energy, let’s remain focused on engaging our students with meaningful learning activities that align with our targets. Maintaining a strong finish will help set the tone for a successful return in January.

I hope all classes are practicing for our Christmas Sing-Along concerts—this cherished tradition is a wonderful way to bring joy to our students and families. For the event, the K-5 classes will be seated on the floor with the screen set up in the front. We’ll use the new white chairs to provide additional seating, and the bleachers will be set up in the back. Your efforts to prepare our students make this celebration even more special for everyone.

One of my favorite Christmas traditions, is cooking a luncheon for the staff.  This is a token of my gratitude, I’m thrilled to invite you to a festive Christmas lunch on Wednesday. We’ll explore some delightful Swedish traditions together—think delicious food, warm company, and a little cultural fun to celebrate the season.  See you in the staff lounge.

Thank you for your unwavering dedication to our students and each other throughout this year. I am deeply grateful for the care, creativity, and energy you bring every day. May this season bring you rest, joy, and hope for the new year ahead.

Warmly,

Mr. Joachim

Points of Interest

Thank You for Family Night Out

What an incredible Family Night Out! Over 300 people attended, and it was a huge success thanks to your hard work and dedication. Your warmth and care for our community made the event special. Thank you for making this happen!

Charger of the Month: Staff

This month, we’re thrilled to honor Dani Schurger and Jaymi Stirckert as our Charger of the Month award recipients! This dynamic sister duo has gone above and beyond to bring the Christmas spirit to life, spreading cheer and positivity throughout the school. Beyond the holiday season, Dani and Jaymi consistently bring brightness and excellence to their classrooms and to our school community. Their dedication to their students and passion for creating meaningful learning experiences are truly exceptional. Thank you both for all you do to make our school shine!

PLC @ Work  (Action Needed)

Please use this week’s PLC time to connect with your team in unit planning, data analysis, and intervention planning.  If you have not shared a Data Analysis, pease do so by the end of the week.  Please check in with me if you need assistance.  

Thank You for School-Wide Help

Thank you for keeping our school clean and organized! Your efforts with trash, tidying, and stacking chairs make a big difference. I love seeing desks wiped down daily, too. Let Bailey or me know if you need supplies—your care for our school is appreciated!

Secret Santa Stockings (Final Week)

Last week’s Secret Santa Stockings brought so much joy and fun! I couldn’t help but notice Mr. McLain’s extra pep in his step after scoring a $50 winning lottery ticket—what a treat! I also thoroughly enjoyed my festive candle and delicious candy. This is the final week of Secret Santa, so let’s keep the fun going strong. A big thank-you to our Sunshine Committee for organizing such a thoughtful and creative way to spread holiday cheer. Your efforts are making this season brighter for all of us!

Classroom Expectations Poster Updates (Action Needed)

For the New Year, please be prepared to revise and update your classroom expectation poster.  The New Year is a great time to reestablish the classroom expectations and frame them in the school-wide focus of Be Safe, Be Respectful, Be Responsible.  Here are a couple helpful links: K8 PBIS Link and K8 Expectations Matrix

Student Success Team

The holidays can be a hard time for some students.  If you observe a struggle student or family please be sure to reach out to a member of the Student Success Team for assistance. This team is exceptionally dedicated to our students.

Kristn Gintz, K8 Counselor            

Matt McLain, 6-12 Dean of Students

Erin Wilson, Student Assistant Professional: Prevention

McKensie Brittos, Student Assistant Professional: Behavioral

Chelsea Shelton, Community in Schools
Darci Zollman, MTSS Coordinator

Sherri Watson, School Nurse 

Nurse Sherri Notes

I am writing to inform you that we have recently confirmed one case of mononucleosis (commonly referred to as "mono") in our school community. Also, there has been an increase in confirmed mononucleosis cases at our local Springdale clinic. This letter aims to provide you with some basic information about the conditions and steps we can take to maintain a safe and healthy environment for everyone.

Mononucleosis is caused by the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) and is typically spread through saliva, close personal contact, or shared utensils or drinkware. While it is often referred to as the "kissing disease," it can also spread through coughing, sneezing, or other forms of saliva exposure. Symptoms may include:

• Fatigue

• Sore throat

• Fever

• Swollen lymph nodes

• Enlarged spleen (in some cases)

It is important to take appropriate precautions to limit the spread. To that end, we recommend the following preventive measures:

• Encourage frequent handwashing with soap and water.

• Avoid sharing personal items such as water bottles, utensils, or lip balm.

• Teach children to cover their mouths and noses when coughing or sneezing.

• Remind students to avoid close personal contact if they are not feeling well.

If your child begins showing symptoms consistent with mononucleosis, please consult your healthcare provider for guidance. Students diagnosed with mono may need time to recover at home and should return to school only when cleared by a healthcare professional.  

Please see her email for more information! 

MTSS News

I’m sure it’s going to be a busy and action packed week! We will be keeping things as consistent as we can with pulling groups/kiddos this week. This month hasn’t really gone as planned as some of my people have been pulled to cover others and we did the best we could to support as many kids as we could, so I apologize for the interrupted groups. I do know that Charlee will be out Monday afternoon so if she pulls your kids then, plan for something else.

If you could let me know when your Christmas parties will be taking place it would be helpful planning wise on our end.

The FastBridge testing window opens the day we arrive back in January. I would certainly hope that no one decides to test that day, but rather do a couple of days of review and reteaching and then test. At this point I don't think we will be running many groups during testing so I can be available to help and problem solve, and so we can test the younger grades. This week I will be reviewing your class lists with the testing tickets to catch any new students that might have been missed, so hopefully those will be golden on test days. I’m also going to be running a FastBridge Bridging the Gap contest (still playing with the name so if you have any suggestions please let me know)! Each grade level will have a poster up outside my room. Each student that makes growth (still working on “growth criterion”) will get a stamp for their grade. For the students that make extended growth (again, still working this out) they will receive the first stamp and then a bonus stamp in a different color for the extra growth. There are parties at stake! I will provide a party for the grade with the most overall growth and a party for the grade with the most extended growth! So get prepared to get your students fired up to do their very best!

Have a fantastic week!

Calendar

2024-25 K8 Calendar

Monday, 12.16

• Behavior Intervention Team, 10:00 AM

• MTSS Admin Meeting, 10:30 AM

• Office Meeting,1 PM

• D.E. Evaluation Mtg, 3:45 PM

Tuesday - 12.17

• PLC: Unit Planning, 7:15-8:00 AM

• OSSI/Springdale ES Collaboration, 8:45 AM

• Student Support Team- K8 Conference Room, 10 AM

• Behavior Acadamy: Social Skills Group. 9:30 AM

• A.A. IEP Review, 10 AM

• K8 Wellness Meeting, 1PM

• Civil Rights Data Collection Team Review, 3:45 PM

Wednesday -12.18

• MWSD Leadership Meeting @ 9:30 AM

• Behavior Intervention Team, 12:30 PM

• P2P Checkin, 1 PM

Thursday - 12.19

• Behavior Acadamy: Social Skills Group. 9:30 AM

• K5 Christmas Sign Along, 1PM

• K5 Christmas Parties and Cookies w/Parents, 2:30 PM

• MS Christmas Dance and Games, 2:30-3:30 PM

• K8 Staff Christmas Gift Exchange at Lake House

• Board Meeting

Friday - 12.20

• Student Access Day

• Admin P2P Work Day

Up and Coming Events:

• Christmas Break 

• Tooth Savers, January 7th

• FastBridge Testing

• Data Team Day

• January Character Trait: PERSEVERANCE

Helpful Links

• PLC @ Work Documents

• K8 Daily Schedule

• SWIS Referal 

• K8 Meeting Agenda

• K8 PBIS

• MTSS Process

• K8 Dashboard

 As the holiday season fills our halls with excitement and cheer (thank you Jaymi, Dani and Sunshine Committee), I want to take a moment to recognize your unwavering dedication to student learning. Your ability to balance festive celebrations with maintaining high expectations for growth is truly inspiring. The joy and focus you bring to each day make a lasting impact on our students, even during this busy time of year.

Thank you for your commitment to creating a positive and productive environment where students feel both supported and challenged. Your hard work does not go unnoticed, and I am grateful for the energy and care you bring to our school community. Let’s continue to make this season meaningful for our students as we prepare to finish the year strong!

Have a great week.

Good Reads: Supporting Student Learning During Winter Break…

Action Needed: As winter break approaches, consider what you can share with students and families to help keep learning alive over the two-week break. Encourage students to read daily, practice math fluencies, or explore our online tools like MobyMax and Imagine Math. These are just a few simple ways to keep them engaged and prepared for the new year! 

While students welcome winter break because it gives them time to relax, many parents worry that these few weeks off are too much of a learning break. Research shows that most children lose about two months' worth of math skills over summer break. Reading skills have also been shown to decline during this time. While a short two or three weeks in December doesn't have the same impact as three months of summer vacation, some families may still be concerned. To help overcome your fears, we have compiled a list of learning activities for winter break to help keep your students on track.  Learn more here.

Why the School-to-Home Connection Matters When educators and families use shared messages and consistent language, they reinforce important lessons, values, and expectations. This consistency certainly helps children make informed decisions and understand the “why” behind the rules. By integrating Ask, Listen, Learn materials into your classroom and winter break They have lots of resources to use in your classroom and to share with families before a holiday break. On their website you’ll find infographics, videos, and conversation guides. These materials are designed to make it easier for parents to discuss the science of the developing brain and the impact of alcohol on kids. To learn more at Class Tech Tips.

Points of Interest

Secret Santa Stockings

The staff room looks amazing!  Thank you Sunshine Committee for your hard work in decorating this space and setting up the Secret Santa stocking stuffers.  

Student Success Team

The holidays can be a hard time for some students.  If you observe a struggle student or family please be sure to reach out to a member of the Student Success Team for assistance. This team is exceptionally dedicated to our students.

Kristn Gintz, K8 Counselor            

Matt McLain, 6-12 Dean of Students

Erin Wilson, Student Assistant Professional: Prevention

McKensie Brittos, Student Assistant Professional: Behavioral

Chelsea Shelton, Community in Schools
Darci Zollman, MTSS Coordinator

Sherri Watson, School Nurse 

End of Day Responsibilities - Action Needed

Thank you for continuing to support our efforts to maintain a clean and organized school environment. As a reminder, here are the routines we’re encouraging to help students take responsibility for their space each day:

• Empty Trash: Take classroom trash to the gondola near the 5th-grade bathroom.

• Tidy Up: Ensure floors are clear of items and trash.

• Organize Supplies: Store school supplies neatly.

• Stack Chairs: Place chairs in stacks or on desks.

These simple routines allow our custodial staff to focus on essential cleaning tasks. Thank you for reinforcing these habits with students and helping us keep our school in great shape!

Instructional Rounds

Over the next two weeks, during my instructional rounds, I will focus on observing posted learning targets and gathering evidence of how students are achieving the learning objectives. Additionally, I will meet with teaching teams to review our school improvement goals and discuss how they align with our TPEP goals.

Reminder: Help Make Our Christmas Events Magical!  - Action Needed

We’re putting the finishing touches on our Family Night Out on December 12th and need your help to make it a memorable evening! If you haven’t signed up yet, please use the Family Night Sign-up Link to volunteer for activities, story rooms, treats, or setup/cleanup. We’re finalizing supply orders this week, so please sign up soon!

Also, don’t forget to select two Christmas songs for your grade level to perform during our Sing-Along Concert. Be sure they’re available on YouTube for audience participation and use the Christmas Song Sign-Up Link to submit your choices. Let’s make this holiday season unforgettable for our students and families!

Better Late then Never

Springdale Elementary has been recognized by the Washington School Recognition Program for the 2021–22 school year!   This honor celebrates your dedication to student growth, closing gaps, and academic excellence…our specific category was ‘growth for one or more student groups.’  Thank you for your hard work and commitment—this achievement is all because of you!

Counselor Corner

I know you know this… but, here’s just a little reminder!  Christmas can be a difficult time for many people due to a variety of reasons.  We often associate Christmas with happiness and cheer, but not everyone experiences that over the holidays.  Some people may feel sadness, loneliness, grief, have money worries, anxiety, and difficult family relationships.  Some may even feel cultural exclusion during the holiday season which makes it a difficult time of year.  Please be on the lookout for kids who may be struggling over the next couple of weeks before (and after) break.  I’d love to connect with them… and, you, too, if you need a little extra <3 this season. 

CharacterStrong/PurposeFull People: We are continuing our lessons on Empathy!  With our 2-week break, pick and choose a little from Weeks 3 and 4 to use what works best for you! :) 

Calendar

2024-25 K8 Calendar

Monday, 12.09

• Behavior Intervention Team, 10:00 AM

• MTSS Admin Meeting, 10:30 AM

• Office Meeting,1 PM

• W.K. IEP Meeting, 2 PM

• J.G. IEP Meeting, 3:45 PM

• Wrestling @ ACH

Tuesday - 12.10

• OSSI/Springdale ES Collaboration, 9AM

• Student Support Team- K8 Conference Room, 10 AM

• A.A. IEP Review, 10 AM

• Behavior Acadamy: Social Skills Group. 9:30 AM

• Moss Pancake Party, 1:40 PM

Wednesday - 12.11

• MWSD Leadership Meeting @ 9:30 AM

• Behavior Intervention Team, 12:30 PM

• EWU Student Teacher Site Tour, 1:30 PM

Thursday - 12.12

• MS Assembly, 9 AM

• Behavior Acadamy: Social Skills Group. 9:30 AM

• K-2 Assembly, 2 PM

• 3-5 Assembly, 2:30 PM

• PBIS Team Meeting (May Reschedule). 3:45 PM

• Family Night Out, 5-7 PM

Friday - 12.13

• LID Day, Agenda to Come

Up and Coming Events:

• K5 Christmas Sing-Along Concert Song, 12.19, 1 PM 

• Christmas Break 

Helpful Links

• PLC @ Work Documents

• K8 Daily Schedule

• SWIS Referal 

• K8 Meeting Agenda

• K8 PBIS

• MTSS Process

• K8 Dashboard