Cougar

As we complete our first full week of school, students are settling into routines and building relationships. Consistency is one of the most important ingredients for success. Whether learning to read, solving math problems, or making new friends, progress happens one day at a time.

Thank you for making attendance a priority. When students arrive on time and ready to learn, they gain confidence, avoid missing valuable instruction, and feel more connected to their classroom community. Together we can help every child stay on track for success.

• August 26 - Early Release at 1:03PM
• August 26 - House Sorting Ceremony
• August 27 - WAUK-PAC Auditions for Aladdin Jr.

This upcoming Wednesday is our annual SORTING CEREMONY!!!

On Monday, new students will learn about our four houses: 🔴 Amistad — House of Friendship 🟢 Isibindi — House of Courage ⚫ Altruismo — House of Givers 🔵 Rêveur — House of Dreamers .

Wednesday, we will have our annual Sorting Ceremony Pep Rally where our new students will choose their feather and officially join a house.

Students remain in the same house for all of their time at Cooke. Throughout the school year we will have House Spirit Wear Days (every early release) where students can earn points for wearing their house colors. The more items a child wears in their house color, the more points they can earn. On house activity days (typically the 2nd Wednesday of each month), not only will students engage in activities around the House System, but they will also have lunch and recess as a house, instead of by grade levels when weather permits.

Students can earn points for their house this year by attending evening events at Cooke, dressing up on Spirit Wear Days and by showing good character, outstanding effort and academic excellence. You may even notice your child's picture on one of our House Leaderboards. One leaderboard is near the main office and the other near the MPR. These showcase the overall house points per house and a live photo of the child in each house who most recently earned a point.

Wednesday's Sorting Ceremony will be livestreamed on Facebook starting at 8:45AM.

Cooke has 3 schoolwide expectations. Be Kind, Be Responsible and Be Safe. This week students co-created classroom expectations with their teachers. Families can help by discussing these expectations at home and asking children how they demonstrated them each day.

A new school year runs more smoothly when children know what to expect. Predictable routines reduce morning stress, help kids transition into learning mode, and free up mental energy for the things that matter most — paying attention in class, making friends, and building confidence. Children thrive on structure even when they resist it out loud; knowing what comes next actually helps them feel safe.

● Set a consistent bedtime and wake-up time, even on weekends.

● Prepare backpacks, shoes, and clothes the night before.

● Create a quiet, consistent spot for homework and reading.

Routines don't have to be elaborate to work. The goal is consistency, not perfection. The same few steps, in the same order, most days. A visual checklist on the fridge or bedroom door can help younger children follow along without constant reminders, and it gives them the satisfaction of checking things off themselves.

Within a few weeks, your child will likely start doing parts of the routine without being asked, which is exactly the kind of independence we want to build all year. Start with just one or two habits and add more once those feel automatic.

Rushed mornings set a stressful tone for the whole school day. When children leave home feeling frazzled, that feeling often follows them into the classroom, making it harder to settle in and focus. A calmer morning helps kids arrive ready to learn instead of still catching their breath.

● Lay out clothes and pack backpacks the night before.

● Set alarms with extra buffer time built in.

● Eat breakfast together, even if it's quick.

Small adjustments — waking up ten minutes earlier, moving breakfast to a set time, keeping shoes by the door — can make a surprisingly big difference. Notice which part of your morning feels most chaotic and start there; fixing one bottleneck often smooths out the rest of the routine naturally.

It also helps to end mornings on a positive note. A quick hug, a high-five, or a simple "I love you, have a great day" sends children into school feeling grounded, no matter how the rest of the morning went.

Family Activity

Create a simple morning checklist together and post it somewhere visible — let your child check off each step as they go.

Conversation Starters

● What's one thing that would make our mornings easier?

● What are you looking forward to at school this week?

● What time do you think you need to go to bed to feel your best?

Here our our stats for Week One:

School-Wide Attendance: 98.08%

School Goal: 95%

Grade-Level Champions

● Kindergarten: 98.32%

● Grade 1: 98.68%

● Grade 2: 97.24%

● Grade 3: 98.86% FIRST PLACE!!!

● Grade 4: 97.32%

● Grade 5: 98.54%

Just a reminder that students with 95% attendance or higher will be invited to an end of year celebration.

September 2 - Open House 5:30 - 6:30 pm

September 7 - No School

September 9 - House Spirit Day/Early Release 1:03 pm

September 14 - 18 - Book Fair

September 18 - Fall Fest 5:30 -7:30 pm

September 23 - House Spirit Day/Early Release 1:03 pm