Tambark Creek Principal Newsletter

From the Principal’s Desk – October 2026

Dear Tambark Creek Families,

As we begin the month of October, I would like to take a moment to thank you for helping make TCE an amazing school where students thrive and grow both academically and emotionally. Your partnership, support, and commitment to your child's education are truly appreciated and do not go unnoticed.

I especially enjoyed seeing so many of you during our Open House in September. It was wonderful to welcome families into our school and celebrate the learning taking place in our classrooms. Thank you for taking the time to attend and connect with our staff.

As our school year continues, I would like to remind all families about the importance of following our arrival and dismissal procedures. These procedures have been developed first and foremost to ensure the safety of our students. They also help us maintain a calm, organized, and efficient process, which is imperative for a school as large as TCE.

In addition, please remember to communicate with your child's teacher regarding your child's regular dismissal plan and any changes that may occur. Knowing exactly how each student goes home every day is an important safety measure and helps us ensure that every child gets where they need to be safely.

Arrival and Dismissal Procedures

The safety of our students is our highest priority. Please carefully follow the procedures below to help ensure a safe and efficient arrival and dismissal process.

Rolling Drop-Off and Pick-Up (Front of the Building)

• Use the front drive-through loop for all student drop-offs and pick-ups.
• Pull all the way forward to where adults in safety vests are stationed. Staff members will assist students with car doors.
• Do not drop off your child in any other location, including near the forest area or on the sidewalk.

Kindergarten Families

• If you are driving your child to school, please park and walk your child to the Kindergarten Corral located in front of the school.
• Buses will drop off and pick up Kindergarten students at the bus loop on the east side of the school.
• Kindergarten students will be escorted by adults to the Kindergarten Corral.

Morning Line-Up

• All students, except kindergarten students, will line up in the undercover area each morning.
• Safety cones and signs will clearly identify each teacher's classroom line.

Bell Times and Late Arrival

• First Bell: 9:10 AM
  • Gates by the bus loop will be locked at this time.
• Final Bell: 9:15 AM
  • All students should be in their classrooms and ready to learn.
• Students arriving after 9:10 AM must be brought to the front office and signed in by an adult.

Safety Reminders

• Do not drop off or pick up students in the bus lane, next to the playground fence, or in the fire lane.
• Students who walk to school should enter from 174th Street and proceed along the sidewalk to the undercover area.
• Parents and guardians walking students to school are asked to avoid standing near gates or buses, as this can limit visibility and create delays. If you would like to visit with other families, please gather near the library area by the large rocks.
• Please remember that the speed limit on school property is 10 MPH.

Mountain Lion Superheroes:

Sign up to be a Mountain Lion Superhero!

Our goal is to have parent/guardian figures be positive role models at our school. As a Superhero you will spend most of your time encouraging students at recess. In between recess support you can join your individual student for lunch.

Before volunteering, you must be an approved volunteer through the district. To apply, please complete the form online: https://www.applitrack.com/everettsd/onlineapp/_application.aspx?starting=true

If you are interested & an approved volunteer, please click the link below to sign up for your day on campus: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/30E084AA4A722A75-mountain

Additional Reminders

• Please use the crosswalks when crossing the parking lot. Do not walk out into the road during dismissal and arrival.
• During dismissal, children and siblings should not be playing on the playground equipment. At that time, we are loading buses and dismissing students safely, and students waiting for transportation can become distracted by playground activities.
• Families are welcome to return and enjoy the playground after dismissal at 4:00 PM.
• Please do not send glass containers or glass thermoses in your child's lunch or backpack. Broken glass can create a serious safety hazard and may result in injuries.
• If you have not already done so, please consider joining our PTSA. Our PTSA plays an important role in supporting students, staff, and school events throughout the year. Your involvement makes a difference! https://tambarkcreek.everettsd.org/ Click on About Us then go to PTSA and scroll down to Key resources and click on Become a PTSA Member.

Thank you for your continued partnership and support. Together, we are creating a safe, welcoming, and successful learning environment for all students. I look forward to a wonderful October filled with learning, growth, and opportunities for our TCE community.

Warm regards,

Warmly,

Mrs. O'Connor-Weaver
TCE Principal
"Together, we will make this a fantastic school year!"

Dear Mountain Lion Families,

September flew by, and we're gearing up for an October to remember for our TCE community!

We kicked off the school year with our first ever Back-to-School Bash on September 1st. What a fun evening it was for the students to meet their teachers and to reunite with their classmates! Huge thanks to everyone who attended and to our incredible volunteers who made it happen. Don’t forget to share your favorite photos for any of our events at yearbook@tambarkcreekptsa.org.

🍎 *Celebrating the Heart of Our School: Principal O’Connor-Weaver!*

October is officially National Principals Month, and we want to extend a massive thank you to our incredible principal, Mrs. O’Connor-Weaver! She balances a demanding schedule to foster a positive school culture, inspire our teachers, and make sure our students have a safe, thriving environment to grow. Her leadership and tireless behind-the-scenes work shape the very core of our TCE community.

Want to help us share the love? Join us in taking a quick moment to drop her a nice email or have your student write a quick thank-you note. Let’s make sure she feels celebrated all month long!

🦸 TCE SUPERHERO FUNDRAISER IS UNDERWAY! 💥

Our Superhero Fundraiser kicked off October 5, and we need your help reaching our $45,000 goal by October 18!

💙 Why do we fundraise? Funds raised go directly back to our students and school community, supporting field trips, teacher & classroom needs, assemblies, enrichment, school events, scholarships, and more!

🌟 Who benefits? EVERY TCE student!

🎯 Goal: $45,000

📅 Fundraiser: Oct. 5–18

🎉 Block Party: Oct. 21

🔗 Donate & Share: bit.ly/tce-superhero

⚡ Company Matching: Double your impact! Email your matching confirmation with your student’s name and class to fundraising@tambarkcreekptsa.org so they receive credit toward their rewards.

Every donation and share helps our TCE superheroes get closer to their goal! 🦸💙

💙 Here are a few examples of how your donations made a difference last year:

🤝 PTSA Membership 🤝

Be part of what makes our school community strong! Join or renew your PTSA membership by clicking on this link to support our students, teachers, and school community.

Members will receive up-to-date information on PTSA activities! Be on the look out for our weekly PTSA Newsletter delivered straight to every member’s email inbox! We meet via Zoom every other month - our next Membership meeting is scheduled for November 16, 2026.

🙌 Volunteer with PTSA

We need your help to make our events and programs a success! Your support helps us create fun, engaging experiences for all our students. Please note that any activity that takes place during the school day, will require volunteers to be district‑approved before signing up.

Apply here: Everett School District Volunteer Form

Stop by the PTSA table to scan and earn reward points for extra recess and class parties.

Here’s a list of October volunteer opportunities that are PTSA Class Cup eligible:

🍿Popcorn Thursday - October 8, 2026

Popcorn Thursday is something we look forward to on the second Thursday of every month during our students lunch period. Volunteer opportunities fill up fast, so plan ahead and join in the fun! Must be a district approved volunteer.

Volunteer Sign‑Up: PTSA Popcorn Thursday

🌾Harvest Festival – October 8, 2026

Join us for an evening of fall fun at our annual Harvest Festival. This family event features games, activities, food, and community celebration.
Volunteer Sign‑Up: PTSA: Harvest Festival 2026

Have general volunteer interests?

👉 Sign up here: General Volunteer

📩 Questions? Contact vicepresident@tambarkcreekptsa.org

🎃🚗 TCE FAMILIES — WE NEED YOUR TRUNKS! 🚗🎃

Help us bring Trunk or Treat to life! 👻🍬 We’re looking for 50 amazing families, friends, neighbors & staff members to decorate a trunk and help create a fun, magical night for our Mountain Lions! 🦁💙💛

✨ Pick a fun, family friendly theme

🚗 Decorate your trunk

🍭 Bring treats to hand out

💜 Help us provide a sensory-friendly experience from 6:30–7:00 PM

🏆 PLUS — hosting a trunk earns PTSA Class Cup volunteer points for your student’s class!

📅 Trunk or Treat: October 30

⏰ Trunks arrive at 6:00 PM | Event 6:30–8:30 PM

🚨 ONLY 50 TRUNK SPOTS AVAILABLE!

📣 Sign up by October 23

Grab your family, get creative, and come make some Halloween memories with us! 🎃✨

🔗 Sign up here: CLAIM YOUR TRUNK!

🧠 *THE MATH CHALLENGE IS BACK!* 🎉

Calling all puzzlers, pattern-spotters, and brain-teaser fans! The Math Challenge returns to Tambark Creek this year, and it's a fun one to tackle at home.

*How it works:*

• 15 challenge sets, released roughly every 2 weeks from October 2026 to April 2027

• Problems feel more like logic games than homework, and get trickier as you go

🏆 *Wall of Fame:* Top scorers in each class earn a spot on our Math Challenge Wall of Fame!

📬 Everyone can join in! Find each challenge and the submission form at Math-in-Action. PTSA members also get every new challenge, the form, and the solutions delivered straight to their inbox.

🗓️ First challenge goes live: *Friday, Oct 9*

❓ Questions: mathchallenge@tambarkcreekptsa.org

📣 *Calling All Student Artists: PTA Reflections is Back!*

We are thrilled to announce the launch of this year’s National PTA Reflections program! This annual arts competition provides a wonderful platform for our students to explore their artistic talents, express their unique identities, and share their creativity.

The official theme for the 2026–2027 school year is incredibly special: "What My Culture Means to Me". Students are invited to look inward, explore their heritage, and show us what their traditions, roots, and culture mean to them through their work.

Students can submit new, original artwork in one or more of the following categories:

• 📖 Literature

• 📸 Photography

• 🎨 Visual Arts

📌 Important Details & How to Enter

🚀 Submission Start Date: Submissions officially open on November 1, 2026. The submission form will be live and ready to accept entries starting on this date!

• 📅 Submission Deadline: November 13, 2026 by 11:59 PM

Virtual submission only via https://forms.gle/oNgRTxPcFeyTWeYW8

❓ Questions?

Please reach out to our Reflections Chair, Norhan Saad, at reflections@tambarkcreekptsa.org

For more inspiration and rules, visit the Washington state PTSA Reflections Page

🎮 Yearbook Cover Contest: Level Up Your Character! 🦸

The yearbook cover contest is back!

*What’s your superpower? What makes YOU amazing?* Maybe it’s kindness, bravery, creativity, teamwork, helping others, or never giving up. Show us what it means to *level up your character* and be your best self!

Create a fun, original design for a chance to have your artwork featured on this year’s yearbook cover.

✨ Grab your pencils, crayons, and markers and get creative!

Contest Details:

* Submissions opened **Friday, September 25**

* Deadline to submit **Wednesday, October 28**

* One original entry per student

* All artwork must be:

• On a 8.5” x 11” paper in portrait (vertical) orientation.
• Include ”Tambark Creek Elementary” and ”2026 - 2027” on the front.
• Include student’s name, grade, and teacher on the back
• Students can submit their artwork entry directly to their teachers or in high resolution image (JPG or JPEG format only) via email to yearbook@tambarkcreekptsa.org

Purchase your 2026-2027 Yearbook today!

* Early bird pricing: $28

* Price goes up to $33 beginning Jan 12, 2027

* Deadline for yearbook purchase: March 31, 2027

* Shoutouts are $5 and available for purchase till February 28, 2027

* Link to purchase Yearbook: 2026-2027 TCE Yearbook

* Link to purchase Shoutout: 2026 - 2027 TCE Shoutouts

📌 Website: www.tambarkcreekptsa.org

📌 Facebook: facebook.com/TambarkCreekPTSA

📌 Instagram: @tambarkcreekptsa

As always, we welcome your ideas and feedback anytime at president@tambarkcreekptsa.org.

With Gratitude,

Sandra Sivananthan & Omnia Elgoodah

Co-Presidents

Tambark Creek PTSA 7.3.12

🎵MUSIC: 🎶 Recorder News for 4th Grade Families 🎶

Our 4th graders have started recorder! The recorders from Mad Robin Music have arrived, and I'm handing them out during music class. If your child hasn't had music yet this rotation, they'll get their recorder the next time they see me.

A few important reminders:

1. Recorders live in backpacks. They come out only for music class and for practice at home.
2. Please do not play recorders on the bus or at school, except in the music room.

Still need to order a recorder?
The Mad Robin Music ordering site is open here: https://www.madrobinmusic.com/shop/category.asp?catid=1547
Please note that new orders won't arrive until the end of November, when I pick them up. I'll get them to your student as soon as they're in.

No recorder yet? No problem!
I always keep clean recorders in the music room for students to borrow during class. Borrowed recorders stay at school. When students finish, they place them in the "dirty" bin. Everything in the clean bin has been washed and sanitized through the school dishwasher, so they're safe and ready to use.

Thank you for supporting our young musicians! I can't wait to hear them play.

Mr. Bogopolsky

nbogopolsky@everettsd.org

Sign up to be a Mountain Lion Superhero!

Our goal is to have parent/guardian figures be positive role models at our school. As a Superhero you will spend most of your time encouraging students at recess. In between recess support you can join your individual student for lunch.

Before volunteering, you must be an approved volunteer through the district. To apply, please complete the form online: https://www.applitrack.com/everettsd/onlineapp/_application.aspx?starting=true

If you are interested & an approved volunteer, please click the link below to sign up for your day on campus: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/30E084AA4A722A75-mountain

We appreciate your support!

Warmly,
Shari Thompson & Nicole Eells

Monday Oct 5 - Oct 18: PTSA Fundraiser
Thursday Oct. 8: PTSA Harvest Festival 7:00 PM

Friday Oct. 9th: NO SCHOOL

Thursday Oct 15: STEAM Night 5:00
Friday Oct. 30: PTSA Trunk or Treat 6:30

Monday & Tuesday Nov. 1 & 2: NO SCHOOL Conferences

Friday Nov 6th: 1:00 Early Release

Wednesday Nov 11th: NO SCHOOL Veteran’s Day

Thursday Nov 12: PTSA Bingo Night

Monday Nov 16th: PTSA Membership Meeting

Wednesday – Friday Nov 18th – 20: Scholastic Book Fair

Wednesday – Friday Nov. 25 – 27th: NO SCHOOL Thanksgiving Break

Dear TCE Families,

We look forward to seeing all our Mountain Lion's faces in school each day. With that being said, every minute of school time is valuable for your student's educational and social growth.

• Please make sure your kids are on time to line up with their class no later than 9:05 AM. Important social emotional and transitioning time occurs in the first few minutes of the day.
• Please schedule travel during school breaks. Travel should not occur on days when school is in session.
• Dismissal is 3:30 PM (2:15 on Fridays). Please be on time for pick-up, as there is no supervision after this time.
• You can easily update daily attendance reasoning on the ParentVue app!

Why regular, on-time attendance is important:

1. Regular attendance allows children to benefit from participating in quality early education.

2. A habit of attendance IS a school readiness skill.

3. Good attendance reflects strong parent engagement.

Attendance Reporting:

Absences must be reported WITHIN 5 DAYS in order to be excused

The ParentVue app is the fastest, easiest way to communicate absences

You may also email tceattendance@everettsd.org or call the Attendance Line (425) 302-9205