Cherrydale Primary School
Cheetah Newsletter October 1, 2025
From the Principal
Happy Wednesday Cherrydale Families,
After-School Playground Reminders
We’re so glad to see families enjoying our playground after school! As a friendly reminder, we ask that families who choose to stay and play please wait until 3:40 PM, after most buses have cleared the area. We’ve noticed some bus riders leaving the bus zone to join friends on the equipment, which creates safety concerns during dismissal. Your cooperation helps us ensure all students get home safely.
Please also help us reinforce that school playground rules still apply after school hours—this includes refraining from throwing sticks, wood chips, or rocks. For safety reasons, we also kindly ask that the nature trail remain unused unless students are accompanied by a parent or adult.
Thank you for helping us keep our playground safe and fun for everyone!
Warm Regards,
Christine Firth, Principal
Double Check Your Free and Reduced Meal Application Status Before October 9
A new Free and Reduced Meal Application needs to be submitted each year. The grace period from last year is ending on October 9, so make sure you have submitted a current application.
If you have already completed an application for the 2025-26 school year, you are all set. If not, please visit the district's website for information on completing the application. Clicking "yes" on the Internal Consent to Share section extends your benefits beyond healthy food as your family may also be eligible for waived fees for ASB cards, athletics, and clubs.
Your student’s image gallery is ready for viewing! Free shipping ends Friday, October 3rd.
If you have not received an email from Class Act Portraits with your link, please contact them at info@classactportraits.com or by phone at (253) 569-1627.
September 2025
10/03 - Flu & Covid Vaccine Clinic at SHS (see flyer below)
10/08 - ACE Day (2:35 release)
10/10 - Professional Development (no school)
10/15 - ACE Day (2:35 release)
10/15 - School Board Meeting
10/20 - 10/24 Fall Conference Half Days (12:35 release)
10/20 - 10/24 - Scholastic Book Fair (details coming soon)
10/21 - Purple Up!
10/22 - Unity Day - Wear Orange!
10/22 - Flu & Covid Vaccine Clinic at Pioneer (see flyer below)
10/23 - Flu & Covid-19 Vaccine Clinic at CD (see flyer below)
10/27 - Picture Makeup Day
10/29 - ACE Day (2:35 release)
10/31 - PTA Dance-A-Thon (info to follow soon)
Important Upcoming Dates
11/02 - Daylight Savings Time Ends (Fall Back)
11/11 - Veterans Day (no school)
11/26 - Half Day (12:35 release)
11/27-28 - Thanksgiving Break (no school)
The Scholastic Book Fair is coming October 20-24 to the Cherrydale Multi-purpose room!
Monday: 9:00 to 3:00
Tuesday: 9:00 to 3:00
Wednesday: 9:00 to 3:00
Thursday: 9:00 to 6:30
Friday: 9:00 to 10:00
Info for TK & Kinder Families
Dolly Parton Imagination Library
Dear Kindergarten and Transitional Kindergarten Families,
We are proud to partner again this year with the Dolly Parton Imagination Library, a program that provides free, high-quality, age-appropriate books to children from birth to age five. Each month, enrolled children receive a new book in the mail, fostering a love of reading and supporting early literacy development.
To help us better understand the program’s reach and how we can support it, we kindly ask you to complete this short survey. We would like to have all responses submitted by October 1, 2025. Your participation will help ensure that more families in our community have access to this incredible resource.
Thank you for your time and support in promoting early literacy for all children!
Lost & Found
We make every effort to return items that have names in them. To maximize the likelihood of getting lost items back when they are left on the playground, please make sure your student's belongings are clearly marked.
This photo was taken on the 15th day of school. The pile is higher now...
Health & Attendance
When your student will be late, leaving early, or absent altogether, please notify the office. If the Tardy, Early Release or Absence is due to an appointment, please bring a note from the doctor's office.
When is your child too sick for school?
Do you have Respiratory Virus Symptoms?
You MUST be a CLEARED volunteer to help with any events or to participate in anything on the Cherrydale Campus.
To get clearance so you can help with upcoming PTA events (or ANY Cherrydale events), click Volunteer at Cherrydale. The process can take up to 2 weeks. Once you are cleared you can let the PTA know of your interest and availability.
PTA Rocks!
Accessing PTA info has become easier! Everything you need is on their Cherrydale PTA page. One stop shopping with all their links for joining the PTA, volunteer sign ups, fundraising and more!
Please consider joining the Cherrydale PTA. The best part about the PTA is that you can be as involved as much or as little as you'd like or can be! We have so many volunteer opportunities throughout the year, it's easy to get involved!
To contact the PTA, email them at CherrydalePTA@gmail.com
Watch D.O.G.S.
Our Watch Dads Of Great Students are the BEST! Students are so excited when their family member(s) come to volunteer (must be cleared volunteer)!
Meet our Top Dog David Stailey, dad to Finn in 3nd grade. I know he greatly appreciates our currently active D.O.G.S. and is looking forward to signing up more here at Cherrydale. See the attachment below from Mr. Stailey for more information!
Contact cherrydalewatchdogs@yahoo.com for schedule of opportunities!
Steilacoom Apple Squeeze
Sunday, October 5 from 10 to 4
Press apples into cider the old-fashioned way! Listen to great music while strolling through the street fair featuring quality handcrafts and booths. Enjoy apple related foods such as apple cider float, caramel apples or apple pie with ice cream! Check out the firetruck and meet firefighters! This is a family friendly event.
Student clubs from the Steilacoom High School will offer activities for children in the tennis court area and help out in other ways. Members of Boy Scout Troop #71 run one of the presses and help with the press operations. The Museum and the Wagon Shop will also be open.
Sponsored by the Steilacoom Historical Museum. Call 584-4133 for more information or go to www.steilacoomhistorical.org
The Steilacoom Historical School District does not sponsor or endorse this event/information and the district assumes no responsibility for it.
Touch a Truck / Toca un camión
Information in English
información en español
触摸卡车 / Прикоснись к грузовику
简体中文信息
Информация на русском языке
Auction 10/8 - 10/12
Halloween Event 10/17
Friday Night Flicks 10/24
Counselor's Corner
Do Good with Chipotle
One of our favorite non-profit's (Caring For Kids) is having a Chipotle fundraiser on October 1st!
As you may already know, CFK helps our district's families with school supplies, clothes, holiday help, hygiene products and more.
Love & Logic Articles From Our Counselor
Click What if ending power struggles was this easy?
Click The Secret to Screen Time Limits That Actually Work
Click Teaching Values That Outshine Social Media
Click Learning from Mistakes: The Key to Building Character
Click Struggling with Consequences? Try This Powerful Technique!
Click Teach Your Kids to Solve Problems on Their Own–Here's How
Click Boost School Achievement
October's Character Trait
Would picking up a weekly bag of non-perishable groceries help your family? To participate on Cherrydale's Weekend Grocery Program, send a ParentSquare message to Lanae Olson (Cherrydale's School Counselor) or leave her a voicemail at
253-983-2504. Click here to see original post.
Looking for a way to help others? Click Steilacoom Food Pantry and Caring for Kids
A big thank you to all of the PeaceBuilders "Helping Others" in our community!
October's Menu
Click to view menu on website (scroll down to find the current month) or you can print the attachment below.
As of this year, all Cherrydale students will have the opportunity to have one breakfast and one lunch for free every day! If a student chooses a second entrée or beverage, it will be charged to student’s account.
Helpful Links
Follow Cherrydale on Facebook
Follow SHSD on Instagram
Cherrydale Primary School
Phone: (253) 983-2500
Email: cherrydaleoffice@steilacoom.k12.wa.us
Website: https://www.steilacoom.k12.wa.us/
Location: 1201 Galloway Street, Steilacoom, WA, USA