Eagle Sightings November
Holly Wehner, Principal
Parking Lot Safety
Let's all work together to keep our school's parking areas safe and accessible for everyone. Only park in designated spots and be mindful of spaces reserved for others. Pick up and drop off area is meant for drivers to stay inside the vehicle and for students to jump out quickly. Please remember to drive slow, and do not cut into the drop off line. Picking up your student by the Rainbow Bench? Please do not cross between the busses! Please only use the crosswalk to cross the street.
- Keep bus lanes, fire lanes clear (all red zones), avoiding handicap spots (unless you have a valid permit). Including the top curb by the stairs.
- The drop-off area is only for quick pickups and drop-offs *No Parking*
- Picking up your student by the Rainbow Bench? Please do not cross between the busses! Please only use the crosswalk to cross the street.
Thank you for your cooperation!
Happy November! As the weather cools down and we head toward the Thanksgiving holiday, our calendars often fill up with gatherings of family and friends. When we think about building strong readers, we might think of traditional books, letter recognition, sight words, etc. This month, we want to remind you about the importance of telling family stories. It might sound too simple, but sharing family history and telling stories out loud is a powerful way to build your child’s reading comprehension and emotional resilience. Here is what the research tells us:
Oral Language is the Foundation of Reading
Long before a child can decode the words on a page, they learn how stories work by listening to the people around them. When you tell a story about something funny that happened at work, or a memory from your own childhood, you are modeling complex literacy skills. You are showing them how a narrative has a beginning, a middle, and an end. You are introducing new vocabulary in context, and you are demonstrating how to build suspense or use humor. Children who are exposed to rich oral storytelling at home have a much easier time understanding the plot structure of the chapter books they read in class.
The "Family Narrative" and Resilience
One study at Emory University looked at what they called the "Do You Know" scale. They asked children 20 questions about their family history (e.g., Do you know where your grandparents grew up? Do you know a story about a time your parents had a really hard time?). The results were interesting: the more children knew about their family's history, the higher their self-esteem and emotional resilience. Hearing stories about how their older siblings/cousins, parents, or grandparents faced challenges, made mistakes, and overcame them gives children a framework for handling their own challenges!
Try This At Home: Storytelling Around the Table (three easy ways to get your kids talking and listening”:
The "When I Was Your Age" Story: Kids are fascinated by the idea that we were once their age. Tell them a story about a time you got in trouble in 3rd grade, a terrible haircut you had, or a time you failed at something and had to try again. (Kids love hearing about our mistakes!)
The Thanksgiving Interview: If you are gathering with extended family this month, give your child a "job." Have them ask a grandparent or older relative one specific question, like: "What was your favorite toy when you were seven?" or "How did you and Grandma meet?"
Wordless Picture Books: If you want to bridge the gap between talking and reading, grab a wordless picture book from the library (like Flotsam by David Wiesner or Journey by Aaron Becker). Have your child "read" the book to you by inventing the story based entirely on the pictures.
Tip: When telling family stories, you don't always need to tie it up with a lesson - just tell the story! The goal is connection, vocabulary building, and fun.
This November, we are all incredibly thankful for the families in our FHES school community. Enjoy the time around the table this month, and keep telling those stories.
2026-2027 Yearbook Cover Winner!
Congratulations to Winnie Salazar in Mrs. Johnson's class!
Veterans Day Assembly
FHES families do you have a family member you would like to honor at our upcoming Veterans Day Assembly? We welcome them to join us on November 6th at 8:45 am as we celebrate our Veterans. Legion veterans will be performing their traditional flag-folding ceremony.
Bus Riders!
Does your child/ren ride the bus? Every rider needs to have a current (this school year) bus form on file in order for them to ride. Students are required to have a bus note from the office if they are riding a different bus or getting off at a different spot ie: the library, clay club or linde fields.
If you have not completed your bus form for this school year, please complete it and return to the office as soon as possible.
Garden Club Fundraiser
The FHES Garden club is looking to raise money to develop a pollinator garden at school. We are starting a Sees candy fundraiser that runs until December 4th. All proceeds will go to the garden. Thank you!
Place your order here.
Walking Path
To ensure students' safety while they wait for the bus or walk to school , please keep the following in mind:
Enhance visibility: If your child waits for the bus near the road, make sure they are as visible as possible by having them wear bright or reflective clothing or accessories.
Stick to safe paths: If your child walks to or from school, remind them to use the walking path and not to cross the street into the parking lot.
Supervise younger children: Younger students benefit from walking with an older sibling or an adult, especially on darker mornings.
We appreciate your help in making sure students arrive at school safely.
Going Home Plans
Please make sure your child knows their going-home plans before the school day starts.
We understand that going home plans may change during the day. When this happens we can write a note to be delivered to your child. Please be aware that notes are delivered at 2:15 pm, and Wednesdays at 1:10 pm. Please let us know your plans before this time, thank you!
Thank you for setting your child up for success by ensuring they know their going-home plan before the start of the school day.
Reading with Rover
We are fortunate to be a part of the Reading with Rover program. The Reading with Rover dogs are trained canines who serve as supportive listeners to help youth boost their literacy skills and reading confidence. During the school year, there are only a certain number of spots during the week, but our public library has the Reading with Rover every Monday in the Main Salon. The library welcomes students to stop by from 3:00-4:00 pm. Offered at no cost to participants.
Lost and Found
Event Code: FE28126
Please remember that all visitors must check in with the office and wear a visitor badge while on school grounds during school hours.
No Dogs
Please remember that No Dogs are allowed on school grounds. This includes the fields for games and practices, in front of the school, on sidewalks, or in parking lots.
Thank you for your support 🐾
November PTO Meeting
The Next Meeting is November 9 at 5:30 pm
Please reach out to PTO with any questions: Ptofhes@gmail.com
Get involved....student safety | child care for evening parent events | classroom supplies | I Love to Read month | hearing and vision screenings | classroom liaisons | book fair | Kings receipts
ATTENDANCE COUNTS
A reminder that the first bell rings at 8:15, please help your student start the day off right by starting the day on time with their class. If your student is going to be gone for the day please call the office at 360-378-5209 or email Jeanna at jeannarheinberger@sjisd.org to excuse your student's absence. Please remember that there is no adult supervision before 8 am.
Thank you!
Do you know what happens when you drop off your King's receipts at the school? Our PTO receives 1% of those receipts through Kings Market's community donation program!
We are so grateful to our families and this generous program from Kings!
"Kings Market is proud to be a part of the Friday Harbor community. To show our appreciation to the wonderful people of Friday Harbor, we believe in giving back through financial and volunteer support. We have chosen a 1% community donation program as our main outlet for non-profit support. We give 1% of our store receipts submitted by our customers toward the non-profit or their choice. By doing so, our customers dictate which organizations they want our donation dollars to go to....We are proud of our community involvement, and look forward to continuing in the future. We believe this is a wonderful place to live and do business, and appreciate the support the community has given us through the years."
Friday Harbor Elementary School
We love to hear from you!
Email: roslynbutcher@sjisd.org
Website: sjisd.wednet.edu
Location: 95 Grover Street, Friday Harbor, WA, USA
Phone: 360.378.5209