Cougar

The first month of school has flown by, and we are proud of the incredible progress our students are making. Strong attendance, positive behavior, and consistent routines are laying the foundation for a successful year. Thank you for your partnership in helping every child grow academically and socially.

As we continue our journey, remember that communication between home and school is one of the greatest tools we have. If you have questions, concerns, or celebrations to share, please reach out. We are here to support every student and every family.

• September 14 - 18 - Book Fair
• September 18 - Fall Fest 5:30 -7:30 pm

Students had their first all-school House Activity this past Wednesday. Students had the opportunity to do a coloring House Scavenger Hunt. Try quizzing your child with these simple house questions.

1. Can you name the shape that represents each house?

2. Can you name the virtue for each house?

3. Do you know the animal(s) that represent each house?

The leading students (currently) in each house are as follows:

⬛Altruismo - Isabel Remsing

🟥Amistad - Patrick Alvarez

🟩Isibindi - Major Crawford

🟦Rêveur - Kevin Can

Letters went home to all families so you could be connected to the House App. Once you log in you will be able to see your child's house point total and the live leaderboard. Below are the current overall house standings.

At Cooke, we believe that behavior is something students learn—just like reading, writing, and math. That’s why we use PBIS (Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports) to help create a safe, positive, and supportive school environment for every student. PBIS gives our students clear and consistent expectations for how we treat ourselves, others, and our school. At Cooke, we focus on three simple expectations:

Be Kind • Be Responsible • Be Safe

We don’t just tell students what these expectations are—we teach, model, practice, and reinforce them throughout the school day. Students learn what these expectations look and sound like in different settings, including classrooms, hallways, the cafeteria, playground, and other areas of our school.

We Teach It. We Recognize It. We Support It.

We Teach It:
Students are explicitly taught the behaviors we expect, just as they are taught academic skills.

We Recognize It:
When students demonstrate positive behaviors, we notice and celebrate them. Recognition may include positive feedback, PBIS points, classroom celebrations, or school-wide incentives. The purpose isn't simply to reward students—it is to help them recognize and repeat positive choices.

We Support It:
Sometimes students need additional help learning and practicing appropriate behaviors. When this happens, we work to understand what the student needs and provide support to help them be successful.

PBIS does not mean that students never experience consequences when expectations aren't met. Rather, it provides a consistent approach for teaching expectations, recognizing positive choices, responding to challenges, and helping students build lifelong skills.

Our ultimate goal is for students to make positive choices because they understand why those choices matter—not simply because an adult is watching.

Families Are Our Partners

Your partnership makes a difference! When students hear consistent messages about kindness, responsibility, and safety at school and at home, they are better able to build these habits and carry them into all areas of their lives.

Together, we can help our Cougars grow into confident, responsible, and caring members of our school community!

"How was school?" often gets a one-word answer: "Fine." Asking more specific, open-ended questions can unlock much richer conversations and help children reflect on what they're actually learning, not just what happened during the day.

● Ask "What made you think today?" instead of "How was school?"

● Try "What problem did you solve?" or "What are you proud of?"

● Follow up with genuine curiosity, not quizzing.

These small conversation shifts do more than fill silence at the dinner table — they show children that their thinking and effort matter, not just their grades. Try picking one question and asking it consistently for a week; children often open up more once a question becomes familiar.

Over time, kids who talk regularly about their learning tend to become more reflective and confident learners. They start noticing their own growth, which builds a sense of ownership over their education.

Family Challenge

Have one technology-free family meal and spend the time talking about learning, friendships, and goals.

Here our our stats for Week Four:

School-Wide Attendance: 96.43%

School Goal: 95%

Grade-Level Champions

● Kindergarten: 96.61%

● Grade 1: 97.01%

● Grade 2: 96.06%

● Grade 3: 97.95% - FIRST PLACE

● Grade 4: 94.71%

● Grade 5: 96.98%

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

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

October 6 - PTO Meeting 5:00 - 6:00

October 9 - Picture Day

October 12 - No School

October 14 - House Spirit Day/Early Release @ 1:03