Robertson Family Newsletter

Dear Families,

Although December is a short month due to Winter Break, it is still important for your child to be at school every day unless they are sick. When students miss all or part of a school day, they miss important instruction. Over time, these absences can lead to gaps in learning and cause children to fall behind academically. This may also lead to children feeling lost, frustrated, or anxious about school.

You can help support your child’s success by ensuring they arrive on time each day unless they are ill, and by scheduling trips or vacations during school breaks. We understand that unexpected situations arise, and while teachers can send work home, it cannot replace the in-person instruction students receive in the classroom.

Below are some reminders to help you set routines at home and make attendance a priority:

• School starts at 8:45 a.m., and the gates open at 8:15 a.m. Arriving before 8:45 gives students time to get to class and prepare for learning. When students are regularly late, they miss instruction and may feel anxious about falling behind.

• School ends at 2:15 p.m. on Monday and 3:15 p.m. Tuesday–Friday. Please note that students cannot be checked out during the last 30 minutes of the school day.

• Winter Break is December 22–January 4. Classes resume on January 5.

Thank you for your support in helping your child build strong attendance habits!

Just a reminder to send your child with a warm coat, hat, and gloves. Students go outside for recess, and we want them to stay warm. If your child has misplaced any of their winter items, they can check the Lost and Found in the main office.

Additionally, please remember that our gates do not open until 8:15. Do not drop your child off before 8:15, as students are not allowed on campus before this time and there is no supervision. If students are regularly dropped off early, we will call families to return and pick them up.

Parents, please be patient and respectful during student drop-off and pick-up. Our goal is to help students, families, and staff arrive and leave school safely. At times, staff may ask you to follow certain rules you may not agree with. Please do not take this personally—they are doing their jobs, and our priority is to keep you, your children, and everyone on campus safe.

If you do not agree with a procedure, please reach out to a building administrator before addressing staff. All schools in our district have procedures, protocols, and parking lot expectations based on their designs and safety plans. If you have a question, feel free to contact us via ParentSquare, phone, or email.

If you are dropping your student off in the morning in the Powerhouse Parking Lot, please stay in Lane 1 and pull forward as far as possible before letting your child out. You may park in Lane 4 only in the morning if you need to go into the school. For the safety of students, please do not let your child exit the car in Lanes 2, 3, or 4 and walk through traffic. This is dangerous, as other drivers may not see your child. Please drop students off only in Lane 1 or park your car and walk your child to the school using the crosswalk. Staff are stationed at the front of the school to direct traffic and help families cross safely.

If you have a scheduled meeting after school, please let the parking staff know when you arrive; they may be able to assist you in finding a parking spot. Do not park behind other parked cars or block the bus lane in the Lincoln Avenue parking lot.

Also, please help us be good neighbors by not parking in the apartment complex east of Robertson. Residents have reported that Robertson families have parked in their lot and blocked them from leaving. If you wish to park near the school and walk, you may park on N. 28th Ave. You may also consider timing your arrival between 3:25–3:30 p.m., as most students have been picked up by then and the line moves quickly.

Thank you for your patience, understanding, and cooperation in ensuring a safe and efficient drop-off and pick-up experience for everyone.

When winter weather hits Yakima, many YSD staff are up (very) early consulting with city management, driving the bus routes and putting teams in place to best remove safety hazards at our buildings.

What is the procedure for determining to close school due to inclement weather? Check our policy here: Operational Procedure 2221 - Emergency School Closure (PDF).

We post messaging about delays and/or closures to:

• Smart Alert in ParentSquare; Sent instantly to parents, staff, students in grades 6-12
• YSD Mobile App (with push notification): ysd7.org/MobileApp
• The district and school websites: ysd7.org
• District Facebook: @yakimasd / En Español: @YSDEspanol
• District Twitter: @yakimaschools / En Español: @YSDEspanol
• District Instagram: @yakimaschools / En Español: @distritoescolardeyakima
• Local Media - We send our message to local media via the FlashAlert system (view media list)

We realize there are many opinions as to when we should delay, close or remain open in full operation. We take this decision very seriously and do our best to keep school open and on time. However, should we need to close school, we will make up each day lost. Please check the district calendar for a listing of designated snow make-up days. If we do not need to make up days, there will be no school on the scheduled snow make-up days. We do not make up time for delays.

If the weather is poor, allow extra time to get where you need to be and make sure you have prepared your children with warm coats, boots, hats and gloves. To prepare for delays and closures, please make sure you have a care plan in place for your children should you need to report to your employment. It's also time to be prepared for winter driving.

For additional information and FAQ, please see the YSD website regarding school delays and closures.

Robertson Elementary

2807 West Lincoln Ave.

Yakima, WA 98902

(509) 573-1600