The Cardinal Connection

This week we had two special Board of Education recognitions!

Cooke Elementary was recognized for raising over $16,000 for the American Heart Association, the second highest amount raised by a school in the state! We are also proud of several Cardinals that were top student fundraisers in the state!

Additionally our Cooke Elementary PTA was named a National PTA School of Excellence! Our PTA works tirelessly to support our students, staff and families and this recognition is well deserved!

We BELIEVE in our students, staff and families! It’s what makes us shine!

We just received notification that we have been approved to continue our recognition as a National Special Olympics Unified Champion School by Special Olympics North America!

We are extremely proud of our inclusive practices at Cooke Elementary! We look forward to receiving our banner next month and will be recognized by the Red Clay Consolidated School District Board of Education for this incredible honor!

We are excited to invite parents & guardians to our upcoming Open House event, which is a wonderful opportunity for you to visit your child’s classroom, meet their teacher, and see firsthand the learning environment we are cultivating. At this event, we aim to strengthen the partnership between home and school, which is key to your child's success. By attending, you will gain valuable insights into their daily routines and experiences. This connection fosters a positive and supportive learning community for everyone.

During the Open House, we will also provide an overview of the curriculum your child will be engaging with throughout the year. Understanding the curriculum is essential, as it outlines the key learning goals, skills, and concepts your child will be working on. It will also help you better support their academic growth at home. Your presence at this event is crucial, as it provides an opportunity to ask questions and ensure that we are working together to create the best possible learning environment for your child.

We look forward to seeing you there and building a strong partnership for a successful school year!

Mrs. Jacobs & Mrs. Gearheart

*Please note that Open House is intended for Parents & Guardians.

In grades 2 -5 students take an adaptive assessment in Reading and Math that identifies the students' strengths and opportunities for growth. It is given at the beginning, middle and end of year. This information helps determine how to best support their learning.

Family access has been enabled for all schools for the Fall iReady test administration. Families can access the "For Families" report through their student's iReady Dashboard. The directions are shared below and we encourage you to view your student's iReady diagnostic results.

We ask that parents ensure that students are at school on time each day and limit early dismissals! Please only pick up your child if there is an emergency. Our schedules are packed with instruction from 9:05 AM until 3:45 PM! Every minute counts!

Please use the Red Clay calendar to plan vacation time. It is essential that students are present every day!

As part of our safety plan, we conduct different types of drills during the school year. We have our first lockdown drill scheduled for next week. School safety is a priority and practicing drills helps with our preparedness. We are informing you so that you can discuss this with your child and/or answer any questions they may have. The teachers will review the procedures with the students. The school will send a message to families after the completion of the drill.

Cooke Cardinals Families:

We’re challenging every student to show up on time, every day, and ready to learn. Every day in school means more time to learn, connect with teachers and friends, and build habits that lead to success.

Be present. Be on time. Stay engaged. Every day counts.

Families are an important part of the challenge! Keep consistent morning and bedtime routines, plan ahead for transportation, and reach out to your school when you need support.

Let’s make EVERY ONE count!

Many of you have reached out looking for ways you can support our school. We would love to have donations for our MTSS School Store. Students visit this store once per month and use their Cardinal Credits they've earned for being respectful, responsible, and ready. We put together an Amazon Wish List. If you choose to donate, the items will be shipped directly to Cooke Elementary School. As always, thank you for your support!

If you plan to volunteer at Cooke (chaperone a field trip, help in the classroom, help at a school event such as the Book Fair or Holiday Shop, etc.) you must complete the State of Delaware process to become an approved volunteer.

New This Year!

If you have completed a Delaware Child Protection Registry (CPR) clearance through another agency with the past year, we can now accept those results. You will not need to complete a new CPR registration as long as your clearance is current within the calendar year.

There are three documents you need to turn in:

1. Confidentiality Agreement

2. TB Risk Assessment

3. RECEIPT for the $14 online fee for the Child Protection Registry OR Results from another agency.

These can be turned in to the office now and once school begins, to the homeroom teacher.

Documents must be received in the office BEFORE the date of the volunteer opportunity/field trip. We cannot accept paperwork the day of, without the confirmation of clearance from the District Office.

Volunteer approval is good for ONE calendar year. So, if you completed this last October, you are cleared through October 2026. Then you must resubmit the three documents. If you are unsure when you expire, you can call the main office at 302-235-6600.

Some parents have expressed trouble with the Child Protection Registry site. We do not have tech support for this. We have learned that it is best to do this on a computer versus a phone. That seems to be more successful. We also have directions to use for assistance (see below).

Some clubs such as Science Olympiad who supervise students without a Red Clay staff member present, you must also complete a Criminal Background Check (fingerprinting). Please contact the school office for direction on additional requirements.

We have a translate feature! Simply click "translate newsletter" and you can pick from many different languages!

¡Tenemos un botón de traducción! Simplemente haga clic donde dice "translate newsletter" y podrá elegir entre muchos idiomas diferentes.

The Red Clay Consolidated School District does not discriminate on the basis of race, creed, color, national origin, religion, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, handicap, veteran status, domicile, genetic information, or any legally protected characteristic. Inquiries should be directed to Human Resources at 302-552-3783.