November Newsletter

As we move into the season of fall and approach the Thanksgiving holiday, I wanted to take a moment to express my gratitude for the incredible support and partnership we share in making Elmhurst such a special place. November is always a time to reflect on the things we're thankful for, and I am truly thankful for the amazing students, parents, and staff that make our school community so vibrant and strong.

Do you have a staff member/teacher (or multiple people) at Elmhurst that you'd like to show your gratitude for? If so, please complete Thankful for Elmhurst Staff! - form

and we will print off what you said and post it publicly for all to see what you have to say about our AMAZING staff at Elmhurst! The online form will be available throughout the month of November).

November 4 ~ Veteran's Day Concert 6:00pm

November 5 ~ 2:35 Dismissals

November 7 ~ Sweet Treat Friday

November 11 ~ No School for Veteran's Day

November 12 ~ 2:35 Dismissal

November 12 ~ All School Family Bingo Night 5:30pm

November 19 ~ 12:35 Dismissal for report card prep

November 21 ~ Popcorn Friday

November 26 ~ 12:35 Dismissal for Thanksgiving Break

November 26~ Reports go home online

November 27 ~ No School for Thanksgiving

November 28 ~ No School for Native American Heritage Day

December 1st~Reports Cards are report cards available electronically

November is Native American Heritage Month, also called American Indian and Alaska Native Heritage Month. It is a time to celebrate the rich histories, diverse cultures, and significant contributions of Indigenous peoples. Celebrations include events, exhibits, and educational programs hosted by organizations like museums and schools, while some of the month's activities may focus on themes like intergenerational trauma or the revitalization of Indigenous connections.

Elmhurst Elementary is starting our rollout of One School One Book. Each month will have a new book where the entire school will read and it will center around our our District Strategic Priorities:

Equity and Social Justice

We are committed to building our teaching around embedding culturally responsive teaching practices.

1. Percentage and composition of students that feel they matter to others at their school.
2. Percentage and composition of students that feel others respect them in their school
3. Percentage and composition of students that feel they belong at their school or in their role.

Social Justice Standards are divided into 4 domains: Identity, Diversity, Justice and Action.

• Identity-Books showing that a person’s identity is a unique mix of qualities, characteristics, histories and more

• Diversity-Books highlighting the beauty of diverse lived experiences.

• Justice-Books awakening an understanding of many issues communities have faced or are facing today.

• Action-Books inspiring children to make positive changes in their communities.

The Why:

A "One School, One Book" program can promote social justice by selecting a book that addresses important social issues, allowing the entire school community to engage in a shared reading experience, fostering discussion about diverse perspectives, and ultimately building empathy and understanding around important social justice themes, all while creating a common ground for dialogue and potential action within the school community. While respecting, affirming and honoring and purposely prioritizing our most marginalized communities as we work towards radical healing in our society. Honoring diverse experiences, encouraging empathy and love, and inspiring activism and justice in communities.

By exploring social injustices through literature, students may feel empowered to take action and become advocates for change in their communities

This book is beautiful in every sense of the word. It touches on so many aspects of teaching social justice-identity, diversity, justice and action. This book is meaningful as to humanize study about water, biology, the environment etc. Also, the beautiful illustrations inspire watercolor activities and this book is great connection to our Tribal Nations in our area.

• A recurring theme is, "We are still here," and the last two pages shows diverse Native People. Connect with Tribes in your area to learn the ways Native People have preserved their culture, language and traditions despite centuries of colonization.

• Identify environmental issues that are important to your students and relevant to your community. Research the strategies Native Peoples and others have taken on those issues to inform their action plans.

We are excited to share the success of our first Eagle Squad event last month, where many of you signed up to support our school throughout the year. Thank you for your enthusiasm and willingness to be part of this important initiative!

The Eagle Squad is designed to create a stronger connection between our school and the community by encouraging more parental involvement and providing positive role models for our students. Volunteers will assist with a variety of tasks, including greeting students in the morning with high-fives, monitoring hallways and lunchrooms, helping with carpool lines, supervising recess, and spending time in classrooms to support teachers and students. The goal of the Eagle Squad is to enhance the adult presence on campus and create a welcoming, supportive environment for all students.

To help ensure that everyone is informed and comfortable with the role, we will hold informational and orientation nights every few months. These sessions will provide training on the purpose of the program and how you can best support our school community.

Thank you again for your commitment to making Elmhurst an even better place for our students to learn and grow. We look forward to seeing you throughout the year!

📅 Date: Wednesday, November 12
🕠 Time: 5:30 PM – 7:00 PM
📍 Location: Elmhurst Gym

Join us for a fun-filled evening of BINGO, prizes, and pizza — generously provided by the Elmhurst PTA! This is a wonderful opportunity for our school community to come together and enjoy a night of family fun. We’ll have bikes, gift cards, PLU gear, Fantasy Lights tickets, and lots more amazing prizes donated by our community partners!

Please let us know how many people from your family will attend so we can plan accordingly.
You can RSVP here ➡️ Bingo Night RSVP
We can’t wait to see you there!

Before and After School care @ Elmhurst

Before and Afterschool Care at Elmhurst

Click the YMCA button for more information.

General info 253.534.7840

• Entering the Building:
  When coming into the school, office staff will ask to see your ID both at the entrance and again at the glass check-in window inside the office.

• Transportation Changes:
  If there are any changes to how your child is getting home, please call or email the office by 3:30 PM. This ensures we have enough time to relay the information to the classroom.

• Early Pick-Up:
  If you are picking up your student early, there is no need to call ahead. Just bring your ID to the office, and we will call your student down from class.

• Reporting an Absence:
  If you report your child's absence through ParentSquare, you no longer need to call or email the office. ParentSquare automatically notifies us so we can update your child’s attendance.

• Late Arrivals:
  If your student is arriving late to school, you must come into the main office and check them in.

Arrival Time: 9:25am

Breakfast: 9:25am

Tardy Bell: 9:35am

Dismissal Time:4:05pm

Dismissal Early Release: 2:35pm

Gates will be open at 3:45pm for parent Car pick up. REGULAR SCHOOL DAY

Gates will be open at 2:15pm for parent Car pick up. EARLY RELEASE Wednesday ONLY

Hi Eagles,

Please see this months Counselor Corner by clicking here ----> https://secure.smore.com/n/r372w

Sarah Atchison M. Ed.

School Counselor (she/her)

Elmhurst Elementary

253-298-3510 | satchison@fpschools.org

Work Hard, Think Big, Be Kind

Mental Health Resources

Phone: 253-298-3500

Fax: 235-298-3515

Address: 420 133rd Street East, Tacoma, WA 98445

Email: elmhurst@fpschools.org
Website: https://elmhurst.fpschools.org/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61565462617905

Franklin Pierce Schools does not discriminate in any programs or activities on the basis of sex, race, ethnicity, color, religion, creed, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, homelessness, immigration or citizenship status, disability, neurodivergence, the use of a trained dog guide or service animal, age, and honorably discharged veteran or military status and provides equal access to the Boy Scouts and other designated youth groups. The following employees have been designated to handle questions and complaints of alleged discrimination:

Civil Rights Compliance Coordinator
Brandy Marshall
253-298-3085, bmarshall@fpschools.org

Section 504/ADA Coordinator
John Sander
253-298-3048, jsander@fpschools.org

Title IX Coordinator
Dr. Julien Pollard
253-298-3037, jpollard@fpschools.org

Franklin Pierce Schools
Mailing Address:
315 129th St S
Tacoma, WA 98444
fpschools.org