October Newsletter

As we step into October, I want to take a moment to thank you for a strong and successful start to the school year. It’s been a joy to watch our students settle into their routines, build friendships, and embrace learning with curiosity and enthusiasm.

🍂 What’s Happening This Month?

Parent-Teacher Conferences:
Conferences are scheduled for Oct 7th-9th. This is a valuable opportunity to connect with your child’s teacher, discuss progress, and set goals for the months ahead. Sign-up information was sent out by classroom teachers.

School Spirit Week:
Get ready for some fun! Spirit Week kicks off on Oct 27th-31st. Each day will have a different theme to build community and school pride.

🧠 Learning in Action

Students are diving deep into learning this fall. From hands-on science experiments to thoughtful discussions in reading groups, we are proud of their progress and persistence. Encourage your child to share what they’re learning each day—it’s a great way to stay engaged and reinforce new concepts at home.

📚 Reminders

• Attendance Matters: Every day counts! Please make sure your child arrives on time and is ready to learn.

• Dress for the Weather: As temperatures drop, please send your child with a warm jacket for outdoor recess.

• Lost & Found: Our lost and found is already filling up! Please check for any missing items during drop-off or pick-up and conference week.

🧡 Thank You

We appreciate your continued support in making our school a safe, nurturing, and inspiring place for all students. Our partnership with families is key to student success, and we are grateful for all you do.

Wishing you a wonderful October filled with cozy moments, colorful leaves, and joyful memories.

Eagles SOAR!!!!

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

We will be having a Spirit Week the last week of the month in October. There will be a theme and look for more information coming soon.

Monday October 27th-Dress like you are from the future or love in space

Tuesday October 28th-Black out Day

Wednesday October 29th-Super Hero Day

Thursday October 30th -Battle of the Eras 50's, 60's 70's

Friday October 31st- Black and Orange Day

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

To further help our school be a safe and respectful place, we are also going to use the Second Step Bullying Prevention Unit. In the lessons, your child will learn specific skills to help stop bullying. Students will learn how to:

• Recognize when bullying is happening
• Report bullying to a caring adult
• Refuse to let bullying happen to themselves or others
• Be a bystander who stands up and is part of the solution to bullying

Click here to learn more!

October is Disability History Month! This month, we celebrate the many ways people with disabilities enrich our schools, communities, and world. By learning about disability, we grow in understanding, empathy, and appreciation for the strengths and talents each person brings. Together, we can create spaces where everyone belongs and thrives.

Contact Information : majarampta@gmail.com

PTA Next Meeting Date: October 16th - 5:00-6:00pm in Commons

🍩 Donuts with Grownups – Coming October 13th 🍩

Join us for a sweet morning with your student!

🗓 Date: Monday, October 13th
⏰ Time: 8:45 AM – 9:20 AM
📍 Location: Commons

This is a special time to mingle, enjoy donuts, and connect with your student and school community. Don’t miss it!

👉 RSVP by clicking the flyer below or ---> https://forms.office.com/r/vksxkeyQqs
And remember - “donut” forget your grownup! 🍩

2026-2027 Project Excel referrals are now open for grades 3 and 4.The family referral packet links are live with a “due” date of the end of October 31st, though families may turn in forms up until testing in November for your school.

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.

As we start the new school year we have some updates to Arrival and Dismissal .

NEW AREA PLEASE SEE THE MAP

Drop-Off & Pick-Up Procedures

As we begin the new school year, we’d like to share some important updates to our student drop-off and pick-up procedures. These changes are designed to improve traffic flow and maximize instructional time for students. Thank you in advance for your cooperation in helping us maintain a safe and efficient process.

Car Student Drop-Off

• Drop-off Time: 9:25 AM – 9:35 AM

• Drop-Off Zone: Please remain in your vehicle until a supervising adult signals that it is time to release your student. There will be signs and cones marking the designated drop-off zone.

• Important: For student and staff safety, do not let your child out of the vehicle until you are inside the marked drop-off zone. Staff members will begin releasing students at 9:25 AM.

• Late Arrivals:
  Students arriving after 9:35 AM must be accompanied into the office by a parent or guardian to be signed in.

  For safety reasons, students may not enter the building unsupervised. Parents must park, come into the office, and sign in their child, noting the time and reason for tardiness.

Car Student Pick-Up

• Dismissal Time: 4:05 PM

• Students may be picked up either by car in the designated car line or from the walker waiting area (see map for location).

• Car pick-up, please remain in your vehicle and proceed to the designated pick-up zone, clearly marked with signs and cones.

• Students will be waiting at assigned cones and will be released by staff once your car arrives.

• Staying in your vehicle helps keep traffic flowing and ensures student safety.

Walker Drop-off

• Student walkers must wait on at the student walker area until 9:20am, at that time they will enter through the main office doors to go to breakfast.

Walker Pick-Up

• Adults meeting students who walk home must wait in the walker waiting area, as indicated on the map. If the student walker does not walk home 5 minutes after dismissal - students will be sent over to the car pick up area. Students will be sent over to Car Pick up area and to that location. The support Center areas is not another location for car pick up.

• Please note: This year, we do not offer a park-and-walk-up option. All walker pick-ups must follow the designated procedure.

• 🚫 Important: Non-Support Center families should not enter the parking lot near the walker waiting area, park in that lot are or drive in. This area is reserved only for Support Center bus and car drop-off and pick-up. Your cooperation helps ensure the safety and smooth transition of all students.

Thank you for helping us prioritize student safety and learning time. Our school day officially begins at 9:35 AM, and we appreciate your efforts to ensure students are in their classrooms and ready to learn by that time.

For campus safety you need to stay behind the gated areas. All visitors are required to check into the office upon entering a school building and campus.

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