September 2025

Dear Families,

What a wonderful start to the school year! Our students and staff continue to do a great job being flexible problem-solvers as we establish and reinvigorate routines which will set us up for a successful school year.

You'll notice the Raccoon Register will be coming out weekly for a short time. We have so many important reminders and updates at the beginning of the year that we want to make sure you don't miss anything. Once our routines are well-established, we will return to our regular bi-weekly schedule.

We are also excited to announce our continued partnership with Play.Fit.Fun! They will be joining us twice a week during recess to lead students in fun, cooperative games and activities. Please see below for some fun photos and videos from this week! A huge thank you to SECO, our parent organization, for sponsoring this wonderful addition to our school.

Thank you for your continued partnership. We are looking forward to a great year!

Have a wonderful weekend!

Sincerely,

Annie Pleau

Principal

September

9/22- Staff Development Day- No School

9/25- Community Suicide Prevention Presentation 4:00pm RSVP Below

9/26- Spirit Day- Backpack Flair Day

October

10/2- Picture Day

10/8- Walk and Roll to School Day

10/9- Raccoon Run

10/10- Staff Development Day- No School

10/13-17- NGAT Assessment Grades 3-5

10/22- Fall Conferences Begin

10/23- Fall Conferences- No School

10/24- Fall Conferences- No School

10/27-10/31-NGAT Make Ups Grades 3-5

10/31- Grading Day- No School

Parent-Teacher Conferences: Conference dates, including no school dates are not included on the District calendar as these dates vary by region. Please note the no school dates that are listed on our school calendar below.

• Fall Conference Dates: October 22 and 23 - (No School 10/23 and 10/24)
• Spring Conference Dates: April 29 and 30 - (No School 4/30 or 5/1)

The safety of our students, staff, and families is our top priority. We'd like to extend a big thank you to all the families who are offering a friendly smile and greeting to our hardworking crossing guards—your kindness means a lot!

We also appreciate the drivers who are being extra careful in our school zone and following all the rules of the road. To ensure everyone's safety, you may notice an increased police presence in the area. Officers will be out intermittently to help remind drivers to slow down and stay alert.

Please remember to always follow the directions of our crossing guards. By working together, we can make our school zone a safe and welcoming place for everyone.

There are 2 staffed and designated crosswalks that are approved by the school district, Safe Routes to School and Washington County to be used as safe crossing zones for our families. Please utilize the crosswalks on the East side of Ridgeline and South side of Kaiser.

International Walk + Roll to School Day is coming up on

October 8th! Parents, this is a great chance to get your

child excited about active transportation. Getting exercise

in the fresh air is the best way to get mentally and

physically prepared for a day in the classroom. Mark your

calendar and plan your route!

As was announced at the end of last school year, the BSD is transitioning from using the Cognitive Abilities Test (CogAT) to the Naglieri General Abilities Tests (NGATs). This decision aligns with the BSD’s commitment to meet the needs of all students as described in our strategic plan.

In October 2025, BSD 3rd, 4th and 5th grade students will be screened for giftedness in their classrooms using one of three NGATs, unless families choose to request their children to be given the Cognitive Abilities Test (CogAT).

• 3rd grade students will take the Naglieri General Ability Test - Nonverbal.

• 4th grade students will take the Naglieri General Ability Test - Verbal

• 5th grade students will take the Naglieri General Ability Test - Quantitative

During this school year (2025-26), families who want to request that their student take the CogAT must complete this google form link. Requests must be submitted by September 22nd. Please remember, students cannot be tested with the CogAT in consecutive years, so if your child took the CogAT during the 2024-25 school year, they will not be allowed to take the CogAT again this year. As of the 2026-27 school year, the district will only use NGATs. If you request that your child be given the CogAT, they will not take the NGAT in their classroom.

If your student is on vacation or ill when their class takes the NGAT, we will have a make-up day for all tests missed at the school. If your student misses the make-up test, they will not be tested this year.

Sato's test dates are as follows:

NGAT for 3rd, 4th and 5th will be the week of October 13th-17th.

Makeup sessions will be the week of October 27th-31st.

CogAT has not been scheduled yet.

You can find the most current information on the Sato TAG website:

https://sato.beaverton.k12.or.us/academics/talented-and-gifted-tag

Or the district site:

https://www.beaverton.k12.or.us/departments/teaching-learning/student-programs/talented-and-gifted

Flyers listed are from internal, community-based, nonprofit and for-profit organizations. This information is provided as a resource for families and does not constitute an endorsement of any of the programs listed.

While not sponsored by Sato, we’re excited to recognize these extracurricular classes offered on our campus (starting in October), by outside vendors! These programs bring valuable enrichment opportunities to our students. Check out the flyers and links below or the district website on how to sign up. Big thanks to these organizations for helping our kids learn, grow, and have fun after the bell rings!

In an effort to keep our students safe, we will be conducting a lockdown drill during the month of September. Our school follows the Standard Response Protocol from The "I Love U Guys" Foundation, a program that provides a common language for students, staff, and first responders during a variety of emergency situations.

During a lockdown drill, students will practice the "Locks, Lights, Out of Sight" procedure. This means they will move away from doors and windows, turn off the lights, and remain quiet. The purpose of these drills is to create muscle memory so that in the event of a real emergency, everyone knows what to do and where to go to stay safe.

We conduct these drills to help our students feel prepared, not scared. Teachers will guide students through the process, and we encourage you to talk with your child about it afterward, reinforcing that the drill is a way for us all to practice staying safe together.

Below is a link to a social story which helps students to know what to do during a lockdown drill. Teachers will be going over this information with students prior to our drill.

On Tuesday, September 24th, our school will be conducting a bus evacuation drill for all students, including those who do not regularly ride the bus.

This drill is designed to teach students the proper procedures for safely and calmly exiting a school bus in the event of an emergency. While we hope this knowledge is never needed, these drills are essential for ensuring that all students know how to follow directions and get to a safe location if an emergency ever occurs on a bus.

We are excited to share some fun pictures from our first week with Play.Fit.Fun supporting us at recess.

💜 September is Suicide Awareness Month

While our elementary students may seem far from the concerns of suicide, it's important to remember that mental health and emotional wellbeing begin early in life. Creating open, safe, and supportive environments for children can make all the difference—not only now, but as they grow.

As adults, we play a crucial role in recognizing warning signs, offering support, and building resilience in the young people around us. Awareness and education are key to prevention.

💜 YOU can make a difference.

Join us for an evening of learning, support, and empowerment as we come together to promote mental health and suicide prevention in our community.

Even though our children are young, the foundations of lifelong emotional health begin now—and you are a key part of their safety net.

🗓 Thursday, September 25th
🕕 4:00-5:30 PM
📍 Sato School Library

This session is appropriate for parents, guardians and community members. Together, we can build a supportive village around every child.

What You'll Learn:

• Help you recognize the signs of emotional distress

• Offer practical tools for responding with care

• Share local and national resources for support

• Empower you to be a safe, trusted adult for children in your life

RSVPs are important as we only have a select number of seats available. Additionally, the sooner we get accurate numbers the better we can plan! .

💜 Mental Health Matters—Even for the Youngest

This year, BSD has launched a districtwide student mental health and well-being initiative called Believe You Matter, because even elementary-aged children can struggle with big feelings like sadness, anxiety, or hopelessness. Last year, about a third of the 651 suicide screenings done in the district involved elementary students — some as young as five years old.

Suicide prevention starts with awareness and connection. While suicide is rare among young children, building strong mental health habits early—and having trusted adults who are educated and aware—can save lives later on.

Here are some ways you can help support your child’s mental wellbeing:

• Create time to talk and listen without judgment

• Model healthy ways to handle stress and emotions

• Teach your child that it's okay to ask for help

• Stay connected with your child's teachers and school support staff

💜 We’re Here for You

If you ever have concerns about your child’s emotional wellbeing or would like support navigating difficult conversations, please don’t hesitate to reach out to our Counseling and Social Worker Staff:

Lesley Conway, School Social Worker

Mike Lambert, School Counselor

Laurie White, School Counselor

Authority: Executive Order 13230

National Hispanic Heritage Month honors the culture, heritage, and contributions of Hispanic Americans each year. The event began in 1968 when Congress deemed the week, including September 15 and 16, National Hispanic Heritage Week to celebrate the contributions and achievements of the diverse cultures within the Hispanic community. The dates were chosen to commemorate two key historic events: Independence Day, honoring the formal signing of the Act of Independence for Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua (September 15, 1821), and Mexico's Independence Day, which denotes the beginning of the struggle against Spanish control (September 16, 1810). It was not until 1988 that the event was expanded to month-long period, which includes El Dia de la Raza on October 12, celebrating the influences of the people who came after Christopher Columbus and the multicultural, multiethnic society that evolved as a result; Chile's Independence Day on September 18 (El Dieciocho); and Belize's Independence Day on September 21. Each year a different theme for the month is selected and a poster is created to reflect that theme.

Click on the link above and be sure to sign up to volunteer! It can take up to 10 days (or more!) to approve a volunteer application. The sooner you get the application completed, the better. Stay tuned for more information from SECO, our community organization.

We get a tremendous amount of missing items in our lost and found each year and when they are not claimed, we donate it to the BSD Clothes for Kids program. Please label all things brought to school with a first name and last initial so we can get it back to the rightful owner! Thank you!

If you'd like to know a little more about the Administration at Sato please check out the Meet the Principal Page on our website, linked at the button below!