Cherry Crest Chronicler
October 2
Hello Charger Families!
October is upon us and there is a lot happening at Cherry Crest – not only in our virtual classrooms but also in our Comm(Unity) — as we make preparations for safely returning to the classroom.
Last week, teachers hosted our first even Virtual Curriculum Night. If you didn’t have a chance to watch the informational presentations, you can still access educator videos on our Cherry Crest website. Click here for 2020 Curriculum Night access.
I understand that many families are interested in the timeline and logistics for a potential return to in person learning. The BSD School Board is meeting on Tuesday October 6th during which time they will make public a proposed timeline for return. Look for additional communication from the school district and from me related to this information.
Thank you for your continued patience and flexibility during this season of uncertainty and change. I appreciate your support and making time to review the information and dates included in this newsletter.
Dusty Steere, Principal Cherry Crest Elementary
IMPORTANT DATES
October 7 3rd-5th grade students take SEL Survey during asynchronous learning (details below)
October 9 No school for students – Teacher Professional Learning Day
October 12, 13,14 Early Release for students @ 12:15 (conferencing days)
October 16 Principal Chat @ 8:30 am Join Microsoft Teams Meeting
October 21 Unity Day
Please remember to regularly visit the Cherry Crest & PTSA websites for the most current information.
https://bsd405.org/cherrycrest https://www.cherrycrest-ptsa.org
Need Help with Technology? Tech support is available Monday through Friday! Visit https://bsd405.org/techsupport for details. For self-guided support, explore the list of common questions and resources. Information on BSD Technology Centers is available on our website.
Attendance Matters. Beginning next week, there will be a change to the coding of your student’s absences. At the beginning of this school year, we continued with use of the Remote Learning Absence (RLA) coding, that was utilized last spring when students were absent from a virtual class. Use of the RLA coding aligned with guidance from the State, however this was a temporary provision ending September 2020. Beginning Monday, October 5th, absences from remote learning will be marked excused or unexcused and we will be using the attendance codes that we have used in the past.
If your child is going to be absent or arrive late (for an early morning dental appointment, for example) , please email our attendance office by 8 am at [email protected] with the child’s first and last name and the reason for the absence or late arrival.
Early Release for Elementary Conferencing. The 2020-21 BSD Calendar identifies October 12,13, & 14 as early release days for elementary students in support of Parent/Teacher/Student conferences. Please look for additional information from the school and from your child’s teacher with specifics for how conferences will be conducted this year.
Principal Chat on Friday 10/16 @ 8:30 am. Cherry Crest families are invited to attend monthly virtual meetings hosted by Principal Dusty Steere and PTSA presidents Britt Heath & Deepa Panchepakesan. All chats will be hosted online via Microsoft Teams and will include information from the principal as well as ample time for questions and comments. Use this form to submit a question or topic for the next Principal Chat.
Chats are scheduled on the following Fridays from 8:30 – 9:30 am: Oct 16; Nov 13; Dec 11; Jan 15, Feb 12, March 19, Apr 26, May 28
Join Microsoft Teams Meeting
Panorama SEL Survey for BSD Students on October 7. Student Well-being is a priority to the Bellevue School District. We want to foster and promote healthy social-emotional skills for all our students so they can learn and thrive. In order to learn more about student experiences, we will be asking for your child’s feedback using the Panorama Social Emotional Learning Survey. Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) is a process through which individuals build awareness and skills in managing emotions, setting goals, establishing relationships, and making responsible decisions that support success in school and in life. Students in grades 3rd through 12th grade will be asked to complete the Panorama SEL online survey during the school day in early October. The survey will ask students to self-reflect on their own social and emotional skills. The questions that will be asked are below this letter.
- Students in grades 3-5 will complete the survey on Wednesday, October 7th during their asynchronous learning time
- Students in grades 6-12 will complete the survey between October 6th & 7th
The data we get back will inform our educational practices and help us continue to identify opportunities for growth and development with our students. The survey should take approximately 20 minutes to complete. As with all screeners and assessments, student data will remain confidential and secure.
Please notify us if you would like your 3rd – 5th grade child to opt out of taking the survey by completing this form.
Wednesday, October 21st is Unity day. This is a day where we encourage students to stand together against bullying and be united for kindness, inclusion and acceptance. The official color for unity day is orange and all students & staff are encouraged to wear orange to school. As as schoolwide project, we will send out a Flipgrid where each student can record how they can stand up against bullying and how they can show kindness and acceptance of others. Bullying can be prevented when we all come together – united for kindness, acceptance and inclusion. Questions, contact school counselor Marissa Krauskopf.
Advanced Learning Testing. The BSD Advanced Learning Department will be accepting testing applications to determine students in need of advanced learning opportunities beginning October 12, 2020. Applications for advanced learning testing for students in grades 1 through 4 and 6 through 11 will be available online beginning October 12, 2020. District families interested in applying for testing should submit an application before the November 30, 2020 deadline. Parents of BSD Kindergarten and 5th grade students do not need to apply, as these students will be considered for advanced learning services through the Kindergarten and 5th grade screening processes. Learn more about Advanced Learning on our website.
Cherry Crest Elementary prepares all students to become life-long learners through inquiry, collaboration, and discovery. Each student will feel a sense of belonging in our Comm(UNITY) while learning social-emotional and academic skills to be successful in an ever-changing and diverse society.