Cherry Crest Chronicler
October 1, 2022
Hello Charger Families!
October is upon us and there is a lot happening at Cherry Crest – not only in our classrooms but also in our Comm(Unity). Please take a few moments to review the important dates and information below. As always, please don’t hesitate to reach out directly to me with any comments or questions. ([email protected])
The Cherry Crest Chronicler is a monthly newsletter targeting Cherry Crest families. It is typically published on our website on the first of each month and is full of important dates, information and resources. Thank you for taking a moment to read and respond.
Families who speak a language other than English will benefit from using the Translate feature on this website. Simply select your desired language from the gray bar at the top of the page.
Dusty Steere, Principal Cherry Crest Elementary
IMPORTANT DATES
October 4 Grade Level Dinner for K & 1 @ 6 pm
October 6 Grade Level Dinner for 2nd grade @ 6 pm
October 7 Virtual Principal Chat 8:30 – 9:15 am Join Via Teams
October 11 Grade Level Dinner for 3rd grade @ 6 pm
October 12 National Walk & Bike to School Day
October 12 Grade Level Dinner for 4th & 5th grade @ 6 pm
October 14 No school for students – Teacher Professional Learning Day
October 17, 18,19 Early Release for students @ 12:15 (conferencing days)
October 19 Unity Day (wear orange)
October 31 Halloween
October 31 Advanced Learning Winter Testing Application window closes
Please remember to regularly visit the Cherry Crest & PTSA websites for the most current information.
https://bsd405.org/cherrycrest https://www.cherrycrest-ptsa.org
Grade Level Dinners. Cherry Crest PTSA invites you to join your fellow classmates and their families for dinner in the cafeteria. Come connect with new classmates and old friends. All family members, including siblings, are encouraged to attend. Although the deadline has passed to order the prepared dinner, you are encouraged to still attend and bring dinner for your family to enjoy. Questions? E-mail [email protected]. I hope to see you there!
- Kindergarten & 1st Grade: Tues, Oct 4th, 6:00pm
- 2nd Grade: Thurs, Oct 6th, 6:00pm
- 3rd Grade: Tues, Oct 11th, 6:00pm
- 4th & 5th Grade: Wed, Oct 12th, 6:00pm
Virtual Principal Chat Friday 10/7 @ 8:30 am. Cherry Crest families are invited to attend monthly virtual meetings hosted by Principal Dusty Steere and PTSA leaders. During this month’s principal chat, we welcome new Advanced Learning Director Kristin Tinder. We will spend time discussing the AL program at Cherry Crest and answering parent questions about the identification process and timeline. Use this form to submit a question or topic for the next Principal Chat.
Chats are scheduled on select Friday mornings through the year from 8:30 – 9:15 am and will be recorded and posted here for those not able to participate in real time.
Join us for the 10/7 Principal Chat: 8:30 – 9:15 am Join Via Teams
Walk to School Day is October 12th. We are one of the 20 schools that chose to participate in the Fall 2022 SchoolPool Campaign! We will celebrate Walk & Roll to School Day (October 12), and we encourage families and students to walk or roll to school during the week of October 10-13. If you live too far to walk to school, you may consider parking in the school vicinity and walk the rest of the route, or carpool.
Bellevue SchoolPool is a program that encourages families and students to explore sustainable transportation options for their commute to and from school and alleviate congestion at drop-off and pick-up times and locations. The Bellevue SchoolPool team will provide student incentives in the form of branded promotional materials, and flyer/safety tip handouts. Our school will receive $1,000 direct monetary incentives.
Need ideas on how to participate in Walk & Roll to School Day? Check out the SchoolPool Travel Tips. For maps of walking and biking routes in our schools attendance area, and information about the school speed zones, visit the Routes to School web map. Click on our school to find a printable map for your route. If you would like to sign up for the quarterly editions of the SchoolPool newsletter, click here.
Early Release for Elementary Conferencing October 17,18,19. The 2022-23 BSD Calendar identifies October 17,18, & 19 as early release days for elementary students in support of Parent/Teacher/Student conferences (dismissal at 12:15). Please look for additional information from the school and from your child’s teacher with specifics for how conferences will be conducted this year.
Wednesday, October 19th 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 invited to wear orange to school. Schoolwide, on Wednesday, 10/19, we will also be Mixing It Up in the lunchroom! This means students will be encouraged to sit with someone they don’t know very well in the spirit of inclusion and unity. Start asking your student who they are thinking of sitting with – You could even practice how to start a conversation with someone new!
Bullying can be prevented when we all come together – united for kindness, acceptance and inclusion. Interested in learning more? Common Sense Media’s Cyberbullying portal includes great resources for teaching students about safe online behavior, what to do in response to cyberbullying, and how you can set up parental controls on various apps and devices.
You can also use the below family activation codes on SecondStep.org to learn about our K-5 Bullying Prevention Unit curriculum.
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- Kinder: BPUK FAMI LY00
- 1st grade: BPU1 FAMI LY01
- 2nd grade: BPU2 FAMI LY02
- 3rd grade: BPU3 FAMI LY03
- 4th grade: BPU4 FAMI LY04
- 5th grade: BPU5 FAMI LY05
Questions? Contact school counselor Mykela Fantone.
Counselor’s Corner. Hi Cherry Crest families! For those of you I haven’t had the chance to introduce myself to yet, I’m Mykela Fantone (Ms. Mykela to the kids), School Counselor. In addition to information about our upcoming Unity Day, I wanted to share some resources to help you and your family celebrate National Hispanic Heritage Month. Taking place 9/15-10/15, this is an annual celebration of the history and heritage of the people and cultures of Latin America, Spain, Central America, Mexico, and South America. With so many beautiful countries and cultures to learn about, this learning can continue all year long! Here are a few places to get you started.
- Short intro videos of kids explaining what National Hispanic Heritage Month is:
- Video created by a school district in Texas (1 minute)
- Video created by Nickelodeon (1 minute)
- Read-Alouds: 11 Picture Books Celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month
- Event: Kirkland’s Fiestas Patrias Hispanic Heritage Month event is coming up on October 2nd!
Please feel free to reach out any time for support or resources of any kind. I’ll do what I can to find what you need! I’m here for you and your family. Email me anytime: Mykela Fantone.
Nutrition Services is hiring a Kitchen Assistant to support our students at Cherry Crest Elementary. Do you enjoy cooking and serving? If so, consider working at Cherry Crest in a part time capacity that will easily work around your child’s schedule.
- 2.75 hours/day (M, T, Th, F 10:45-1:30 pm, Wed 9:45-12:30 pm)
- $18.23/hour; wage increases to $20.26/hour following 90 day probation
- $350 clothing allowance for uniforms
- No nights, weekends, holidays or school breaks.
- Paid holidays (12), sick leave and personal leave.
Questions: Contact Nutrition Services @ 425-456-4507. Apply online @ https://bsd405.tedk12.com/hire/ViewJob.aspx?JobID=5307
After School Activities Update. We recognize how important after school programming opportunities are for our students and our families. This year, the school prioritized expanding capacity for Boys and Girls of Bellevue – our onsite after care program. That increased capacity in turn decreased space available for on site vendor options. School staff has been working to finalize after school activities for students beginning in October including the popular Magic Class and PTSA sponsored Science and Math clubs. Scheduling for Badminton and Theater is almost complete.
Refer to the PTSA Chatter Newsletter and the PTSA website for current and upcoming activities. https://www.cherrycrest-ptsa.org/after-school-classes-2
In addition, we have a number of offsite vendors providing shuttle transportation from Cherry Crest:
- Bellevue Academy of Arts & Music – currently picks up CCE student here
- Samena – can provide shuttle if CCE students register
- Washington Karate Association – currently picks up CCE students here
Parent delivery of student materials to school. Our school staff appreciate families insuring their children leave the house with appropriate supplies/materials for learning. We also understand that, at times, your child forgets to bring those materials to school and a parent may drop the item off in the main office for delivery.
In general, we do not deliver materials directly to classrooms to avoid classroom disruptions. Instead, lunches are labeled with student/teacher name and placed outside our café on a table for student pick up. Similarly, band instruments are labeled and placed in the hallway outside of the Music room for Band and Orchestra. Schoolwork is labeled and placed in the teacher mailbox for pickup.
Finally, please ensure that your child is appropriately dressed for outdoor weather with proper shoes, sweatshirt, coats and/or hat/gloves.
Lost and Found. Lost and found items are located outside at the main entrance of school. Please stop by and look for your students items. Any items in Lost and Found at the end of the school day on Friday, Dec 16 will be donated to a local charity.
Dismissal Procedures and Reminders. If you are picking up your child by car please, when possible, use the pickup lane versus parking on campus or on nearby streets. Our main parking lot is often full by 2:20 pm. It is appreciated when families place the student name card in the front window of your vehicle to more quickly match students with family cars. Always pull forward and follow the directions of Cherry Crest staff wearing yellow vests. Thanks!
When dismissal plans change, please notify [email protected] before 1 pm as teachers will not check email frequently throughout the day. Anytime families notify us after 1 pm, we cannot always guarantee a message will be delivered to your child. When possible, please make arrangements with your child the night before. Of course, family emergencies happen and we will do our absolute best to communicate a change in plans to your child during the school day.
BSD School Bus Update. In late August, we shared a post with detailed information on student eligibility for riding the bus. Riding the Bus to School in 2022. We recognize that for some families wishing their child to ride the bus that obtaining a bus cards has taken longer than anticipated. BSD transportation is working through parent requests and will send bus cards to each school for distribution to the child. Please do not send your student on the bus without a bus card or email confirmation from the Transportation Department. If you want your child to ride the bus and HAVE NOT already submitted a request, please email [email protected] with necessary info below:
- Student Name:
- Student ID#
- Requesting Bus #___ to/from school – please specify if different
Click here to view Cherry Crest bus routes.
Prearranged Absence Request. With upcoming holidays, please complete BSD Prearranged Absence form if your child will be absent for 3 days or more and email it to: [email protected]
Advanced Learning Winter Testing Applications Open. Applications for Advanced Learning winter testing are now open. Any parent/guardian of a BSD student in grades 1-11 may apply for their student to test. Any parent of a private/home-school student in grades 1-11 who lives within the Bellevue School District service area may also apply for their child to test. Applications must be submitted by 4:00 p.m. on October 31, 2022.
All BSD Kindergarten students are automatically screened for Advanced Learning services. There is no need for this group to apply for testing.
Learn more and apply for winter testing.
For more information on all service models, please visit our Advanced Learning: Services We Provide webpage.
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.