April 10, 2022 – Wilburton Community Newsletter
| A Note from the Administration
Chhoun Mey, Principal
Stephanie Mathias, Assistant Principal |
Dear Wilburton Families and Parents,
We hope that everyone has a safe spring break and we look forward to having students and staff return on Monday, April 18th.
In partnership, Chhoun Mey, Principal Stephanie Mathias, Assistant Principal |
April 1, 2022 – Wilburton Community Newsletter
| A Note from the Administration
Chhoun Mey, Principal
Stephanie Mathias, Assistant Principal |
Dear Wilburton Families and Parents,
Ahead of Ramadan celebrations, we would like to wish a Ramadan Mubarak to all those observing this holy period. Many of our students and families will be observing Ramadan during the month of April and as a culturally diverse school community, we will be supporting our students and families during school in their observance and celebration. Many classrooms will also take time to learn about the importance and traditions related to Ramadan and Eid al-Fitr.
Thank you to all our families and students for continuing to help support each individual’s choice around mask-wearing. It has been great to see our community come together and continue to support one another in a kind and compassionate way.
In partnership,
Chhoun Mey, Principal Stephanie Mathias, Assistant Principal |
March 25, 2022 – Wilburton Community Newsletter
| A Note from the Administration
Chhoun Mey, Principal
Stephanie Mathias, Assistant Principal |
Dear Wilburton Families and Parents,
As we spring forward into warmer weather, please continue to have students dress for wet weather. Remind students to check our lost and found area in front of the school for any lost jackets or water bottles as well.
In partnership,
Chhoun Mey, Principal Stephanie Mathias, Assistant Principal |
March 18, 2022 – Wilburton Community Newsletter
| A Note from the Administration
Chhoun Mey, Principal
Stephanie Mathias, Assistant Principal |
Dear Wilburton Families and Parents,
Thank you families and parents for supporting our school community in having important conversations about the personal decision around masking. These conversations at home coupled with discussions and lessons at school facilitated by teachers have contributed to a very smooth transition from our required indoor masking policy to the change this week of making masking optional at school. Students have adjusted to the new shift with lots of kindness, understanding and inclusiveness.
In partnership,
Chhoun Mey, Principal Stephanie Mathias, Assistant Principal |
March 11, 2022 – Wilburton Community Newsletter
| A Note from the Administration
Chhoun Mey, Principal
Stephanie Mathias, Assistant Principal |
Dear Wilburton Families and Parents,
Saturday will mark the two-year anniversary of Bellevue School District closing school due to COVID-19. As a Wilburton community, we navigated this moment of uncertainty. Our staff and school district supported distribution of laptops and iPads and our teachers dove in to create online teaching spaces and to continue instruction for our students, even as we all navigated the new, challenges of remote learning. Throughout the last two years, as a community, we ensured the safety of our students coming back half-day and then to full-day instruction, ensuring our students continued to have a joyful, rich education each and every day. All of the staff at Wilburton continue to be forever grateful for the support, love and trust all of you, our families, have in us.
As you have likely seen from the district communications, mask-wearing indoors and outdoors will be an individual choice for students and staff starting March 12. This is a decision that has been made following the Health and Safety guidance from Washington State Department of Health and Public Safety and local guidance from Seattle and King County. We would like to share a few Wilburton specific procedures regarding this information:
At home, before school on Monday, discuss these mask changes with your child. Discuss as a family what you’d like your child to do regarding wearing a mask. Please reinforce that everyone – students and staff – will be making a personal choice and it’s important to respect everyone’s personal choice.
In partnership,
Chhoun Mey, Principal Stephanie Mathias, Assistant Principal |
March 3, 2022 – Wilburton Community Newsletter
| A Note from the Administration
Chhoun Mey, Principal
Stephanie Mathias, Assistant Principal |
Dear Wilburton Families and Parents,
As you already the know the outdoor mask mandate has been lifted by Governor Inslee and adopted by Washington Department of Health since February 18th. As a result, Wilburton will no longer requiring students to wear masks outside during recess or at dismissal starting on March 7th, 2022. This means students and families will have the choice to have their students wear a mask outside during recess and dismissal. Masks will still be required when staff, students, and families are in the building.
Governor Inslee is also removing the indoor mask mandate in Washington effective on March 12, 2022. The Washington Department of Health has indicated it will also be aligning to this recommendation. The Bellevue School district is currently working to decide when they will be lifting the indoor mask requirement. Please stay tuned for more details as this information will most likely be coming out next week.
Although these masking requirement changes signals a positive outlook on where we are currently with the pandemic, we know that after almost two years of wearing masks this change will have families and students feeling different emotions.
As an inclusive school community, we want to be clear that if students continue to choose to wear a mask, there will be no tolerance for bullying, teasing, mockery, stigmatization or judgement based on whether or not a student continues to wear a mask at school.
We highly recommend that families and parents start talking to your student NOW about not only what decision your family will make, but the expectations around respect for everyone else’s decision. Discuss reasons why some families will choose to take off masks or keep them on, i.e.:
Thank you for your continued patience, kindness, and support.
In partnership,
Chhoun Mey, Principal Stephanie Mathias, Assistant Principal |
February 18, 2022 – Wilburton Community Newsletter
| A Note from the Administration
Chhoun Mey, Principal
Stephanie Mathias, Assistant Principal |
Dear Wilburton Families and Parents,
On February 17, 2022, Governor Jay Inslee announced that the statewide indoor mask requirement for Washington state, including in our K–12 schools, is scheduled to end on March 21, 2022. We know you likely have many questions about this announcement, and we are anticipating receiving additional information from public health officials in the coming weeks. Dr. Jarvis will also share more information with staff and families today and in the upcoming weeks, as it pertains to BSD.
Thank you for your patience as we plan and prepare for new guidance, which will be communicated as it is available.
Review talking points and FAQs from OSPI.
In partnership,
Chhoun Mey, Principal Stephanie Mathias, Assistant Principal |
February 14, 2022 – Wilburton Community Newsletter
| A Note from the Administration
Chhoun Mey, Principal
Stephanie Mathias, Assistant Principal |
Dear Wilburton Families and Parents,
The month of February is Black History Month which is dedicated to honoring the challenges and triumphs of African Americans throughout U.S. history. At Wilburton Elementary we strive to honor and affirm all of our students identities and culture all year long. If you are interested in reading up on or creating space in your home to talk about the importance of Black History Month with your student, please see the link below:
In partnership,
Chhoun Mey, Principal Stephanie Mathias, Assistant Principal |
January 31, 2022 – Wilburton Community Newsletter
| A Note from the Administration
Chhoun Mey, Principal
Stephanie Mathias, Assistant Principal |
Dear Wilburton Families and Parents,
Although the rain has returned, we are seeing a leveling off of community transmission rates in the county which is very encouraging for our students, staff and families.
Families and parents who walk to and from school, please remember that if you are picking up your student or dropping off your student and you’re on campus, you must wear a mask while on campus. This is for the safety of all people while on campus. Additionally, please wait outside for students while picking students up and not wait inside the school building.
In partnership,
Chhoun Mey, Principal Stephanie Mathias, Assistant Principal |
January 24, 2022 – Wilburton Community Newsletter
|
A Note from the Administration
Chhoun Mey, Principal
Stephanie Mathias, Assistant Principal |
Dear Wilburton Families and Parents,
I hope everyone is able to take some respite from the wet weather we’ve been having with the sunshine that has been visiting us these past few days.
I know that this latest surge of COVID has made it very difficult for many families to navigate how and when to keep students at home with symptoms or as close contacts. I want to extend my continued appreciation and gratitude as we work with individual families and students during this ongoing pandemic. Thank you for your patience, kindness, and partnership.
On January 17th we celebrated Martin Luther King Jr.’s life. King was an influential civil rights leader – best known for his work in racial equity and ending racial segregation in the United States. His life achievements are remembered and celebrated every year on the third Monday of January. This year, as I reflect on Dr. King’s life and his work in racial equity, I know that our school community has directly benefitted from what Dr. King fought for. The strength of our community lies in our racial, cultural, and linguistic diversity and I humbled and privileged to share and be in community with our students, staff, and families.
As a school staff, we also know that Dr. King’s work is not yet done. Our staff is dedicated in the pursuit of finding freedom and justice for all.
“Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.”
In partnership,
Chhoun Mey, Principal Stephanie Mathias, Assistant Principal |
Thank you for joining our Kindergarten Information Session on January 13th. If you were not able to join us or need information regarding Kindergarten, please access video presentation in this postRead More
January 10, 2022 – Wilburton Community Newsletter
A Note from the Administration
Chhoun Mey, Principal
Stephanie Mathias, Assistant Principal
Dear Wilburton Families and Parents,
Happy New Year and welcome back from winter break, everyone!
As we transition back from winter break, most classrooms will be revisiting classroom and school-wide expectations. Part of this review will be to go over our COVID Mitigating Measures we have had in placed all year. Please support this effort by also having conversations at home with your student on proper mask wearing, frequent hand washing, and social distancing as much as possible.
Part of our Positive Behavioral Interventions and Support (PBIS) is Wilburton’s Big 3 – Wolves work together to show respect, solve problems and make good choices. Throughout the day, students are recognized for practicing the Big 3 and are given a Paw Print in which they can exchange for a fun prize at our Paw Print Store. Take a moment this week and ask your student about Paw Prints and our Paw Print Store.
In partnership,
Chhoun Mey, Principal
Stephanie Mathias, Assistant Principal