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We create and maintain a safe and consistent learning community by establishing positive behavioral supports and a culture where all students achieve social, emotional and academic success.
In this issue:
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Principal’s Message
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Dates to Remember
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Counselor Corner
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In the Know
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District Information
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PTSA Information
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Dear Fernwood Families,
It is hard to believe that at the end of the week we will be wrapping up our third quarter and heading into Spring Break. Whether you are traveling for fun, visiting family or staying home, we hope you find some relaxation and take time to refresh yourself. Enjoy this much deserved week away!
Spring can often be a time for renewal and growth. We find extra energy with the increase in daylight and warmer weather. It is an exciting time within the school year as well. We often see students make growth in new ways with skills they have been persistent in working on throughout the school year, especially for our younger readers. Across the school, we approach spring with an increased focus around our school pillars of: I am safe, I am kind, I am a learner. The same new zeal of energy students are putting into their school work, can also play out in other ways across our school setting.
During our last PTSA meeting, I was able to share more about our restorative practices we use here at Fernwood and the importance of our partnership with families. I want to take this as an opportunity to revisit and share this information along with our school-wide philosophy on supporting student behavior. We seek to be proactive by establishing, maintaining, and restoring relationships with students as we get to know them and positively reinforce their behavior. When behavior does occur, we implement a system to consistently follow through with major or minor behaviors. Please utilize this link for more details on this philosophy and our Behavior Matrix and Flowchart.
We appreciate your support of our school-wide pillars at home as well to minimize behaviors at school. Together, in partnership, we support our kids in being their best selves at Fernwood and beyond.
With appreciation,
Cassie Morton, Principal
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APRIL
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Date |
Event |
Location |
Time |
| 4/4 | End of the 3rd Quarter | ||
| 4/7- 4/11 | SPRING BREAK - No School | ||
| 4/14 | Track and Field Practice Begins | Gym | 8:00-9:00am |
| 4/15 | Deadline to order Track Tshirts | ||
| 4/21 | Track and Field Practice | 8:00-9:00am | |
| 4/25 | Student Council Spirit Day - Favorite Sports Day | ||
| 4/28 | Track and Field Practice | 8:00-9:00am | |
| 4/29 | Track Meet @ Kenmore Middle School | 5:00pm |
MAY
| Date | Event | Location | Time |
| 5/2 | Parent Input Deadline - Input due today | ||
| 5/2 | PTSA Cultural Night | NCHS Commons | 6:30-8:30pm |
| 5/5 | Track and Field Practice | Gym | 8:00-9:00am |
| 5/6 | Track Meet @ Northshore Middle School | 5:00pm | |
| 5/12 - 5/16 | PTSA Staff Appreciation | ||
| 5/12 | Track and Field Practice | Gym | 8:00-9:00am |
| 5/13 | Track Meet @ Canyon Park Middle School | 5:00pm | |
| 5/19 | Track and Field Practice | 8:00-9:00am | |
| 5/20 | Track Finals @ Northcreek High School | 5:00pm | |
| 5/23 | Student Council Spirit Day - Look- A-Like day |
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We’re in the swing of our Spring small groups and April classroom lessons. The small groups will support students' self- self-management, social-awareness and/or social-management. Some topics included emotional regulation, managing worry, making and keeping friendships and sportsmanship to name a few. These small groups will begin the week of March 24th and run for 6 - 8 weeks.
For our April classroom lessons we are focusing on “Sportsmanship”. We’ve had an uptick in unkind comments and gestures, overall physicality towards others and rude, mean and disrespectful behaviors during recess and PE. At home, if you can help communicate the importance of PLAY is focused on having fun, including others and showing kindness as well as respect that would be greatly appreciated. With our united message it can be more powerful and consistent. Thank you for your continued partnership to help foster our Fernwood community with a strong sense of belonging for all students to feel safe and thrive here. Our lesson will include discussing what is good sportsmanship (looks and sounds like), ways to be a good sport and apply these strategies for good sportsmanship in various scenarios.
If we can be of any assistance to you and/or you would like to discuss your child, please do not hesitate to contact us. Thank you for your support!
Best Regards,
Jennifer Brisbine (Grades 1, 3 & 5) jbrisbine@nsd.org and 425-408-4570
Sarah Cue (Grades K, 2 & 4) scue@nsd.org and 425-408-4572
To learn more about these curriculums, we encourage you to explore the resources below:
Kelso’s Choices Parent Information
3rd Grade Bullying Prevention Unit Family Letter
4th Grade Bullying Prevention Unit Family Letter
5th Grade Bullying Prevention Unit Family Letter
Additional Resources:
Child Mind Institute Free Webinars
Student Self-Care Calendar
Click on the link above or the image below to access 10 months of daily self-care ideas designed to help elementary students create habits to make self-care practices a daily routine.
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Track and Field Registration Now Open!
We are happy to announce that our season is right around the corner. Registration is now open for students in grades 3-5. Practice will begin right after break on Monday, April 14th from 8:00-9:00am in the gym for those that have enrolled. Please see the linked flier for more details about practice and meet dates.
The cost is $45 and scholarships are available. Please contact the office about scholarship information. You can register via TouchBase (https://schoolsales.nsd.org Opens a New Window.) T-shirt orders are due by April 14th.
Parent Input Form
As we head into April, we continue to think about providing a strong finish to the 2025-26 school year. In addition, we begin to look to the future. You may have started to envision the 2025-26 school year for your child. At Fernwood, our goal is to ensure that all Fernwood students have an equal opportunity for a positive and strong educational experience. We recognize that balanced classrooms are a key step in achieving this goal. We are providing this parent input form for you as an opportunity to share any specific learning needs, strengths, or conditions you would like considered in the 2025-26 classroom alignment process. Our staff across the school closely collaborate to consider any information you provide as well as our knowledge of our child within the school setting to carefully determine placement. Please see the form for more specifics. All forms are due by Friday, May 2nd.
SBA DATES
Students in grades 3rd-5th will take part in our state’s Smarter Balanced Assessment (SBA) this spring. 5th graders will also take the Washington State Science Assessment. During our testing window, it is especially important your child is present and on time to school. Please see the testing dates to mark your calendar. *Please note: there is always the possibility students may become ill, so make up opportunities will be provided. Please do not send your student to school when they are ill.
Here is a key to better understand the acronyms on our schedule:
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ELA - English Language Arts (reading and writing)
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CAT - Computer Adaptive Technology (online test)
PT - Performance Test (providing reasoning and evidence for an answer)
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Welcoming New Fernwood Students- Enrollment for 25-26 School Year
Do you know someone with a child entering kindergarten in 2025-26? If you do, please share that Fernwood is actively enrolling new students for the 2025-26 school year! Early enrollment helps us prepare for our students and future panthers.
Enrollment dates are as follows:
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January 6: The K-12 waiver application process opens for Northshore employees and in-district and out-of-district students with current waivers.
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January 8: Open Enrollment for all Kindergarten students, new 1-12th grade Northshore students, and Choice Programs and Schools applications begin
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February 24: Students with approved applications for Choice Schools and or Programs may submit waivers.
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March 24: The K-12 application process for new waivers including in-district, out-of-district, and currently waived NSD students moving from 5th to 6th grade and 8th to 9th grade opens.
April Progress Reports
Following the District’s reporting process, progress reports in April will only be provided to families through Parent Vue by April 22nd, if a student is not yet at grade level in one or more areas. In addition, it may also be provided if behavior needs to be communicated. If you do not receive a progress report on Parent Vue, it means your student is performing at standard in reading, writing, and math at this time and that their strengths and/or needs around behavior have been communicated through previous conversations.
If you do receive a progress report, teachers will note specifically where students are not yet meeting grade level with an “N”. Other areas in which they are meeting grade level will be marked with a "Y". These reports also contain a section on "Behaviors that Promote Student Learning.” The teacher may elect to complete this section if a student has behavior needs. They may also leave it blank if a student is consistently demonstrating these behaviors or fill it out in a manner that conveys that consistency.
Whether your child receives a progress report or not, we know teachers are working tirelessly in the classroom to provide effective feedback to all students. This feedback supports student self-efficacy so that each child is aware of their strengths, needs, and steps to take to make progress towards those needs.
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Yearbook Ordering Deadline TUESDAY, April 1st is the LAST DAY to order your Fernwood Elementary School 2024-2025 yearbook!
Students have until 11:59pm on Tuesday to order! (The online store will close at 12:00am on 4/2.) Order now at www.BuyTheYearbook.com.
Questions? Email fernwoodyearbook@gmail.com. |
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Cultural Night – May 2nd It's that time of year again—Teacher and Staff Appreciation Week is coming up, and we are excited to celebrate our amazing team at Fernwood! From May 12th to May 16th, we’ll be honoring the hard work, dedication, and commitment of our teachers and staff. This year’s theme is “Camp Fernwood”—because let’s face it, you camp find better teachers and staff than those here at Fernwood! The PTSA needs your help to make this week extra special! Each day, as our teachers and staff head off to camp, we’ve got exciting adventures planned, and we’ll need your support. We’ll be providing camper snacks, a chili bar lunch, breakfast, and more! Keep an eye out for upcoming sign-ups and an Amazon wish list to help us provide the goodies that will make this week unforgettable. If you have any questions or want to get involved, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us at fernwoodpanthers@gmail.com. Let’s make this Teacher and Staff Appreciation Week the best one yet. 5th Grade Legacy Project
After School Enrichment
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PAST NEWSLETTERS AND WEEKLY UPDATES
- Link - Follow this link to Fernwood's past newsletters for the 23-24 School Year.
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