PANTHER PRIDE
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From the PrincipalHello Fernwood Families,
Happy New Year! I hope everyone was able to find time to rest and reset while being with family and friends over the holiday season. This winter break held additional anticipation for us at Fernwood as we prepared and looked forward to the official moving into our new building. Currently we are planning for our 4th and 5th grade teachers and students to begin learning in their new space on January 28th. Mrs. Teter’s and Mrs. McDaniel’s music rooms will also be ready by January 28th. We will be moving our administration offices to the new office between January 5th and 9th.
While we were away from school, construction continued, putting the final touches in place. We also had movers begin the heavy task of moving our 4th and 5th grade classes, and music classes into their new rooms. This will be a two part project with another round of moving taking place on January 26th. We anticipate having an open house for our community when we have full occupancy. More details will be shared as plans are made.
It is exciting when touring the building to imagine how the design of the shared spaces will foster collaborative and enriching learning opportunities. Teachers and students will be able to create more flexible groupings, partnerships and break out discussions that will support the development of creative and critical thinking aligned with their core instruction.
One topic that has come up regarding the design of the building is the bathroom facilities. We know this is a sensitive area for many students and are excited that we have bathrooms that are designed for single users, with a fully enclosed stall and door ensuring privacy for the user. Bathroom sinks are outside the stalls and fully visible from the hallway and classrooms which provides that extra layer of supervision.
As we return from winter break, I want to take a moment to thank you for your ongoing partnership as we continually seek to create an enriching learning environment that fosters the belonging of all students. It is also our priority to ensure the safety of all our students, staff and community both while at school and during arrival and dismissal. You can help us by being extra intentional in driving slowly through our parking lot, following the laws of the road when parking on 39th and paying special attention to our young students who are on safety patrol at our crosswalks.
We look forward to welcoming back our Fernwood Panthers and seeing their smiling faces as we return to school on Monday, January 5th!
With appreciation, Cassie Morton, Principal |
MARK YOUR CALENDAR |
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January 1/5 - Return to School 1/8 - PTSA Spelling Bee - Round 1 - 6:30pm 1/13 - PTSA General Meeting - 7:00pm 1/19 - No School - Martin Luther King Jr Day Observed 1/23 - End of the first semester 1/26 - No school - Teacher work day 1/30 - Student Council Spirit Day - Cultural Day |
COUNSELOR CONNECTION |
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Happy New Year! For this month of January, all of Fernwood students will be having their fifth classroom lesson with their school counselor. So far this school year, there have been 120 school counseling lessons taught! These lessons have included topics on the role of the school counselor, managing feelings, and managing small and big problems (using Kelso’s Choices and Bullying Prevention).
Students in grades K - 2 have recently explored different Kelso’s choices to make when solving small problems. Those lessons have included a video demonstration of Kelso’s Choices in Action. Students in Kindergarten and First Grade have learned about the differences between a small and big problem, sizing up a problem so that they can match their reaction to the size of a problem, and they have worked on 6 of Kelso’s 9 Choices (Wait & Cool Off, Apologize & Make a Deal (in November) and Go to Another Game, Tell Them to Stop & Talk It Out). Second Grade students have also been working on Kelso’s Choices. The last 2 months, these students have been working on Talking it Out, then we shifted to focusing on 4 Kelso’s Choices that students selected as ones they want to improve upon. Ask your Second Grader which Kelso’s Choices are easier/harder for them and why. Encourage your child to use Kelso’s Choices to solve small problems. We teach students to try 2 before going to an adult for help.
For students in grade 3, their learning about the three R’s to Bullying Prevention continues! Recognize means asking: Is what I am seeing bullying or a conflict, a misunderstanding or a small problem?), Report means telling an adult that I trust (because bullying is a big problem, and Refuse means assertively telling the person to STOP. This month, students will learn more about Bystander Power and ways they can be a supportive bystander. The final lesson in our Bullying Prevention unit for grades 4 & 5 this month was in December and included examples related to the 3R’s to help prevent cyberbullying. Bullying prevention requires students’ use of empathy skills to activate their compassion for others and assertive communication to refuse bullying. Thank you for your support in engaging with your child about their bullying prevention skills. In January, Fourth and Fifth graders will be receiving a lesson on managing Conflict. We will review perspective-taking, discuss decelerating conflict, and review Kelso’s Choices. Please see links below for information on Kelso’s Choices and Bullying Prevention curriculum. |
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Also in January, Lunch Bunch for grades 1-5 will end (mid-month) and small counseling groups will begin. There have been approximately 65 students invited to participate in small groups, and they represent 8.5% of our school. Parents have been informed of their students’ invitation and were informed of the opt out process. Groups will take place during students’ lunches or interdisciplinary time. These parents can also expect periodic emails to share the groups’ happenings and relevant resources on how they can support at home. Please reach out if you have any questions.
Below you will find many resources regarding Fernwood’s school counseling program, including a new flyer provided by our district mental health specialist regarding coping with grief.
If I can be of any assistance to you or your child, please do not hesitate to reach out. Thank you for your partnership!
Best Regards, Jennifer Brisbine jbrisbine@nsd.org and 425-408-4570
Mental Health Newsletter on Grief 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 Click on the image below to access 10 months of self-care ideas designed to help elementary students create habits to make self-care practices a daily routine. |
IN THE KNOW |
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Semester Ends January 24th Report cards viewable in ParentVue February 2nd.
January 26th Non Student Day The end of the first semester is on Friday, January 24th. Teachers are then given Monday, January 26th to use for grading and completing report cards. As a result, Monday, January 26th is a non student day and there is no school.
Student Council Spirit Days Culture Day is on Friday, January 30th. Students are encouraged to wear traditional clothing of the culture from which they most identify. We are appreciative of the ways our Student Council creates opportunities to celebrate and learn about the various cultures within our Fernwood community.
Friday, February 6th Students will be dismissed at 12:30 pm on Friday, February 6th. The remainder of the day is set aside for parent-teacher conferences. Teachers selected families with whom they would like to meet to further discuss student progress for the 2025-26 school year. Since only an afternoon is set aside, teachers are not able to meet with all families. If you have further questions, please reach out to your child's teacher.
Looking for Paper Shredders If you have a paper shredder you don’t use please consider donating it to Fernwood. Shredders will be used to process paper and cardboard into bedding for a school worm farm. To donate please contact our School Technology Specialist, Ben Huizenga, via email at bhuizenga2@nsd.org." |
DISTRICT INFORMATION |
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Voting for Our Schools in February School Board Approves Placing Three Funding Measures on February 10, 2026, Ballot During the October 27 meeting, the Northshore School Board voted to place three funding measures on the February 10, 2026, ballot. These measures include two levy renewals and a capital projects bond. These measures work together to ensure that all students have access to updated learning supports, facilities, and technologies that support their education.
Enrollment for the 2026-2027 School Year Northshore offers a variety of excellent neighborhood and choice school options to meet the diverse needs of our students. We will begin the enrollment process for the 2026–27 school year on January 8, 2026. Enrolling students as early as possible helps us plan and prepare for the upcoming school year ensuring that we can appropriately staff our schools, organize classrooms, and create welcoming environments where every Northshore student can thrive.
If you know families with children who will be new to Northshore next year, including incoming kindergarten students, please encourage them to enroll early. Enrollment is completed online. Directions, required documentation, and additional information can be found on our District Enrollment webpage.
Choice School applications will also open on January 8 for in-district and out-of-district students. To explore our Choice School programs and find the best fit for your child, visit our Choice Schools webpage. |
PTSA INFORMATION |
Yearbooks on Sale NOW! |
