Silverdale Elementary School

Hello Dolphin Families,

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Arrival: Student supervision begins at 9:00 am. Each morning there are 20-30 unsupervised children around cars, climbing on railings, and running around the front of the school. Please help us keep children safe and keep them in cars until staff are present.

Counseling Services: We are fortunate to have two full time counselors at Silverdale Elementary! 

• School Counseling: Katy Leet supports classroom guidance lessons, small group social emotional development, and individual student support. 

• Military Family Life Counseling: Candance McKenzie is the Military and Family Life Counselor and specifically works with military families. Please remember to return the permission slip if you would like your child to benefit from this service. 

Rainy Recess: The rainy weather is upon us! Please make sure your child is dressed for outdoor play. Children benefit from fresh air and exercise during recess time. If it is not pouring, students will be outside for recess!  

Personal Items & Electronic Devices: We discourage students from bringing personal items to school including toys, collectable cards, cell phones and other technology devices. Items can get lost or damaged as well as being a distraction from learning. If students are given the opportunity to bring an item to school for a special occasion, they should keep the item in their backpack and only bring it out during the sharing session. 

Destination Imagination: We are excited to bring Destination Imagination (DI) back to Silverdale Elementary this year! DI is a fun project-based learning experience where kids learn how to think creatively and critically, develop teamwork and problem-solving skills, and learn how to manage a project from start to finish -- and they have fun while doing it! To kick off the year, we are co-hosting a Destination Imagination Information Night on Thursday, September 28th from 4:30-5:30 at Cougar Valley for our students and families to learn all about it. Please complete this form if you are planning on attending so that we can plan accordingly.

Fall Clubs: Before and after school clubs are coming soon! Sign ups should be out the week of October 9th. 

Parent Teacher Conferences: Parent Teacher Conferences are scheduled for October 26 and 27. If you didn’t get a chance to sign up at the Meet and Greet, visit https://www.ptcfast.com/schools/Silverdale_Elementary to sign up for a time to meet with your child’s teacher! 

School Supply Fee: A reminder that we are still accepting school supply donations. The $35 school supply fee is Payable Online and covers the cost of supplies for the entire year. If you can provide an additional donation for students who may need assistance, it is greatly appreciated. 

Social Media: Silverdale Elementary is on Facebook! If you are not already doing so, please consider following us on social media. We will post reminders for spirit days, family events, and school updates. 

Upcoming Events: 

• October 3: School Picture Day

• October 9: No School, Non-Student Day

Sincerely,

Mackenzie Foley

Silverdale Elementary Principal

Hello Dolphin Families,

What an amazing start to the school year! Students have been busy learning routines and schoolwide expectations. The first few weeks we intentionally focus on building positive relationships within our school community to strengthen social emotional development and provide a safe and caring environment for students to learn and grow together. 

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Dolphin Market: Silverdale Elementary participates in Positive Behavior Intervention and Supports, a system for promoting a safe and effective learning environment. Students are explicitly taught the schoolwide expectations Respectful, Responsible, and Ready to Learn in each area throughout our school. Students will earn Dolphin Dollars to acknowledge and reinforce appropriate student behaviors. These dollars can be used to purchase tangible (pencils, toys) and intangible (sports with the principal, name announced) prizes. The Dolphin Market opens next week! 

Attendance Matters:  Absences add up! Missing two days or more per month means a student misses more than 10% of the school year. Regular attendance helps students feel better about school and themselves. Build the habit of good attendance early. If your student will be absent, please contact the main office at 360-662-9400 to let us know. For more information about when to keep your child home, please visit: When to Stay Home.  

Homework Philosophy: We strongly believe in the power of play and the importance of letting children be children. Further, research does not indicate significant benefits of homework at the elementary level. We believe that when students give us all of their day, they deserve to have all of their night. Therefore, we have eliminated standing homework assignments with the exception of a regular reading routine. Each child should either read or be read to for 15 - 20 minutes every night. This nightly practice is fundamental to reading growth. 

School Supply Fee: A reminder that we are still accepting school supply donations. The $35 school supply fee is Payable Online and covers the cost of supplies for the entire year. If you can provide an additional donation for students who may need assistance, it is greatly appreciated. 

Free and Reduced Meals: Families can apply for the Free and Reduced Meal Program at any time during the school year. You can apply online or complete the paper application provided on the first day of school and return it to the school. 

Parent Teacher Conferences: Parent Teacher Conferences are scheduled for October 26 and 27. If you didn’t get a chance to sign up at the Meet and Greet, visit https://www.ptcfast.com/schools/Silverdale_Elementary to sign up for a time to meet with your child’s teacher! 

Safety Procedures: At Silverdale Elementary, we take safety seriously. Some of our safety procedures include: 

• Exterior doors are kept locked at all times. 

• All visitors must check in with the front office and sign in through the Raptor system. 

• Staff and visitors are expected to wear photo identification badges. 

• Staff and students are trained in safety procedures through monthly drills. 

• Photo ID is needed for student check out. 

CK Food Backpacks: The Food Backpack 4 Kids program is available for families in need of food assistance/support. Each weekend a backpack is filled with easy to prepare nutritious foods and snacks to help feed a family of four. If you would benefit from this program please fill out this Backpack 4 Kids Program Form Backpack 4 Kids Program Form -  Spanish.  

General Reminders: 

• Students should not arrive or depart cars until 9:00 when staff supervision begins. 

• Please pull all the way forward in the pick up look to facilitate a quick pickup and minimize traffic backups. 

• If your student is going to be absent, please call the main office at 360-662-9400 to report the absence. 

• Please send your students with shoes appropriate for recess and PE. 

Upcoming Events: 

• September 20 - 21: Vision and Hearing Screening

• October 3: School Picture Day

• October 9: No School, Non-Student Day

Sincerely,

Mackenzie Foley

Silverdale Elementary Principal

Hello Dolphin Families,

Welcome to the 2023-24 school year at Silverdale Elementary! We hope you had a rejuvenating summer filled with fun! We can’t wait to welcome the return of students on the first day of school tomorrow. 

Our staff want all students to know that they are valued and we believe in them. Learning and growing are the heartbeat of our school and we are eager to partner with families to help all students thrive! 

 

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Main Office Information: Our school office is open from 8:00 am - 4:00 pm. Please contact the office when your child will be absent or if you need to change your child’s after school plans. The number for the main office is 360-662-9400. 

School Hours:  

Bus Route Information: Bus route information is available at CKSD Bus Routes. We anticipate that routes will be delayed in the first days of school. Kindergarten students must be met by an adult at the stop. 

Car Riders: Drive through the loop until you are greeted by a staff member. Students need to be prepared to enter and exit cars on the right side of the vehicle. Student supervision begins at 9:00 am and students must remain in vehicles until this time. We appreciate your help in ensuring that students are safely supervised. 

Tips for a Safe and Smooth Drop Off: 

• Follow the arrows on the map for drop off and pick up

• Pull forward as far as possible

• Students will only depart vehicles in the blue zone, past the load/unload sign

• Please have kids ready to exit the car (unbuckled, masked, belongings in hand)

• Students exit vehicles on the right 

• Stay in your car, we will unload your student(s) curb side for safety

• Be alert for students walking to school

School Supplies: 

• $35 School Supply Fee

• Backpack

• Water Bottle

• Headphones (4th and 5th graders may choose to use earbuds instead, no bluetooth)

The $35 school supply fee is Payable Online and covers the cost of supplies for the entire year. If you can provide an additional donation for students who may need assistance, it is greatly appreciated.   

Lunch Information:  A food service account in automatically set up for every child once they enroll at CKSD. Parents may track their student’s meal charging activity, make payments to their account, and apply for free or reduced meals online at https://family.titan12.com/. For more information or to view the lunch menus, visit CKSD Lunch and Breakfast. 

Medication at School:  In order for students to take any medication at school, we must have a medication authorization form signed by a licensed health care provider and a parent/guardian. Parents must bring medications to the school office. 

Silverdale Spirit: On Thursdays, we show our Silverdale Spirit! Wear your Silverdale Elementary swag or blue. Spirit wear is available for purchase at Silverdale Spirit Wear. 

Volunteering: We are always looking to increase volunteer involvement in our school! All volunteers need to complete an online volunteer application at CKSD Volunteer Application.  

Parent Portal: We encourage you to verify your contact information in PowerSchool Parent Portal to ensure you receive school communications. Families can also monitor attendance and view report cards through the parent portal. Please call the school office if you need assistance! 

Social Media: Silverdale Elementary is on Facebook! If you are not already doing so, please consider following us on social media. We will post reminders for spirit days, family events, and school updates.  

Upcoming Events: 

• September 6: First Day of School (Grades 1-5)

• September 6: Kindergarten Experience Day

• September 7: No Early Release, School Dismisses at 3:30

• September 7: Kindergarten WaKids Meetings

• September 8: Kindergarten WaKids Meetings

• September 11: First Day of School for Kindergarteners 

• September 14: Early Release, School Dismisses at 2:00

Thank you for taking time to familiarize yourself with our school procedures for the upcoming school year. As always, our staff is here to help and we thank you for partnering with us! 

Sincerely,

Mackenzie Foley

Silverdale Elementary Principal

Hello Dolphin Families,

Welcome to the 2023-24 school year at Silverdale Elementary!  We are busy preparing for a wonderful year together and can’t wait to see you on the first day of school on September 6th. 

We are just days away from your first teacher connection! On Wednesday, August 30th at 3:00 pm your teacher will send you an email welcoming you to their class. If you do not receive a welcome email with class placement information, please call the school office at 360-662-9400.  

We would also like to invite all families to a Meet and Greet event on Thursday, August 31st from 4:30 pm - 6:00 pm. Each student will visit the classroom, meet their teacher, sign up for fall conferences and enjoy popsicles on the playground. 

A note to our Kindergarten families… Kindergarten students traditionally begin school in a “slow start”. Please look for a separate email with information about the multiple opportunities to build connections before their first full day of school on September 11th. 

Please see below for some important information regarding the start of the new school year.

School Supplies

 

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• $35 School Supply Fee
• Backpack
• Water Bottle
• Headphones (4th and 5th graders may choose to use earbuds instead, no bluetooth)

The $35 school supply fee will cover all classroom supply needs for the entire year. Fees can be paid online through the school website, or to the office with a check or exact cash.

School Schedule  

 

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Arrival and Dismissal Procedures

 

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Arriving By Car Students exiting cars will occur from 9:00 am to 9:15 am

Drive through the loop until you are greeted by a staff member. Students need to be prepared to exit, on the right, once signaled to do so.  

Tips for a Safe and Smooth Drop Off: 

• Follow the arrows on the map for drop off and pick up
• Pull forward as far as possible
• Students will only depart vehicles in the blue zone, past the load/unload sign
• Please have kids ready to exit the car (unbuckled, masked, belongings in hand)
• Students exit vehicles on the right 
• Stay in your car, we will unload your student(s) curb side for safety
• Be alert for students walking to school

Arriving By Walking Please do not arrive prior to 9:00 am.

Walk ups will go to the main entrance. Parents may also choose to park in the parking lot and walk over to the designated pedestrian check in area near the circle by the front door. Parents will say goodbye to their child at the main entrance and the child will proceed to their classroom between 9:00 am to 9:15 am. 

Arriving By School Bus  

Visit https://silverdale.ckschools.org/info/buses for information about bus routes. 

Once the bus arrives at school, students will remain on the bus until a staff member approaches. Students will enter the building and enter the building through the main entrance. 

Late Arrival

If your child is late to school, please park in the lot and walk student(s) to the main entrance for check in. 

Leaving by Car 

Please follow the same flow of traffic for the “drop off” procedures. Students will remain with their teacher at their assigned location until their parent/guardian arrives. Once you arrive in the loop, a staff member will assist your child into your car. Please remain in your vehicle unless assistance with a car seat is needed. Students will need to enter the vehicle from the right side. Teachers will provide a “Name Placard” for you to place on the front passenger side of your vehicle. Clearly displaying this sign significantly expedites this process. 

Leaving by Walking 

Parents meeting their child should wait near the pedestrian pick up circle near the front door. 

Students without parents meeting them will also be allowed to proceed directly home if that is their normal end of day plan. Please let your child’s teacher know if your child is to walk home directly after school.

Leaving by Bus 

Bus riders will be dismissed to their bus at the end of each day. Siblings may meet in the bus area if applicable.  

Meals

 

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Visit CKSD Lunch & Breakfast for lunch menus, meal pricing and information about how to pay for meals online! 

Breakfast will be available beginning at 8:55 am. Students who are eating breakfast at school will enter through the main entrance and proceed to the cafeteria. 

Families can apply for the Free and Reduced Meal Program at any time during the school year. You can apply online or complete the paper application provided on the first day of school and return it to the school. 

We can’t wait to see your families in the building soon! Thank you for taking time to familiarize yourself with our school procedures for the upcoming school year! As always, our staff is here to help and we thank you for partnering with us! 

Sincerely,

Mackenzie Foley

Silverdale Elementary Principal