Newsletter

Greetings From Laurie Huntwork, Incoming Principal

Special Guest at Our May PTO Meeting 

 Meet Jacob Wismer's new principal, Laurie Huntwork, at our virtual May PTO Meeting!

 Tuesday, May 4, 2021

 6:00-7:00pm 

 Zoom:  937 7257 5223  passcode: 810818

 

 

 

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Eagle Run News

Our Eagle Run campaign is well underway, and thanks to your support we are making progress. Thank you to all our talented students who submitted a Sneaker Coloring Sheet. We are excited to share your work with our JW community at our upcoming May assembly!

 

Over the past few weeks our team have been working hard to secure exciting prizes for students and classes who achieve various registration and fundraising milestones. Congratulations to Mrs. Getty’s 5^th grade class for being the first to reach 75% of students registered. You have won a FREE SANDWICH at Chick-Fil-A!!!

 

A few other classes who are close to reaching this milestone and winning this prize as well are: Ms. Amato 2^nd Grade (74%), Mrs. Toevs 2^nd Grade (60%), Ms. Kerrigan 3^rd Grade (57%), Mrs. Elms 5^th Grade (52%) and tons more! To view our prize flyer and learn how your students can win, please click here.

 

If you haven’t registered your student(s), please do so TODAY!

 

www.pledgestar.com/jacobwismer.

1. 1. Click “NOT REGISTERED FOR THIS EVENT”
   2. Enter your name and email (Please enter YOUR information here, not your students)
   3. Click “Submit” 
   4. Follow the instructions on-screen to register student(s)

Corporate Matching Funds – Double your Donation:

Nearly 50% of funds raised through Eagle Run are thanks to Corporate Matched Funds. In 2019, over $60,000 was raised through matching contributions from companies like Intel, Nike, Columbia, Kaiser, Adidas and more. Before making your donation, please check to see if you’re company will match it! For more information on corporate matching, please click here.

 

Please remember to select Jacob Wismer PTO when choosing the company to match, and please email your match confirmation to jweaglerun@gmail.com with student name and teacher. This will allow us to credit students for the funds they raise.

 

Why are we raising funds in difficult times?

Despite these trying times, our students and staff still need support. Whether it’s to provide learning materials through packet pickups or for in-person hybrid, or to offer technology equipment for those in need, it is important for our PTO to remain financially healthy.

 

In a normal school year, it costs our PTO on average $60,000 just to run all of our basic annual programs. Additional funds raised allow us to consider improvements to other areas of our school, and to enhance existing programs like STEAM nights, field trips, PE, library and music initiatives.

 

Dates to Remember:

May 10^th – Spirit Week Begins, Goody Bag Distribution to ALL Hybrid Students

May 12^th – Goody Bag Drive Thru Pickup for ALL CDL Students

May 17^th & 18^th – Eagle Run during PE Classes

May 31^st – Fundraising closes, Last day to qualify for Prizes!

 

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Questions? Contact Us Today at:  jweaglerun@gmail.com

 

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    Eagle Run Slideshow Deadline Extended!

 

 

We have extended the deadline for students to be in our next assembly slideshow to today, Monday, April 19th by 4:00pm.

 

Here are the instructions for students who are interested:

 

1. Download our Eagle Run shoe template at:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ZdwygzA0NRPueR0m0MWTgosYk5oXl3qS/view?usp=sharing

 

2. Decorate the shoe any way that you want.  Here are some ideas: color, paint, glitter, marker pens, pom poms, collage.

 

3.  Have someone take a photo of you holding the shoe.  Be sure we can see both you and the shoe in the photo!

 

4.  Upload the photo onto this link:

https://forms.gle/n73MhwpbouNMCTVX7

 

5.  Watch for your photo at our Eagle Run assembly on May 12th.

 

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PE & Music ~ Attendance Counts!

Music with Ms. Belgique:  Zoom ID: 272 413 9928  passcode: eagles 

Music with Ms. Angle: Zoom ID: 615 122 8571  passcode: music

PE with Mr. Arnold: Zoom ID: 811 207 2369  passcode: PEmra

PE with Mr. Van Volkinburg: 754 954 2880  passcode: pewithVV

 

Hybrid Students' Music & PE Schedule (note: classes are combined)

CDL Students' Music & PE Schedule (note: classes are combined) 

State Testing Update

• 3rd Grade: English Language Arts (ELA) & Mathematics 
• 4th Grade: English Language Arts (ELA) & Mathematics 
• 5th Grade: English Language Arts (ELA), Mathematics & Science 
• 6th Grade: English Language Arts (ELA) & Mathematics 
• 7th Grade: English Language Arts (ELA) & Mathematics 
• 8th Grade: English Language Arts (ELA), Mathematics & Science 
• 11th Grade: English Language Arts (ELA), Mathematics & Science 

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Webinar: Stress and Anxiety in Asian Youth

(This information has been provided by our school counselor, Maggie Patterson. Please contact Maggie at margaret_patterson@beaverton.k12.or.us if you have any questions.)

Due to the rising number of AAPI hate crimes and increasing pressure facing the AAPI community, we’re hosting a new webinar called “Stress and Anxiety in Asian Youth” at 3 PM PST/6 PM EST on April 24th. The webinar will feature Dr. Szu-Hui L. Lee, a Clinical Instructor at Harvard Medical School, and two panelists. They’ll be providing an overview of stress and anxiety and examining how cultural factors affect family dynamics. Beyond that, they’ll also be covering how to make your child feel valued and supported. Attached below is a flyer containing this information.

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Health Curriculum Information for Parents

Kindergarten Orientation ~ May 6, 2021

JW Families - Please share this information with families who have incoming kindergarten students for the 2021-22 school year.

Parent Input Form for 2021-22 - Due: April 30th

Our teachers will be making up class lists for the 2021-22 school year in May so we are collecting information from current K-4 parents to let us know if their children plan to return to Jacob Wismer next year and to let us know if there are any special circumstances that you would like us to consider. The Beaverton School District is not considering any retentions this year so parents who have concerns about their child's progress should address these with their child's new teacher at the beginning of the 2021-22 school year. Completion of the parent input form is optional. Please remember that the survey must not contain specific teacher names or requests.  Here is the link to the form:  https://forms.gle/hnHUavMCc4YsJfhS8

Special Education Parent Resource Fair

 The Special Education Department and Special Education Parent Advisory Council are hosting our Annual Special Education Parent Resource Fair on April 27th from 6:00 - 8:00pm via zoom.

• International Dyslexia Association- Oregon Branch
• Camp Yakety Yak
• Family to Family Resource Center through OHSU
• NWRESD- ECSE
• Paladio Planning-Financial trusts and planning for students
• Specialty Athletics
• Swindell’s Resource Center
• and more!

BimaxNOW Covid-19 Test Information

The Oregon Health Authority (OHA) supports COVID-19 testing in public and private K-12 schools in Oregon for students and staff who display symptoms of COVID-19. The Beaverton School District has registered to have Abbott BinaxNOW rapid antigen testing available for students and staff who develop primary symptoms of COVID-19 at school. Primary symptoms of Covid-19 include:

• New or different than usual shortness of breath

• New or different than usual coughing

• Fever of 100.4 or higher

• New loss of taste or smell.

The Abbott BinaxNOW test will only be administered to students who have consent from their parent(s) or legal guardian on file. The student must be capable and willing to perform a nasal swab test independently. The parent(s) or guardian can decline testing and opt to test their child with a healthcare provider. If there is any doubt as to whether a specimen may be safely self-collected by an individual, they should be referred to their healthcare provider for COVID-19 testing. Positive test results will be shared with the Local Public Health Authority to assist in contact tracing.

If you would like your child to participate in this testing program, please complete and return the consent form to the school office. You can find the consent form at this link: https://www.beaverton.k12.or.us/departments/public-safety/emergency-preparedness/coronavirus/return-to-in-person-instruction/covid-19-health-safety-guidance under the COVID-19 Testing Information. For further information on the Abbot BinaxNOW rapid antigen test see the following link: FDA information on BinaxNOW test.

Counseling Office Hours for Students

Students may visit Ms. Patterson's office hours for 1:1 emotional support and/or problem-solving on Fridays from 11:30-12:15. No appointment necessary. Please see this link for details: Counseling Office Hours for Students. If your child would like a 1:1 meeting at a different time, please email for an appointment. Thank you!

Cedar Mill & Bethany Libraries Present: Talking to Your children About Race and Racism-April 21st, 7-8:30pm

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April Wiser Kids K-5 Newsletter   

Subscribe here

This issue features:

 

Current Services, including Express Browsing at Cedar Mill & Bethany Libraries

 

Parent Information Series:  Join us for one or all of our virtual parenting series on Zoom.  All sessions are free, but registration is required. Upcoming workshops include Talking with Your Children About Race and Racism on April 21 and Positive Parenting to Create a Happy Home on May 6.

 

Booklists:

Kids Books for Ramadan

#OwnVoices Asian Fiction for 3rd-5th Grade

Picture Books Written by Asian Authors

Picture Books for Earth Day

Flowers, Birds and More! Spring Picture Books

 

Rockstar Readers Book Club - An online monthly book discussion for grades 3-5 that explores books from various genres with an emphasis on diverse stories.  

 

Virtual Read to the Dogs program for beginning or struggling readers with DoveLewis Canine Therapy Team!

 

In-Person "Hybrid" Instruction Begins Today for K-2

Read for Eagles ~ Final Results 3,420 hours!

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Eagle Run News! 

Welcome Back JW Families. We hope you had a restful Spring Break! Our Eagle Run, the PTO’s largest and only fundraising event of the school year is well underway, and in order to reach and exceed our goal of raising over $75,000, we need your help! If you haven’t registered your student(s), please do so TODAY, here’s how!

Register your student(s) at www.pledgestar.com/jacobwismer.

1. 1. Click “NOT REGISTERED FOR THIS EVENT”
   2. Enter your name and email (Please enter YOUR information here, not your students)
   3. Click “Submit” 
   4. Follow the instructions on-screen to register student(s)

Per the image below, we currently have just 214 students or 33% registered. It’s FREE to register and the first 325 students registered will WIN a 5oz FroYo. Let’s get to 50% of students registered THIS WEEK! With your help, we can get there.

 

Am I required to donate the student fundraising goal of $100?

No. There is no required donation, and any amount is greatly appreciated. However, if donations average $100 per student, that would help us meet our $75,000 school goal. Another way to raise funds is to ask family and friends to support your efforts. Asking 10 friends for $10 is one way to reach the $100 goal. This ask can be done electronically using PledgeStar, our online fundraising system.

 

Since it costs our PTO on average $60,000 to run all of our basic annual programs, additional funds raised will help keep our PTO financially healthy and stable.

 

Corporate Matching Funds – Double your Donation:

Nearly 50% of funds raised through Eagle Run are thanks to Corporate Matched Funds. In 2019, over $60,000 was raised through matching contributions from companies like Intel, Nike, Columbia, Kaiser, Adidas and more. Before making your donation, please check to see if your company will match your donation!

 

For more information on corporate matching, please click here. Please remember to select Jacob Wismer PTO when choosing the company to match, and please email your match confirmation to jweaglerun@gmail.com with student name and teacher. This will allow us to credit students for the funds they raise.

 

Shoe Coloring Fun:

To celebrate the Eagle Run, please click here to print our Eagle Run Show Coloring Sheet. Have your student(s) color, bedazzle, decorate their shoe in any creative way they want. Once complete, snap a photo of your student and click here to upload it so that it can be included in our May 12^th virtual assembly. All submissions are due by Wednesday, April 14^th!

 

Prizes:

This year, thanks to our incredible corporate sponsors – Century Dental, West Hills Vision Care, Four Seasons Outdoor Living, PDX Prime Realty and Frank’s Noodle House, EVERY JW student will receive a goody bag with some fun swag and prizes. More information will be available soon about our drive through pickup event, so stay tuned!

 

We have also been busy securing additional prizes that students will be able to win just simply through their participation and/or fundraising efforts. So far, we have items from The Seattle Mariners, Chipotle, OMSI, Trader Joe's, Chick Fil-A, Jimmy John's, The NHL, Nothing Bundt Cakes, and more!

 

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Recent JW Staffing Changes

Our wonderful head custodian, Ashlee Hew Len, recently moved back to her home state of Hawaii and resigned her position at JW. We will have a substitute until her position is filled.

Nicole McAllister will be teaching the hybrid section only of Ms. Amato's second grade class.  Nicole recently worked at Terra Linda Elementary School.

Wren Alman will be teaching the hybrid section only of Mrs. Egger's third grade class.  Wren is a Teach for Beaverton participant and is completing his program concurrently at Vose Elementary School.

Former JW parent, Mary Kelly Rossow, is our new health room assistant and will be assisting students in our new Eagle's Nest (aka isolation room) where students who become ill will wait for their parents to pick them up.  Mary Kelly will also be helping in our general health room and office.

Laura Friend and Kyrsti Sackman are our new Para II staff who are replacing Larry McLain and Padmasheela Kumar due to reassignments within the district.  Laura previously worked at Scholls Heights and Kyrsti comes to us from West TV and McKinley.

Important Information for Parents

As we transition to in-person instruction this week, here are some important reminders:

1. All people (both adults and students) must wear a face covering and observe our 6 ft. social distancing requirements when on our school grounds.

2. If you have medication, an Epi-pen or inhaler that your child needs to have at school, please contact Jolene Urban at jolene_urban@beaverton.k12.or.us or Mary Kelly Rossow at mary_kelly_rossow@beaverton.k12.or.us. 

3. All BSD School Facilities are CLOSED during the School Day

• Follow state guidelines on outdoor recreation activities and face coverings.
• Wash hands before and after visiting the playground.
• Maintain physical distancing of at least 6 feet from people outside your immediate household.
• Bring hand sanitizer or sanitizing wipes for use on surfaces that you touch.
• Stay home if you are experiencing any COVID-19 symptoms or have been in contact with someone with COVID-19. Symptoms include cough, fever and shortness of breath.

Parent Input Form for 2021-22 - Due: April 30th

Our teachers will be making up class lists for the 2021-22 school year in May so we are collecting information from current K-4 parents to let us know if their children plan to return to Jacob Wismer next year and to let us know if there are any special circumstances that you would like us to consider. The Beaverton School District is not considering any retentions this year so parents who have concerns about their child's progress should address these with their child's new teacher at the beginning of the 2021-22 school year. Completion of the parent input form is optional. Please remember that the survey must not contain specific teacher names or requests.  Here is the link to the form:  https://forms.gle/hnHUavMCc4YsJfhS8

JW PTO Meeting ~ April 6, 2021

Sunset HS Earth Day Zoom Party 

Link to RSVP: https://forms.gle/wKoczoKHPribS8g7A

Inter-District Transfers

Inter District Transfer forms for 2021-2022 are available beginning April 1, 2021. There are TWO ways to apply for an Inter District Transfer.  More information is available on the TRANSFER website.

Bethany Childcare

Bethany Childcare has decided not to open at JW during hybrid due to small enrollment numbers.  If you would like information about their fall program, please contact director Kathy Fleming at bethany_childcare@comcast.net.

BSD Food Resources

Nutrition Services continues to offer free MEALS to all BSD children aged 1-18 with no Meal Benefits application required. This will continue until the end of the 2020-2021 school year.

• New Information: The Pandemic Electronic Benefits Transfer (P-EBT)program, through DHS, will offer MONEY to families who qualify for Meal Benefits. The money is being offered to help families purchase groceries during the pandemic.
• Families who meet the criteria in this list for the 2020-2021 school year will receive P-EBT funds. No application or further action is needed by families who:
  Have students only at CEP schools (families who have students at CEP and non-CEP schools need to apply for the non-CEP students to receive funds)
  Have children who qualify for SNAP or TANF benefits
  Have children with Homeless, Foster, Migrant, or Runaway status
  Have applied and been approved for Meal Benefits at any time during the 2020-2021 school year.
• Families who do not meet any of the above criteria need to apply right away for Meal Benefits if they wish to be considered for P-EBT funds. Online applications are strongly encouraged, using www.schoolcafe.com. The SchoolCafe website supports English and Spanish applicants.
• Paper Meal Benefits applications, in both English and Spanish, are available at all meal pickup sites and all school offices.
• For more information, follow this link: https://www.beaverton.k12.or.us/departments/nutrition-services.
• If you have questions, please call Meal Benefits at 503-356-3957 or email to NS-MealBenefits@beaverton.k12.or.us.

Safe Routes to School

Jacob Wismer's Next Principal: Laurie Huntwork

Laurie Huntwork has been selected as Jacob Wismer Elementary Principal effective July 1, 2021. Before becoming an administrator, Laurie, who is multilingual, was a counselor, Child Development Specialist and Teacher on Special Assignment with the Beaverton School District. Laurie has served as Barnes Assistant Principal and William Walker Assistant Principal prior to being selected as Jacob Wismer Elementary Principal. Welcome Laurie!

New Hybrid Start Date for 3rd, 4th & 5th: April 8

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No Snacks During Hybrid

Hybrid students should not bring a snack to school (unless they have a doctor's note requiring one) since the hybrid session lasts only 2.25 hrs. and eating will require the removal of masks.  Thank you for your cooperation!

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Bus Transportation Update

An email will be sent out this week regarding Jacob Wismer bus transportation.  If your student (by address) is eligible for bus transportation, it will give you the bus number, stop and times.  If your student (by address) is NOT eligible for bus transportation, it will state this (as you live in the non-transportation zone).  Because of social distancing, no requests will be available within the non-transportation zone for the remainder of this school year.

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CDL & Hybrid Schedule for M, T, Th, F

K-2: STARTS MONDAY, APRIL 5, 2021

3-5: STARTS THURSDAY, APRIL 8, 2021.   *NEW DATE

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Specials (Music & PE)* Schedule

CDL:  

HYBRID:

*Specials will alternate synchronous/asynchronous (see classroom teacher for specifics); new schedule is effective April 5 (for K-2) and April 8 for (3-5).

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School Supply Lists for JW Hybrid Students

*Please make sure your child comes to school wearing a face mask!

 

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Hybrid Arrival Instructions for 2nd-5th Graders

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Hybrid Arrival Instructions for K & 1st Graders

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Hybrid Dismissal ~ Please Read Carefully!

For everyone's safety, parents should not get out of their car, walk or wait in the upper parking lot.  Parents of kindergarten and 1st grade students are asked to pick up their child from their classroom door but leave quickly and refrain from socializing with other parents or staying to play on the playground.

Bus Riders: JW staff will supervise and load bus riders.

Daycare Vans: Since only a handful of students have indicated they are riding daycare vans, we are loading these students in the upper parking lot.  Van drivers are to drive around the parent pick-up lane like all other vehicles.

Kindergarten & First Grade Pick-Up: Please park and walk to your child's classroom door to pick them up.  We recommend parking in our lower parking lot off of Wendy Lane/Crady Lane.  Please be sure to wear your face mask.

2nd, 3rd, 4th & 5th Grade Walkers: Will be released from the classroom by the student's teacher to walk home. Students who are picking up K-1 siblings will be released to go to their sibling's exterior classroom door.

2nd, 3rd, 4th & 5th Grade Parent Pick-Up: Stay in car, wear a face mask, drive in parent pick-up lane with sign (displaying student's name and teacher) on the front passenger window, wait for student to come to your car, do not get out.  Link to sign template: https://docs.google.com/document/d/11qlpZp1-BAt6FKiGSZ4c7TXlke0v1SemGMlPrGgVhfY/copy

Siblings: Please pick up your K or 1st grader from their classroom at 11:15am and then drive to the parent pick-up lane to get your 2nd-5th grader. 

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Daily Hybrid Screening for Sickness

For the safety of our students and staff, all students will be screened when they arrive at school (and on the school bus if they are riders) for Covid symptoms that include:

• cough
• fever (100.4 degrees)
• chills
• shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
• new loss of taste or smell
• other signs of illness: muscle pain, headsche, sore throat, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, new nasal congestion, runny nose

Students who exhibit signs of Covid, will be placed in a separate supervised room that we are calling our "Eagle's Nest" to keep them isolated from others.  Parents will be called and expected to pick up their child from school immediately.  Thank you for understanding that we need to keep all of our students and staff safe.

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Parent Q & A Session on Mar. 31 with School Nurse 

Jacob Wismer is hosting a Q & A Session with our school nurse, Joni Busche, to address and answer any return-to-school, Covid health-related questions that parents may have.  The virtual session will be on Wednesday, March 31 from 4:00-5:00pm.  Zoom: 894 6819 0330 Passcode: 858557

 

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BSD Health Curriculum Update

Here in the Beaverton School District, we teach children important skills for getting along with others and doing well in school. In order to help our school be a safe and supportive place where everyone can learn, we also provide age-appropriate health instruction. There will be two primary resources used for this instruction: The Great Body Shop to teach the adopted Oregon Health Standards and fightchildabuse.org to teach sexual abuse prevention in accordance with Erin’s Law. Continue reading for more information on each resource.

 

Oregon Health Education Standards

The Great Body Shop, published by The Children’s Health Market, will be used to teach the Oregon Health Education Standards. It offers skills-based instruction that addresses physical, social, emotional, and mental health. Human Sexuality Education instruction is age appropriate, medically accurate, and relevant for all students.

 

Erin’s Law (Sexual Abuse Prevention)

An important component of our curriculum is to help children protect their bodies, get support when abuse has occurred, and report to a trusted adult. In accordance with Erin’s Law, we are educating children about sexual abuse and promoting awareness within our communities. The Oregon Department of Education has required all Oregon schools to comply with Erin’s Law. The Erin’s Law lessons address personal safety, touching safety, and assertiveness.

 

Previewing Materials/Opting Out

The process for previewing materials and opting out of instruction will be slightly different due to the pandemic. Your child’s teacher will be sending communication home prior to instruction in human sexuality and sexual abuse prevention to address this.

 

Thank you for helping us to make our school a safe and supportive place where everyone can learn.

 

References:

Oregon Health Education Standards: https://www.oregon.gov/ode/educator-resources/standards/health/Documents/2016ORHEStandards.pdf

Materials Preview Process: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1eV2_2zifeQshFC4uOP8v3Fkvs4zvYSuTEXInyTvag2Q/edit?usp=sharing

Erin’s Law Resource: Fightchildabuse.org

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JW PTO Meeting ~ April 6, 2021

Please join us for our next virtual PTO meeting which will be held on Tuesday, April 6, 2021 at 6:00pm.  

Zoom: 937 7257 5223

Passcode: 810818

 

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Return to School 2021 – Plan Your Trip

As we prepare for return to in-person instruction, Beaverton Safe Routes to School invites you to explore your options for safe travel to school on our website. We have provided suggested routes for walking and rolling, as well as safety tips for all modes of travel. Additionally, you will find arrival and departure maps for every elementary and middle school. These maps indicate how students who travel by foot, bus and car should arrive and leave our school campuses. The safety of our students depends on you! To learn more visit www.beaverton.k12.or.us/safe-routes

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Spring Break is Almost Here!

Spring Break is next week, Mar. 22-26, and there will be no school for students.  Have a wonderful and safe time with your families!

No School for Students Mar. 29, 30 & 31

• For Elementary & Middle Schools (including Rachel Carson): March 29, 30 and 31
• For Option & High Schools: April 19, 20 and 21*

New BSD Video for Hybrid Families - Link

"A Day in the Life of a Hybrid Student"

Required Survey for JW Hybrid Parents - LINK

Please completed this required survey for hybrid parents so we can finalize our in-person instruction plans.  Thank you!

CDL & Hybrid Schedule for M, T, Th, F

K-2: Starts Monday, April 5, 2021

3-5: Starts thursday, april 8, 2021.   *new date

Specials (Music & PE)* Schedule

cdl:  

hybrid:

*Specials will alternate synchronous/asynchronous (see classroom teacher for specifics); new schedule is effective April 5 (for K-2) and April 8 for (3-5).

School Supply Lists for JW Hybrid Students

*Please make sure your child comes to school wearing a face mask!

Hybrid Arrival Instructions for 2nd-5th Graders

Hybrid Arrival Instructions for K & 1st Graders

Hybrid Dismissal ~ Please Read Carefully!

For everyone's safety, parents should not get out of their car, walk or wait in the upper parking lot.  Parents of kindergarten and 1st grade students are asked to pick up their child from their classroom door but leave quickly and refrain from socializing with other parents or staying to play on the playground.

Read for Eagles ~ 2,370 Hrs!  (Last day is Fri., Mar. 19)

From BSD Nutrition Services

          Eagle Run Coloring Fun!

            Link to shoe template (download & decorate)

     Link to upload photo for May 12 assembly slideshow

Behavior, Health & Wellness

Return to School Talking Points

Our upcoming changes with transitioning to either hybrid or staying with CDL learning will have many challenges. As a family, you can ease your child’s transition back to school or changes in your child’s virtual learning with chats and practice. Whether your child is in elementary school or a teenager, reassuring them that there will be changes and that they can be successful with those changes, will help decrease their nerves and anxiousness.  Use these talking points as a guide for your family’s chats.  These talking points include helpful tips to engage in supporting our children through changes to be more resilient.

Jacob Wismer Library News

Book Stop prizes March 8-19

The kids are having so much fun participating in the Pokemon giveaways in February, we've decided to do another giveaway in March.

Any student who puts books on hold, and then picks them up at the Book Stop, will win one prize.  The exact prize will be determined randomly and we will continue to give out books, stuffed animals, squishy toys, scented erasers, while supplies last.

BSD Student Survey

Elementary school students will be surveyed this year through Canvas. The survey will be available in English and Spanish. The survey window is March 30-June 4. 

Student Survey 

• Each year the District surveys students, staff, and parents to gather information for planning, program evaluation, and assessment of progress on the District's Strategic Plan.

• The student survey takes about 20 minutes during the regular school day. The data gathered from the survey are anonymous; your child will not put his/her name or other identifying information on the survey. Like other surveys, results will be presented only about groups. No individual data will be reported.

• Your child may skip questions or stop filling out the survey at any time. Refusing to participate or withdrawing from the survey does not affect your child's grades or class standing in any way. If you or your child does not want to participate, your child can read or do some other activity while his or her classmates complete the survey. 

• A copy of the survey is available from your child's school and is posted at 

https://www.beaverton.k12.or.us/departments/accountabiity/research-reports

• After reviewing the survey, if you do not want your child to participate, please notify Wendy Bernard at wendy_bernard@beaverton.k12.or.us

BSD Marathon Kids Spring Run 2021

• A chance to run and track your miles for Marathon Kids!
• Time to get outside this spring and exercise

• Here is the website with more information
• Contact your child’s PE teacher if you have any questions!

• On the website there are 1 mile routes near your school to use
• You could run a route near your home and track it on your own

• No need to sign up! Just do your run, track your mileage and enter it into your students Marathon Kids account.

• Reach out to your PE teacher and they will resend your login information
• Look for an email from noreply@marathonkids.org

• The Spring Run will be during the week of March 19-28th.

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JW's Current Marathon Kids Stats!

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link to March newsletter:  March Wiser Kids K-5 Newsletter

BSD Elementary Hybrid Model Change

Watch the Video-Link

• All students who opted for Hybrid will come to school for a morning session. During that time, students will receive live in-person instruction from their teachers in reading, writing, math and some health subjects. In the afternoon session, those students will be learning online at home asynchronously. They’ll be working independently on social studies, science and some other health lessons. Students may use Dreambox, our self-directed math program. They’ll also have music and P.E., either with live or recorded lessons. Students will attend school on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays; Wednesdays will be devoted to asynchronous learning online, much like it is right now in CDL.  
• All students who opted for CDL will be learning online at home asynchronously in the morning. They’ll be working independently on social studies, science and some health lessons. Students may use Dreambox, our self-directed math program. They’ll also have music and P.E., either with live or recorded lessons. In the afternoon session, those students will receive live instruction online from their teachers in reading, writing, math and some health subjects. Students will have live online instruction on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays; Wednesdays will be devoted to asynchronous learning online, much like it is right now in CDL.  
• The model for Grades 6-8 at our K-8 schools (Aloha-Huber Park, Raleigh Hills and Springville) is not impacted by this plan. 

• Bethany Child Care - Bethany, Jacob Wismer, Springville, Sato 
• Champions - Cooper Mountain 
• Club K – McKinley, Oak Hills (maybe), Scholls Heights (maybe), Terra Linda, Vose 
• Mari’s Little Lambs - Sexton Mountain 
• REACH - Ridgewood 
• Student Stop – Bonny Slope, Cedar Mill (maybe) 
• Vermont Hills - Montclair

• If you previously chose Hybrid but would like to switch to CDL, you can do that. Contact your school office to request the move. 
• If you previously chose CDL but would like to switch to Hybrid, you may be able to do that. You’ll need to contact your school principal to see whether the class counts and space availability will allow for the change. If not, your student will be put on a waiting list. 

  • Existing and new students will be put in a lottery if there are more hybrid requests than there are spots. Parents will be notified of the outcome of their request on March 12.  

Stoller Principal to Speak at March 2nd PTO Meeting

Principal Retirement Announcement

Dear Jacob Wismer Families,

While I made an announcement at a PTO meeting last spring, I realized that we have several new Jacob Wismer families who may not have heard the news that I will be retiring at the end of this school year.  My last day will be June 30, 2021.

New BSD Health & Safety Resource

The Beaverton School District has created a new public-facing health & safety webpage that is the best source of information for staff and families.  Here is the Link:

https://www.beaverton.k12.or.us/departments/public-safety/emergency-preparedness/coronavirus/return-to-school/covid-19-health-safety-guidance

The Book Stop

JW students are very lucky to have access to so many great books!  The Book Stop allows all students the chance to pick books ahead of time, or to stop by and select from displays during lunch hours, or after school (different hours apply on Wednesdays). All students can check out up to 10 books each time they visit!

If your family is not able to come to the Book Stop during our open hours, please contact Mrs. Le to arrange for alternative ways to pickup books.  We are here to help!  

Book Stop prizes March 8-19

The kids are having so much fun participating in the Pokemon giveaways in February, we've decided to do another giveaway in March.

Any student who puts books on hold, and then picks them up at the Book Stop, will win one prize.  The exact prize will be determined randomly and we will continue to give out books, stuffed animals, squishy toys, scented erasers, while supplies last.

Read for Eagles ~ 1,600 Hours so Far!

Read for Eagles - Video Instructions 

We had a request to produce a video for students that show where to find the Read for Eagles form, how to download and fill it out and how to email it to Kelly Cruickshank at kelly_cruickshank@beaverton.k12.or.us.  Here is the link to the video.  

Eagle Run

AVID for 6th Graders

AVID (Advancement via Individual Determination) is a college readiness system in all Beaverton middle and high schools and includes the AVID elective class during the school day.  Middle schools are currently looking for 5th grade students to be enrolled in the AVID elective class for next year.  

• In the “academic middle” – meeting standards in all subject areas and passing standardized tests, but need a little extra support to do better
• Needing help with study skills and organizational skills
• Motivated to go to college but don’t quite know how or have resources at home
• Willing to work hard and study every night 
• Historically underrepresented in 4-year universities (first one in the family to attend college, students coming from economically challenging situations, students of color, etc.)
• Facing special circumstances that make it difficult for them to actualize their college dream

Behavior, Health & Wellness

How to Build Resilience in Our Kids

Now more than ever, we are being faced with new and ever-changing information.  Building and encouraging resilience in our kids is now more important than ever. The good news is that resilience skills can be learned. Building resilience, the ability to adapt well to adversity or significant sources of stress, can help our children manage stress or feelings of anxiety or uncertainty.  Read on for more information about resilience and how we can foster it in our own children. Teaching children to be resilient during times of adversity

Sunset HS St. Patrick's Day Zoom Party

New RSVP Link: https://forms.gle/ny7t6xZtoATEAmnj9

Community Conversation Around Race - Link

BSD Website Translations

Jacob Wismer Journal ~ Feb. 17, 2021 

District Hybrid/CDL Survey Update

Here is our current student participation tally (Great job, Eagles!):

Our JW Eagle Run is Officially Underway!

During the week of April 19-23, students will participate in Eagle Run activities during their PE class time. This year, our fundraising goal is to reach over $75,000. The first step to helping us get there is to register your student(s) in PledgeStar. Here’s how:

• Go to – www.pledgestar.com/jacobwismer
• Click “NOT REGISTERED FOR THIS EVENT”
• Enter your name and email (Please enter YOUR information here, not your students)
• Click “Submit”
• Follow the instructions on-screen to register student(s)

PledgeStar is our easy-to-use web-based fundraising system that makes it simple to request pledges from family and friends at home and around the world. Secure donations can be made online using a credit card, and all contributions are tax deductible under IRS Code 501 (c) (3) to the extent permitted by law. Collection envelopes will NOT be sent home this year, but any cash or checks received can be dropped off at the school office. PledgeStar will track students’ progress, notify you when a pledge is made, and allow Eagle Run volunteers to share classroom and school-wide progress.

To generate excitement and encourage registration, we are launching an exciting…

**REGISTRATION INCENTIVE**

How Can I Double My Donations?

Corporate Match Programs:

IMPORTANT REMINDERS:

• To ensure your student(s) receives receive credit for your donation and match, please send your confirmation receipt to jweaglerun@gmail.com. This will allow us to enter the donation to your students PledgeStar account and will help them qualify for some amazing incentive prizes.

• Please make sure that when you are choosing the charitable organization on your employer site when requesting your donation be matched, that you look at the entire name of the organization. Often times, donors are quick to choose the option “Jacob Wismer Elementary School” instead of “Jacob Wismer Parent Teacher Organization” or “Jacob Wismer PTO”. Although our school will still receive the funds, they will NOT be directed to PTO programs and will NOT be counted towards your child’s personal or class goal to earn prizes.

Questions? Contact Us Today at: jweaglerun@gmail.com

Behavioral Health & Wellness

Kindergarten & New Family Q & A ~ Feb. 18, 2021

RSVP Link     Please share with this event with our JW community!

Behavioral Health & Wellness

TAG Update

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and our current reality of Comprehensive Distance Learning, CDL, the BSD TAG testing process will look different this year. Teachers will spend this Fall/Winter collecting evidence on how students respond to differentiation within their distance learning classroom. School TAG facilitators will collect nominations from teachers and parents this Fall/Winter and along with collected evidence, decisions will be made on which students will be selected to test in person in late Spring, 2021.  The chart below show the testing timeline and options by grade level.  Parents will be notified this spring if the child is selected for testing.  Please note that students who test this spring will not be able to test this fall since the tests will be too close together.  

Winter Walk & Roll Day is Feb. 24th!

Wet Weather Doesn’t Mean You Need to Stay Inside!

• Be Safe – Stay 6 feet away from those not in your household and wear a mask.
• Be Seen – Wear bright, reflective clothing, use a bike light, and stay alert on dark, winter days.
• Be Prepared – Dress for the weather. Rain gear and warm layers keep you dry and comfortable all season long.

Clothes for Kids

BSD Update: Returning to In-Person/Hybrid Instruction 

• Access your ParentVue account.   
• Navigate to the upper right-hand corner and click on “Family Updates and New Student Enrollment” and then follow the instructions in the blue box.   
• You’ll need to make a choice for each of your elementary students.   
• If you don’t have a ParentVue account, read the sign-up instructions on our website.  

Reminder: Friday, Feb. 5th is a Grading Day (No School for Students)

Note: Wednesday, Feb. 3 will be a regular asynchronous day.

"Read for Eagles" Starts Today! 

Information Poster:  Link

Download your tally sheet now:  Link  

Watch the video by our 5th Grade Leaders:  Link

Book recommendations from Jacob Wismer students:  Link

PTO Meeting - Tomorrow, Feb. 2, 2021

Guest Speaker:  Steve Sparks

Zoom: 937 7257 5223   passcode: 810818  6:00pm

Please join us for the February PTO meeting via Zoom this Tuesday, Feb. 2, 2021 at 6:00pm.  Steven Sparks, BSD Executive Administrator for Long Range Planning, will be speaking about:  

• the District's funding limitations and mechanisms
• the purpose and findings of the planning practice
• soliciting parent opinions on facility needs and priorities 

Did you miss our Jan. 29 assembly? Watch the Replay!

Link: https://youtu.be/bLQbOaHJ_Tc

JW Virtual Eagle Run ~ Coming in April!

What is Eagle Run?

Virtual Eagle Run 2021

Why is Eagle Run important to Jacob Wismer?

How Do I Register My Student(s) and Raise Funds?

How Can I Double My Donations?

JW Picture Day Thank You!

Thank you to our parents and students for following our safety protocols to make our Picture Day safe and successful!  

Kindergarten & New Family Q & A ~ Feb. 18, 2021

RSVP Link     Please share with this event with our JW community!

Kindergarten Registration for 2021-22 Link

From Mrs. Le!

Behavioral Health and Wellness 

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From Your JW PTO ~ 2021-22 PTO Board Positions

 

Coming Soon!  Jan. 25 - 29, 2021

School Picture Day is Wed., Jan. 27th ~ Appointments Required/No Drop-Ins

Schedule your child's appointment and order photographs here:  Link 

• All backgrounds will be blue.
• Classroom composites will not be available this year.
• The easiest way to order your student's photos is online prior to picture day.
• All packages purchased prior to or on picture day will be sent to your home at no charge.  Please consider ordering your package prior to 1/27 to eliminate handling of envelopes and checks or cash on picture day (highly encouraged)!
• Retakes are not guaranteed this year to be taken at our school. You will be advised at a later date about retakes, dependent on future circumstances.

TAG & Summa Update

• TAG testing for students nominated by parents or teachers will occur in the spring.
• Current 5th graders will have the opportunity to qualify for Summa by testing in late spring/summer.
• Outdoor testing opportunities for TAG/Summa will also be available in early summer.
• Current 3rd and 4th graders will take reading and math achievement tests (ITBS) in the fall.
• Current 2nd, 3rd, and 4th graders will take a cognitive ability (CogAT) screener test in the fall.
• In addition to national norms, local norms will be explored for TAG/Summa identification.

• No change in admission criteria, only tests used.
• Results from full version CogAT tests (composite score ) in grades K-5 can be used to qualify for Summa.
• Results of achievement tests in grades 3-5 can be used to qualify for Summa.
  • Oregon Statewide Assessment System (OSAS) Language Arts and Math tests  
  • ITBS/Logramos  Reading and Math tests  (total scores)

• Testing opportunities will be posted on the BSD TAG page as they become available
• Invitations to test will be sent via School Messenger prior to testing dates
• Summa eligible students will be notified before January 15, 2021S

JW Virtual Spirit Week!  Jan. 25-29

Our All-School Assembly will be live-streamed on YouTube Jan. 29th 8:30-9:00am at https://youtu.be/bLQbOaHJ_Tc

JW Parents: Please Join Us for Our First Wellness/Mental Health Event! RSVP Link

Wed., Jan 20th Reminder

TAG Parent Input Forms Due by Jan. 29, 2021

If you think your child might qualify for TAG, here is the link to the Parent Information Form. Please complete and return the form to Jolene Urban in our school office by Friday, Jan. 29, 2021.

• K-3 Parent Information Form​ - submit the form to Jolene Urban*

• 4-8 Parent Information Form​ - submit the form to Jolene Urban*                                                                     

*Email the form to: Jolene Urban at jolene_urban@beaverton.k12.or.us  or send by US mail to: Jolene Urban, Jacob Wismer Elementary School, 5477 NW Skycrest Parkway, Portland, OR 97229

Coming Soon!  Read for Eagles Challenge!

2021-22 Kindergarten/New Family Q & A

February 18, 2021  4:00-5:00pm  

Zoom Meeting ID: 814 9328 5974  Passcode: 232941                                                             

RSVP Link

We would like to invite you to a preliminary meeting to learn a little bit more about Jacob Wismer and how to register your child for the 2020-2021 school year.  If you have an incoming kindergartener or if you have a child who will be new to Jacob Wismer in grades 1-5, feel free to attend this very informal FAQ session.  Here are a few sample questions that we will cover:

• How do I register my child for 2021-22?
• How old does my child have to be to enroll in kindergarten?
• How do I find out if Jacob Wismer is the school my child can attend?
• Can I provide information about my child to help with their teacher placement?

Please note that this meeting is not our regular Kindergarten Orientation which is scheduled for May 6, 2021.  It is a chance for parents to ask questions related to registration.  If you are planning to attend, please complete our RSVP Link.

Please share this with neighbors, friends and relatives who have incoming 2021-22 JW students!

BSD Community Conversation Around Race: March 10, 2021

BSD is once again hosting a Community-Wide Conversation Around Race event.  This year's event is virtual and will be on March 10, 2021, from 4:00-6:30 pm.  There is a committee of BSD staff members from across BSD planning this event alongside SRHS and the Office of Equity and Inclusion this year.  

Do you have an idea for a breakout session that you would like to host?  Please share your idea by completing this form no later than Friday, Jan. 29.  

Sunset HS Zoom Party for All Grades 

Resources from Our Community Libraries

FILM CATEGORIES

• Animation
• Comedy
• Drama
• Documentary
• Music Video
• Experimental (High School Only)

2021 GUIDELINES

• All video submissions are subject to being shared publicly.
• Projects will be accepted and evaluated within three grade level divisions:
  • Elementary (K-5)
    • Video projects have to be less than 1 minute for Elementary School.
    • Credits should include only first names of student(s).
  • Middle School (6-8)
    • • Video projects have to be less than 3 minutes for Middle School.
  • High School (9-12)
    • • Video projects have to be less than 5 minutes for High School.
• All collaborations need to follow CDC and Oregon Health Authority guidelines.
• While adult guidance is encouraged, the content of submitted work should clearly reflect student effort.
• Each project requires a Beaverton School District staff sponsor. (This can be a teacher, principal, paraeducator, etc.)
• Beaverton School District maintains a zero tolerance policy regarding the use of drugs, alcohol, violence and discrimination. Submissions depicting or implying these or other potentially objectionable themes may be censored at the discretion of the judges and school district.

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Safe Routes to School 2021 Art Contest

BSD students in grades K-5 are encouraged to enter the 2nd Annual Walk + Roll K-5 Art Contest. This year’s theme is “Places We Love to Walk + Roll.” The deadline to enter is January 29. The grand prize is a new bicycle from Washco Bikes. Visit www.beaverton.k12.or.us/safe-routes and link for contest details. Please share with your children.

BSD In-Person Instruction Update

Note: this article is a repeat of the communication sent to parents by the BSD Communications office on 1/8/21.

Thank you to all of you — staff, students and families — for your resilience during the past several months. We know that you’ve all been working diligently to provide the best educational experience possible during these challenging times. Your efforts are very much appreciated.

On December 23, Governor Kate Brown announced changes to the state’s approach to reopening schools. Rather than mandating that all school districts meet designated health metrics to begin in-person instruction, she has made those metrics advisory — meaning the decision to reopen will be made at the district level instead of the state level. However, the bulk of the 90-pages of safety requirements issued by the Oregon Department of Education (ODE) and the Oregon Health Authority (OHA) in the Ready Schools Safe Learners Guidance have not changed.

As we plan for the next steps, we’re currently considering several factors:

• On January 19, ODE is expected to announce revisions to the Ready Schools Safe Learners Guidance. We’re waiting to see if the state eases cohort numbers (current requirement: student cannot be exposed to more than 100 students/week) and social distancing requirements (currently requirement: 35 square feet of space per student). Those changes could impact what the District would be able to offer in terms of in-person instruction.
• Also on January 19, the state may change the health metrics. Under the previously-mandated health metrics, positive COVID-19 cases in Washington and Multnomah Counties had to drop below 100 per 100,000 residents (during the previous two-week period) to begin in-person instruction. As of this writing, the current case count in Washington and Multnomah Counties is 324 and 342, respectively.
• The Governor has prioritized teachers and district staff who have regular contact with students to be vaccinated in Phase 1b, after health care workers and residents of nursing facilities. As of this writing, it’s unclear when those vaccinations will be administered.
• Currently, changes in working conditions are being bargained with our teachers' association, the Beaverton Education Association (BEA). As such, finalized plans are subject to agreements made in those negotiations.

Given what we know at this moment, here’s our current thinking. We must emphasize that these plans are NOT final.

• Current guidance from ODE prioritizes the return of students in grades PreK - 2 to in-person instruction first. While not finalized, current hybrid plans have students who elect to come back to school being assigned to either mornings or afternoons (total in-school time: 2 ½ hours) on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays. When not at school, these students would be learning online. All students would be online on Wednesdays. Currently, we don’t have a start date identified. We hope to know more after January 19. Prior to returning to in-person instruction, elementary families will be asked to make a commitment to either hybrid or Comprehensive Distance Learning (CDL) instruction.
• Because the District has committed to providing a Comprehensive Distance Learning (CDL) option for the entire school year, families should expect some teacher reassignments. Whether your elementary student remains in CDL or opts for in-person hybrid instruction, your child’s teacher may change. We realize that this is not ideal, but it’s also unavoidable. We will do everything in our power to minimize any disruptions to your child’s learning.
• Because middle and high school students have several classes and are exposed to more students, in-person instruction under current required safety protocols remains impossible. Our tentative plan is to have all secondary students remain online in Comprehensive Distance Learning (CDL). However, we are considering offering limited in-person instruction (LIPI) for students with disabilities, emerging bilingual students and students without reliable internet connectivity. We also may invite students who have credit-recovery needs to come to campuses.
• We know that our secondary students are desperately missing social interaction. To meet these needs, we’d also try to facilitate small-group, in-person interactions. For example, we may be able to bring students in for AVID, clubs, community service, specific course activities and specific social activities. In terms of school-sponsored sports and activities, we’ll continue to follow guidance from the Oregon School Activities Association (OSAA).

We appreciate that many of you have passionately shared your opinions with us over the past few weeks — whether you adamantly want your child to return to in-person learning or you adamantly believe students should continue online. At the end of day, no solution will be perfect. We’re simply trying to do what’s in the best interest of our children in vastly imperfect times - both in terms of their education and their safety — and the safety of our staff.

For now, we will continue in Comprehensive Distance Learning (CDL) and await changes to be announced by ODE on January 19 — after which, we will have a better idea of how to proceed.

As always, thank you for your continued patience and support.

Picture Day is Coming on Wednesday, Jan. 27, 2021

Dorian Studio will be at Jacob Wismer on Wednesday, Jan. 27 to take student photographs.  Please watch for a School Messenger communication that will include a link to sign up for an appointment slot and ordering information.  Stringent safety protocols will be in place, however, the event is optional if parents choose not to have their child participate.

JW Parents: Please Join Us!  RSVP Link

Student Slideshow: Invitation to Participate

As we plan for our Winter assembly (date TBD at this time), we would like to include a student slideshow similar to the one that we included in our last all-school virtual assembly. Students who want to participate should submit a photo of themselves with a book that they recommend to this link.  The submission due date is next Friday, Jan. 15.

Wed., Jan 20th Reminder

TAG Parent Input Forms Due by Jan. 29, 2021

If you think your child might qualify for TAG, here is the link to the Parent Information Form. Please complete and return the form to Jolene Urban in our school office by Friday, Jan. 29, 2021.

• K-3 Parent Information Form​ - submit the form to Jolene Urban*

• 4-8 Parent Information Form​ - submit the form to Jolene Urban*                                                                     

*Email the form to: Jolene Urban at jolene_urban@beaverton.k12.or.us  or send by US mail to: Jolene Urban, Jacob Wismer Elementary School, 5477 NW Skycrest Parkway, Portland, OR 97229

Book Stop Contest Coming in February!

Safe Routes to School 2021 Art Contest

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Sunset HS New Year's Zoom Party 2021 

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Behavioral Health and Wellness

Creating spaces for All Emotions

As we return to the routines of school, even at a distance, children might be experiencing strong emotions, such as frustration or sadness, as they adjust from the winter break.  This Take-Home Skill by the Greater Good Science Center will provide a quick guide for caregivers to encourage their children to verbalize and discuss their feelings and emotions.  By creating space for all emotions,  this increases children’s secure attachment through spending time with your children to support their experiences with their emotions.

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Literacy Resources for Parents

Shanna Schwartz, the Curriculum Coordinator for Primary Literacy at the Teachers College Reading & Writing Project at Columbia University, provided outstanding professional development for BSD teachers in December.  She also shared the following resources for parents which we encourage you to explore.

PreK-2 Family videos

3-5 Family videos

6-9 Family videos

 

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Box Tops for Education ~ Please Participate!

Dear Families and Friends,

 

During this challenging time, our teachers and students need more help than ever. Usually by this time of year we have collected over $500 worth of Box Tops for our school through the General Mills Box Top program. Our school has only collected $47 to date due to the trying times and the change from clipping Box Tops (the pink ones) to scanning the receipt (The blue logo tells us that we need to scan the receipt to earn the rewards instead turning in the blue label). No matter what school looks like, Box Tops for Education is a fast and easy way for you to help out from home.

 

The Box Tops program has been around for over 20 years, and it really works. In fact, Box Tops for Education has helped give Jacob Wismer Elementary $21,634 to fill in the gaps since we joined the program. In 2019, the program evolved to become digital so that we can earn for our school with just the touch of a button.

 

HERE’S HOW IT WORKS: Buy participating products and use the Box Tops mobile app to scan your store receipt. The app identifies eligible products and automatically adds Box Tops to your school's earnings online. Even if you’re shopping online or doing grocery pickup, you can still submit your e-receipts and earn Box Tops.

 

Have physical Box Tops? As long as they aren’t expired you can save them and turn them in for 10 cents each when in-person school resumes. Have some that will expire before then? Please contact our school’s coordinator, Martine Ayers, to find a safe way to get them to her; whether that is thru the mail or a porch drop off or pick up. You can reach her by email (martine.ayers@gmail.com) or phone (541-231-5971) if you have any questions or are unfamiliar with the program and have too many questions to begin let her, help you, help our school!

 

Twice a year, our school gets a check! Your earnings may seem small, but they really do add up. The more people that participate, the bigger the impact we can make. So, let's give our teachers the support they need and help give more kids the opportunity to dream. Little by little, we can help make a big difference!

 

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Resources from Our Community Libraries

Current Services at Cedar Mill & Bethany Libraries

 

NEW and NOTEABLE Titles for All Ages and Across All Formats:  Find what's available now, including graphic novels, early readers, books in Chinese, Spanish, Tamil and more.

 

One World Many Faiths: Celebrate the diversity of faiths in picture books!

 

Favorite Children's Non-fiction Books of 2020:  A timely, beautiful and interesting selection of books that were published in 2020.

 

Virtual Read to the Dogs program for beginning or struggling readers with DoveLewis Canine Therapy Team!

OBOB Trivia for Grades 3-5 - Registration information can be found on our OBOB website, along with practice questions for this year's books.

 

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Wishing Your Family a Safe & Peaceful Winter Break! 

Marathon Kids Q & A Meeting & FAQ Document:  Link

Please Help our Library!

Wed. Jan. 20 is a Synchronous Day

Please mark your calendars:  Because there is no school for students on Monday, Jan. 18, we will have a regular synchronous teaching day (like Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays & Fridays) on Wednesday, Jan. 20, 2021.

Kindergarten Student Photos

• A portrait view of your child's face (front not side view) from the waist up
• A solid color background

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BSD Winter Break Meals

Beaverton School District Nutrition Services will be providing free meals to all children ages 1-18 during Winter break. Meal boxes consist of 5 breakfasts and 5 lunches and there are pick-up locations at both Sunset High School and Westview High School. To receive meals, families must fill out this form due on December 11th. 

 

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Resources from Beaverton Libraries

We know how important and challenging access to books is during CDL. The Beaverton City Library has great options for getting books to kids that we want to make sure everyone knows about. It would be great for teachers to share this information with families and encourage them to use the Library curbside / walk up pick up for book bundles and checking out books.

 

Beaverton Library

• BCL To Go & Book Bundles
• BCL Para Llevar y paquetes de libros

 

Cedar Mill & Bethany Library

• Library Services (place holds to pick up)
• Handpicked Books 

 

Other Resources

• SORA
• Library Card Information
  • BSD followed by your child’s student ID number (Example: BSD123456)

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Cold Weather Doesn’t Mean You Need to Stay Inside!

With the change in weather it can be tempting to stay indoors. We know that our kids need to move every day and the extensive associated benefits of physical exercise. Here are some tips to help you build healthy (and fun!) habits into the remote school day:

1. Start your day by taking a walk or a bike ride. Do you still travel to a different location for school? Then make that trip an active one! Too far to walk? Try parking halfway and walking the rest. Commit to walking or biking 2 days a week and start building those healthy habits.
2. Take movement breaks in between classes or at lunch time. A brisk walk around the block will get your heart pumping and re-energize you for the rest of your day.
3. Need to pick up your library holds or free lunch? Bike over to your pickup location and reap the benefits of an active trip while checking off your to-do list.

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BSD Open Enrollment for 2021-22 

The Beaverton School District will offer open enrollment for students living within the BSD service area for the 2021-22 school year at the schools listed below. Applications for open enrollment are available in ENGLISHPDF opens in a new window and SPANISHPDF opens in a new window at each school and at the Administration Center, 16550 SW Merlo Road, Beaverton. The window for accepting applications is Monday, December 7, 2020 through Friday, January 22, 2021, 2:00 p.m.  Completed applications should be returned to the school for which the student is applying. 

Nov. 20 All-School Assembly Link

5th Grade CogAT Testing Canceled

Due to the Governor's recent pause to stop the spread of coronavirus, the 5th grade CogAT Dec. 2 and 9 testing dates have been canceled.  We will let you know when testing is rescheduled.

BSD/Jacob Wismer Marathon Kids 2020-21

What is marathon kids?

• An all inclusive running club
• Students track miles run to earn Maratons
• Rewards are available for students when they hit different mile markers

Marathon Kids mission is to get kids moving, one lap at a time, at the pace they choose.  Walk, run, jog those laps until they have earned the goals they have set for themselves. 

why marathon Kids?

We all know how that exercise and movement are important for not only our physical health, but also our mental health.  Research shows that incorporating consistent running/walking routines into students' lives, helps them both physically and mentally. No matter the students ability, they can run/walk/jog at their own pace and set their own mileage goals.  This is the perfect activity for students and families to do safely and socially distanced from others, in the time frame that fits each family's schedule. 

how will this work during CDL?

when does it start?

As soon as you receive your email and you are logged in, you can start running and tracking your students miles!

Middle School Options Portal

This link will take you to the Middle School Options Portal where you can see important application dates and take a virtual open house at all of the options programs.

Device Protection Fees Reminder

If you intend to enroll in the Damage/Loss Protection Program (but have not as of yet), or if you have enrolled but not activated the coverage, you may pay for the coverage using the District's Online Payment System.  If you have opted out of the Protection Plan, please disregard this reminder.

​All students are automatically enrolled in the Damage and Loss Protection Program and have the $20 fee added to their account. The maximum fee is $60 per family per school year.  Parents may choose to decline coverage, but this is not recommended, because the family is assuming full responsibility for any costs due to damage, loss or theft. These costs could be as much as $300 per incident, regardless of how it happens.

For more information, please visit https://www.beaverton.k12.or.us/departments/future-ready/chromebook-resources

Safety at the JW Book Stop

Reminder: No School for Students Nov. 11 & 13

Please remember that there is no school for students this Wednesday, Nov. 11 (Veterans' Day) and Friday, Nov. 13 (Grading Day).  The Book Stop will also be closed on these days.

JW Virtual Spirit Week is Almost Here!  November 16-20

Picture Day is Wednesday, Dec. 2, 2020 

Photographers from Dorian Studios will be at Jacob Wismer on Wednesday, Dec. 2 to take student photographs. The link for parents to sign up for photo appointments and order their photo packages online for their child(ren) will be published in the November 23 Journal and sent out by School Messenger.

New Chromebooks for 3rd-5th Students - Last Call!

All 3rd, 4th and 5th graders should now have the newer model Chromebook.  The newer model is a significant improvement over the older model and even comes with a stylus. If your child did not swap their old Chromebook out for a new one during our recent Chromebook Swap event, we still have a few new devices left.  Please contact Lori Secker at lori_secker@beaverton.k12.or.us or call 503-356-2150 if your 3rd, 4th or 5th grade child is still using an old Chromebook that you would like to exchange for a new one.  New Chromebooks will be given out on a first come, first served basis while supplies last.

JW Book Stop is Closed on Non-Student Contact Days

Please remember that our The JW Book Stop is closed on days when there is no school for students. These days include holidays, grading days, staff development days, breaks, etc.

TAG UpDate

• CogAT 
  • The CogAT Screener will not be administered to all 3rd & 5th grade students this year. 
  • Grade 5 students will be invited to take the CogAT Full Version at designated test sites on December 2 or December 9. Scores can be used for both TAG/Summa. Invitations for testing will be emailed from the District mid November.
  • A school TAG committee will determine which K-3 students take the CogAT, based on nominations and collected evidence. Testing will occur after March, 2021.
• Iowa Test of Basic Skills (ITBS: Reading and/or Math) - TBD
  • A committee will convene to look at achievement testing during CDL and recommendations will be made for the testing process. 

Governor Releases New Health Metric Requirements

Given current data, Beaverton School District does NOT qualify to move into a hybrid model at this time. You can find the full details in the Governor’s announcement. Over the coming weeks, we’ll be considering these new metrics and whether or not they will change our timeline for implementing a hybrid model. We continue to prioritize the safety of our staff and students while balancing the desire to bring students back on-site for in-person instruction. 

 

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Parent Communication in Lieu of Conferences

This year the calendar adjustments to accommodate remote learning have shifted how learning time is used. The District chose to keep student-contact days instead of setting aside two non-student learning days so that parent teacher conferences could occur at the elementary level. Weekly embedded Student Family Connection time in school schedules is intended to allow for regular opportunities for educators and families to communicate. Students do best when parents can support student learning through engaging in two-way communication with educators to support learning.

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Behavioral Health & Wellness

The Importance of Gratitude for Kids - Part 1 

 

Studies show that gratitude for kids can be a very powerful tool, with lots of benefits to mental and physical health. They include things like:

• Higher levels of happiness and optimism
• Improved sleep
• Less stress and an improved ability to cope with stress
• Fewer physical problems
• Reduced depression
• Less aggression
• Increased self esteem
• Improved resilience

The more children practice gratitude, the better they get at it and the greater the benefits. In fact, studies show that the benefits can be seen after just 2 weeks of gratitude practice, and they can last up to 6 months! So it’s definitely worth introducing kids to some simple gratitude exercises. Follow this link for a fun gratitude activity to try with your family in November. Gratitude

 

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BSD Safe Routes to School Update

On Sunday, Nov. 1st, we lost an hour and it will be darker earlier. With shorter days this time of year, all road users should be extra alert to see each other. Here are some suggestions to help everyone stay safe on the road:

• Wear bright reflective clothing when walking or rolling.

• Don’t assume people driving will see you. Make eye contact before crossing in front of vehicles.

• Be alert! Keep eyes and ears open, especially while crossing the street.

• Cyclists should make sure to have lights and wear helmets – it is the law, and it helps people see you and keep you safe.

• Driving or biking? Use extra caution and slow down in the dark and rain. Always be alert for people on foot or bike at intersections, crosswalks (marked and unmarked), bike lanes and in school zones. Do not text and drive – it’s against the law, carries steep fines and is unsafe for all road users.

 

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Principal Message

• Ask leading questions to guide their thinking
• Instead of asking what they don’t understanding, ask them what they do understand about the task
• Have them step away from the task and come back to it to give their subconscious time to wrestle with the work
• Encourage your child to see mistakes as opportunities to learn
• Praise them for their persistence

New Chromebooks for 3rd-5th Graders

CDL Extension for Pre-K to 3rd

• 30 or fewer cases of COVID-19 per 100,000 people in Washington (and Multnomah) County over 7 days for 3 weeks in a row 
• Test positivity of 5% or less in Washington (and Multnomah) County over 7 days for 3 weeks in a row 
• COVID-19 is not actively spreading in the school community 

Visit our NEW JW Library Website!

https://sites.google.com/beaverton.k12.or.us/jacobwismerlibrary/home

Behavioral Health and Wellness: Growing Friendships During the Pandemic Series Part 3: Stay Strong

2021-22 Option School Application Process Now Open

• Current BSD students may apply online using their student ID.
• All applicants must reside within the Beaverton School District boundaries.
• Resident students not currently attending a Beaverton school (i.e. homeschool or private school students) will need to complete a paper application available online or at any school office.
• Applicants who don’t have internet access may complete a paper application.
• Students may only select one option on their applications.
• Please give careful consideration to your choice of school. Once an application has been submitted, no changes will be allowed.
• Raleigh Hills and Springville will only be accepting applications for 7th and 8th grades.

Tip #1 - Don't hover or do your child's work for them

Take on the role of "encourager" by being positive and interested in your child's online learning.  Help them start a learning task but don't hover.  By correcting their mistakes and doing their work for them, you are not giving them the chance to learn from their own experience which it vital to their success virtually and when they return to school.

Tip #2 - Connect with the teacher if you're worried about task completion

If you're worried that your child isn't completing all of the assigned tasked, contact your child's teacher who can advise you on which tasks your child should focus on.

Tip #3 - Don't play the role of the "teacher"

Although this new learning environment will more than likely require a more hands-on approach from parents, try not to fall into the trap of becoming their teacher.  Try not to correct their work or interfere with the learning process.

Tip #4 - Stay connected

Discuss any concerns, questions or requests with your child's teacher who is eager to support you.  Reach out to other parents and consider setting up virtual play dates to establish peer connections.

Tip #5 - Help your child create and stick to a routine

Work together with your child to create a schedule that works for them. Focus on setting up a sustainable routine that can accommodate both your child's and your needs.  Routines are helpful to get your child into a positive headspace for learning.

(from Dulwich College International)

Resources from Our Community Partner:

Talented & Gifted (TAG) Update

Every year students are considered for Talented and Gifted services in the Beaverton School District.  These services are provided by your child's classroom teacher(s). Oregon law and District policy define gifted students as those who score at or above the 97th percentile on a standardized, nationally normed test of mental ability and/or academic achievement in reading and/or math.  Behavioral, learning, and/or performance information is also considered before a student is identified for TAG services.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and our current reality of Comprehensive Distance Learning, our TAG evaluation process will look different this year. We will administer in-person TAG testing after January 11, 2021. Until then, teachers will collect evidence on how your student responds to differentiation within their distance learning classroom. This evaluation may include: file reviews, teacher and student observations, a collection of work samples, and/or individual or group assessments. This process may take some time, but every effort will be made to complete the evaluation in a timely manner.  Parents will be notified of their school’s in-person testing dates in January.

If you think your child might qualify for TAG, here is the link to the Parent Information Form. Please complete and return the form to Jolene Urban in our school office.

• K-3 Parent Information Form​ - submit the form to Jolene Urban*

• 4-8 Parent Information Form​PDF opens in a new window - submit the form to Jolene Urban*                                                                     

*Email the form to: Jolene Urban at jolene_urban@beaverton.k12.or.us  or send by US mail to: Jolene Urban, Jacob Wismer Elementary School, 5477 NW Skycrest Parkway, Portland, OR 97229

Completing this form gives our school TAG Committee more information about your child, but it is not required.  All qualified students will be considered regardless of the form’s completion.

The latest TAG information and Summa information can now be found on our school website at: https://jacobwismer.beaverton.k12.or.us/academics/talented-and-gifted-tag

Main JW page > Academics > Talented & Gifted (TAG)

2021-2022 Full-Time Learning Options Lottery & Admission Information-Apply beginning Oct. 19

Beaverton students in grades 6-12 have the opportunity to investigate learning options that best fit their academic needs. Students can choose their neighborhood school or apply to a Learning Option Program. Transportation is provided.

Please do some online research on the Learning Options Programs and attend one or more of the virtual open houses.

Applications for the 2021-2022 school year will be available starting October 19:

• Current BSD students may apply online using their student ID.

• All applicants must reside within the Beaverton School District boundaries.

• Resident students not currently attending a Beaverton school (i.e. homeschool or private school students) will need to complete a paper application available online or at any school office beginning October 19.

• Applicants who don’t have internet access may complete a paper application.

• Students may only select one option on their applications.

• Please give careful consideration to your choice of school. Once an application has been submitted, no changes will be allowed.

• Raleigh Hills and Springville will only be accepting applications for 7th and 8th grades.

Applications must be received no later than December 11 at 4:00 p.m.

Important dates, deadlines and answers to frequently asked questions can be found on the Learning Options webpage.

Please have your children turn on their Zoom video so we can... 

...read their facial expressions to see if they are understanding what is being taught, if they are confused about their assignment or if they need more instruction/directions.

...see if they are participating in a movement activity such as a game in PE, singing a song in music or giving a thumbs up or down to see if they understand a concept.

...increase their ability to build relationships with other students especially when they are working in breakout rooms.

...increase their ability to build relationships with the teacher, counselor, paraeducators and other trusted Jacob Wismer staff.

...give them the means to share their work visually with other students.

...increase their whole class' perception that they are a classroom community.

Thank you for your help!

Comprehensive Distance Learning Update

At the Sept. 29, 2020 School Board meeting, administrators announced plans to extend Comprehensive Distance Learning (CDL) through the end of first semester (February 8) for grades 4-12. We continue to consider extending CDL through February 8 for grades Pre K-3.

Grades 4-12

We’ve been watching the county and state COVID-19 metrics closely. While the Beaverton School District is located in Washington County, we’re linked with Multnomah County because more than 10% of our employees live in that neighboring county. To be able to start hybrid learning (part in-school/part CDL) for grades 4-12, the following metrics would have to be met:

• 10 or fewer cases of COVID-19 per 100,000 people in Washington (and Multnomah) County over 7 days for 3 weeks in a row
• Test positivity of 5% or less in Washington (and Multnomah) County over 7 days for 3 weeks in a row
• Test positivity of 5% or less statewide over 7 days for 3 weeks in a row

Given the trajectory of the health metrics, we don’t believe that we’ll realistically meet those numbers by November 16, the end of the first quarter. We have previously communicated that we’d be making the decision to continue in CDL on a quarter-by-quarter basis.

Grades Pre K-3

As established by Governor Kate Brown, the criteria for starting hybrid learning with Pre K-3 students is different:

• 30 or fewer cases of COVID-19 per 100,000 people in Washington (and Multnomah) County over 7 days for 3 weeks in a row
• Test positivity of 5% or less in Washington (and Multnomah) County over 7 days for 3 weeks in a row
• COVID-19 is not actively spreading in the school community

Again, current health metrics aren’t trending in a positive direction. However, we’ll wait until October 19 to make a final decision for the quarter.

Know that if we were to see a drastic change in metrics or the Oregon Department of Education/Oregon Health Authority changed the guidance, we could alter our decision. Our goal is to provide you with as much information as possible so that your family can make plans accordingly.

Book Stop Safety Precaution Reminders

To keep everyone safe, please be sure to practice social distancing (guidelines are marked for your convenience), wear masks and use the provided hand sanitizer when visiting the Book Stop.

All books are quarantined for 7 days before they are checked in and available to another student, which far exceeds the CDC guidelines.

Let's be safe and keep reading!

Behavioral Health and Wellness

Growing Friendships During the Pandemic Series Part 2: Message with Kindness

“The coronavirus pandemic has made friendship extra complicated for kids. Many are feeling lonely, anxious, and upset, wondering, “Will I even have any friends when this is over?” This practical and funny e-book helps children ages 6–9 navigate the challenges of social distancing.” In Part 2, kids (and parents) can learn about ways to cope with feeling cut off from friends when they don’t respond. As you explore Part 2 of this e-book with your child, you can discuss the ways a friendship might change or feel different during the pandemic and how your child can respond to worried feelings. 

In case you missed Part 1 of this e-book, here is a link.

Beaverton School District seeks applicants for Social Studies Project Team

Teachers, students, parents, administrators, and community members are encouraged to apply to serve on the Beaverton School District’s Social Studies Project Team. The Social Studies Project Team will review existing Social Studies curriculum and practices in order to make curriculum adoption recommendations to the School Board. The Project Team’s work will begin on October 20, 2020 and will conclude by June of 2021. For more information on the Social Studies Project Team and a link to the application, please click here or email susan_ouellette@beaverton.k12.or.us

Suicide Prevention and Mental Health Awareness Week (October 12-16)

BSD will be promoting its first Suicide Prevention and Mental Health Awareness Week (October 12-16) to spread awareness of actions that we can all take to prevent suicide and reduce the stigma related to mental health concerns. Last school year, BSD staff completed 138 suicide screenings and/or interventions for elementary-aged students.Unfortunately, we suspect the number of students struggling with a mental health crisis was much higher.

As part of our effort to support student wellness, students at Jacob Wismer will be receiving Social Emotional instruction to promote positive mental health and navigating their feelings. Children and young people in particular can be overwhelmed by stress during an event like the COVID-19 pandemic. These stressors include changes in routine, breaks in continuity of learning, missing significant life events and feeling less safe and secure due to loss of housing or a shortage of food resources.

We wanted to highlight a few resources for parents of elementary-aged children that can be found on our website. Learn more about mental health and how to engage kids in important topics by accessing the resources at eachmindmatters.org. The organization has gathered quite a list of resources.  Specifically related to COVID-19, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has developed a Parental Resources Kit. It includes resources, by age group, to help you support your child’s social, emotional and mental well-being.

BSD Approved Flyers

Due to COVID-19 facility closures, BSD is not accepting flyers for review at this time with the exception of approved childcare. Below please find the link to the approved list of flyers for October 2020. Flyers approved for Electronic Student Distribution are listed alphabetically under elementary. Please note there are NO Approved Flyers for Community Table or Staff Lounge Distribution during CDL. Copy and paste the link below of the After-school Activities page in your school newsletter, or you can access it on your webpage under Family Tab.

Approved Flyers for Electronic Student Distribution – After-school Activities

Thank You for Attending our Back to School Night! 

How to Use Destiny to Reserve Library Books

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Navigating to Music & PE Activities in Seesaw

Here is a simple "How To" video if you're experiencing difficulty finding Music and PE activities and assignments in Seesaw:  https://youtu.be/lJ_TYtX2km4

 

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International Walk + Roll to Anywhere Day–Oct. 7th!

Join students and families from around the world as you walk or roll in your neighborhood on October 7^th. (Please remember to stay 6 feet from those not in your household and wear a mask.) All community members are welcome to participate. Use the link to fill out the google form for each person that joined you on your trip. (BSD students may include name and student ID number for a prize entry). This year students can earn things like flashing safety lights, reflective shoelaces and new bike helmets. Schools with the most participation will also earn a Safe Routes to School book bundle for their school library. Finally, celebrate International Walk + Roll Day with our Beaverton community by visiting our Facebook page @BeavertonSafeRoutes to share a photo of you with a sign telling us why you love to walk, bike, scooter or skate! (Use the hashtag #BSDtogether)

Google Form Link: https://forms.gle/9rBZws7qDdqAj6Ab6

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Behavioral Health and Wellness

Growing Friendships During the Pandemic Series Part 1: Start the Fun
“The coronavirus pandemic has made friendship extra complicated for kids. Many are feeling lonely, anxious, and upset, wondering, “Will I even have any friends when this is over?” This practical and funny ebook helps children ages 6–9 navigate the challenges of social distancing.” In Part 1, kids (and parents) can learn about different ways to “start the fun” and connect with friends who are far away. As you explore Part 1 of this e-book with your child, you can find safe ways to help your child foster friendships during this difficult time.

 

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Beaverton School District seeks applicants for Social Studies Curriculum Adoption Project Team

Parents, guardians, community members, teachers, students and administrators are encouraged to apply to serve on the Beaverton School District Social Studies Project Team. The Social Studies Project Team will review existing Social Studies curriculum and practices to make curriculum adoption recommendations to the School Board. The Project Team is an important part of the BSD Quality Curriculum Cycle (QCC), which provides a systematic means for making decisions about the BSD curriculum review, revision, development, and adoption of practices and instructional resources.

 

The Project Team’s work will begin on October 20 and will conclude by June 2021. The team will meet on the following weekday evenings from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. via Zoom (unless otherwise communicated): October 20, November 17, January 5, February 16, March 30, April 27 and May 25.

 

The Project Team and supporting BSD Teacher Cadre will be charged with the following goals:

●  Researching best practices and instructional materials to be considered for possible adoption in Social Studies

●  Articulating and supporting long-term academic learning targets and assessments in Social Studies

●  Recommending professional development and structures for ongoing professional learning

●  Participating in learning opportunities in the form of readings, discussion and trainings related to culturally relevant  teaching practices

 

These goals are aligned with Oregon Social Sciences Standards as well as Multicultural Studies and Ethnic Studies Standards (draft)

 

The District reviews and updates its curriculum, instructional practices and classroom materials according to Board policy and Oregon State Statute and Administrative Regulations.

 

Membership for the Social Studies Project Team will include:

●  Elementary classroom teachers (4)

●  Middle school classroom teachers (2)

●  High school classroom teachers (2)

●  Students (4)

●  Parent/Community members (4)

●  School administrators (2 elementary, 1 middle school, 1 high school) (4)

●  Social Studies specialists (1 elementary, 1 secondary) (2)

●  Teaching Specialists, including but not limited to special education, multilingual, dual-language, advanced program and additional content area specialists (6)

●  School Board representative (1)

 

Please note that membership roles/numbers are subject to change based on applications received.

Google Form and/or email submissions are due on Monday, October 5 by 4 p.m.

 

Applications should include the following information:

1. Students: Name, address, school and grade level, plus any special training or experience in Social Studies.
2. Parents/Community members: Name, address, ages of children and schools where enrolled (if applicable), plus any special training or experience in Social Studies.
3. Teachers & Administrators: Name, address, teaching experience and current assignment.

All: Respond to the following questions/prompts: (please limit your response to no more than one typed page)

1. Why do you want to serve on the Social Studies Project Team and what contributions will you make towards its goals?
2. Please describe your personal/professional experiences with educational equity work, and your commitment to educational equity in the realm of Social Studies education. (Educational Equity Policy, BSD Equity Lens)
3. What unique skills, perspective and voice will you contribute to ensure an inclusive and socially just Social Studies education for all of our students?

Please complete the appropriate online application form here:

1. Students
2. Parent/Community members
3. Teachers & Administrators

 

Or mail your application including all information listed above to:

Beaverton School District

Teaching and Learning

Attn: Susan Ouellette

16550 SW Merlo Rd.

Beaverton, OR 97003

 

For questions or additional information, please contact susan_ouellette@beaverton.k12.or.us

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Welcome Back, Jacob Wismer Families!

Jacob Wismer is having Virtual Back-to-School Nights the week of Sept. 21st.  Each grade level has selected different times so parents can attend each of their child's session if they have children at JW in more than one grade level.  The times (see above) are the same for the whole grade level but the individual information session will be hosted by your child's classroom teacher.  Please don't miss this opportunity to learn about the curriculum, virtual learning schedule and strategies to help your child be successful this year.

 "Welcome Back from JW Staff"  Slideshow!

Student Passwords

JW Staffing Changes for 2020-21

Our assistant principal, Erika Heslin, was transferred to Scholls Hts. this summer as their new assistant principal.  Wendy Bernard, formerly assistant principal at William Walker, replaces Erika at Jacob Wismer.

Music teacher, Beverly Shuck, has decided to retire and is moving to Montana.  Taking Beverly's place at Jacob Wismer is Kelly Angle, who recently taught music at Bonny Slope.

New first grade teacher Andrea Varadi is replacing co-first grade teachers, Jennifer Willis and Katie Alexander.  Jennifer Willis has become a Flex Online teacher and Katie Alexander decided to stay home this year with her family and newborn daughter.

Other staffing changes include: 5th grade teacher, Heidi Bossert, is teaching 4th grade at Bonny Slope; former 2nd grade teacher Julie Eggers will now be teaching 3rd grade at JW; Allison Guilfoyle returns to 1st grade after teaching 3rd grade last year; and para-educator, Daniel Eells, has become a Technology Support Special with the district.

Introducing Wendy Bernard, Asst. Principal

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Welcome From Our PE & Music Teachers

Brent Van Volkinburg, PE:  My name is Brent Van Volkinburg (Mr. V), and I am one of the PE specialists at Jacob Wismer Elementary School. I have been a teacher for 17 years. I taught 3rd grade for five years, Health for 2 years, and now PE for the past 10 years. I love being active with my family. The specialists will see all students throughout the school year on a rotating basis (still to be determined). Each class will meet once per week both synchronously and asynchronously with one PE teacher and one Music teacher. If you ever need to get in contact with me, please email me at brent_van_volkinburg@beaverton.k12.or.us. 

Colin Arnold, PE:  Hey Eagles, Mr A here, welcoming you back to school!  I’m very excited to be in my 15th year at Jacob Wismer.  Who am I you might ask?  I’m an outdoor loving, game playing, coach, husband, father, world traveler and all-around crazy guy who loves sharing my joy of physical fitness and health with my students.  Looking forward to seeing all your fantastic smiles soon!  The specialists will see all students throughout the school year on a rotating basis (still to be determined). Each class will meet once per week both synchronously and asynchronously with one PE teacher and one Music teacher. If you need or want to get a hold of me here’s the info you need…Colin_arnold@beaverton.k12.or.us  Or maybe just want to check out what we’re doing… Jacob Wismer PE Website  https://www.facebook.com/jacobwismerpe/ 

Maralyn Belgique, Music: This is my 14th year teaching, my 7th in the district. I have three daughters, an RN at the VA hospital in Salt Lake City, a sophomore at BYU, and a senior at Wilson High School. I’m a kinesthete -I love playing my cello, walking, partner dancing, gardening, boogie boarding, and kayaking. This summer I kayaked at Scappoose Bay, the Willamette and Columbia rivers, and Sand Lake near Cape Lookout. The specialists will see all students on a rotating basis (still to be determined). Each class will meet once per week, both synchronously and asynchronously, with one PE teacher and one Music teacher. My contact information is maralyn_smartbelgique@beaverton.k12.or.us. Email or contact through Seesaw work best. I’m excited to do my part to make this school year interesting and engaging.

Kelly Angle, Music: My name is Mrs. Angle. Last school year, I taught K-1 music at Bonny Slope Elementary School, and I am absolutely THRILLED to meet all of you this year and teach alongside Mrs. Belgique! Beyond teaching, I love making food with my husband, going on runs in my new neighborhood, and curling up on the couch with a good book. The specialists will see all students throughout the school year on a rotating basis (still to be determined). Each class will meet once per week, both synchronously and asynchronously, with one PE teacher and one Music teacher. If you would like to contact me, my school email is kelly_angle@beaverton.k12.or.us. Feel free to chat with me at any time!

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Greetings from our Student Support Services Staff

Maggie Patterson, Counselor: Greetings! My name is Ms. Maggie Patterson and I’m the school counselor here at Jacob Wismer. Whether you are brand new to our school or returning back, I’m so happy you are here. Here is a little bit about me and my background. This will be my 5th year as the counselor at Jacob Wismer. I’m originally from St. Louis, Missouri, and since beginning my career I have fallen in love with the Pacific Northwest and all the beauty of Oregon. When I’m not working, I love to relax with a good book, explore the beautiful outdoors, and facetime with my adorable 4 year old niece. My favorite part about being a school counselor is advocating for young students and helping them grow in their social-emotional learning (SEL). During distance learning, I will be working with students in a variety of ways, including whole-class SEL lessons, small “lunch bunch” groups, and individual check-ins. I can also provide families with connections to school and community resources that best meet your needs. I’d love to hear how I can support your child this year, so feel free to contact me any time. I look forward to connecting with you.  My District email is margaret_patterson@beaverton.k12.or.us.

Hristina Stoilov and Pamela Jacobsen, ELD Teachers: Hello Dear Families! Mrs. Jacobsen and I are so thrilled to be your child’s ELD teachers! We are getting prepared for the challenges ahead in this unique school year and looking forward to new learning adventures and  opportunities for making new friends!

Both Mrs. Jacobsen and I will be working with our newest JW students in Kindergarten. I will be teaching 1st and 2nd grade students, and my wonderful colleague will work with our 3rd- 5th grade ELD learners. As the ELD team, we will provide whole group, small group, and 1:1 instruction, depending on your children’s needs. We will also continue to collaborate and consult with classroom teachers as we all support the learning needs of our students.In my spare time, I enjoy playing with our dog, crafting,  cake decorating, and spending time with family and friends. Both Mrs. Jacobsen and I love nature and share a common passion for traveling and exploring different cultures. Playing the violin, cooking, gardening, and hiking are a few of Mrs. Jacobsen’s favorite things to do. 

We will reach out to you in the next couple of weeks to establish connections with the kids and to share our finalized ELD schedule. We want to partner with you in order to best support your children, so please do not hesitate to contact us with any questions or concerns you might have. We can be reached at:  hristina_stoilov@beaverton.k12.or.us ( Mrs. Stoilov) and pamela_jacobsen@beaverton.k12.or.us ( Mrs. Jacobsen).  Together we can make a difference!

Yvette Wallace, Intervention Teacher:  Hi! My name is Yvette Wallace.  When I'm not cuddling with my cats, reading, or planning travel adventures, I am the Intervention Teacher at Jacob Wismer.  This role is a half-time position, and I will be supporting primarily Kindergarten-2nd grade students and teachers this year. I have taught 1st, 2nd, and 3rd grades, as well as served for six years as a Reading Support/Intervention Teacher in my 29 years of teaching.  I have been fortunate to be a part of our Jacob Wismer community since our opening in 2001.  I can be reached through my district email Yvette_Wallace@beaverton.k12.or.us

Amy Curran, Speech Language Pathologist (SLP):  Hello JW Families!  My name is Amy Curran.  I have been a Speech-Language Pathologist in the Beaverton School District for over 20 years.  This year I am serving students at Jacob Wismer 2 days a week.  I love my job and love helping students with their communication needs.   My husband Paul and our three children (all teenagers!) live with two German shorthaired dogs, a leopard gecko and fish.  This summer I have enjoyed working on projects around our home, reading, hiking and gardening.  This year I will be jumping into learning how to serve students digitally through teletherapy.  I wish you all a great year!  amy_curran@beaverton.k12.or.us

Lisa Caverly, Resource Room Teacher & Student Success Coach: Welcome to the 2020-21 School Year, Jacob Wismer Families!  I’m Lisa Caverly.  I wear two hats in the Jacob Wismer community as both the Learning Specialist and the Student Success Coach.   Working with students is a passion of mine and I am so excited to continue our work together this school year, even starting virtually.  When I am not teaching you will find me hanging out with my family, walking, biking, camping, skiing, and hiking.  I have lived in three different counties and love to travel and learn about new cultures.  You can reach me through email.  If you would like to set up an appointment, we can schedule a time either on the phone or through Zoom.  I look forward to working with you and your student.  lisa_caverly@beaverton.k12.or.us

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Check Out our New Book Stop! 

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iPad & Chromebook Distribution Update

All kindergarten, 1st and 2nd grade students should have a BSD-issued iPad to use during Comprehensive Distance Learning (CDL) and all 3rd, 4th and 5th grade students should have a BSD-issued Chromebook.

Students who do not have a device, may come to Jacob Wismer to obtain a device by following these directions:

• Come to Jacob Wismer between 2:30-3:30pm Monday - Friday.  You do not need to call the office first.
• You will be asked to complete a short form and will need to know you child's ID which can be obtained in ParentVue. Please know the ID number before coming to school.
• Newly enrolled students will need to wait one day before picking up a device since registration information will not be accessible in our online information system which is necessary to check out a device. For example, if you register your child on Monday, you will need to wait until Tuesday at 2:30pm to get your device.
• If your device is not working properly, you must contact the Student Help Desk M-F 8:30am-3:30pm at 503-356-4656 or email: shd@beaverton.k12.or.us  

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Elementary School Daily Schedule Video

Online Enrollment Verification~Now Due

Before the beginning of every school year, we request that parents/guardians begin to review and/or update their family and student information. ​Keeping your family's information up to date is crucial to receiving timely communication from the Beaverton School District and ensures that you can be contacted in case of emergency. These updates can be done online through your ParentVUE account.  Here is the link to get started:  https://www.beaverton.k12.or.us/departments/information-technology/parentvue-studentvue/online-verification

BSD Safe Routes to School~Link to Toolkit

Free Meals for Kids~BSD Link

• Parents or guardians may pick up meals for students who are not present.
• Meal pickups will occur two days per week: Tuesday (2 days of food) and Thursday (3 days of food) from 11 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
• Meals will be packaged with breakfast and lunch together.
• Masks must be worn by anyone picking up meals.

Cedar Mill & Bethany Community Libraries

Dear Jacob Wismer Families,

Thank you for your patience as we prepare to bring Comprehensive Distance Learning (CDL) to your children beginning Monday, Sept. 14th.  Although the conditions are not ideal, we are very excited about reconnecting virtually with all of our students and their families.

Classroom Teachers & Schedules

Students will find out their classroom teacher this Thursday, Sept. 3rd when their teacher will send you an email welcoming your child to their classroom.  Your child's new teacher will also send you their daily schedule so you will know the times for class meetings, Music/PE, and each subject area.  The following is a "general" schedule (which is the same for all elementary students across the district) that will be helpful for you to prepare for online learning at home:

• Students will be learning 5 days a week.

• The school day for students in all grades is 8:30am to 2:30pm which means any live instruction will take place during that time. Students are still encouraged to complete any assigned work outside of that time

• Teachers will meet 'live' with their classes each morning from 8:30 to 9:00am to build community and make connections.

• Lunch is from 11:00am to 12:00pm each day.

• PE and Music lessons will alternate on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays (students will have 2 PE lessons and 2 Music lessons each week).

• Wednesdays may look different than the other days as students may be engaging with other building specialists. Students may also be attending guidance lessons from our Counselor and SEL lessons (Social & Emotional Lessons) from our Student Success Coach. Students will also be able to participate in technology lessons and listen to a read aloud from our Library Assistant. Students may also be participating in other services such as Special Education services or English Language Learner support. Meetings regarding Special Education services may also be held on Wednesday.

Technology Devices

All kindergarten, 1st and 2nd grade students will be issued a BSD iPad to use at home for distance learning.  Distribution instructions were sent to K-2 parents last week.  If you did not see the communication, please come to the school upper parking lot on Wednesday, Sept. 2 from 12:30-3:00pm (only if you are the parent of a kindergarten, 1st or 2nd grade student) with this form completed:

Link: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1kxPsql_EW-eYGjRGJb8BTdIpIk5iyAfj/view?usp=sharing

Chromebooks will be available for all 3rd, 4th and 5th grade students who do not have one at home.  If you borrowed one in the spring, please continue using it this fall.  The office is contacting new families directly with instructions on how to obtain their devices.  The priority for the start of the year is for all students to have a working device.

Family Toolkit

The Beaverton School District has compiled a library of resources and on-demand videos to support families during CDL.  Please keep checking this page for updates:  https://www.beaverton.k12.or.us/connect/family-toolkit

Back-to-School Verification

Before the beginning of every school year, we request that parents/guardians begin to review and/or update their family and student information. ​Keeping your family's information up to date is crucial to receiving timely communication from the Beaverton School District and ensures that you can be contacted in case of emergency. These updates can be done online through your ParentVUE account.  Here is the link to get started:

https://www.beaverton.k12.or.us/departments/information-technology/parentvue-studentvue/online-verification

We hope that you enjoy the last weeks of summer vacation as you prepare for the upcoming school year!

Sincerely,

Joan McFadden

Principal

Beaverton School District  |  Jacob Wismer Elementary
5477 NW Skycrest Parkway, Portland, OR 97229
Main Office: 503-356-2150 | Attendance: 503-356-2151 | Fax: 503-356-2155

Go Eagles!

Farewell to a School Year Like No Other...

May 28th is the FINAL Student Belongings Pick-Up Date

This Thursday, May 28, from 10am to 2pm is the LAST OPPORTUNITY for parents to pick up their children's belongings and any medications that were stored in the health room.  Please note:

• Students whose last name begins with R-Z can now pick-up.
• Students whose last name begins with A-Q who did not pick up their belongs on the previous two Thursdays can also come on May 28 from 10am-2pm.

 

4. Staff will then collect your child's bag from their classroom and give it to the runner to bring to your car.

• Lost & Found items with names on them have been placed in the bag of students' belongings.  All Lost & Found items without names have been donated to the Clothes Closet.
• All students' medications from the health room will be included with their belongings.  Parent will be asked to sign for them being returned.

Fall Return to School: What will it look like?

As we wind down this school year, we’ve received many questions about the 2020-21 school year. We need to be prepared for several possible scenarios for returning to school, based on direction and guidance from the Governor’s Office and the Oregon Department of Education. Possible scenarios include heading back to schools and classrooms with moderate social distancing requirements; a hybrid of classroom and remote learning instruction; or fully remote learning.

The Beaverton School District has convened an interdepartmental planning group to develop these scenarios. While the timeline for planning is very tight, we will be providing opportunities for staff, parents, students and community to share their thoughts about how the district can best serve students and families in each scenario. We will provide further communication on how you can weigh in, in the coming weeks.

Friday Furlough Days 

To mitigate some of the financial impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, the District will be participating in Oregon’s Work Share program. This participation will result in weekly furlough days of staff each Friday through the end of the school year. To account for these furlough Fridays, the following adjustments to the student, teacher, and service provider weekly work schedule are necessary.

Teachers and services providers will continue to use a mix of synchronous and asynchronous interaction during the final month of Remote Learning.  With one less day to connect with students each week, teachers will make adjustments to their Monday through Thursday weekly schedules. This may include adjusting their office hours and/or student contact time.  Teachers and service providers will not be available virtually, by phone or via email on Fridays for student or parent consultation, to deliver instruction or to provide feedback on student work.

Students can continue to use Friday to complete work previously assigned.  They also have access to the Art Literacy lessons.  

Elementary Special Education

Special Education teachers, case managers, and service providers will continue to follow the four-stage instructional model of I Do, We Do, You Do, and Feedback for the delivery of Specially Designed Instruction and Related Services to students. The only difference is that students will not receive teacher-led or service provider-led instruction, SDI, and/or related services on Fridays.  For the purposes of Special Education services, Fridays that are furloughed will be treated in the same manner as a holiday, snow day, or other school closure.  Furloughed days will not count as part of the 60-day evaluation timeline.

 

●      Students who receive daily teacher-led or service provider-led SDI or Related Services will not receive them on Friday and they will not be made up at a later time.

●      Case managers and service providers will review their schedules and work with families to make adjustments as needed to provide weekly/monthly SDI or Related Services Monday-Thursday.

●      Special Education staff will reschedule any Friday IEP meetings to another day of the week. 

 

Elementary English Language Development

Students will not receive instruction or supplemental supports on Fridays.  ELD teachers are still expected to collaborate with classroom teachers to align language and content targets during the teacher-led time and to provide supplemental activities to students.  Small group check-in will occur from Mondays-Thursdays, especially for newcomer students and students at the emerging level.  

 

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Joyce Richards Spirit of Volunteering Award

LINK to downloadable form      LINK to online fillable form

Nomination Deadline:  Sunday, May 31, 2020

Each year at Jacob Wismer, a special volunteer is honored by receiving The Joyce Richards Spirit of Volunteering Award.  Joyce Richards was a very special volunteer at Jacob Wismer who passed away unexpectedly many years ago. Her wonderful spirit, contributions, and the special connections she made with the students and staff exemplifies the true purpose of volunteerism.

Nominations are accepted each spring for volunteers that most exemplify the attributes that Joyce possessed throughout her life. The Nomination Committee reviews all applications based on the following criteria:

• The nominee has inspired others to cheerfully volunteer his/her time and energy to school activities. By attitude or deed, the nominee has exhibited creativity, enthusiasm, leadership and responsibility and has encouraged these attributes in others.

• The nominee has selflessly worked to contribute to an enriching experience for the students at Jacob Wismer Elementary School. Relevant criteria in this category would include the love of working with children, a “can do” attitude, an ability to successfully accomplish tasks, and a willingness to serve where and when needed.

• The nominee has shown exceptional volunteer spirit through a wide spectrum of activities in the Jacob Wismer School community.

*Due to the school closure, all volunteering recognition for 2019-2020 must be carried out at a distance or online.  We are so grateful to all our hardworking volunteers!  If you would like to recognize a volunteer who has made exceptional contributions to our JW community, please nominate them for the Joyce Richards Spirit of Volunteering Award.  Links to the nomination forms can be found at the top of this article.

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Dreambox, Bookshelf & SeeSaw

DreamBox, Bookshelf, and SeeSaw and other programs students have been using this spring will remain open through the summer. They will be available for student usage up until about a week before next school year starts. 

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Report Cards

Parents should be able to view their child’s report card in ParentVUE starting on June 18 at the latest (link to ParentVUE report card access instructions). When a school’s report cards are posted, IT will send out a SM notification to the parents.  

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Summer Reading-Prizes from JW

Throughout the summer all JW students can enter to win Barnes and Noble gift cards by completing different reading challenges.  Contests will be posted through Facebook and Instagram, so be sure to follow either or both for information.  You will NOT need to post directly to these pages, but the information will be released there.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/1080028362358936/

https://www.instagram.com/jacob_wismer_library/

Our first giveaway will be 6/1!

 

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School Supply Lists 20-21

Link

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Social Emotional Learning (SEL) Spotlight

As you have undoubtedly discovered by now, facilitating your child's learning at home can be very challenging, and at times, quite frustrating.  We are in the home stretch to the end of this school year now, but it's not too late to implement some strategies to help make learning at home more productive for your child and less frustrating for you.  Here is an article from Edutopia called "7 Guiding Principles for Parents Teaching From Home" that you might find helpful.  Hang in there and know that our teachers are very thankful for all of the hard work you are doing at home to keep children engaged in school!

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Parent Wellness Resources

Here is a helpful link for parents that includes a collection of wellness tips for parents such as:

 

• Responding gently to behavioral challenges
• Encouraging kindness
• Coping with challenges
• Encouraging self-awareness
• Fostering optimism
• Work spaces vs. calming spaces
• Sticking to a routine

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2020-21 Kindergarten Registration is OPEN

Click here for our JW Virtual Kindergarten Orientation!

Any child who will be five (5) years of age on or before September 1 is eligible to enroll for Kindergarten at their designated home school.

Jacob Wismer encourage families to enroll their child using the district's Online Registration which is available for new student enrollment. If you register online, you can upload your child’s certificate of immunization, birth certificate and proof of address.  

If you are uncertain about which elementary school is your home school, you can check any address to see what elementary, middle or high school attendance boundary it is located in using the District Address Locator or call 503-356-4500.

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Other Parent Resources

8 Ways Parents can Support Their Children in Math at Home

Link to article

Covid 19 Five Helpful Tips for Parents

Link to article

 

Elementary Summer Reading: Includes information regarding public library summer reading programs, recommended reading lists, new OBOB and ORCA title lists, how to access the district’s eBook library, and BINGO.

Link to resource

 

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Staff Appreciation Week ~ Thank You PTO!!!

New Dates to Pick-Up Student Belongings

Thursday, May 14, 10am - 2pm, student last name A - I

Thursday, May 21, 10am - 2pm, student last name J - Q

Thursday, May 28, 10am - 2pm, student last name R - Z

• Lost & Found items with names on them have been placed in the bag of students' belongings.  All Lost & Found items without names have been donated to the Clothes Closet.
• All students' medications from the health room will be included with their belongings.  Parent will be asked to sign for them being returned.

2020-21 Kindergarten Registration is OPEN

Click here for our JW Virtual Kindergarten Orientation!

Any child who will be five (5) years of age on or before September 1 is eligible to enroll for Kindergarten at their designated home school.

Jacob Wismer encourage families to enroll their child using the district's Online Registration which is available for new student enrollment. If you register online, you can upload your child’s certificate of immunization, birth certificate and proof of address.  

If you are uncertain about which elementary school is your home school, you can check any address to see what elementary, middle or high school attendance boundary it is located in using the District Address Locator or call 503-356-4500.

Spring Report Cards

Order Your 2020-21 School Supplies Online Now!

• What? School supply packages, as requested by JW teachers.  There is also an (optional) request for each student to supply a ream of copy paper; this is available through the online ordering as well, as a separate item.
• When? April 6 – June 13
• How?
  • Go to www.educationalproducts.com/shoppacks
  • Enter the school ID, WIS016
  • Follow the directions to complete your order.
  • Keep your online confirmation as your receipt.

One School One Book (OSOB)

New Epic Guidelines for Parents

The way students access Epic ebooks from home through June 30th has changed. Epic has requested that class codes no longer be used from home. Please see the steps below for details.

1. Families will receive an email invitation from Epic! Books for Kids <hello@getepic.com> to join Epic.

2. From the email invitation, select Sign Up Now to create an Epic account using your same email address that received the invitation. 

3. After signing up for an account, go to https://www.getepic.com/sign-in and select the Parents button. Then enter your email and password. 

4. Select your child’s classroom profile. Students can explore the library and check their Mailbox to access books sent to them by their teacher.

JW Staff Parade

1. Does it matter if my child does not complete their online assignments?

Yes!  The lessons that teachers have been developed by the district to ensure that the learning targets taught in the spring are covered during this period of distance learning.  While assignments are not graded and attendance is not taken, teachers are noting whether each student is:

1. Completing all of their assignments

2. Completing some of their assignments

3. Not completing their assignments

4. Engaging with their classroom teacher

This information will be noted on the child's report card in June and reported to their 2020-21 teacher to identify students who may have missed critical learning this spring.

2. Here are the curbside pick-up dates to get your child's belongings:

Here are the dates and times that students' belongings will be available for curbside pick-up in Jacob Wismer's upper parking lot:

Students whose last name begins with:

A-I Fri., May 15th 10am-2pm

J-Q Fri., May 22nd 10am-2pm

R-Z Fri., May 29th 10am-2pm

Procedure:                                                                                                                   

1. Stay in your car at all times for your safety and the safety of our staff.         

2. Have your child(ren)'s name, grade and teacher written on a piece of paper to show staff positioned at the entry of the parking lot.

3. Staff will radio the runners who will obtain your child's belongings that are pre-bagged and will meet you in the drop off/pick-up lane in front of the school.)                                                                      

3. Return your Jacob Wismer library books on May 1st or May 8th! 

Many of you have been asking about the process for returning your library books and we now have a plan for how to receive nearly 3000 books.  

Please bring your library books for curbside drop off on the dates/times listed below and place them in the large bin sitting in the first visitors parking spot in the upper parking lot (please do not come into the school):

Friday, May 1st, 10:00am-2:00pm

Friday, May 8th, 10:00am-2:00pm

Thank you so much for helping us to manage such an enormous task!

4. Student Plans & Input Form for 20-21

If you haven't already done so, please let us know if your child(ren) are planning to attend Jacob Wismer next year by completing this online form:  https://forms.gle/Ho5mPJHPPkbWtwW17

This form also includes a space for parents/guardians to get input on considerations for their child's 2020-21 classroom placement.

5. Useful Resources for Parents

Seesaw: Tips for Parents Free Webinars on Tuesday April 28, 2020                         

Session 1:  2:00pm  https://bit.ly/3cKWGml  password: Seesaw4Fam             

Session 2:  7:00pm  https://bit.ly/2RVhyiA    password: Seesaw4Fam

Phase 3 Distance Learning Plan

Jacob Wismer Alumni PTO Scholarship and Cherie Pun Memorial Scholarship Award

Jacob Wismer PTO gives out three scholarships for $300 each to seniors who plan to continue their education and who attended Jacob Wismer for at least one full year. At least one of these scholarships  designated as the Cherie Pun Memorial Scholarship emphasizes community involvement and volunteer service. Please pass on the information to seniors in high school who are Jacob Wismer Alumni.

To be considered for the scholarship, applicants should e-mail their completed application by May 20, 2020 to Sunita Thulasi (PTO Scholarship Chair, rrstpdx@gmail.com)  and Joan McFadden (Jacob Wismer Principal, Joan_Mcfadden@beaverton.k12.or.us). For more information on this and the application form, please visit the Jacob Wismer PTO website:  http://www.jacobwismerpto.org/

Calendar 

Remote Learning Plan-Phase 2

• Teachers will be connecting with students to maintain relationships and support social emotional wellness during this challenging time. Student and staff well-being is our highest priority.
• We will be providing supplemental learning opportunities connected to typical classroom curriculum to prevent learning loss.
• We are not creating an on-line school or trying to replace/match the learning that happens in classrooms everyday - we are creating supplemental learning opportunities for children.
• Teachers will connect with students remotely on a regular basis to maintain relationships and support social emotional learning.
• Teachers will provide remote supplemental learning opportunities in reading, writing, math, social studies and science.
• PE, music, library and technology teachers will also be providing optional activities for students.
• Our school counselor, student success coach, special education staff, and intervention teacher will be reaching out to families with activities or support as needed.  Please don't hesitate to contact any staff member if you need assistance in any way.
• All activities are optional.  Students will not be held accountable for the lessons if they do not participate.  
• Students will receive feedback from their teachers  but the activities will not be graded.
• Learning will be asynchronous. This means that activities will be recorded and can be accessed at any time by families to fit the different schedules that you may have.

Elementary (K-5) Chromebook Needs Survey Round 2

Student Plans & Input Form for 2020-21

PTO Connection

Students of the Month for Perseverance

Kindergarten (front row, left to right): Ethan Malberg, Nickole Sharp, Kai Giles, Julian Sanders, Fermin De Ezcurra  First Grade (middle row, left to right): Zachary Wang, Harshini Gatla, Simone D'Souza, Gunit Aggarwal  Second Grade (back row, left to right): Aditi Rao, Peyton Kuo, Yash Murchite, Tom Diaz Arceo, Krish Telang

Third Grade (left to right): Guy Hen, Lydia Rutter, Eva Surlari, Quinci Holden, Dayan Loreth  Fourth Grade (left to right): Milo Brook, Yuto Tokunaga, Julie Kise, Neeharika Sawant, Karthikeya Gondi  Fifth Grade (left to right): Livia Stringer, Hailey Gabriel, Josh Sleman, Iden Park, Srinidhi Inam

Safe Routes to School Art Poster Contest

Out of 1000 entries to the BSD Safe Routes to School Art Poster Contest, two Jacob Wismer students had their drawings selected.  Fifth grader Prajna Sripathi's drawing was selected as the 5th Grade Prize Winner and third grader Emily Xia's drawing was selected as the Grand Prize Winner.  Congratulations Prajna and Emily!

 

5th Grade Prize Winner - Prajna Sripathi

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bsd Coronavirus update link

Hand Sanitizer Shortage

Some of our classrooms are running out of hand sanitizer.  If you can, please consider donating an 8 fluid oz. (or larger) pump bottle of alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol. Please bring your donation to the school office, and we will distribute the bottles to the classrooms that need them.  Thank you for your help!

Calendar for March 9 to March 30, 2020

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Congratulations to Our OBOB Winner & Runner-Up!

A special thank you to our OBOB chair, Priya Mani and all of our dedicated volunteers!

 

1st Place: The Reading Pandas

(left to right) Raaga Mandala, Annika Telang, Tripthi Mathew, Swathi Ram

 

Runner Up: Relay Readers

(left to right) Riddhi Puthenkovilakam, Eva Surlari, Eesha Juneja, Aditi Adiraju

The Final Battle on March 2nd

Moderated by our librarian, Tina Oki Le, and parent volunteer, Aaron Loreth

 

OBOB Celebration on March 6th

 

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Sign Up Now Open for Spring Conferences

Jacob Wismer is using PTCFast.com to schedule spring conferences.  Please click on the link below or enter the following web address into your browser window:

https://www.ptcfast.com/schools/Jacob_Wismer_Elementary_School_Spring2020

Please remember that there is no school for students on April 2-3, 2020.

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Author Visit: Jody Little!

Thank you to children's author AND 3rd JW third grade teacher, Jody Little, for introducing her new book, Worse than Weird, and providing storyline writing strategies at an assembly for 3rd, 4th and 5th grade students on March 2nd.  

Click here to watch a video clip of the assembly!

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Book Character Dress-Up Day Photos

 

 

 

 

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STEAM Night Challenge for Students

Something new!  We'd like to invite all students and their families to participate in our Recycling Robots Engineering Challenge.  Robots will be displayed at our STEAM Night on May 21st.  Start working on your robot today!  (Note: This is an optional activity that is to be completed at home.)  Here are the details:

 

Click here for the Recycling Robots registration form!

 

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Technology Tips for Parents*

• General tips

  • Have clearly defined, written rules about screens in your home. Be consistent with these rules.

  • Keep all electronics (e.g., computers, tablets, cell phones) out of your child’s bedroom.  The bedroom should be a room for rest, relaxation and sleep. Have children complete homework (that requires technology) in another room.

  • Turn off devices one hour before bedtime. In addition, devises should not be used first thing in the morning.

  • Do not use electronics as a reward. It makes technology usage a prize and that should not be a goal.

  • Know your child’s passwords and check their devices regularly (especially with older children). Some parents worry about invading their child's privacy but when thinking of a digital footprint, technology is not private anyway.

  • MODEL APPROPRIATE SCREEN USAGE. This is hard for parents, but the probably the most important. Put down your device at set times and practice using technology safely (e.g., not using cell phones when driving).

• Video games

  • Not all video games are bad, but they often produce a spike in dopamine in the brain. After playing a video game, children may “crash” and be reluctant to complete chores or homework. Instead, have your child play outside or engage in other physical activity immediately after playing a video game.

  • Limit the amount of time your child plays video games and become familiar with the games yourself so you can decide if it is something you think is okay.

  • Understand the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) rating system of video game.  Commonsensemedia.org and screenagersmovie.com are other resources you can use.

*This information is from Shawn Marshall, MA, LPC, who is a licensed professional counselor with over twenty years of experience working with children and families.  

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Bethany Library Tours: Mar. 30, Apr. 4 & Apr. 13 

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Notes from Meeting with Dr. Mary Ehrenworth

Dr. Mary Ehrenworth spoke about reading to a crowded gymnasium of parents and caregivers at Springville K-8 on Feb. 12th. Reading is powerful, transformational, and significant to academic success. Parents and caregivers can support the reading lives of their children in the following ways: 

• Fit more reading into kids’ lives. Protect this time.
  • Read at night/after school, read more on the weekend, even more on longer weekends, even more on holidays and breaks from school, and even more over the summer. 
    • When kids don’t read for five weeks, they drop a reading level.
    • When this happens in the summer, it takes until February to catch up to where they were in June. 
    • When they do read over the summer, children move up reading levels. 
• Help kids fall in love with reading.
  • When kids love reading, they find more time to read. 
• Give kids access to books they find fascinating.
  • A book is a good book if your kid likes it. Channel their passions in book form. 
• Read aloud (picture books, early readers, series books above child’s reading level, fascinating chapter books and nonfiction).
  • When reading, don’t stop to ask questions about words. Act like you find the book fascinating. 
  • Representation matters. Look for books featuring diversity, and pick books written and illustrated by “own voice” writers and artists. 
    • These books build empathy and provide prospective. 
• Use audiobooks. 
• If you are a multilingual household, read books in all the languages spoken in your home.

1. Sources cited in this talk:
   1. “Kids Who Read, Succeed.” from Scholastic
   2. Outliers: the Story of Success by Malcom Gladwell
   3. David and Goliath: Underdogs, Misfits, and the Art of Battling Giants by Malcom Gladwell
   4. Untangled: Guiding Girls through the Seven Transitions into Adulthood by Lisa Damour, Ph.D.
   5. The Smartest Kids in the World and How They Got That Way by Amanda Ripley
   6. Teachers College Reading and Writing Project at Columbia University
2. BSD Resources for Finding Books that Kids Find Fascinating
   1. School Libraries 
   2. Sora app for e-books and audiobooks
   3. BSD Librarians Recommend: booklists for K-12, updated regularly
   4. Beaverton City Library: all BSD students have library cards

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News from Your JW PTO

• Spring Dance Postponed                                                                                                         
  • The Spring Dance (originally scheduled for March 13th) has been postponed, due to uncertainty regarding the novel coronavirus situation.  We are rescheduling this event for later in the spring-- more information to come soon!                                                                                                        
• Science Fun Competition Registration Open Now!                                                           
  • Jacob Wismer PTO Science Fun Competition is back!  Mark your calendars: The 2020 competition will be held on Thursday, 7^th May 2020!  After a successful pilot in 2019, the JW PTO Science Fun competition is set to be back, with all new events for JW 3^rd-4^th-5^th Graders to choose from.  The competition will have teams of three (3) students each.  Space is limited and only pre-registered teams will be invited to participate on a first-come-first-selected basis.  Registration form and competition/event details are included in the registration packet which is available now on the JW PTO website (http://www.jacobwismerpto.org/programs/science-fun-day/). For questions, please contact the competition chair/committee at jw.sci.fun@gmail.com.     
• Passport Club 
  • Next Passport Checkout Week: March 16-20! 
    Thanks to our wonderful volunteers and congratulations to our February high five students!  Remember that Passport Club is an at-home study program – please go over maps with your child a few times before checkout.  Our next checkout is March 16-20^th!  You can find Study Maps at http://www.jacobwismerpto.org/passport-club-study-test-maps/. *If you don’t have access to a computer or printer, please contact us or your teacher to provide you with a printed map.
  • POSTCARD CHALLENGE ACTIVITY:  Spring break is coming and will be a great opportunity for you to join our PostCard Challenge, send a postcard to Jacob Wismer and share a couple of fun facts about the place you visit. We will create a collage at school to share the postcards. Drop off in the school office:  place in the “Passport Club” drawer!                                                                                                      
• Middle School Boundary Adjustment 

  The BSD Middle School Boundary Adjustment committee is nearing the end of its public meetings, with only one meeting remaining!  Your comments on the BSD website are crucial input to the committee. Right now, the committee’s final recommendation is being formulated.  See below for the stance of the parent group leading JW community efforts*.  You can comment here: https://www.beaverton.k12.or.us/departments/long-range-planning/boundary-adjustments/middle-boundary-adjustments/ms-boundary-comment-form

  The most recent BSD committee meeting saw consideration of several options for reducing crowding at Stoller Middle School.  Splitting several elementary schools (JW, Sato, and Springville) to feed into more than one middle school apiece was proposed as a solution, but the only option that won a majority vote was splitting Springville.

  The last MS Boundary Adjustment committee meeting is scheduled for March 12^th, 6:30 PM - 8:30 PM, at Mountain View Middle School (17500 SW Farmington Road).  Doors open at 6 pm. 

  Due to the high level of interest in the JW community, the PTO will be reporting the stance of the parent group leading the JW community efforts with regard to the MS boundary adjustment.  Updates provided by the parent group will be clearly marked as coming from the MS Boundary parent team.

  The following is provided by the MS Boundary parent team and the JW PTO:

  1. Walkability.  JW families are 100% within walking distance of Stoller Middle School according to BSD criteria.  Since transportation money and teacher salaries come out of the same pot, the MS Boundary parent team believes that it is a waste to bus our kids elsewhere.

  2. Healthy feeder patterns.  The parent team feels that feeder patterns should bolster, not reduce, cohorts traveling together from elementary to middle to high school.  Currently JW Stoller kids make up 17% of students going to Sunset.  If SUMMA is moved elsewhere, this percentage drops to the single digits.

  3. Maintain SUMMA at Stoller.  If SUMMA moves to another school, the remaining portion of JW kids at Stoller bound for Sunset drops into the single digits.

  Please send your comments to BSD at:  https://www.beaverton.k12.or.us/departments/long-range-planning/boundary-adjustments/middle-boundary-adjustments/ms-boundary-comment-form                                                                                                                                                   

• Film Plastic Recycling Competition                                                                                        

Our JW community has collected 110 lbs of plastic so far!  Go Eagles!!!  Keep up the great work!

JW is competing with other elementary schools to see who can keep the most film plastic out of landfills.  This type of plastic is not eligible for curbside recycling in our area, and it’s a major pollutant in oceans. Even if properly disposed of in a landfill, it takes an incredibly long time to biodegrade. Keep your Ziplocs and bread bags out of the trash – send them to our film plastic collection bins to start a new life in Trex building materials!

• Where? Yellow bins outside of JW office

• When? Bins are up now; collection continues through April 15^th

• What? You can recycle these materials (please make sure they are clean, dry, and free of food residue): grocery bags, bread bags, case overwrap, dry cleaning bags, newspaper sleeves, ice bags, wood pellet bags, ziplock & other re-sealable bags, produce bags, bubble wrap, salt bags, and cereal bags                                                                               

Please note:  You can recycle plastic Amazon mailer bags too!  (Consider removing the sticker with your address if you’re concerned about privacy.)

These items are NOT recyclable: plastic clamshells; chip bags and plastic-and-metal laminate bags; candy wrappers; cellophane wrappers; any plastic bags that don’t pass the rule of thumb stretch test, such as cut salad bags and bags of dal or spices.

RULE OF THUMB:  If you try to tear the plastic (you can also try to poke a hole with your finger)….plastic that STRETCHES can be recycled; plastic that BREAKS OR TEARS CLEANLY can’t be recycled.

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Link to After-School Activity Flyers

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Link to PTO E-Blast (PTO Parent News)

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Health Curriculum Preview for Parents

In the Beaverton School District, we teach children important skills for getting along with others and doing well in school. In order to help our school be a safe and supportive place where everyone can learn, we also provide age-appropriate health instruction. There will be two primary resources used for this instruction: The Great Body Shop to teach the adopted Oregon Health Education Standards and fightchildabuse.org to teach sexual abuse prevention in accordance with Erin’s Law. 

Oregon Health Education Standards

The Great Body Shop, published by The Children’s Health Market, will be used to teach the new Oregon Health Education Standards. It offers skills-based instruction that addresses physical, social, emotional, and mental health. Human Sexuality Education instruction is age appropriate, medically accurate, and relevant for all students.                                                                                                                                                                                     

If you would like to preview the health lesson materials, please come to the Jacob Wismer school office to look at our health notebooks (drop-ins are fine). If you would like to preview the student editions, you will need to complete the form on this link and submitted it to our school office to arrange an appointment time. Please note that the materials must remain in the office and cannot be photographed or copied.  Download, print and return this form (link) if you wish to opt-out your child for any or all of these lessons/activities. 

Calendar for Feb. 24 - Mar. 9

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JW Valentine's Day Photos!

Kindergarten

 1st Grade

2nd Grade

3rd Grade

 4th Grade

 5th Grade

Spring Conferences

Spring conferences are scheduled for Thursday, April 2nd and Friday, April 3rd.  There will be no school for students on these dates.  A school messenger will be sent to all parents on Monday, Mar. 2nd, with instructions on how to sign up for conferences on PTCFast.com.

Student Investment Act (SIA) Update

All community members are invited to provide feedback on the Student Investment Account. Information and a copy of the draft plan can be found on this link.  The form to provide your individual feedback can be found on this link.

JW State Testing Window for 3rd, 4th and 5th Grades

Important:  Please do NOT schedule family vacations during the months of April and May when grades 3-5 will be completing state testing.  Thank you!

Parents-Below are some sample questions that are similar to those found on the state test.  See if your child can answer them!  More sample questions will be coming in future Journals.

3rd Grade Sample Math Test Item:

4th Grade Sample Math Test Item:

Feb. 18th Staff Development Day Photos

2020-21 Kindergarten Registration & Orientation

Kindergarten registration information is now available on our school website at this link.

Families who are planning to attend our Kindergarten Orientation on Thursday, April 23rd from 6:00-7:30pm should complete this link: RSVP form on this link

News from your PTO!

• Passport Club

We only have four more Passport Checkouts to go!  Remember Passport club is an at-home study program, please go over maps with your child once or twice before checkout!  You can find maps here:  http://www.jacobwismerpto.org/passport-club-study-test-maps/

*If you don’t have access to a computer or printer, please PTO or your teacher to provide you with a printed map.