April 2023 Newsletter
Table of Contents:
Message from Principal Lorow
Spirit Week
Friends of Roxhill Community + Board Meeting - April 3
Volunteer Application Assistance - April 4
Neighborcare Health Dental Screening - April 5
Talent Show - April 7
Walking Bus - April 26
Seattle Sounders Soccer Match - May 7
Yearbook Ads
Flower Power Fundraiser
Volunteer Opportunities
Important Dates
Message from Principal Lorow
Hello Roxhill Families,
Happy April! Second trimester just ended and teachers are preparing progress reports that will be available to parents via The Source on April 21st. I wanted to share some information about our system of grading.
We measure the academic benchmarks on our report cards by using a scale of 1-4. This reflects your child’s progress towards specific grade level standards. The scale is as follows:
1 - Below performance expectations for this time
2 - Approaching performance expectations for this time
3 - Meeting performance expectations for this time
4 - Exceeding performance expectations for this time
Standards based grading is different from traditional grades of “A”, “B”, “C”, etc. that most parents received growing up. The numbers 1-4 do not equate to traditional grades (i.e. a “4” does not equal an “A”). They are also not an average of work that a student has done over the trimester, meaning that if a student really struggled with a concept at the beginning of the year and earned scores of mostly “1”s, but had demonstrated consistent grade level understanding by the end of the same trimester earning a “3”, that child would not receive an average of the “1”s and ‘”3”s equal to a “2”. She or he would receive a “3” because they were able to meet the standard. Likewise, a child who was able to meet the standard early in the trimester and continued to do grade level appropriate work by the end of the trimester would also receive a “3”. The purpose of standards-based grading is not to compare your child to other children, but rather to give you information about how your child is progressing towards the expected grade level skills.
You may also see an area marked * on your child’s report card. This is to indicate that a particular skill has not yet been addressed by the teacher. Because teachers cover a range of skills across grade levels, they do not address every standard in every trimester.
The Learning Behaviors section of the report card gives you information about your child’s behaviors that promote learning, such as perseverance, organization and self-control. This section is scored in the following way:
S: Strength (consistently uses skill across subjects and settings)
D: Developing (applies skills in most subjects and settings)
E: Emerging (beginning to apply skills in some subjects and settings)
Attendance is also marked on your child’s report card. Remember regular attendance supports academic progress.
There is one new element to the elementary progress report that you will want to be aware of. Our district is transitioning to using Lexile Levels as a measure of determining if students are meeting grade level expectations as independent readers. The Lexile Level will now be the measure teachers use to answer Yes or No to Independent Reading: Student meets grade level performance expectations. This is just one measure of reading with a focus on comprehension from one point in time (their latest MAP reading test). As with any new measure, we often see students not meeting the expected target when first adopted. Your child’s teacher uses other measures to determine proficiency in reading. These may include DIBELS, SIPPS and F&P assessments, depending on your child’s grade level. If you have questions or concerns, please let your child’s teacher know.
A quick reminder regarding car pick up and drop off in front of the school - Please drive slowly and cautiously. Always leave room for the buses.
Spirit Week
Monday, April 3 - Pajama Day
Tuesday, April 4 - Find a friend and be twins
Wednesday, April 5 - Roxhill Day: Show us your blue and yellow Roxhill School colors
Thursday, April 6 - Wear your favorite color
Friday, April 7 - Cozy Day: Bring your stuffy and dress in your comfiest day.Stay cozy in your pajamas
Friends of Roxhill Community + Board Meeting
Monday, April 3
6-7:30pm
The next FoRE meeting is coming up tonight in the Roxhill cafeteria. Due to Spring Break, we are meeting one week early. Join us for pizza, connections, and conversation about how to best support our Roxhill community. Bring a side dish or snack to share. Childcare is provided. Spanish interpretation will be available. Please enter through the parking lot on 34th and Holden.
Volunteer Application Assistance
Tuesday, April 4, 3-7pm
Nurse Ann is offering to help families fill out the SPS online volunteer application any time between 3-7pm on April 4th at school. Please email her at aeperry@seattleschools.org to set up an appointment. You can request an interpreter.
Neighborcare Health Dental Screening
Wednesday, April 5
THIS Wednesday, the Roxhill Health Center will offer free Dental Screenings during the school day.
This service is available for all Roxhill students and is provided at no cost.
To sign your child up for the Dental Screening, complete a Consent Form linked below.
A Neighborcare Health dental provider will look at your child’s teeth and make a visual evaluation (2-3 minute exam).
They will apply a fluoride varnish which is a protective coating that is painted on the teeth to help prevent new cavities and to help stop cavities that have already started (tell Alicia if you do not want the varnish applied)
Your child will get a free toothbrush, toothpaste, and floss!
We will send you a copy of your child’s results.
Complete an Online Form below and we will bring your child in for a quick screening during the school day on Wednesday (4/5):
Contact Alicia with any questions, or if you prefer a paper copy.
Email: aliciaw@neighborcare.org
Call/Text: (206) 490-0802
Talent Show
Friday, April 7
1pm
Students will put on a talent show this Friday, April 7th at 1pm. Stay tuned for a link to watch the live stream.
Walking Bus
Wednesday, April 26
Walk, bike, bus or roll to school with friends for Earth Day. Show your love for your neighborhood and the earth! More details to come the week after spring break. Regular transportation will also be available.
Roxhill Park Family Meetup
Saturday, April 29
10am-12pm
Come play at the park with other Roxhill families! We will meet at Roxhill Park (across from Target) rain or shine so kids can play and families can get to know one another. Coffee will be provided. Bring a snack to share (optional).
Seattle Sounders Soccer Match
Sunday, May 7
1:30pm
Lumen Field
Want to go to a Sounders game with other Roxhill families? There are only a few tickets left and the order deadline is coming up this Friday, April 7th. There are a limited number of scholarship seats available. Fill out the form to order tickets or add your name to the scholarship list:
Yearbook Ads
The 5th grade yearbook club is working with art teacher Ms. Michelle and Friends of Roxhill volunteers to produce a beautiful keepsake to commemorate the 2022-2023 school year. Every student will receive a yearbook at the end of the year. To help fund this project, we are looking for local businesses to buy ads on the last pages of the yearbook. Spread the word about your business and support a great cause! Email friendsofroxhill@gmail.com for more details.
Flower Power Fundraiser
Are you ready to celebrate spring and raise money for our school? Do you want to win a free item from the Roxhill School Spirit Store?
We are partnering again with Flower Power Fundraising to sell flower bulbs, kitchen garden herbs, sprouts, seeds and more to bring some joy to your home garden or window sill this spring.
Check out our fundraising website:
Share the link with your friends, neighbors, co-workers and relatives across the country. They have a variety of plants for every climate.
Ask people to enter your student’s name in the field, “Give Credit For This Sale To” when they check out. The student with the most sales will get to pick any item from the Roxhill School Spirit Store.
Friends of Roxhill Elementary receives 50% of the profits from every order.
Orders are shipped directly to the person placing the order starting April 1 (there is a $6.99 shipping fee).
Order deadline is May 15.
Volunteer Opportunities
All volunteer opportunities that take place on school grounds or field trips will require you to fill out a volunteer application through SPS. Apply here or check your status as a returning volunteer.
We are currently looking for volunteers to help with:
Childcare during FORE Meetings (April 3, May 8, June 12)
Garden Volunteers to work with students during classroom visits to the Roxhill garden (April 19, 20, 26)
Food Bank Pickup for the Friday Food Bag Program (weekly)
Pick-up at the Food Bank and delivery to Roxhill can now happen anytime Monday-Friday, 9am-2pm.
Sign up for shifts on our Signup page or email friendsofroxhill@gmail.com for more details.
Want to get more involved with Friends of Roxhill? Fill out our volunteer interest survey to learn more about what we do and how you can help.
Important Dates
April 3, FORE Community and Board Meeting, 6-7:30pm
April 4, Volunteer Application Assistance, 3-7pm
April 5, Neighborcare Health Dental Screening
April 7, Talent Show, 1pm
April 7, Deadline to order Sounders tickets
April 10 – 14, Spring break (NO SCHOOL)
April 26, Walking Bus to school
April 29, Roxhill Park Family Meetup, 10am-12pm
May 7, Seattle Sounders Game, 1:30pm
May 8, FORE Community and Board Meeting, 6-7:30pm
May 23, Music concert (K-5) in the cafeteria, 6:30 - 7:30 pm
Subscribe to our mailing list and receive future newsletters and announcements in your inbox!