September 2022 Newsletter
Table of Contents:
Welcome from Principal Lorow
Family Communication
School Meals at Roxhill
Volunteer at Roxhill
GoFundMe Classroom + Field Trip Funds
School Supplies
Neighborcare
Friends of Roxhill Community + Board Meeting - 9/19
Dine Out Fundraiser at MOD Pizza - 9/28
Roxhill Family and Curriculum Night -9/29
Important Dates
Welcome Roxhill Families to the 2022-23 School Year!
We are excited to be able to start the year united together to welcome students and families and begin forming relationships and building classroom community.
Welcome new RoxStar staff:
Mr. Matt Macdonald – 3rd Grade
Mr. Wilmer Gutama – Bilingual IA
Nurse Ann Perry
We also have a few RoxStars who have accepted other positions this year. While we are sad to say goodbye, we are happy for them as they move forward in their educational careers. They will always be Roxhill RoxStars!
Ms. Jacqui Ksidakis – Assistant Principal John Stanford International
Mr. Jason Winston – Assistant Principal Hazel Wolf K-8
Ms. Brenna Farley – Special Education Resource Teacher, Tacoma School District
Ms. Farley has started the school year with us in partnership with Ms. Margaret Gamache, a substitute. Ms. Farley’s last day with the class will be Friday, September 16, 2022. Ms. Gamache will remain with the class until a permanent teacher is hired and in place. We are working through the hiring process for a First Grade teacher. Please be patient as we go through the process to find a teacher that we feel reflects Roxhill’s instructional and community values. The hope is that we have a teacher in place by the end of September. Ms. Lorow will keep families in this classroom informed as we move through the hiring process. Please email Principal Lorow selorow@seattleschools.org with questions or concerns.
Nurse Ann is returning to SPS and brings her experience in public health working in various organizations to include Childcare Health, Nurse-Family Partnership, Kids Plus, and Pathways. She will be at Roxhill Tuesdays, Thursdays, and every other Wednesday. Please contact Nurse Ann with any medical needs to include authorization for medications to be taken at school. 206.252.9577 (office) 206.795.2308(cell) aeperry@seattleschools.org
Family Communication
At Roxhill we value partnering with families and will communicate with families in various formats translated in major languages. Schoolwide communication will come in the form of email and Talking Points texts. SPS has reserved School Messenger calls for 9-1-1 information only. Talking Points texts will come through as SMS messages in your designated home language. You may respond to text messages for 2-way communication. We also recommend downloading the free Talking Points App to your phone or device. If you would like to have messages translated to a different language, please let your child’s teacher know. Classroom teachers will share class specific information about how to communicate with them through email address, phone extensions, and Talking Points. Please ensure that we have your current email address on file.
School Meals
Roxhill has been selected to be a free meal site. All students will receive free breakfast and lunch. We ask that families who might be eligible for meal assistance complete a Free and Reduced lunch form. Roxhill receives additional funding for instructional programs based on the percentage of families on Free and Reduced Lunch. Forms will go home in first day packets.
Volunteer at Roxhill
We are excited to invite Roxhill families and community back into the building this year. It will allow us to build a stronger family community, network, and opportunities to volunteer in various capacities. Families are not required to show proof of vaccinations this year. We encourage all families and community members to complete volunteer application packets online as soon as possible if you are planning to volunteer in any capacity. Volunteers must have information and approvals complete prior to volunteering. Background checks must be fully approved (not pending).
Click here to start the Volunteer application process. There is financial assistance available for the cost of background checks. If you need assistance completing the packet, we will schedule times to come in to school to apply.
There are many ways to volunteer through our parent-teacher organization Friends of Roxhill. Read more about our committees and volunteer opportunities here.
Classroom and Field Trip Funds
Kick off the new school year by giving to the Roxhill Field Trip and Classroom Fund!
Did you know schools and families cover the cost of field trips? This creates a disparity between field trip experiences across schools in our district.
With your generous donations, Friends of Roxhill provides each teacher at our school with money for field trips and to equip their classroom with much-needed supplies, like educational games, toys, and books. Last year, each teacher received ~$15 per student. We'd like to increase the amount to ~$20 per student this year!
Not all families in our school have the means to give. If you do, please consider donating on behalf of your student and a classmate. All of the funds will go to teachers to benefit our RoxStars and are tax deductible.
Please make your gift today, then share it on social media.
Thank you for being a friend!
School Supplies
At Roxhill, students will be provided school supplies to use in the classroom. To make it easier on families, we are not requiring families to purchase supplies for the start of the school year because we are able to buy supplies at bulk pricing. To help offset costs, families will be asked to pay a $35 fee per student. If a family is unable to pay the full amount, a "pay-what-you-can" option will be available. More information will be included in the start of school packets.
Neighborcare
Sign up your student for the Roxhill Health Center!
The Neighborcare Roxhill Health Center is FREE of charge for all Seattle Public School students (including siblings of Roxhill students). We provide health services such as immunizations, Well-Child Checks, prescription refills, ADHD evaluations, asthma management, and more.
This year we also hope to provide both mental health and dental services. We also plan to run the food bag program again, and will send more information out at the end of September.
We are open Mondays and Thursdays 7:30am-4pm for medical appointments with our Nurse Practitioner, Maria Brnjic.
Alicia Wun, the Health Center Coordinator, will be in office Mondays, Thursdays, and Fridays. She will be at Roxhill Monday-Friday starting in November.
Reach out to Alicia at aliciaw@neighborcare.org or call/text 206-490-0802 for more information on how to register your student for the Health Center!
Friends of Roxhill Community + Board Meeting
Monday, September 19
6-7:30pm
Roxhill Cafeteria
Friends of Roxhill is our school’s non-profit parent/teacher organization (PTO). We are parents, community members, and teachers who work together to support the education and enrichment of our multicultural public school.
Everyone is welcome and all ideas are encouraged!
Our meetings are usually on the 2nd Monday of the month. However, the first meeting of the year will be held on: Monday, September 19 from 6–7:30 p.m. in the Roxhill cafeteria. This is a great way to connect with other parents and teachers in the Roxhill community. Principal Lorow will join us. Spanish and Somali interpretation will be available. We will also provide pizza and childcare.
Dine Out Fundraiser at MOD Pizza
Support Roxhill Elementary and enjoy delicious pizza! Join us for our first Dine Out of the year on Wednesday, September 28 at the MOD Pizza at 2800 SW Barton St (Westwood Village). Tell them you are a Roxhill Elementary supporter or order online and use code: MODF11486. 20% of your bill that day will support Roxhill RoxStars!
Click here for more info.
Roxhill Family and Curriculum Night
Roxhill Family and Curriculum Night and school tours will be on Thursday, September 29th from 6-8pm. We will begin the night together in the cafeteria and share Roxhill’s instructional focus, social emotional learning, and begin a conversation with families about how we can partner together to form a strong partnership and provide the best environment for your child’s success. We will host school tours and provide time for you to learn more from your child’s teacher(s) about this year’s grade level learning.
Important Dates
September 19 - Friends of Roxhill Community + Board Meeting
September 28 - Dine Out Fundraiser at MOD Pizza
September 29 - Family + Curriculum Night
October 12 - Picture Day
October 14 - NO SCHOOL State In Service Day
October 16-19 Nature Bridge (5th Grade Field Trip)
November 11 - NO SCHOOL Veterans Day
November 16 - Picture Retake Day
November 17 - Night of Hope + Literacy Night
November 21-23 - NO SCHOOL Fall Conferences
November 24-25 NO SCHOOL Thanksgiving Break
Check our Events Page for more info!
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