WELCOME TO PROSPECT POINT SCHOOL!! Welcome to the 2019-2020 school year! I am so happy to be joining Prospect Point as your Principal! I look forward to continuing to build relationships with students, staff and families. Prospect Point is committed to supporting our district vision of "Developing Washington's Most Sought-After Gradu- ates". Our staff looks forward to working with you and your student to achieve this goal. In partnership with all WWPS schools and the district strategic plan (http://www.wwps.org/a-z/s-t/ strategic-plan), we will ensure all students receive high quality instruction in an aligned and coherent system while addressing their social and emotional needs in a safe and engaging environment. Last year, we accomplished three major goals. 1. We promoted higher student engagement with a focus on improved attendance. 2. We promoted effective strategies for continuous school improvement by beginning to improve the culture of our school. At Prospect Point, we believe ALL students can learn at high levels. 3. We made priorities to achieve academic, emotional and social learning for all students. This year, in addition to continuing our commitment to our district strategic plan, we will focus on the following three areas. 1. Continuing to implement school wide social and emotional behavior supports. 2. Implementing best practice strategies to improve academic success for all students. 3. Provide professional development opportunities for our staff so they continue to grow and excel as educators. The success of your child and our belief that all children can learn will drive our decisions. We will continue to focus our efforts on creating a school environment that is positive and safe for all learners. We will communicate consistent expectations for students to help them make good decisions and max- imize their time directed toward learning. We will meet each student’s individual needs as a learner and member of our school community. Your involvement in your child’s education is so important, and we value working along side you. Please share with your child the importance of school and successful work ethics such as being on time to school, working hard, doing your best, treating others with respect, and taking pride in your work. Also, please join our PTA and volunteer at a level that best fits your schedule this year. We have amaz- ing events throughout the year that wouldn't be possible without our volunteers. I am looking forward to watching your child grow and celebrating their accomplishments. I believe that your child is part of what makes our school so special, and together, we can help them to achieve their goals! Best wishes for the 2019-2020 school year! Barbara Casey Principal SCHOOL MISSION STATEMENT: At Prospect Point Elementary School, WE BELIEVE that every child is a life-long learner. Our mission is to ensure learning for all students. Staff provide a learning environment which meets the needs of individual learners, raises stu- dent achievement and educates the whole child. Strategies include: 1) Ensuring all curriculum, assessment and instruction is tied to standards; 2) Engaging students with high quality instruc- tion, and 3) Meeting individual learning needs of all students and cultivating partnerships and relationships with parents. PARENT ADVOCACY You are your child’s best advocate. Family involvement plays a critical role in preparing stu- dents to succeed in school and in life. Walla Walla Public Schools (WWPS) encourages all par- ents to be advocates for their children by providing them with a safe, nurturing home environ- ment; building strong, positive relationships with school staff members; and staying engaged in their children’s learning and development. You play a key role at every stage of your child’s development by: Sharing information with your child’s teacher about his or her strengths, interests and goals. Monitoring the development of your child’s literacy, language and social/emotional development. Identifying resources to help your child develop mathematic competencies. Staying involved and engaged both at home and at school. Students with parents or guardians who are involved in their education, both at home and at school, earn higher grades, have fewer disciplinary problems, and enjoy better social adjust- ment. To help your child make sure he or she gets the most value from WWPS programs and resources, you can: Attend events: Curriculum Nights, parent/teacher conferences, student performances, family programs, and other school-sponsored events. Support and participate in your child’s school by joining the Parent/Teacher Association, mentoring, volunteering and/or serving on committees. Communicate with your child’s school by checking in with your child’s teacher, parent/teacher conferences, parent liaisons, community liaisons, newsletters, and home visits. Children are capable of amazing intellectual development during the first years of their life. Mainly, they learn by watching what their parents or guardians and siblings do. Almost any- thing your family does together is a learning opportunity for your child. Read a book to encour- age an interest in reading, and ask your child questions about the story. Discuss normal activi- ties, such as the day’s events, to increase his or her language skills. Advocate at home by: Building Awareness (Create an interesting/stimulating environment; Introduce your child to new objects/people/events; Respond to your child’s interests and share experiences; Show interest/enthusiasm when talking with your child). Encouraging Exploration (Encourage your child to explore different things; Extend play into a learning opportunity; Describe your child’s activities as he or she does them; Use open-ended questions, such as “What else could you do?”). Ask and Answer Questions (Help your child think through questions and develop possible answers; Give your child information when asked; Help your child connect ideas; Allow time for your child to ask or answer a series of questions). Parents and guardians have both responsibilities and rights. Their first responsibility is to develop a partnership with their children’s teachers and school, and participate in decisions about their children’s education. They are also responsible for making sure their children attend school and follow school system rules and policies. School personnel are responsible for protecting children’s health and safety, and ensuring that they are treated fairly and not subject to discrimination. It is important for parents and guardians to share in- formation about their children and discuss their expectations and goals. As the parent advocate for an elementary age child you can: Make sure your child gets enough sleep at night (10-11 hours per night are recommended for elementary school-age children) and starts the day with a healthful breakfast. Children learn better when they are well-rested and well-fed. Read and review information that comes home from the school—welcome letters, infor- mation packets, school calendars, newsletters, and handbooks. Set clear rules for behavior at school and at home. Limit television viewing and monitor what your child is exposed to through the use of electronic media (such as cell phones, the Internet, and video games). Attend Curriculum Nights and goal setting conferences to find out what your child’s teachers expect from you and your child, and to learn about the curriculum. Monitor your child’s progress and regularly check his or her agenda for homework and class assignments. Feel free to call 527-3088, or e-mail staff (example: [email protected]) listed below to develop a joint strategy for your child’s educational success, and to learn about academic and support programs. Principal Barbara Casey K/3 Intervention Tchr Heather Babbitt Kindergarten Darlene Greenwood Psychologist Kim Butenhoff Amy Heinzman Speech Megan Stadnik Suzann Rose Audrey Schmid Rebecca Wilson Intervention Spec. Ita Trejo First Grade Karen Hanson Head Secretary Gina Cox Laura James Assistant Secretary Connie Goude Margaret McKeirnan ParaEducators Janice Baker Rachael Pederson Richard Bartlow Second Grade Wendy Baldwin Juanita Butler Heather Hudec Lindsey Dean Mark Paul Sherri Dotson Third Grade Michele Briones Christian Fuentes Denise Jausoro Michelle Gwinn Kami Kuhlmann Catherine Koehler Fourth Grade Debbie Smyth Ingrid Olsen-Young Leah Taylor Chantal Ramirez Karen Watson Cindy Ramirez Fifth Grade Lexie Mahan Theresa Shafer David Parodi Brandy Smestead Greg Pegel Amy Trejo Developmental K-1 Margaret Cochran Jennifer Warner Autism (RISE) Kelsie Loree Cook Manager Kathy Farmer Vocal Music Denise Hurst Cook Taren Hartzheim Physical Education Keith Reardon Assistant Cook Elizabeth Butler LAP Suzette Kennedy Head Custodian Valerie Vicari ELL Amy Reed Custodian Jesus Alonso Learning Specialist Julie Wiley Ass’t Custodian Jorge Abundis Resource Room Diane Wright Health Rm Assistant Stephanie Edwards Library Jeff Irland DAILY SCHEDULE Please Note: Adult supervision will begin at 7:30 am each day on the safe play- ground area. Students should not arrive on campus earlier than 7:30 am, whether they ride bicycles, walk, or are driven by parents. 7:30 am Breakfast begins (lunch tickets available for sale) 7:40 am Staff arrive on campus 8:00 am School begins 10:30 am Kindergarten Recess/Lunch 10:50 am First grade Recess/Lunch 11:10 am Third grade Recess/Lunch 11:15 am Fourth grade Recess/Lunch 11:30 am Fifth grade Recess/Lunch 11:35 am Second grade Recess/Lunch 2:40 pm School dismissal 3:10 pm Teachers leave Staff Collaboration Wednesdays: Children will be released at 1:40 pm each Wednesday afternoon throughout the year to provide teachers with time for collaboration. School buses will operate one hour earlier than normal to accommodate this schedule. CHANGE OF SCHEDULE Delayed Opening or School Closure due to Weather/Emergency: If school is delayed or closed due to poor weather, a recorded phone message from Walla Walla Public Schools will be launched to all district families by 6:00 am.