Eccles Summer Update

Dear Families,

We are eagerly anticipating the 2023-24 school year. There is so much happening at Eccles this summer that I am excited to get back into the building and share all of the improvements with staff, students and families.

First of all, I want to thank you, our generous community, for passing the bond that is providing the funding for all of the improvements at Eccles. Some of the improvements you will be able to see (exterior paint and targeted interior refresh painting), some of the improvements you will be able to feel (rooftop hvac units with silent and efficient cooling and heating), and still other improvements students will experience (more space in each classroom from the removal of the old HVAC units, and new “teaching walls” with technology upgrades and wireless integration). Really, there is too much to share about the scope of this project in one newsletter. Just know that these improvements are going to have a strong positive effect on the Eccles student experience and we really appreciate you supporting our schools by passing the bond.

Secondly, I want to thank our Facilities department for all of their work this summer. They have been so focused on how these changes will improve the student experience. And, they have been working around the clock to get our building, and all of the other buildings in the district, ready for the start of the school year.

Thirdly, I want to thank our PTA. One of the improvements that students will experience this fall are the Edumarkings thermoplastic designs on our playground. This project has been in the works for awhile and we are so excited to see it come to fruition. Students are going to love the colorful designs and enjoy the new activities they will spark during recess.

Lastly, I want to thank our staff for their flexibility and patience as they get ready for the start of the year. Every summer, a significant portion of our staff start coming into the building a couple weeks before inservice week to get their rooms ready and prepare for the upcoming school year. This year, staff will not be able to get into Eccles until the first contracted day back, Monday, August 28.

This just doesn’t give much time for staff to prepare their spaces the way they want to before students arrive and before we host you at our Meet and Greet. We can’t wait to show you the improvements first hand, but I want to prepare you now for the varying states of readiness you will see in our spaces on the afternoon of Meet and Greet.

With thanks,

Kelly

Thursday, August 24: Kindergarten Kickstart (3:00-4:30pm)

Thursday, August 31: Meet & Greet (all grades, 4:00-5:30pm)

Monday, September 4: NO SCHOOL - Labor Day (holiday)

Tuesday, September 5: First Day of School (grades 1st-6th) & Kindergarten Screenings (sign-up here)**

Wednesday, September 6: Kindergarten first day (students w/last name A-M attend)

Thursday, September 7: Kindergarten first day (students w/last name N-Z attend)

Friday, September 8: All Kindergarteners attend class

**Looking for KINDERGARTEN specific dates and information? Keep reading to the bottom of this newsletter for more

Stay up-to-date with the Eccles calendar via our website or the Canby School District calendar page.

We need your help! To start out each new year, families need to verify their student’s re-enrollment for the coming school year, which includes making sure your information is up to date. Keeping your family's information up to date is crucial to receiving timely communication from Eccles and the Canby School District, and ensures that you can be contacted in case of an emergency.

This is done by logging into ParentVUE. Click the ‘Family Updates and New Student Enrollment’ link in the right hand corner of the page, and it will help guide you through the necessary steps. Please make sure you are seeing the current ‘2023-2024’ school year listed.

These are some of the important items to make sure you update:

• Home address
• Phone numbers
• Emergency contacts
• Medication or any new illness
• Transportation plans

If you have any questions, need your ParentVUE activation key, or need assistance resetting your password, please contact our Registrar, Denise Sanchez Dominguez, by calling the office or email denise.sanchez@canby.k12.or.us.

I hope your students are also getting excited for the upcoming school year and eagerly awaiting the release of their class placement. We will share class placement the afternoon of Thursday, August 24 for our 1st through 6th grade classes. You will find your student’s class placement in ParentVUE* at that time.

Our goal is to create balanced learning communities for our students and we work very hard to do this with the input of classroom teachers, classified staff, and specialists. There are many factors to consider when creating balanced classroom communities. Requests to be with particular friends or with a specific teacher create imbalances that can harm a classroom community. Please refrain from making such requests and instead work with your student to embrace a new learning experience and an opportunity to make new friends.

*Kindergarten placements will be finalized by the end of the first week of school. See Kindergarten update below for more details. If you have questions or need assistance accessing your ParentVUE account, please contact our office at eccles-office@canby.k12.or.us.

For the 2023-2024 school year, we ask families to partner with us to ensure we have school supplies for students in the Canby School District. This is an adjustment from the previous few school years. Attached, you’ll find a list of supplies by grade level, which is the same for all Canby elementary schools. We encourage families to prioritize a full-sized backpack, water bottle, and earbuds for your student. If you need assistance purchasing supplies, please contact the school.

We are excited to welcome your student to Eccles and get started on this new school year. Whether you’re a new family or not, this time of year comes with a lot of things to remember—so we are providing you with as much information as possible here in this message. Don’t hesitate to reach out with any questions. We hope you’re staying cool in this hot summer weather!

Important Dates

Thursday, August 24: Kindergarten Kickstart, 3:00-4:30 pm **Kinder families only**

Thursday, August 31: Meet & Greet (all grades), 4:00-5:30 pm

Monday, September 4: Labor Day (Holiday)

First Week

Kindergarteners’ first week of school looks a little different than other grades—Including a scheduled student assessment, staggered first-day by alphabet, and class placements finalized at the end of the week. Here’s an outline of what to expect:

• Tuesday, September 5: Kindergarten Screenings (sign-up here)
  

• Wednesday, September 6: Kindergarten first day (students w/last name A-M attend)

• Thursday, September 7: Kindergarten first day (students w/last name N-Z attend)
• Friday, September 8: All Kindergarteners attend class (staff will direct students to a specific classroom)
• Class placements will be finalized Friday after school and sent out via email

• Monday, September 11: All kindergarteners attend class with their assigned teacher

Kindergarten Screening

These quick beginning kindergarten skills screeners will take place on Tuesday, September 5 - They’ll be done 1:1 with a teacher to help identify students’ current knowledge and social skills. This aids our Kinder teachers in balancing classes and getting the placement process started. During the small 1:1 time, parents will have the opportunity to gather with our support staff, ask questions, and get info about beginning school. Please sign up here.

Back-to-School Events

We're excited to meet all of our Kindergarten families, new and returning! Please check out the events below, and consider attending one or both to help you and your student feel prepared for this new adventure.

• Kindergarten Kickoff: Join our Kindergarten teachers and staff for a fun playdate on the Eccles playground to meet classmates, enjoy popsicles, and tour the school!
• DATE: Thursday, August 24
• TIME: 3:00-4:30 pm
• Meet & Greet: Come meet your student’s teacher, and tour the classroom and school. Kindergarteners won’t know who their teacher is yet, but we would still love to see you there! We will have more back to school info, and it’s a great opportunity to drop off school supplies. Looking forward to seeing you!
• DATE: Thursday, August 31
• TIME: 4:00-5:30 pm

Kindergarten Registration Documents

If you still have documents to provide as part of your registration, please feel free to bring them in during any one of the school events listed above, or email them directly to our Registrar, Denise Sanchez Dominguez (denise.sanchez@canby.k12.or.us).