Have Questions?

Welcome to Chimacum Creek Primary School!

We are so excited to support you and your child as you begin your school journey. Please know that as your child’s first teacher, you know how your child learns and grows and our collaboration is critical for your child’s success.

Program Schedule

PK 3	PK 4	TK	Kindergarten	1st Grade
9-12noon	9-12 noon	9:05-3:35	9:05-3:35	9:05-3:35
Tuesday and Thursday	Monday, Wednesday and Friday	5 days a week	5 days a week	5 days a week

If you are not sure which program is the right fit for your child, please reach out! We are happy to help.

Is my child ready?  Am I ready?
EARLY CHILDHOOD PHILOSOPHY- It is our job to be ready for your child and we are!

It is common that many of our new families worry about whether their child is 'ready' for school and want to advice around what to do to prepare for preschool and kindergarten.  In Chimacum, our philosophy is that we meet students where they are at and that they should not have to arrive at some pre-determined threshold.  We are ready to partner with you to find the best fit for your child!

Every class is diverse and within each class, students all have unique goals.  It is our job to use various markers, such as developmental milestones and grade level standards as guides, but ultimately, we want to ensure that kids continue to make growth starting where they are at.  If anything, use the coming weeks to share exciting and positive school memories that you have from your childhood.  Get them excited about meeting new friends, playing at recess and exploring the world around them!

FAQs

How will we wakeup each morning?

WAKING UP ROUTINES
Wake up routines start the night before.  Make sure that you think about consistent bedtimes and routines.  Every family is different and bedtimes might vary.  Sleep and pediatric groups recommend the following sleep guidelines.  Remember that these might change with activity levels, growth spurts, etc.  

Ages 3-5 years: 10-13 hours

Age 6-12 years: 9-12 hours

Waking up in the morning can be tricky at first as you set up your routine. It helps to get things ready the night before by laying clothes out and packing lunches ahead of time (if eating a home lunch).  Many young kids benefit by having a visual checklist or prompts to start developing a sense of time (ex: you have 15 minutes to get dressed before we leave). 

Breakfast is served at school starting at 8:45!

When and where do we go with our child each morning?

ARRIVING AT SCHOOL
Families may come to school as early as 8:45am.  We invite all students to join us in the cafeteria in the morning before school.  Breakfast is available and students can socialize before teachers meet the class at 9:05. If you child doesn’t need breakfast, aim for a 9:00 arrival that way they are ready to go when the teacher arrives.  

Just like attendance, punctuality matters.  Most all teachers/grades start the day with social emotional learning and community time.  Especially in the primary years, social emotional learning helps students be better communicators, develop positive social relationships, be able to regulate their emotions and communicate their feelings.

What is the school day like?

THE SCHOOL DAY
Students work on reading, writing, math and most importantly PLAY here! Your teacher will share goals, supports and schedules with you during the year.  

SPECIALISTS
Art, PE and Library are critical parts of our curriculum. They are taught by experienced teachers who are specialists in their fields. Transition to Kindergarten and Kindergarteners see a specialist five days a week. Each specialist is a 50 minute block of time. We do not have specialists for PK as they are here only part day.

 LUNCH and RECESS
Breakfast is served in the cafeteria every morning starting at 8:45 am. Students may also bring a healthy snack o eat during designated snack time.  Kindergarten lunch time is 11:00 am and first grade is at 11:30 am. Students may eat lunch from the cafeteria or bring a healthy lunch from home. A lunch menu is online at the District website. If you would like a hardcopy, we can provide that for you. 

 Kids will go outside for recess, rain or shine so please pack appropriate clothing for any kind of weather. We only have indoor recess during extreme weather.

How are my child's basic needs support (food, rest, bathroom)?

We serve breakfast and lunch at school. You can also pack snacks to ensure your child has lots of choices for eating. Many Primary School families observe that it takes a few weeks for students to adjust their eating routine to a school schedule. We try to help our students finish lunch and provide times for snacks.

Our classes do have a calming corner where students can take a rest if needed. Our students are usually very tired in the first weeks of school. If you are noticing struggles for your child around rest, please reach out.

Our teachers will show students where and how to access the bathroom, but students are expected to use the bathroom on their own. At home, it helps to make sure students can pull pants up and down and fasten their clothing.

PRO-TIP: please pack a change of clothes (including socks) in your child’s backpack in a Ziplock in case of accidents.

If I have a question about my child's learning, how do I reach out?

FEEDBACK and FAMILY COMMUNICATION  

Entry Conferences
Prior to school starting, you will be contacted by school personnel to schedule a conference. We recognize that families are a child's first teacher, so the purpose of this first conference is to connect and begin building a relationship and partnership.  It is also an opportunity for families to ask questions and share information that will help their child have a successful transition

 Communication
We know that strong relationships with families are built on successful communication, and you can expect frequent communication from school to home. Your child's teacher will connect with you around what the best source of communication is for you.

 Class Dojo: Class Dojo is a digital app-based platform that allows students, teachers, and parents or guardians to communicate easily. Teachers will communicate how to sign up within the first few weeks of school.  

Email: Teachers will check their emails daily during school hours, and you can expect to receive a response to email within 48 hours. Teachers use email to send emails directly to families, as well as to send class announcements and attachments.

 In Person Communication: In addition to your initial entry conference, you can expect to have at least one additional conference during the year to discuss your child's progress. Teachers are also available to meet in person on an as-needed basis to discuss successes and concerns.  

Why are routines so important?

ROUTINES (focus on consistency and predictability)
At school, our students thrive when they know what to expect from adults. Whether that is the routines of the day, our expectations or the way we positively communicate, our routines really matter. We have a visual schedule that teachers review during morning class meetings.  We try to be clear with our expectations.  Think about what you might do/say/put in place at home to support home routines.

How can I help my child feel safe and connected?

BELONGING
One of the most impactful resilience factors for humans is a sense of belonging and connection.  Throughout the day, we work to help kids make these connections.  In our morning meetings, students learn about their peers and learn how to greet them.  During math, they play collaborative math games.  We know that when students are connected, they are more likely to have higher self-confidence and higher achievement.  We know that when they have peer connections, they are more likely to 'bounce back' from challenges.

 If you have concerns about belonging:

TK/Kindergarten students - give it some time! It takes time for students to feel comfortable and adjust to their learning community.

Reach out to classmates to have playdates.

Attend school events.

Your child might not want to share a lot in the beginning but when they are ready, ask the question: "What was one thing you loved about school today?"  "Who is a friend that you enjoyed playing with today?"

Please contact your child’s teacher, our school counselor or myself if you are concerned about belonging at the Primary School.

What are restorative practices? How can I help my child make and keep friends?

SUPPORTING FRIENDSHIPS (and CHALLENGES ALONG THE WAY)
In our public schools, we spend a lot of time working on social emotional learning.  This includes positive communication for making and keeping friends.  And, we know that with ALL kids, there will be times where they experience a challenge or problem with friend(s).  Please know that Ms. Bonter our school counselor, and I work hard with students and staff to help kids 'fix' or 'repair' problems or challenges with love and empathy.

 We use restorative practices and positive discipline at the Primary School.   What that means is that every challenge is unique and will be treated as such.  If a child experiences a challenge with a peer, know that we take great care in supporting kids. 

Restorative practices may include:

Listening to the perspectives of all children involved.

Helping them identify their emotions and what would feel better for them.

Using Kelso's Choices to show that in most all challenges, there are multiple choices we have to respond (i.e. talk it out, walk away, tell an adult, take turns, etc.)

Facilitating restorative circles where students talk it out (i.e.  Giving them the language to share out:  "Friend, when you pushed me in line, I felt hurt.  Next time, can you keep your hands at your side/not rush/etc."  or "Friend, when you told me I couldn't play here, I felt sad.  Can you please include me next time?")

 *Note: Some friends have more goals in the social emotional realm.  If there is a student that is unsafe, please know that our team is actively working with the student, teacher, and family to create plans to teach expected behavior, emotional regulation, social awareness and empathy. 

Where and when do we pick up our child?

END OF DAY
Primary School Students students will walk out of the building with their teachers at the end of the day. Some students will walk with a teacher to get on the bus, while others will wait together for their parent to pick them up. Please be sure that all care givers are listed for pick up.

 *Pro-Tip: Kids can get anxious if they do not know what to expect.  It can help to remind them each day who is picking them up and what their after-school plan is (even if they forget).  "Remember, mom will pick you up after school and we will head home after "

We work! What are after-school care options?

Why does attendance matter, even in kindergarten?

ATTENDANCE
Attendance is important from day one of school. The Primary School is where students learn foundational skills that are important for their entire K-12 experience (and beyond), they also form friendships that will support their well-being and create a sense of belonging to their learning community.  When students miss school, we will often see students develop anxiety when they feel 'lost' in learning.  Washington State Guidance suggests that kids miss no more than 10 days a semester. We can see confidence decrease and even early gaps in learning when students miss lots of school.   For more information around the importance of attendance, we often use the resources from Attendance Works.  Here is a link to two family PDFs that are helpful to read over.  https://www.attendanceworks.org/resources/handouts-for-families/  

And, we understand that things come up!  For all absences, please make sure you let our front office team know of the absence so it can be 'excused.'  If you have a special trip, please let our team know in advance.  Call Chimacum Creek Primary School 360 302 5802 to excuse absences. If you need ANY support or brainstorming for other attendance concerns, we are here to help your family!

Why are there early dismissals on Wednesdays?

In Chimacum, most Wednesdays are early dismissal.  School releases at 2:35 pm (there is no early dismissal the first week of school).  Wednesday is a time for our teachers to learn and develop their practice.  They have time to learn together, collaborate, set goals for students and plan.  We know this can be hard for working families but this time is incredibly important for our teachers to keep learning and collaborating. 

 SCHOOL CALENDAR

Here is a like to district calendar as a reminder of no school days for students: https://www.csd49.org/i-want-to/view-school-calendar

Wow-this is a lot! How can I keep learning to support my child and family?

FAMILY/CAREGIVER WORKSHOPS
This year, we will work to offer family/caregiver workshops.  Our hope is that we can learn together and support families.  We also want to foster a strong family community.  If you see any topics above that you would like to learn more about through a workshop, please send me an email so I know what is resonating.  And if you have other ideas, send them my way too!