Columbia Ridge Supplement

We are happy to have your scholar arrive at school after 7:45 a.m. Tuesday - Friday and 8:45 a.m. on Mondays. We appreciate your understanding as supervision is minimal prior to this time and could create real safety issues. Any special arrangements must be made in advance with our office staff.

Columbia Ridge Elementary has adopted the “bucket filling” philosophy. We believe that scholars are successful when they learn how to fill up other peoples’ “buckets” with positive actions and words. At Columbia Ridge, we all carry around an invisible bucket. Bucket fillers are people who choose to do kind things for others and make conscious efforts to refrain from dipping out of others’ buckets. Bucket filling is easy and costs little. Here are little reminders:

Scholars at Columbia Ridge will:

• Attend school in order to participate in special programs or activities on that date.

• Keep all electronic devices, toys, games, etc. at home. Scholars with special permission from their teacher to bring these items, will leave them in their backpack or with their classroom teacher / designee. NOTE: Columbia Ridge Elementary and the Ephrata School District are not responsible for any lost or stolen items.

• Keep cell phones turned off and put away during the school day. Scholars will not be allowed to use their phones (including texting) unless prior arrangements have been made. A scholar may ask to use the office / classroom phone if necessary.

We expect that our learning environment and staff time for scholars will be free from interruption. Except in emergencies, staff will not be interrupted. Calls will be directed to voicemail during instructional times. We encourage staff to check voicemail and email every day. 

Certificated staff will be available for consultation with scholars and families before and after school. Please make an appointment with staff to assure an uninterrupted conference. No one may solicit funds or conduct private business with staff on school time or on school property.

Counseling services are available to scholars and families who need assistance with school-related problems (i.e. academics, social and behavior). Individual, small group and large group counseling is available. Resource materials for families are available through the counseling office. If your scholar is recommended for on-going counseling because of a school-related problem, you will be contacted prior to counseling. In the event that long-term counseling is necessary, referral to an outside agency may occur. You are invited to contact the counseling office if you have concerns or are in need of assistance.

Each year, the Ephrata School District offers Parenting with Love and Logic classes. These classes are taught in English and Spanish free of charge. Childcare and resource materials are provided. Families that previously participated in these classes stated, “I wish I had this training years ago. Wow! What a change I have seen in the way I discipline my scholar.” Look for information to come home with more information on dates and times.

Our staff works hard to ensure your child is learning the required standards. We continually train on newly adopted expectations, which drive our instruction. Following please find the adopted curriculum our scholars use at each grade level:

* Each scholar will receive 1 recess in addition to their 15 minutes of Junior Joggers and 10 of Lunch Recess

In case of inclement weather, scholars will be allowed into the building earlier.

Classes are dismissed at 3:05 p.m. If you are picking up your scholar, please use the designated area in front of the building and away from the bus loading zones or parking lots. Scholars must bring a note to the office OR families should make a phone call if there is a change to their after-school routine. Crosswalk use will be strictly enforced. We appreciate you modeling safe practices for all scholars. Scholars are not allowed to wait at the East Doors and Parking Lot for families as we do not have supervision in these areas.
 

Purposeful homework promotes an essential communication link between home and school. It encourages good study skills, organizational habits and also provides the necessary practice of skills previously taught. It should also be progressive between grade levels in terms of the amount of time required and the level of difficulty. Reading should be part of daily homework at least five out of seven nights per week (scholars may read independently or with another person). Please notify your teacher if homework places an undue burden on your family.

If your child receives specifically designed instruction, you may find adaptations to their homework. If you have questions or need clarification, please contact your child’s Special Education teacher. 

We are grateful to the Lions Club of Ephrata for sponsoring our Junior Jogger running program. The Lions Club has been a strong supporter of this program for more than 20 years. Free t-shirts are provided to all scholars who meet minimum requirements:

Grades K-2:    Must run 30+ miles
Grades 3-4:    Must run 40+ miles

Scholars that double their miles earn the right to have the words “double miler” printed on the back of their shirt and are given free admission to the Sage ‘n Sun Lions Club Fun Run in June. When a scholar triples their miles, they earn the right to have their name printed on the back of their t-shirt. Record holders are posted on a special bulletin board found at the front of our building.

Federal Law requires that all scholars receive 100 minutes per week of health and fitness, over the course of the school year. Scholars are provided weekly Physical Education (PE) and Health instruction. Junior Joggers will be held daily, during the end of the day. All staff and students participate in our Junior Joggers program. Families are welcome to participate too! Please check-in with the office and receive a visitor sticker. We love your support!

During the first week of school, kindergarten scholars will have time to meet with their teacher and family, one-on-one. Appointment times will be assigned. If possible, please try to make your scheduled session as rescheduling can be very difficult.

School begins at 9:05 a.m. (with no AM Recess). School is released at 3:05 p.m.
This hour delay is used for staff to collaborate with their colleagues, therefore, no supervision is available for scholars prior to 8:30 a.m. Buses will run on a one-hour delayed schedule.

Our PTO will be organized during the first month of the school year. This group sponsors many benefits to our school, such as volunteers, fundraising, room helpers and special school activities. Money from PTO projects go towards scholar incentives and equipment purchases. PTO conducts its membership drive in the fall, but interested families are encouraged to join any time during the school year. PTO welcomes and invites your membership.

We believe that each person has value and deserves support and respect. We believe in providing the opportunity for everyone to reach their potential. We believe in each person taking personal responsibility for learning through honesty and integrity. At the beginning of each school year, staff review data (academics, behavior, etc.) and set quarterly goals to help all our scholars achieve at high levels of learning. These goals become a significant part of what we do and how we teach. If you would like to see these goals, please contact the office for assistance. 

Additional Focus Areas:

• Provide safe and secure schools
• Continue to increase communication among staff, building, families and the community
• Continue to provide technology support and in-service to scholars and staff

Your child will also learn to follow these expectations:

We offer Special Education services for any scholar identified with delays in gross motor skills (running, climbing, etc.), fine motor skills (coloring, writing, buttoning, etc.), social skills, cognitive skills (reasoning, memory), receptive language (understanding) and expressive language (speaking). For more information, please contact our Special Services Department at (509) 754-3538.

School Board Policy #5630 and Procedure #5630

We welcome and encourage visits to school by our families, community and interested educators. We expect all visitors, substitute staff, high school TAs and PTO volunteers to check-in at the office and obtain the necessary badge / identification prior to movement through our campus. The following guidelines are established to permit visitors to observe the educational program with minimal disruption:

1. All visitors must register at the office upon arrival at school.
2. Visitors whose purpose is to influence or solicit scholars will not be permitted on school grounds unless the visit furthers the educational program of the district.
3. If visitors wish to observe a classroom, the time will be arranged after the principal has conferenced with the teacher.
4. If the purpose of the classroom visitation is to observe learning and teaching activities, the visitor may be asked to confer with the teacher before or after the observation to enhance understanding of the activities.
5. The principal may withhold approval if particular events (such as testing) would be adversely affected by a visit. Similarly, if a visitor’s presence becomes disruptive, the principal may withdraw approval. In either case, the principal will give reasons for the action.
6. If a dispute arises regarding limitations upon or withholding of approval for visits:
   • The visitor will first discuss the matter with the principal.
   • If it is not satisfactorily resolved, the visitor may request a meeting with the superintendent.
   • The latter will promptly meet with the visitor, investigate the dispute and render a written decision, which shall be final, subject only to the citizen’s right to raise an issue at a regular session of the board.