Staff Appreciation: May 7-11

Next week is National Appreciation Week. The PTSA, with the help of Cascade Ridge families, will be sponsoring several events and providing goodies to acknowledge our teachers and staff. This year we will not be collecting money for gifts, so please watch for an email from your child’s room coordinator for details on how you and your student can show your support and appreciation for our wonderful staff.

GM Meeting - May 17 @ 7pm

Please plan to attend our next PTSA General Membership meeting on Thursday, May 17th at 7:00 pm in the Library. This will be our last GM meeting of the school year and we will review survey results and present the 2012-13 Interim Budget for approval. We would love to have a big group of members who are interested in what the PTSA plans to support in the coming school year. Please come and join in this important process. As always, please let Deanne King, PTSA President, know if you have any questions and we hope to see you there!

May Howler published

The May edition of the monthly Coyote Howler newsletter has been published online. Check it out here!.

Good luck Math Olympians!

This Saturday May 5, 30 students from Cascade Ridge will participate in the Washington State Math Olympiad in Seattle. They’ve been working hard all year long to prepare for this event, where they will compete against other elementary and middle schools from across the state. Best of luck to our young mathematicians representing Cascade Ridge!

Eager Reader final results

This year's Eager Reader program was a huge success. Over 90% of Cascade Ridge students participated in the program and together, the school read a grand total of 628,191 minutes -- amazing! Click here for the chart that shows the final class totals. During the last week of the program, 22 teachers and staff members also participated, and they read a combined total of 8,573 minutes. Mrs. Wehner's 1st grade class won the coveted Jamba Juice party, and you could hear the cheers (and disappointed groans) throughout the school. :-)

Good luck math champions!

This Saturday, April 28, twelve students from Cascade Ridge will travel to Blaine, WA to participate in the Washington State Math Championships along with over 900 other students from across the state. Thank you coaches Thomas Alex, Sheela Pai, and Mari O’Neil for all your hard work in teaching, coaching, and supporting these kids. And good luck to our young mathematicians representing Cascade Ridge -- Deven Chatterjee, Susheel Cheeti, Sean Mirahsani, Sean Steck, Chloe Chow, Naomi O’Neil, Divya Mahesh, Amandeep Bedi, Sean Broderick, Shaun Thomas, Ajay Pai, and Christopher Moroney!

Dads' Play Day - May 4

Please join us for our next Dads' Play Day on Friday, May 4th during lunch recess. If you are planning to join your son/daughter for lunch and would like to order a lunch from the Cafe, please do so by 8:00 AM on the 4th. When you order, you will need to let them know which lunch choice you would like. You will also need to indicate if you would like a student-sized lunch or an adult size. You may e-mail or call Phyllis Turner at turnerp@issaquah.wednet.edu or call 425.837.5541.

The lunch choices are:
Lunch #1: Chicken Nuggets
Lunch #2: Southwest Chicken Salad
Lunch #3: Yogurt Lunch
Lunch #4: Baked Potato Bar

Questions? Lynette Springborn lspringborn@gmail.com

Let Your Voice Be Heard!

Our annual PTSA Community Survey is ready to collect your thoughts and ideas. This is your chance to provide feedback to the PTSA regarding all that we do and how you think we should prioritize our activities for the coming year. It is crucial that we hear from you so we can continue to provide appropriate support to our children and our school according to what our membership considers valuable and most important. Please take just a few minutes to complete the quick, simple, and anonymous online survey. Click this link before Wed, May 2nd and talk to us! Questions or concerns? Contact Deanne King, PTSA President.

LAST DAY TO EAGER READ!

The online class chart was just updated to reflect all minutes through Wednesday 4/25. Check it out to see how your class compares to all the rest! We're almost finished! Today is the last day to read and log your minutes ... and that includes both teachers and students. Make sure to have all your minutes entered and approved by your parents before midnight TONIGHT! CLICK HERE TO GET STARTED!

PTSA General Membership Meeting - Apr 19

Please plan to attend our next PTSA General Membership meeting on Thursday, April 19th at 8:30 am in the Coyote Café. This is an important meeting for the community as we will be electing the 2011 – 2012 PTSA Executive Committee and voting on our Standing Rules. As always, it is also the perfect forum for gaining insight into the PTSA activities and for providing feedback. Please let Deanne King (deannewking@live.com), PTSA President know if you have any questions and we hope to see you there!

Fifth Grade Service Project

Thank you to Jaycee Cooper and Diana Verrue for organizing the 5th grade service project. We are so proud of the 5th graders for raising over $6,000 for Children of the Nations and for packing 24,000 meals for children around the world. Thank you to all of the parents and the teachers who were there that day and helped out! Check out our picture!

Mixed Bags Fundraiser Success!

A big thank you to all of our Cascade Ridge families who participated in another successful Mixed Bags fundraiser! Thanks to your generous support, we were able to raise over $2,500 to support various PTSA programs. Way to go everyone! Anticipated delivery is the week of April 23rd.

April Howler available online

The April 2012 edition of the monthly Coyote Howler newsletter is now available online. Click here to check it out!

Eager Reader 2012 has begun!

This year's Eager Reader program is in full swing from March 30 - April 26, and is open to all Cascade Ridge students. This year’s program promises to be better than ever with individual incentives, fun grade level contests, and the ever popular student/staff challenge! Oh, and one lucky student will win an Amazon Kindle! Minutes should be recorded online this year. CLICK HERE TO GET STARTED!

Got Talent?

So you think you have what it takes to be on the next American Idol or do You Think You Can Dance? Well, practice makes perfect so Get Ready to Shine at Cascade Ridge's first ever Talent Show. All acts welcomed - Individual or Group performances – Students and Staff. For more information and to register, CLICK HERE. Register by April 6th.

New J.A.M Program

We are excited to announce a new program offering at Cascade Ridge based on a popular BBC program in the UK. The program is called Just A Minute, or J.A.M and focuses on public speaking and communication in a fun, friendly environment. There is no preparation or outside work required for the program. It is just a fun way for students to build their oral presentation skills in a game show type format!

The program is open to 4th and 5th graders this year and J.A.M sessions will take place in the morning (either Tues, Wed, Thurs or Fri) before school in one of the portables. The day will be based on the availability of the majority of interested students. Sign up here. Be sure to specify which mornings you are available! Questions about the program can be directed to program chair Shirish Vaidya.

Yearbook Reminder

Time is running out! The last day to order is March 30th! If you haven’t already ordered your yearbook, order one today here. Not sure if you’ve already placed your order? Visit your my account and look under the Orders section. Questions, contact Monica Futty or Melanie Carbon.

Call for Volunteers!

The science fair cannot happen without your help! Please refer to our volunteer needs here. Email us at sciencefair@cascaderidgeptsa.org with the activity and time you can help! We also are in desperate need of judges and you can email Erin Rooney at roon888@msn.com to be a judge. Judging is great fun where you have the chance to talk with the scientists and have them explain their projects. There are 3 shifts so you can be involved and still have time to wander and simply enjoy the fun of the event.

The Science Fair is almost here!

If you haven’t already marked your calendar on March 29th, 6:00 – 8:00 for this great event, do it now!! It will be another great evening for kids and family members to see the amazing work of all our young scientists. We have over 330 kids registered and 5 class projects to exhibit, and we will also have other science displays, snacks, and hot pizza from Jet City Pizza, so you won’t want to miss this one! For more information regarding the Science Fair, check out our web page at: cascaderidge.oursciencefair.com.

5th Grade Sampler at BLMS

This is an exciting day for 5th Grade Students and evening for parents who are entering BLMS next year. Please mark your calendars for Monday March 19 from 6:30-8:00pm. More information will follow after mid winter break.

Kindergarten registration

Please visit the Issaquah School District website for information regarding Kindergarten Registration for the 2012-2013 School Year. www.issaquah.wednet.edu/district/roundup.aspx

March 14 - Altered Dismissal Times

To comply with mandatory state testing requirements, Issaquah School District must change the school day schedules for students in all grades on Wednesday, March 14 during the High School Proficiency Exam (HSPE) testing window. Please note these changes for this one day only!!

AM Kindergarten, start at 8:30AM, dismissal at 10:30AM
FDK and Grades 1-5, start at 8:30AM, dismissal at 12:55PM

Lost And Found

The lost and found is overflowing with coats, jackets and miscellaneous items. Please swing by and take a look for anything your child may be missing. All remaining items will be donated to charity during Spring Break in April.

Mixed Bags are back!

Our Spring PTSA Fundraiser is close to kicking off! Mixed Bag sales start on Monday, March 5th and order forms are due back by Friday, March 16th. Mixed Bags offer innovative, exclusive products with a great sense of design and style. Their products are green, affordable, colorful and adorable. This is an excellent opportunity to earn money for our school! Check out all the new styles and colors in the catalog and come see the display in the school foyer outside the office! Questions? Contact Erinn Chapman.

New! Just A Minute (J.A.M.)

Do you like to tell stories? Can you tell a story on an impromptu topic for ONE MINUTE without hesitation, repetition, or deviation from the topic? Think it’s easy? Try it with a few friends!! Please join us for an informational meeting about the “Just A Minute (J.A.M.)” program in the café on Tuesday, March 13th at 7:00pm. Students will get to see a demonstration and also sign up if interested. There will also be an opportunity to sign up online if you cannot attend the meeting. Please note that J.A.M. is only open to 4th and 5th students this year.

Got Talent?

The Cascade Ridge Talent Show is on Thursday, April 26th & Friday, April 27th. Individual or group performances welcomed. Click here to register online by April 6th. Questions? Nga Selbig or Stephanie Scott.

Popcorn Friday

The next Popcorn Friday is on March 2nd during 2nd recess. Popcorn is 25 cents.

Dads' Play Day

The next Dads' Play Day is on March 2nd.
11:00-11:25 (1st/3rd)
11:30-11:55 (K/5th)
12:00-12:25 (2nd/4th)

March Howler available online

The March edition of the Coyote Howler newsletter is now available online. Click here to read it!

Yearbook reminder!

If you haven't yet ordered a yearbook, this is your last chance! Click here to place your order. Deadline is March 30. We will not have many extras at the end of the year so please order now to guarantee you get one. To check if you've already ordered one, visit the my account page. If you have any questions, please contact Monica Futty or Melanie Carbon.

GM meeting minutes posted

The minutes from the January 26 general membership meeting have been posted online here. Check it out and see what you missed!

5th Grade Sampler Day

This is an exciting day for 5th grade students and evening for parents who are entering BLMS next year. Please mark your calendars for Monday March 19 from 6:30-8:00pm. More information will follow after mid winter break.

Spelling Bee registration

The 2nd Annual Cascade Ridge Spelling Bee is just around the corner, and we're super excited to get all of our amazing spellers on stage for some spelling excitement! Click here to find out more, and to register your child. Registration deadline is March 1.

February Howler available online

The February 2012 edition of the Coyote Howler newsletter has been published. Read it here!

WA State Reflections Finalists

Congratulations to 5th graders Alex Park and Anna Clicquennoi! Alex’s literature entry and Anna’s photography entry have been selected to represent the Issaquah School District at the WA State Reflections competition. Way to go Alex and Anna!

Science Fair registration

Need to register or purchase boards for the science fair? Click here to visit our science fair website.

Interested in serving on the Nominating Committee?

It is that time of the year to start the nominating process for the 2012-2013 PTSA Board of Directors. The first step is to create the nominating committee, this is an elected position, which will be voted on at the January General meeting. If you're interested in serving on the nominating committee during January to April, please contact Pam Gross at grosspam@msn.com for further information.

Coffee with principal and GM meeting

The next Coffee with the Principal and PTSA General Membership Meeting is on Thursday, January 26th at 8:30 am in Portable 7. We will be reviewing our budget and voting on ideas of spending some extra money we are forecasting to have thanks to our successful Walkathon, electing our Nominating Committee for developing the slate for our officers in 2012-13, and other interesting business. We will also have a special speaker from VIS coming to give details and answer questions on the upcoming school bond that will be on the April ballot. On top of that, we will provide coffee and treats, so you won’t want to miss this meeting and we look forward to having a big crowd!

Donate your old laptop!

Cascade Ridge's First Lego League teams need a couple of used laptops to program their robots. Currently, the teams have more robots than computers and the students really need one laptop per robot. Nothing too fancy, just a laptop that's less than 5 years old. The PTSA can give you an in-kind donation receipt of the fair market value in case you want to write-off your donation. So, if you've got an old laptop sitting around that you'd like to put to good use, our FLL teams would really appreciate your help! Please contact Stephen Rozmiarek at lego@cascaderidgeptsa.org.

5th Grade Parent Meeting

Save the date: Tuesday, February 7th from 6-7pm in Cascade Ridge Coyote Café. Attention all parents of 5th Graders! Please mark your calendars for the upcoming Parent Meeting and find out everything you need to know about 5th Grade Camp. Don’t miss it!

January Howler published

The January edition of the Coyote Howler is now available online. Click here to read it!

Proper PE Attire Requested

After multiple reminders, Mr. Richey has noticed that a lot of students continue to wear their new fashion footwear to school on PE days. UGGS, Toms and other flat shoes are not appropriate for PE activities. Parents, please make sure that your student is wearing good athletic shoes on PE days.

Keeping Students Safe on Parent Hill

We ask parents to please keep their students and siblings away from the large rock in the center of the bus loop at Parent Hill. The size of the rock coupled with the fact that it can be slippery with moss makes it unsafe to be climbed on. Please help us keep all students safe!

November 2011 financials posted

The PTSA budget and financials for November 2011 have been posted here.

Congratulations First Lego League!

Congratulations to our two First Lego League teams for representing Cascade Ridge in the First Lego League Regional competition last weekend. Even though our two teams started over a month later than other local teams, “Team Bacteria Busters” tied for 2nd place out of 29 teams in the robot competition! This is a HUGE achievement given that they competed against middle school teams (our team outscored all three local middle schools). Go Cascade Ridge!!

Two-Liter Bottles Needed

4th Grade needs 2-liter bottles, and lots of them! If you have empty, CLEAN 2-liter bottles that you can donate for our Science program, please send them in to Ms. Montgomery, Mrs. Fritsch, or Mrs. Springborn.

Dads' Play Day

December 2nd
11:00-11:25 (1st/3rd)
11:30-11:55 (K/5th/4th Science Tech)
12:00-12:25 (2nd/4th)

Good Luck Lego Teams!

Best of luck to our two Cascade Ridge First Lego League teams as they participate in their "rookie" Regional Qualifying Competition in Bellevue on December 3rd! Led by coaches Stephen Rozmiarek and Diane Radocha, team "Bacteria Busters" and team "The Noble Team" have been busy building, testing and programming two robots using LEGO® MINDSTORMS® NXT. At the Regional Competition, these robots will perform challenges against other local teams’ robots and our teams will perform presentations based upon a chosen research topic.

PTSA Board Nominating Committee

Are you interested in being on our PTSA Board or do you know someone who would be really great in a Board position next year? Please take a quick look at the Board positions and their related job descriptions here and let us know who would fit any of these positions.

Starting in January, our Nominating Committee will be collecting the names to slate for our 2012-13 PTSA Board and we always want to get a diverse group of members from our broad community on the Board. Please contact Pam Gross with any names and ideas that you have!

December Howler available online

The December edition of the Coyote Howler is now available online. Click here to read the newsletter and find out about all the great events and programs going on at the school and the PTSA this month!

Car Wash Tickets For Sale

Brown Bear Car Wash Tickets make great stocking stuffers! The tickets are good until October 2012, and cost $5.00 each. Our school earns $3.50 for each ticket sold! Please e-mail Lora Wendl to place an order
or for more information.

Caring Thru Sharing

Every year during the holidays our wonderful Cascade Ridge community supports local organizations through our Caring Thru Sharing program. This year we will be working with the Issaquah Food Bank to grant the wishes of many local families in need. In the next few weeks, a “Winter Wonderland”, complete with Gingerbread Men, will occupy the lobby of our school! Your students will be decorating the Gingerbread Men in their classes and then these cheerful men will become the gift tags from which students and their families may select “wishes” to grant! Stay tuned for all of the details in the upcoming weeks! We are excited to help make this a wonderful holiday for many in need. Questions?? Please contact Erin Rooney.

Fine Arts Night

Come join us for "A Starry Night at Cascade Ridge," the PTSA's Fine Arts Night and Dinner, Friday, December 9th from 6:00-8:00pm. Local artists will be on hand, creating art and answering questions about their craft. Make your own masterpiece at an art station, wander the halls and see your child's artwork on display, take part in our very special Live Community Art Project, and enter our free drawing to win a year's membership to the Bellevue Art Museum! Yoko's Teriyaki is again providing dinner, which will be served in the Coyote Cafe. Each meal will include teriyaki chicken, rice, vegetables, two pot stickers, and a bottle of water. A vegetarian option is also available. If you would like dinner, we are taking pre-orders only, which must be placed by Tuesday, December 6th, so CLICK HERE to place your order now! Questions? Contact Jackie Mueller or Alesia Romero. We look forward to seeing you there!

November Howler posted

The November edition of the Coyote Howler newsletter has been posted here. This newsletter was also distributed through email on October 31. If you did not receive it in your Inbox, you may wish to update your email preferences here or contact us for help.

Mark your calendar for the Geography Bee!

The 2nd annual Cascade Ridge Geography Bee is a fun and friendly contest for students to both learn and show off their geography trivia knowledge. The bee is a multiple-choice competition where teams of 4 similar grade students answer questions appropriate to their grade level about U.S. and world geography! The Geography Bee dates are Nov 16, 17, 18. For complete details, sample questions and answers AND to register, click here. You must be registered by NOV. 14th to participate! Sign up as a team or an individual to be placed on a team.

Annual Book Fair

The Cascade Ridge Book Fair is coming… just in time for the holidays! December 7, 8, 9 (times to be announced soon). Come by and browse all the terrific Scholastic books that you find in the monthly book orders plus many more! It's always a fun event and a marvelous way to get books for all ages at great prices while Cascade Ridge benefits from the proceeds. We hope to see you there! Volunteers are needed to make our Book Fair a success. Please contact Joelle Riley.

Caring Thru Sharing

As we head into the holidays it is once again time for the annual Caring Through Sharing campaign at Cascade Ridge.  Every year our wonderful Cascade Ridge community donates hundreds of gifts to needy families in our local area.  This year we will be bringing our event front and center into the lobby of our school.  We will invite not only our children, but their families to come in and partake in selecting gift tags for fulfillment.  We will also make gift drop-off easier with a simple one-week window and easy access to drop-off boxes right in the lobby.  We look forward to the continued generosity and graciousness of our Cascade Ridge Community to help make this a wonderful holiday for many in need.  Questions?  Please contact Erin Rooney.

2011 holiday program to assist families in need

If your family is in need of some extra assistance in terms of food, clothing, or necessities, please contact Cascade's school nurse, Alison Cathro at 425-837-5506 as soon as possible to obtain information on the Issaquah Food Bank Holiday Program (there will not be a separate Issaquah School District Holiday Program this year). Families should register online October 25th through November 23rd. All instructions will be posted on this website. Families should also pick up the letter from our school nurse that states their student(s) attend school in the Issaquah School District. The Food Bank program fills up quickly so be sure to contact our school nurse before the end of October.

Reminder: Complete your corporate matching!

Does your company offer matching gifts? Employer matched charitable donations go a long way toward helping us meet our goals for this year’s fundraising efforts. To make the most of your donation, please check with your employer’s HR department to see if they have a matching program in place. If they do, please initiate the process by filing the necessary forms with your company. The PTSA cannot initiate this process on your behalf; it must come from the employee. Several large employers have websites to enter your donation information online. Employers will contact the PTSA to verify the donation. If you have any questions regarding employer matched donations, please contact Janet Jacobson.

PTSA membership update

One of our annual PTSA goals is to continue Cascade Ridge PTSA’s record of having at least one PTSA member for every student in the school. This is called "100% Membership" and I am pleased to announce that we have reached this goal already this year. This is quite an accomplishment and it sends the message that the Cascade Ridge community recognizes the collective voice that PTSA provides on behalf of our students. Thank you to every PTSA member! If you haven’t had a chance to join the PTSA and be part of a great organization, it’s not too late! Sign up here. You’ll be glad you did!

Two-liter bottles needed

4th Grade needs 2-liter bottles, and lots of them! If you have empty, CLEAN 2-liter bottles that you can donate for our Science program, please send them in to Ms. Montgomery, Mrs. Fritsch, or Mrs. Springborn.

Renew your EScrip account by Nov. 1

Please renew so that we can continue to earn money for our school every time you shop at Safeway and use your Club Card. Register your credit and/or debit cards to help us earn even more money when you shop at participating retailers like Macy’s and Eddie Bauer. Just go to www.escrip.com, click on “renew”, and follow the instructions. If you’ve never registered for EScrip, just go to www.escrip.com to enroll. Enter your Safeway Club Card number and/or your debit/credit cards, and a portion of your purchases will be donated to our school!

Walkathon and Fall Festival a HUGE Success!

Howdy Y'all! The Wild West Walkathon and Fall Festival was a HUGE Success! We hope you enjoyed the big shin dig on Friday. There were many happy cowboys and cowgirls taking in a great afternoon. THANK YOU to all the outstanding volunteers who pitched in to make it a smashing success! We surpassed our $45,000 fund raising goal which means the students and staff at Cascade Ridge Elementary will have a great year rich with many opportunities. More information to come in November's Howler. Keep your eyes peeled, partner!

Come Celebrate Veterans Day With Us

Please invite a veteran to our assembly. Uniforms are not necessary, but we would love to see them! We plan to have students sing the songs from the branches of service. It would make it extra special to have lots of veterans here, to stand during their song, and for students to honor them. Please help us find and invite veterans who are able to attend our assembly November 9th, 2011 at 9 A.M

Geography Bee

Does your student enjoy geography trivia? Then mark your calendars! The Geography Bee will be held during the week of November 14th (exact dates and time will be announced soon)! The Cascade Ridge Geography Bee is a fun contest for students to challenge their understanding and knowledge of world geography. The goal is to spark interest not just in states, nations, continents and oceans but also in how human life is shaped by these geographical features. Teams of 3 to 5 similar age students will compete for prizes in this fun and educational activity. Students may form their own team or sign up and be placed on a team. Sign ups will begin soon so stay tuned for more information! If you would like to help make this fun event a success by volunteering your time, please contact Kasturi Biswas.

The PTSA Reflections Art Contest is Here!

Put your creative brain to work! Does your student like to draw, paint, take photos, write stories or poems, compose music, dance, or make videos? The annual Reflections art contest has started and we are looking for 12 entries to represent Cascade Ridge at the district level (and maybe even the state or national level!). The theme this year is “Diversity Means….”and all students are invited to enter art that represents this theme. All participants will get a coupon for FREE POPCORN that can be used on any Popcorn Friday! Entry forms will be distributed next week and can also be downloaded at www.wastatePTA.org (click on the Programs tab and select Reflections). Each category has specific rules & guidelines for entries so please review the rules applicable for the category your student is entering. The deadline to turn in your entries (with a signed entry form) is Friday, October 28th. Questions? Contact Julietta Bell or 917-257-5504.

Annual 5th grade pumpkin carving contest

All 5th graders are invited to bring a pumpkin to the Walkathon on October 14th. 3 prizes will be awarded. Traditional, your typical jack o lantern. Western, go with our Walkathon theme. Principal choice, Mrs. Fowler will pick her favorite. Flyers were sent home with all 5th graders. Check the flyer for all the details. Questions? chrisannpenz@yahoo.com

October Howler posted

The October edition of the Coyote Howler newsletter is now posted online. This is our monthly newsletter to keep parents and kids well informed about all the great stuff that's happening at Cascade Ridge over the next month. Check it out!

Check Your Family Access Account

Please check your Family Access account for accuracy. It is important we have your student’s most current information on file. Please email Jennifer Kirsch with changes no later than Wednesday, October 5th. This will assure that the PTSA has accurate information for their directory and the office can reach you if needed. Thank you!

Walkathon registration!

Howdy there, Cowboys and Cowgirls! The Cascade Ridge Wild West Walkathon is just yonder. Walkathon - Dinner - Games - Prizes - Silent Auction - Entertainment. Click here to register and make your donation. Register by Oct. 6 to enter to win a gift card to Wildfin Grill in Issaquah. Don't y'all miss out. It's the biggest event of the year!

Math Club sign ups

To sign up your 4th or 5th grade student for Math Club, click here!

Vision and Hearing Screening -- Volunteers Needed!

Vision and Hearing Screening will take place Tuesday September 27th. We need additional volunteers for both the morning and afternoon shifts, to sign up, please contact Tina Yerges or Jaycee Cooper.

Math Club Info Night - Sept 29

We will be holding an informational night for kids and parents interested in the Cascade Ridge PTSA Math Club this year. Math Club is for 4th and 5th grade students who enjoy math and wish to explore math topics beyond what they would normally study in their classroom curriculum. The meeting will be held at 7:00pm on September 29 in the Coyote Cafe. To sign up for Math Club, click here. Questions? Contact Rajeev Goel

Site Council Volunteers

Are you interested in working with other parents and staff member to support the Cascade Ridge mission statement? The Cascade Ridge Site Council is for you. We are looking for two new members to join our team. We meet the first Monday of the month from 6:00pm - 7:30pm. Being a member of the Site Council is a two year commitment. If you interested please contact Pam Gross.

First Lego League

Does your 3rd, 4th or 5th grade student love science? Robots? Are they crazy about LEGOs? If so, good news: Cascade Ridge is forming two First LEGO League Teams! Please click here for ALL of the details about this exciting new program and to register. Hurry! Registration is open now and will close at 4pm this Sunday, September 25. Team formation will be done by lottery.

Wild West Walkathon

It’s just around the corner! Listen up, y'all! It's time to head 'em up and move 'em out on Friday, October 14, 3-6 pm. Events like this only happen once a year! Walkathon - Dinner - Games - Prizes - Silent Auction – Entertainment. For more info or to volunteer, please contact Mary Jo Webb or Chrisann Penz.

Dads' Play Day

Please join us for our first Dads' Play Day of the school year. On Friday, October 7th, dads, moms, grandparents and other special guests are invited to join us for lunch recess to play with your special kiddo(s). Lunch times are:
11:00-11:25 (1st and 3rd grades)
11:30-11:55 (K and 5th grades)
12:00-12:25 (2nd and 4th grades)

Wanted: Wagon For Safety Patrol

Safety Patrol is in need of a wagon to carry out our traffic cones. Should you have one that you wish to donate, please email Paula Parks.

Welcome coffee - September 21, 9:00am

If you're new to the neighborhood, the PTSA Welcoming Committee is excited to meet you! We're hosting our first Welcome Coffee on Wednesday, September 21st, from 9 - 11 A.M. at 26808 SE 14th Court. Come by for coffee and a chat with other Cascade Ridge families. RSVP Pamela Franklin at psfranklin@comcast.net. We hope to see you there!

Dad's Play Day

Please join us for Dads' Play Day on the Playground for the 2011-2012 school year! On the first Friday of each month, we invite all dads, moms, grandparents or other special guests to join us on the playground for lunch recess. If you have not already done so, please fill out the volunteer background check and send it in to the office or return it to your child's teacher. Due to space limitations in the lunchroom, we are asking that all special visitors sign-in at the table in front of the office, get a visitor's badge, and then join your special student outside for recess. The first one is on October 7! Questions? Contact Lynette Springborn.

COMPLETE YOUR FIRST DAY PACKET

Hi everyone! The deadline for the first day packet has been extended to September 16. Please complete it by then ... after that, it will be closed. This packet is very important for two main reasons: 1.) To make sure your information is accurate for the PTSA Student Directory, and 2.) To make sure we have your email address so you can receive important announcements throughout the year. But in addition to this, the packet also allows you to become a PTSA member, order your yearbooks, buy your Coyote Wear, and volunteer for the many great activities we have planned for the year ahead. Complete the packet today, so we won't have to track you down later. It takes less than 10 minutes, and then you're done!

PTSA general membership meeting

Everyone is invited to attend the first PTSA General Membership meeting of the year which will immediately follow Curriculum Night activities on Tuesday, September 13th at 7:00 pm in the Coyote Café. We will approve the Mission and Goals as presented by the Executive Committee, update the 2011-12 budget and Standing Rules, present the financial review results, and talk about our plans for the year. We would love to see you there!

Hospitality Committee looking to welcome you!

Are you new to the neighborhood and would like a warm greeting, a friendly chat, and a cup of coffee or tea? Let’s connect! The Welcoming Committee is here and excited to meet you. We will be hosting “Welcome to our Neighborhood!” get-togethers throughout the school year, so watch for upcoming dates in the PTSA Howler and Coyote Connection. In the meantime, drop me an email so I can personally welcome you and your family to our community: Pamela Franklin

Walkathon and Fall Festival

Dust off your cowboy boots and mosey over to the Fall Festival and Walkathon on October 14th from 3:00- 6:00! Mark your calendars now to take part in the annual Cascade Ridge Fundraiser. Ranch Hands Needed! The Fall Festival and Walkathon Committee needs YOUR help! We are seeking volunteers for:

* Face Painters on the day of the event
* Assistance on our Entertainment sub-committee
* Volunteer Coordinator - Excel spreadsheet type work and can be done from home.

Please contact Mary Jo Webb or Chrisann Penz

5th Grade Parent Meeting

You are invited to attend a Principal and 5th Grade Committee meeting which will be held Thursday, September 15th immediately following Curriculum Night. The following info will be covered:

• 5th Grade Camp
• Opportunities to participate in 5th Grade Functions such as 5th Grade Commencement, Service Projects and More!

Any questions, or if you are interested in more information about the 5th grade committee contact: Chrisann Penz or Rachel Schnebele.

Spanish Classes - Space Still Available

There are still some spots available in our Spanish language classes! Classes begin Oct 17th and will meet once a week on either Tuesday or Friday after school. To register or for more information visit www.foreignlanguageforyouth.org. Questions: Contact Ann Brooks or Peggy Rodman

COYOTE WEAR ORDERS DUE 9/16

Samples are on display in the front entrance of the school. Place your order online by Friday Sept 16th.

COMPLETE YOUR FIRST DAY PACKET!

Hi everyone, and welcome to the new school year! We need ALL FAMILIES to complete our Online First Day Packet before Sept. 9. This packet is very important for two main reasons: 1.) To make sure your information is accurate for the PTSA Student Directory, and 2.) To make sure we have your email address so you can receive important announcements throughout the year. But in addition to this, the packet also allows you to become a PTSA member, order your yearbooks, buy your Coyote Wear, and volunteer for the many great activities we have planned for the year ahead. Complete the packet today, so we won't have to track you down later. It takes less than 10 minutes, and then you're done!

Welcome back coffee - September 1

It's incredible to believe that the first day of school is here, and what better way to ring in the new school year than coffee, donuts, and conversation with fellow parents and staff! Come and talk with Principal Natalie Fowler and get to know what's happening at the school. Rekindle old friendships, meet new friends and learn about the exciting programs and events being offered at Cascade Ridge this year. Hope to see you there on September 1st at 8:30 a.m. in Portable 4.

Tea & Tissues - August 31

Congratulations Kindergarten Parents... this is a big milestone in life, not only for your little one but for you as well! Whether you're feeling anxious, excited, relieved, sad, or a bit of all these emotions, Tea and Tissues is a great opportunity to commiserate with other parents who know exactly how you feel. Cookies, tea, and plenty of tissues will be on hand to help you through, along with a few seasoned veterans to answer any questions you may have. Hope you can join us on August 31st, 8:30-9:30am

September Howler available online

The September 2011 edition of the Coyote Howler is now available online. This is our monthly newsletter to keep all parents and kids informed. Please take some time to read it, so you don't miss out on important activities and deadlines! This edition will be distributed in paper form on the first day of school, and will not be distributed through email.

Note our new school hours!

Grades 1 – 5 and Full Day Kindergarten:
Mon/Tue/Thu/Fri: 8:30am – 2:55pm
Wednesday: 8:30am – 12:45pm

AM Kindergarten:
Mon/Tue/Thu/Fri: 8:30am – 11:00am
Wednesday: 8:30am – 11:15am

Teacher assignments - August 26 at 5pm

On Friday, August 26th at 5pm, teacher assignments will be available through Family Access. If you have lost (or never received) your log in and password please click here for instructions.

Save your Box Tops and Ink Cartridges!

Please be sure to save your Box Tops and Ink Cartridges over the summer and bring them in to boxes located in the School entry when you return to school in the fall. Questions: Contact Diana Verrue.

Wanted: Howler Publisher

Do you have a basic knowledge of Microsoft Publisher? Do you want to know what is going on at the school before everyone else does? Then, the Howler Editor Position is for you!! I have enjoyed this job and will be available to help you get started and to provide support throughout the year. Past Howlers are available to you on disk. You are free to duplicate the format or come up with your own unique style. If you are interested or want more info, please contact me, Monica Futty.

June Howler posted online

The June 2011 edition of the Coyote Howler newsletter is now posted. CLICK HERE to view it. If you did not receive the email containing the condensed Howler, please let us know so we can get you added to our list.

May GM Meeting Minutes Posted

The minutes from the May 19 PTSA General Membership meeting have now been posted here.

Thank You To All Our Special Guests

Thank you to all of our special guests who have joined us for our monthly Dads’ Play Day on the Playground! It has been wonderful to see the kids’ faces light up when someone special comes to spend recess with them. There will be no June Dads’ Play Day, but we would love to have you volunteer for Field Day on Wednesday, June 15th. It will be a great morning filled with tons of fun activities. For more information please contact Deanne King or see the PTSA website and the June Howler.

PTSA Survey Results posted

The results from the recent PTSA Community Survey in which you all participated have been posted online. Want to see how the other parents and staff in our community responded? Want to know which PTSA program is the most popular? Check out the survey results here.

School supplies

Still shopping for notebooks, pencils, and backpacks? The 2011-2012 school supply list is available here. If you ordered from PTSA last spring, they are available for pick up in the gym on August 29 at 10:00am prior to Meet the Teacher.

Calling All Volunteers for Next Year!!

Please look for the PTSA Spring Volunteer form that will be coming home with your child this week. This form allows us to gauge our volunteers for the upcoming school year and to schedule events and programs accordingly. We cannot provicde these fabulous opportunities for your child without your help. Please consider volunteering where you can! Return forms to the PTSA mailbox in the lobby by Friday, May 27th. Questions? Contact Deanne King, 425-270-3336.

Box Tops/Campbell's Soup Labels for Education

Keep them coming. Winners for our monthly drawing of contributors win a free car wash or a Mixed Bag. Just write your name on the back of the labels and put them in the container in the school's foyer for a chance to win. Congratulations to the Avalani Family. They are April's Box Top winner!

PTSA General Membership Meeting

Please plan to attend the next PTSA General Membership meeting on Thursday, May 19th at 7:00 pm in the Coyote Café. This will be our last General Membership meeting of the school year and we will review survey results and present the 2011-12 Interim Budget for approval. We would love to have a big group of members who are interested in what the PTSA plans to support in the coming school year. Please come and join in this important process. Please let Tina Yerges, PTSA President know if you have any questions and we hope to see you there!

Immediately following the meeting will be an opportunity to hear speaker Sue Eastgard, MSW, YSPP Executive Director, on the topic of Adolescent Stress and Depression. For more information on this parent seminar contact Alison Cathro at (425) 442-2704 or visit www.issaquahptsa.org/parented.

PTSA March financials posted

We have posted the PTSA's March 2011 financials online. The spreadsheet includes full details including expenses and income for all programs in the budget. Therefore it is accessible only to authorized users of this site, and you will need to sign in with your email/password in order to access it. Click here to see the spreadsheet.

May Howler posted online

The May 2011 edition of the Coyote Howler newsletter is now posted. CLICK HERE to view it. If you did not receive the email containing the condensed Howler, please let us know so we can get you added to our list.

Site Council meeting today

Please join us this evening, May 9th at 6:00pm, for our monthly Site Council meeting. Jake Kuper, Chief Financial and Operations Officer, will be speaking to the group about the state budget and the implications of cuts to our district. Site Council meets in the Cascade Ridge library.

Minutes for GM meeting posted

The minutes from the April 21 PTSA General Membership meeting have now been posted here.

Let Your Voice Be Heard!

Our annual PTSA Community Survey is ready to collect your thoughts and ideas. This is your chance to provide feedback to the PTSA regarding all that we do and how you think we should prioritize our activities for the coming year. It is crucial that we hear from you so we can continue to provide appropriate support to our children and our school according to what our membership considers valuable and most important. If you haven’t already, please take just a few minutes to complete the quick, simple, and anonymous online survey. The results from the survey are used to help develop the budget for the next year and we need this information from you. Click this link before May 7th and talk to us! Questions? Contact Tina Yerges, PTSA President at tinayerges@msn.com.

Spelling Bee Championships this Thursday!

Everyone is invited to come watch the K-2 Spelling Bee Championships this Thursday, April 21 at 6:30pm in the Coyote Cafe. The top three spellers from each of the grades KG, 1st, and 2nd will be competing for the title of Top Speller at Cascade Ridge. Come show your support and watch the excitement!

Spelling Bee Registration Deadline - Apr. 15

Can You Spell “Hippopotomonstrosesquipedaliophobia”? If not, that’s okay because we can’t either! But if your child would enjoy showing off his/her spelling ability in front of an audience, then you need to sign them up for the Cascade Ridge Spelling Bee by April 15! CLICK HERE for full details including practice word lists and registration. Questions? Email spellingbee@cascaderidgeptsa.org. (Curious what hippopotomonstrosesquipedaliophobia means? It means “fear of long words”!)

Festival of Cultures on April 15th

Mark your calendars and plan to come and travel the world with us and enjoy some international entertainment! Touch and interact with exotic artifacts. Learn new languages! Taste new and exciting cuisines. Dream of all the far off lands you will visit in-person someday! The Festival of Cultures is a creative and stimulating event for our students. Our event this year will feature the wonderful booths sponsored and run by our generous host families, exciting entertainment and an interactive game to help our children get the most from the evening. Questions: Erin Rooney or Cathia Geller

General Membership Meeting, April 21

Please plan to attend Thursday, April 21st at 8:30am in the Coyote Café. This is an important meeting! We will be electing the 2011–2012 PTSA Executive Committee, and as always, it is a perfect forum for gaining insight into the PTSA activities and for providing feedback. We will also welcome special guests from Issaquah Schools Foundation who will describe our current state and district financial issues recently caused by unprecedented current year budget cuts that are ultimately impacting the district’s ability to update our science curriculum.

Wanted: Your Opinion!

It’s Spring, and among other things, that means it’s time for our annual PTSA Community Survey. This is your chance to provide feedback to us about what you like, what you dislike, and how you think we should prioritize our activities for the coming year. Please take just a few minutes to complete the quick and simple online survey. The results from the survey are used to help develop the budget for the next year. CLICK HERE to begin.

April Howler posted online

The April edition of the Coyote Howler is now posted online here. If you did not receive the email containing the condensed Howler, please let us know so we can get you added to our list.

5th Grade Concert

We are looking forward to seeing our 5th graders perform next week, Thursday March 31st at 6:30pm. In light of our upcoming performance please review our new concert procedures:

ARRIVAL TIME: Doors will open at 6:10. Students should go to their classrooms at this time. The concert will start at 6:30.

SUPERVISION: Unfortunately, we have had several incidents involving destruction and disregard for school equipment and property – this has occurred both before and during our concerts. Therefore, all children who are attending the concert need to be supervised at all times. We’d appreciate your help with this matter.

We need Sponsors for Japan!

Our Festival is drawing near and we only have a few more weeks to cover the map of the world. We have no sponsors for Japan! With so much devastating news about Japan in recent days, our kids need to learn more about this ancient country and culture. Did you know that most Japanese elementary school kids wear yellow caps? The Japanese language has more than 200 letters in the alphabet (that doesn’t include 70,000 characters in Kanji!)! If you are not from Japan, research it and share your findings like these and more fun facts, with the whole school!

The Festival is on April 15th and we can’t do it without you! Pick a country you would like to learn more about and involve the kids; showcase your country of origin, its culture and food or work with other families to represent a country as a team. Questions? Contact Cathia Geller (Cathia@cathiageller.com 425-445-7046) or Erin Rooney (roon888@msn.com).

Spellers Wanted!

All Cascade Ridge students are invited to participate in the school Spelling Bee on April 18-28. For details about the event, word lists to practice at home, and to register, CLICK HERE. Students will compete against other spellers from their own grade level. Questions? Contact Rajeev Goel or Bridget Salmick at spellingbee@cascaderidgeptsa.org.

Mixed Bags Still Available

Mixed bags are on sale though Friday, March 26th! If you didn't receive your catalog or have any questions please contact Mary Richardson. Sample bags are on display outside the office.

Lost and Found

Please be sure to check the lost and found for any items your child might be missing. We will be donating any remaining items on Thursday, March 31st. Thanks!

Upcoming Concerts

Fifth Grade - Thursday, March 31 at 6:30 P.M.
The fifth grade students will be performing “A Musical Journey to Africa”, which will incorporate drums, marimba, and voices. All of the music will be sung, performed, and accompanied by the students themselves, and will include elements of composition and improvisation.

Third Grade – Tuesday, May 3 at 6:30 P.M.
The theme of this concert will be “Music from the Pioneer Days.” The students will sing, move, and play instruments to old American folk music.

New Coyote Wear For Sale!

The NEW Coyote Wear in our NEW colors are here! The new colors, Navy, Green and White look great and the students are very excited. We have Sweatshirts, T-Shirts, PJ pants, and more! Come see the display outside the office. CLICK HERE to order online, or click here to print out a paper order form. Deadline is Friday, April 1st. Checks need to be made out to Cascade Ridge PTSA and sent into school. Questions? please contact Chrisann Penz.

Eager Reader Calling All Students!

Mark your calendars - the Eager Reader program will be held April 4th - 29th. For those new to Eager Reader, Eager Reader is a PTSA sponsored program that rewards and reinforces reading! It is a 4 week voluntary program designed to improved students' reading skills and to develop a love of reading. Students earn fun prizes as they read outside their classrooms while helping meet any in classroom reading requirements! More details regarding this popular program and its incentives will follow in the coming weeks. Our goal this year is 100% student participation! Do you have questions or want to help? Contact Peggy Rodman or Ann Brooks.

We Need Sponsors for Africa!

Our Festival is drawing near and we only have a few more weeks to cover the map of the world. We have no sponsors for the entire continent of AFRICA! Kenya, Ivory Coast, Morocco and Egypt are but a few of the over 50 fascinating countries you can pick to represent! The Festival is on April 15th and we can’t do it without you! Please don’t wait any longer: let us know which country you would like to represent. Pick a country you would like to learn more about and involve the kids. We need at least 20 countries represented – there are over 190 in the world! We will provide tables and lots of help to get you started. Please contact the FOC Co-Chairs for more information: Cathia Geller (Cathia@cathiageller.com 425-445-7046) or Erin Rooney

Last Chance for Yearbooks!

Don't miss out! If you haven't already done so, this is your last chance to order a 2010/2011 School Yearbook! Order online by March 30th here. Questions? Contact Melanie Carbon or Monica Futty.

Mixed Bag Sales

New Spring catalogs for the PTSA Mixed Bag sale were sent home with students earlier this week. Check out all the new styles and colors and come see the display in the school foyer outside the office! Order forms are available inside the catalog and are due back to school by Friday, March 26. Questions? Contact Mary Richardson.

Spelling Bee word lists posted

We know all of you spelling enthusiasts have been waiting patiently! After a lot of hard work, the word lists for the Spelling Bee have now been posted here. So ... time to get to work practicing at home! If you haven't already, mark your calendars for the first ever Cascade Ridge Spelling Bee on April 18-28. Only pre-registered students will be allowed to participate. CLICK HERE for details and to register your child. Questions? Contact Rajeev Goel or Bridget Salmick at spellingbee@cascaderidgeptsa.org.

March Howler posted online

The March edition of the Coyote Howler is now posted online here. If you did not receive the email containing the condensed Howler, please let us know so we can get you added to our list.

Special Ed 101

A parent info night for Special Education will be held on Tuesday March 1st from 6:30 - 8:00 pm in the Issaquah District Board Room. Marilyn Holm, Executive Director of Special Services, Diane Roth, Assistant Director of Special Services, and Susan Wolever, Secondary Supervisor will give an overview of the process, programs and services for special education students. For more information, click here.

Science Tech Information Night

Science Technology Programs located at Briarwood, Clark and Cascade Ridge are hosting information nights in March. Families interested in enrolling their student in this program (for 4th and 5th graders) must attend one of the mandatory informational meetings, unless they have previously had a student enrolled in this program. For more information, click here. Meeting dates, times, and locations are here.

Modified Bell Schedule on March 16

Mark your calendars now! Our school will operate on a modified bell-time schedule on Wednesday, March 16, to comply with mandatory state testing requirements during the High School Proficiency Exam (HSPE) administration window. The school day will start at 8:30 AM and will end at 12:53 PM. AM Kindergarten will start at 8:30 AM and end at 10:33 AM. There is no PM Kindergarten.

Don’t Forget to Register for the Science Fair

The Science Fair registration deadline for Kindergarteners - 3rd Graders, Friday March 4th, is approaching! Don’t miss the opportunity to participate in this fun and educational event. Volunteers are still needed so please consider donating your time to make this event a success. Log on to cascaderidge.oursciencefair.com to register and/or volunteer. Questions? Contact Pete Wengert.

Spelling Bee: April 18-28

Mark your calendars for the first ever Cascade Ridge Spelling Bee! This exciting new event will be held on April 18-28, and registration is now open for all willing spellers! CLICK HERE for details and to register. Questions? Contact Rajeev Goel or Bridget Salmick at spellingbee@cascaderidgeptsa.org.

Upcoming Geography Bee

Does your student enjoy geography trivia and learning about other states, countries and continents? You may want to consider signing them up for the Cascade Ridge Geography Bee to be held the first week of March! Teams of 3 to 5 similar age students will compete for prizes in this fun and educational event. Students may form their own team or sign up and be placed on a team. Parent volunteers are needed to facilitate this event so please consider volunteering your time to make it a success.

KG & 1st Grade - Tuesday, March 1st from 4:30-5:30pm in Portable 5
2nd & 3rd Grade - Thursday, March 3rd from 4:30-5:30pm in Portable 5
4th & 5th Grade - Friday, March 4th from 4:30-5:30pm in Portable 5

To sign up and/or to volunteer contact Raghu Allepally at rallepally@gmail.com.

Festival of Cultures Needs You Now!

Calling all Families: Festival of Cultures is coming & WE NEED YOU NOW! This year’s Festival of Cultures event is on Friday, April 15th and we are actively signing up returning exhibitors and other families who are ready to join the fun and sponsor a booth. Pick a country you would like to learn more about and involve the kids; showcase your country of origin, its culture and food or work with other families to represent a country as a team. We need at least 20 countries represented – there are over 190 in the world! We will provide tables and lots of help to get you started. Please contact the FOC Co-Chairs for more information: Cathia Geller or Erin Rooney.

March Coyote Howler

Do you have an article for the next issue of the Howler? Submit to howler@cascaderidgeptsa.org no later than Wednesday, 2/23 at 4 pm. Questions? Contact Monica Futty.

Golden Acorn Nominations Due Friday!

The Golden Acorn is a great way to recognize the contributions specific individuals have made at Cascade Ridge Elementary and within our local community. Nomination forms are available at the school by the PTSA box or on our website by clicking here. Nomination forms must be turned into the PTSA box or emailed to Deanne King no later than February 11th. The PTSA Golden Acorn Awards Committee will review the nomination forms received and make the final selections. Please feel free to contact Deanne King, ddaking@yahoo.com with any questions.

Upcoming kindergarten registration

Mark your calendars and tell your neighbors…it’s time to register Kindergartners for the 2011-2012 school year. Please note the following dates:

February 17th – New Parent Information Night 6:30pm – 7:30pm
March 2nd – Registration from 2-6 pm
March 3rd – Registration from 10am-3pm
March 8th @ 4pm FDK lottery requests due
March 9th @ 2pm lottery drawing
May 24th – New Kindergarten Family Open House 5-6pm

When you register your student please bring the following information:
• Proof of Residency (i.e. utility bill – lease agreement)
• Birth Certificate or Passport (Student must be 5 by August 31, 2011)
• Immunization Records

For more Kindergarten information please click here

PTSA Meeting Minutes Online

We have started to post the meeting minutes from the PTSA General Membership Meetings to the website. Now those folks who missed the meeting can stay caught up with the discussions and decisions that were made. The minutes are accessible from the PTSA menu on the left, or by clicking this link.

Feb. 7 Site Council Meeting Canceled

The February 7 Site Council Meeting has been canceled.

Dads' Day On The Playground

Come join your child at recess!! The next Dad’s Day on the Playground is Friday, February 4th.

LUNCH / RECESS SCHEDULE
Recess 2nd/3rd: 11:00-11:25
Recess FDK/1st: 11:30-11:55
Recess 4th/5th: 12:00-12:25

Questions? Contact: Lynette Springborn

Reminder: Lost & Found

Lost & Found items will be donated before the February break. We have quite a few items on-hand, please take a moment to stop by and check for any items that may belong to your family.

February Howler posted online

The February edition of the Coyote Howler is now posted online here. If you did not receive the email containing the condensed Howler, please let us know so we can get you added to our list.

Science Fair Update

The Science Fair will be held on Thursday, March 24th from 6:00-8:00pm in the Cascade Ridge gym. This is a great opportunity for students to explore a science topic of their choice, work on their project at home and proudly display their work at the Fair on the evening of March 24th. All 4th & 5th graders should now be registered. Final registration deadline for KG-3rd Graders is March 4th. Visit the science fair website for all the information about the Fair.

Fine Arts Night this Friday!

Friday, January 28th is the PTSA's Fine Arts Night from 6:00-8:00pm. Our theme this year is "Night at the Museum" so come and wander through the wings, see your child's artwork on display, and learn about the famous artists who inspire us! (Dinner pre-orders are now closed.) Questions? Contact Jackie Mueller or Mary Jo Webb.

Geography Bee – Volunteers Needed

Cascade Ridge PTSA will be holding a Geography Bee the first week of March (dates TBD) and volunteers are needed to make this event a success. Please consider donating your time to this event. For more information about the Geography Bee and to volunteer contact Raghu Allepally at rallepally@gmail.com.

Calling All Young Scientists!

This week marks the 2011 Science Fair Kick-Off! The Science Fair Kick-Off Assembly was held on Wednesday, January 19th with the Pacific Science Center’s Mobile Team in attendance. The Science Fair will be held on Thursday, March 24th from 6:00-8:00pm and is an opportunity for students to explore a science topic of their choice, work on their project at home and proudly display their work at the Fair on the evening of March 24th. All students K-3rd grade are encouraged to participate and participation is required for 4th & 5th graders. Final registration deadline is March 4th for KG-3rd Graders and January 26th for 4th-5th graders. Click here for lots of information about the fair, creative ideas for topics, registration instructions, volunteer opportunities and more!

Don’t Miss the Upcoming PTSA Meeting!

Don’t forget ... the next PTSA General Membership Meeting is on Thursday, January 27th at 8:30am in the Coyote Cafe. This one’s a “biggie” with review of and voting on ideas for spending accumulated funds, electing our Nominating Committee for developing the slate for our officers in 2011-12, and other interesting business. We will also have a special speaker presenting In the Kitchen with Kids ... Burn and Scald Prevention. On top of that, we will provide coffee and treats, so you won’t want to miss this meeting and we look forward to having a big crowd!

District Art Reception rescheduled

The District Reflections Art Reception has been re-scheduled! The reception, open to the public, will be held on Tues. Jan. 25th from 6:30-8:30 at Pacific Cascade Middle School. Come and view all the amazing artwork created by talented students across the district. FYI: The Reflections theme next year is “Diversity Means…” and all students can start creating art now for the 2011 competition in the fall.

5th Grade Camp Parent Meeting

Attention: 5th grade parents! Mark your calendars for an important 5th Grade Camp parent meeting on February 8 at 6:00pm

ACTION REQUIRED: Pre-order your meals for Fine Arts Night!

Come join us for a lovely evening of fine art and great food! Friday, January 28th from 6-8pm is the PTSA's Fine Arts Night. See your child's art on display, learn a bit about famous artists in history, and enjoy an affordable dinner from Yoko's Teriyaki. Beginning today, you can pre-order your dinner for only $5.00: each meal will include teriyaki chicken, rice, vegetables, two potstickers, and a bottle of water. A vegetarian option is also available. The last day to order is Tuesday, January 25th so don't delay; CLICK HERE to place your order!

Eager Reader in Danger!

We need someone to step up and coordinate Eager Reader or the program will not occur in this school year. We know that reading is a core component for all our students at Cascade Ridge and this program is key for encouraging kids to read. The program is "ready made" and comes with classroom reps, so we just need someone to help coordinate the overall process of the program. We know we have a lot of passionate parents out there and we just haven’t heard from everyone. If you are one of those many parents who can help out, please contact our VPs of Programs! Danna and Leslie

January Howler posted online

The January edition of the Coyote Howler is now posted online here. If you did not receive the email containing the condensed Howler, please let us know so we can get you added to our list.

Got Stocking Stuffers?

Brown Bear Car Wash tickets make perfect stocking stuffers or co-workers appreciation presents. Send me an email, Diana Verrue, if I can help you check a few people off your holiday gift list. Tickets are $5 and $3.50 goes to our school! Happy Holidays!

Lost & Found at Winterfest

We found a Bluetooth device that got left behind at Winterfest ... if it's yours, please contact Danna Wickham. Other clothing items left behind have been placed on the school lost & found table.

Becoming a Love & Logic Parent

Registration is open now through December 31, 2010! Reserve your spot, as space is limited!

The seven week series will be held at Cascade Ridge from 7:00-9:00pm on the following Thursdays: January 6, 13, 20, 27; February 3, 10, 17. The series is value priced at $65 for PTSA members and $80 for non-PTSA members —- bring a spouse or grandparents for free. To sign up, contact madelyn.jansma@live.com.

Learn to set limits without anger, lectures, threats or warnings. Expect lots of laughs as videos and discussion center around raising kids who are "respectful, responsible, and fun to be with." It is facilitated by Madelyn Jansma, M.Ed., a presenter trained at the Love and Logic Institute in Golden, Colorado, and sponsored by the Cascade Ridge PTSA. For more information on Becoming a Love and Logic Parent, visit loveandlogic.com, or the Cascade Ridge library.

PTSA Board Nominating Committee

Are you interested in being on our PTSA Board or do you know someone who would be really great in a Board position next year? Please take a quick look at the Board positions and their related job descriptions on our website and let us know who would fit any of these positions. Or, do you know of someone who would generally be a great Board member, but you‘re not sure in which specific position? We want to hear from you!! Starting in January, our Nominating Committee will be collecting the names to slate for our 2010-11 PTSA Board and we always want to get a diverse group of members from our broad community on the Board. Please contact Chrisann Penz with any names and ideas that you have!

Scholastic Book Fair

Mark your calendars! The Scholastic Book Fair is back by popular demand on the following dates and times:

Wed. Dec. 8th: 11:30am-2:00pm 5:00pm - 7:00pm
Thurs. Dec. 9th: 3:00pm - 7:00pm
Fri. December 10th: 5:00pm - 8:00pm

Click here for more info.

December Howler posted online

The December edition of the Coyote Howler is now posted online here. Our popular new format allows you to view the articles directly online and in your Inbox without having to open a separate PDF file. If you did not receive the email containing the condensed Howler, please let us know so we can get you added to our list.

Elementary Conferences – Dec 1 and 2

Conferences are Wednesday, December 1 and Thursday, December 2 in your child’s classroom. If you have not scheduled a conference time please contact your child’s teacher. There is no school for students on conference days.

Caring Through Sharing Kick-Off

As the holiday season approaches Cascade Ridge is once again reaching out to those in need in our community. Caring Through Sharing enables Cascade Ridge families to brighten the holidays of many needy families right here in our area. The Caring Through Sharing program kicks off on Monday, November 22nd. Watch for a flyer to come home with your child and consider giving your child permission to select a gift tag from the Caring Through Sharing display in their classroom. Questions about the program? Contact Erin Rooney at roon888@msn.com.

Winterfest - December 10 - Buy tickets here!

Winterfest is back, and you don't want to miss it! Mark your calendars for December 10 from 6-8pm. Kids can make holiday crafts, play carnival games, and win fun prizes! Tickets for kids are $5.00 each, and you need to buy them in advance. You can get more information and buy your tickets online right here. The deadline is December 8.

Book Fair - Mark your calendars!

The Scholastic Book Fair is back by popular demand on the following dates and times:

Wednesday, December 8th 11:30pm - 2:00pm, 5:00pm - 7:00pm
Thursday, December 9th 3:00pm - 7:00pm
Friday, December 10th 5:00pm - 8:00pm

This year’s theme is “Heroes…Reading Saves the Day!” Besides all of the fantastic selections available in your child’s monthly book orders, there will be a huge selection of other specially priced books and educational tools. Come by and do some holiday shopping or make a teacher smile by donating a book from their classroom “wish list!” This event is open to the public so please invite friends and family to stop by! 25% of all Book Fair sales go directly to our school!

Yearbook reminder

If you did not order a yearbook, please click here to order one. We will not have many extras at the end of the year, so please order now to guarantee you get one. If you have any questions, please contact Monica Futty or Melanie Carbon.

Last week for Reflections art submissions!

All PTSA Reflections art entries are due NEXT TUESDAY, Nov. 16th in the box outside of the school office. 12 finalists will be chosen to represent Cascade Ridge at the district level (and maybe even the state or national level!) The theme this year is “Together We Can”. Entry forms and rules are available on the table by the office and can also be found here. We can’t wait to see all the great drawings, photos, stories, poems, songs, dances and videos created by our students! All students who enter will be invited to a recess dessert party. Click here for more information. Questions? Contact Barb Cluff cbcluff@yahoo.com or call (425) 657-0336.

Cascade Ridge Book Fair

Save the dates … The annual Scholastic Book Fair will be held December 8th, 9th and 10th (times to be announced soon)! This year’s theme is “Heroes…Reading Saves the Day!” Besides all of the fantastic selections available in your child’s monthly book orders, there will be a huge selection of other specially priced books and educational tools. Come by and do some holiday shopping or make a teacher smile by donating a book from their classroom wish list! Questions? Would you like to volunteer? Contact Joelle Riley.

November Howler posted online

The November edition of the Coyote Howler is now posted online here. We're trying out a new format, which allows you to view the articles directly online and in your Inbox without having to open a separate PDF file. Let us know what you think! If you did not receive the email containing the condensed Howler, please let us know so we can get you added to our list.

Holiday program to help families in need

If your family is in need of some extra assistance in terms of food, clothing, and necessities, please contact your school nurse ASAP to obtain information on the Issaquah Food Bank Holiday Program. The Food Bank program fills up quickly so be sure to contact your school nurse as soon as possible. School PTSA’s desiring to participate in a “Caring through Sharing” program will receive their families to sponsor through the Issaquah Food Bank.

Dads' Play Day, November 5

Next date is Nov 5th! If you have not already done so, please fill out the volunteer background check and send it in to the office or return it to your child's teacher. Due to space limitations in the lunchroom, we are asking that all special visitors sign-in at the table in front of the office and then join your special student outside for recess. Lunch recess schedule:
11:00-11:25: Recess 2/3
11:30-11:55: Recess FDK/1
12:00-12:25: Recess 4/5
Questions? Contact Lynette Springborn

Geography Bee at Cascade Ridge

This year, we are planning to conduct a Geography Bee at Cascade Ridge for all students. This will be a fun filled geography related competition. We are trying to get a count of students who are interested in participating, so we can better organize the event. If your child would like to participate, please send an email to Raghu at geobee@cascaderidgeptsa.org.

Coyote Wear has arrived

Coyote Wear has arrived and has been distributed to classrooms. If something is missing from or incorrect with your order, please contact Lynette Springborn. If you would still like Coyote Wear, we have extra pieces of the most popular items. These include: pink sweatshirts (YM), adult (S,XL), pink camo t-shirt: 2 adult (S), grey camo t-shirt:
2 adult (S), black sweatpants.

We Need You!

Picture Retake Day is on Tuesday, October 26th. We are still in need of a few volunteers. If you are available to help out, please contact Deanne King. Thank You!

Employer matched donations

If you recently donated to the Walkathon, thank you for helping us reach our fundraising goal for the year! Don't forget that many employers will match dollar for dollar the amount you donated to the PTSA. The process must be initiated by you, and usually begins with your company's Human Resources Department. Your employer may have a website to enter your donation information online. This is a great way to double your donation to Cascade Ridge. Thanks in advance for taking the time to check this out! Questions? Contact Janet Jacobson.

Walkathon Unclaimed Baskets!

Thank you to our amazing Cascade Ridge community for making this year’s Walkathon such a huge success! We hope everyone had a great time, and so appreciate all of the contributions and effort that was put into this event! And the winning continues, as there is still ONE basket unclaimed! The winning ticket number is:

Outdoor Fun, Pink ticket, #654737

Please contact Nichole Wengert if you have this ticket, at nwengert@msn.com or 425-392-1802.

Walkathon TODAY!

We look forward to seeing everyone at the Walkathon this afternoon! Registration is now closed, but you can still get information about the Walkathon and donate here.

Marimba Club at Cascade Ridge

Marimba club is starting soon! Mr. Dunham will be directing the 4th grade marimba club, while Mr. Johnson, our overload music teacher, will be directing the 5th grade club. Applications are due to Mr. Dunham by October 15, and auditions will take place on October 18 and 19. Fifth grade will be meeting after school on Mondays, starting October 25. Fourth grade will be meeting Tuesdays before school, starting October 26. Additional marimba clubs may be formed depending on time and student interest. Please contact Bret Dunham or David Johnson for more information.

Family Portrait Night - Oct. 26

Tuesday, October 26th, Yuen Lui will be holding a Family Portrait Night from 5:00pm-8:00pm at the school. The 20-minute sitting fee is $10, and will go directly to our PTSA. Portrait packages range in price from $35 - $199. The sign up sheet is located on the PTSA table outside of the school office. Contact Lora Wendl with any questions.

Raffle Basket Viewing Today Only!

Come to the school today from 12:30 - 1:30 to preview the amazing Raffle Baskets that we will be giving away to the winners of the Walkathon raffle. They will be set up just outside the cafeteria. You can also preview the baskets online here. To buy raffle tickets, visit our main Walkathon page.

Picture Re-Take Day - October 26

Yuen Lui will be back to take re-takes on October 26 from 10:00 - 3:00 in Portable 5. You will be receiving your picture packages prior to this date.

Are you on Facebook?

Show your support for our big Walkathon fundraiser by visiting this page and clicking the "Like" button in the upper-left.

2010 Holiday Program For Families In Need

If your family is in need of some extra assistance in terms of food, clothing and necessities, please contact your school nurse as soon as possible to obtain information on the Issaquah Food Bank Holiday Program. The Food Bank program fills up quickly so be sure to contact your school nurse before the end of October. School PTSAs desiring to participate in a “Caring through Sharing” program will receive their families to sponsor through the Issaquah Food Bank.

Library Volunteers Needed!

This is a great way to volunteer and it’s easy and fun! Come in during your child's library time! Volunteer every week, every other, or once a month! Times are typically 30 minutes to an hour. If interested, please contact Sarah Auckland with your child's teacher and the days and times you are available. We will be starting October 1st!

Student Directory 2010-2011

Will your information be correct in this year’s directory? Go online today to register!

October Howler now available

The October edition of the Coyote Howler, our monthly PTSA newsletter, is now available here.

Online Walkathon Packets are here!

Skip the paper this year, and complete your Walkathon packet online in about 2 minutes! Parents, teachers, friends, relatives, and sponsors -- visit this page to register your child for the event, make your important contribution to the PTSA, pre-order meals, buy raffle tickets, and of course volunteer. Deadline is October 8, so get it done today!

Dads' Play Day, October 1

Please join us for Dads' Play Day on the Playground for the 2010-2011 school year! The first one is on October 1. On the first Friday of each month, we invite all dads, moms, grandparents or other special guests to join us on the playground for lunch recess. If you have not already done so, please fill out the volunteer background check and send it in to the office or return it to your child's teacher. Due to space limitations in the lunchroom, we are asking that all special visitors sign in at the table in front of the office, get a visitor's badge, and then join your special student outside for recess. Questions? Contact Lynette Springborn

Box Tops & Ink Cartridges

Please remember to deposit Box Tops in the clear box in the school’s foyer and ink cartridges in the box in the school foyer. Your contributions really do help support our programs!

Brown Bear Car Wash

Get a clean car, save $$ and earn money for Cascade Ridge PTSA! For every $5 ticket purchased, our PTSA earns $3.50 (normal price for basic exterior car wash is $5.99). To purchase tickets, email Diana Verrue and provide the following information: your name, your child’s name, your child’s teacher, # of tickets. Then place a check payable to CRE PTSA ($5/ticket) in the black PTSA box in the school foyer. Tickets will be delivered to your child’s classroom within a week of your payment being made. Thanks for supporting our school! Order forms are also available on top of the black PTSA box.

Math Club

All 4th and 5th graders interested in advancing their math skills over and above the classroom level are invited to join the Math Club. For more information please attend a parent meeting on Tuesday, October 5th at 7:00pm in the Multi-Purpose Room. Questions? Contact Ranjani Chakrapani or Sheela Pai.

Classroom Walkathon Reps Needed!

Join the fun!! Volunteering to be your student’s classroom Walkathon rep is a great way to get involved with this fun event! Reps will be collecting classroom donations for “themed baskets” to be raffled off at the event. The basket theme examples include Lego, American Girl, Gardening, Video Games, etc. Also on the day of the event the reps pass out the T-shirts and walk the kids to the starting line. It's a pretty easy and fun job! Contact ddaking@yahoo.com if you would like to be the Walkathon Rep for your child’s class.

Wild West Stampede!

This year's Walkathon & Fall Festival will be Friday, October 15th from 2:45-6:00pm - Saddle up and come on over to the Coyote Coral where we'll be ropin' up some good fun for the whole family to enjoy! There will be music, food, dancing, games, prizes and T-shirts. Questions: jaycee.cooper@gmail.com or chris_bona@msn.com.

Bicycle Safety

• Must be in grades 3-5 to ride to school.
• Must wear a helmet.
• Must dismount and walk their bike on the school grounds for the safety of those on foot. Pedestrians have the right-of-way.
• Ride safely while on the road watching for cars and pedestrians.
• Park and lock bike at the rack located at the school.

No Parking Zone

When you are dropping students off, volunteering or even running into the building for a “minute” -PLEASE do not park along the curb as this is a Fire Lane. The curb lane is a “drop off zone” only and drivers must remain with their vehicles at all times.

Kitchen Reminder

When sending in lunch money (either checks or cash) please remember to include your child’s full name and lunch number.

Measurements of Student Progress

The 2009-10 Measurement of Student Progress (MSP) scores for students in grades 3-8 are now available on Family Access.

Silly Bands Need to Stay Home

The Silly Band Craze has officially taken over Cascade Ridge! Unfortunately, they are causing problems – an interruption to instruction, distraction from play and eating during recess and lunch, and hurt feelings. Please remind your student that silly bands need to stay home. If students bring them to school, they will be taken by the teacher/EA until the end of the day. There are also small erasers in various colored designs that are being traded by students. These too need to stay home. Thank you for your help with this!

K-Kids in Jeopardy!

We would like to continue the K-Kids program here at Cascade Ridge but cannot without parent volunteers. Currently this program is in jeopardy of being cut. There is an opportunity to make changes / modifications to how K-Kids is organized but we need a parent or parents to take the lead. If you are interested in helping out or would like more information, please contact Danna Wickham or Leslie Hickman-Boyd.

Vision & Hearing Screening

October 12th is Vision and Hearing Screening Day at Cascade Ridge. We are still in need of many volunteers for both the morning and afternoon to be able to screen all of our children on this one day. If you are available to help out, please contact Deanne King.

Site Council Needs Parent Reps!

We still have an opening for at least one more parent representative for our Cascade Ridge Site Council. This is a great opportunity to be involved in shared decision making for our school. Site Council will meet one Monday night a month from 6:00 – 7:30 pm. If you would like more information, please contact Chrisann Penz.

Volunteer Badge Picture Day

Yuen Lui is again offering our volunteers a complimentary picture ID badge on Monday Oct 4 from 8:30-12:00 in Portable 5. If you are a PTSA or classroom volunteer, and you don't already have a picture badge from previous years, please come and have your picture taken so that we can get you a badge.

Cascade Chorus

Cascade Chorus will begin with its first rehearsal on Wednesday, September 29 at 7:30 A.M. in the music room. Rehearsals will take place on Wednesday and Thursday mornings at 7:30. Any interested fourth or fifth grade students are welcome to join – no tryout is required. Forms are available in the music room, and are due to Mr. Dunham by Friday, October 1. Questions? Contact Bret Dunham.

Play-Doh Donation for Children’s Hospital

The Seattle Police Department is collecting donations of Play-Doh to help Children’s Hospital which is now having a shortage of Play-Doh for both the playroom and also for room visits. It obviously must be new Play-Doh, but we need both the regular size containers for the playroom, and the little containers for room visits. Please send in your kind donations of Play-Doh and drop them off in the collection box by the PTSA table outside the school office by September 24, 2010. Thank you.

PTSA General Meeting Reminder

Don’t miss the first GM of the year, Tuesday, September 14th at 7pm immediately following Curriculum Night for grades K-2. The agenda for the meeting is posted here.

September Howler now available online

The very first edition of the Coyote Howler, our monthly newsletter, is now available here. This edition is also sent home as a paper copy to all families on the first day of school. Future editions will be sent through email only. Make sure you join the website to make sure you receive it electronically!

Online First Day Packet!

Your Online First Day Packet is here! All families need to complete this by September 17. This year, we're really excited to be sending home a lot LESS paperwork. We hope you find the online forms to be a convenient way to get us your information, become a PTSA member, buy your yearbooks, and volunteer. Questions or problems? Contact our webmaster.

Back to School Coffee & Meet Our New Principal

Take this opportunity to chat with our new principal, Natalie Fowler, mingle with other Cascade Ridge parents and get the year off to a great start with coffee, goodies and great conversation. Join us at a new location: The Cafe on Thursday September 2nd at 8:30am.

Calling all Kindergarten Parents!

Join us for Tea and Tissues on Thursday, September 2nd at 11:45am in Portable #2. If you’re a parent sending your child off to Kindergarten, please come by for some tea, tissues, and treats. We’ll be there to provide some support and camaraderie as you move through this momentous and emotional milestone.

Save the date for the Fall Walkathon!

Would you like to get involved with a fun Fall event that supports our many PTSA sponsored programs? The Cascade Ridge Fall Festival & Walkathon is Friday, October 15th! To volunteer to help coordinate this wonderful annual event contact Bona Park or Jaycee Cooper.

New Bell Times for 2010-2011 School Year

Bell times for Cascade Ridge are 45 minutes earlier than last year. School now starts at 8:30am on M/T/Th/F, and 8:15am on Wednesdays. Check out this page for detailed 2010-2011 bell times.

Teacher Assignments for 2010 -2011

Next year’s teacher assignments will be available for viewing on Family Access starting at 5:00 PM on Friday, August 27th. We will not be sending this information by mail, so be sure you are familiar with how to log on to Family Access.

Art Docent Coordinator Needed!

Have you acted as Art Docent for your child’s classroom? If so, WE WANT YOU! In order to continue with the Art Docent program this school year, we need a Docent Coordinator. The Art Docent coordinator will work with parent volunteers from each classroom to provide art lessons to students approximately once per month. The coordinator will provide training to the classroom volunteers at the beginning of the year, and will update and revise notebooks and resource material. The coordinator will also work with classroom volunteers to plan and organize Fine Arts Night. Training and lesson plans are provided. For more information please contact LeslieHickmanBoyd@yahoo.com or Danna.Wickham@comcast.net.

School Supplies List Available

Here is the School Supplies List for 2010-2011. Remember to bring your supplies to your classroom during "Meet the teacher" on August 30.