Summer updates for Sacy families!

Greetings,

WE MISS YOU and we sincerely hope that our Sacy community is continuing to stay safe and healthy while enjoying the summer. However you chose to spend your summer, we trust that you have been able to find ways to rest, relax, stay cool, and enjoy the warm weather.

We are beginning to gear up for a successful start to a new school year - Onward and Upward as we start fresh and head into the 2022-23 school year! There will be additional communications sent to our families towards the end of August with more details, but we wanted to get some preliminary information out as you all begin to plan for the new year, too!

Below are a few logistics to make note of as we gear up for the new year:

• New Secretary! When you call or visit the office, you will have the opportunity to meet our wonderful new secretary, Tabitha Spieler! Tabitha recently moved to Richland from Oregon where she held the lead secretary position in a school office. Tabitha replaces the amazing Ruby Palencia who has taken a new position at the Richland School District’s Administration office. For those of you returning to Sacy, you know, first-hand, the impact, expertise, kindness, and skill that Ruby brought to the office over the past 6 years - big shoes to fill, but we are confident and excited to bring Tabitha on to Team Sacy!
• Class Placement/Teacher Placement: We will be notifying families of their child’s teacher via email on Thursday, August 19th.
  • You can expect to receive that email by the end of the work day on 8/19.
  • We will be using the same email list that we are using for THIS letter.
    • If your email address (or other contact info) has changed, please let the office know any time after August 15th.
• First Days of School - The official first calendar day of school for RSD is Tuesday, August 30th, however, please note the following details:
  • August 30th and 31st are school days for students in 1st-5th grade
  • KINDERGARTEN families will engage in family connection conferences on 8/30 and 8/31. The first day with kindergartens students will be Thursday, September 1st.
    • Family connection conferences will be scheduled after you receive your child’s teacher placement on 8/19.
• School Supplies - In RSD, we ask that families provide a backpack, water bottle, and headphones/earbuds for students. All other school supplies will be provided by the school, thus no need to purchase other items!
  • If you need assistance with providing a backpack and/or headphones, please contact our
• Communities in Schools site coordinator, Rylie (Drury) Dixon at rylie.dixon@rsd.edu
• School starts at 8:40 each day. Students are permitted in their classrooms beginning at 8:30 and the tardy bell rings promptly at 8:45. We desperately ask your help in ensuring your child is in their classroom by 8:45.
  • While being late by a few minutes might not seem like a big deal, it really does impact the routine for the child who is late, the other students, and the teacher. Thanks, in advance, for your help and commitment to smooth starts to our school days!
• Early dismissal Fridays - School ends at 3:15 Monday-Thursday and 2:15 on Fridays.
  • Please arrange for transportation pick-up and after school plans accordingly with the two different dismissal times.
• Meet and Greet - We are currently finalizing plans/details for a meet and greet event. Once we have a firm plan to share, we will be sure to communicate that with our families. In the meantime, you can tentatively plan on that occurring on the afternoon of Monday, August 29.
• Moving or Unenrolling? Please be sure to let the office know, if you haven’t already done so! Our amazing secretaries, Tabitha and Anna, can be reached (after August 15) by calling 509-967-6325
• Do you know a Kindergarten-aged student? Please help us with our ‘kindergarten round-up’ by passing the word to your neighbors, families, and other community members that we are open for registration!
  • Registration for kindergarten (and all grades) begins online on the district website: https://www.rsd.edu/families/enrollmentregistration-guide
• Additional School Information and Communication - Below are a few ways in which we communicate with our families. Be sure to let your child’s teacher or the front office know if you have any questions or need support in the following communication methods.
  • Sacajawea Facebook Page - Follow us on Facebook (@sacajaweaelementary) to see important announcements and highlights of the activities at our school.
    • While you’re at it, make sure you are also following the Richland School District’s Facebooks site (@richlandschools)
  • Class Dojo - This is a communication app on smartphones. If you are not already signed up, you will be receiving an access code after school begins.
  • Sacajawea School Website – Our school website can be located at https://sacajawea.rsd.edu/https://sacajawea.rsd.edu/
  • School Messenger – We use this sparingly to save you the emails, texts, and phone calls. However, be sure to keep your contact information updated throughout the year.
• Monday, September 6 - No school. Labor Day holiday.
• Office Contacts– Starting on August 15, the school office will be open Monday-Friday, 8:00am-4:00pm.
  • Our amazing secretaries (Tabitha and Anna) are available to assist you in-person, via email, or by calling the school office at 509-967-6325.
    • Tabitha Spieler, lead secretary – tabitha.spieler@rsd.edu
    • Anna Manning, attendance and enrollment – anna.manning@rsd.edu
    • Rylie (Dixon) Drury, communities in schools - rylie.dixon@rsd.edu

Thank you for your continued support of our great school! We are counting down the days until we can see you all and enjoy your cherished children in our classrooms once again as we start our new adventure, Upward and Onward. Until then, keep enjoying all that summer has to offer!

Take Care,

Kindra Clayton, Principal
kindra.clayton@rsd.edu

Melissa Ferris, Assistant Principal
melissa.ferris@rsd.edu