Hello Lister Families!

 

Welcome back! I hope Spring Break was restful, peaceful and fulfilling. I got a lot of “spring cleaning” done so I am thankful for the time. We have 3 weeks remaining before we get into testing season. Now is a good time to double down on helping students get good rest at night so they are focused and ready to go during the school day.

Please take a few minutes to review updates. Have a great week!

 

-Tim Harris, Principal at Lister Elementary

 

 

Important Dates

 

April 25^th: Lion Pride Assembly: Determination

 

Important Information
 

Lion Pride Characteristic for the month of April

• Determination: Never giving up and trying again and again to get better

 

Multiculture night

On May 21st we will host our annual Multicultural Night event. Last week flyers went home about participating, please consider if your family would like to create a trifold display, present a performance, or participate in the fashion show as a way to share your culture with the Lister community. If you would like to participate, please complete the form and return it to your child's teacher as soon as possible so we can continue to plan this family event.

 

Walking School Bus

In an effort to increase student attendance, we would like to establish a walking school bus. A walking school bus is a group of students who walk together with adults along a designated route with designated stops. If you are interested in participating please fill out this survey: Lister Walking School Bus Interest Survey

 

Beyond the Bell registration opens on staggered schedule this week

You can soon register for the next session of Beyond the Bell, fun and engaging after-school programs in Tacoma Public Schools. Registration starts Monday on a staggered schedule by school. Our registration starts Wednesday, March 26^th.

To help choose the session your child is most interested in, take a look at the programs available this session.

Session 4 details:

• Registration: March 24 – April 9
• Registration runs on a staggered schedule starting at 7 a.m. by school name. Please check the registration schedule. Once it’s open at our school, it will remain open through April 9.
• Session: April 21 – June 13
• Flexible pricing: When you register, select the payment option that best fits your family’s need.

 

Please take survey to help improve after-school program choices

We want to provide after-school programs that students love, and your feedback helps. Whether or not your child has participated in a Beyond the Bell after-school program, please complete a survey about after-school care in our schools.
Beyond the Bell Guardian Survey

 

Preschool applications for the 2025-26 school year open April 14

TPS offers a mix of free half-day and full-day preschool programs for qualifying families, including students with disabilities and individual education plans.

Apply here: Early Learning (Preschool) - Tacoma Public Schools

 

All TPS students can access health care at new Sea Mar clinic at Lincoln High School

A new Sea Mar clinic inside Lincoln High School offers health care services to all TPS students. The clinic is staffed by Sea Mar nurse practitioners, who provide services including sports physicals, immunizations, annual checkups, and acute illness care for things like cough, cold, ear pain, UTI and minor injuries. 

The clinic is open to all students by appointment, and walk-ins are accepted as space allows. Services are billed to the student’s insurance or offered on a sliding fee scale. 

Make an appointment: SeaMar School-Based Health Center - Lincoln High School

 

Greater Lakes Counseling Coming to Lister!

In the next few weeks, Lister will be assigned a Greater Lakes Mental Health counselor to meet with students during the school day providing counseling and other mental health supports. If any parent/guardian are interested in their student receiving these supports, please email the Lister Counselor Ms. Vanessa Gaitan at vgaitan@tacoma.k12.wa.us with the student’s name so she can reach out.

 

Share your feedback on our website 

We want our website to be a helpful source of information for our students, staff, families and community. Please complete the survey to help us better understand your experience using our website and how we can improve it to best meet your needs.
Share Feedback on TPS websites - Tacoma Public Schools

 

Be sure your contact information is updated in ParentVUE
Snow is in the forecast, so please check ParentVUE to ensure your contact information is up to date. If the weather impacts our school schedule, we’ll contact you based on the information in ParentVUE.

If it needs to be updated, contact our office at 253-571-2900

This is also a good time to review your emergency contacts in ParentVUE. When you provide emergency contact information, consider adding trusted adults (neighbors, friends) who do not live in your household. ParentVUE allows you to update your emergency contacts directly in the app, without contacting our office.
Get help with ParentVUE. 

 

Mindful Hearts: To develop kids' confidence, praise effort
By encouraging effort, families can foster an environment where children feel empowered to overcome obstacles.
How can you do that at home? Praise effort rather than just success. For example, if your child is struggling with a task, acknowledge the hard work they’re putting in by saying, “I see how hard you’re working, and that’s what counts.” This helps them develop resilience and perseverance. Get more tips for developing confidence. 

 

When are kids too sick for school?
Respiratory illnesses are on the rise right now, and a stomach virus is making its way through some households, too. If you’re wondering when your child is too sick for school, take a look at this information from our health department:

Too sick for school?

Stay home with these illnesses
 

Questions? Contact our School Nurse Heather Guthrie at 253-571-2929

 

Safety Reminders

·       Please follow safe walking routes to school.  Suggested Walking Route Maps - Tacoma Public Schools (tacomaschools.org)

·       Please sign up for valet if you drive to pick your child up from school. This will free up the front parking lot for buses and preschool families. Talk with your students teacher or the front office to sign up.

·       Please keep your students off the red brick walls in front of the school. Students walking on them could result in falls and injuries.

·       To access campus, enter through the front entrance and check in with the office before going about your business. More information below.

·       Please encourage your students to refrain from sharing their food with classmates. This will help us prevent accidental exposure to foods students are allergic to.

·       We do not have microwaves at school. Please encourage students to bring non-microwaveable food or eat school lunch.

 

Rules for building visitors during school day
We want to ensure that all of our buildings provide a safe, welcoming environment for students, staff and visitors.

If you visit our school during the day, please:

• Enter through the main entrance and sign in at the main office
• Provide a form of identification
• Follow all posted signage related to prohibited activities on school property

 

For safety and security, please enter the main door and check in at the front office if you need to walk your student to class. Please refrain from entering the building through the playground/cafeteria doors. You are more than welcome to walk your student through the main door, down the main hall and into the cafeteria to pick up breakfast.  It takes a group effort to ensure we stay safe. Thank you for working with us to make this happen.

Thank you for your help in keeping our school safe.

 

Building positive relationships at home

At home, it's important to talk to your child about small ways to show kindness, such as helping a friend or offering a compliment. 

Building positive relationships with children at home is essential for their emotional well-being, self-esteem, and social development. Positive family relationships help children feel secure, valued, and supported, which contributes to better behavior, resilience, and academic success. Create those relationships at home by:

• Spending quality time together
• Showing active listening
• Showing appreciation and affection
• Setting boundaries and routines
• Encouraging open communication

Get more ideas here. 

 

Teaching empathy through simple actions
In addition to teaching academic skills at school, we try to nurture emotional intelligence in children. Our Whole Child team put together a plan that can help families do this at home, too.

At home, you can help your child foster empathy. Encourage your child to think about how others might feel in different situations. 

• Try asking questions like, “How do you think your friend felt when that happened?” This helps children develop emotional awareness and improves communication skills. 

Follow the link for more ideas on fostering empathy: Take a look at more practical tips, insights and activities to get started. 

 

How to check grades in ParentVUE
You can find your child’s grades, assignments and posted test scores on ParentVUE.  Check the app for directions: ParentVUE Help - Tacoma Public Schools (tacomaschools.org)

Do you know about the 10-school-day rule for grades and assignments?

• Students have 10 school days from the original due date to turn in an assignment and receive full credit.
• Students have 10 school days from receiving a grade on an assignment or assessment to request a revision, retake or correction.

 

Tutor.com offers free, online tutoring services : APPLIES TO GRADES 3-12
Our students have access to a free online tutoring service through Tutor.com. They can access this resource through Clever.

Services are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week and include: 

• Live tutoring
• Paper review
• Math question drop off
• SAT/ACT prep
• College admission essays
• Resume/cover letter writing
• Creating healthy habits

Students can access tutors by chat or a voice call in less than a minute without an appointment. Get more information, including a detailed list of services. 

 

24-25 Bell Schedule

Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday	Wednesday
8:10-Student arrival. Must wait on playground. 8:25-Building opens and breakfast starts 8:40-School Starts 3:10-School Ends	9:10-Student arrival. Must wait on playground. 9:25-Building opens and breakfast starts 9:40-School Starts 3:10-School Ends
NOTE: First late start day: Wednesday, Sept. 11 All schools start one hour later on Wednesdays except when noted otherwise.

 

Arrival and Dismissal is the process of dropping students off in the morning and picking them up in the afternoon.  

1.      Arrival: Students should report to the playground no earlier than 8:10 on Monday Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. 9:10 on Wednesdays. We will not have staff on duty before these times. Driving families should use the bus lane to drop students off starting at 8:10. Parking is available in the street and behind the school. Please do not park in the bus loop or behind parked cars. This created a lot of issues last year, so we need everyone’s help with sticking to the process so we can keep the school community safe.

2.      Dismissal: The front lot will only be open to school buses, daycare vans and Headstart families between 2:55 and 3:15. Valet is our afterschool pickup process for driving families. Students line up in the hallway of the school and are walked to their parent/family’s car in back of the building by staff. We encourage all driving families to sign up for valet by contacting the main office or speaking with your student’s teacher. Please use street parking if you plan on walking up to the playground to pick up your student.