Welcome to Spring!
My favorite part of Spring is the wild weather! I always hope for some thunderstorms and rainbows to welcome the change in season. What are your favorite things in April?
April is set to be a busy month as we set the pace for a strong finish in Gravelly Lake K-12 Academy. Here are some highlights of what is happening:
Smarter Balanced Assessments
Our students are busy preparing for the Smarter Balanced Assessment (SBA) by attending practice sessions. We have two more upcoming sessions to have your student experience testing so they can be their best on the ELA and Math SBA. Reach out to your teacher (elementary) or Advocate (Middle and High) for the dates.
ACT testing
Seniors still needing a graduation pathway may take the ACT April 9,10,11,16,17 or 18. Contact our Dean, Mr. Welfare to schedule a date. Testers must arrive at 7:30 AM and are released between 12:30-1:30.
This month’s topics include:
- School and Community Events
- Month of the Military Child and Purple Up! Day
- Gravelly Lake K-12 Academy Spring Art Festival, April 16
- Public school Volunteer Week, April 17-21
- Daffodil Parade, April 6
- Parks Appreciation Day Cleanup (High School)
- National Student Leadership Week, April 22-26
- Congressional Art Contest (High School)
- Election Day, April 23
- Student Choice Reward evening, April 28
- Stay Informed
- March Inside Schools
- SYAC Fentanyl Awareness Video FOX13 News Story (High School)
- Notification Update for Families
- Get Involved
- CEE Survey
- Committee Studying Cell Phone Use
- District Social Media Lawsuit
- Give 6
- Health Resources
- Hazel Health
- COVID-19 Updates
School and Community Events
Month of the Military Child and Purple Up! Day
April is the Month of the Military Child! Each April the Department of Defense and Military Community and Family Policy acknowledges the important role military children and youth have in supporting the military service of their family members and the unique challenges they face.
Gravelly Lake K12 Academy will be celebrating military students and families throughout the month. On April 15, we encourage all students, staff and families to wear purple for National Purple Up! Day in honor of military children.
Military life can present obstacles that may make school challenging. Please visit the district’s Resource Page for military families to find support for social emotional learning, tutoring, childcare and more.
Gravelly Lake K-12 Academy Spring Art Festival, April 16
We have our art festival April 16 from 5-7. Students and families can enjoy the artworks created by Gravelly Lake students, and enjoy music and a meal. Students also get to vote on staff entries!
Public School Volunteer Week
April 17-21 is Public School Volunteer Week! We are grateful for all the dedicated parents, family and community members who support Gravelly Lake K12 Academy students inside and outside of the classroom.
Volunteer at your school today! Gravelly Lake K12 Academy welcomes parents/guardians and family members to help us reach our goal of academic success for all students through volunteering. CPSD has implemented a new online application that allows you to sign up for volunteer positions with ease. For more information on how to volunteer at Gravelly Lake K12 Academy, view the Volunteers webpage on the district website.
For questions relating to volunteer opportunities, please contact our main office by calling 253-583-5525 or your student’s teacher. If you have any questions about the application or problems with submission, please contact Holly Bocchi; [email protected], the district volunteer coordinator.
Daffodil Parade, April 6
The Pierce County Daffodil Festival is holding the Grand Floral Parade on Saturday, April 6.
Join CPSD as we cheer on the newly crowned Daffodil Queen and members of the royal court, including Chai Hill from Clover Park High School, Patricia Page from Lakes High School and Leilani Campos-Ramos from Harrison Preparatory School. The parade will stop at four locations: Tacoma at 10:15 a.m., Puyallup at 12:45 p.m., Sumner at 2:30 p.m. and Orting at 5 p.m.
Parks Appreciation Day Cleanup (High School Students)
Want to help beautify your community and improve the environment while earning volunteer hours?
Join CPSD and the city of Lakewood for Parks Appreciation Day on Saturday, April 27. Each year, community volunteers team up to clean up city parks by picking up trash, pulling weeds, and landscaping to preserve the parks and prepare them for the busy summer season.
Park locations vary and are selected before the event. Volunteers will be notified of their cleanup location prior to April 27.
Fill out this volunteer form to join us at the next Parks Appreciation Day to help make a difference! In the form, you can also sign up to volunteer at upcoming summer events.
National Student Leadership Week
CPSD is celebrating National Student Leadership Week April 22-26. Gravelly Lake K12 Academy celebrates student voice and the important role students play in shaping school culture. By leading the way, students provide key insight to school staff and administrators to make Gravelly Lake K12 Academy a great place to learn.
We are all better together and can accomplish amazing things when our intelligent, capable and strong student leaders take charge!
Congressional Art Contest for High School Students
Congresswoman Marilyn Strickland’s office is accepting submissions for the 2024 Congressional Art Competition. It is an opportunity to recognize, honor and encourage young artistic talent across the nation.
This year’s competition includes a theme to guide student artwork. The 2024 theme is “Joy.” Students are asked to share their artistic expression of what joy means to them.
The Congressional Art Competition is open to all high school students living in Washington’s 10th Congressional District. The winning artwork will be displayed for one year in the U.S. Capitol and the artist will be recognized at the Congressional Institute.
Artwork is due by Thursday, April 11.
To submit, attach a high-resolution photo of your art as well as the student release form in an email to: [email protected]. For more information and official rules, visit: https://strickland.house.gov/services/art-competition or call Congresswoman Strickland’s District Office at 360-459-8514.
Election Day, April 23
Election Day is Tuesday, April 23! Your vote counts!
If you are not yet registered to vote, you can register today by visiting https://vote.gov/register/wa/. If you are registering by mail, your registration form must be received eight days before the April 23 election. If you miss the deadline to register online or by mail, you can register in-person at the Tacoma Pierce County Elections Office until Election Day at 8 p.m.
Once you receive your ballot by mail, it must be postmarked by April 23 and can then be dropped off at a drop box location near you – no stamp needed.
There are three drop boxes in the Lakewood Area at the Lakewood Park and Ride (10417 S Tacoma Way), Lakewood City Hall (6000 Main St SW) and Tillicum Community Center, 14916 Washington Ave SW).
Gravelly Lake K-12 Academy Rewards Night, April 28, 5-7
Our elementary school have been working hard to earn a reward for their efforts. The details of the event are up to our students, but it is guaranteed to be a fun time. All families are invited to participate in the event.
Stay Informed
March Inside Schools
The March edition of Inside Schools is here! Read more about mentoring in motion, the district's new NBCT teachers and Gravelly Lake K-12 Academy's first awarding of diplomas. Gravelly Lake’s students are heavily
SYAC Students Debut Fentanyl Awareness Project (Middle and High School)
Members of CPSD’s Superintendent’s Youth Advisory Council entered the school year with the desire to make a positive impact on their school and the greater Lakewood community. As part of those e efforts, students created a series of public service videos to highlight the dangers of fentanyl and the effect it has on their classmates and surrounding community.
The videos were created with the help of a grant from the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department. Middle and high schools intend to share them in classrooms and assemblies across the district. The idea for the videos emerged as students researched the topic and how they could help make a difference.
Watch recent media coverage by Fox 13 Seattle and Pierce County Executive Bruce Dammeier’s weekly message to residents.
School Delay or Closure Notification Update
CPSD is still experiencing some issues with the vendor that provides our email/telephone notifications. This has caused some staff and families to not receive calls and/or emails. We are working to resolve this as quickly as possible and will keep you informed.
In the meantime, please be sure to sign up for Flash Alerts, which will also send you an email in the event of any school closures or delays. Local television media may also share this information, but it is important to look for Clover Park School District, not Lakewood School District.
Get Involved!
We Need Your Input: Anonymous CEE Survey
We need your help improving your student’s school and learning experience!
After Spring Break, we will send The Center for Educational Effectiveness (CEE) annual survey that allows families to give their input on school performance and student learning. We use the results of this survey to improve school practices.
The anonymous survey will be available to complete from April 15 to May 6 and should only take about 10 minutes to complete. Please check your inbox for an email from your school with a link to complete the survey after Spring Break.
Committee Studying Cell Phone Use
CPSD has assembled a committee whose purpose is to lay the groundwork and provide for the socially positive and academically-forward use of cell phones while on CPSD campuses and when engaging in school-related activities. The committee, consisting of students, families, staff and administrators, is conducting research on this important topic and will gather input this spring using the district’s ThoughtExchange platform.
The committee is using a co-design model to review research, recent legislation and community input as it makes a recommendation to the superintendent for any updates to cell phone use in schools.
District Joins Social Media Lawsuit
The ever-present digital age has brought about incredible advancements, but it has also ushered in the influence of social media platforms that significantly impact our students. While these platforms offer some benefits, they are increasingly causing harm to our students, particularly in the areas of mental health, privacy, and safety.
We are deeply concerned about the negative impacts these platforms have on our students, such as cyberbullying and other related issues. The Clover Park School District Board of Directors recently passed a resolution to participate in a lawsuit against several social media companies.
The resolution passed by our School Board is grounded in the recognition that excessive social media use is contributing to mental health issues in our community, state and nation. The lawsuit, which is currently taking place, aims to hold social media companies accountable for the harm they have caused.
As we move forward with this lawsuit, we remain committed to supporting our students in every way possible. We will provide updates on the lawsuit's progress and continue to offer resources to help families navigate the digital landscape.
Here are some valuable resources to help you navigate your child's online activities and support their safety and well-being:
- Common Sense Media for expert reviews, age-appropriate recommendations, and advice on media usage.
- Parenting, Media, and Everything In Between (Common Sense Media): Explore this Common Sense Media article to gain insights into the world of social media and how to manage it as a parent.
- CPSD Internet Safety Information Night Video: Watch the CPSD Internet Safety Information Night video to learn more about internet safety and protecting your child online.
- Parents' Ultimate Guide to TikTok (Common Sense Media): TikTok is immensely popular among youth. This guide will help you understand and manage your child's TikTok use.
- TikTok App Safety (internetmatters.org): Discover tips and resources for ensuring your child's safety on TikTok by visiting internetmatters.org.
If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to reach out to us. Together, we can ensure a safer and more positive online experience for our children.
Give 6
Have you heard of Give 6? Give 6 is a district initiative to encourage growth and accomplishment in students with fix meaningful connections each day. Teachers, families and community members are encouraged to participate!
You can Give 6 by:
- Giving students a hug, fist bump or high five.
- Affirming their strengths.
- Initiating a conversation and asking how students are doing.
- Modeling positive behavior and effective communication skills.
- Explaining that you acknowledge and value their efforts/positive behavior.
Participating in Give 6 is simple. When you interact with someone, let them know how their actions make them a valuable part of their surroundings. How will you Give 6 today?
Health Resources
Hazel Health
Use our amazing FREE health resource, Hazel Health! Hazel Health provides students with access to free mental health counseling and virtual on-demand doctor visits without having to leave school during the day, with services available Monday-Friday, 7 a.m.-5 p.m.
Check out this series of short videos for key information about Hazel Health, what providers can help with and what a typical visit looks like.
COVID-19 Updates
Families of students who receive a positive COVID-19 test result should submit a Positive Student Report Form. Once a report is submitted, recommendations for your student’s return will be received via email from the district COVID-19 Support Specialist.
While isolation is no longer required, refraining from sending ill students to school helps keep our school open by reducing the transmission of COVID-19 and other illnesses.
The onsite COVID-19 test administration services provided at the Harry E. Lang stadium are no longer available. Please contact our health staff by calling 253-365-9860 (Mr. Moore) to receive a free at-home testing kit. Visit the district website’s COVID-19 Testing information page for information on ordering free at home test kits for delivery and testing locations.