With just over a week left until school begins, I thought I'd take a moment to share some helpful information about the uniform policy, school snacks and lunches, and dismissal procedures, to get us all off on the right foot! Please let me know if you have any questions!
Uniforms at Cascade
A quick summary for families new to Cascade Heights, and a quick reminder for returning families. There is quite the comprehensive uniform code in the Handbook found in each student's planner, so we will not go over everything with a fine-toothed comb here, just the big ideas that may affect your back-to-school shopping over the next few weeks.
Basic Uniform:
White collared shirt:
White collared shirts may be long- or short-sleeved, with a turtle, mock-turtle, Mandarin, Peter Pan, or regular wing collar.
Uniform shirts MUST be long enough to tuck in all the way around. They may NOT have large logos. Undershirts may NOT have print that shows through the top collared shirt.
Navy bottoms:
Navy is a dark blue material that is NOT jean or black. Shorts, skirts, pants, kulots, skorts, jumpers, and kilts ARE acceptable. Cargo, stretch, leggings, jeggings, short-shorts (must come to 1" above knee or farther down) are NOT acceptable.
This works:
Because, although it is "mock layer," it has the requisite white collared shirt look to it.
This doesn't work:
Because it does not have the "white shirt with collar" part of the uniform.
A word about skirts, dresses, and jumpers:
If you choose to dress your young Falcon in skirts, dresses, or jumpers, please work with them on the proper way to sit in such outfits: legs to the side on the carpet, especially. Gym shorts or similar (I found some called "Playground shorts" here) are also acceptable, but don't actually help your child learn the life skill of how to sit in a skirt. With daily P.E., running, jumping, climbing, and sitting all over the place, you might want to simply reconsider the skirt thing.
Leggings and tights:
Please regard leggings (white, navy blue, or black) as more like tights than pants. They may be worn as a layer under jumpers, but are NOT a substitute for pants. Stretch pants (leggings included) are not part of the uniform.
Shoes:
It is really hard to find shoes that fit our uniform code! Children's shoes today are bright and flashy and a lot of fun! Please do your best to find a pair of shoes that are MOSTLY black, navy, gray, brown, or white. Sorry, red shoes are not part of the uniform code.
Basically, shoes should be primarily black, gray, brown, navy blue, or white. They should not be screaming for attention.
A word on shoes:
Cascade Falcons have P.E. and recess every day. Slip-ons, ballerina flats, and not-tightly-buckled Mary Janes don't make the best play shoes. Please have your child perform the "kick test" to see if these shoes are ready to go to Cascade Heights: put the shoe on, kick vigorously with a good flick at the end. If it stays on, it will probably be fine.
Other shoes that don't belong at school: shoes with heels (including combat-style boots, cowboy boots, etc.), slippers, UGGS, mud boots (as the only shoe--if students can change quickly, they may bring mud boots for outside wear), sandals, open-toed shoes, flip-flops.
Socks:
Socks and tights should be black, navy blue, gray, or white. They must show up over the edge of shoes (no no-shows).
Red sweaters:
Please look for fire-engine red as much as possible. Maroon is not a school color. Sweaters may be sweatshirts, cardigans, pullovers, v-necks, etc., but may NOT have a hood if a child wishes to wear it indoors.
These are NOT allowed to be worn in the classroom (in fire-engine red, or any other color):
Sweaters are also not a substitute for tucking in a white collared shirt that must be worn under the sweater!
Hopefully you've seen or heard the phrase "healthy low/no-waste lunch and snack" since you've
joined Cascade. Here's a bit more explanation for new families, and a review for families who have been with us for years.
Cascade Heights strives to teach the whole child, which includes healthy eating and care for the environment. We have--at minimum--a "no junk food" policy, and we strive for actual quality nutrition. By low/no-waste, we want families to take the extra few steps needed to minimize garbage.
Healthy Lunches and Snacks
Young bodies work hard all day learning and playing, and they need quality food to sustain their efforts.
Some things to save for after school (this is a nice way of saying it's not allowed at school):
Cookies, cupcakes, brownies, etc. (yes, even "healthy" or sugar-free treats like this). Articles: "Sugar Free" Does Not Equal Healthy, Artificial Sweeteners: Sugar-Free, but at What Cost?
Candy (even around Halloween, Easter, Valentine's Day, etc.)
Soda or juice or juice pouches (even Capri Suns!). Water is the way to go.
Flavored waters, Gatorade, etc.
Chocolate milk
Gum, mints, etc.
Chocolate, caramel, etc. dips
Flavored corn or potato chips (Doritos, Cheetos, etc.)
So what CAN my kid eat at school!?
Fruits (fresh is best, but dried, etc.)
Veggies
Sandwiches (with actual protein, not just jam or Nutella)
Wraps
Leftovers from dinner
Pasta or noodles (with a protein, too!)
Crackers or chips (again, in moderation--there is nothing healthy about eating your weight in baked Goldfish crackers!).
Chicken salad, tuna salad, etc.
Here are some websites with lots of ideas to get you started:
Project Lunch Box (.pdf)
30 Healthy Lunchbox Ideas
Healthy School Lunches and Snacks
Your child should have at minimum each day: a main course, a water bottle, a snack (fruit, veggie, cracker, trail mix, etc.). If you will be using the school lunch program, please be sure to still send along a snack each day. Stay tuned for details about the school lunch program.
What about celebrating my kid's birthday at school?
Think healthy! Some popular ideas: muffins, banana bread, fruit kabobs, watermelon, no sugar added fruit juice popsicles, etc. Please be sure to check with me a few days in advance about what you'd like to bring and when you'd like to bring it.
Low/No-Waste Lunches and Snacks
Our children will be inheriting this planet from us; let's put in a little more effort now to teach them habits that conserve resources and minimize waste.
How this works for lunches and snacks:
Buy a lunch box big enough to hold reusable containers! Write your child's name on it.
Buy reusable containers that your child can open on his own. Write your family name on them.
Buy a reusable water bottle. Write your child's name on it.
Here's a website to get you started.
It is hard to pack a lunch and snacks that are healthy for children and the environment every day; it is another thing that sets Cascade Heights apart from other schools. Thank you for your effort and buy-in!
Basic Uniform:
White collared shirt:
White collared shirts may be long- or short-sleeved, with a turtle, mock-turtle, Mandarin, Peter Pan, or regular wing collar.
 |
| All of these are fine and quite stylish. |
Navy bottoms:
Navy is a dark blue material that is NOT jean or black. Shorts, skirts, pants, kulots, skorts, jumpers, and kilts ARE acceptable. Cargo, stretch, leggings, jeggings, short-shorts (must come to 1" above knee or farther down) are NOT acceptable.
This works:
 |
| Mock layer pleated jumper by French Toast, $19.99 |
This doesn't work:
 |
| Old Navy polo dress for such a great deal! |
A word about skirts, dresses, and jumpers:
If you choose to dress your young Falcon in skirts, dresses, or jumpers, please work with them on the proper way to sit in such outfits: legs to the side on the carpet, especially. Gym shorts or similar (I found some called "Playground shorts" here) are also acceptable, but don't actually help your child learn the life skill of how to sit in a skirt. With daily P.E., running, jumping, climbing, and sitting all over the place, you might want to simply reconsider the skirt thing.
Leggings and tights:
Please regard leggings (white, navy blue, or black) as more like tights than pants. They may be worn as a layer under jumpers, but are NOT a substitute for pants. Stretch pants (leggings included) are not part of the uniform.
Shoes:
It is really hard to find shoes that fit our uniform code! Children's shoes today are bright and flashy and a lot of fun! Please do your best to find a pair of shoes that are MOSTLY black, navy, gray, brown, or white. Sorry, red shoes are not part of the uniform code.
Basically, shoes should be primarily black, gray, brown, navy blue, or white. They should not be screaming for attention.
A word on shoes:
Cascade Falcons have P.E. and recess every day. Slip-ons, ballerina flats, and not-tightly-buckled Mary Janes don't make the best play shoes. Please have your child perform the "kick test" to see if these shoes are ready to go to Cascade Heights: put the shoe on, kick vigorously with a good flick at the end. If it stays on, it will probably be fine.
Other shoes that don't belong at school: shoes with heels (including combat-style boots, cowboy boots, etc.), slippers, UGGS, mud boots (as the only shoe--if students can change quickly, they may bring mud boots for outside wear), sandals, open-toed shoes, flip-flops.
Socks:
Socks and tights should be black, navy blue, gray, or white. They must show up over the edge of shoes (no no-shows).
Red sweaters:
Please look for fire-engine red as much as possible. Maroon is not a school color. Sweaters may be sweatshirts, cardigans, pullovers, v-necks, etc., but may NOT have a hood if a child wishes to wear it indoors.
These are NOT allowed to be worn in the classroom (in fire-engine red, or any other color):
 |
| Super sporty, but not inside. |
The purpose of uniforms is multi-fold:
- It removes a level of class-based judgement and bullying. Children who all dress the same find it more difficult to single out others who may have less.
- It makes the identification of those who belong on campus and in field trip groups easier and quicker; it's a safety thing.
- It is visually calming and far less stimulating than a sea of a billion colors. Please remember the distraction of fancy hair-baubles, earrings, bracelets, etc.
- It simplifies getting dressed in the morning.
- It creates pride in identity and place: we know we look smart as a group and we are proud of it!
- It encourages students to express their personality with their...personality. They are driven to express themselves through assignments, thought, speech, and actions.
- It is one of the many reasons families choose and stay at Cascade Heights!
Lunches and Snacks at Cascade
joined Cascade. Here's a bit more explanation for new families, and a review for families who have been with us for years.
Cascade Heights strives to teach the whole child, which includes healthy eating and care for the environment. We have--at minimum--a "no junk food" policy, and we strive for actual quality nutrition. By low/no-waste, we want families to take the extra few steps needed to minimize garbage.
Healthy Lunches and Snacks
Young bodies work hard all day learning and playing, and they need quality food to sustain their efforts.
Some things to save for after school (this is a nice way of saying it's not allowed at school):
Cookies, cupcakes, brownies, etc. (yes, even "healthy" or sugar-free treats like this). Articles: "Sugar Free" Does Not Equal Healthy, Artificial Sweeteners: Sugar-Free, but at What Cost?
Candy (even around Halloween, Easter, Valentine's Day, etc.)
Soda or juice or juice pouches (even Capri Suns!). Water is the way to go.
Flavored waters, Gatorade, etc.
Chocolate milk
Gum, mints, etc.
Chocolate, caramel, etc. dips
Flavored corn or potato chips (Doritos, Cheetos, etc.)
So what CAN my kid eat at school!?
Fruits (fresh is best, but dried, etc.)
Veggies
Sandwiches (with actual protein, not just jam or Nutella)
Wraps
Leftovers from dinner
Pasta or noodles (with a protein, too!)
Crackers or chips (again, in moderation--there is nothing healthy about eating your weight in baked Goldfish crackers!).
Chicken salad, tuna salad, etc.
Here are some websites with lots of ideas to get you started:
Project Lunch Box (.pdf)
30 Healthy Lunchbox Ideas
Healthy School Lunches and Snacks
Your child should have at minimum each day: a main course, a water bottle, a snack (fruit, veggie, cracker, trail mix, etc.). If you will be using the school lunch program, please be sure to still send along a snack each day. Stay tuned for details about the school lunch program.
What about celebrating my kid's birthday at school?
Think healthy! Some popular ideas: muffins, banana bread, fruit kabobs, watermelon, no sugar added fruit juice popsicles, etc. Please be sure to check with me a few days in advance about what you'd like to bring and when you'd like to bring it.
Low/No-Waste Lunches and Snacks
Our children will be inheriting this planet from us; let's put in a little more effort now to teach them habits that conserve resources and minimize waste.
How this works for lunches and snacks:
Buy a lunch box big enough to hold reusable containers! Write your child's name on it.
Buy reusable containers that your child can open on his own. Write your family name on them.
Buy a reusable water bottle. Write your child's name on it.
Here's a website to get you started.
It is hard to pack a lunch and snacks that are healthy for children and the environment every day; it is another thing that sets Cascade Heights apart from other schools. Thank you for your effort and buy-in!
Car Line at Cascade
We don't have buses! Thank you for the huge time and energy commitment it takes to drop off and pick up your Falcons every day; while it is a hassle, it is also a testament to all of the good things going on at Cascade Heights.
These carline procedures have been carefully thought out to maximize the safety of your children while minimizing our impact on the neighborhood and the time you spend in line. Please read these procedures carefully, and share them with other folks who will be picking up or dropping off your child.
Drop off:
To drop off your student in the morning, please turn on Jansen Road. Take a left on to 90th Drive, then a left on to Tolbert and a right on 92nd. This will put you directly in front of the school doors. Please have your children exit the car through the passenger side (nearest the school) when you are directly in front of the doors, or as near as you will likely get.
Pick up in car line:
Follow the directions above to get to the school. Once there, please remain in your car. Please pull as far forward as you can in each rotation; your student will be brought TO you when you are in the loading zone and pulled forward. Do NOT stop when you see your child! Keep pulling forward until you are comfortably close to the car in front of you. They will walk along the marked area to you.
The loading zone is between the crosswalk and the end of the school building. As you leave, if you are taking a left on to 82nd, please proceed forward to Clackamas Avenue. If you are taking a right on to 82nd, you will immediately turn on to Church Street. Please click here for pictures and more.
Pick up at side door:
If you enjoy chatting with folks, don't like the pressure of loading a bunch of children in car line, or for whatever reason, you may also collect your child at the side door (south side). Please let your child know whether they should go to car line or side door each day; a regular routine is best for this, but at minimum, write it in their planner so they will feel as safe and comfortable as possible.
You will gather outside the side door, and the staff member running side door will call names of children as they appear at the door. You may park in the gravel lot as available, or on side streets as legal. We have had police issue tickets, and we have called the police to report illegally parked vehicles as well; please be respectful of the neighbors.
Regardless of how you pick up your child, or when you are collecting them, please understand an important part of Cascade: students ALWAYS shake the hand of their teacher and say goodbye. This is a courtesy thing as much as a safety thing. We will not say goodbye to a child and release them from our care and supervision until we are sure they are properly accounted for by a family member or similar on the other side. This is true for evening performances, field trip days, etc.
These carline procedures have been carefully thought out to maximize the safety of your children while minimizing our impact on the neighborhood and the time you spend in line. Please read these procedures carefully, and share them with other folks who will be picking up or dropping off your child.
Drop off:
To drop off your student in the morning, please turn on Jansen Road. Take a left on to 90th Drive, then a left on to Tolbert and a right on 92nd. This will put you directly in front of the school doors. Please have your children exit the car through the passenger side (nearest the school) when you are directly in front of the doors, or as near as you will likely get.
Pick up in car line:
Follow the directions above to get to the school. Once there, please remain in your car. Please pull as far forward as you can in each rotation; your student will be brought TO you when you are in the loading zone and pulled forward. Do NOT stop when you see your child! Keep pulling forward until you are comfortably close to the car in front of you. They will walk along the marked area to you.
The loading zone is between the crosswalk and the end of the school building. As you leave, if you are taking a left on to 82nd, please proceed forward to Clackamas Avenue. If you are taking a right on to 82nd, you will immediately turn on to Church Street. Please click here for pictures and more.
Pick up at side door:
If you enjoy chatting with folks, don't like the pressure of loading a bunch of children in car line, or for whatever reason, you may also collect your child at the side door (south side). Please let your child know whether they should go to car line or side door each day; a regular routine is best for this, but at minimum, write it in their planner so they will feel as safe and comfortable as possible.
You will gather outside the side door, and the staff member running side door will call names of children as they appear at the door. You may park in the gravel lot as available, or on side streets as legal. We have had police issue tickets, and we have called the police to report illegally parked vehicles as well; please be respectful of the neighbors.
Regardless of how you pick up your child, or when you are collecting them, please understand an important part of Cascade: students ALWAYS shake the hand of their teacher and say goodbye. This is a courtesy thing as much as a safety thing. We will not say goodbye to a child and release them from our care and supervision until we are sure they are properly accounted for by a family member or similar on the other side. This is true for evening performances, field trip days, etc.
Enjoy the rest of your summer. I'll see you soon!
Mrs. G
