Embedded Files
September Updates:
September Updates:
Rather than an email. Rolling list. Scroll down and catch up as you log in.
Staff Update: Responding with Care and Confidence
Staff Update: Responding with Care and Confidence
Team —
I want to take a moment to highlight and deeply thank the staff in one of our DCD classrooms who responded quickly and effectively during a medical emergency yesterday morning. A student began actively choking and was unable to speak or cough. Thanks to the student’s ability to signal distress and the immediate, coordinated action of the teacher and ESPs in the room, the situation was resolved safely and the student recovered quickly.
Two staff members began back blows while the teacher alerted help and retrieved the Dechoker device. By the time support arrived, the student was breathing normally again.
It was a tense moment that could have ended very differently — but the calm, focused response made all the difference. I am so grateful for this team’s quick thinking, training, and care for their student.
As a building, this also gave us an important chance to review:
Where Dechoker and other safety devices are located
When and how to use them (as a backup, not a replacement for standard choking response)
The importance of staying calm, communicating clearly, and leaning on each other in emergencies
Please take a moment this week to revisit the location of emergency devices near your room and check in with your team about your response roles. A quick hallway conversation could be what helps you act with confidence if the moment ever comes.
To the DCD team — thank you again. Your care, teamwork, and professionalism shined!
Sean
Beginning-of-Year Literacy Check-In Notes.pdfCarol Copp 1-1 Meetings
Carol Copp 1-1 Meetings
I’m sharing this document with you so you can see what Carol is using to guide your meetings. You don’t need to take any action with it right now — it’s just for your awareness.
As we move forward, she'll use the information to help determine next steps and identify what levels of support may be helpful (site wide as well).
Thank you for taking a look.
Sean
Yearbook Update for East & West Rapids Staff
Yearbook Update for East & West Rapids Staff
As you may know, the PTC has traditionally led the effort to create our school yearbooks. Last year, the parent who had coordinated the project stepped down, and despite outreach, we didn’t have any volunteers step into the role.
To make sure this tradition continues for our students and families, I’ve agreed to coordinate the yearbook for both East and West Rapids Elementary this year.
Of course, I’ll need your help capturing the many wonderful moments that happen every day across both schools!
What You Can Do:
What You Can Do:
If you're able to periodically snap a few photos — from classroom activities, celebrations, field trips, or even candid hallway or recess moments — it would make a big difference.
We’ve created a shared Google Drive folder where you can upload photos throughout the year:
Upload Instructions:
Upload Instructions:
To keep things organized:
Create a personal folder inside the shared folder (Example: “Ms. Taylor – 2nd Grade – West” or “Grade 4 – East Specialists”)
Upload your photos to your folder whenever you have them
For now, it’s one shared space for both buildings — please help us keep it tidy by naming and organizing your folder right away
Keep It Simple
Keep It Simple
You don’t need to document everything — just a few highlights each month will go a long way toward telling the full story of our year at East and West.
Thank you for helping bring this project to life for our kids and families. I’m looking forward to seeing the year through your eyes!
Sean
The Safety Circus is Coming to West Rapids!
The Safety Circus is Coming to West Rapids!
We're excited to welcome The Safety Circus from The National Theatre for Children on Monday, September 22! This live, interactive performance focuses on important safety messages through a fun and engaging show designed just for young learners.
There will be two showtimes: 1:00 PM and 1:45 PM. The program is open to PreK–2nd grade, and we’re asking that all classes attend. To support the performers and ensure both sessions are balanced, we’ll work on creating an even split between the two showings.
More info to come soon — thank you in advance for your flexibility and support in making this a great experience for our students!
—Sean
1:00
Kindergarten
2nd Grade: Skrbec, Tulla, Thorvig
1:45
1st Grade
2nd Grade: Feldt, Janesich, Drotts, Berryhill
Relocation Areas
Relocation Areas
Due to new and ongoing construction, we have had to move our outdoor gathering area.
Outside: soccer fields to the south.
Indoor Primary: Grace Bible
Secondary Indoor: The Pillars.
Mandatory Fire Drill
Mandatory Fire Drill
Safety Practice – We will have a fire drill this day. We will not be exiting the building this time. This will be announced in advance, so it won't be a surprise. You are asked to start gathering and lining your students up to leave as if it's a real event, regardless of where you are. Our general practice is to immediately prepare to evacuate or leave the site but only actually leave if you are informed or can gather enough information to ensure that's the best decision at the time. *One of our alarms has a voice that automatically says, "leave the building." While this may seem counterintuitive, please do not immediately leave unless you are instructed to do so or can gather enough information to make that decision. Unfortunately, that alarm is automated and does not account for whether leaving the building is actually safe.
iDismiss
iDismiss
Added a page with more information on iDismiss. Most have an account setup if they need to view.
Media Center
Media Center
The media center student list has been updated. New students and homerooms. I have also run the desk reference sheets with the student barcodes for checkout. We are ready to go.
Seating Charts (live versions)
Seating Charts (live versions)
Reminder: Two "West" Websites — Here's Why
Reminder: Two "West" Websites — Here's Why
Just a quick clarification as we head into the new year:
There are two websites for West Rapids, each serving a different purpose:
District Website
This is the public-facing site listed under the Schools tab on the ISD 318 homepage:
🔗 https://westrapids.isd318.org
It includes basic info like our address, contact details, and general school overview.West Rapids Family Site
This is a separate site I created specifically for our families with children currently attending West. It includes helpful, timely details that families need to know.
🔗 www.tinyurl.com/WestRapids2526
To help keep our school community safe, this site isn't meant for public browsing — families can access it through the link we share, but it’s not searchable.
Thanks for helping us keep things clear and secure for our families!
Bus Route Info for Staff Use
Bus Route Info for Staff Use
This sheet includes bus numbers for both East and West Rapids, since many families are shared between our schools. It also includes the symbols used for each bus number.
A few important notes:
Traversa, the transportation department software, remains the best source for live updates.
The office can look up the most current info quickly.
This sheet is mainly for staff needing to check routes during the day.
The first few tabs show just the buses that students ride from our school to the transfer point. The “ALL Stops” tabs list every stop on each route — helpful, but a little more time-consuming to navigate. If you need up to date info for an individual student, please contact the office.
I’ve shared this with staff so we can reference routes without needing a Traversa login.
I’ll update the document as needed and I’ll adjust the title of the document to reflect the update date.
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