Zukeran Tribune Parent Newsletter
Zukeran Tribune Parent Newsletter
Dear Zukeran Elementary Families,
I hope you all had a wonderful week. As you know, last week marked the official start of our second semester, and I want to thank everyone who reached out to their child’s teacher with questions regarding progress reports. Your partnership makes a tremendous difference in your child’s success. If you ever have questions for me directly, please don’t hesitate to email me at elise.rosch@dodea.edu — I am always happy to support.
We also have several exciting events happening on campus this week. On Monday morning, January 26th, we are honored to welcome our Chief Academic Officer, Dr. Linton, along with our Pacific Director of Student Excellence, Ms. Rapp, and our District Superintendent, Dr. Hayes, as they visit our school. The following day, January 27th, we will be sharing our student achievement data with district leadership during our quarterly In‑Progress Review.
Looking ahead, we have important dates approaching as we prepare for our Cognia school accreditation visit. Please note:
✔ No school for students on February 9th (teacher training day)
✔ No school for students on February 17th (teacher training day)
Additionally, we kindly ask families to help us reinforce a safety reminder: students may not play on the playground, including the front slides, until 2:10 PM. Our staff are still working and preparing for the next day's instruction until that time and are not monitoring playground areas. When students play without supervision, it creates a safety risk, and your cooperation helps us keep all children safe. Additionally, our staff does not provide playground supervision after school hours. When students remain on school grounds after dismissal, they are under the care and responsibility of their parents or guardians. Please refer to the Camp Foster's Supervision Guidelines for more information.
As always, please feel free to reach out with any questions at elise.rosch@dodea.edu.
With appreciation,
Elise Rosch, Principal
Kerwin Jones, Assistant Principal
School Coffee and Connect with the Principals
Every Wednesday from 9:00 to 10:00 at Zukeran Elementary School
Zukeran's Principal's Coffee and Connect is a weekly open forum with our school Principal where various topics are introduced, ideas are shared, and questions are answered. These informative meetings take place inside the school, face-to-face, and parents may join virtually as well via the meeting link.
| Date | Event |
| 9 February | CCR Professional Learning Day - No School for Students |
| 13 February | School Holiday - No School |
| 16 February | President's Day - No School |
| 17 February | CI Professional Learning Day - No School for Students |
Free and Reduced Meals
DoDEA families can apply for free or reduced-price meal benefits during the government shutdown.
The assistance is intended for the duration of the shutdown. Per USDA requirements, free or reduced-price meal eligibility is based on income and family size.
Parents can visit the linqconnect.com/public/meal-application/newsubmit and search for “AAFES DoDEA” to submit an application online.
We will be administering a computer-based universal screening assessment, the Cognitive Abilities Test (CogAT) Screener to second-grade students who did not take the CogAT during the October 2025 window. The Screener will be administered during the week of February 2 - 6. The purpose of the assessment is to measure your child’s learned reasoning abilities developed through in-school and out-of-school experiences.
Student learning and achievement are our highest priority. Please contact andrea.canevari@dodea.edu, the Advanced Academic Programs and Services Resource Teacher, or school administrator with any questions you have regarding the CogAT.
Our lost and found area is over flowing with unclaimed clothing. Items not claimed by January 29th will be donated to charity. Lost and Found is located in the Commons, to the right, just after the stairs.
All after-school clubs have begun meeting. Year-long clubs will run until the week of May 22nd, 2026. Multi-session clubs will run with start and end dates indicated on our School Activities page. More details, including club sponsor contact info, can be found there as well. If you're new to Zukeran and interested in signing your child up, please reach out to the club sponsor listed or Mr. Kerwin Jones.
Treatment in the school nurse’s office is limited to basic services. A child with a minor complaint or injury is treated and returned to class. If the complaint/injury is more complex, a note detailing the treatment rendered is sent home with the child. In the event of a severe illness/injury, you will be notified immediately by phone. Please keep your contact information current - home, duty, cell, and emergency numbers. If I am unable to reach a parent or emergency contact, it may be necessary to contact the sponsor’s command.
Sick children are not effective learners. If your child arrives to school sick, becomes sick at school, or returns to school within 24 hours of being sent home with fever, you will be called to pick them up. Per policy, students need to stay home until illness- and fever-free (without fever reducers, such as Tylenol or Motrin) for 24 hours.
Many students who come to the nurse’s office complaining of headache, stomachache, weakness, or “just not feeling well” have skipped breakfast. If your child missed breakfast and suffers from the above-mentioned complaints, you will be called and asked to bring your child a meal. Breakfast really is the most important meal of the day! Breakfast is served here at 7 AM each morning.
Please notify me if your child is taking any medication(s); classroom performance or behavior may be affected. In accordance with DoDEA policy, if your child requires ANY medication (even cough drops!) to be administered during school hours I need:
a. DoDEA Supplement A form signed by the doctor and the parent(s) or prescription label attached to Supplement A and signed by the parent.
b. Prescription meds in a pharmacy labeled container and non-prescription meds in the original container. The medication should be labeled “for school use.”
c. A parent or adult to deliver the medication to the nurses’ office. Students are not permitted to possess medications at school or on the bus without a written order from your doctor.
School Health Services: An overview of the Health Services program to include; immunization, food allergy management, school screenings, and exclusion for illness can be found at School Health Services | DoDEA.
If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to call or email me any time. I am excited about working with your child(ren) and am looking forward to a healthy school year!
Very Respectfully,
Nurse Taylor
Tara B. Taylor BSN, RN NCSN
Zukeran Elementary School
098-970-1211 DSN 645-1211
tara.taylor@dodea.edu
Is your child having a rough go of it at school? Is something getting in the way of their academic success? We want to help!
Counselors
Diane.Jackson@dodea.edu (Grades 3-5)
Justin.Armstrong@dodea.edu (Grades Pre-K-2)
Kenneth.Gamon@dodea.edu (School Psychologist)
MFLCs (Military Family Life Counselors)
- Ms. Cordia Smith - 080-6485-7715 or 571-621-3594 (Lower Grades)
- Ms. Tiffanee Gale - 080-6485-7776 or 571-621-4418 (Upper Grades)
📰 More News from 3–5 Counseling
This school year is off to a strong start with exciting initiatives and student engagement!
🐣 Newcomers’ Groups & Toucan Trailblazers
We welcomed new students through our Newcomers’ Groups and introduced the Toucan Trailblazers—our student ambassadors from grades K–3. These Trailblazers help new students feel at home by:
• Sitting with them at lunch
• Playing together at recess
• Showing them around the studio and neighborhood routines
• Helping them make new friends
🌏 Life on Okinawa & Friendship Building
Students in grades 1–5 met with the Military Family Life Counselor and School Counselors to learn about:
• Life on Okinawa
• Zukeran Elementary routines.
• Strategies for making and maintaining friendships
- 🎤 Meeter-Greeters & Morning Broadcasts
Our 4th and 5th grade Meeter-Greeters continue to welcome new students by escorting them to class and introducing them to peers. They also lead our daily morning broadcast, which covers:
• Zones of Regulation
• Problem-solving strategies
• Coping techniques for everyday challenges
🚫 Bullying Prevention Lessons
We’ve launched our bullying prevention curriculum for October and November. Students are doing an excellent job learning:
• What bullying is—and isn’t
• How to respond and refuse bullying confidently
💌 Friendship Groups
We’ve received an overwhelming number of permission slips for our upcoming Friendship Groups, and we’re thrilled to begin working with students soon! These groups focus on:
• Building positive peer relationships
• Conflict resolution and communication skills
Our SY 25-26 SAC elections have concluded. Positions filled are:
1) SAC Chairperson: Morgan Bates
2) SAC Vice Chairperson: William Rallya
3) SAC Secretary: Mykiah Willis
4) Teacher Member: Carina Castro
5) Teacher Member: Jessie Saunders
6) Teacher Member: Natalie Miles
School Advisory Committee meeting minutes may be found on our Get Involved / Partnership page. Keep an eye on our social media pages for scheduled meetings and minutes postings.
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Zukeran STEM Day 2026
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Contacts
| Name | Position Details | Phone |
|---|---|---|
| Kerwin Jones | Transportation | 098-970-1042/1019 |
