The Family Compass

Keep your child home if they have

• A fever of 101°F with a behavior change or another symptom (sore throat, earache, headache, rash, vomiting, diarrhea)
• Vomited 2 or more times in the last 24 hours
• Diarrhea: 2+ more stools than normal in 24 hours, or any blood or mucus
• A rash not caused by heat or an allergy
• An open sore that drains and can't be covered, or mouth sores with drooling
• Lice, ringworm, or scabies
• Pink eye, chickenpox, or another contagious illness
• Signs of being very sick: unusually tired, crying that won't stop, trouble breathing, or acting very differently

They can come back when

• Fever-free for 24 hours without Tylenol, Advil, or other fever reducers
• No diarrhea for at least 24 hours
• 24 hours have passed since starting treatment, like antibiotics
• Symptoms and discomfort are gone
• Lice, ringworm, scabies: after the first treatment
• Contagious illness: with a note from your health care provider
• After a respiratory illness: ready to wear a mask indoors

Also good to know

• Tell your child's teacher when they're home sick. It helps us track what's going around.
• Report contagious illnesses, including pink eye, lice, and chickenpox, so we can let other families know.
• For Magnolia Explorers, well enough for school means well enough to play outside.
• If your child can't yet cough into their elbow, they'll wear a mask indoors.
• Sick at school? We'll call you and keep your child apart from the group, with a teacher, until you arrive.
• Serious illness or injury: we call 911, then you. Children go to Swedish Emergency Room, Ballard, unless other arrangements are made.
• Children must be vaccinated or have a medical exemption.

Exact spots

• School: Wind Rose, 3514 W Government Way
• Park corner: 36th Ave W and Discovery Park Blvd, south side
• Park playground: Discovery Park Playground, south of the visitor center

Every day

• Drop-off runs 8:30–8:45. After that, the group heads out.
• Sign in and out by scanning the Brightwheel QR code with your phone.
• Only adults on your pickup list can take your child. Siblings or other children can't pick up unless an approved adult is with them.

One program only?

• Shire, morning only: pick up at school at 12:00
• Rivendell, morning only: pick up at school at 12:00
• Rivendell, afternoon only: drop off at school at 12:00
• Shire, afternoon only: drop off at school at 12:00

Outdoor half cancelled when

• Wind: 30+ mph sustained, or gusts of 38+ mph
• Air quality: AQI 151 or higher
• Cold: wind chill of 20–29°F with 10+ mph wind for more than an hour
• Heat: heat index of 90°F with 60%+ humidity for more than an hour

If the outdoor half is cancelled

Only the indoor half runs, and everyone comes and goes from school.

• Shire: drop off at school at 8:30 as usual. Pick up at school at 12:00.
• Rivendell: drop off at school at 12:00. Pick up at school at 3:30 as usual.
• Pack a snack and lunch.
• Late start too? Shire drops off at 9:30 (1-hour delay) or 10:30 (2-hour delay). The 12:00 switch stays the same.

Seattle Public Schools starts late

• 1-hour delay: drop off at 9:30
• 2-hour delay: drop off at 10:30
• Same drop-off spots as always: Shire at school, Rivendell at the park playground.
• Lunch still happens, and pickup times don't change.

Windy days, before cancelling

• 15–20 mph: we play in open areas, away from big trees
• 20 mph sustained or 30+ mph gusts: we move to tree-free spots like the Ballard Locks, Magnolia Library, or Lawton Park
• If wind picks up during class, we may call for early pickup

Smoke, heat, and storms

• We check air quality on airnow.gov. If it's down, we use aqicn.org and the WA Department of Ecology.
• AQI 101–150: we stay open. Consider keeping your child home if they have asthma or other health concerns. Smoke plus heat or cold may cancel outdoors.
• A large air purifier runs in the classroom. Attending on poor air days is at your family's own risk.
• Hot days under the cutoff: shade, water games, and shorter hikes. Teachers carry extra water.
• Lightning: we shelter at the Discovery Park Visitor Center when thunder comes within 5 seconds of the flash, and go back out 20 minutes after the last one.
• Early closure: you'll hear from us by text, phone, and Slack.

The daily backpack

• 1 extra shirt and 1 extra pants or shorts
• 2 extra underwear and 2 extra socks
• A snack for each program your child attends that day
• Lunch, if your child is in Wind Rose Montessori that day
• Water bottle
• Reusable bag for wet or dirty clothes
• Sun hat in warm months

Spare clothes live in the backpack, not at school, so you can restock at home. Label everything.

Outdoors, by the weather

• Rain or wet ground: rain coat, rain pants, rain boots
• Cold: wool or fleece layers, a hat, mittens, warm socks, and a wool neck gaiter

What to wear

• Long pants, closed-toe shoes, and high socks
• Shoes with gripping soles for running, jumping, and climbing
• Layers for changing weather through the day
• Comfortable clothes that move and can get muddy
• Sunscreen or bug spray put on before arrival
• A neck gaiter instead of a scarf. Scarves, necklaces, and lanyards can catch on branches when kids climb. A snug gaiter keeps necks warm with no loose ends.

Why warmth matters

Waldorf educators see warmth as a foundation for young children. A child's body is still learning to hold its own heat, and energy spent fighting the cold isn't available for growing, playing, and learning. A warm child can settle in and say yes to the adventure. A cold child can only think about being cold.

Skip cotton next to the skin, since it stays wet and cold. Wool and fleece keep kids warm even when damp.

Not dressed for the weather?

We'll contact you. You may need to bring warmer or drier clothes, or your child may need to go home. Need help with gear? Talk with us. We host a clothing exchange for outgrown gear.

Late pickup fees

• 3:30–3:40: grace period, no fee
• At 3:40: $20
• After that: $5 per minute
• Charged in Brightwheel with your monthly tuition

Pickup changes

• Picking up later than usual, or sending someone else? Let us know in person or by email.
• Anyone we don't know shows photo ID that matches the name you gave us.
• List an emergency contact who isn't a parent. We always call parents first.

Slack or Brightwheel?

• Slack is for everyday conversation: running late, quick updates, longer questions, class photos, and connecting with other families.
• Brightwheel is your child's record: observations of what they're learning, notes about accidents or injuries, attendance and absences, and daily sign-in.

Where to send what

• Emergency: call (425) 954-3191
• Running late: your class Slack thread or Brightwheel
• Home sick: Brightwheel
• Enrollment or a bigger concern: email admin@windrosemontessori.com
• A longer conversation: ask for a meeting or Zoom, with 48 hours' notice

During class

The kids come first. One teacher checks messages at snack, lunch, and circle. Between those times we may not see a message, so call in an emergency.

Slack channels

• #announcements: staff posts only. Read it first, and reply in threads.
• #general-shire and #general-rivendell: class photos, invites, and questions
• #good-reads: optional reading for parents
• #lost-and-found: runaway mittens and more

Slack guidelines · Photos on Instagram: @windrosemontessori

Progress and big changes

• No formal conferences. We share progress all year through Brightwheel and Slack, and you can request a meeting any time.
• A move, a new baby, illness, or divorce can show up at school. Telling us helps us support your child.

How to send it

• Prescription: original pharmacy bottle showing the dose and your child's doctor
• Over the counter: original container, labeled with your child's first and last name and the date you brought it

Good to know

• The form covers everything: Tylenol, sunscreen, chapstick, lotions, and ointments too.
• Put sunscreen and bug spray on at home before drop-off.
• Need the form? Email admin@windrosemontessori.com.
• Special health needs? A care plan must be on file before your child starts.

Who needs what

• Shire, morning only (Wind Rose Montessori): snack and lunch
• Shire, afternoon only (Magnolia Explorers): snack, no lunch
• Rivendell, morning only (Magnolia Explorers): snack, no lunch. They leave before lunch.
• Rivendell, afternoon only (Wind Rose Montessori): snack and lunch
• Both programs: lunch and 2 snacks, one for each program

Every lunch needs all four

• Dairy: milk, yogurt, cheese, or cottage cheese
• Protein: meat, fish, poultry, beans, legumes, or tofu
• Grain: bread, cereal, bagel, or rice cake
• 2 fruits or veggies, in any mix. Juice counts only if it's 100% juice.

Picky eater?

If your child is struggling with lunch, our First Day Guide has lunch ideas we've seen work in the classroom.

Earth-friendly lunches

Skip zip bags, cling wrap, and individually wrapped snacks. Wrappers blow away and end up in the forest. See Must Haves for containers.

Allergies

• Tell your child's teacher and keep documentation on file.
• Anything we hand out to children is free of all allergens, so no child is ever given something that would make them sick.
• We don't control what families pack, and we don't ask families to leave foods out.
• Life-threatening allergy? Teachers keep your child's EpiPen with them and are trained to use it. Please read our note on severe allergies before enrolling.

Toilet independent means your child can

• Notice they need to go, and tell a teacher
• Stay in clean cloth underwear all day
• Use the toilet and manage their clothes on their own, including changing out of wet clothes with coaching
• Wash their hands

How we handle it

• We track accidents and share them neutrally in Brightwheel, along with the wins.
• Outdoors, our walking routes always pass a bathroom. In an emergency, a teacher stays nearby and gives your child privacy. If a child needs to poop in the woods, we pick it up with a bag.
• Out of dry clothes? Your child borrows a spare set from a classmate, and we'll message you. Please wash and return it promptly.
• Handwashing happens with warm running water and park-safe soap at arrival, before and after meals, and after the bathroom.