Timbercrest FAQ's

How do I stay up to date on what is happening at Timbercrest?

● Check the TMS website frequently! The website is updated daily/weekly with announcements, school calendar, news and school resources. Go to: www.nsd.org/timbercrest.

● Read the Pack Report – Timbercrest’s bi-monthly e-newsletter. You will automatically be subscribed to receive the newsletter in August based on the email address(s) provided on registration materials. Updates can be made through ParentVue web portal. The Pack Report can also be downloaded from the Timbercrest website.

What does the daily schedule look like?

What if I have concerns about my child's progress in school, or any other student issues?

● Open and direct communication is promoted at Timbercrest.

● Contact the teacher or staff member directly.

● Parents and students have access to view attendance, grades, etc. through ParentVue. Parents and students can easily communicate with teachers within the portal.

● Counselors are available on campus to support students’ emotional, social, and academic needs.

● Additional resources are available – math help and homework help.

Who is my student’s counselor and how can I reach them?

How do I get a username and password to access ParentVue?

How does Timbercrest help 6th graders make the transition?

WEB – Where Everyone Belongs – is a program specifically designed to help students’ transition into middle school.

6^th graders are grouped with selected 8^th grade peer mentors.
First day of school is for 6^th grade only (and WEB leaders).
6^th graders will spend their first day at middle school with their WEB group and walk through their individual class schedule and classroom locations. The day will include a variety of fun orientation activities.
WEB activities continue throughout the school year.

What about backpacks, lunch and school supplies?

● There are no lockers at Timbercrest, except in the PE locker room where students enrolled in PE can store their items during their PE class.

● During lunches students leave their backpacks in their 4^th period classroom where they are securely stored.

● Students involved in after school athletics, need to make arrangements with their coach or PE teacher to store their gear during the school day.

● Students need a backpack that they can take from class to class.

● Typically, students don’t need to carry textbooks. Many textbooks are available online.

● Students who bring lunch need to carry it with them throughout the day.

● Various lunch options can be purchased in the cafeteria.

● Prepayments for lunch can be set up through TITAN School Solutions on the NSD website, or by sending a check or cash with your student to be given to the kitchen manager. TITAN will charge a $2.60 per payment processing fee.

● School supplies – Less is more for the first day of school. Typically, a binder or set of folders (one for each subject), paper, a couple composition books, and pencils will be enough. There is a general Supply List posted on the Timbercrest website for all grades and all subjects. Teachers will communicate specific material requirements within the first 1-2 weeks of school.

● Families needing financial assistance can request a backpack with basic school supplies from their student’s counselor.

What is an ASB membership, and does my child need it?

The ASB (Associated Student Body) membership is required for all students choosing to participate in any extracurricular school activity. This includes all clubs, athletics, Honor Society, music and theater productions, etc. The money collected is used to pay officials at sporting events, buses for transportation, uniforms, materials for use by clubs, etc. The cost is $40 per school year and can be purchased through the Timbercrest online store at https://schoolsales.nsd.org or through the main office.

What is the Cell Phone Policy?

How do I purchase a Yearbook?

Yearbooks are sold on a pre-sale basis ONLY. They are sold twice a year, in September and December. Yearbooks will not be sold at any other time during the school year. You can make purchases online through school sales, or in the office with cash, check or credit card. If you need your Touch Base login, please email Kristie Brower - Kbrower@nsd.org.

https://wa-northshore.intouchreceipting.com/

What What do I need to do if my child is absent, late to school, or needs to leave early?

Report an absence (within 48 hours of absence…complete one of the following)
- Report absence using ParentVue (see complete instructions here)
- Send an email to tmsattendance@nsd.org
- Call the Attendance line and leave a message @425-408-6910
- Send a note in to the office with your student upon their return to school
Request early dismissal or late arrival (complete one of the following)
- Send a signed note with student to bring to Attendance desk. Student may then sign themselves in or out at the Attendance desk and meet parent/guardian in parking lot or return to class.
- Send an email to tmsattendance@nsd.org with the requested dismissal time and then come into the office to sign student out.
- Call the Attendance line @425-408-6910 with the requested dismissal time and then come into the office to sign student out.
- Submit the request for early release or late arrival using ParentVue
Pre-Arranged absences – must be completed and approved (signed by school Admin) any time a student will miss more than 5 consecutive school days
- Parent completes Pre-Arranged Absence form (online or at Attendance desk) and returns completed form to Attendance desk prior to scheduled absence so that it can be approved by school Admin.

If my child is absent, how can they request their homework?

How can my child obtain a pass to ride another bus?

● Students will receive their bus assignment from the Transportation Dept. in August.

● Students wishing to change their assigned bus or stop location, will need to complete and submit a “Request Bus Stop Change Form” which can be found on the NSD website under Transportation.

● No bus passes can be approved until the bus loads are determined and the Transportation Department has given approval (usually late October).

● To ride another bus on a particular day, students must request a pass. Many buses are full and do not accept bus passes. Most buses limit the number of extra riders. Bus pass requests are good for that day only.

● To obtain a bus pass, students must bring a note signed by their parent/guardian to the Main Office or email tmsbuspass@nsd.org no later than 10:30 AM. We cannot accept bus pass requests by phone.

● The request must include:

First and last name of the student requesting the pass
Name of the student they will ride with
Stop location of the student they will ride with
Bus number
Signature of parent/guardian

● Student’s should pick up their bus pass from the main office at lunchtime.

If my child is transported to school by private vehicle, is there a particular location for drop off/pick up?

The front parking lot is used for all student arrival/departures.
Please use the drop off/pick up line.
Once in the drop off/pick up line, stay in tight formation and please keep moving.
Do not use the second lane to drop off/pick up as this creates a safety concern for students crossing through the parking lot.
If your son/daughter is not ready to be picked up, please park in the parking lot until they are ready to be picked up in the drop off/pick up lane.
Do not pick up/drop off in the back or side entrance to the school.
Please DO NOT park in the bus loading zone at any time.
Please avoid parking on the street as this causes congestion and limits bus access.

What if I need to deliver and item or a message to my student?

What if my student needs to take medication during the school day?

State law mandates several requirements for medications to be administered at school. This applies to all medications including prescription/emergency and over-the-counter medications such as inhalers, Epipens and Ibuprofen. Requirements include:

Written authorization from a licensed health care provider including specific instructions.
Completed Medication Authorization form on file in the health room
If any medication adjustments in dosing or frequency are made, parents must notify the school nurse, and a new order (Medication Authorization form) must be completed.
Advanced planning with the school nurse is needed for students who need access to medications during field trips, after school sports, clubs and activities where students may not have access to school stored medications in the health room after school hours.

Does Timbercrest offer and Clubs for students? Can you sign up for National Junior Honor Society?

Timbercrest has a number of clubs that meet regularly. Club offerings vary from year to year. The only requirement for participation is an ASB membership. 2025-26 Clubs included: Drama, GSA, DND, Math, Science, and Games club.

National Junior Honor Society has very specific requirements students must meet to qualify. Please see the NJHS link on our Timbercrest website for detailed information and forms.

Can I visit during the school day?

We are a closed campus. Visits to classrooms during the school day must be pre-arranged with the classroom teacher and approved by an administrator. All volunteers in Northshore are required to complete an online volunteer application to volunteer during the school year. It is also important to note that all volunteers who have completed a background check in the past will be expected to renew their volunteer application annually. Please visit website for more information. https://timbercrest.nsd.org/resources/volunteer

ALL VISITORS MUST SIGN IN (in the main office) and wear a Visitor badge while on campus.

What role can a parent play in supporting the entire school?

● Join PTSA – The cost is $16 per person.

At the beginning of the school year, we raise money through our one fundraiser, “Pass the Hat”, to support special school programs and classroom needs through grants.
We connect parents to the school through volunteering

Support the ASB fundraisers
Volunteer – complete volunteer forms on the NSD and TMS website.

What sports are offered at TMS?

How do I register for sports?

To participate, all forms must be completed online at: https://northshore-wa.finalforms.com/

Online registration process must be completed. The parent/guardian must complete their part online at Final Forms, and the student must log into their district email to complete the forms. (Please note that incoming 6^th graders will receive their final forms initial email mid-August).

Turn in a current physical completed by your child’s physician to the office (physicals are good for 2 years).
Purchase an ASB membership.
Pay Player fees.
Student must maintain academic eligibility during the entire season.
For assistance with registration contact Kristie Brower - kbrower@nsd.org.

How do I find lost items at school?

We house our Lost & Found rack in the cafeteria so it’s easy for students to claim their belongings.
Please label your students belongings, including lunch boxes and water bottles.
When the number of items overflow the cart, we go through each item and if the student’s name can be found, we send for the student and reunite them with their item.
Unclaimed items will be donated periodically to Treads & Threads.

How do I protect my school issued Device?

The inclusion of Chromebooks for all students has been incredibly helpful for learning purposes, but it’s important to remember that they technically belong to the school district. This means that if any damage is done to them, there will be a resulting fine. Luckily, the district offers an insurance plan called DPP, or “Device Protection Program” that will help cover you during unfortunate circumstances. For $25, you are covered for the entire school year, plus throughout the corresponding summer! If you have DPP, the first instance of damage is completely covered, the second instance is half off, and after that you are back to full price. Keeping this in mind, you should know that the fine for a damaged screen is $140.

https://www.nsd.org/our-district/departments/technology/student-technologies

Health/Fitness Uniform FAQs

What is the required dress code for Health Fitness?

With no exceptions, the following dress code is required of all Health/Fitness students.

A purchased Timbercrest uniform, or
Student provided charcoal grey T-shirt (no logos, no V-neck, no sleeveless) and black shorts with a minimum 7-inch inseam or black sweatpants. No logo on shorts or pants and no yoga pants. Student’s name is required on front or back of the T-shirt (first initial and last name – handwritten is okay.)

If it is cold outside, personal jackets and sweatshirts will be allowed for warmth/dry purposes.

Why dress code and uniform requirements for Health/Fitness?

The uniform brings a positive level of consistency to our department and our students. We currently have regulations on the dress code in our classes for fitness reasons, but with the streamline uniform requirements, we are confident the students will have an increased sense of equality, ownership, and community. This will create a more inclusive environment and support those that may otherwise be left out due to socioeconomic status, clothing choices, and/or lack of proper athletic clothing.

How do I order the uniform?

How much does it cost?

What if we can’t afford the uniform or provide for the dress code requirements?

Beginning Band & Orchestra FAQs

Which instrument should I play?

There is no easy answer to this question. However, I recommend that a student begin on the instrument that interests them the most. Chances are good that they will not spend much time on something they do not like (cauliflower for instance). Starter choices listed below:

BAND:

· Woodwinds: Flute, Clarinet, Alto or Tenor Saxophone

· Brass: Trumpet, Baritone, Trombone

· Percussion

ORCHESTRA:

· violin, viola, cello, bass*

· Local music rentals: Music&Arts, Kennelly Keys, Metropolitan Music, Hammond Ashley Violins

*Larger instruments such as baritone, tuba, bass clarinet, baritone saxophone, or upright bass are available to borrow at TMS. Typically, these are instruments that the student uses while at school, so they do not have to transport them on the bus. (Many of them cannot go on the buses.) Contact TK for more info on the topic.

What do we need to get started?

Students will need an instrument. Percussionists will need a set of snare drum sticks and bell/xylophone mallets. Students will also need a copy of the method book that we use in class daily. All items should be labeled with your student’s name.

Band: Standard of Excellence, Book 1 (for your specific instrument)
Orchestra: Essential Elements for Strings, Book 1 (for your specific instrument)

When should we buy an instrument?

What kind of reeds should I start with on the clarinet or saxophone?

Reeds are numbered according to softness: One (1) being the softest and continuing upwards from there. Beginning students should start with a softer reed, probably something in the neighborhood of a 1.5 (one and a half) or 2.

Do not start off purchasing an entire box of reeds! You will be progressing rapidly at first and will switch up before you know it. I recommend starting with two or three each of 1.5 and 2 size reeds. It’s always a good idea to have extras. They are fragile and break or crack easily.

What size of mouthpiece should I start with?

What if we decide to switch instruments?

Although this is not recommended, it is likely that some students will want to try a different instrument down the road. Sometimes this is not so much a choice as a physical necessity (too small, not enough air, cannot produce a sound, etc.). While this decision will set the student back, it is not an impossible obstacle by any means. Mainly this will require a concentrated effort from the student to get back up to speed on their new instrument. Practice!

How much should my child practice?

At the middle school level I ask that my students practice 1 hour per week (or more). That works out to roughly 10 minutes a day. Beginning students, however, will likely not have the strength or endurance to last more than about 5 solid minutes each night. As they develop their strength and increase their endurance, I would recommend increasing the amount of daily practice time. It is far better to practice 10 minutes every day than to practice for 2 hours once a week.

Learning to play an instrument is a slow process. It takes time to build up the strength and muscle memory required for mastery. Repetition of good habits is the single most effective method towards excellent technique and musicianship.

What should my child practice?

Content of practice time will vary depending on the desired outcome, but in general should stick to a few key points: long tones, scales, and musical selections.

Any practice session should begin with long tones. These are important in developing a full and consistent tone / bow technique.
Scales are the basic tools of music. Practicing scales helps develop the fingering patterns and muscle memory that enable “effortless” playing.
After these warm-ups the student may then proceed to work on the musical selections being played in class (from a method book or sheet music). The best practice time is spent on things you do not already know.