Weekly Newsletter 03/08/24

Hello Salmon Bay Families!

If your kids are anything like mine, you've likely heard a lot about the upcoming Spring Enrichment Program (SEP). Brazillian musician Eduardo Mendonça led students and families in song at Friday sing this morning, officially kicking off the SEP program for the year! Middle schoolers started their programs today, and elementary students will start their SEP classes next Friday. Additional info about SEP can be found in Principal Dixon's announcements at the bottom of the newsletter.

This program is such a unique part of Salmon Bay's education, and it takes a huge amount of work from administration, teachers and parents. Please be sure to tell our volunteer coordinator, Elif, thanks if you see her in the front office! And also, big thanks to the teachers and parents who create these fun experiences for our kids.

Have a wonderful weekend everyone!

P.S. Don't forget to spring your clocks forward an hour this Sunday (3/10) for Daylight Savings!

Upcoming Events:

Note: if you are planning a class, grade band, or all-school event that is not currently listed in the FOSB newsletter, online calendar, or FOSB FB events and would like for it to be added, please reach out to fosbnewsletter@gmail.com with relevant details to have them added.

FOSB Budget Meeting, Sunday, March 10th. 7-8:30 pm via Zoom

All are welcome to join. Please join us using this Link. Committee budget proposals for the 2024/25 school year are due by this meeting, and will be discussed at this time.

The agenda for the meeting can be found here.

Pi Night on Thursday 3/14. 6-7:30 pm Salmon Bay Cafetorium

We hope you will join us next Thursday, 3/14 for our Pi Night Celebration from 6-7:30 in the Salmon Bay cafetorium. Here are some of the fun activities that you can choose from:

- eating DELICIOUS pie

- learning the ancient game Go from experts at the Seattle Go Center

- coloring tesselations

- solving tangram puzzles and other puzzles

- building structures and bridges with toothpicks and marshmallows

- building a house of cards

- playing logic, strategy and chance games such as Cat Stax, Sleeping Queens, Set, Sequence, Yatzee, Prime Climb, Uno, Jenga, Connect 4, etc.

Around 7:15 pm we will conduct a Pi recitation contest and the student who can recite the most digits of Pi will be the first person to choose from the selection of prizes.

Participants that try out at least 3 activities can choose to be entered in a drawing. The winners will select from the following prizes:

- a SBK8 T-shirt (T-shirts will also be available for sale, $10 per shirt, cash or check only)

- A gift card for a pie

- A gift card for Snapdoodle

- A gift card for Cafe Mox

- Putting pie in the face of Principal Dixon or Vice Principal Acquino!!

All students will get a Pi tattoo to take home. Remember, each kiddo in attendance is asked to have an adult who is keeping an eye on them and hopefully engaging in some math fun - ie: this is not a drop off event.

Thank you to everyone who has agreed to volunteer at this event and to bring pies! We still need a few more volunteers, however. Please consider signing up .

Community Speaker Event - Thurs, March 21. 6:30 PM

Please join us on Thursday, March 21 at 6:30pm in the school cafetorium for a community speaker event featuring Lisa Davidson, SPS Prevention and Intervention Manager, who will review:

Salmon Bay's Healthy Youth Survey results regarding student behaviors and attitudes toward vaping and drugs
Info on opioid overdoses (how to recognize, how to administer Narcan)
Key strategies for preventing risky behavior
How to have tough conversations
Products and trends - vaping, over the counter drugs, and much more

Questions and open discussion afterwards. Principal Dixon, Assistant Principal Ms Acquino, and school counselor Rob Bright will be available to add insight.

Families with elementary students, this event is also for you! Drug prevention starts with parents learning how to talk with their children about difficult topics. Most likely, children in elementary school have not begun to use alcohol, tobacco, or any other kind of drug. It’s better to talk before children are exposed, which is exactly why elementary school is a good time to start talking about the dangers of drug use so you can prepare your child for a time when drugs may be offered. Join us!

This informative evening is for Salmon Bay parents and caregivers - ADULTS ONLY.

Free childcare is available for potty independent kids. Event and childcare RSVP is not required, but very helpful as pizza dinner will be served to kiddos and adults! If transportation to/from this evening event is a barrier, please reach out so we can provide support.

Immediately following the community speaker event, we will be holding our monthly FOSB Board Meeting. All are welcome to attend. Reach out to FOSB Co-chairs with any questions: fosbchair@gmail.com.

Multicultural Celebration & Potluck

Wednesday, April 17, 6:00-8:00 PM

Salmon Bay K-8 Cafetorium

The FOSB Community Building Initiative and Racial Equity Team invites all

Salmon Bay K-8 families and staff to a Multicultural Celebration & Potluck! This event aspires to bring our school-wide community together to share and celebrate our diverse cultures, heritages, and whole selves through food, music, hands-on activities (arts, crafts & games), and

live performances. Everyone welcome; come as you are!

Interested in sharing something that is meaningful to your culture? Sign-up here to participate in any aspect of the event here and a volunteer coordinator will be in touch with more details. Feel free to keep it simple or meld event components, collaborate with others, and get creative.

If you are especially eager to get involved, please consider volunteering here to join a small team that will help organize the tremendous contributions from our wonderful community.

Save the Date: FOSB Auction: Friday, May 3rd. 7-11 PM

Much more information will be coming about the upcoming FOSB auction, but for now, please save the date! The event will be 7-11 p.m. at Metropolist (2931 First Ave South). Ticket sales will begin in April with multiple price levels and a request to pay what you can. See below in the newsletter for ways you can get involved.

Announcements:

Restorative Practice Community Coalition (RPCC)

You’re invited to participate in the ongoing conversation about racial equity in SPS. The RPCC meets remotely on a monthly basis - with no commitment beyond dialing in. RPCC is a program led by the team at Roosevelt Alumni for Racial Equity, RARE. In October, FOSB hosted an event where we watched and discussed the documentary created by RARE called Beyond Black and White. (so many acronyms!)

What is Restorative Practice? Restorative Practice is about relationships – building, maintaining, and repairing relationships to form healthy, supportive, and inclusive communities.
Mission: To advocate for racial equity by ensuring each child has equitable access to educational opportunities, in a learning environment where students feel safe and secure and where their concerns are being heard and addressed.
Message: Let's come together so we can openly learn, share, and discuss how restorative practices can positively impact our lives, our children, and our school community.

For more information, please click here. To attend a meeting, please register here or email one of the RARE founders, Joe Hunter Jr (joe_hunterjr@yahoo.com).

Coming in April: Kids on the Run!

FOSB will be launching a free before school running club on Wednesdays and Friday mornings from 7:45 am - 8:30 am. Parents and siblings are welcome to run with us. Our goal is to make running fun and help kids get a great start to the school day. Those who are interested can challenge themselves and register to run a 5k in June. Stay tuned for details and information on how to sign up.

Salmon Bay Theatre

The Salmon Bay After School Theater committee is excited to announce the spring season! We are working with Youth Theater Northwest to produce the following shows.

Registration through the school’s 6 crickets portal is open now.

Elementary School: Just So Stories and Scenes

How did the elephant get its trunk? Why do leopards have spots? What makes a whale's throat so large? Students in each level will use aspects of story theater and creative dramatics to devise scenes based on Rudyard Kipling’s Just So Stories and perform together in a three-act show.

Registration: February 12 - March 22

K/1st - Mondays from March 25th - May 20th, 3:30-5:00,

2/3rd - Thursdays, March 28th - May 23rd, 3:30-5:00

4/5th - Wednesdays, March 27th - May 22nd 2:15-4:30

Tech rehearsals: Monday through Thursday May 24th - June 6

Performances: June 7 and 8

Cost: $165

Email Niahm Ward at nimwardie@gmail.com to request a discount code if your family could use some financial support. Each class is capped at 15 students, so don’t wait to sign up!

If your 3rd-5th grade student is interested in being a crew member for Just So Stories and Scenes please fill out this Tech Theater Interest survey.. We will be providing some opportunities for students who want to do tech theater, but we need to gauge interest to see what that will look like.

FOSB Auction:

Save the Date: FOSB Auction: Friday, May 3rd

The FOSB auction* is back this spring! Our small but mighty planning team has been hard at work, and now we need your support to make this event a reality. After all, it takes a community to create an auction.

Here’s how you can help:

Save the date for our auction: Friday, May 3. (7-11 p.m. at Metropolist, 2931 First Ave South) Ticket sales will begin in April with multiple price levels and a request to pay what you can.
Donate a basket item. Help us build our popular and thoughtfully curated auction baskets. Review our list of needed basket items here and bring your donation to the school office by March 22.
Contribute to a fun game! Bring a bottle of wine or a new/like new book March 11-15 to Salmon Bay Parent Christine's front porch. Please bring your bottle of wine ($15 regular price as the guide please!) or a new/like new book and place it in the bin at 6522 18th ave NW 18th Avenue NW any day, any time during this week! Or, if you are able to donate multiple items, we'll arrange pick up from you-- sign up here and an auction volunteer will be in contact.
Host a party. Auction sign-up parties are a longstanding Salmon Bay tradition. We have a handful of party ideas that need a host, or you can create your own. We're looking for parties for adults, kids or adults and kids together! Send a message with your party idea to salmonbaydonations@gmail.com. We'll help you further develop it, get a date set and have you ready to host!
Donate to the silent auction. Are you an artisan, skilled hobbyist or business owner? We would welcome and appreciate your donation of an item for our silent auction. Please fill out our procurement form and bring your donation to the school office by March 22.
Donate to the live auction. Do you have theatre season tickets, an airline ticket connection, a cabin/vacation property, or a unique experience for our live auction? Contact Auction Chair Shelby Reynolds by March 22.
Watch the fun unfold. Follow @SalmonBaySchoolAuction on Instagram or Facebook for spoilers and behind-the-scenes planning fun. What will this year's theme be? Spoilers are rolling out!

*The annual Friends of Salmon Bay auction isn't like other “fancy” charity auctions. It’s pay what you can, dress in costume or come as you are, and gather as an adult community to celebrate and support the education of our children. Learn more about how our fundraising supports Salmon Bay School by clicking here.

Resources:

Ramadan 2024 is coming!

What to know:

Ramadan is the Muslim month of fasting. Practicing Muslim students will be fasting from dawn until dusk (approx. 6:00am to 7:00pm). Fasting means NO FOOD and NO WATER. Ramadan celebration often involves prayers late into the night. It is not unusual to be up past midnight for prayers and then get up around 5am to eat before dawn and pray.

Ramadan 2024 will last approximately from March 11- April 11.

Ramadan is scheduled on the lunar calendar so it moves dates each year. Muslim Students may be tired, hungry, and dehydrated in your classes - especially if they are with you late in the afternoon.

Ongoing Announcements:

Cleat Exchange

Protect the Planet, Rescue Your Wallet, and Share Your Shoes! Bring your outgrown cleats for someone else to have. Take a pair that fits. Do either, or both! Please help keep the area clear by putting all cleats into boxes when finished finding yours. These boxes will be available Feb 26 - April 5, 2024. Contact fosbchair@gmail.com with any questions.

Volunteer Opportunity: Teacher Snack Shack

We continue to keep snacks supplied for our teachers; if you are able, please volunteer to bring snacks, drinks or Keurig pods to school on Fridays. Feel free to drop snacks in the front office or the Volunteer Coordinator office. Sign-up for snack delivery here.

School Spirit Wear

Want to show some school pride? Salmon Bay apparel is available for purchase online! You can choose from a variety of shirts and sweatshirts and have them delivered straight to your door. Both Youth and Adult sizes are available. Use this link to order.

Get to know the PTO (that's FOSB!):

Stay Connected

Set yourself up to stay aware of FOSB events and news this school year! Sign up here to receive FOSB emails as they are released. Subscribe to our web calendar at this link, or follow us on FaceBook for more info about meetings and events.

Additionally, there are GoogleGroups and Facebook groups for most grade bands. If you’re looking for a way to connect with other Salmon Bay parents and caregivers, consider joining the relevant Google and/or Facebook Group for community building amongst parents and caregivers in the same grade levels and classes as your kid(s)! To be added to the appropriate email list(s), send an email to sb-join-email@googlegroups.com, and let us know which grade group(s) you would like to join.

Everyday Ways to Give

You can support Friends of Salmon Bay in everyday ways, like shopping at a merchant of your choice or searching online. Details about programs offered by Fred Meyer, Bing, and Office Depot/Office Max are on our website. Consider signing up!

More Info on FOSB Committees:

Please check out our website for more information about FOSB’s existing committees and ways to get involved!

School Reminders & News:

The following dates, activities & announcements pertain to the school and come from information provided by school staff/teachers/admin. We are pleased to include them as reminders to our community, but this may not be an exhaustive list of everything the school has planned. Please check with your student’s teacher(s) or office staff for more information.

News from Principal Dixon:

Spring Enrichment Program:

Middle School Families, we expect kids to be on their best behavior when they’re out and about with their SEP groups. If there are any big issues, we may have to call you.

With the SEP, camps and other field trips coming up, we appreciate all of our volunteers for helping run these programs smoothly. If you are planning on chaperoning for any school activity, please make sure your SPS volunteering credentials are up to date. You can do so by going onto the volunteer portal, check for more information here.

You can always reach out to our Volunteer Coordinator Elif for any questions at elgumrukmokr@seattleschools.org

Social Media:

We have had some social media issues happening after school and over the weekends that is spilling back into the school environment that we could use your help with. An example is that some students are randomly adding students to social media accounts without permission.

With any thing that we do we always want to have permission and consent from others. Below is a great article on how parents can support student(s) using social media. https://www.apa.org/topics/social-media-internet/social-media-parent-tips

News From the Library:

This is A LOT of information, so bear with me. “MARCH IS NATIONAL READING” also know as “READ ACROSS AMERICA MONTH”. This is a time to celebrate literacy in new and exciting ways. We will be doing all sort of fun things this month to celebrate this LONG month schoolwide at Salmon Bay. I will need parent volunteers to help with many of these activities. Here is a calendar of events of ways we are celebrating.

WE NEED PARENT VOLUNTEERS:

Middle School:

Please sign up for snacks for Wednesday, March 20th. Please provide healthy snacks for middle schoolers to keep them satiated while they participate in a “READ-A-THON” at school. Sign up here.

Elementary:

Take photos of students during the month at these times for the yearbook and submit to Karly Muller. Please email me if you are interested.

Book Buddies (dates to be announced) Most classes do this on Fridays.
3rd, 4th, and 5th grade students doing book presentations in the library (dates to be announced) (This will be during library classes on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons). I still need to see if students sign up to do this.
Photos on March 25 at the Marvelous Monday assembly 9am-9:20 showing their favorite books to elementary students
Photos on March 29th of “STOP, DROP and READ DAY” This is an all-day event.

Whole School:

During the week of March 18th-22nd, would you be willing to organize a “used book swap”? I would need a volunteer to orchestrate all components of this. The idea is to ‘bring a book, take a book’. I imagine parents may donate more and then these books could be absolved into the library’s collection. Books must be age appropriate and gently used. Your ideas and creativity are invited! I can work with you to figure out the nitty gritty of this. Please email Corinna if you are interested in helping.

School ID Cards: Families can now purchase an ID card online for $5. ID card orders take about 7-10 business days to arrive to the home.

2023-24 Salmon Bay K-8 Picture Days

Online Code: SPS student ID number

Upcoming Camp Dates: Spring 2024 Class Camp Trips

* Please note: these camps are planned by the staff at Salmon Bay, not by FOSB. Please keep an eye out for pertinent planning information from your child’s teacher(s). Dates listed here could possibly change - check in with teachers for the most current info or if you have specific questions.

March 18 – 21, 2024: 5th Grade at Camp Islandwood

May 20 – 22, 2024: 3rd Grade at Camp Colman

May 22 – 23, 2024: 1st Grade at Indianola

June 3-5, 2024: 4th Grade at Camp Seymour

June 4 – 7, 2024: 8th Grade at Camp Orkila

June 5 – 7, 2024: 7th Grade at Camp Naturebridge

June 7, 2024: Kindergarten Camp Day

June 12 – 13, 2024: 2nd Grade at Camp Indianola

School Calendar Dates:

• March 1 – May 31: School Choice late applications will be accepted (NOT eligible for tiebreakers).

• March 14: Pi Night, organized by FOSB

• March 15, 22, 29: SEP Days

• March 18-21: 5th Grade Camp at Islandwood

• March 20: Middle School “READ-A-THON”

• March 20: Second Trimester ends for elementary school

• April 8: Second Trimester progress reports go live on the Source

• April 14: Multicultural Night, organized by FOSB

• May 3: The FOSB auction, organized by FOSB

Legislative Information:

Hi! Do you want to keep your finger on the legislative pulse for the SB community? We could use your help; if this interests you, please reach out to fosbchair@gmail.com.

Community Announcements:

Summer Volunteer Programs in Latin America

AMIGOS programs in Latin America give you the opportunity to travel to Costa Rica, Panama or Paraguay to explore an issue you're passionate about! Dive deep into coffee production, climate change adaptation, and marine conservation in Costa Rica, community-driven service initiatives with local youth leaders in Paraguay or biodiversity and sea turtle conservation in Panama.

Misson:

Amigos de las Américas inspires leaders through authentic service and immersion experiences.

Amigos de las Américas promueve el liderazgo a través de experiencias auténticas de inmersión e intercambio cultural.

Vision:

A world where all people are lifelong leaders sharing responsibility for our global community.

Un mundo en el cual todas las personas son líderes de por vida, siendo responsables por nuestra comunidad global.

Click here for more information about summer programs.

Technology and our digital lives are here to stay. How do we integrate the digital world into healthy child, adolescent, and personal development? To find out more, we are partnering with PNW Parent Education for a FREE online presentation titled “Raising Tech Healthy Families Together” with Janelle Burley Hoffman.

Tuesday, March 26, 2024, 12:00pm - 1:00pm PST.

If you can't make the date/time work, register anyway as all registrants will receive an email with the recording following the event.

In this talk, Janell will discuss the importance of foundational and reflective parenting, share tech trends and practical tools for families, and allow space for meaningful questions and community conversation. Focused outcomes of the discussion will include:

Boundary Building
Digital Health & Well Being
Conversation Starters
Tools (e.g. Askable Adult, Billboard, Permission to Post)
Youth Trends
Resources
Q&A

Janell Burley Hofmann is an international author, speaker and consultant specializing on the topics of technology, media, health, relationships and well-being. Janell is the creator of the original iPhone contract and a thought leader in the space of digital mindfulness, digital parenting and intentional use of tech.