Hello Salmon Bay Families!

This week wraps up a busy few weeks of spring, and lots of activities at school! Parents, teachers and kids alike are all looking forward to Spring Break; I hope everyone has a wonderful week, whether you spend it on the slopes, on the road, in your house, or anywhere in between.

The week we return to school, we jump right back into activities, with camps, field trips, and FOSB meetings. One important event that will happen the week we return, is our Multicultural Celebration & Potluck. The FOSB Community Building Initiative has been hard at work these last weeks, putting together a wonderful evening of community, crafts, food and entertainment. Behind the scenes work has included planning, coordinating and creating. Students have also gotten in on the fun, creating beautiful tissue paper flowers in art classes this week to decorate the celebration. So many community members are coming together to plan this event, and we encourage YOU to come and join us! And please, bring a friend! Know someone who doesn't get our emails? Bring them along! (and have them sign up for our emails!) Have your kids made a new friend in class? Make plans to meet up at the potluck.

Our event is in celebration of community and it has taken community to put it together. Please see the event description below for ways you can sign-up to help if you're interested.

Happy Spring Break everyone!

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, Tuesday, April 16th, 7-8:30 pm via Zoom

Please join us for a Finance Committee budget meeting for Tuesday, April 16th at 7PM. Please note, this is a different day than our usual Sunday meetings. The Zoom information is below. Please join us if you can. The agenda can be found here.

Join our Zoom Meetings using this Link.

Meeting ID: 469 595 1579

Passcode: budget

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

The FOSB Building Community Initiative and Racial Equity Team invites ALL Salmon Bay K-8 students, teachers, staff, and their families 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, food + more food!
• Arts + crafts
• Community collaborative projects
• Music, dance + performances

Interested in bringing a dish, leading a craft, or sharing something else that is meaningful to your culture? Sign-up here!

We have been working together behind the scenes to queue up some special community collaborative projects for this event. Join us to see and contribute to them.

We have some wonderful performances for the evening too!

• Marimba Music presented by Salmon Bay students from The Marimba Group
• Flamenco Dancing presented by Ana Montes and her student protege
• Step Dancing presented by Salmon Bay students Nia and Juniper from Northside Drill & Step Team
• Bhangra-Bollywood Dancing presented by Rangeela Dance Company
• Sing-a-Long presented by Salmon Bay music teacher, Mark Oesterle

Everyone welcome, come as you are, and bring your appetite!

April FOSB Board Meeting - Thursday, April 18th

6:30 PM (NEW START TIME)

Join us online for our April board meeting! This month’s meeting will be fully virtual with a hope that this lightens the load for everyone to attend the in person multi-cultural night the evening before. A reminder that our meetings have a new earlier start time for the remainder of the year - now beginning at 6:30 instead of our former 7:00. Board meetings are open to all FOSB members - if you have a student at the school, you are automatically a member! This is a great way to learn about the work being done by FOSB in support of our school, and ways YOU can get involved! Meeting agendas and previous meeting minutes are posted here. Please email Caitlin and Julie with any questions.

Please use this link to join the meeting*

Meeting ID: 836 3649 7160, Passcode: 654321

*This link will work for all FOSB Board meetings throughout the year.

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:

Volunteer Opportunity: Book Swap Wrap-Up

Our first-annual Salmon Bay Book Swap was a resounding success! Thanks to all the families who donated books - we hope your kids came home with something they loved! Now that the swap is over, we are left with a few boxes of books that were not claimed. Some of these will go to the library shelves, some to Salmon Bay classrooms, and the remainder will go to non-profits. We will be boxing the remaining books and removing them from the library on Monday, April 15th. If you are available to help sort/lift boxes, please contact Erin Rosenberg.

FOSB Board Positions for 2024-25

FOSB is building the slate of board members for next school year now! In addition to the executive team (co-chairs, treasurers, secretary), and the automatically appointed staff (principal and teacher representatives) up to 15 Directors may be elected at the May 16 annual meeting, and candidates must announce their intention to either Co-Chair or the Secretary prior to the regular April 18 board meeting. If you are interested in joining the board, or have any questions, please reach out! Contact Julie & Caitlin if interested.

Join Kids on the Run - Register now!

FOSB is launching a free before school running club on Wednesdays and Friday mornings from 7:45 am - 8:30 am. This program will run from Wednesday, April 17 until Friday, June 7. 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. This will be a gender-inclusive group and open to students in grades K through 5. Registration will stay open so kids can join at any time.

Register here.

Announcing the Spring After School Programs! 

The next session of our After School Programs for grades K-5 will start the week of April 15 and go through the week of June 10. We have an exciting lineup for elementary students. 

Register now! Classes start the week of April 15

Parent volunteers are needed, and scholarships are available! Questions? Email the After School Committee. 

Mondays: Creative Coding

(Grades 3-5; 3:35- 5 pm) : Learn to code by making your own custom video game! Learn the fundamental elements of coding or build on your existing skills. 

Tuesdays: Japanese Club

(Grades K-5; 3:35 - 5 pm)

Learn the basics of the Japanese language, and learn about Japanese traditions, ceremonies, foods, and festivals. 

Wednesdays: Wearable Art

(Grades 1-5; 2:15 - 3:15 pm)

Create art that you can wear! Tie dye clothes, make beads, and more, all using upcycled materials.  

Thursdays: Pokemon Card Club

(Grades 2-5; 3:35 - 5 pm)

Learn how to play the Pokemon Trading Card Game! Class comes with decks for children to play with.  

Friday: Chess Wizards

(Grades 1-5; 3:35 - 4:35 pm)

Classes geared for children of all skill levels, students build on their chess knowledge through lessons, tournaments, variation games and more. 

Parent volunteers receive complimentary registration (or 50% off if you share the role) and access to early registration for their student. Email fosbafterschool@gmail.com if you’re interested. 

Learn more and register here.

FOSB Auction:

This year’s auction will be anything but quiet! Join us on the evening of May 3 for the FOSB Auction: A Night at the Library. Doors open on our magical, mysterious library at 7 p.m. and you are encouraged to dress to the theme or come as you are. We can’t wait to see you dressed as your favorite book character, author, librarian or showing support for banned books! Save the date as you await your official invitation!

Auction Volunteer Opportunities:

Day-of Auction Help

There are a number of day-of auction volunteer needs! Take a look here and consider signing up to help out.

Donation Pick-Up:

Anyone heading to Vancouver, WA - Portland, OR area before Apr. 26? We are seeking help with picking up beverage donation for the Salmon Bay Auction.

The business generously donated about 3 cases or 108 bottles of soda. Pick up would need to occur M-F during business hours 7 am- 5pm from their Ridgefield, WA warehouse.

Please contact Elenka Jarolimek if available: 206-940-5120

Decor Creation:

Our theme is "A Night at the Library," and a big part of our decor is books! If you are interested in helping with a very simple book folding project, please email Erin Rosenberg; its an easy project to work on while binging a show or having a family movie night! Supplies and a quick tutorial will be provided.

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.

Seattle School Board:

District 2 New Director Appointment

Seattle School District 2, which includes Salmon Bay, has a new school board director, Sarah Clark. For a video statement, resume and additional information, click here.

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:

The Day of Silence is April 19th

The Day of Silence (DOS) is a national youth movement bringing attention to the silence faced by lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBTQ+) people and their allies. Students take a vow of silence to echo the silence which is caused by anti-LGBT bullying, name-calling and harassment. Ending the silence is the first step toward building awareness and making a commitment to address these injustices.” (GLSEN).

Students will have the opportunity to participate in the Day of Silence (recognized by SPS on April 19th). Students can pick up participation stickers in the cafeteria before school on Friday, April 19th. 

Cell Phones:

We’d like to remind families that kids need to have their cell phones away for the day when they’re in school, preferably in their lockers. If your kids are feeling unwell at school, they should come down to the office instead of texting parents/guardians to be picked up. In addition, please refrain from texting your kids to let them know you’ll be picking them up. Please call the office and we will get them down for you. Thank you for your cooperation.

Youth & Teen Programs:

School Counsellor Rob would like to inform Middle School Families about UW Youth & Teen Programs for the summer. They have great enrichment opportunities. Please click here for their information.

Volunteer Info:

We are very fortunate to have so many wonderful families that participate in our school. We thought it’s a good time to remind everyone of volunteering procedures since we have a number of camps and field trips coming up soon. 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 with any questions.

Class Photos

Yuen Lui Studio will photograph class group photos at Salmon Bay K-8 on Thursday, April 25 Students who are present at the time of their group photo will be pictured in their class group photos; students who are absent at the time of their photo will be listed as not pictured. There is no need to order at this time.

Snow Whyte & the Seven

There is a wonderful opportunity for 9-18 year olds to be part of a teen summer musical “Snow Whyte & the Seven”. They’re holding auditions for all dancers, singers, actors, and rappers on April 13th and 20th. Please email info@ActsOnStage.com for more information.

Art Contest:

This spring, WA529 (Washington College Savings Plans) is hosting their 3rd annual art contest aimed at encouraging all K-12 students in Washington to dream big, think about their future, and explore their creative side!

Beginning April 1 through May 1, students can enter the WA529 “What’s Your Dream Job” Art Contest. Two (2) students from each grade level will win $529 deposited in a GET or DreamAhead higher education savings account (26 winners total)! There is a perk for schools too – three (3) schools that generate the most student entries, relative to the school’s total enrollment, will each receive $500 for their library! For complete contest details, or to see previous student entries and winners please visit this link. Winning entries will be announced on May 29 - National 529 Day. Good luck to all who enter! 

Theatre Needs:

Middle School Theater’s production of “Cinderella Complex” needs some items. If you have any of the following to lend or give, please contact Rachel Street. If something is sentimental to you, please don’t volunteer. Thanks!

We hope to see you at the play May 23rd and May 24th! Mark your calendars!

• Prom dresses (pastel colors or not). Think ballroom dresses or 50s or 80s styles)

• Old fashioned mop with the yarn on the end

• Ladle

• Fall decorations

• Mousetrap

• Bottle caps (soda bottle tops)

• Fairy Godmother crown

• Makeup compact (looks like it could be from the 1950s. No make up needed inside.)

• Mini picture frame

• Small gold cushion (for Cinderella’s glass slipper)

• Fake set fireplace

• Fake Food: Mini Chocolates (truffle size), Beef, Fish, Biscuits

• Mini rubber lizards 

Global Reading Challenge Update:

Congratulations to the Global Reading Challenge team, "Bombastic Barbies" for making it to the semi-final round at the downtown library branch on March 12. We are proud of you! 

Note from School Nurse:

Our COVID guidelines have changed. Please see this link for specific information under the Symptoms, testing, and isolating section.

If you need a COVID home test kit, please let me know as we still have a small supply.

As a reminder, students cannot bring medication to school AND staff cannot administer over-the- counter prescription medication without a physician-signed Medication Authorization form.

If you would like this form, please reach out to me. 206-252-1727; smjonas@seattleschools.org

Thank you kindly, Suzanne Jonas,

MSN RN Salmon Bay School Nurse 

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. 

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: 

April 8-12: Spring Break, no school

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

April 17: 4th grade field trip for releasing Salmon to Piper Creek. 

April 17: Multicultural Night, organized by FOSB

April 19: The Day of Silence

April 25: Class Picture Day

May 3: The FOSB auction, organized by FOSB 

May 13: 4th grade sailing trip

May 20 – 22: 3rd Grade at Camp Colman

May 22 – 23: 1st Grade at Camp Indianola

Seen (and heard!) Around School:

Middle School Spring Fling

A fun afternoon of dancing & music. Perfect sendoff before Spring Break!

Lost & Found

With the warmer weather, layers are peeling off. Please check in after break to see if any of these items belong to your family!

Ongoing Announcements:

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.

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

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!

Community Announcements:

A Seattle parent has put together a website to bring all the data about every Seattle summer camp into one filterable, searchable (free) place. We all know that finding summer camps is very nearly a full time job, and often requires extensive spreadsheets. Please consider signing up to check out activities for your kiddos! Learn more here.

1000% Me: Growing up Mixed Film Screening & Discussion

This event is for mixed-race children (in grades 3 and above) and their families. 

Tuesday, April 30th 6pm-7:45pm 

Whittier Elementary School 

Join mixed-race children and their families for a screening of the film 1000% Me: Growing up Mixed followed by a child-centered facilitated discussion. In the film, W. Kamau Bell tackles the joys and challenges of growing up mixed-race through conversations with kids and families. Bell explores how young people navigate issues of identity in a world that can ask them to pick a side and reveals the many joys and complexities of what it means to raise multiracial children.

Register for this event here.

Pizza dinner will be provided. 

Free childcare for younger children ages 3+ provided by Whittier Kids Program.

Facilitated by the Whittier PTA EDI Committee. Questions contact edi@whittierptaseattle.org

Climate Action Families

FOSB was reached out to by Kirsten, a graduate intern at Climate Action Families (CAF), where since 2013 they've been:

• Fostering Climate Justice: Building a youth-centered, intergenerational movement focusing on resilience and equity.
• Championing Youth Empowerment: Elevating youth voices through legal advocacy, policy advocacy, community organizing, and creative expression.
• Cultivating Community Strength: Healing and transformative action are at the heart of our work.

They are looking for organizations or individuals to join their CAF Connections email group to:

• Connect and Collaborate: Join our network of educators and youth program supporters who are also concerned about climate, environment, and social justice.
• Share Ideas and Learn: Exchange ideas, resources, and strategies to magnify our collective impact and ensure young people have the tools and access they need.
• Stay Informed: Receive updates on legal, policy, and community events

More info about their work: www.climateactionfamilies.org. If you are interested in joining this list on behalf of FOSB and then connecting back ideas and information to our school community, please email both fosbchair@gmail.com and kirstenhallock@climateactionfamilies.org. If you are interested in joining the list for your own self, feel free to reach out only to Kirsten.

RSVP to attend. Contact Loyal Heights Equity with any questions.

Lincoln High School PTSA

If you have an 8th grader planning to attend Lincoln High School, this message is for you. The Lincoln High School PTSA is seeking candidates to fill several positions, including the Executive Board, for the 2024-25 school year. Each position can have two people share the responsibilities. They will be scheduling information sessions to meet the current PTSA Board members and answer questions. Questions? Please email Ann.

Why Study French at Ballard HS?

• Get college credit in French 3.
• AP French Language and Culture.
• 40 to 50% of English vocabulary comes from French.
• Improve your score on the verbal section of the SAT.
• Stand out for college.
• French Club (cooking, trivia, …)
• National French Contest (medals, certificates)
• Trip to France

Questions? Please contact Madame Sturgeon.

Camps:

Illumination Studios has some wonderful camp opportunities coming up! Please click here. for more information about camps for ages 5-11. Information about preschool camps can be found here. 

Upcoming Community Events:

In addition to our camps, we have several community events lined up that are sure to bring us all together. You can learn about our upcoming events on our website. Stay tuned for more details on dates and locations.

ILS Preschool and Pre-K Open House - April 13th, 9:30 - 11am, ILS Greenwood

Parent Resource Day - April 14, 9:30 - 12:30, ILS Greenwood

3rd Saturday Pre-K Story Time at ILS Ballard - April 20, 10:30am - 11:30am

Ballard Commons Reopening! April 20, 11am - 3pm

Kids Deck (Ballard Seafood Fest) - July 13 - 14, 10am - 3pm at the Ballard Library

Link to sign up for Spring break camps here.  Link to sign-up for Sunday games here.

Pan Atlantic Foundation is a not-for-profit that specializes in creating high-quality high-school exchange programs for non-US citizens in the United States. Our staff are professionals who each have a decade or more experience in the field of international exchange. We are educators, administrators, parents, and former host parents who have international experience and a love for a program that truly changes lives. We are united in our mission to make the world a better place for all people through educational and cultural exchange.

Our students, aged between 15 and 18, are eager to immerse themselves in American culture and experience life with a caring host family. Hosting an exchange student is a truly rewarding experience that not only enriches the lives of the students but also creates lasting connections and friendships.

School spots are already filling up, so now is the time to decide! If your family is unable to host, we would greatly appreciate it if you could help us in our search by reaching out to your community connections or forwarding this email to anyone who might be interested in opening their home to an exchange student.

Click here to learn more about prospective students.

To begin the application process or to learn more about hosting, please click here.

SPS Safe Schools Hotline: 206-252-0510.

The Seattle School District Safety and Security Department is staffed 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.