Weekly Newsletter 05/10/24 | |
Hello Salmon Bay Families! | |
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This has been a busy week of testing, sunshine, sports, and all the activities that we are trying to fit in before the end of the school year! Thank you to all the families who joined in to help our teachers and staff feel extra appreciated this week! It was so great to see the notes, posters and extra support showing up in the school.
To all the mothers in our community, we wish you a weekend that celebrates you in big and small ways. For those for whom mother's day is complicated, we see you. For those whose mother's day will be spent carting your kids around, we see you. For those of you stepping into a mothering role, we see you.
Enjoy the beautiful weekend!
(drink lots of water & wear sunscreen)
As always, thank you community for showing up.
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May 16, 6:30 pm: FOSB Board Meeting + FOSB Open House
Please save the date and plan on attending our May 16th 6:30pm board meeting in the school library. There are two important votes that need to happen: our 2024-25 FOSB budget and our slate of directors and officers. We need a quorum of 20 non-directors to pass these two items, so even if you haven’t attended any FOSB meetings yet this year, this is the one! We’ll hold voting in the first 30 mins of our meeting so that 7th and 8th grade camp chaperone parents can make it to the chaperone meeting starting at 7pm - please consider coming to the school 30 mins early to help us vote! The second portion of our meeting will be a FOSB Open House where we’d like to highlight the various committee chairs and open conversation and brainstorming to plan for next year. This will be an opportunity to put faces to names of some of the people working behind the scenes of FOSB and get ideas for ways you might like to be involved next year. Childcare is available for potty independent kids free of charge - childcare rsvp is requested but not required. There is a virtual option to join if you can’t make it to the school.
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Thursday, May 16: Auction Purchase Pick-up
Did you buy something during the on-line or live auction events? This is your day to pick them up - stop by during the school drop-off and pick-up times in the school’s main lobby (between 8:30-9:15 a.m. and 3-4 p.m.). If you are able to stop by during these times, please do! If needed, further pick-up windows will be announced.
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May 28, 6:30-8 pm: Interrupting with Care: Navigating Identity Based Harm
"It was only a joke." "I didn't realize what that meant." "My friend told me it was okay." Young people use derogatory language and perpetuate harmful stereotypes as they test boundaries, repeat what they hear in the media, attempt off color humor, and more. How do you navigate if your child is found to be using microaggressions and racism towards others? Those words and actions that offend and hurt, even though they may be unintended? Learn some ways to have authentic conversations about race and privilege, as well as practical strategies for dealing with when microaggressions or racism happen to your child, to their classmate, friend, or if they are the ones who have used the language. Discuss and practice how to “call in” privately, interrupt in the moment publicly, and receive interventions gracefully. Save the date of May 28 from 6:30-8p to join us for a community learning event with Rosetta Lee.
More info coming soon about if we’ll be hosting it hybrid or fully virtual. Contact FOSB Chairs Julie and Caitlin with questions.
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June 7, 6-8 pm: 5th Grade Trivia Night
5th graders and their families are invited to join us for a kids vs adults trivia night on Friday, June 7, 6-8pm in the school library. Sign Up to Bring Food Here Questions? Contact Katie Roberts at katieqroberts@gmail.com.
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The draft 2024-2025 FOSB Budget is available on our website. A vote will be held at our next FOSB board meeting (Thursday, May 16 at 6:30) to approve this budget. In addition to the directors present, our by-laws require that we have 20 non-director members present to hold the vote. Please consider familiarizing yourself with the draft budget and attending the meeting to help vote it in. There is a virtual option to join if you can’t make it to the school.
If you have any questions regarding our proposed budget, please email the FOSB Chairs or the FOSB Treasurers.
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Thank you to everyone who participated in this year’s auction! Whether you played along online, attended in-person or both, our community came out in a big way to support Salmon Bay! At current tally, we raised $105,942! Thank you Salmon Bay!
Next up?
Pick-up your winnings! If you won a physical item, you can pick it up on Thursday, May 16 during the school drop-off and pick-up times in the school’s main lobby (between 8:30-9:15 a.m. and 3-4 p.m.). If you are able to stop by during these times, please do! If needed, further pick-up windows will be announced.
Pay your auction bill. Items sold at the live event are still being entered into invoices. Once complete, you will receive a text notice to close out your bill.
Parties! If you bought a ticket to an auction party, your host will be in contact with you to share further details.
Matching Gifts or Additional Donations? Help us raise the roof on this year’s auction! Please contact Auction Chair Shelby Reynolds if you have any questions!
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Photo Booth
Did you take an adorable photo at the photo booth with your friends, your partner, or your date at the auction last week? Did you put in your phone number and never get a copy of the photo? Due to some technical difficulties, some photos were not sent out. Photos have been downloaded into a google album. Please peruse and download your favorites!
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May is Bike, Walk, Roll Month and we are so excited to celebrate all the ways our community moves our bodies at Salmon Bay. Come celebrate with us on Bike Everywhere Day on the playground before school with snacks and stickers for everyone in celebration and some bike related goodies at the bike racks for students who ride their bikes to school. | |
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Throughout May elementary students can keep track of how many minutes they move whether it’s walking, rolling, running, biking, dancing, or however they choose to move. Students received tracking calendars in their class, but more are available at the front office. At the end of May students can turn their calendars into their teachers. If the student body collectively logs 63,000 minutes in May (close to 10 minutes-a-day per student for five days each week in May), the elementary school will win an EXTRA RECESS one day in June!
Hope to see you out there moving this May!
Questions? Reach out to Heather Darval.
If you are planning to bike more this month or are just starting to bike, here are some basic safety tips:
Go With the Traffic Flow: Ride on the right, in the same direction as other vehicles. Go with the flow – not against it.
Yield to Traffic When Appropriate: Almost always, drivers on a smaller road must yield (wait) for traffic on a major or larger road. If there is no stop sign or traffic signal and you are coming from a smaller roadway (out of a driveway, from a sidewalk, a bike path, etc.), you must slow down and look to see if the way is clear before proceeding. This also means yielding to pedestrians who have already entered a crosswalk.
Be Predictable: Ride in a straight line, not in and out of cars. Signal your moves to others.
Stay Alert at All Times: Use your eyes AND ears. Watch out for potholes, cracks, wet leaves, storm grates, railroad tracks, or anything that could make you lose control of your bike. You need your ears to hear traffic and avoid dangerous situations; don’t wear a headset when you ride.
Watch for Parked Cars: Ride far enough out from the curb to avoid the unexpected from parked cars (like doors opening, or cars pulling out).
Specific rules from Seattle Dept of Transportation can be found here.
MINDING THE LAW:
If you’re riding a bike on the street, you’re required to follow the same rules of the road as when you’re driving a car:
• Stop at red lights
• Signal when you’re turning
• Stop for pedestrians in crosswalks
• If riding on sidewalks, ride slowly and yield to pedestrians
WHERE DO I RIDE?
If bike lanes are unavailable, or the lane ends, you can use the general travel lane. Make sure to look over your shoulder for approaching cars, and signal before entering.
HOW ABOUT ONE-WAY STREETS?
On one-way streets, people on bikes can ride in the direction of traffic and can use either the left or right side. Use the side that best serves your destination.
HOW FAST SHOULD I GO?
Always make sure to stay under the posted speed limit, and feel free to take it as slow as you’d like. Confident and predictable bicyclists are safe bicyclists, so travel the speed that makes you most comfortable.
HOW DO I TURN?
You can use turn lanes while you’re on your bike. Before changing lanes, remember to look behind you for approaching cars and signal that you intend to move over or turn. You may also use the crosswalk.
WHERE SHOULD I STOP AT AN INTERSECTION?
Some people prefer to stop behind vehicles. Others prefer stopping to the right of vehicles, or at the very front of intersections for visibility. Remember to stay clear of drivers’ blind spots and watch for right-turning vehicles. This is very important near large vehicles with large blind spots.
TURN SIGNALING:
Turning Left Signal: Extend your left arm out to the side, keeping it straight.
Turning Right Signal: Extend your right arm out to the side, keeping it straight OR extend your left arm out to the side, bend your arm at a 90-degree angle, and point your arm up.
Slowing Down Signal: Extend your left arm out to the side, bend your arm at a 90 degree angle, and point your arm down.
For a complete list of bike laws in Washington, check out the Washington bike’s website.
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Advocacy for Option Schools
FOSB chairs are in touch with All Together For Seattle Schools and CANSSPA to collaborate on actions to help advocate for option and other school enrollment. The goal is to work alongside other school communities to get the message to the SPS School Board and district administration about how option schools are necessary to provide Seattle families with choices around education for their children. Sharing that families aren't actually fleeing public school, but many families are actively choosing schools like SB that have long been beloved to the community. We want to do our part to make sure they continue to be an option for our community.
SPS will likely announce school closures for the 2025-26 school year at their May 8th school board meeting. Several people suspect that option schools will be on the chopping block. This does not mean that we are too late to advocate for option schools! Since the 2025-26 budget will not be voted on by the School Board until June of next year, we still have time. Another 8-9 months to advocate for options schools (K-5 and K-8), HCC, focused SPED schools, Center School, Nova, Cleveland STEM, Middle College, etc. We can be more effective if we work with All Together for Seattle Schools.
If you’re available to get involved in this, please reach out. We need help with this.
Email FOSB Chairs here.
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Do you know someone on the waitlist for Salmon Bay next year?
Space is available!
If you know someone on the wait-list to attend Salmon Bay next year, have them contact Ms Dixon. The district does NOT give her your names and she cannot advocate for you until she knows who you are and what your exact scenario is. She is open and waiting for your contact! There is room in nearly every grade level at SB - even though the district is telling parents differently. She is advocating for parents wanting to get in and for the waitlist to be moved. Email Principal Dixon here.
We also encourage families to contact the district themselves and explain that the Salmon Bay principal has said there is space at Salmon Bay. Get information back in writing from them. Email SPS enrollment here.
Also, if they’d like to please keep FOSB posted on their situation and progress, we are hoping to figure out wider messaging to the district. Having real info (not hypotheticals) helps with crafting language around the bigger picture issue - we won’t include specific names in our messaging. Email FOSB Chairs here.
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Let’s Recycle and Help Salmon Bay get FREE Plastic Pick Up for a YEAR!
Salmon Bay is keeping Plastic Film from landfills with Ridwell this spring! As part of this limited-time drive, you can bring these types of CLEAN Plastic Film to school on either Friday, May 17th or Monday, May 20th and Ridwell will make sure they stay out of landfills and are turned into new decking materials instead! Start collecting these items at home now as Salmon Bay parents are coordinating a one-time large scale pickup for our community.
You can also help Salmon Bay recycle our school’s Plastic Film for the entire ‘24/’25 school year! Be sure to use this link to join Ridwell with an at-home membership by May 31st, 2024. If we sign up 10 or more new members by this date, we will be awarded monthly Plastic Film pickups for our school next year! That would be amazing!
Get inspired with this CNN video about Ridwell and a father and son who can recycle the unrecyclable!
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Lost & Found
The lost & found is jam-packed once again! A Salmon Bay parent posted photos of many individual items in the Salmon Bay Community Facebook group - take a look there to see if you recognize anything!
Please stop by the lost & found or send your kids to look! A clean out will likely happen again soon, but it is a lot of work for volunteers! Best case scenario is getting items back to families, and for that we can use your help!
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Salmon Bay has partnered with Seattle Mariners to offer discounted tickets to our students and families for their June 1st game against the LA Angels. Join us for an evening of fun with other Salmon Bay families!
What: Seattle Mariners vs LA Angels
Where: T-Mobile Park
When: June 1 at 4:15pm
Who: Salmon Bay students and families
How: Tickets are $12 each. Please purchase through SchoolPay.
Scholarship donations are greatly appreciated to help make these events equitable, no amount is too small! Donations are accepted through school pay.
For scholarships, please email fosbtreasurer@gmail.com
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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. | |
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News from Principal Dixon:
We had a wonderful week where everyone working at Salmon Bay felt very truly appreciated. We had snacks, lunch, coffee, plants, and wonderful notes for everyone. We feel very lucky to be a part of this community and appreciate all our wonderful families that makes Salmon Bay School so special. Please read on for important updates and reminders.
SBA (Smarter Balanced Assessment) tests will be given to Middle Schoolers this coming week, May 13th through 17th. Please make sure to send your kids with the following: Water, snack, something non-electronic (no kindles) to do when they finish testing, plug-in headphones if they want to use their own, computer charger if they didn’t leave it on Friday.
Elementary School News:
Yearbook Photo Request
If you have any photos you can share from events and activities that you may have taken chaperoning throughout the school year, we would appreciate having some of them for our elementary yearbook. Please reach out to our volunteer coordinator Elif at elgumrukmokr@seattleschools.org
Middle School News:
The Salmon Bay Middle School Track team won the K-8 District Championship in track last weekend!!!! Way to go Salmon Bay!
7th & 8th Grade Camp Update:
Thank you for your partnership. We ALMOST have all the 7th and 8th grade camp paperwork turned in. A few reminders as we head into the weekend:
• Please remember to make your camp payments for 7th and 8th grade camps. You should have received links for them from your children’s teachers. If you have any payment questions, please reach out to Elif.
For 8th grade only:
- If your student is biking to camp, please take advantage of this beautiful weekend and go on a family bike ride.
- Here is the link for anyone (adults and students) attending camp who has a SPECIAL DIET, this includes Gluten Free, Vegan, Dairy Free, Soy free, and more. As a note, Camp Orkila always has vegetarian options available.
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Transportation: We are in the process of finalizing all our parent drivers. At this point, we NEED about 10 seats for students on Tuesday, June 4th and 15 seats for students on Friday, June 7th. If you can drive, please let Sam know. If you indicated on your camp paperwork that you can drive, you will be receiving an email this weekend to confirm.
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Please email teacher Sam Olson with any questions.
All School News:
We would like to thank FOSB for organizing a wonderful Teacher and Staff appreciation week for everyone working at Salmon Bay. Everyone felt very special and enjoyed the treats throughout the week. The notes and decorations around the school have been very touching as well.
Library News:
Tuesday, May 14th 9-9:45am
Where: Salmon Bay cafetorium
Who: Author Josh Tuininga presents his graphic novel, "We are not Strangers"
This will be for all middle school students! Parents and community members are welcome to come too. To order Josh Tuininga’s book, please click here.
Note from School Nurse
We have been observing students playing sports in inappropriate footwear like sliders, crocks and even just socks. Please make sure your students have adequate footwear for sports to avoid injuries.
Students are not allowed to have OTC medicine on their possession, including but not limited to Advil, Tylenol, etc. If your students need any kind of medication during school hours, please contact nurse Suzanne Jonas and do not send them in their backpacks.
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School Calendar Dates:
May 13-17: SBA Testing, Grades 6-8
May 13: 4th grade sailing trip
May 14: Middle School Author Visit
May 20-22: 3rd Grade at Camp Colman
May 22-23: 1st Grade at Indianola
May 23-23: Middle School Spring Play
May 29: 6th Grade Welcome Night
May 30: Middle School Band Concert @ 7:00 pm
June 3-5: 4th Grade at Camp Seymour
June 4-7: 8th Grade at Camp Orkila
June 5-7: 7th Grade at Camp Naturebridge
June 7: Kindergarten Camp Day
June 11: Elementary School Talent Day
June 12-13: 2nd Grade at Camp Indianola
June 13: Middle School Marimba Concert
June 14: Elementary School Field Day
June 17: Middle School Graduation Ceremony and Ingram High School
June 18: 5th Grade Promotion
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Seen (and heard!) Around School: | |
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Plants!
The planters planted by the K/1 classes are producing lots of delicious plants! This week, they added collard greens, chard & marigolds.
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Shadows & Light
Just a pretty moment of light & shadows caught during a busy week of testing.
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Coffee Cart!
Wednesday was the day to keep all our teachers caffeinated. Parent runners delivered coffee to the staff all morning.
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We Love Our Teachers
This week was all about appreciating our teachers. Thanks to the parents & kids who made all the signs throughout the school!
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Lunchroom Volunteers Needed:
Volunteers needed in the elementary lunch period from 11:10-12:05 daily. Please check that your volunteer paperwork is up to date and sign up here. Ms A appreciates any days you can come in to assiste her during lunch!
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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.
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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
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Join Kids on the Run
The FOSB running club meets Wednesdays and Friday mornings from 8-8:35 am. This program runs 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. We are also encouraging families to try out the Bill Roe All Comers track meets which are for all ages and abilities. Our running club is a gender-inclusive group and is open to students in grades K through 5. Registration will stay open so kids can join at any time.
Register here.
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Get to know the PTO (that's FOSB!): | |
Stay Connected & Get Involved!
While you automatically receive emails from Salmon Bay K-8 administration, staff, and teachers on all things school-supported and classroom related, it doesn’t always include FOSB-related events, opportunities, and information. Tap into these information pipelines to stay connected and find ways to get involved.
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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!
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I'm Kyle Okada, a teacher at Beacon Hill International Elementary School. Our school has always been a hub of diversity and opportunity, reflecting the vibrant spirit of Beacon Hill, where I grew up.
This year, we faced a challenge.
Nearly all of our fifth-grade students expressed a deep interest in music, but resources were tight, and not every child could participate. It was tough seeing the disappointment on their faces, knowing some might miss out on the joy of music.
Then, we found Seattle JazzED.
Seattle JazzED isn't just about music; it's about breaking down barriers and bringing opportunities directly to our students. When they brought music instruction to our school, it was a game-changer.
I think about that first day our students received their ukuleles from JazzED. Excitement filled the room. For some, it was their first time holding a musical instrument, and the sense of possibility was palpable.
One of my students, Evie, felt particularly disappointed at the thought of missing out on playing this year. When asked how the ukulele class made her feel, she said, "I can express myself through this." It was a poignant reminder of the impact that music can have on a young person's life.
Evie's story is just one of many. Through JazzED, we've seen children discover their passions, build confidence, and find a sense of belonging in our school community.
But there are still more children waiting for their chance to experience the magic of music. That's why I'm reaching out to you today.
Your donation to Seattle JazzED during GiveBIG can make a world of difference. It can provide instruments, instruction, and opportunities for children who might otherwise miss out.
Please, consider giving today and help us continue to bring the gift of music to a child in our community.
Thank you for your support.
Warmly,
Kyle Okada, Teacher
Beacon Hill International Elementary School
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This will be a special chat with Susan Cain, moderated by Christy Keating of The Heartful Parent Collective. We’ll be discussing the overlooked potential of introverts and how we can foster the innate qualities of introverts in a way that allows them to contribute comfortably in a loud, extroverted culture. | | |
In The Making, a Ballard art studio, is offering creativity camps for kids. Wednesday after school and over the summer. Adult camps also offered. Check our website for more information. | | |
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. | | | |
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Sunday Basketball K-5th
This class will be a beginners course to the game of basketball. We will work on the basics of dribbling passing and shooting with fun games and drills. This class will be led by a variety of coaches!
April 14, 21, 28, May 5, & 19
11am- Noon Magnuson Park
Link to sign-up for Sunday games here.
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Have something to add?
To add any updates, news, events or photos to the newsletter, please email fosbnewsletter@gmail.com.
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Friends of Salmon Bay (FOSB) | Website | |
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