THE TRADING POST RETURNS!

The Trading Post will begin on the last Thursday, January 26.

What is the Trading Post? On the last Thursday of the month, a table full of books will be set up during lunch, where students can trade a book, or just take one! Trades aren't necessary -- any student can take a book. These books are provided by the PTA, and donations, to get more books in the hands and homes of our amazing students! If your child comes home with a book from the Trading Post, it is theirs to keep and enjoy!  

JOIN ULTIMATE FRISBEE!

🥏🥏 Did you know…Loyal Heights has an Ultimate Frisbee team?! 🥏🥏

Our newly formed school team, led by coaches Brett Beaulieu and Ellen Wedgwood, is open to third, fourth and fifth graders.

When: Every Friday

Time: 2:25-3:45 (first 15 minutes is a snack break)

Location: Loyal Heights Elementary school gym until early spring. Then we’ll move to a local field. 

Costs:

• Free to play with an occasional suggested donations to cover operating costs.
• DiscNW charges a one-time registration fee (based on a sliding scale.)
• Purchase of a team game jersey from DiscNW in the future. 

What to bring: Water bottle, snack, comfortable clothes and sneakers.

Please join us on January 27th in the school gym to talk to coaches, observe or jump right into playing!

USA Ultimate defines ultimate frisbee as a "Player defined and controlled non-contact team sport played with a flying disc on a playing surface with end zones in which all actions are governed by the 'Spirit of the Game™." Find. more information HERE.

Our team, the Loyal Heights Ultimate Beavers, is registered with DiscNW, a nonprofit that organizes all types of activities for the Ultimate Frisbee community in our region. More information about the game and the organization HERE.

The start of the elementary league ultimate season is on the horizon and we’re looking for more players! Once you join the team, you’ll get weekly informational emails with important dates regarding league registration, games, etc.

Our team (and all elementary ultimate teams connected to DiscNW) are co-ed and open to players with any amount of experience.

Teams can expect to play 6-8 regular season games, plus 1-3 playoff games. Games are on Saturdays on fields throughout the greater Seattle region. Cleats are optional but encouraged for games played on outdoor fields. 

Covid-19 Protocol copied directly from DiscNW’s website:

“Proof of being fully vaccinated against COVID-19 per the CDC is required. Currently, we are not requiring proof of a booster but we encourage everyone to get a booster if recommended. For information about requesting a medical or religious vaccine exemption email COVID@discnw.org

Important Dates: 

• Games Begin: March 4th
• Playoffs: May 6th & 13th
• Spring Jam Tournament: May 20th

If you would like to join, please complete this form.

If you have questions or want to observe a practice, please email the team manager, Ellen Wedgwood.

SAVE THE DATE! - "Come Sail Away" 2023 PTA Auction

Date: Saturday, March 25th, 5-11pm

Place: Sunset Bay Lodge at the Ballard Elks 

Please mark your calendars for our annual PTA Auction, our largest fundraising event of the year! We invite you to “Come Sail Away” with us as we embark on a breezy, yacht rock themed evening complete with dinner, live auction and (NEW this year) an after party featuring live music from Seattle’s premiere cover band, The Sunset Grooves. Tickets go on sale in early February and invitations will be sent home in kid mail. 

Seeking Donations

We are always looking for auction donations (i.e. items, trips, tickets, experiences and gift cards). If you have a donation you’d like to give or any business connections for sponsorship, please complete the online procurement form or contact auction co-chairs Ally Magnano and Jessie Hammer. 

Our committee is in full planning mode and we are excited to put on a fun and spirited event this year to support our beloved kids, teachers and staff. Stay tuned for regular updates and a sneak peek at auction items coming soon!

Ridwell Collection at Loyal Heights!

Join us as we partner with Ridwell and help Loyal Heights start wasting less! 

We're doing a hard-to-recycle plastics drive with Ridwell! Bring in your plastic film (stretchable plastic like plastic bags, bubble wrap, and bubble mailers) to school between Jan 17-27th to be recycled by Ridwell and upcycled into composite decking and outdoor furniture. Let's see how much waste Loyal Heights can divert from the landfill! 

Sign up for Ridwell between now and Feb 2nd using get.ridwell.com/loyal-heights and Ridwell will donate $25 to Loyal Heights! 

Visit here to learn more about Ridwell - Wasting Less, Made Easy

Girls on the Run - Spring Session Coming!

Girls on the Run is back for Spring at LHE! Girls on the Run inspires girls of all abilities to recognize their individual strengths, while building a sense of connection in a team setting. Volunteer coaches facilitate lessons that blend physical activity with life skill development to enable girls to adapt to whatever comes their way. At the end of the season, the team completes a 5K together, which provides a tangible sense of accomplishment and sets a confident mindset into motion.

The program runs March 14th - May 26th and takes place after school in the gym and on the playground on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 2:30 - 4 :00 pm.

Lottery registration runs January 9th thru January 23rd, if more girls sign up than spots, then a lottery will be held on January 24th to determine placement.

Register here.

LUNCH & LEARN: THE EMOTIONAL LIVES OF TEENAGERS

You're invited to a FREE parenting event, The Emotional Lives of Teenagers: Raising Connected, Capable & Compassionate Adolescents, with Lisa Damour, Ph.D., NYT bestselling author of Untangled Under Pressure.

When: January 24, 2023

Time: 12:00pm - 1:00pm PT

Style: The timing is for a 'lunch & learn' and if you can't attend you can still register to receive a recording.

Register Here!

With so many of today’s teens contending with academic pressure, social media stress, worries about the future, and concerns about their own mental health, it’s easy for them—and their parents—to feel anxious and overwhelmed. But it doesn’t have to be that way. Please join us for a presentation about Dr. Damour’s latest book in which she will:

⭐ Address the fact that adolescent mental health isn't about feeling good, calm, or relaxed, but about having the right feelings at the right times, and knowing how to manage those feelings effectively.

⭐ Offer guidance on how to help teens open up, and how to keep teens from being overwhelmed by their emotions or feeling at the mercy of their moods.

⭐ Provide concrete strategies for supporting teens as they manage their feelings at home, with their peers, online, and at school.

Student Program Volunteers Needed!

LHE PTA is working to bring more after school enrichment programming to our school, but we need your help to make this happen. We are looking for volunteers to help with signing students in and out of programs and provide general support.

We currently have needs for:

• Comic Books: Monday 2:30-4:00
• Spanish: Monday 2:30-4:00
• Drawing: Wed or Fri 2:30-4:00 waiting to start at our school. 

If you are interested in volunteering, email Jill so we can bring these programs to our students. 

Kid Art Volunteers Needed for the LHE Auction

Every year each classroom contributes a beautiful piece of artwork to be sold at the auction to raise funds for our school. We are looking for volunteers to coordinate a Kid Art project for each classroom. 

Here's how it works:

1. You will come up with an idea that allows all the children in the classroom to participate/collaborate. 
2. You will then gather materials and coordinate with the teacher for the classroom you are volunteering for to come in to create the art. 
3. Then assemble the project and submit it to be displayed and bid on at this year's auction.

• PTA will reimburse up to $75 for materials (receipts must be submitted).

If you are interested in volunteering or have questions and would like more information, please email Amber Kolln.

Art Room Volunteers Needed!

The Art room needs four volunteers or about four hours a week of help. No experience in art is necessary. You will be cutting paper, prepping projects, loading the kiln, and cleaning supplies. Volunteers are welcome anytime during the day and days and times can be flexible based on your schedule and needs. 

Thank you for your support. Please email Ms. Cissell with questions and/or interest.

Join the Loyal Heights PTA!

It's not too late to join! Through events and fundraising, we are able to help with instructional support of teachers, facility improvements, enrichment programs (such as Science Fair, Student Council, the Arts, Equity Round Table, etc!) and so much more! Membership is only $15, and comes with zero obligations.

Our success depends on our members. If you registered in prior years, you will still need to renew your membership for this school year. Please help us reach this goal while supporting the work and programs the PTA provides all year.

JOIN HERE

Please contact the membership chair with any questions.

Volunteer at Loyal Heights!

Our school is always looking for volunteers to help with programs, events, and classroom activities running. When volunteers commit to serving at a school, students achieve higher grades, have access to more opportunities, and gain community connections to help them thrive.

IMPORTANT: All returning AND new volunteers for the 2022-2023 school year are required to have an approved Volunteer Application on file.

Returning volunteers: If you plan to volunteer in any capacity during the 2022-2023 school year, please make sure that your Volunteer Application is approved and up to date before you start volunteering.

New volunteers:  All volunteers must complete a Volunteer Application Form online which includes completing an online training video (Adult Sexual Misconduct Prevention Safety), and background check. Instructions for updating and completing Volunteer Applications can be found here.

Please Note: Mr. Steve receives Volunteer Status Updates from the district once a week on Wednesdays. Please make sure that your applications are completed/updated at least 2 weeks before you plan on volunteering. Updates and applications created after Tuesday evenings will not be reviewed until the following Wednesday.

Contact Steve Beaulieu in the office for more information or to confirm your Essential Volunteer status.