Olympic Hills Family Newsletter
3-11-21
One year ago today, schools closed in Seattle due to Covid-19. None of us could have known what this year would entail. I know many families who chose in-person learning are disappointed the reopening dates have been pushed back, and I'm sorry for the impact this has on all of you. We are hopeful now that the district and union are working in closer partnership to come to an agreement. The tentative date is now March 29th for preschool and students in the Focus special education program. At Olympic Hills, our classrooms are ready and we are looking forward to welcoming students back to school. Kindergarten and first grade students would return after the 29th, but a date has not been announced. Thank you for your patience, and as always, please reach out to me with any questions or feedback.
I also want to share with you information about our budget for next year. Seattle Public Schools is facing a budget shortfall plus lower enrollment. At Olympic Hills, the unfortunate news is we are losing two classroom teacher positions, half of one of our PE teachers, and one assistant principal position. The good news is that due to typical attrition, we will only have to displace maximum one classroom teacher and we will be able to keep our second assistant principal half time using Levy funding. Also good news is we will have a full time counselor as well as a nurse on campus four days per week. It is difficult losing staff at any time, and we are working closely with Human Resources on this process. Please let me know if you have any questions.
In partnership,
Libby DeBell
Assembly Video
Upcoming Dates
3/11 PTA Science Night! 6:30-7:30 Zoom Link
3/31 Beep and Greet (note this new date)
4/5-4/9 Spirit Week
4/2 All School Asynchronous Day for teachers to do 1:1 assessments with students
4/12-4/16 Spring Break
For Your Information
Our next PTA Meeting is today, Thursday March 11th from 6:30 - 7:30pm. During the meeting Beth Tingey (2nd Grade) and Julia Herman (5th Grade) will walk us through the Science Curriculum, Amplify. If you can, have your student's device close by so you can access the curriculum. In addition, Principal DeBell will join us to discuss students returning to OHE, safety protocols, impact to remote learning, etc.! We will wrap up the meeting with some brief PTA business. We hope you can join us! Zoom Link
Rising Sons Extended Program application now open for Black male 3rd-5th graders! Click here for info and application.
Introducing the Multicultural Cookbook Project! The ELL Department is excited to announce the Olympic Hills Multicultural Cookbook project! We are hoping to gather virtually as a community to share recipes from around the world, and to collect these recipes into a cookbook for every family. We look forward to receiving recipes from all of you!
Important dates:
3/18 – Detailed information regarding how to submit recipes will be in the Family Newsletter next week, with a link to the recipe template and videos of staff sharing recipes, and Mr. Alberto will be doing a cooking demonstration.
4/23 – Due date for all recipe submissions.Lake City Collective Vaccination Clinic for BIPOC community members March 13th: Click here for more information.
Girls on the Run: Registration is now open! Sign up here: https://www.gotrpugetsound.org/program-registration. The cost is a sliding scale and families can choose what cost works for you from $20 to $170, and a full scholarship is also available. Sessions are planned to be all virtual this spring, with a possibility to be in-person at some point. Please reach out to Ms. Stephenson with any questions!
PTA Board Nominations
It's that time again--we need nominations for our elected officers!
Do you know anyone (even yourself) who is interested? The offices of President, Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer are all open. Let our Nominating Committee know by March 24th! Voting takes place at the Membership Meeting on April 20th.
Questions? Email one of the members of our Nominating at the addresses below.
CJ Cousins, carajcousins@gmail.com
Mona Goeser , mona.goeser@gmail.com
Anela Deisler, anela.deisler@gmail.com
Kindergarten and New Student Enrollment
For incoming kindergarten students or new students, registration is now open. Please spread the word and encourage friends and neighbors to register at the Enroll My Student webpage.
Nathan Hale Resources
Technology Resource Center at Nathan Hale: Mondays and Wednesdays 11:00am to 6:00pm, lunch from 1:30 to 2:30pm. Still first come, first served. No appointments can be made.
Family Works at Nathan Hale: Wednesdays 12:45pm-3:00pm. An organization called FamilyWorks is providing Family Support Services to help families navigate various services and resources. They will be staffed with individuals who speak Somali, Spanish and English.
Medical Clinic at Nathan Hale: This year, the clinic is open to students of all ages who attend Seattle Public Schools. The nurse practitioners there can see students who need a physical, vaccines, a medication refill, or to complete medical forms required for school, among many other primary care needs. Services are free regardless of insurance or ability to pay. Call (206) 302-1840 to schedule an appointment.
Olympic Hills Elementary School
School Office Hours and Contact Information:
Monday-Friday 8:00am-3:00pm
- For attendance and technology support, contact Danielle Vaillancourt at (425) 616-2516 or drvaillancourt@seattleschools.org.
- For all other questions, call the main office at (206) 413-2200 or email Joyce Phitts at jophitts@seattleschools.org.
Email: ecdebell@seattleschools.org
Website: www.olympichillses.seattleschools.org
Location: 13018 20th Avenue Northeast, Seattle, WA, USA
Phone: 206-556-6296