News from your North Beach PTA
September 16, 2022
Dates to Remember
- Tuesday, Sept 20: 6:30pm PTA General Meeting & Principal Chat (Zoom)
- Saturday, Sept 24: 1-3pm LGBTQ+ Meetup, Soundview Park
- Tuesday, Sept 27: 6:30 & 7:05 Curriculum Night (in person)
A note from our Principal
Dear North Beach Families:
We’ve had a great start to the 2022-23 school year! Students and staff alike are excited to be getting back to school routines. One of those routines involves regularly scheduled safety drills. We are visited annually by the Seattle Fire Department and on Monday we will have our first evacuation drill of the school year. Because this is the first drill of the year, teachers will review guidelines for drills with their students and it will not be a surprise for them. If you have any questions, please contact your child’s teacher.
Most of you know that staffing is dependent on attendance of students. Attendance is particularly important at the beginning of the year; we are required to report our attendance numbers every day to let the district know where we are in numbers. Come October, adjustments will be made according to how many students have been here from the start of the year. Schools may gain a staff member while others may lose a staff member. If it is at all avoidable, we hope you will consider not taking your students out for vacations outside of our regular weeks off. It would also be very helpful during these first few weeks for any sort of appointments that are scheduled to be in the later part of the day if possible.
Last year we were asked by parents how they could help the school while we were dealing with the challenges of addressing COVID-19. We appreciate all the support offered from lunch volunteers, as well as parents who went through the process to become paraprofessional substitutes. This year, we are still in need of lunchtime help and there is still a shortage of substitutes. Our lunchtime is from 10:50 AM-12:15 PM. If you can commit to at least one day each month, please complete the volunteer application if you are new to volunteering this year, and contact Carolyn Hostetler at cmhostetler@seattleschools.org. We are still experiencing openings for our paraprofessional substitute positions. If you are interested in applying, please click here. Finally, there is a shortage of culinary services substitutes. There are many schools across the district without permanent kitchen managers, and other schools in need of short-term coverage, including North Beach. If you are interested in providing support in this area, please contact me for more information.
Yesterday marked the start of Hispanic-Heritage Month, which runs from September 15-October 15. There are many ways to celebrate and learn about the history and culture of people of Hispanic and Latinx ancestry, and the impact on the Seattle area, with your child.
Have a wonderful weekend!
Kristine McLane
Principal
A message from the PTA
We did Seals! Our students are in school and getting into the swing of things. As we all settle into our new routines it is time to join in our school community and PTA:
A PTA membership is a concrete indicator of parent support and is useful in interactions with the Seattle School District and advocacy on a state and national level. PTA can be a way for you to more effectively suggest change in our school, district, state, and country.
Another important way to get involved with our school community and PTA is to volunteer. Volunteering opportunities abound with the flexibility to volunteer one day at a time or to join a sustaining committee. Be on the lookout for a call for volunteers. For more information about volunteering opportunities, click here.
The first PTA meeting will be on zoom Tuesday, September 20th at 6:30pm followed by a Principal Chat with our wonderful Principal McLane. We will be voting on our PTA’s Standing Rules and giving a simple and fast overview of the PTA.
Zoom Information: North Beach PTA Meeting and Principal Chat
Time: Sep 20, 2022 06:30 PM Pacific Time (US and Canada)
Join Zoom Meeting: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85268119470
Meeting ID: 852 6811 9470
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Counselor's Corner
I want to extend a warm welcome to families new to North Beach and a warm welcome back to those who are returning! I was so excited to finally greet students on Wednesday! For those who are new, my name is Alysa Reid, and I am the part-time School Counselor at North Beach. This year, I am excited to be at North Beach all day on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. Working in conjunction with other North Beach staff members and families, my role is to support students in feeling safe and comfortable at school so they can reach their full potential. My goal is for each student to have a positive school experience. If you have concerns you would like to discuss about your student, please contact me at: (206) 252-1535 or by e-mail at arreid@seattleschools.org. I work with students in classrooms, in small groups and individually and am available to consult with families and provide community resources and referrals as needed. I look forward to working together with you and your students to make this a great year at North Beach!
Volunteers Needed- Room Parents
Looking for a fun and easy way to get involved at North Beach? Sign up to be a Room Parent. Responsibilities include:
- Coordinate classroom needs with the classroom teacher
- Plan and organize classroom events (traditionally Halloween & Valentine's Day)
- Organize teacher appreciate and gifts
- Coordinate and communicate PTA fundraising to parents (classroom auction donation, Big Give information, and Walk-a-Jog-a-Field Day information)
- Communicate PTA information to families
- Classroom yearbook page editor
Welcome Event for LGBTQ+ kids & their families & friends - NEW DATE
Please join us for an event to welcome and support North Beach LGBTQ+ kids and their families and friends!
What: A Welcome Event for North Beach LGBTQ+ kids and their families and friends
Where: Soundview Playground
When: Saturday, September 24, 1pm-3pm
Food: Pizza and juice drinks provided by PTA!
Any questions? Please contact North Beach parent Joanna Braden at joannaunze@gmail.com. We hope you can make it!
PTA Info Booklet
PTA Informational Booklet
The North Beach Elementary PTA has put together an informational booklet that covers all things PTA. This great resource is available on:
Konstella (top menu feed, calendar, etc, under “more”, “files and links”)
Back to School PTA Forms: Boring, but Necessary
Make sure to support our students, school, and PTA by purchasing PTA memberships, school supplies, and yearbooks!
Why PTA? Click here for more information.
Volunteer Highlights
This week we are sending a huge shout out to our Kindergarten Ambassador team: Brittany McFarlane, Crystal Low, and Janine Hottovy. They organized summer meet ups, led an incoming kinder family Q&A night zoom, and helped our new kindergarten families transition into North Beach Elementary. Thank You for your work!
PTA Funding in Action
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Community News & Events
The programs below are not endorsed by either North Beach PTA or SPS, and are posted for informational purposes only.
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Save the Date - Oct 16th - I CAN and I WILL RUN!
Join this fun run to to raise money for Children's Hospital Uncompensated Care Fund.
- Registration opens June 9th and early bird pricing.
- Race is October 16th at Green Lake
- 10k, 5k, and kids dash
- https://www.icanandiwillguild.com/
Use code NBeach when registering so that we can track which Seattle school has the highest participation.
Northwest Boys Choir - auditions
Do you know a boy who likes to sing? Boys ages 6-8 years old who enjoy music are invited to tryout for the Northwest Boychoir! For nearly 50 years, we have helped young people discover the joy of singing, self-discipline and teamwork. No prior training is required – just musical aptitude and obvious enjoyment of music. The Northwest Boychoir is proud to be an inclusive and equitable organization and is firmly committed to assisting families with financial aid. Please Share and #KeepTheMusicGoing!
Research studys seeking participants
UW SMART Center - Seeking parent participants in a study to identify which evidence based practices and strategies teachers and paraeducators use to more meaningfully include and retain autistic children in general euducation settings. Click here for information on participation.
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After School Programs
Boys & Girls Club
Questions? 206-582-3512
Registration Information and enrollment paperwork is available at: http://positiveplace.org/locations/childcare/Pages/northbeachchildcare.aspx
Small Faces
The school-aged program at Small Faces serves kindergarten through fifth grade children. At the end of the school day, a school bus takes kids to Small Faces Center where they are greeted by teachers and offered a snack before the program activities begin. Doors close at 6pm. Contact Kathy Brockman with questions and to enroll: kbrockman@smallfaces.org
Washington Karate After School Program
Transportation is available up to five days per week from select Seattle Schools and the dojo is located conveniently near the Greenwood Fred Meyer. Students have snack and homework time and a one hour karate class, where they learn skills and discipline. For more details visit www.washingtonkarate.com or call (206)784-3171.
Support North Beach Elementary When You Shop!
Amazon Smile: 0.5% of eligible purchases back to North Beach!