News from your North Beach PTA
October 10, 2019
Dates to Remember
- Friday, October 11: NO SCHOOL
- Tuesday, October 15: PTA Meeting, 6:30 p.m. NB Library, ALL are welcome to attend
- Thursday, October 17: School Board Candidate Forum, 6:30-8 p.m., NB Lunchroom
- Tuesday, October 22: Flu Shots (consent form required)
- Friday, October 25: Harvest Carnival, 6:00 p.m.
SPECIAL PTA EVENT: School Board Candidate Forum - Please attend!
On Thursday, October 17, 6:30-8pm, the PTA is hosting an educational forum for the school board candidates in November’s election. Their term lasts four years so this election will greatly impact your child’s educational future at Seattle Public Schools. Each candidate will introduce themselves, followed by a discussion on topics that may include but are not limited to: funding, educational equity, school conditions, enrollment, and school safety. Arik Korman, communications director of the League of Education Voters and a North Beach parent, will moderate the forum. Candidates who have thus far confirmed their attendance include Eric Blumhagen and Liza Rankin for District 1, Lisa Rivera Smith for District 2, Chandra Hampson and Rebecca Muniz for District 3, and Leslie Harris and Molly Mitchell for District 6.
What Issues Should the School Board Candidates Discuss at Next Week’s Forum?
We’re currently compiling questions for our moderator and would appreciate your input: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/NBEforum. Come on Thursday, October 17th, to hear the candidates’ responses to your questions!
If you would like to make any suggestions of topics before then, please feel free to email me (Suzanne Hurley) at president@northbeachpta.org.
A Note from Our Principal
Dear North Beach Families and Community,
It's hard to believe it’s mid-October already! This week our K-2 students enjoyed meeting Julie Fogliano, Ezra Jack Keats Award winning author, and Christian Robinson, Caldecott and Coretta Scott King Honoree illustrator. It is so inspiring to hear the personal stories of the creative process from published artists. Once again, we’re grateful to our local independent bookstore, Secret Garden Books, for making this experience possible for our students.
As we look forward to next week, we will be participating in the Great Washington ShakeOut. This is a multistate emergency preparedness drill that Seattle Public Schools participates in every year. We teach our students what to do in the event of an earthquake occurring. The drill will take place at 10:17 a.m. on October 17th. You can find additional information at https://www.shakeout.org. Your child's teacher will help prepare students to be aware of different scenarios at school in an age appropriate manner. We will be spending time this Friday when school is not in session reviewing our safety plan with staff.
Please enjoy the long weekend and we look forward to seeing our students back on Monday ready to learn!
Kristine McLane, kemclane@seattleschools.org
Principal, North Beach Elementary
206-252-1510
From the office
The temperature took a surprising drop this week. Please send your students in with warm coats as well as mittens and hats. It is also good to have a conversation with them about wearing them at recess.
Sarah & Carolyn
Counselor’s Corner
We are in our fifth year of a grant-supported program called North Beach Book of the Month. Each month, we use an aligned piece of literature to focus on a particular skill, character trait or issue. The majority of these books highlight diverse and under-represented characters, cultures and/or authors and illustrators. At the beginning of each month, all teachers, K-5, read the book to their classes and lead a focus lesson. During the month, classes participate in supplemental activities and discussions highlighting the focus of the month. Our goal is to encourage positive student behavior while introducing students to diverse characters and cultures. The program also builds our school-wide sense of community while modeling a passion for reading. You can support your student by asking about each Book of the Month.
North Beach Book of the Month 2019-20
September: Kindness Snippet Jar by Diane Alber (Kindness)
October: Steps and Stones: An Anh’s Anger Story by Gail Silver; (Meta Moment)
November: The Zax by Dr. Seuss (Blueprint)
December: District Gender Identity Awareness Kit books (Respect – for self and others)
- K: Introducing Teddy by Jessica Walton
- 1 st : My Princess Boy by Cheryl Kilodavis
- 2 nd : Jacob’s New Dress by Sarah and Ian Hoffman
- 3 rd : Is that for a Boy or a Girl? by S. Bear Bergman
- 4 th : I am Jazz by Jessica Herthel and Jazz Jennings
- 5 th : Red: A Crayon’s Story by Michael Hall
January: Wilma Unlimited by Kathleen Krull (Grit, Perseverance)
February: Pies from Nowhere: How Georgia Gilmore Sustained the Montgomery Bus Boycott by Dee Romito (Cooperation/Unity)
March: First Day in Grapes by L. King Perez (Assertiveness, Bravery)
April: Each Kindness by Jacqueline Woodson (Compassion, Empathy, Be an Upstander)
May: Ricky the Rock that Couldn’t Roll by Jay Miletsky (Inclusion, Friendship)
June: Malala’s Magic Pencil by Malala Yousafzai (Strength, Empowerment; One Person Can Change the World!)
PTA Spotlight on Volunteers
This week’s spotlight is all who volunteered to be Room Parents this year. Some have been organizing Halloween and Valentine’s Day parties for years, while others are just learning the joys of wrangling parents. A hearty thanks to all of you! Thanks to Jodi Somm for organizing the tickets for North Beach at the Sounders game. Our Seals helped propel the Sounders to victory!
Harvest Carnival Friday, October 25th 6:00-8:30 p.m.
The North Beach Elementary PTA’s Harvest Carnival is right around the corner! Enjoy fun for the whole family with carnival games, a scavenger hunt, fun filled crafts, delicious food, a community service project, and more!
SKIP THE LINE! Pre-order punch cards are via Konstella. PLACE YOUR PUNCH CARD ORDER HERE
We need VOLUNTEERS the night of the event! SIGN UP HERE!
Older siblings (middle and high school) are also welcome; volunteer hours are available.
Questions? Contact Beth Carman at bb.carman@greentab.net
Flu Shots are coming to North Beach School!
Protect yourself, your child, and your community from the flu. The best protection from influenza illness is by having a flu shot. Flu is a leading cause of work and school absence, as well as, hospital visits in the winter. School Nurses are leading the effort to get a large percentage of our total student population vaccinated against the flu.
Seattle Visiting Nurse Association nurses return this year to administer annual flu shots at school on Tuesday, October 22nd from 1:00-3:00 PM. Students (ages 4 and older), staff and community members can sign up to get the flu shot. All SPS insurance is accepted and most forms of insurance (including Apple Health and Medicaid) and cash or check ($40) are accepted. Families who have no insurance can write “No Insurance” and the student can still get a flu shot.
A thimerosal-free vaccine is available for pregnant women. The double dose version recommended for adults over age 65 is not available.
The consent form needs to be completely filled out and returned to the school office as soon as possible. Consent forms were sent home in KidMail and can be found on Konstella.
Questions?? https://www.seattleschools.org/cms/One.aspx?pageId=53774927&portalId=627#fluschool or contact your School Nurse, Julie Kaloper, RN jkaloper@seattleschools.org or 206-252-1517.
Help to protect yourself, your loved ones and our entire school community—get your flu shot!!
Attention 5th Grade Families
We are looking for 2-3 more parents who are interesting in helping out with fundraising for the annual Islandwood camping trip.
The fundraising effort helps lower the cost for all students, so it is a great way to get involved and help out in a tangible way. Also, most things can be done outside of regular business hours, so this is a good option for working parents as well! Duties may include the following:
decide on which fundraisers to do
print and distribute forms as needed
facilitate the Cake Walk at the winter dance
coordinate, and communicate, fundraiser details
keep track of funds raised
If you are interested in helping out, I am looking forward to hearing from you!
Chantel (Savi's mom), email: chantelfrizzell@gmail.com, call or text: 207-518-3528
Looking for Authors and Illustrators!
We are looking for North Beach family members that are published authors and illustrators to highlight at an upcoming literacy night. Please contact Tara Nessan tara.nessan@me.com to be included.
Morning Drop Off and Afternoon Pick Up
Mornings can be quite hectic around the school so please observe the following guidelines to keep our children safe:
- Do not park in the drop off lane in front of the school. This lane is for children exiting the car quickly. Have your child ready to go before you get in the line.
If you would like to walk your child to the front door or to their classroom, please park in a legal parking spot in the neighborhood. Do not park in the drop off lane.
Cross only at crosswalks. Do not cross in the middle of the street.
Speed limit in front of the school is 15 mph.
Parking around the school is limited. Do not park within 30 feet of a stop sign or within 20 feet of a marked or unmarked crosswalk.
No U-turns on 24th Avenue, or using 91st Street to make a U-turn.
No parking in the bus zone (even when no busses are present)
Parallel parking only in front of the house at the NW corner of 24th and 91st. Let's also be good neighbors and not block their mailbox.
No parking facing the wrong direction.
Do not leave your car running, if unattended.
Do not leave your child unattended in a running car.
Seattle Police regularly patrol the area and will issue tickets!
Community News & Events (These programs are not endorsed by either North Beach PTA or SPS. This information is posted for informational purposes only.)
"How to Talk to Kids about Death" - Town Hall discussion
How do you talk to kids about death? Author Caroline Wright wondered the same thing when she was diagnosed with an aggressive, terminal brain cancer as a mother to her young sons. She has written a children’s book to help children know the undying love of a parent, and she joins the Town Hall with a mission to help other parents find hope and agency with similar diagnoses. A panel of leading experts in the fields of children’s bereavement and cancer will join her to discuss the complicated issue of what to say to our kids to comfort them when facing loss. For more information visit, https://townhallseattle.org/event/caroline-wright/ and
https://www.konstella.com/app/school/59bc8f8ce4b0996f734081bb/announcements/5d9e50efe4b0f50c8b6ec0ad
Ballard High School Playmakers
The Ballard High School Playmakers will present three dynamic theatrical productions this year. We appreciate you sharing this news with students and families.
Radium Girls | October 17, 18, 19, 24, 25 and 26, 201
A hundred years ago, radium was a miracle cure used to fight cancer. It was quickly commercialized and used in products for consumers, including luminous watches that glowed in the dark. Radium Girls tells the story of the New Jersey factory girls who hand-painted the dials until they mysteriously became ill, started dying, and ultimately fought back.
Musical Theater production:
Xanadu | March 18, 19, 20, 26, 27 and 28, 2019
This comedy musical is based on the film which starred Olivia Newton-John. It’s 1980, and Venice Beach chalk-artist Sonny is frustrated by his mural of the Greek muses. A Greek muse named Kira dispatches to L.A., disguised as a human to encourage him in his art. Together they dream of opening a roller disco club named Xanadu. Xanadu is a love story with legwarmers and campy music.
Rumors | May 7, 8, 9, 14, 15, and 16, 2019
Set in the 1980s at a large home just north of Manhattan, the deputy mayor of New York has accidentally shot himself. As four couples gather for a 10th anniversary wedding party, the mayor’s lawyer must quickly concoct a story to avoid a scandal. Speculation quickly piles up, leading to laughable, ludicrous moments. Rumors is written by Neil Simon.
Tickets
$15 for adults and $10 for students/seniors. Advance tickets are now available at https://showtix4u.com; (search for “Ballard High School.”) To request discounted season or group tickets, please contact Shawn Riley at smriley@seattleschools.org.
View the full press release at:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1fhHSRRI9svVzsDsP9Y-HwHw8MV_mQxdZkAimqtSdFTg/edit?usp=sharing
If you'd like more details, please contact me at 206-465-9532, rhenda@rhendameiser.com.
Before/After School Programs
Boys & Girls Club
Hours: 7:00 - 7:50 am and 2:25 am - 6:00 pm M-F
Questions? 206-582-3512 or choover@positiveplace.org.
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
Illumination Learning Studio
Illumination Learning Studio provides After School Programs for children K-5. We provide transportation after school each day. This is an arts-focused educational program. Please visit our website for more information https://www.illuminationlearningstudio.com/.
Beachcomber Email
Article submissions for this newsletter are due by 5:00pm Wednesdays. Please send articles to beachcomber@northbeachpta.org
About North Beach Elementary
PTA website: northbeachelementary.org
School website: northbeaches.seattleschools.org
Email: beachcomber@northbeachpta.org
Website: northbeachelementary.org
Location: 9018 24th Avenue NW Seattle, WA 98117
Phone: (206) 252-1510
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/northbeachpta/
Twitter: @sealsnorthbeach