News from your North Beach PTA
October 1, 2021
Dates to Remember
- Friday, October 8: No school, State In-Service day
- Tuesday, October 12: 6:30pm PTA meeting
- Monday, October 18: 7:00pm Principal Q&A
A Note From our Principal
Dear North Beach Families:
We’ve finished our first week of fall weather! Because elementary kids need activity throughout the day, North Beach has had a policy for several years of going outside for recess unless the weather is extreme. Please make sure your child comes to school prepared to go outside when there may be rainy weather. We experienced our first day in the playcourt when the surface got wet. We’re working with the PTA on seating for students. In the meantime, we’ll be able to use lunch trays if the ground is wet so students won’t have to sit on a wet surface. Also, please encourage your child to eat under the tent. Some students are resisting coming under cover when it is raining while they are eating their lunch, resulting in wet clothing for the remainder of the day. Teachers will be sending a brief lunch survey to families this week. We appreciate receiving input on school lunch preferences. Please contact your teacher if you don’t receive the link.
As a follow up to our Principal Q&A meeting, we’ve put together a compilation of questions and answers. You can find information here.
Finally, at this time I’ve been informed that in the event there is a positive COVID case involving students or staff at North Beach, only families of students in classrooms that have been impacted will be informed. Moving forward, I will work on alternative methods of keeping you updated. One way you can stay up to date is by viewing the SPS COVID-19 dashboard.
Have a wonderful weekend,
Kristine McLane
Principal
From the Office
Thank you for parking safely. No incidents in quite a while. Keep up the good work.
Reminder: Every Wednesday is early dismissal, 1:10pm. While it is an early dismissal day for students, it is not so for staff. We need students picked up promptly at 1:10pm so that we may continue with our work and/or attend our staff meetings.
Online payment for student devices
Laptops and iPads were distributed to students over the past two weeks. The cost for students to participate in the SPS 1:1 device program is $25/student. You can pay this fee through the online school pay program. Click the link below for instructions. If you need financial assistance to cover this expense, please contact the office.
https://www.seattleschools.org/departments/dots/support-training-forms/schoolpay/
Breakfast and lunch are provided at no cost for all students this year. You can find the October menu here:
https://www.seattleschools.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Menus-ADA.pdf
Counselor's Corner
Next week, all our K-5 classrooms will begin using the new digital Second Step curriculum. Second Step Elementary is a research-based social-emotional learning (SEL) program designed to improve children’s social-emotional skills. Second Step skills and concepts are designed to help children both in and out of school. Four units will cover the following:
Growth Mindset and Goal Setting: Children learn how to pay attention and manage distractions, develop a growth-mindset and apply goal setting strategies to their social and academic lives.
Emotion Management: Children learn to identify and label emotions and use emotion management strategies – including stress management for older students – to calm strong feelings.
Empathy and Kindness: Children learn how to recognize kindness and act kindly, have empathy for others and take others’ perspectives, and recognize kind acts and empathy as important elements of building and maintaining relationships.
Problem Solving: Children learn how to identify and state a problem, recognize if a problem is an accident, and use the STEP problem-solving process:
S - Say the problem.
T – Think of solutions.
E – Explore the outcomes.
P – Pick a solution.
You’ll receive weekly communications from your child’s teacher to help you reinforce Second Step language, skills and goals at home. If you have any questions about Second Step, please reach out to Alysa Reid at arreid@seattleschools.org or connect with your child’s teacher. Thanks for your support as we build a safe and welcoming community for all students.
Konstella - adding your children to their classroom
Follow these steps to confirm your child(ren) are added to their current classroom.
1) Login to Konstella
2) Click on the arrow next to your name (profile) on the top left corner of the page. This will reveal a drop down menu.
3) Click 'Your Children' from the menu. You should see tabs with your child's name to the right.
4) On each child's tab, confirm their classroom is correct. If not, click 'Change Classroom' written in green text. Select the correct teacher from the list that appears. Click "Save".
5) To add a new student, on the same tab listing your child, click the gray 'Add Child' button and complete the information fields and select their classroom. Click 'Save'.
Questions or issues? Email communications@northbeachpta.org. We're here to help!!
PTA News
The rain is here and the kids have had some rainy day lunches. Do you have ideas to improve the student lunchtime experience?
We're considering ideas such as additional tarps/tents, padding for the kids to sit on, etc. We'd love your input! Email president@northbeachpta.org if you'd be willing to join a brainstorming session or if you have a good idea you'd like to share.
Want to get involved this year? Here are some options that range from zero and low time commitments to those that require a bit more.
1) Please complete your PTA Membership and sign up for your yearbook and school supplies on Konstella now.
2) Sign up for a volunteer committee!
There are positions that are highly involved as well as volunteer opportunities you can do from your couch. We're putting committees together right now, so please complete the yellow volunteer form that came home in kid mail or sign up online!
3) Find your community: Join a family affinity groups.
A few such groups will be Families of Color, LGBTQIA families, Military families, Families with single parents, Families New to North Beach, Multi-lingual families, White-identifying families looking to be better anti-racist allies and more!
The mission of the North Beach PTA is to:
- Provide and sponsor programs which enrich and expand the educational experiences as well as the physical, emotional, and mental health of all North Beach students
- Advocate for the well-being of children at North Beach Elementary and across the district and state
- Encourage family & caregiver participation in our children's education
- Support the North Beach faculty and staff
- Link families to important school and community information and resources and facilitate open communication and idea sharing among families and staff
- Foster an inclusive school community, where all are welcomed, equity is centered and diversity is celebrated
* Programming * Fundraising * Volunteering * Parent Ed *Community * Advocacy * Fun*
Celebrate National Latinx Heritage Month
National Latinx Heritage Month is observed September 15 – October 15. We celebrate our Latinx community to recognize the achievements and contributions of Hispanic American champions who have inspired others to achieve success.
Attend local events
- October 6: Author Talk: Silvia Moreno-Garcia
- October 6-13: Young Portrait Explorers
Check out these great books
· “Alma and How She Got Her Name” by Juana Martinez-Neal
· “Separate is Never Equal” by Duncan Tonatiuh
· “Sonia Sotomayor: A Judge Grows in the Bronx” by Jonah Winter
You can find more resources here:
Take the K-5 Math Curriculum Survey
SPS invites all families and community members to complete the K-5 Math Needs Survey to help us prioritize what you think is most important.
To help us build a better math future for all our students, please complete this survey today. Take the K-5 Math Curriculum Survey.
SPS flu vaccine clinics are here!
Getting the flu shot in the next few weeks is optimal for getting through the winter flu season. SPS has partnered with the Seattle Visiting Nurse Association to provide flu shot clinics for the public at schools across the city.
Here are a few that are happening soon and in our neighborhood.
Sunday, October 3, 2021
Ingraham High School 10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Saturday, October 9, 2021
Ballard High School 11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Sunday, October 10, 2021
Whitman Middle School 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
The complete list of times and locations can be found here:
School Board Meetings are online!
Attending School Board Meetings no longer requires driving and parking downtown! The board meets for regular meetings twice a month, and special meetings throughout the month. Reopening plans, construction projects, curriculum - decisions are discussed and made. Email klabelle@gmail.com to learn more about attending a meeting to help us track what is happening. You can find out more here.
Support North Beach Elementary When You Shop!
Amazon Smile: 0.5% of eligible purchases back to North Beach!
https://smile.amazon.com/ch/91-1320831
Shutterfly: 8% of Purchases come back to North Beach!
Shop for cards and photos at www.NorthBeach.ShutterflyStoreFront.com and help contribute 8% to the North Beach PTA!
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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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Ballard’s Oldest Cub Scout Pack Now Recruiting
Cub Scout Pack 100, operating since 1938 and chartered by Ballard’s Our Redeemer Lutheran Church, is now recruiting boys, girls, and parents for 2021-2022. Become a new Scout now!
Boys and Girls from first through fifth grade are invited to join Pack 100 and begin their quest to build the world’s fastest Pinewood Derby car, to have fun outside, to participate in service opportunities, and to earn special recognitions and awards.
Cub Scouting means "doing." Everything in Cub Scouting is designed to have the Cub Scouts participating in fun activities used to achieve the aims of Scouting—character development, leadership development, citizenship training, and personal fitness. When asked what she enjoys about scouting, one of our 1st grade Cub Scouts said “I love to go on adventures and be in nature!”
For more information, visit http://www.pack100ballard.com/, or send an email to join@pack100ballard.com.
School Programs
Boys & Girls Club
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/.
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.
“The Washington Karate program is an excellent way for children to develop physical, mental, and emotional well-being.” ~Dr. Thomas Staiger, Medical Director, UW Medical Center.
Local K-4 Tutor available
Interested, please call Melodie at (971)333-0600.
Beachcomber Email
Article submissions for this newsletter are due by 5:00pm Wednesdays. Please send articles to communications@northbeachpta.org.
About North Beach Elementary
PTA website: northbeachelementary.org
School website: northbeaches.seattleschools.org
Email: communications@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