Card-making and donation station 
7:35-7:55 a.m. Wednesday, June 21
Bryant schoolyard
Accepting donations of Safeway gift cards,
and checks made out to Sand Point Elementary PTA

Undoubtedly, you’ve heard by now about Charleena Lyles’ fatal shooting at her home in Magnuson Park. The Sand Point Elementary (SPE) community is asking for support for their students living at Magnuson Park’s Solid Ground Housing (Brettler), many of whom lived near Charleena’s family and witnessed her violent death as well the traumatic events that followed.

You may have seen a list of supplies circulating to support the SPE community while they recover, and the well-meaning response has the potential to be overwhelming. Chandra Hampson, SPE PTA Community Engagement Chair, is working with the family and the community, and asks that donations of Safeway gift cards and straight monetary donations be made out to Sand Point Elementary PTA so they can determine the best way to support their students and families.

Please join the Bryant community tomorrow, Wednesday, June 21, at morning drop-off to show support for Sand Point Elementary. We’ll be making cards and sending words of love and support. You can also drop off monetary or gift card donations. If you’re unable to join us but would like to help, you can send your donation through kid mail (checks should be made out to Sand Point Elementary PTA) in an envelope marked ‘Bryant PTSA.’

There may also be ways to help support Charleena’s family and community throughout the summer. We’ll keep you posted through the Big List as we get a clearer picture of their needs.

If you’re struggling with ways to help your child deal with community violence, the website Look Through Their Eyes is a thoughtful resource.

We need a volunteer to make a plant identification chart with photographs of plants and weeds in our Learning Landscape. The chart would need to list common invasive weeds in one section and native plants that need to stay in our Learning Landscape in another section.

Having this chart would make it easier for classes to come out into the Learning Landscape, and for volunteers who would like to work in the Learning Landscape on their own schedule but want clarity about what can stay and what should go.

If this volunteer opportunity is of interest to you please contact Sam Fogg and Pamela Kuhtz.

Contact Sam Fogg or Pamela Kuhtz  for information about how to help with Bryant’s Gardening programs.

Weeding Volunteers Needed

Did you know that the Learning Landscape is maintained by parent volunteers? The school district mows the lawn and occasionally will prune larger trees, but all weeding and managing of the grounds is done by volunteers! Please, help us keep our Learning Landscape. Just dig in and start weeding, or come to a Fun Family Gardening meeting on Fridays after drop off.

Join us for Fun Family Gardening!

Every Friday after drop off, meet in the Hands on Garden for organized group gardening. Help us keep the Learning Landscape ready for students! No experience required and younger siblings are welcome.

If there is a rainy day dropoff, we will not meet that week.

Classroom Garden Volunteers Needed!

We’re looking for volunteers who are able to help garden with classes during the school day. Please let us know if you’d be willing to help out! Contact Sam Fogg at samantha.fogg@gmail.com or Pamela Kuhtz at pamela@kuhtz.eu

Bryant’s 4th graders encourage eligible people in our community to sign up for our Blood Drive. Our goal is to reach 45 donations so we can give life-saving blood donations to our community! On May 13, the day of the Bryant Blast, we welcome participants to donate a pint of blood in the Bryant Library any time from 11 am to 5 pm (closed for staff lunch between 1 and 2 pm).

Our 4th graders have composed persuasive, heartfelt letters, posted on the Bryant Library website.

Sign up and make your donation appointment ahead of time.

Questions about eligibility? Visit the Bloodworks Northwest website. Other questions? Contact Anne Aliverti.

Still Plenty of Spots Left for K-3 Science Night – Thursday, March 30

K-3 Science Night is just around the corner, but there are still plenty of spots available. So, don’t be shy young scientists! I know you can’t wait to dazzle us with your experiments and demonstrations. K-3 Science Night will be held on Thursday, March 30, 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. in the Bryant gym/cafeteria. The deadline to sign up is Monday, March 27.

This week’s featured demonstration is for all of our young engineers. Here’s an opportunity to build your very own hovercraft using items you probably have around the house. It’s an especially great project for using those weird, round, metallic-looking objects called CDs that your parents may still be holding on to. You can find detailed instructions for building your hovercraft at this great Science Bob website, where you can also find ideas for many other easy and engaging projects.

For more information on K-3 Science Night, or to find links to great resources for experiments, please visit the K-3 Science Night webpage.

Natalya Yudkovsky, K-3 Science Night Organizer

All Bryant families are invited to come watch a FREE movie, munch on popcorn and hang out with their buddies while watching …. Bolt!

Friday, February 10, 2017
Bryant lunchroom and Gym
Doors open at 6:15 p.m., movie starts at 6:45 (movie is 96 minutes long)
We will plan to be out of the building no later than 9 p.m.

Read more →

Nathan Eckstein Middle School
3003 NE 75th St

Thurs, Feb 9, 6 – 8 pm
No RSVP needed
Presentation and Q&A in the auditorium for students and their families.

This will be the only time for incoming students and/or parents to see the school. There will be NO daytime visits scheduled.

 

Jane Addams Middle School (JAMS)
11051 34th Ave NE

Chat with Principal Montgomery!
Thurs, Feb 16, 9am (JAMS Cafeteria, sign in at main office)
Thurs, Feb 16, 7pm (Jackson Park House 14396 30th Avenue NE)
Get the answers to your questions you have regarding JAMS and learn how to become more involved in your students learning experience.

 

Morning Open House and Tour – Adults Only
Date to be rescheduled due to weather
Presentation by Principal Montgomery and Q&A in the Cafeteria for students and their families. JAMS student leaders will then take parents/guardians on a tour of the school. Please RSVP at 206-252-4500.

Evening Open House and Tour – Families and Students
Tues, Feb 7, 6:15 – 8:15pm
Meet in the Auditorium for a brief welcome and then families and students will have a chance to visit classrooms, meet teachers, look at curriculum, and learn more about our programs and classes. No RSVP needed.

 

Hazel Wolf K-8 Stem School
11530 12th Ave NE

Daytime tours (9-11am):
Wed, Feb 8 • Thurs, Feb 9 • Tues, Feb 14

Evening tours (6:30-8pm):
Thurs, Feb 2 • Wed, Feb 15

ELL Info Night (6-8pm):
Thurs, Feb 9

RESOLUTION:

Advocating for Extending the “Levy Cliff”[1] AND Amply Funding Basic Education

Adopted by the Bryant Elementary PTSA Board of Directors on Monday, December 12.

Whereas the Washington State PTA holds in its “Top Five” for 2017-18 legislative sessions the legislative priority “Amply Fund Basic Education,” and;

Whereas the “levy cliff” will occur on January 1, 2018, which is nine months prior to the State’s renewed promise to fully fund basic education by September 1, 2018, leaving Seattle Public Schools with a projected $74 million short fall for the 2017-18 school year and;

Whereas Seattle Public Schools will be forced to cut 10% of its operating budget and an estimated 440 staff positions for the 2017-18 school year, and will start going through the Reduction in Force (R.I.F) process to lay off staff and cut vital positions like teachers, assistant principals, and support staff in March 2017 with layoff notices being sent out in May or April 2017 and;

Whereas cutting staff at schools, and cutting needed central services is highly disruptive to the stability of school communities and the whole child, impacting our most vulnerable populations in greater proportion and;

Whereas Seattle students, parents, and teachers should not be forced to go through this disruption because of the State’s failure to amply fund basic education per their constitutional “paramount duty” as they promised in prior legislation;

Therefore be it resolved that Bryant Elementary PTSA demands that the State Legislature remedy the Seattle Public Schools’ 2017-18 school year budget shortfall by committing into legislation by March 1, 2017 the extension of local levy authority through calendar year 2018 AND fully funding staff compensation for school year 2017-18, without cutting any existing basic education allocations and;

Be it resolved that Bryant Elementary PTSA demands that the State comply in full with the McCleary order and the State’s promise to fully fund basic education by September 1, 2018.

[1] The “levy cliff” is the reduction on January 1, 2018 of the amount that local school districts can collect from their local and voter approved maintenance and operations levies, as set forth in HB 2893 – 2009-10.