Field Day volunteers needed

Kathy Austin

Come join the fun at Bryant Field Day on Friday, June 17th! Volunteers are needed to help with events for K-2nd grade from 8-10 a.m., and 3rd-5th grade from Noon-2 p.m.

If you’re not able to attend Field Day, but would still like to help, we also need families to fill water balloons (provided), donate sidewalk chalk, and loan large plastic tubs.

***Please complete the SPS volunteer requirements if you wish to volunteer for Field Day. Find the volunteer forms and links on-line or pick them up outside the Bryant office. All volunteers receive an email confirmation once they are approved. Questions about volunteer requirements? Please contact Ann Marie Patterson, Volunteer Coordinator.

Please feel free to contact Julie Matz or Erin Johnson for more information or questions regarding Field Day.

Can you make a plant ID chart?

Kathy Austin

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.

Three ways to help garden at Bryant

Kathy Austin

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

Blood Drive at the Blast, May 13

Kathy Austin

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.

K-3 Science Night: Weekly experiment for Mar 21

Kathy Austin

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

Take a sneak peek at the 2017 online auction!

Kathy Austin

The Bryant online auction opens on March 6. One week to go! Get ready for the bidding fun with a sneak peek at everything the committee has gathered for this year’s auction. See the more than 200 items donated by our local community at 32auctions.com/Bryant2017.

If you love Bryant, and the great community our school fosters and serves, this is an exciting way to show your support. It’s ALSO an awesome way to support the neighborhood businesses that generously stepped up to donate items for our auction. All proceeds go directly to the Bryant PTSA, which works tirelessly to give back to the school that gives our kids so much.

Indeed, our auction builds community on many levels; we’re excited to open it to you now for a preview! What will you find? Here are just a few examples:

  • Gift cards to local restaurants, cafes and breweries
  • Sports tickets and fan packages
  • Museum passes
  • Unique experiences, including a KOMO 4 station tour and lunch with a Seattle City councilmember
  • Teacher experiences, from movie matinees to songwriting lessons
  • Priceless pieces of art, created by our students

So visit 32auctions.com/Bryant2017 today and check out all the great items. Be sure you send the link to your friends and family — all are welcome to bid!

Mark your calendar for the auction, which opens March 6 at 6 a.m. and closes March 13 at 10 p.m. And we’ll see you online!

Questions? Get in touch with us at bryantonlineauction@gmail.com. Thank you!

2017 middle school open houses for incoming students

Kathy Austin

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

We need cool stuff for our online auction!

Kathy Austin

Bryant’s online auction, which in the past was held in conjunction with the Bryant Blast, is moving to March this school year. It will be its own stand-alone event (online, of course), and we need your help to make it a success.

Right now, we’re asking for donations of auction items. What could you give? Who do you know who could give something awesome? Here are some examples of things we’re looking for:

  • Seahawks, Sounders or Mariners tickets
  • Gift cards to local restaurants, bars and pubs
  • Ski lift tickets
  • Vacation rentals
  • Unique experiences (tour a TV station, create and name a burger at a local cafe, etc.)
  • Parent parties (wine tasting, family street party, etc.) The sky’s the limit with this one!
  • Shopping and retail gift cards
  • Movie and theater tickets

The list goes on! We’re asking you to be creative and help us fill the auction with things our community will chomp at the bit to bid on — all in support of our amazing school. The deadline for auction item submissions is Feb. 1.

Ready to donate? Fill out an auction form with your donation and contact information and mail it with the item to the school (or drop it off in the front office). There are also printed forms available in the office.

Questions? Get in touch with us. Thank you!

Bryant’s PTSA Parent Speaker Series: The Anxiety Dance

Kathy Austin

Thanks to those of you who made it out to our latest speaker event on Tuesday. Chris McCurry shared the possible origins of anxiety in our kids and techniques for recognizing and coping with it. If you missed it (or your notes are incomplete!) download some of his information here.

Books for parents and kids
Breathing Exercises Handout
Validation Handout

The Anxiety Dance
Tuesday, March 14, 7 pm
Bryant Library

Noted expert Chris McCurry, Ph.D., is a clinical child psychologist in private practice at Associates in Behavior and Child Development, Inc. in Seattle. He is the author of Parenting Your Anxious Child with Mindfulness and Acceptance published by New Harbinger.

Chris will discuss:

  • The origins of child anxiety in biological factors (temperament, brain development) and early experiences, especially social experiences.
  • The ways a child’s fearful and anxious behaviors function to communicate distress and compel the parent to come to the child’s rescue.
  • Strategies for making this process or “dance” work better: clearer communication, mutual respect and cooperation, better problem solving and coping.
  • When to start the conversation.

** LASER will be providing babysitting from 6:45 – 9:15 pm – $10 per kid **
Minimum of 10 kids is required. Sign up for LASER babysitting here.