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.

Got the chops to be Bryant’s Playground Supervisor? Paid position available!

Kathy Austin

New Playground Supervisor Needed: Paid Position!

Do you have a few extra hours in the middle of your school day? Do you love being outside? If so, we’d like to hear from you! One of our current playground monitors (Spencer) is moving on, and we are looking for someone to replace him. Ideally, we hope to find someone who enjoys working with young children, has good people skills, and is looking for a part-time position in a school setting. As a key member of our staff, this person works with our teachers and one other playground supervisor to keep our students safe and well during our lunch and afternoon recesses.

This PTSA funded position pays $13 hourly, with a daily time commitment between 10:30 and 1:30 pm. We are looking to hire someone as soon as possible, who will begin in early January. If interested, please contact Julie Pearson, Assistant Principal, or at 206-252-5200.

Parents, 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.

Questions? Ready to donate? Get in touch with us. Thank you!

Introducing Bryant’s PTSA Parent Speaker Series!

Kathy Austin

As parents we share many of the same concerns. When do we cut off screen time? How do we broach the dreaded sex talk? What can we do we ease our kids’ test taking anxieties? We’re all figuring it out but it would be great to add some tools to our parenting skill sets.

We’re excited to announce the Bryant PTSA 2016-2017 Speaker Series. We will be hosting 3 expert speakers on these parenting topics at PTSA meetings this year to support you! First up, families and technology.

Raising Kids and Finding Balance in a Digitally Connected World
Monday, December 12th at 7 pm
Please welcome our very own Emily Cherkin, a Bryant parent, parent educator and academic coach, to December’s PTSA meeting. Emily will use recent data to help us develop realistic goals for our kids (and ourselves!), and find better balance in our lives when it comes to screens and technology. We’ll discuss:

★ Raising your “Digital Natives” (and what that means)
★ Current research on screen use for kids and teens
★ The impact of screens and technology on brain development
★ The pull of screens and technology for kids AND adults
★ Tools and resources for creating a balanced “tech-positive” family environment

**LASER will be providing babysitting from 6:45 – 9:15pm – $10 per kid**
Sign up for LASER babysitting @ laserchildcare.org.