I am pleased with the progress that we are making as the middle school curriculum and program continues to evolve and become a reality. I am also very pleased that there are many families who have made the commitment to the Seabury Middle School for next year. While it is challenging to commit to a program that you cannot visit and see in action, there is a spirit of entrepreneurism about the new program that is exciting and engaging. We are humbled and grateful to those who have helped to create that spirit!
I have started to meet with the 5th and 6th grade students on a weekly basis to describe the middle school program, get their input on a variety of topics, and to answer their questions - which there are many of! Today, I asked students to begin to think of a name for the Seabury Middle School division and to come next Friday with a suggestion.
      The Facilities Committee is working diligently to secure a site in the very near future. We have identified three facilities that are of interest and look at each with these criteria in mind:
·        Safety is the number one concern
·        Secure access to the school space
·        Located in the downtown core of the city of  Tacoma
·        Close access to public transportation and key partner organizations
·        Ease of access for pick-up and drop-off of students
·        Close to a public park
·        Is aesthetically pleasing and has good light
·        Has adequate classroom and lab space, an area for break time, space for lockers and storage, and has the square footage for expansion in the 2010/11 school year
·        Parking is close and available
 
     Your input, questions, and ideas are an important part of making this program a reality. We value your comments and perspectives as this program is being built and encourage you to keep those letters and cards coming! Please contact Toby Welch if you have questions about the middle school.

This week we are going to give our kudos to the afterschool Garage Bands that Mr. G has been leading for the last 8 weeks.  On Wednesdays and Thursdays, Explorer students and 6th grade students have been meeting to play music.  Two bands were formed and they ended the session by "wowing" us all with a performance at the Browns Point Pizzeria on Thursday, January 15th.  The walls rang with the rhythm of guitars wailing and bass pumping as the young musicians played in front of a packed house!  These young people were in their own element as they displayed their talents for parents, siblings and friends.  Alot of fun was had by all and, hopefully, this is only the beginning of the future for these young musicians.  Many thanks go out to Paul Gonzenbach (alias Mr. G) for giving the gift of time and talent to work with the Explorers and 6th graders!  He has expressed an interest in teaching another session.  The start date will be announced soon.

 Mark your calendar for the night of March 7th!   

The school is starting to buzz with auction fever.   Classes are busy working on their auction projects, items are starting to come in for both the silent and live auction and teachers are thinking hard about what experiences they are going to offer for bid.  This is a really fun time of year as the community comes together to put on what is always a beautiful fundraising event for Seabury. 
     Just like the annual fund, we rely on money raised at the auction to close the gap between tuition and the actual cost of educating each child at Seabury.  A successful auction is vital for the economic health of the school.  That being said, an auction is only successful if there are fabulous items up for bid and fabulous people to bid on them.  That is where you come in.  We need your help in finding those fabulous items, and we need your fabulous faces and your fabulous friends bidding on those items at the auction.  
     When procuring items for the auction, think about businesses that you frequent on a regular basis.  People like to give to people they know or people they know frequent their business.  Give that business a call or stop by to simply ask if they would be willing to donate an item.  Have a procurement form ready to give to them and voila you have a great item for the auction!  Maybe asking a business for a donation is not your thing, but you have a service that you can provide such as making a homemade birthday cake or chopping and delivering a cord of wood.  Fill out a procurement form and voila you have another great item for the auction.  Get creative.  Procuring for the auction does not mean that you have to go out and buy something.  However, the auction is not a place for your old hula hoop or soap on a rope.  New items or services are best. If you have heirloom quality, gently used items, the auction committee will accept those on a case by case basis.  If you want to clean out your garage, save those items for the PBC rummage sale at the end of the school year.
     It is never too late to start  thinking about a table for the auction.  Ask your friends at Seabury and in your circle if they would like to join you.  We will have tables for 6 and 8 available.  A seat at the table is $65 per person.  Tickets have not gone out yet, but you can reserve your place early by e-mailing me.  Remember, the ticket price includes wine and dinner. 
      If you see Dawn Vitale or Margaret Jacobsen around, please thank them for all of the work they have put into the auction so far.  Dawn is chairing procurement this year, and Margaret is in charge of the day of auction activities.  Also a big thank you goes out to the individuals who have already procured items for the auction. 
     As always, if you have any questions, please contact me at the Advancement Office seaburyadvancement@comcast.net or at 253-952-5944.
 
 Katherine