Issue: #9
November 16, 2015

This Week:

Monday, Nov. 16: Special Education Committee Meeting
Friday, Nov. 20: Pies for Teachers

 

Pies for Teachers
by Lisa Skylynd - skylynd@nurturingknowledge.com

Pies for Teachers has become a fall tradition at Thornton Creek. Please join us in celebrating our teachers and school staff by contributing a pie (or two)! On Friday, November 20th, each teacher will get to select his/her pie choice from the contributions we receive from families so we can send them into the Thanksgiving holiday with lots of love. We need 80+ pies (or other desserts) to make sure everyone has something special to take home.
  
Please sign-up on our Sign-up Genius poll so we can make sure we have a nice variety and enough quantity. Although everyone appreciates a homemade pie/dessert, store purchases are fine, too. Bring your pie to school on Friday morning (Nov 20th) before school. Please include a note so teachers can thank you, too. Thank you for supporting our school staff and an early Happy Thanksgiving!
  
Lisa Skylynd, Amy Roberts, Heather Sorenson, Polk Prud'homme
TC Hospitality Committee
From Your Principal
What do CAS and C54 mean??
Thornton Creek Principal

What do CAS and C54 mean??
Creative Approach designation (CAS) and Board policy C54 supporting alternative education are both vitally important to Thornton Creek.  Our program is invested in both.  The district wants to revise both. If any Thornton Creek parents want to join me in this revision process, please let me know.

Creative Approach School (CAS)
Creative Approach School designation grew out of the political initiative process that ultimately approved Charter Schools in Washington State.  In the years prior to approval, the Seattle school board publically stated that Seattle Public Schools did not need to endorse charter schools because Seattle has a number of Alternative Schools that provide choice in program design to families. In the midst of that politics, SEA and SPS began discussions that culminated in an agreement to designate schools as Creative Approach School (CAS).  In collaboration a process, criteria, and designation was agreed upon.  Six schools were designated as CAS schools three years ago.  Thornton Creek was among the schools that were designated. Our application requested several waivers of expected practice.  The SPS Board only approved one waiver, the right to interview and recommend for new certificated hires and the right to not have to take any forced teacher assignments.  This waiver has been helpful in strengthening and adding to our school culture as we add new personnel.
  
SPS is beginning to review and update the CAS designation process.  I am serving on the CAS Oversight Committee and will keep you updated on the process.

Alternative Education Board Policy C 54.00
The Board policy, C54.00, was developed at the request of the Board approximately ten years ago in an effort to define SPS and Board support for alternative schools in Seattle.  In the introduction to the policy, the Seattle School Board affirms its commitment to alternative education within the Seattle School District. The main issues supported in the policy are:
  • Families, students and staff shared support for the school's philosophy, values, practices, and mission
  • Shared decision making as part of each school's program model
  • The use of formative, classroom-based assessments to understand the skills students are developing to inform teacher instruction
  • Curriculum that is guided by a school's program design
  • A program design that stresses the importance of developing social skills, emotional safety, and a sense of belonging
If revised, these elements of the policy need to continue.  I am working with other principals and district staff on a revision of C54 that will update district commitments and clarify language of this Board policy. I will send you updates as the work with this policy continues.
From the School District
You are Invited! Please come to a Special Education Regional Meeting

 

The Special Education Department will be hosting Regional Meetings for families and the community to learn about changes that are happening in Special Education in Seattle Public Schools. We want to listen to you and hear your questions. Please join Wyeth Jessee, the Executive Director of Special Education; Michaela Clancy, Director of Special Education; Kari Hanson, Director of School Based Special Education Services; the Regional Supervisor for your area; the Special Education Ombudsperson and more Special Education staff. All of the events will be on Mondays. Supervised children's activities, light snack, and interpreters will be provided. Questions? Contact: Margo Siegenthaler at 206-252-0794, masiegenthaler@seattleschools.org 

  
More details and the flier for this event can be found here.  
From the Art Room
Art News
by Maria Callahan - mlcallahan@seattleschools.org

This is the first news article from the art studio this school year. You are probably wondering what is happening in the art studio these days. Well, let me tell you, we are busy!

We had to switch our art room visits from one hour per week to 45 minutes. This has taken some adjusting for all of us, as sometimes it seems like we just get started and it is time to leave. Just recently I think we are all getting the hang of it.

  • Kindergartners and first graders spent some time learning about routines and rituals. We then moved on to drawing people out of shapes (not sticks). This is a skill we rely on often. Three of the K-1 classes have  printed their own field trip t-shirts. More t-shirts to come soon. Now the K and 1's have moved on to 3-D building with cardboard and tape. I love this project because it involves to much problem solving and independence.
  • Second graders have been learning to draw owls based on their owl knowledge from their Expedition on sound. We are now beginning a large owl paper collage.
  • Third graders are have been drawing invented flowers and native bees based on their Expedition. They have also worked either on designing a mandala or creating a class mobile.
  • Fourth and fifth graders spent some time working with positive and negative space and free-form shapes in a beautiful black and white paper design. These should be hanging in the halls soon. We also designed and created paper masks.The fourth and fifth graders also created small works of art to be used in care packages for people in shelters this winter. This project is through the Greenwood neighborhood group, Urban Hands. The students took this work very seriously and created some extremely thoughtful and caring notes and images. Along with this work we read two books, Maddi's Fridge and Fly Away Home. You can find these two books in our school library (thank you, Ginny!). We had some wonderful and caring discussions around these stories.
We are starting a big, exciting all-school project next week. I will let you know all about that in my next news update. Thank you to all those who have been volunteering in the art room in so many ways. We could not do it without you!
From the Library
Library News
by Ginny Allemann - vaallemann@seattleschools.org 

Readathon
Need help logging your reading minutes for Readathon? Two computer stations in our library will be available before and after school to log minutes. Ginny can help kids or adults. Read on!
  
Hour of Code coming....
The Hour of Code is coming to Thornton Creek. The week of December 7, students will be trying out concepts of computer programming during their library time. If you would like to volunteer, especially during times of 4th and 5th graders (I have many parent helpers in the primary grades), please contact me. Visit Hour of Code for more information on this nationwide event.
The Thornton Creek Fall Book Fair
by Dawn Noel Chen - dawnanc@gmail.com

Theme: "Cozy up this winter with books!"
When: Friday Dec. 4th through Monday Dec. 7th
Where: at the University Book Store

Come to the Thornton Creek Fall Book Fair!  The Fall Book fair is free, fun, and an exciting opportunity to support our school library, buy books and gifts, and enjoy special events with our school community.  

During the fair, if you mention Thornton Creek at the register, or use code (TCE) for online shopping, a percentage of your purchases go directly to the school library!  Gift wrap and U.S. shipping are free for books. 

More details to come - stay tuned!
From Site Council
Site Council News
by Stacy Earlywine - stacy.earlywine@gmail.com
TC Site Council Chair
 
Thank you to all those who attended our 2nd Site Council meeting of the year.  There is some amazing work being done by our many committee members and chairs. Additionally, I know many parents are spending time in their children's classrooms, helping our nurse with screenings, preparing to bake a pie for teachers and much, much more.

A big thank you to LaChrista Borgers and all the Village teachers and families for making the 2nd annual Harvest Festival a success despite the less than festive weather.  Thank you!!!  This is what makes our school strong and exceptional.

A few items of business to note:
  • We are in need of Chairs and committee members for our Finance and Safety committees.  Please email me if you are interested or would like to know more. 
  • Our December meeting will be held at the Bryant Corner Cafe.  We will have a half hour social starting at 6:30 and the meeting will begin at 7pm.  Please come and celebrate our great start to the year! 
  • Meeting minutes from last week's November meeting can be found here.
Special Education Committee
by Jenny Benson - jennymossbenson@gmail.com
Please join us! In coordination with the Site Council, we are putting together a Special Education Committee whose goals will be to advocate for Special Education students and their peers, create community, and increase visibility. We would love to have your participation.Our first meeting is Monday, 11/16, at 6:15pm in the Library.

Thornton Creek in now a full continuum school, meaning it has three different types of special education services. Research shows that special education students learn best from their typical peer models. The inclusion program at Thornton Creek is one of the reasons that we love this school and want to make sure the program is robust and fully supported. We would love this committee to have parents from each special education, resource, and access classroom, as well as parents of children without special education needs, and teachers and staff.  

We will be meeting about every six weeks and will determine our specific objectives and projects after the committee is more fully formed. 

For questions, please contact Jenny Benson, jennymossbenson@gmail.com.
Parent Group Fundraising
TC Read-A-Thon Has Begun!
by Debra Glazer - debglazer@gmail.com
 
Let the reading begin!  Our first Parent Group sponsored TC Read-A-Thon began this past Friday.  Your kids hopefully came home with a packet including a pledge sheet and calendar.  If the packet did not make it home, please check out the Read-A-Thon Special Edition HERE, which will supply you with all the information you will need to get started.

Parents, please help your kids with gathering pledges and remember to ask your employer if your contribution will be matched.  Every little bit helps!! 

Next Friday, November 20th, 2015, the students will log their first week of reading into the all school Read-A-Thon database so we can measure our progress as a community.  So, game on TC students...READ, READ, READ!!

Need a few ideas of new books to read...check the bulletin board outside the lunch room for a few recommendations from your fellow TC classmates, and feel free to leave a few suggestions for your friends. Are you an author who wants to share your book with our community?   Volunteer to come in and host a reading group before or after school and help students reach their reading goal. 

Need some motivation to read to your kids, here are a few fun facts:
  1. Reading reduces stress, and puts you in a better mood.  When you read, it transports you and  your worried mind to another place, so you won't feel so overwhelmed with the hardships of everyday life.  A 2009 study found that reading for just 6 minutes can reduce stress levels up to 68%...imagine what 30 minutes per day could do?
  2. Reading expands vocabulary.  The more books you crack open, the more words you'll be exposed to.  Those words will eventually find a place in your own vocabulary.
  3. Fiction books increase your ability to empathize with others.  A study done at the University of Buffalo proved that even though fiction is about an imaginary world, through reading you're able to conceive of other possibilities, and a life beyond our own insular one.
Mark Your Calendar & Sign-Up Now for Winter
Bazaar, December 11, 1-6pm!
by Robin Belz - robinbelz@gmail.com
& Carrie Tzou - tzouct@gmail.com
Winter Bazaar Co-Chairs

The Thornton Creek Winter Bazaar, an event co-sponsored by the Thornton Creek Parent Group and the Thornton Creek Associated Student Body (ASB), is right around the corner, and we're looking forward to a fun-filled afternoon and evening!  This eagerly anticipated annual event is our community's own craft fair and community get-together.  All students who are interested have a chance to create handmade goods at home ahead of time to sell to their peers and other members of our community.  Each classroom also has the opportunity to create a handmade project to sell at the event. 
 
After school, we have limited space for some TC alumni and adult friends of TC to sell
their handmade work, as well as food for sale and a cakewalk. Students and classrooms will sell their items in the gym and hallways from 1:00pm - 6:00pm or until they decide to close up shop.  Students who aren't selling will have an opportunity to shop at the bazaar during their classroom's designated time. Outside vendors (including TC alumni) will sell in the lunchroom from 3:40pm - 6:00pm. Each participating vendor donates 20% of his or her sales to Thornton Creek*.
 
New this year: sign-ups are online and are open now!
To reserve booth space for a current TC student, go here.
 
To reserve booth space for TC alumni and TC friends and family members to sell at the
bazaar, go here.

Students who are working together can share booths!  Just indicate that this is the
situation when you sign up.  We'll also do our best to honor placement requests if your
child would like to be near friends or siblings but not actually in the same booth.  Again,
please include these requests when you sign up.

Thanksgiving break can be a perfect opportunity for kids (and adults) to put in some extra
time creating those wonderful items they're planning to sell.  Remember, items for sale
must be handmade, weapons are not allowed, and food items that can be consumed
immediately (e.g. baked goods and candy, even if wrapped) cannot be sold until school is
over at 3:40pm.  Please also note that it is school policy that no items can be made with
or containing peanuts, tree nuts, or their shells.

The deadline to sign-up for booth space is Friday, December 4, but vendor space is
limited, particularly for outside vendors, so go ahead and sign up before the
Thanksgiving break, whether it's you, your child, or a friend or family member who
would like to participate. 

Even if you're not planning to sell anything, please mark your calendars for December 11
so that you can come join us in this fun community celebration, do some holiday
shopping, and support Thornton Creek! 

Contact Robin Belz and Carrie Tzou with questions.  Thank you.

*The Thornton Creek Winter Bazaar is a fundraiser co-sponsored by the Thornton Creek Parent Group and the Thornton Creek Associated Student Body (ASB). Fundraising profits will be distributed as follows: of the 20% booth fee collected from each participant, Thornton Creek's ASB fund will receive 10%, and the Thornton Creek Parent Group will receive 90%.
From the Scrip table
by Leslie Cary - scrip@thorntoncreek.org

How much does your family spend on groceries in one month? Did you know that a percentage of that can support the school, at no cost to you? For every $100 spent at a grocery store, the school can earn between $3-5. That adds up quickly! Stop by the scrip table today to get cards for your favorite stores (note that some offer even higher percentages). New at the scrip table - Amazon and Lands End!

The next national order will be placed on November 20, at the start of Thanksgiving break. Order cards online (hundreds of retailers available), and pay at the scrip table when you pick them up. Cards will be available the first week of December, in plenty of time for holiday gifts! Sign up at scripzone.com and use our school group ID: 206TCPG.

Volunteers still needed! For more info, contact Leslie Cary.
From the Parents
Enrichment Program Survey - We Want to Hear From You!
by Cathy Donohue and Susan Rosebrough

The After-school Enrichment Program at Thornton Creek is popular with families. In 2014-15, 247 students took at least one class. However, the Enrichment Program has been experiencing some growing pains and was put on hold. The program needs to take a fresh look at how it is administered and respond to concerns from various sources. A committee has been formed to develop a workable solution. Input from the parent community is an essential part of the process. 

Please fill out this survey https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/TCEnrichmentParentSurvey to give your input. We would appreciate surveys to be completed by November 23rd.  We appreciate your feedback!  

If you have any questions, please email the Enrichment Co-chairs Cathy Donohue at catlincoop@yahoo.com and Susan Rosebrough at susanrosebrough@yahoo.com.


District Approved Communications to Families
Please Note: Information below is not specifically endorsed by the school, nor have they been vetted by school staff.
Advertising Review/Approval Process

Per Seattle Public School Board Policy, outside materials must be approved before being distributed. The materials must meet district criteria, be approved by the Office of Public Affairs, and must be pre-printed and delivered to the school with the approval form attached.

 

You can find details regarding the review/approval process here. All requests to include information in the Thornton Creek Newsletter should be submitted via this process. 

The Roosevelt High School Jazz Band performs the Jazz Nutcracker on December 5th & 6th

The Roosevelt Jazz Band is one of the few bands in the United States to have the score for Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn's 1960's take on Tchaikovksy's Nutcracker.  Ellington reworked Tchaikovsky's tunes into swinging versions; 'Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy' becomes 'Sugar Rum Cherry' and 'Arabian Dance' is now 'Arabesque Cookie.' The Roosevelt Jazz Boosters' presentation of Ellington's Jazz Nutcracker is a treat for the whole family.

Performances are scheduled for Saturday, December 5th at 7:30pm andSunday, December 6th at 2:00 pm.  For more information and to purchase tickets, click here or call 206-201-1650.
TC Logo Medium7711 43rd Ave NE
Seattle, WA 98115

TEL: 206-252-5300
FAX: 206-252-5301
In This Issue
Pies for Teachers
From the Principal
From the Art Room
From the Library
Fall Book Fair
From Site Council
Special Education Committee
Read-A-Thon
Winter Bazaar
Scrip
Enrichment Program Survey
calendar icon
CALENDAR 

The 2015-16 Seattle Schools Calendar (in PDF format) can be found here.   
 
Thornton Creek calendar can be found here

November 16
Special Education Committee (6:15-8:15pm)
  
November 20
Bring in Pies for Teachers
  
November 23-25
No School - Parent-Teacher Conferences
 
November 26-27
No School - Thanksgiving holiday

December 4-7
Fall Book Fair

December 8
Site Council Meeting

December 11
Winter Bazaar

December 21-January 1
Winter Break 

Quick Links

 
  
  
  
The Source Children's
Library accounts
Thornton Creek is a Box Tops for Education School

 

Thornton Creek Elementary is a Box Tops for Education school! Look for pink Box Top coupons on products you have at home (e.g. Cascadian Farm cereal), then just clip and drop them in the collection basket just inside the front door of the school. For coupon information, go to:  

www.boxtops4education.com 

Say Thank you

We have a tradition at our school of saying "thank you." If you would like to submit a thank-you note, send an email to ae2newseditor@gmail.com or  click here.

NEWSLETTER SUBMISSIONS
Do you have an article or Bulletin Board item you would like to submit to the newsletter?

Click here for submission guidelines. Click here to send your article to the editors. Content is due Thursday for the following Monday's edition.