Issue: #25
March 28, 2016
This Week:
Monday 3/28: Expedition Series: Most Likely to Succeed Movie Screening (7pm)
Thursday 3/31: Class Picture Day
From Your Principal
News from Your Principal 
by John Miner - jminer@seattleschools.org 

Budget
 
Thornton Creek will be adding four classes next year including two high needs pre-K programs.  
 
I am sorry to write this - The budget mitigation request was denied that would have provided a 0.5 counselor. With program growth and program needs, I believe we need both a counselor and an AP.  I am submitting a waiver to the Principal Association (PASS) to split the AP allocation to allow part of the AP allocation to fund a counselor. PASS could deny the waiver. The only other option which I don't know if it is possible is I will ask if the parent group would consider funding the counselor position.
From the Library
Global Reading Challenge and Resources
by Virginia Allemann - vaallemann@seattleschools.org

SPL Global Reading Challenge: Thornton Creek Book Thieves Win All City Final! 
 
Congratulations to the Book Thieves, who are riding high after winning the All City Challenge Tuesday, March 22 at the Central Seattle Public Library!!! Deedee B, Mackie M, Ben O, Niva P, Kajsa W, Sofia P, and Lukas H made up the Book Thieves team. Almost every 4th and 5th grade class was represented in this group!
 
All our teams included students from all 4th and 5th grade classrooms, boys and girls.
 
The kids worked so hard in such a sustained way. They motivated themselves and persisted in their study. Their hard work really paid off. I am thrilled for them! Each student received a medal, a trophy, a frosted cookie (!), an autographed copy of The One and Only Ivan, and ... maybe some other items. City Librarian, Marcellus Turner, will visit our school and provide the team a pizza lunch (date TBD). We also received a school trophy that will receive a place of honor in our trophy case!
 
Thank you all for supporting this program this year and supporting all the Global Reading Challenge participants. We have an extremely "deep field" of great readers and academically strong students. I hope to have many kids step up to the Challenge in 2016-2017!

Resources for our Students

Your children might come home talking about using PebbleGo or World Book Kids or other online resources in the library or in their classrooms. Here's how to get to these resources:

Go to Mary Cooper Library, At right, look under Public Resources for Seattle Public Schools. PebbleGo and other resources are available at that link. From home, enter username studentsps and password access, for all databases.
At Mary Cooper Library, you also have access to our library catalog (Destiny Quest) and links to many useful sites.
From Site Council
Site Council News
by Stacy Earlywine - stacy.earlywine@gmail.com

Auction
We owe a great debt of gratitude to Lissa Armato and Polk Prud'homme for a hugely successful 2016 Thornton Creek Auction.  Your months of effort do not go unrecognized and our entire community thanks you.  In addition, the success of the auction would not have been possible without so many other amazing volunteers and certainly not without the generous support of our families who dug deep into their pockets to ensure our excellent programming continues into next year and into our new building.  Thank you so very much to everyone!

Expedition Series
The Site Council Expedition Series kicks off tonight with a screening of Most Likely to Succeed.  Join us to view this widely acclaimed film that highlights the value in project based (Expeditionary) learning.

The screening will begin at 7pm, Monday, March 28th at Thornton Creek School.  You are welcome to bring members of the community who are interested in learning about what we do.  The film runs 1 hr 26 min and will be followed by a facilitated discussion.  
We look forward to a lively evening of community and celebration of our amazing school!

Hiring
Thornton Creek needs your help. We are hiring nine new positions for next year.  Hiring quality staff is really essential. We are looking for parents who can assist on interview panels for new staff positions, especially parents identifying as underrepresented groups.  

To be part of the interview panel, parents must attend the school district Hiring Training offered once a month.  We have worked with the school district to offer the training Thursday, March 31, 2016 from 4:30 - 5:40 pm in the Thornton Creek Library. 

We strongly encourage as many parents as possible to attend the training, especially those from underrepresented groups.  It is still worth attending even if you don't think you will have time to help with this hiring process because you only need to attend the training once to help in the future and this training is normally done earlier during the day and downtown.

If you can attend, please RSVP Jay Gilvydis at supermas@gmail.com by close of business Tuesday, March 29, 2016. We will try to arrange for childcare if needed.

Archery Team
The Thornton Creek Archery Team, led by our very own Sue Doty participated in the State Tournament in Ellensburg, WA last weekend.  Our 5th grade team took 3rd place overall in the Elementary division and our 4th graders took 8th place overall in the same division.  Congratulations to all of our archers.  They all deserve a huge congratulations for their hard work and sportsmanship.  In addition to our team success TC has 3 archers who qualified for and will be representing Thornton Creek at the National Championship in Louisville, Kentucky this May.  Congrats to Bodhi Earlywine, Sandor Jonas and Lily O'Hara who all placed in the top 10 of their division.  We are all very proud of you!
After School Enrichment Registration is Open!
by Susan Rosebrough - susanrosebrough@yahoo.com and Cathy Donohue, Enrichment Committee Co-Chairs

Registration opened at 8:00 am today! See this link http://tcafterschoolenrichment.weebly.com/ for class descriptions and to register. We are excited to offer a variety of recreational and educational enrichment. Registration is on a first come, first served basis.  Registration will close at NOON on Wednesday, April 6.

Would you like a free class for your student? Register as a provider assistant for that class!  See this link for more information http://tcafterschoolenrichment.weebly.com/i-want-to-help.html.

Questions? Contact: Tcenrichment@gmail.com

From the Transition Committee
Video Footage
by Katie Zissermann - klzissermann@seattlschools.org

Dear Thornton Creek Community,

We are writing to inform you all that the Thornton Creek Transition Committee will be collecting video footage at Thornton Creek during the month of April. We are making a video meant to communicate Thornton Creek's main core values (Learning by Discovery, Student Responsibility for Learning, Teacher Responsibility for Learning, Responsive Classrooms, Parent Partnership in Learning, and Vibrant School Culture) developed by TC teachers, parents, and students. The video is intended to help educate current, new, and prospective families about our school. We hope to show this video at curriculum night, new parent night, evening school tours, and on our school website. We will be following the FERPA permissions parents have registered with the office.

Students without permission to appear will not be included in the video, and no students names will appear in the video. We are really excited to work with our community to make a great video that informs folks about the heart and soul of Thornton Creek Elementary. Feel free to contact Katie Zissermann at klzissermann@seattlschools.org by April 8th if you have questions about the project.
 
Sincerely, 
The Thornton Creek Transition Committee  
Parent Group Fundraising
Want to order a 2016 Thornton Creek Talent Night DVD?
by Kristen Fonken - Kirsten.fonken@gmail.com

  • Fill out the short form - telling us how many you want, your name, email address and select payment option
  • Talent Night DVD will be ready for you end of April or beginning of May
  • Go to the following URL: http://goo.gl/forms/fPKYcf5scz

 This year, you will receive one CD with a HUGE selection of still photography, a video of performance night and a special feature "Talent Night in the making." Proceeds will go to the Thornton Creek Parent Group and will directly benefit programs at Thornton Creek. 

Thank you for supporting your community! 

If you have any questions, please reach out to me.  
Thornton Creek Night at the Mariners
by Erica Lerer  - ericaeirene@yahoo.com
Take me out to the ball game!  Join other Thornton Creek families and enjoy the fun of a Mariner's Game! See our school's name on the big screen during the 4th Inning! The Seattle Mariners are contenders for the pennant this season. Hopes are running high! And the first 20,000 fans will take home Kyle Seager Bobble-Heads!

When: Saturday, May 14, 6:10pm (first pitch)
What: Seattle Mariners vs. LA Angels of Anaheim 
Cost: $15 each ($3 of the ticket will go to the Thornton Creek Parent Group)

A flyer with form for ticket orders will go home in kids' backpacks this week. If you'd like to sit next to friends, please submit the order forms and payment together in one envelope. There will be a box in the office to collect orders.  Ticket order deadline is April 22.

Questions? Email room 14 parent, Erica Lerer ericaeirene@yahoo.com

From the scrip table
by Leslie Cary - scrip@thorntoncreek.org

The scrip team, in conjunction with our school counselor Kristina Miller, is setting up a Helping Hands program to offer financial assistance to families in need. If you are willing and able to purchase an extra gift card to a grocery store (minimum donation of $25), then Kristina will distribute these cards to help Thornton Creek families who are on a tight budget. Please stop by the scrip table and let the scrip seller know that you'd like to make a donation. Alternatively, you can contact Leslie to make arrangements.

Gift cards are always available to your favorite grocery store, as well as Starbucks, REI, Top Pot Doughnuts, Amazon, and others. The scrip table is open before school on Mon, Tues, Thurs and Fri, and after school on Mon and Fri. Stop by today!
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. 

JAMS Music wants you!

Attending Jane Addams next year? The band, orchestra and choir are looking for new members!

Even if you tried an instrument in elementary school and it didn't work out, 6th grade is a great time to try again - classes meet every day for nearly an hour, so you never have to wait a week to ask your music teacher a question, and progress is faster.  Even though we're only in our second year, Jane Addams is already an award-winning music department that has 5 orchestras, 4 concert bands, 3 jazz bands, and 2 choirs.
 
We especially love having piano players who are interested in trying something new and playing or singing in an ensemble.
 
Curious about what instrument to play? Just for fun, try this Musical Personality quiz and send your answers to deschaaf@seattleschools.org.
 

Already play? 
Check out the Friends of Jane Addams Music website at http://www.fojam.org/ for updates about concerts and information on how to get involved!
 
Signups for scheduling an audition with your teacher will be posted soon, too!
 
Questions?
Orchestra (violin, viola, cello, bass): contact Ms. Schaefer: ecschaefer@seattleschools.org
Choir: contact Mr. Gagiu: acgagiu@seattleschools.org
Concert Band/Jazz: contact Deb: deschaaf@seattleschools.org
TC Logo Medium7711 43rd Ave NE
Seattle, WA 98115

TEL: 206-252-5300
FAX: 206-252-5301
In This Issue
From Your Principal
From the Library
Site Council News
After School Enrichment
Talent Night DVD
TC at the Mariners
Scrip
District Approved Communications
calendar icon
CALENDAR 

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

March 31
Class Picture Day

April 5
Site Council Meeting

April 11-15
Spring Break

April 25th
Expedition Series Film Screening

May 3
Teacher Appreciation Day

May 10
Site Council Meeting

May 16-19
Spring Book Fair

May 19
Athletic Skills & Art Show Night

May 23rd
Expedition Series Film Screening

May 26
ELOB Exhibition Night

May 30
Memorial Day - No School

Quick Links


Site Council Information & Meeting Minutes
  
  
  
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.

I would like to thank Pat Boyle and Tracy Fuentes for organizing Science Night. My kindergartener son was so excited to talk about outer space and it was particularly wonderful to have professionals walk around asking the kids questions. Thanks! 
-Karey Kessler
NEWSLETTER SUBMISSIONS
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