![]() QAE staff and parents have worked hard to on Hiring Teams over the past 3 weeks to hire outstanding new teachers. After screening over 350 applicants from all over the world, completing reference checks on all short-listed candidates and interviewing for primary, intermediate and specialists, we are thrilled to welcome the following new teachers to our community. UPDATE - we'll be hosting an informal meet and greet with our new teachers on Thursday, May 9th, 6:30-7:30pm at the Big Howe playground. Stop by to meet the new staff and let your kids run and play. We'll have some munchies, but feel free to bring a picnic dinner. At least 5 new teachers have confirmed that they will be there! Primary staff (K-2nd Grade) Jerrika Dickerson is currently a 1st grade teacher in Haltom City, Texas. Chosen to be her school’s Teacher of the Year in 2018-19, she brings her enthusiasm for multiage classes and her passion for learning and teaching to QAE. She was a member of her school’s Building Leadership Team, she was selected to be on a district-level collaboration team on math curriculum development and advanced learning programs, and she was on a school-based team to launch her school as a specialty school. “I am greatly looking forward to my first year as a Seattleite educator at Queen Anne Elementary this year! I graduated from Dallas Baptist University in 2017 and have been teaching the most wonderful first graders in Texas for the past two years. I am a Colorado native, and a Texan by marriage, but my husband and I are anxious to begin our next adventure in North Seattle this summer. To me, education is more than a passion, it is my calling. I am dedicated to learning beside my students as we tackle new challenges and continually grow. I am overjoyed to be joining the learning movement at QAE and invest in the creative community that thrives here. My simple joys include reading everywhere, all the time, the smell of roasted garlic, and shopping local! I also love cooking my husband a "phenomenal" dinner, swimming, and coffee dates. I just can't wait to meet you!” ![]() Maddie Ginder was a Kindergarten Team Leader in Orlando, Florida before moving to Seattle in 2018. She has been a SPS guest teacher, including teaching at QAE during the past year, so we are excited to welcome her permanently to our community. She finishes her long-term substitute position as Reading Specialist at Blaine in June 2019. Maddie will officially become Maddie Scannapieco this July. “I am very excited to be joining the QAE community! After growing up on Bainbridge Island, I attended Rollins College in Winter Park, Florida where I received my bachelor’s in Elementary Education while playing college soccer and soaking up the sunshine. Following Rollins, I taught kindergarten at an incredible school named Grand Avenue in the heart of downtown Orlando. I fell in love with teaching primary grades during this time and knew this is where I wanted to be. In 2016 after I had to go on an unexpected sick-leave from teaching, my fiancé Nick and I, and our puppy Finn moved home to Seattle to be closer to family. I have spent the last 2 years transitioning back into my love of teaching as a substitute for Seattle Public Schools, most recently as a long-term Reading Specialist at Catharine Blaine K – 8 School. I am incredibly grateful to have my health back and to be able to do what I love most, teach! This summer my fiancé Nick and I are getting married on Bainbridge Island and we cannot wait! Outside of our careers, you can find us outside hiking, exercising, exploring the PNW, eating good food, reading, watching movies and spending time with our family and friends!” ![]() Rachel Scheer is a National Board-Certified teacher in literacy, has 8 years’ experience as a lead teacher and 4 years’ experience as a Literacy and Learning Specialist. She brings her passion for teaching and her expertise in multi-age teaching to QAE. “My favorite part of teaching is following student questions and interests and all of the unexpected places they take us! Over the past eight years I have taught fifth, first, and fourth grades and a 2nd/3rd grade multiage class. I absolutely love being a lifelong learner beside my student. I grew up just outside of Washington, D.C. area and attended the College of William and Mary in Virginia for my undergraduate degree. I later moved to Philadelphia to attend the University of Pennsylvania for my graduate degree in education. After years of living on the east coast, I picked up and moved to Seattle in 2014. I instantly felt a connection with this dynamic city and the surrounding mountains and water. I never want to leave! I currently live in Capitol Hill with my husband and two cats. If it’s nice out you can find us on our porch with friends. You might also look for me on my yoga mat, on a hike, or at my artist table writing and illustrating comics!” ![]() Marissa Vogel is currently a Kindergarten teacher at Olympic View Elementary. With her M.A in Teaching, she brings enthusiasm for working with diverse populations and her leadership in partnering with staff and parents on learning and community events. “I grew up in Colorado and went to college at Gonzaga University in Spokane, Washington, where I received my bachelor’s degree in Psychology. I then moved to Seattle to get my master’s degree in teaching at Seattle Pacific University. I live in Seattle with my husband, Sam, and I enjoy traveling, being outdoors, cooking, and spending time with my friends and family. I am very excited to be a part of the QAE community!” ![]() Intermediate Staff (3rd-5th Grade): Mike Backman is currently a 5th grade teacher at Midway Elementary School in Des Moines, WA. He has taught 5th grade for four years and been a lead teacher on their ReadyMath program. He has taught in both the U.S., Ireland and Thailand, which allows him to bring his knowledge and appreciation for culturally responsive teaching to his students and families. “I couldn’t be more excited to be a part of the Queen Anne Elementary team! I have been working in education for the past 6 years after earning my B.A. from The University of Iowa and my M.Ed from Seattle University. After graduating from Iowa, I spent time teaching in Ireland, Thailand and Minnesota before I decided to move to the pacific northwest 4 years ago to teach 5th grade. I fell in love with Seattle immediately and have never looked back on my decision to move west from snowy Minneapolis! When I am not in the classroom, I enjoy spending time outside hiking, running, reading, and drinking coffee. I am thrilled to start this new chapter and can’t wait to meet everyone who makes the Queen Anne Elementary community great!” ![]() Liz Hartmann is an experienced 4th grade teacher who is currently a professor at the University of Washington coaching elementary pre-service teachers with innovative instructional practices. She completes her doctorate program in July and can’t wait to get back to the classroom to focus on learning and research-based teaching with students and their families. “I’m excited to be joining the Queen Anne community this fall! Originally from Southern California, I taught in Los Angeles before moving to Seattle to study curriculum and instruction at UW and to coach preservice teachers in Seattle schools. I took a two-year break from my studies to teach at the University of Fukui in Japan and work with teachers in Japan and Singapore on a collaborative project studying project-based learning. After teaching mathematics education courses for Western Washington University and finishing my doctorate at UW, I couldn’t be more thrilled to be back in the classroom! All my experiences have led me right back to the most important part about teaching: students. I’m excited to join a school community that focuses on students’ social and emotional learning and project-based learning. Outside of the classroom, I enjoy cooking and trying new foods, hanging out with my partner and our dog Ginger, traveling, and doing anything that gets me outside, like hiking and rowing.” ![]() Elizabeth Thruelsen comes to QAE via an immersion charter school in Los Angeles, California. She has taught in the United States, Turkey and Spain. She brings her 8 years of teaching experience to QAE with a focus on innovative teaching practices, leadership, literacy and technology. She has been a team leader planning professional development and community-based projects, such as cultural celebrations. “I am so excited to join Queen Anne Elementary this year! After spending a decade away from the area, I am so inspired to find the school of my dreams right back in my home. Project-Based Learning, partnerships with parents, and an intentional focus on Social-Emotional Learning? Yep, I knew QAE was "the one!" I studied Spanish Language and Culture and earned my TESOL certificate at Western Washington University in Bellingham. Years later, I returned to school and graduated with my MA.Ed at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles. Over the years I've been so fortunate to have teaching experiences in a public school in Spain, an international school in Turkey, a Catholic school in Long Beach, and a public dual-immersion school in Los Angeles. Every experience in my teaching has reaffirmed with conviction that our children are at the center of education, not teachers. Now, coming into my 8th year of teaching, I can't imagine a better place to be than at Queen Anne Elementary. Outside of the classroom, I am a Pacific Northwest enthusiast: I love coffee-house culture, our excellent alternative rock scene, and a good hike. I'm an active member in a lay-Buddhist organization and recently became a member of the Nordic Heritage Museum. After filling my passport last year, I'm determined to travel abundantly and fill my new one! I'm looking forward to meeting the families and children of Queen Anne Elementary and joining this great community!” ![]() Specialists: Dr. Emily Valdez is our enthusiastic new librarian. She has been a Special Education teacher and ELL teacher, and will now become our QAE teacher librarian. She brings her doctorate in educational innovations and policy and her rich teaching experience to lead our beloved library. “I'm so excited to be a part of the QAE community as a teacher librarian. After earning my BA from Bowdoin College, I traveled the world for a year on my own to get a better sense of what I wanted to do with my life. After a short stint in a software start-up, I went back to school to get my M.Ed in special education. For three years I taught special education in a high school in rural Idaho and decided that I wanted to get my doctorate. I headed for Seattle and started the program at UW. After fifteen years of doing research on educational innovations and policy, I decided that I missed the classroom and most of all I missed daily interactions with students and other teachers. I recently went back to school (again) to get my endorsement in library and media science at SPU where I discovered the best job possible---teacher librarian, which combines my absolute love of books and kids. When I'm not in the library, I enjoy hiking, camping, and playing sports with my daughter, Eva; my husband; and my black lab, Helo.” We'll also be announcing a new art teacher soon! Thank you to our dedicated QAE Hiring Teams: Lorin Belcher, Julie Colando, Jen Dickens, Sarah Goldman, Erin Knapp, Priyanka Jayanthi, Devin Liner, Rachel Marks, Molly Meck, Laura Shaw, Michele Christensen, Leslie Jaynes, Gillian Jorgensen, Sandra Nanney, Pia Silverlieb, Jody Stewart, and Ian Stewart. Many thanks to the additional families and friends who provided child care to make our many interviews possible. Specific teaching assignments will be determined in the weeks ahead once our teams have a chance to plan together. It's that time of year again! If you don't hear from them, please reach out to your classroom coordinator about little gestures for our staff next week. Bringing in a coffee to start the day can really put a smile on their face!
Here's what the PTSA Sunshine Committee has planned for this week. Please contact Kirsty Papadopuls at [email protected] if you'd like to help! Jodie Scott is coordinating showing our gratitude for the Learning Lab staff. Contact Jodie at [email protected] to help with those wonderful folks. Monday: Drawing Blueberry and Juices Staff caricatures by Drawing Blueberry and Pressed Juicery juices! Tuesday & Wednesday: Coffee/Tulips and Treat Yourself! Exact order TBD but one day will be Storyville coffee and make your own tulip bouquets. Other day is essential oil scrubs and sprays and "rocket fuel" trail mix bar. Thursday: All-Staff Lunch Lunch generously hosted by Canlis and Met Market Friday: All-Staff Happy Hour Off site hosted happy hour at the Shelter Greenlake! Thanks to those who helped organize Teacher Appreciation Week. And special thanks to all the QAE staff for the amazing job they do with our kids! Reminder that our entire school starts the week with a Monday Morning Meeting in the cafeteria at the start of the school day. We share topics, recognize birthdays and more. Families are welcome to attend!
Then stick around for Caffeine with Janine starting at 9:10am -- it’s an open forum to ask questions of Principal Roy (and have some coffee). Like many of you, we as the QAE PTSA Board have been processing the news of the group of Queen Anne Elementary teachers leaving for Magnolia Elementary. We recognize this is a wonderful opportunity for these teachers to be part of a starter school. As one parent shared – these teachers are seeds going into the world to grow these communities and children. And we will certainly miss them, celebrate them and wish them tons of success.
But, honestly, we are a mix of emotions. We’re wondering some of the same things you may be – what this means for our school, whether we’ll be able to find teachers as wonderful as those who are leaving, why teachers and families would want to leave QAE. These are complex issues, but we want to highlight a few things we’ve been thinking about:
There is a lot to process, but we feel excited about the long-term future of QAE. Maybe it's because we see Janine's dedication on a daily basis, the strong teachers who are staying or the truly incredible candidates who have been applying. We see new teachers eager to join QAE and drive it into its next phase as a learning community while honoring our Five Pillars and SEL approach. If you have questions or would like to talk, please consider coming to a Caffeine with Janine after Monday Morning Meeting, reaching out to her directly or speaking with a PTSA Board member. Best, Ian, Reem, Sandra and the rest of the PTSA team PS - If you have additional questions you can email them to [email protected] (this will go to Sandra to consolidate) PPS - If you know you are not returning to QAE next year, it would be tremendously helpful if you did the following:
McClure Middle School on Queen Anne is hosting a parent education night on internet safety. They wanted to extend the invitation to all families in the area:
Parent Education Night on Internet Safety with expert, Stefanie Thomas When: March 27th, 2019, 6:30pm Where: McClure Middle School Cafeteria Adults only, please. This is a parent-education night you don’t want to miss! McClure PTSA invites you to join our winter general meeting and free parent education session on Internet Safety with presenter, Stefanie Thomas. Stefanie is an internet safety expert who has worked with law enforcement for the past 7 years in the area of the exploitation of children online. Sharing what she’s learned, she has educated over 30,000 parents in the greater Seattle area. All are welcome. No RSVP required. Session includes:
For more information, please email [email protected] Ms. Roy shared this message with QAE families:
---- Dear QAE families, Queen Anne Elementary community takes pride in our commitment to making our school environment a welcoming and inclusive place for all our students and families. In the following weeks, our students will be reading, learning and having conversations around gender diversity. Every class will be reading books from the K-5 Seattle Public Schoolsgender kit and from other resources we have in our school library. Overall, the K-5 Gender Book Kit aims to:
We want to invite you to come and spend some time with other parents in our wonderfullibrary to see the books we will be sharing with students. QAE School Counselor Paulina Cuevas-Vega and QAE Librarian Natalie Van Stone will have the books and resources from the K-5 Gender kit available for QAE parents to read, discuss and learn together. We think this is an exciting opportunity to get together and have some of those interesting conversations, ask questions and share experiences. We also believe it will be very helpful for you to know the books and the lessons, so you have the resources and tools to support your children around this topic. When: Wednesday, March 27th Choose the time that works best for you:
Sign up by emailing Paulina Cuevas-Vega at [email protected] so we know how many people we need to plan for. We are looking forward to sharing these great books with you! To learn more about the K5 gender kit, go to: https://www.seattleschools.org/academics/curriculum/health_education/lgbtq_programs__curriculum_and_support Corinna Luyken grew up in different cities along the West Coast, and after studying at Middlebury College, she settled in Washington State, where she draws inspiration from nature, her family, and the human form. Her debut picture book, The Book of Mistakes, received four starred reviews and has been praised by Entertainment Weekly, The Wall Street Journal, Nerdy Book Club, and more. Her newest book is My Heart. Corinna Luyken will be at school on Friday, 29 March to talk to us about writing books and how she does it, to tell us where she gets her inspiration, and to answer our millions of questions! Books will be available for purchase at the event, so that your child can get a signed keepsake, personalized by the author. Prices below include tax. Please make checks payable to Secret Garden. Download the form below. For more information, see Corinna Luyken’s website ![]()
The QAE IslandWood Fundraising Team of adults and students is hosting a screening of REVOLUTION on Tuesday, April 23 at John Marshall. We invite you to celebrate Earth Day, April 22, by watching this acclaimed documentary by Rob Stewart which highlights his true-life adventure through 15 countries over four years, and where he discovered that it's not only sharks that are in grave danger - it's humans too. Revolution premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival and won numerous awards, including the Audience Award for Best Documentary at the Atlantic Film Festival, Most popular Environmental Film Award at the Vancouver International Film Festival, the Audience Award at the Victoria Film Festival and the Social Justice Award at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival. It's a beautiful documentary informing, inspiring and motivating positive action for the future of the planet. The this award-winning movie helps to inspire and find out what you can do to help save our environment. "Change starts with education. If people are aware of their impact on the Earth, they'll make smarter choices". - Filmmaker Rob Stewart When: Tuesday, April 23rd, 2019, 6-8pm Where: QAE Lunch Hall at John Marshall, 520 Ravenna Blvd Cost: This is a free community showing with a suggested donation of $5 per adult who attends. Kids are welcome and free! Half of the donations will go towards the Rob Stewart Fund and half will go towards IslandWood Fundraising. RSVP: Please RSVP here to reserve your spots... All are welcome to attend, including families from other schools. We want this screening to be inclusive and accessible to all — if the cost is a burden, please come anyway! The 4th Graders will be selling popcorn, water and other snacks during the film! About the Movie At the age of 13 young Rob Stewart started to practice underwater photography. He grew to be an award-winning biologist, photographer, conservationist, author and filmmaker. In 2012 he released Revolution. It's international release in 2013. Through out his movie he concentrates on the efforts of young people, as they have the most to lose making their motivation high. This movie captures the definition of ocean acidification and how humanities greatest challenge, Revolutuion, ..."won't be stopped until a sustainable human population is reached, human consumption is in balance with the natural world, and the world's ecosystems are restored to full capacity - meaning lakes and rivers and oceans are unpolluted and teeming with fish, and thriving diverse forested ecosystems cover most of the land". The Rob Stewart foundation is loaded with discussion guides and resources for further discussion and ways to take action no matter how big or small. Find out more here... What's inside? Well, you'll have to click to find out. But here's a few hints...Hawaii anyone? Dinner at Canlis? Oh Canada? Oh yeah, it's amazing...and these great items and more can all be yours on Friday!
Preview the catalog here... The online auction is in full swing! Have you placed any bids yet? Take a look at the full catalog now! Here's just a few of the fabulous online auction items: Here’s an Intro to Circus Class for 4 from SANCA, the School of Acrobatics & New Circus Arts! Here's the chance to bring yourself along with 3 friends to attend an Introductory Circus Class featuring Trampoline, Tumbl-Trak, Trapeze, Aerial Rope or Fabric, Juggling, Tight Wire, Rolling Globe, German Wheel, Unicycle, or Chinese Pole. Learn the art and science of American Single Malt Whiskey with this amazing tour and tasting for six at Westland Distillery in SODO! Your child will have an absolute ball with this week at Peter Fewing Soccer Day Camp! Kids ages 5 - 13 will learn and improve their skills and tactical awareness each day by staff demonstrations, practicing and playing. Each day ends with a World Cup game
The Online Auction supporting QAE launches on Monday, March 11th at 5pm! Getting your mouse finger ready and do it quickly. The online auction will only run from March 11th at 5pm to March 17th at 10pm.
Every dollar raised helps support resources for the kids at the school this year, from the counselor to specialists, and provides author visits, curriculum, SEL tools, and more. Visit the QAE online auction site now! And don't forget to share it with any friends or family who'd like to support our school while getting some great items. Here's just a few of the great items that can be yours! Need some culture?
Thinking about summer camp?
Is it time for self care?
Why not indulge?
A message from Shannon Ellmers, our amazing Auction Chair. Can't wait to see you on March 22nd. And be sure to bid during the online auction starting on March 11th.
---- Greetings Queen Anne Community! I am writing to provide more insight into the year’s fundraising auction. You already know it is the biggest fundraising event of the year, so let’s get down to logistics! Attending. Our auction centers around a community building approach to fundraising. In order to make it a community-wide event, we do not charge a ticket price. All are welcome and all levels of participation are appreciated. Giving. Like many auctions, our's is divided between a silent and a live auction. Unlike many events, our auctions are split and held during different dates. Our silent auction is online only and will run March 11-17, so get those phones charged! Our live auction celebration is March 22 at Block 41 in Belltown. The live auction celebration will have a limited silent auction component featuring student photos, class art, buy-in parties, student experience buy-in parties, select baskets, and, of course, a live auction! We appreciate your donations and support! Engaging. We are consistently blown away by the support of our community. Engagement can range from donating an item, to volunteering to help at the live auction, to baking a dessert, to writing thank you cards to donors. Please reach out if you are interested in further engagement - [email protected]! Committing. RSVP to our March 22 live auction celebration! Though we do not charge a ticket price, we do need advance RSVP for planning purposes. Because we do need to cover cost, there are donation range options linked to the ticket site, so feel free to give if you are able. RSVP now... Thank you for your support! We look forward to celebrating with you on March 22! Shannon Ellmers QAE Auction Chair
The QAE PTSA is hosting a screening of The Most Dangerous Year on Wednesday, Feb. 27th at John Marshall. It was named on the best documentaries at the Seattle International Film Festival and has been featured in festivals around the country. It's a compelling story exploring how Washington families (including some from QAE) with transgender children fought multiple legislative efforts to limit their rights.
When: Wednesday, February 27th, 6:30pm Where: QAE at John Marshall, 520 NE Ravenna Blvd Cost: To cover the cost of showing the film, $5 per adult who attends. Kids are welcome and free! RSVP: Please RSVP here to reserve your spots... All are welcome to attend, including families from other schools. We want this screening to be inclusive and accessible to all — if the cost is a burden, please come anyway! About the Movie In 2016 a small group of families with transgender kids joined the fight against a wave of discriminatory anti-transgender legislation that swept the nation and their home state. With the help of a coalition of civil rights activists and ally lawmakers, these families embarked on an uncharted journey of fighting for their children’s lives and futures in this present-day civil rights story. Find out more here: https://www.themostdangerousyear.com/ Our fellow PTSA at Loyal Heights Elementary in Crown Hill is inviting any interested families to attend a Q&A on Saturday with Rep. Gael Tarleton:
----- I am the PTA co-President at Loyal Heights Elementary School. Our community has become increasingly concerned about the state's failure to fully fund education. While property taxes continue to go up, SPS is yet again facing a potential $40mil deficit, and our PTA continues to raise money to support basic education for our kids. In response to our concerns, we have arranged for Representative Gael Tartleton come speak at our school and answer questions. We would like to invite all the staff and families at your schools to attend this Q&A session. When: Saturday February 16th at 10am Where: Loyal Heights Elementary Cafeteria 7735 25th Ave NW Thank you! Natalie Ward Loyal Heights Elementary PTA co-President Get ready for QAE's annual fundraising auction! March 22, 2019, 6-11pm at Block 41 in Belltown!
Get ready to join an incredible community of people who are ready to do whatever it takes to help QAE kids succeed. Did you know the annual auction supports 65% of the PTSA budget? Social Emotional Learning. A school counselor. Reading Specialist. These are just a few of the vital services that funds raised from our upcoming auction pay for. Without your help, these important school service could go away! What you can do to help… Start collecting auction items! We ask all QAE families to donate at least one thing. But please don’t stop there! The more donated items and services you contribute, the more funds we can raise for our school. Potential Donation Ideas (Live or Online) Gift certificates to restaurants, spas, retail stores in our neighborhood and beyond are all sought after items! So when you go out to a favorite spot, just ask - businesses are happy to donate. It's a win-win for them and us! Are you a season ticket holder? Work in the theatre or music industry? Sports, theater and concert tickets are great items to donate. Own a vacation home you'd be willing to rent to a QAE family? Going on a vacation? Ask the hotel/ski resort/b&b/cruise for a donation to the school -- so many places love the idea of being introduced to a whole new community!Camps, experiences, children's classes -- wherever your child attends is a great option! Access to a priceless experience? (movie premieres, private parties featuring a famous chef or sommelier, tours around an interesting workplace) Additional ways you can contribute:
Ready to make a donation? Awesome! Either fill out the attached donation form or submit via the online link: https://qae.schoolauction.net/auction2019/donate_items/new Upcoming Dates
We are incredibly excited to share this night with you all and to help all the amazing Explorers at QAE! Team Auction Shannon Ellmers, Shalini Nilakantan, Sandra Nanney, Jody Stewart |
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SCHEDULE2024-25 On-Site Schedule
7:55am - School Day Begins 2:25pm - Dismissal Wednesday Early Release 1:10pm - Dismissal |