Earlier this afternoon Principal Roy shared the following e-mail with the student community. The PTSA wants to underscore the thanks given to Ms. Dudley, Ms. Palumbo and Ms. McCormick for helping us work through this difficult situation. We are relieved that there will be no reduction in existing classrooms at QAE!
-------- Dear QAE Parents/Guardians, Each September, Seattle Public Schools examines initial school enrollment and makes staffing adjustments district-wide. This year, SPS enrollment is significantly below projections which impacted many schools across the district. Queen Anne Elementary is one of several SPS elementary schools directed to make staffing adjustments. This means we must adjust our staffing by one full-time teacher. Our next step is to determine how to best do this while having the least impact on students. In light of losing a full-time teacher, which would force a reorganization of almost all of our classes, the staff came up with a unique approach that minimizes the impact on our children. We thank Ms. Bonnie Dudley, Ms. Megan Palumbo and Ms. Helene McCormick for their dedication to supporting our students in crafting an innovative plan. After consensus with the Building Leadership Team (composed of staff, PTSA Executive and parents; K – 5th grade teachers and Career Ladder Teachers) and QAE staff, here is our plan:
What does this mean for your child?
Ms. Bonnie, Ms. Palumbo, QAE staff and I will work closely with students and parents in the 2nd grade class to navigate this unexpected change. All students will continue to have great teachers and continue learning alongside their current classmates.
I want to express my appreciation and support to every QAE family, our incredible QAE staff, our BLT and PTSA. Collaboratively working together has been essential during this process. We will get through this change over the next few days, and most importantly, we will get through this together as a supportive QAE community. Yours, Janine Roy, Principal QAE 2018 Reorganization FAQ When a school has to reduce a teaching position, how is this done? When a teacher needs to be displaced in a school, we are contractually required to ask for volunteers and if none emerge, then the least senior classroom teacher is automatically displaced. At QAE, we had three volunteers which allows us to keep classes intact:
Are we at risk of losing any additional staff/resources? No. Staffing adjustments are only made at the beginning of the year at elementary schools. Could we have made cuts/savings in other places to save this position? No. Schools are allocated separate budgets for staffing and supplies. Supply budgets cannot be moved to cover staffing needs, nor would they be sufficient to meet these costs. Were enrollments down across all Seattle Public Schools? Enrollment at the elementary level is down across the district. Schools are impacted differently based on their boundaries, housing trends, etc. How does this compare to other elementary schools in our area? Other elementary schools in the Queen Anne community had a difference between their projected enrollment and actual enrollment as well. Did we take all the students off our waitlist? Yes, all interested families were accepted at QAE this year. Join QAE PTSA in the brew-room of Rooftop Brewing on Sunday October 7th anytime between 5-8pm to celebrate start of school year and top off the weekend. Enjoy sampling Rooftop's fall line up and reconnecting with parents, welcoming new ones, lamenting bus schedules, etc. No charge for the event and it is open bar, but space is limited so please RSVP to reserve your spot. When: Sunday, Oct. 7th, 2018, 5-8pm Where: Brew Room at Rooftop Brewing, 1220 W Nickerson St. Brew Room is located beneath the main pub area and is indoors! We'll be hanging amongst the giant barrels used to brew. RSVP now for QAE Octoberfest! Octoberfest is for adults only, so line up a babysitter or call in the grandparents. We hope to see you there! If you're into beer, here's a list of what Rooftop will have on tap for our group (don't worry, non-alcoholic options will be available too): Stargazer Red IPA This Red IPA features five different hop varieties atop the roasty goodness of Victory Malt. Darker than your average IPA, this beer begs to be enjoyed under a clear night sky. Winner of 2017 WA Beer Award Silver Medal in the Imperial/Double Red Category! The Great Pumpkin Pale Real roasted pumpkin, over 20# per barrel, in a nice pale ale. Not a knock you over the head spiced dark ABV bomb - but real beer and real pumpkin, and REAL delicious. Makeda Coffee Porter Our beloved coffee porter, brewed with NaPali blend from local micro roaster, 7 Roasters. The coffee is boldly-flavored, syrupy, deeply-caramelized, and smoky. The Coffee blends perfectly with the chocolate and dark malts in our Porter. Pilsner Style Ale Pilsner Style Ale is a light, not-too-hoppy beer in the style of a Czech-Pils. Built to please those who enjoy the lighter side of life but still want a little flavor in their beer. QAE Curriculum Night - Thursday, Sept. 27th, 6:30-8pm at John Marshall
For new QAE families, Curriculum Night is an annual SPS evening information session for parents. This year, QAE parents/guardians will begin in the John Marshall auditorium/cafeteria at 6:30pm for staff introductions and an overview of our five pillars and QAE foundational elements, such as Project Based Learning (PBL), social emotional learning and innovative technology. Then parents/guardians will move to your child’s classroom where your child’s teacher will provide a presentation from the grade group team on academic programs, social emotional learning and supporting your child at home. We begin in the John Marshall auditorium/cafeteria at 6:30 pm for staff introductions and an overview of QAE pillars. A 20-minute presentation will be offered by each classroom teacher in their room at 7pm and repeated at 7:30pm to accommodate families with more than one child. Beginning at 7:30 pm, Janine Roy will be available in the cafeteria to answer any remaining questions. Games Club Available We have a limited number of slots available for Games Club during Curriculum Night. You can drop your kids off for fun while you focus on Curriculum Night. Sign up here. Slots are limited and are by reservation only. Reposting what Principal Roy shared -- lots of good info! Open the PDF to read or view the embedded version below (may not be visible on all browsers).
Now that school is underway, let’s get ready to help our students support the things we love about QAE! The Jog-A-Thon, our only student-driven fundraiser of the year, is just around the corner! Next week in your child's orange folder, look for a flyer with details about the jog-a-thon and easy instructions to get your student started with online fundraising in 10 minutes or less. If you'd like to volunteer on the 11th, an online signup sheet will be coming soon! Parents and family can purchase adult size jog-a-thon t-shirts for $10 each to show their QAE spirit while supporting the PTSA. As always, each student will receive a Jog-A-Thon t-shirt at no cost, celebrating their efforts. Purchase your shirt on the Jog-A-Thon page by Wednesday, 9/20. New this year: *New school = new course! *We are looking for QAE parent-run businesses to sponsor this year's Jog-A-Thon. As a thank you for your support, you’ll get your business’s logo on this year’s Mission: Possible t-shirt. Contact Nicole Forrest at [email protected] SPS is working towards adopting a new science curriculum. In this process the science adoption committee is asking for your participation. Please encourage your friends, family and community members to share their thoughts. We need all voices to weigh in on their ideas regarding K-8 science.
Take the survey here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/SPSNeedsSurvey-Community Principal Roy shared some updates about drop-off and pick-up at John Marshall:
Morning Drop-Off Dropoff is available starting at 8:35am: please drive slowly into QAE Staff Parking off NE 68th street. Enter at west end and exit at east end. This is a goodbye and go exit, so drivers remain in cars and students exit out the car door closest to the building to ensure safety for all. A staff member will be there to greet students and keep the line flowing smoothly starting at 8:35am. Please drop off single file to ensure student safety and allow SPS staff to park. To walk your child into the building, enter using the center doors at the front of John Marshall. Walking families, please stay out of the staff parking lot; this is for drop off only. Please walk with your child through the building to the playground; invite your child to show you hallway expectations so that they can practice what is expected in our building. Staff supervision on the playground starts at 8:35am, so please remain with your child until that time. After School Pick-Up To pick up your child from the cafeteria, park on a side street and enter through front doors (use center doors) and wait in cafeteria. To pick up without coming into John Marshall, wait along NE 68th Street in the School Bus Zone. This zone is for parents and taxis and drivers must remain in their cars. Staff member will walk them to NE 68th Street. This is new! We are trying this thanks to parent feedback. We welcome additional feedback on this! Bus Tips We've heard about some of the adventures that our families have had with buses to John Marshall during the first week of school. With our temporary location in Ravenna, many families who didn't previously ride the bus are experiencing it for the first time. Here are a few tips that we've heard from veteran bus-riding families and from Janine and SPS: Check the SPS Delayed Bus Page The district maintains a page with update information about late buses. See the page here... Talk to other parents on the QAE Community Discussions Group If you're on Facebook, join the QAE Community Discussions Group. It's a community forum where parents are sharing updates on buses. Be patient We've heard from parents that there are often delays during the first week of school that get better as the SPS transportation department finalizes routes and hires additional drivers. Problems or questions? Contact the SPS Transportation Department. First day of Kindergarten is really happening! Let's celebrate this milestone with a casual reception with coffee and bagels in the John Marshall cafeteria after the bell at 8:55am. Chat with fellow parents and get to know folks in the community. We'll have bagels and coffee. For families who are observing Rosh Hashannah and won't be at school - we're sorry to miss you. Please contact the PTSA if there are any questions we can help with. The QAE PTSA is hosting a Back-to-School BBQ at Woodland Park on Saturday, Sept. 15th! All QAE families are welcome! Let's relax at the park and have BBQ lunch while our kiddos enjoy play and hanging with their school friends or making new ones! We have reserved Shelter 1 and Tables 1-14 at Woodland Park from 11am-3pm (see the map below). Look for the orange and purple decorations! Lunch will feature hamburgers, cheeseburgers, hot dogs and veggie burgers along with the sides! Please use the link below to RSVP for the BBQ -- this helps us plan for how much food we need! To help us defray the cost of the rental, food and drinks, the PTSA is suggesting a donation of $5 per attendee. Please note -- this is completely optional, all families are welcome! RSVP now for the Back-to-School BBQ Fun toys, bubbles and surprises provided, but please feel free to bring any toys and games your kids love. Note -- all food and drink will be provided. Just come, eat and help us build our QAE community. We'll see you at the park on Saturday! Can you help out at the BBQ? We're looking for parents to help at the event. Please contact Seth Essmeier at [email protected] if you're able to help with any of:
If you have questions, contact parent volunteer Seth Essmeier at [email protected] Join us after drop-off on the first day! If you're dropping off your 1st-5th grader for the first day of school tomorrow (Wednesday, Sept. 5th) please join the PTSA for a casual reception in the John Marshall lunchroom after the second bell. Reconnect with good friends, make new ones and share your summer stories among smiling faces while enjoying bagels and coffee. Note: first day for Kindergartners is Monday, Sept. 10th. Look for details on a similar reception specifically for K parents! While QAE is at John Marshall this year, our PTSA Garden Coordinator Andrea Hildebrandt is helping keep us connected with our natural environment!
On the morning of Saturday, Sept. 15th, come celebrate the 45th anniversary of the Seattle P-Patch program with neighbors at the Queen Anne P-Patch at 217 Lynn St. See the flyer below for more information. Are you interested in helping with the garden at John Marshall? If so, please contact Andrea at [email protected] As we prepare for the year at John Marshall, QAE is working with the district to finalize route schedules for buses from the Queen Anne area to John Marshall, including the pick-up and drop-off at the central locations at John Hay and the Queen Anne Community Center.
SPS will communicate details about bus routes by August 27th. They will communicate directly to families. This includes both families who live on routes in the Transportation Zone as well as those who indicated they want to take advantage of the central pick-up/drop-off locations. If you did not previously tell SPS that your family wants to use pick-up/drop-off at either John Hay Elementary or Queen Anne Community Center, it is your responsibility to email [email protected] to make sure your child is on the list at your preferred site. Please do this ASAP. If you choose this option, you are responsible for drop off/pick up at the appropriate location each day. There are some additional details on transportation on our Building Renovation page. We'll be going back to school ... at our new home! Join us on Wednesday, August 29th, from 5-6pm for Back-to-School Night at John Marshall School. With this year's construction of the renovated Queen Anne campus, we'll be getting our first visit to QAE classrooms at John Marshall (520 NE Ravenna Blvd). Students and their families can learn their classroom assignments and meet their teachers and classmates prior to the first day of school. Plans are still being formulated, but keep an eye out for details about other ways we'll celebrate. Families can meet in the cafeteria at 5pm to see class lists, learn about the PTSA and QAE Spirit Wear, then tour the John Marshall building. Maps will be posted so families can find the location of their child’s classroom, the library and more. Classrooms are still under construction so doors will be closed as unpacking is in progress. Finding where the classrooms and lockers are is an important part of this event! From 5-5:20pm, a QAE staff member will be on each floor to help you find where things are. After touring, families are welcome to come through the building onto the enclosed playground to say hi to QAE staff, see where their child will line up each morning and check out our John Marshall playground. We look forward to seeing you there! If you have any questions, please contact the PTSA at [email protected]. QAE Staff and PTSA If you have a child entering Kindergarten at QAE this Fall, please consider attending Kindergarten Jump Start. Jump Start is a free, district-wide week-long experience for Kindergartners to learn about school. Children will become familiar with their new school building, staff, typical school day activities and practices.
The QAE edition is happening August 20-24th at John Marshall School, our home for the 2018-19 school year. Check out the Jump Start page for all the details. UPDATE: We've added a time and location for Sunday's playdate at John Marshall! So has summer been going by as fast for you as it has for us? Hard to believe school starts in about a month! We're starting to get back in the swing of things, including setting up some playdates for this month so that new QAE kindergarten families can get to know each other. It's not just for incoming kindergartners though -- any QAE family is welcome to attend! Please RSVP here to let us know you're coming. Here's a note from Reem Santrisi who is organizing the dates: ---- Welcome QAE Kindergarten Families! I am the co-VP of the QAE PTSA, I am also mommy to Mai, who is a first grader this upcoming year at QAE, which means I was in your shoes last year! so knowing how stressful and exciting it can be for both parent and child going into kindergarten we want to help make a smooth transition, As part of that transition we are organizing some fun playdates where you and your child can meet other new kindergartners and their families before school starts; here are the dates and times,
If you are going to attend, please RSVP using this form to help us plan. Siblings are welcome! Also, if your on Facebook be sure to follow QAE's FB pages: 1. QAE Community Discussions Facebook group An all school FB group, open to parents of QAE students looking to get school info, exchange ideas, ask questions, find out about fun parent and kiddo events and learn more about the educational system. (not hosted by the QAE PTSA) 2. QAE Families of Color Facebook group An awesome page for all families at QAE with a focus given to the QAE Families of Color group that holds parent meetings and hosts community gatherings for and at QAE. Also a great resource for social justice, equity, ethnic studies, and education. 3. Queen Anne Elementary PTSA Facebook page Official QAE PTSA FB group....a helpful resource to get info. of QAE PTSA events and happenings around school. This page is hosted by QAE PTSA. Be sure to "like" the page so you can follow what's going on. Welcome to QAE! |
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