Eckstein Weekly News

October

• Oct. 24: Band Fieldtrip (MLT Jazz Symposium)
• Oct. 26-30: SPIRIT WEEK
• Oct. 30: Pep Assembly
• Oct. 30: Haunted Library
• Oct. 31: Orchestra Wreath Sales End

November

• Nov. 1: Daylight Savings Time Ends (Fall Back)
• Nov. 2: Eckstein Annual Campaign Packets Go Home with Students
• Nov. 5: Quarter 1 Ends
• Nov. 6: Quarter 2 Begins
• Nov. 9: PTSA Meeting (7 pm on Zoom)
• Nov. 10: Veterans' Day Assembly (AM Assembly Schedule)
• Nov. 14: Concert Attire Distribution (2-4 pm)
• Nov. 19: Jazz Night (7:30 pm)
• Nov. 20: PE Waiver Submission Deadline
• Nov. 21: Wreath Sale Pick Ups (12-3 pm)
• Nov. 26-27: Thanksgiving & Native American Heritage (NO SCHOOL)
  Please Note: Middle schools and high school are only out of school on Thursday and Friday of that week.
• Nov. 30 - Dec. 17: Last Yearbook Ordering Period

We would like to thank all of our wonderful volunteers who:

• Chaperoned the Eighth Grade Fieldtrip
• Helped with the Seventh/Eighth Grade Dance
• Screened the Vision and Hearing of 323 Seventh Graders

We are so grateful for our generous community!

Eckstein students and families are invited to the haunted library on Friday, October 30th, from 6:30 - 8 pm.

• While the event is free, students will need to get a ticket from Ms. Sterling beforehand to enter.
• Tickets will be available the week of October 26th from Ms. Sterling in the library.
• Students can only go through the haunted library once, so anticipate it taking 10-30 minutes depending on the line!
• Eckstein students may come on their own with a signed permission slip, which they can pick up in the library. They still need to get a ticket next week.
• Siblings are welcome if accompanied by a grownup (18+), and no permission slip is needed if an Eckstein student is accompanied by a grownup.
• Enter at Door 2 entrance on 75th St. near 31st Avenue and then follow directions to the library! You will exit through Door 1. Only the library hall on the second floor and our first floor hall in front of the Main Office will be open. The rest of the building is closed.

We need volunteers to help with this event. If you can give a little time please sign up here: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/70A054CAEAE2DA5F58-66943632-volunteer

MONDAY – Denim Day

TUESDAY – Twin/Triplet Day

WEDNESDAY – Stuffed Animal Day

THURSDAY – Seattle Sports Day

FRIDAY – Costume Day (No Blood, Weapons, Costume Masks, Cultural Appropriation)

Do you have a student or students who want to express themselves, share their artistic talents, and ideas and have a chance to be recognized and celebrated at a local, state, and maybe even national level? It’s time for the National PTA Reflections Art Contest.

Deadline: November 13.

Students can submit original works of art in the categories of Visual Arts, Literature (fiction and poetry as well as essays), Photography, Film Production, Music Composition, and Dance Choreography. This year’s theme is “What My Culture Means to Me”.

Check the National PTSA website: https://www.pta.org/home/programs/reflections

More details and the rules for each category are included below:

• 2026-27 Student Entry Packet
• 2026-27 WSPTA Student Entry Form (fillable)
• 2026-27 Accessible Arts Division Guidelines | en Español
• 2026-27 Dance Choreography Category Full Guidelines| en Español
• 2026-27 Film Production Category Full Guidelines | en Español
• 2026-27 Literature Category Full Guidelines | en Español
• 2026-27 Music Composition Category Full Guidelines | en Español
• 2026-27 Photography Category Full Guidelines| en Español
• 2026-27 Visual Arts Category Full Guidelines| en Español

*The Accessible Arts Division is a category for students with disabilities who receive services under IDEA or ADA: Section 504 to have the opportunity and accommodations they may need to fully participate in the program.

More than 300,000 students from around the country submit original works of art for this 50-year-old contest. Despite all that competition, Eckstein Middle School has done really well in the past. In the 2021-2022 contest, eighth-grade student Lekha Dhaka won first place for Outstanding Interpretation in the firm production category for her film Trash, an animation that explores the impact plastic pollution has on the Earth's oceans.

Please contact Ian Towler at reflections@ecksteineaglesptsa.org with any questions or to learn more.

If you know that you will be taking your student out of school during the week of November 23, 2026, please have them complete a Pre-Planned Absence form located in the Attendance Office prior to the absence in order to excuse it.

Private School Application Requests are due Friday, December 4, 2026.

• No Requests Prior to December: Please do not request private school application records prior to December (exceptions noted below). Most private schools require Quarter 1 grades for the current school year, which are not available until December 1, 2026.

If you plan on submitting applications to private schools, please read about the process here: https://ecksteinms.seattleschools.org/academics/registrar/private-school-records-and-recommendations/

Period 1: 8:55 AM - 9:45 AM
Period 2: 9:50 AM - 10:40 AM
Period 3: 10:45 AM - 11:35 AM
Period 4: 11:40 PM - 1:05 PM
1st LUNCH: 11:35 AM - 12:05 PM (Class: 12:10 PM – 1:05 PM)
2nd LUNCH: 12:35 PM - 1:05 PM (Class: 11:40 AM – 12:35 PM)
Period 5: 1:10 PM - 2:00 PM
Period 6: 2:05 PM - 2:50 PM
Assembly: 2:55 PM – 3:45 PM

You are invited to join us for the next Superintendent Community Engagement Meeting on Tuesday, Oct. 27, from 6:30–8 p.m. at Robert Eagle Staff Middle School (1330 N 90th St., Seattle, WA 98103)

These meetings are an opportunity for students, families, staff, and community members to share feedback about the issues that matter most to our school communities.

Your experiences, perspectives, and ideas help inform important conversations across the district and guide our work to better serve every student. Topics for each meeting are selected based on feedback and issues of importance to the community.

Topics for this meeting include:

• Academic Rigor
• School Design (Neighborhood School, Option Schools, Dual Language, HC, etc.)
• School Safety and Security

To make participation as accessible as possible, language interpretation in Amharic, Chinese, Somali, Spanish, and Vietnamese, as well as ASL services, will be available. Light refreshments and activities for children will also be provided.

Learn more about the superintendent community engagement meetings on the SPS website.

If you have questions or would like to share feedback, please contact Seattle Public Schools using Let’s Talk.

The Orchestra parents invite you to enjoy beautiful holiday greens while supporting your community. The young musicians of the Eckstein MS Orchestra are raising money for new instruments, instrument repairs, supplies and trips to competitions in the PNW.

To place an order, go to https://vwfundraiser.com/org/eckstein-middle-school-orchestra. When checking out, please select “Community Purchase” under “I would like to support” if a student did not personally reach out to you. Wreaths will be available for pickup on Saturday, November 21 from 11-2 pm in the parking lot behind the school. Sale ends on October 31. Thank you so much for your support

PE is a WA State Requirement: WA State Legislature mandates that students in grades 1-8 participate in at least 100 minutes of weekly PE classes (equivalent to one semester of PE instruction hours) unless they qualify for a waiver. Please note that SPS does not endorse PE Waivers (Reference: RCW 28A.230.040). Students may be excused from the PE requirement for the following reasons:

1. Physical Disability (6, 7, 8 grades)
2. Religious Belief (6, 7, 8 grades)
3. Participation in Directed Athletics (7, 8 grades only)

Notes
(1) Documentation (e.g. letter from coach/team/proof of registration) is required to waive PE and must be emailed to Ms. Tai (jetai@seattleschools.org).

(2) For any sport/activity that begins after November 20, a guardian may sign instead of a coach. We will request additional information from your family if needed. Incomplete waivers will not be approved.

(3) If your student requested to waive PE last spring and does not have it on their schedule, you must submit a valid PE waiver to formally waive PE.

(4) If your student has PE on their semester 2 schedule, and you would like to waive it, please wait to submit a waiver in January after semester 2 electives changes are open. Even with a PE waiver, your student may still be required to take PE as our elective availability is limited. If your student is able to switch into another elective in semester 2 out of PE, Ms. Tai will email to complete a waiver at that time.

As we wrap up Quarter 1, we want to thank families for supporting students in getting to school every day and on time. Regular attendance is one of the biggest factors in student success—both in school and in future careers!

You can check your student’s attendance record anytime on The Source, where you’ll see any absences or late arrivals since the first day of school. Take a few minutes to review this together and celebrate strong attendance habits.

Let’s keep the momentum going into Quarter 2—showing up every day and on time makes a real difference!

Accessing the Source:

How to get started:

1. You must be on record as the parent or guardian of a student enrolled in SPS.
2. Your email address must be on record at each student’s school.
3. Please make sure you have provided the same email address for each SPS student in your family.

To set up a parent or guardian Source account:

1. Visit The Source and click the Sign Up! link.
2. Type your email address in the field provided. Click Enter.
3. Check your email for a message from sourcesupport@seattleschools.org. If you don’t receive this email:

1. Check your Spam or Trash folders.

2. Contact the school(s) to provide your email address.

1. Open the email and click the link.
2. Enter your email address in the Username field and create a Password.

1. Please do not use an apostrophe ‘ in your password.

1. Click Enter to begin exploring the Source!
   
   

For more information about the Source, please visit the About the Source webpage.

If you have questions or need help, please email sourcesupport@seattleschools.org

Community Cupboard

New items requested are erasable pens, a bike helmet and a gray sweatshirt and pants: Community Cupboard Wishlist

We will accept donations of NEW socks, and NEW or LIGHTLY used hoodies, shoes, and other in-style clothing for middle schoolers. Items can be dropped off outside door of Portable 9 in back parking lot in plastic bag labeled "donation".

Basketball try outs

If your students want to try out for basketball or spring sports and need help accessing a sports physical appointment in order to try out, please email me: esdavenport@seattleschools.org.

To help a student with shoes: Sign Up Genius

Tuesday, December 1 from 6:30–8:30 PM, Roosevelt High School is hosting Hazing Uncovered, a TED-style family conversation led by Lynnet Mitchell focused on hazing, group culture and belonging, alcohol and other substance use, consent and boundaries, teen safety, and how families can support their students.

Erica Davenport

Social Worker, MSW

Eckstein Middle School

Work phone (206) 252-5098

PTSA Board Positions Open

DEI Chair: Promote diversity, equity, and inclusion within our school community through programs, partnerships, and awareness.
Co-Treasurer: Partner with the Treasurer to manage PTS finances, budgets, and financial reporting with accuracy and care.
Reflections Co-Chair: Inspire creativity! Lead the Reflections program and support students in exploring the arts.
Volunteer Coordinator: Connect people and opportunities! Recruit, organize, and support volunteers across PTSA events and programs.

Interested? Email president@ecksteineaglesptsa.org

Ongoing Needs

You will need to be cleared to volunteer through the SPS Volunteer Application.

Math Tutors During the Day

We are looking for people to tutor some of our students in Math 7 & 8. We could use the help any period, but we really need help during third period. Since you will be working with the student one-to-one, you will need a Tier 2 volunteer clearance. This requires you to get a national background check.

If you would like more information about tutoring, contact Carrie Kazala at cekazala@seattleschools.org.

If you would like more information about volunteering or need the link to the SPS volunteer application, please email Julia Detering at jrdetering@seattleschools.org.

Lunchtime Help

Your duties will include:

• Monitoring the hall outside the cafeteria
• Handing out Library Lunch passes
• Helping administrators on the field and garden
• No "disciplining" is required. If you spot something that needs attention, let an administrator know, and they will handle it.

Please contact Julia Detering at jrdetering@seattleschools.org for more information.

Eckstein Families Needed to Assemble Weekend Food Bags

Local families assemble weekend food bags every Sunday from 3-4 PM at St. Stephen's Episcopal Church, 4805 NE 45th Street.

The Packs for Kids program is run through the University District Food Bank. Eckstein parents pick up food from UDFB on Thursdays and distribute prepared weekend bags to Eckstein MS, Green Lake ES, and Wedgwood ES each week. More information about the Packs for Kids program can be found here. https://www.udistrictfoodbank.org/packsforkids

If you are looking for an outreach activity for your family, please sign up here.

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/8050C48A4AA2FA2FC1-weekend

High School students can earn Service Learning Hours.

Bike Cage Morning Greeter

We would like someone at the bike cage behind the school from 8:35 am - 8:55 am to greet our biking students. You will need to be cleared to volunteer through the SPS Volunteer Application. Please contact Julia Detering at jrdetering@seattleschools.org for more information and to sign up.

Hale Hallows (Friday 10/23)

Hale Hallows is this Friday, October 23rd from 6-9 pm at Nathan Hale! Join us for a night of mini games, scares and more! Tickets will be sold at the door. Entry is at our east entrance closest to the football field. Tickets will be run “Bite of Hale” style where people can buy a certain number of games. 5 games/snacks is $5. Haunted house tickets are sold separately and will be $5.

Boo Ridge View Ridge Annual Halloween Carnival - Friday, October 23th, from 5:30-8pm
Boo Ridge, the View Ridge Elementary indoor Halloween celebration filled with games, face painting, treats, and more, is one of the most magical nights of the year for our kids. But it can’t happen without you!

This event is powered by volunteers — from running games, to painting faces, to baking (or buying!) treats. The more helping hands we have, the more fun our kids will have.

Ways to help:

· Adult Volunteers: help with candy and item donations, set up, run games, or lend a hand during the event

· Student Volunteers: volunteers to help run games and activities

Roosevelt High School Trunk or Treat

Roosevelt High School ASR will be hosting its annual FREE Trunk or

Treat on Thursday, October 29th from 6:30-8:00PM! The event is at Roosevelt High School in the main staff parking lot! Come bring your family and get some candy in safe, fun, welcoming environment. Reach out to rooseveltclassof2028@gmail.com or check @rhs_asr on Instagram for more details!

Improv Class at Ravenna-Eckstein Community Center

"Looking for a fun, confidence-building activity as 'the big, wet, dark' afternoons arrive? Ravenna-Eckstein Community Center is hosting a 4-week Teen Improv Class starting November 18.

Running Wednesdays from 4:15 PM – 5:15 PM (no class Nov 25), this program is perfect for theater kids, class clowns, or absolute beginners looking to build quick-thinking skills and meet new friends right after school.

Register on the Seattle Parks portal with Class Code #93948 or call (206) 684-7534."

Ingraham High School

Are you interested in learning more about the IB Diploma Program at Ingraham High School? Join us on Wednesday, October 21 from 6:30-8:30 in the Ingraham High School Library. The program coordinators will talk about the IB Program, and you will have a chance to talk to IB teachers, and meet some Ingraham IB Alumni, and get your questions answered. Adults and middle-school students are welcome. This info session will be specifically tailored for 7th and 8th grade families.