Licton Springs K-8 3/16/26

My name is Christy Bowman-White, I am a former Principal in Seattle Public Schools, and I am happy to step in to support Licton Springs as your guest principal.

A Bit About Me:

• I was an AP at Asa Mercer Middle School for 5 years, and the proud Principal of Maple Elementary for 5 years in the Beacon Hill area

• Most recently, I have been serving as a principal coach and educational consultant, but when Director Moynihan reached out to ask if I was available to support Licton Springs, I shared that I was and that I was happy to do so

• I have three adult daughters, twins in middle school, and two pandemic rescue dogs (We are very overdue for an updated family photo)

Next Steps:

I am looking forward to spending time getting to know Licton Springs. I will out and about the building, visiting classrooms, and meeting staff, students, and families. Please feel free to introduce me to students as Ms. Bowman-White or Ms. Christy.

Thank you for welcoming me, and I look forward to meeting you soon,

Christy Bowman-White

Pi Day Competitions Winners!!

1st Place - Asher (2nd grade)

2nd Place - Jeremiah (7th Grade)

3rd Place - Freya - (2nd Grade)

Congratulations to everyone that participated in the Pi competition AND participated in the Pi Day Games!!

We are excited to introduce a new afterschool opportunity this spring: Movers and Creators (MAC), named in honor of our late principal, Ammon “Mac” McWashington and run by our school staff and PTO. This 8-week program is designed to give students space to move their bodies, explore creativity, build skills, and connect with one another in a supportive and fun environment.

Dates: March 16 – May 19

Days: Monday & Tuesday

Time: 2:25 p.m.–4:25 p.m.

Throughout the program, students will engage in a mix of active, creative, and skill-building experiences such as movement-based games, hands-on projects, homework help, practical life skills, and nature-based exploration. Activities may take place indoors or outdoors depending on the day and focus.

MAC is a donation-based program to keep participation accessible to all families.

Suggested sliding scale donation:

• $280 → Full program cost per student
• $210 → 75%
• $140 → 50%
• $70 → 25%

Families are invited to contribute at the level that works for them. No student will be turned away due to financial need.

Our goal is to create a safe, joyful, and enriching space for students after school — where they can move, create, and grow together. More details about registration will be shared soon!

Permissions slips have gone home, let us know if you need another copy!

We’re excited to share that our beautiful new mural is officially up! This vibrant piece was created last year by our talented LSK8 students alongside visiting artist Amaranta Sandys through the Creative Advantage arts education program.

You can now enjoy the mural on the 1st‑floor hallway near the cafeteria—be sure to take a moment to stop by and admire the students’ creativity and collaboration.

A huge thank you to Nick McDowell and our PTO for coordinating with a contractor and ensuring the installation happened smoothly. We’re so grateful for the teamwork that brought this artwork to life.

Bake Sale Fundraiser – March 20

To help cover the cost of the installation, The Thunderbird PTO will be hosting a Bake Sale after school on Friday, March 20 in front of the school!

We’d love your support!
🍪 Bake something to donate
🍰 Buy a treat at the sale
💛 Spread the word

Every contribution—big or small—helps us celebrate and sustain the arts at our school.

Licton Springs will be holding all-school events on the last Friday of each month. Parents/Families are invited to attend these events.

March

Who: LSK8 students

What: “Through the Looking Glass” (Alice in Wonderland-themed) dance

Where: LSK8 gymnasium

When: Friday, March 27, 1:30-2:15 p.m.

Students are encouraged to dress up in themed costumes (Alice, rabbits, mad hatters, Queen / King of Hearts, etc.)

Salmon (and students) in the wild
The fish tank is on the 2nd floor. We started with 200 salmon eggs. Katherine’s class is caring for the eggs, alevin, and soon to be fry. They have just started feeding the fish, testing the water for ammonia and nitrates, changing the water and cleaning the tank.
There are approximately 195 salmon fry.

We will have an field trip for the 2nd and 3rd graders on March 31 to release them into a holding pond in Carkeek Park, when they are ready, they will be released into the creek to start their journey to the ocean!

Looking for interested parents that could help with putting together the yearbook. Please let Carole in the office know if you are interested in taking on formatting a page or two!

Please send Yearbook photo submissions to Carole at cljohnson@seattleschools.org

If you are at school or on a field trip, check out a camera from the office and take some photos for the school yearbook!

WIDA testing

WIDA tests will be administered on Wednesdays in March

SBA and WCAS Testing

3rd Grade
May 4 -SBA ELA CAT
May 5 – SBA ELA PT
May 6 – SBA Math CAT
May 7 – SBA Math PT

4th and 5th Grade
May 11 -SBA ELA CAT
May 12 – SBA ELA PT
May 13 – SBA Math CAT
May 14 – SBA Math PT
April 28 – WCAS (Science)

7th and 8th Grade
April 6 – WCAS (Science) *8th grade only*
April 7 -SBA ELA CAT
April 8 – SBA ELA PT
May 19 – SBA Math CAT
May 27 – SBA Math PT

Smarter Balanced Assessment (SBA)
Washington state requires all districts to administer the Smarter Balanced assessments each spring. These tests:

• Measure how well students are meeting College and Career Readiness Standards
• Help teachers, schools, and districts identify which students need more support
• Cover Math and English Language Arts (ELA)
• Take about 3-4 hours per subject
• Are given to students in grades 3 through 8 and 10
• Are required for federal and state accountability

WIDA (World-Class Instructional Design and Assessment) testing
Each year, students in English learner programs take an English language proficiency test. This test is called the WIDA Access.
The test measures academic language skills for students in Washington state who are learning English.

The test will not affect student grades, but it can help determine whether the student will continue in the English language development program at school.
This year, WIDA testing will take place during the school day between January 29 and March 22.

The Washington Comprehensive Assessment of Science (WCAS) is a test given in the spring to all 5th, 8th, and 11th grade students. The WCAS is administered online during the same window as Smarter Balanced and uses the same state assessment platform.

The WCAS measures student performance on the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) that were adopted by our state in 2013.

How can I best prepare my child for the assessments?

Our teachers’ engaging daily lessons are the most effective preparation for students because the assessments are designed to match classroom learning goals.

Families may take practice tests at home if they’d like, and students tend to perform best when they are well fed and well rested. No additional family preparation is necessary other than a positive attitude and growth mindset.

Practice Tests are available for ELA and math
Training Tests are available for science

Answers to the practice tests are available.

We Need Your Help to Keep Our Students Safe!

Ensuring a safe and smooth drop‑off and pick‑up experience for every family is one of our top priorities. Recently, we’ve had a few safety concerns during parent pick‑up, including a formal complaint to the city. To keep all students safe—and to avoid further issues—we’re asking for your cooperation with our traffic flow procedures.

🚗 Drop‑Off & Pick‑Up Guidelines

Please enter 68th Street from 32nd Avenue, and use the south side of the street (the school side) for letting students in and out of vehicles. Once your student is safely dropped off or picked up, please continue toward 30th Street to keep traffic moving.

If you plan to park and walk your child in, parking on the north side of the street is absolutely fine.

🚫 Why Is This Important?

Loading or unloading students on the north side of 68th Street means they must cross the street, and we do not have crossing guards during these times. This creates unsafe conditions for students and drivers alike.

By following the designated traffic flow, we greatly reduce the risk of accidents and ensure a safer environment for all.

📄 Want More Details?

More detailed information—including maps and diagrams—is available on the school website under the “About” → “Traffic Flow & Parking” section.

Licton Springs PTO Website

The next PTO meeting will be, April 6 @ 6 p.m. We’ll be meeting online, and we hope you can join us to hear updates, share ideas, and help shape plans for the year.

Join the PTO April 6 meeting via Zoom

3/16-5/19: (Monday and Tuesdays) Movers and Creators (MAC) Afterschool program

3/20: First Day of Spring

3/27: Last Friday all-school event (more info to come)

3/31: Field trip - Katherine and Maddy's classes are going to release the Salmon

.

Families can subscribe to the district and/or school website online calendars. Your personal calendars update automatically when a change is made or when a new event is added. How to subscribe:

1. Click the calendar link(s) below:
   • Licton Springs K-8 School Calendar
   • Seattle Public Schools Calendar
2. Scroll to the bottom of the calendar page.
3. On the right-hand side, under Subscribe to Calendar, select a subscribe option.

Parents and Caregivers,

Are you looking for a job that follows the Seattle Public Schools schedule?
Do you want to make a positive impact in your community while enjoying competitive pay and excellent benefits?

If so, Culinary Services might be the perfect fit for you!

Seattle Public Schools Culinary Services is actively hiring for a variety of positions ranging from 20 hours per week to full‑time. Whether you're an experienced food service professional or someone brand new to the field, there’s an opportunity for you:

• Manager & Assistant Manager Positions – Ideal for those with food service experience.
• Kitchen Assistant Positions – Great for individuals who are new to school nutrition but eager to learn and serve.

👉 Apply here: Come be part of the team that nourishes and supports the children of Seattle every day!

Please complete the Online School Meal Application form.

Families with multiple students will only complete this form once. The form is simple to fill out and confidential. The information will only be used to help your school receive funding from state and federal programs.