B.F. Day Dayette

Greetings B.F. Day Families,

I want to spend some time in this week's note to reflect on the life and influence of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., whose legacy we celebrate this Monday as a National Holiday. Dr. King's values and commitment to racial justice have been deeply influential in my life. His skill to clearly communicate inequities while holding hope, inspire me to do my own racial identity work, and to personally and professional lead for a future where all people have opportunity, strength in community, and share in the economic and social successes our country can offer.

My role and responsibility as an educator, and an educational leader is pivotal in achieving Dr. King's goal, and I carry with me the urgency of meeting the needs of our children who have been historically marginalized and underserved in our schools. One of the reasons I choose to lead in Seattle Public Schools is because of our district's unapologetic focus on meeting the needs of our Black students and students furthest from educational justice.

In an essay he wrote at only 18 years old, titled, The Purpose of Education, Dr. King, wrote, "Intelligence is not enough. Intelligence plus character - that is the goal of true education. The complete education gives one not only power of concentration, but worthy objectives upon which to concentrate." This passage resonates with me as I think about our B.F. Day community. There's so much that happens here to nurture student intellect, and also so much that nurtures students' character. In Dragon Dens and class meetings, students are engaged with ways to think about identity and diversity, and the power they have within themselves to make the world better for all.

Dr. King's legacy and influence are evident in the contemporary work of instructional scholars Zarretta Hammond, the author of Culturally Responsive Teaching and the Brain, and Gholdy Mohammed, Author of Cultivating Genius, and Unearthing Joy. These texts are foundational in SPS and our anti-racist commitment to teaching and learning. At B.F. Day this year, I am excited to bring renewed focus and intentionality to our staff's Diversity, Equity and Inclusion work as part of our professional development schedule on early release Wednesdays. We have a racial equity team and are participating as a staff in professional development that helps us recognize and understand the influence of our identities, the implicit biases we hold, and the strengths and assets our students bring with them to school every day. We share the belief that all students deserve the amazing education we have to offer at B.F. Day, a school where our staff grow our students intellectually, socially, and emotionally in an inclusive environment.

In Seattle, there are many opportunities to engage in service on Dr. King's birthday, Monday, January 19th. If your family is looking for something to do together in honor of Dr. King, here are few resources:

• Northwest African American History Museum King Day
• Seattle Parks and Recreation is hosting a March and Celebration with Youth Speakers
• The United Way has a catalogue of events and activities available

Warmly,

Principal Eckert

If you are a family considering B.F. Day for your student next year, we hope you will attend one of our upcoming tours. At each tour you'll learn about what our program has to offer, get a strong idea of what a day in the life of a kindergartener looks like, and hear from current families and students about their experiences as they lead you through our historic building and vibrant learning community.

You can find more information on the B.F. Day PTSA website and Register for School Tours. Registration is not required, but is helpful.

January 22, 9-10 a.m.

January 29, 5:30-6:30 p.m.

Let Me Run is coming back to BF Day this spring season for boys in 3-5th grade. We are looking for 2 volunteer coaches to run the team for 14 practices, 2 times a week, for 7 weeks beginning the end of April to June 7th. Coaches do not need to be runners but willing to mentor and guide our young boys through the provided curriculum. Coaches will receive everything they need including free and reduced program fees if they have a child on the team. All supplies, training, support, 5K entry and so much more. Join us as we lead boys all over the Greater Puget Sound Region this spring to learn to be themselves, reach out when they need to, and move towards a healthy lifestyle.

Reach out the Program Coordinator Jen at jens@letmerun.org with questions and sign up to coach Let Me Run today.

We had a super-special, super-fantastic Cocoa Celebration for all the Winter Reading Challenge participants on Tuesday. A huge shout-out to all the volunteers who made it possible. Thank you to all our B.F. Day Readers and families for their commitment to growth and celebrating the superpower of reading!

Our 4th and 5th grade Global Reading Challenge teams continue to work hard reading and practicing for our February competition. Thank you to all our volunteers for supporting teams as they work through quiz questions. We have 10 teams this year! A school record!

This week we spent time in the library reading stories related to the leadership of Martin Luther King, Jr. and how his life impacted so many to stand up and demand change. Sometimes it can be difficult to strike up conversations with children around big topics like civil rights and racism. Here is your librarian reminder that books are an excellent starting point for tricky conversations. Below is a list of some books you might want to check out around these themes.

Books Focusing on Children's Activism & Stories

• Let the Children March by Monica Clark-Robinson: Shows how children joined Dr. King's non-violent protests in Birmingham.
• The Youngest Marcher by Cynthia Levinson: Tells the inspiring true story of Audrey Faye Hendricks, a 9-year-old activist.
• Freedom on the Menu by Carole Boston Weatherford: About the Greensboro Sit-Ins, making segregation understandable for kids.
• We March by Shane Evans: A first-person narrative about the March on Washington, great for young children.

• Pies from Nowhere: How Georgia Gilmore Sustained the Montgomery Bus Boycott by Dee Romito: Highlights Georgia Gilmore's crucial support during the boycott.
• Rosa by Nikki Giovanni: A poetic look at Rosa Parks' courageous act.
• The Story of Ruby Bridges by Robert Coles: Focuses on Ruby's brave integration of an all-white school.
• I've Seen the Promised Land: The Life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. by Walter Dean Myers: An accessible biography of MLK Jr..

• Separate Is Never Equal by Duncan Tonatiuh: About the Mendez family's fight for school desegregation in California.
• Harvesting Hope by Kathleen Krull: About Cesar Chavez and the farmworkers' movement.
• Something Happened in Our Town by Ann Hazzard: Explores how families discuss racial injustice in their community.

Join us as the PTSA kicks off budget season with an informative and engaging community meeting. This is a great opportunity to learn about the PTSA budget, ask questions, and hear how decisions are made. The budget will be voted on at the next general membership meeting on March 19. We need your input and participation to plan!

We will also discuss PTSA roles that need to be filled for next year and share details about the spring nominations and elections process. We hope you will feel called to participate with the board, too! Please take a moment to fill out our survey to help us identify interest in roles such as President, Vice President, Fundraising Officer, Secretary, Treasurer (co-Treasurer/2nd Treasurer needed), and chair positions. All positions may be co-led. Suggest your name, or a friend’s! Consider joining the B.F. Day PTSA Board.

We are also excited to welcome guest speaker Kai Kunkle. See more information about them below.

When: Tue Jan 27, 2026

Where: B.F. Day Library and Virtual

We hope to see you there and appreciate your involvement in supporting our school community.

Growth & Development Sexual Health Education Workshop

Join us for a parent and caregiver workshop that explores sexual health education in Seattle Public Schools, with a closer look at the Growth & Development unit taught in grades 4 and 5. This interactive session will walk through the lessons students learn at school and share practical, age-appropriate tips for talking with your own children about these topics at home.

This workshop will be led by Kai Kunkel from the SPS Health Education Office, a parent and puberty educator with Great Conversations at Seattle Children’s. More information about sexual health education.

Thursday, Jan. 22 | 6:30–7:30 p.m. | B.F. Day Library
How are Highly Capable (HC) services evolving at B.F. Day? Join Principal Eckert and school staff for a discussion on how advanced learners are supported at BF Day.

1. Sign-up for the spring season!
   B.F. Day will have one or two Ultimate Frisbee teams playing in the DiscNW Elementary School Spring League this spring, depending on the final number of players and coaches. The league is for 3rd, 4th, and 5th graders only. Teams will be formed once we know our registrants and coaches, and all teams will be mixed gender. There will be a kickoff clinic on January 25, and practices will begin after that, held on Fridays at the "Upper Upper" B.F. Day field directly after school. Games will be on Saturdays in March, April, and some of May at various locations in Seattle; a final tournament will likely be the third weekend in May.
   
   Please register, and you will later do another registration with DiscNW (which I will send information about when it is available).
   Sign up closes: January 23 at 5 p.m.
   Please direct questions to Jeff Schinckle at schinckle@gmail.com.
2. Consider coaching if you are a 3rd or 4th Grade parent
   We are looking for coaches for a 3rd/4th grade team. If you are interested please contact Jeff Schinckle at schinckle@gmail.com. I am excited to support a 3rd/4th coaching team but am unable to be the head coach for a second team (I will be coaching the 5th grade team). Experience with ultimate frisbee is helpful, but availability and patience are the key attributes needed.

📅 January 30
🕕 6–7:30 p.m.
📍 BF Day Gym (enter through the gym door)

Bring the whole family for a fun, relaxed evening of games and connection! There’s no cost to attend—just bring your favorite board game or card game to play with friends. Cozy clothes and blankets (to set up your game on) are encouraged!

Fifth graders will be selling snacks to help raise funds for their overnight trip, so come hungry if you’d like to support them.

Have a game you no longer play? Bring it to our swap table and try out something new!

We hope to see you there for a night of play, laughter, and community!

• 01/19/26 Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, No School
• 01/22/26 School Tour, 9-10 a.m., Visiting families can register
• 01/22/26 HC at B.F. Day, 6:30-7:30 p.m.
• 01/29/26 Evening School Tour, 5:30-6:30 p.m.