the Orca Splash

Hello Viewlands Families!

Today was a day of inspiration, fun, and connection. It was the 100th day of school for our 1st through 5th graders! It was a day to let our community members know we care! It was also a day of inspiration, thanks to our 2nd grade students and our 2nd grade teachers. Our 2nd grade team led our Gathering for Peace assembly and community march at the end of our day together. Some of our 4th and 5th graders supported the 2nd graders as student leaders during the assembly. This was a culmination of learning they have been doing in class, a moment to honor black leaders, and a celebration of Black History month through song. They sang, they spoke, and they led with passion and love in their hearts! Every 2nd grader today was a leader for our school community. It was inspirational.

Thank you to our 2nd grade teachers, Christa, Mr. Brandon, and Ms. Norma! Thank you to Mr. Hector who supported our 4th and 5th graders Thank you to 5th graders, Aedyn, Anne, Aniyah, and Rachel and 4th grader, Miracle, for being student leaders that supported our assembly. Thank you to 3rd grader, Isaiah, for leading one of our songs alongside the 2nd graders and thank you to 2nd grader, Ariyah, who led us in another song.

The Gathering for Peace assembly and Community March was definitely the highlight of the week. I am incredibly proud to be a part of this community and bear witness today to the 2nd grade leaders, along with a few 4th and 5th grade students that supported. A couple other highlights from my visits in classrooms and with students this week: the salmon ladder and salmon art projected created by 4th graders in Mr. Thorpe's class to help teach and inspire others to learn about and protect our salmon; celebrating reading progress with a 5th grader; and talking about place value and tens blocks during math and decoding with roll and read during literacy stations with kindergarteners.

Your children are bright, inquisitive, and creative thinkers. We will continue to seek ways to make every student feel known, valued, and empowered through the year.

Next week there is no school! Next week is mid-winter break. We will return to school on Monday, February 23. Next week is a great time to create your Viewlands Yearbook cover art entry.

In Partnership,

Carrie Wheeler | Viewlands Principal

VEPTSA and the Viewlands Office Team host a Viewlands cover art contest annually. The cover art contest is open the whole month of February. This could be a great activity now or over mid-winter break. Every submission will be featured in a small way in the yearbook as borders and will be displayed in the main office. The winning entry will be our yearbook cover for the 2025-2026 school year.

• Paper: 8.5” x 11” portrait (only portrait oriented artwork can be considered)
• Details: Artwork must include an orca. Write the student’s full name and teacher's name on the back in pencil.

Students can submit their cover art to Ms. Lin in the office. The last day to submit an entry is Friday, February 27!

Evening of the Arts and Culture is coming up on Wednesday, April 29th! The planning team is getting ready to turn everyday items into amazing student creations. We’re collecting clean, safe recyclables and craft supplies for our Evening of the Arts and Culture event Makerspace, where kids will imagine, build, and explore.

Please drop donations in the entryway box. The box is located under the table in the entry vestibule.

What to Donate (clean and safe)

Build It (Structures)

• Cardboard boxes, cereal boxes

• Toilet paper and paper towel tubes

• Brown paper grocery bags

• Craft sticks and small wood pieces

• Clean plastic containers, egg cartons, corks

Soft and Scrappy (Fabric and Paper)

• Yarn, felt, fabric scraps, burlap, elastic
• Old magazines, newspapers, tissue paper, coffee filters

Make It Pop (Decorations)

• Pipe cleaners
• Sequins, buttons, beads
• Stickers, ribbon, stamps

Junk Drawer Finds (Odds and Ends)

• Bottle caps, lids, game pieces, keys, CDs
• Straws, clothespins, Velcro
• Clean plastic forks and spoons

Think Like an Engineer (Build and Experiment)

• Bottle neck rings, washers, nuts
• Small pulleys or gears from broken toys
• Small zip ties, binder clips, foam sheets

If you’re cleaning out a drawer or recycling bin, we’d love to give those items a creative second life. If it’s clean, safe, and sparks curiosity, we can probably use it.

Thank you for helping make Art Night a hands-on, imaginative, and joy-filled experience for our students.

Around the Viewlands campus students will be discussing and learning about the tradition of Lunar New Year and the cultural significance that it has within the Asian community. This topic has sparked powerful conversations while also providing a deeper understanding of how other cultures honor family and community through celebration. In art class, students will be using their personal connections, stories, and inspirations to create bright paper lanterns that represent good fortune and joy for the entire Viewlands community. This unit will allow students to learn about color, symbolism, and pattern in their work and has created opportunities to highlight the importance of collaboration.

As an extension to our classroom learning, we are inviting students to share their knowledge and experiences of the Lunar New Year. Here are a few ideas If you wish to participate

1. Bring in a photo, writing or drawing of how you and your family celebrate Lunar New Year.

2. Reflect on a wish or goal you have for the Year of the Horse.

3. Unleash your creativity by making a drawing or decoration that represents the qualities of a horse; energetic, independent, and intelligent.

This work will be on display along with our lanterns. Please write your name and classroom teacher’s name on your work. You can turn this into the office or your teacher (they will make sure it gets to Ms. B, our art teacher). This project is optional; Viewlands Elementary School respects the traditions and beliefs of all cultures.

If you would like to help hang the lanterns, please email Ms. Buschmann at kbbuschmann@seattlepublicschools.org.

Sui Sui Ping An or may you have peace and safety year after year!

The new superintendent started Monday, February 2nd. He has organized seven community conversations centered in in the School Board Director districts and a city-wide virtual community conversation. Superintendent Shuldiner has expressed that the community meetings will be an opportunity to connect, share, and dream big together.

We all want Seattle Public Schools to be successful for ALL students. All families are encouraged to share their ideas and connect with new leadership by being part of a community conversations! Viewlands is part of district 1, so the closest location to our attendance zone is at James Baldwin, but you can attend a different one if that location and time frame work better for you!

• Thursday, Feb. 26, 7:30–8:30 p.m., Bailey Gatzert Elementary, 1301 E Yesler Way
• Tuesday, March 3, 7:30–8:30 p.m., South Shore K–8, 4800 S Henderson St.
• Tuesday, March 10, 7:30–8:30 p.m., Salmon Bay K–8, 1810 NW 65th St.
• Tuesday, March 17, 7:30–8:30 p.m., Eckstein Middle School, 3003 NE 75th St.
• Tuesday, March 24, 6:30–7:30 p.m., McClure Middle School, 1915 1st Ave W.
• Thursday, March 26, 6:30–7:30 p.m., James Baldwin Elementary, 11725 1st Ave NE
• Tuesday, March 31, 6:30–7:30 p.m., West Seattle Elementary, 6760 34th Ave SW
• Thursday, April 2, 6–7:30 p.m., Virtual, online; link forthcoming

Seeking Volunteers for VEPTSA’s Nominating Committee

The PTA is seeking 3–4 volunteers to serve on our VEPTSA Officer Nominating Committee. This small group will help recruit and recommend PTA Officers for the 2026–27 school year. We especially encourage families who are newer to Viewlands, or who are interested in getting more involved in shaping our school community, to consider joining.

• To learn more, please contact vicepresident@viewlandsptsa.org or reach out to your classroom’s Family Ambassador.

Ticket Box Opens is OPEN for Blockbuster-Themed PTSA Spring Auction

Get ready for a night of fun, community, and great vibes at Old Stove Brewing Co. Gardens in Ballard on March 28th! 🎟️ Tickets for PTSA Spring Auction are available.

We’re also still on the lookout for fun auction items! Have a great idea, a connection, or something to contribute? Contact fundraising@viewlandsptsa.org.

• February 16-February 20 - No School, Mid-Winter Break
• April 13-17 - No School, Spring Break
• Wednesday, April 29, 5-7 p.m. Viewlands Evening of the Arts and Culture