Pathfinder Compass

Every Sunday you will receive The Compass to keep us all informed and connected of essential Pathfinder news. If you are interested in narrating The Compass please reach out to Dr. Holmes!

Essential News

• Picture Day
• Welcome Packet
• Instrument Inventory

New News

• New Staff
• Year of Purpose
• Garden Update
• Pathfinder Operations
  
• The Herons Nest
• Just so you know...
  

Old News

• Upcoming Listening Sessions
• Math Adoption Needs Assessment
• Recordings of Virtual Events
  
• Blazing Trails News
• Previous Compass Links
• Dr. Holmes' Incoming Goals

Anger makes you smaller. While forgiveness forces you to grow beyond what you were.

-Cherie Carterscott

Order pictures AFTER picture day, if you are interested! Important notes:

• All staff from Class Act Portraits have been vaccinated.
• These are individual pictures.
• Pictures will be taken in the cafeteria (Class Act is unable to accommodate outdoor photos).
• Pictures can be ordered AFTER picture day.

If you have questions or need additional clarification, please email pathfinder@seattleschools.org

We are still missing quite a few Welcome Packets! Please complete it ASAP!

Hello Pathfinder Families,

We are missing a few instruments from the music department's inventory. If your student participated in 4th/5th grade band or middle school band last year, and is not currently in band this year, please double check that they do not still have an instrument borrowed from the school.

We are missing:

2 Violins

2 Cellos

2 Flutes

1 Clarinet

1 Trumpet

1 French Horn

Thank you for your continued support of music at Pathfinder!

Mr. Bores

Hi everyone, I am a recent college graduate who is excited to step into the "real world." I like to spend my free time playing sports and games. I look forward to working with you all and hopefully learn a thing or two!

This year Pathfinder is joining other schools and districts across the nation by practicing The Year of Purpose. The Year of Purpose is an extension of BLM at schools. As opposed to having one week, we are asking educators to reflect on their work throughout the year and push us all to center Black lives in our classrooms - when we work to best serve our students that are furthest from educational justice we are able to better service all students.

Last year our family-based Racial Equity Committee conducted a questionnaire and found most families of color do not feel safe nor welcome at Pathfinder. There are undoubtedly feelings that are still lingering around that and the dissent that causes among all of us. We are actively working to ensure everyone in our Pathfinder community - staff, community members, and students - are safe and welcome at Pathfinder, together. This is one visible and meaningful way we are doing that.

Restorative justice is the commitment to build a beloved and loving community that is sustainable and growing.

We know that if you hurt somebody, you have to help them feel better; you can’t just say “sorry,” and walk away. We also know that its important for kids to be able to make a better choice another time, and it’s grownups’ job to help them make better choices and to give them chances to do that. Another way to say that is restorative justice.

Hello Wonderful Pathfinder Families,

I am so excited to be out in the garden with your kiddos, it’s absolutely beautiful this time of year, and there's so much to discover!

We’re starting garden time out by making Back to School Salsa. This salsa is allowing the kids to see the fruits of their labor, literally! We're making salsa from the tomatillos many of them participated in growing. They weeded, mulched, spread compost, seeded, planted, and watered. This is the first time I have been able to help them prepare salsa from only tomatillos they have grown, there were so many tomatillos, no supplementing was needed, and we still have some for Tuesday classes.

I'm so proud of them, you could see the amazement in their eyes when they saw the abundance in the bed where they planted the tomatillos. There were several kids that said they didn't want to try it, but when they saw their friends trying it, they bravely took the plunge. The surprised looks of liking the salsa were priceless.

We talked about the Southern Mexico/ Northern Central America origins of tomatillos with several classes and many shared that their families made salsa regularly, I even overheard a 1st grader giving their friend their families recipe. Absolute sweetness! Here's the recipe for Salsa Verde as promised, although I was told it wasn't spicy enough and we had to grow jalapeno peppers next year.😊

2/3 medium tomatillos, diced small

1 lime juiced

1/4 tsp salt

10 sprigs of cilantro, diced

1 scallion diced

Combine everything in a bowl add the salt and let sit for 30 mins to let the juices come out of the tomatillos.

Also, I need to mention the families that came to the garden to water this summer, and the folks that helped install the irrigation system, there are too many names to mention but THANK YOU! Because of you we had tomatillos for the kids to have this wonderful experience.

I LOVE OUR PATHFINDER COMMUNITY!!

With gratitude,

Karen Hogan

Garden Educator and Mom to Jewell and Leila

If you are interested in volunteering to help in the garden classroom, please email me at kdhoganli@seattleschools.org , the more adults there are, the more interesting things our kiddos get to do in the garden.

If you are interested in finding out more about the Earth Project, the PTSA group that supports and funds our garden program and all things green at Pathfinder, please email Sarah Schieron at earthproject@pathfinderk8ptsa.org

Our next event is the Virtual Harvest Festival.

Schedule

Kindergarten and First 10:55 - 11:35

Second and Third 11:25 - 12:05

Middle School 12:10 - 12:45

Fourth and Fifth 12:45 - 1:25

The weather is changing! To extend out time for outdoor lunch, we are purchasing a tent to allow all scholars the opportunity to sit in the undercover area together and enjoy the lunchtime entertainment. The tents are scheduled to be installed the week of October 10th.

As always, we are happy to accommodate families who are interested in pulling students during lunch by opening our play field to vaccinated volunteers. Please be sure to let us know you are coming.

Please do not hesitate to contact Dani (danielle.y.wyss@gmail.com) if you have questions, comments, or concerns. Thank you in advance for stepping up to keep all the students at Pathfinder K-8 as safe as possible during lunch!

We have continued to make revisions throughout the week to ensure our scholars are safe and comfortable during lunch.

Our lost and found is piling up! On Fridays we will pull the cart to the front of the school - please be sure to take your belongings home when you find them :)

@theHeronsNest.org

Supporting Indigenous First Peoples.

Help the Heron’s Nest and Shared Spaces Foundation in their mission to repatriate this $1 million-dollar parcel of land to the Duwamish Tribe. Purchasing this 3.5 acre parcel will increase the land owned by the Duwamish Tribe by 500%. The Heron’s Nest is located just uphill and to the south of the Duwamish Longhouse and Cultural Center. It’s a great, amazing outdoor space hikable from the Longhouse and Pathfinder School. The goal is to raise money to purchase the property, do improvements, and turn it into an outdoor education center for all ages to learn art, building, carpentry, sustainable farming practices, urban permaculture/land design, native flora, camping retreat.

Would you like to host an outdoor movie night, event, musical performance? They have this as well.

Help The Heron’s Nest and Shared Spaces Foundation meet their goal of raising $1 million by the end of 2021 to purchase this amazing 3.5 acres of land to give in trust to the Duwamish Tribal Services by attending their auction at The Heron’s Nest sight Saturday, October 16, 2021. Gates open at 4pm. The Auction will also be available online as well. Silent Auction, Blessing of the site by the Duwamish Tribe, Live music, FREE dinner, and Documentary Screening on their HUGE outdoor movie screen.

RSVP @TheHeronsNest.org.

If you have an item you or your company are able to donate or would like to make a financial donation please reach out to Christine Clark at christinimcb@me.com. Every little bit counts!

Curious about the project? Happy to set up a tour!

Mark your calendars for the evening of October 12th. More information to come.

Pathfinder K-8 is a special place that recognizes each student as an individual with different strengths, needs and interests. The magic of our school begins with the administrators, teachers, aides and specialists who work with our kids every day. But it is also because of parents like you.

Your Pathfinder PTSA is comprised of fellow parents who serve the Pathfinder K-8 Community as a powerful voice for all children, a meaningful resource for families and as a strong advocate for the education and well-being of every child inside and outside the classroom. We focus on Advocacy, Community, Equity, Inclusion and Outdoor Education.

Join us online for the first General PTSA meeting of the year on Tuesday, October 5 at 6:30 PM to learn about the PTSA events and happenings this fall!

Join Zoom Meeting

https://zoom.us/j/92797076306?pwd=RktmNWplSWpnb1hYYkNZVmxYQUhCQT09
Meeting ID: 927 9707 6306

Passcode: k3MZX3

You do not need to be a PTSA member to attend the meeting, but we encourage you to join the PTSA to help advocate for our kids. Membership strengthens all our efforts and is just $15 for an individual and $25 for a family PTSA membership. Visit bit.ly/PTSAJoinUs to join the Pathfinder K-8 PTSA and make your voice heard!

More to come! The Pathfinder PTSA website has been redesigned to support community and connection among all our families. Once class lists are finalized, you will receive an invitation in email to create an account on the website so that you can log in to private content, including class groups.

Working in partnership with Dr. Holmes and Dr. Cordell, your family-based Racial Equity Committee (REC) invites all Families of Color, Black Families, Indigenous Families, and Multiracial Families at Pathfinder to the inaugural Pathfinder Community Cafe!

WHO: For our Black Families, Indigenous Families, Multiracial Families, and Families of Color

WHAT: Meant to connect and foster relationships, Community Cafes bring community members together for a series of loosely structured conversations that directly address issues important to the community. Please check out the video below to learn more!

WHEN: Friday, October 15 from 7:00-8:00PM

HOW: Please RSVP for this event here:

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/community-cafe-at-pathfinder-tickets-174447676697

WHY: This event responds to data collected during our Racial Equity Questionnaire last year. Black, Indigenous, Multiracial and Families of Color at Pathfinder expressed a desire for more opportunities to connect and be heard in our community. We hope you and your families join us in this safe space of welcome, belonging, and hope!

PLEASE SHARE: Please forward this invitation to other Pathfinder families that are Black, Indigenous, Multiracial and Families of Color and encourage them to attend with you.

ALSO — JOIN REC! If you are interested in joining us in this important work this school-year, and/or facilitating a small break out room during this Community Cafe, please reach out to us at equity@pathfinderk8ptsa.org.

—Your Racial Equity Committee (REC)

Veena Prasad, Becky Greenberg, Jamelia Alnajjar

Our upcoming sessions will be focused on grade band specific information and opportunities to share praises, questions, and concerns. We look forward to seeing you all on Zoom! All sessions will be recorded and take place 6 - 7pm.

Second and Third Grade Folx | September 21st

Kindergarten and First Grade Folx | September 28th

Fourth and Fifth Grade Folx | October 19th

Middle School Folx | October 26th

In July 2021, Seattle Public Schools initiated an adoption process to select new mathematics instructional materials for Kindergarten through fifth grade students. SPS families are invited to complete this Needs Assessment Survey to share what is important to them in math instructional materials. The results of this survey will be used by the adoption committee to help determine the selection criteria.

• Dr. Holmes Meet and Greet
• MS Orientation
  
• School Opening and Pathfinder 101
• Second and Third Listening Session
• Kindergarten and First Listening Session

If your scholar is a part of BT, please check here for the monthly update. We are also working on imbedding BT dates on our Pathfinder calendar.

September 26, 2021

September 19, 2021

September 12, 2021

September 5, 2021

August 29, 2021

August 22, 2021

August 16, 2021

July 2021

• To know all folx personally and professionally connected to the school. Further, allow others to know me as fully as possible outside day to day connection, crisis, and problem solving.

• To use qualitative and quantitative data to determine concerns and issues regarding improving student performance that needs to be closely examined and addressed to repay the educational debt.

• To learn the artifacts, beliefs, and basic underlying assumptions through engaging in essential conversations with Pathfinder students, staff, and community.

• To identify, hold onto, and strengthen traditions that center students and bring the community together. Further, partner with students, staff, and the community to ensure social emotional learning and growth is embedded in the curriculum, adult strengths are highlighted, and we have fun!

https://www.pathfinderk8ptsa.org/

Email: bdholmes@seattleschools.org
Website: https://pathfinderk8.seattleschools.org/
Location: 1901 SW Genesee St, Seattle, WA 98106, USA
Phone: 206.252.9710