Madrona Bear Facts: Week 9
Final Week of MKF, Bear Scare Update, Food Drive, and More!
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In This Issue
Check your ParentSquare for the latest information on the school parking lot and other back-to-school info!
📅 Upcoming Dates
💰 Madrona Kids Fund - Final Week!
🙋 Get Involved With MIT - Volunteer to Help Our School
🚗 Parking Update from Dr. Castilleja
🐻 Bear Scare Needs Your Help
💲 MIT Grants Submission Deadline Extended to Tomorrow!
🍱 Conference Week Teacher Appreciation Dinner
👹 Scare Hunger Food Drive - 10/27-11/7
🕺 Spirit Week - November 3-7
🏃🏻♂️ Madrona Miles Club - Register Here
🎨 ArtWise After-School Art Class - Register Here
🧠 Madrona Tips & Tidbits - Conference Week
💻 MIT Scholarships
⭐ Notes From MIT
📅 Upcoming Dates
10/27 🏃🏻♂️ Madrona Miles Club starts
10/27-31 💬 Conference Week - half-day schedule all week - release at 12:25 PM
10/27-30 🏒 Ball Hockey Camp During Conference Week
10/28 🍱 Conference Week Dinner for Teachers
10/27-11/7 👹 Scare Hunger Food Drive
11/3-7 🕺 Spirit Week
11/4 👪 Mega Morning Meeting
11/7 6 PM 🐻 Bear Scare!
11/10 6:30 PM 🐻 MIT General Meeting
11/11 🏫 NO SCHOOL - Veterans Day
11/12 📸 Picture Retake Day
11/20 🎶 Fall Middle School Concert
11/22 🎷 Northshore Jazz Festival
11/26-28 NO SCHOOL 🍗 Thanksgiving Break
💰 Madrona Kids Fund - Final Week!
This is the final week of the Madrona Kids Fund campaign, and we have received only 55% of the total green envelopes in Madrona! Remember to return your green envelopes this week to earn your center a popsicle party!
PLEASE RETURN THE GREEN ENVELOPES TO YOUR CHILD’S CENTER/CLASS EVEN IF YOU DONATE ONLINE OR COMMIT TO SUPPORT US IN ANOTHER WAY!
All centers/classrooms that return 100% of their envelopes will win a popsicle party!
Please note that there are extra envelopes and letters at the front desk in the office!
What if I can't donate right now?
Use the QR code you'll be seeing all around school and donate when you can
You can donate anytime using the same PayPal link, which is also on the Madrona Bear Facts website
Other info:
All donations made through PayPal will receive an automatic donation receipt for tax deduction purposes
Donations may be eligible for your corporate matching program. Please contact your benefits department for specifics.
Recurring online donations may be made through the same PayPal donation link
🙋 Get Involved With MIT - Volunteer to Help Our School!
More information about volunteering may be found on our website here: https://www.madronabearfacts.com/helpful-information/volunteer-information/
Volunteer Signup Form: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScSNMS9S_Y2ANOP7HccdhiB7Y6h8SuHqENJ5kCTUy23WvBa0Q/viewform?usp=sharing&ouid=110083319410728073725
🚗 Parking Update from Dr. Castilleja
Dr. Castilleja sent out this update this week about the parking lot situation:
We have opened up extra parking on the west side of the Parent Drop Off/ Pick Up Lane. The west side lined spaces are for parking only. Please park as close to the curb as possible so traffic can flow through on the left hand lane. There is only one drive through lane. Thanks for your help!
Completion for the parking lot construction is on track to be completed by mid-November. Trees and other vegetation to finish the project have been delivered. Fingers crossed!
Also, please note that you may parallel park in the Drop Off/Pick Up loop until 3:15. If cars are parked there after 3:15, they will be blocked in until school is dismissed.
🐻 Bear Scare Needs Your Help!
Madrona’s spook-tacular fall celebration is just around the corner! Featuring games, music, pizza, candy crafts, cookie decorating, and fun activities for all ages! Your fellow students will be decked out in the coolest costumes around (adults must not wear masks and no costumes with weapons) — Bear Scare is Madrona’s biggest party of the year!
Online tickets are available now but beginning November 3rd and continuing throughout the week till November 7th, in-person pre-sales are available for both tickets and pizza before school allowing you to avoid the lines at Bear Scare, and save money!
Tickets are $5 cash/$6 credit card online per child if purchased in advance and $7 at the door (adults are free), while pizza is $3 for one slice and a drink, $5 for two slices and a drink, or $17 to have a whole pizza ready for you on-site ($19 gluten-free).
Finally, remember that 100% of the Bear Scare proceeds go right back to our students through MIT programs. We need your help to make Bear Scare a Spooky Success!
Remember, we will be having it on Friday, November 7th, 2025 6-8PM at Edmonds Heights! https://maps.app.goo.gl/fEdfF3EicnhofVMR6
We still need small toys, candy, cookies, frosting, cupcakes but most of all, your willingness to help!
All of the info about Bear Scare, including buying tickets, volunteering, donating, signing up for the costume contest, etc. is available on the Bear Scare page on the MIT website!
💲 MIT Grants: Deadline for Submissions Tomorrow!
"Grant" is just a fancy way of saying -- write up your idea to improve the school. The way you write it doesn’t need to be perfect - we will be looking at ideas, not spelling or grammar.
What are your ideas? Something educational? Something to support the learning environment? Ways to improve the campus maybe? Something artsy? Something STEM? A new event? An assembly?
Round 1 - $2,500 Available to Support Ideas for Improving Our School. We have extended the deadline, but Round 1 grants are due tomorrow, Monday, October 27th!
Submitting an idea is easy, just fill out this short form!
If you feel you need assistance writing up your grant application for any reason, please reach out to your friendly Grant Administrator.
🍱 Conference Week Teacher Appreciation Dinner
We still need 2 more volunteers to help set up and clean up!
👹 Scare Hunger Food Drive - 10/27-11/7
Madrona's annual food bank donation drive is happening from 10/27-11/7. This directly benefits the communities we work in by supporting the Edmonds Food Bank!
Items that are needed most are baby formula, diapers, and wipes. These items are MOST needed by the food bank. The diapers can be any size. They are also in need of soaps and hygiene products.
And of course, they can always use dry goods, canned vegetables, peanut butter, and any non-perishable food items.
🕺 Spirit Week - November 3-7
November 3-7 is the first Spirit Week of the school year! Make sure to dress appropriately, no matter the Spirit Week theme.
- Monday: Lazy Day
Get comfy on your Monday! Bring your favorite blanket, and wear your favorite cozy clothes. Bring a stuffed animal (if it fits in your backpack) - Tuesday: Fun Hair or Hat Day
Top your head with school spirit! Do something fun with your hair or wear a crazy hat! - Wednesday: Color Explosion
Dress in as many colors as you can! Bright shirts, rainbow socks, funky accessories - the more colors, the better. - Thursday: Swap Day
Come to school dressed as your teacher. And your teachers will be showing up dressed like you! - Friday (Middle School): Anything But a Backpack
Leave your backpacks at home and carry your supplies in something totally unexpected! - Friday (Primary, Intermediate, and Kindergarten): Fandom Day
Today is all about celebrating the things you love most. Dress as your favorite character from a book, movie, TV show, video game, comic book, or anything else that sparks your imagination! (No masks, please)
🏃 Madrona Miles Club Starts Tomorrow - Register Here
Welcome to Madrona Miles Club!
Students in grades K-8 can participate in running (or walking) club. Bring your running/walking shoes, wear clothes to participate in, bring your own water bottle, and have a good attitude!
When: Mondays and Thursdays beginning on October 27th through the week of June 1st (last day will be June 4, 2026)
What time: 8:40-9:10 AM
Where we meet: Madrona K-8 Track
Please register your students for Madrona Miles Club so our school nurse can cross check any health information for us
Madrona Miles Club is a DROP IN program. So, once you are registered, come when you can. Parents and family members are welcome (and encouraged!) to stay and walk/jog with their kids but you can also drop them off and go.
Goal of the Madrona Miles Club:
To provide a free, fun, and inclusive program where students can exercise with friends, improve their fitness, and learn about the importance of healthy living. The club aims to foster a positive attitude toward physical activity, encourage regular exercise, and promote lifelong healthy habits in a supportive and social environment.
Questions? Email Mr. Barnes at barnesju@edmonds.wednet.edu
🎨 ArtWise After-School Art Class - Register Here
Here is another after school opportunity for Madrona artists, run directly through Artwise! Please see flyer for more information.
🧠 Madrona Tips & Tidbits
- Conference Week is this week, 10/27 - 10/31
- You should already have a slot booked with your student's teacher, if not check Parent Square for a message from them with how to book a slot
- Students are released early that week to accommodate conferences - 12:25 pm release
- Conferences are generally between teacher and caregivers. Some teachers will ask that a student attends. Please check with your student's teacher
- Lunch is still served that week. However, no hot options are served
- Students will still have recess and specialists
- Middle school will have periods 1,2,3 on Monday and Wednesday, and periods 4,5,6 on Tuesday and Thursday. They will have 20-minute periods on Friday.
💻 New digital form for MIT Scholarships
The fees covered by the Scholarship Program include:
- Supply fees (also available under Free and Reduced Lunch benefits)
- One ticket to Bear Scare
- One Enrichment class per year
- Two tickets to a Madrona Children's Theatre show
- Field trip fees (also available under Free and Reduced Lunch benefits)
- One yearbook & one pen
Anyone who thinks the cost of these items may be a hardship for their family should apply.
Note the information received is confidential and only goes to our Office Manager, Kim Zimmerman. MIT does not have access to the information.
🥪 This Week's Menu
Note: There are no hot lunch options on half-days
Subject to change
See the menu any time at MySchoolMenus.com
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⭐ Notes From MIT
Please Forward This Email to Other Madrona Parents You Know!
If you or anyone you know would like to receive updates on what is happening at Madrona and how you might be able to get involved, you can sign up for the MIT Newsletter on our website.
A Note from Your MIT Communications Coordinator
Hi! I'm Dan Hart, your friendly neighborhood MIT Communications Coordinator. I will be responsible for sending the weekly MIT newsletter on Sundays. My goal is to continue to keep this newsletter fresh, fun to read, and informative for the whole Madrona community!
You may notice that this email is a little lighter on images than usual. After some feedback, we've decided to move away from the use of AI images as part of our newsletter theme (other than when they are used as the graphic for a specific event). Instead, we'll be coordinating with the centers and Spark! to include student artwork in the newsletter. Watch for this in the near future!
🎁 Feedback is always a gift, and I invite you to give us the gift of your feedback!
Please email me with feedback and suggestions including, but not limited to:
- What do you like
- What could improve
- Suggest a theme
- Any other feedback or suggestions!
Contribute to This Newsletter
Do you have an article you’d like included in our weekly email? Please email your blurb to Dan at MITCommCoordinator@gmail.com or submit online by Friday at noon to be included the edition going out that Sunday. Please include if you’d like the article to run for multiple weeks.
**Interpretation**
Interpretation for families is available through the school district for MIT events.
To request ASL interpretation, email aslrequests@edmonds.wednet.edu
To request other language interpretation, call or email Kelly Carlson at carlsonka@edmonds.wednet.edu | 425-431-2900
* Families that need interpretation must register in advance: We need 7 days to schedule interpreters for events.
* Familias que necesitan interpretación deben registrarse con anticipación: Necesitamos 7 días para programar intérpretes para los eventos.
*통역이 필요한 가족들은 미리 등록을 해야 합니다: 행사를 위한 통역관을 준비하는데3일이필요합니다.
* Các gia đình cần thông dịch phải đăng ký trước: Chúng tôi cần 7 ngày để sắp xếp thông dịch viên cho các sự kiện.
* Семьи, которые нуждаются в переводчике должны зарегистрироваться заранее: нам необходимо 7 дополнительных дня, чтобы заказать переводчика для мероприятия.
بالنسبة للعائلات التي بحاجة إلى مترجم يجب عليهم أن يسجلوا مسبقاً: نحن بحاجة إلى 7 أيام لتأمين جدول مواعيد للمترجمين لهذه الأحداث*