the Orca Splash

Hello Viewlands Families!

A big highlight this week was seeing the end results of the work the 4th and 5th graders from Mr. Thorpe and Mr. Arango's classroom did as part of the Salmon in Schools project. In addition, to caring for our salmon and the tank, the students engaged in salmon focused projects. You can read more about it in this newsletter.

A few other highlights from my visits in classrooms and with students this week include: seeing in action how welcoming students were when new students joined our community (this week some of our Kindergarten welcomed a new student and Christa's 2nd grade classroom community welcomed a new student); hearing the enthusiasm and excitement from 3rd-5th graders that are on the Ultimate Frisbee team about their upcoming games this weekend; seeing a 5th grader actively support a friend after a bus challenge; and celebrating reading successes with some of our students.

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.

In Partnership,

Carrie Wheeler | Viewlands Principal

Our 4th and 5th graders have been working hard on taking care of our salmon as they hatched and progressed from alevin to the fry stage of development. In addition, the 4th and 5th graders in Mr. Thorpe and Mr. Arango's classes with support from Ms. McVay and Ms. Kutch have invested time to dive deeper in their learning about salmon.

The 4th graders created art integrated projects based on the learning they did about salmon to showcase at the school to support other students learning, and to spotlight the intersection of science, environmental studies, and art. Their art will be part of the Evening of the Arts and Culture event at the end of April.

The 5th graders developed learning tools, like dioramas, to support their learning. They used these learning tools as part of their teaching project. The 5th graders in Mr. Thorpe and Mr. Arango's classes taught the other classes about the salmon this week on Tuesday and Wednesday. Students teaching other students is a student leadership pathway. It is also a way to connect learning across our school community and create passion and investment in the salmon for all our Viewlands students. I was able to observe this in action in a few classes on Wednesday. I was so incredibly proud of how receptive students were to learning from our 5th graders and of the 5th graders for their leadership.

The 4th and 5th graders will continue to take care of our salmon fry through the beginning of April. All of our 4th and 5th grade students will take our salmon fry to Carkeek to release them in the Imprint Pond on April 9th. The salmon will be in the Imprint pond for a couple weeks before the Carkeek stewards release them in Pipers Creek.

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.

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!

• 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

It’s officially Auction Month – 4 weeks to go!

Get your tickets TODAY for Viewlands PTSA’s Blockbuster Bash – the PTA's biggest (and final!) fundraiser of the year at Old Stove Gardens in Ballard on Saturday, March 28.

Theme party vibes – costumes encouraged! Dress inspired by your favorite blockbuster (no formalwear required, but welcome!). Expect games, drinks, fun, and lots of Orca spirit. Grownups only!

Funds raised support: Lexia literacy software for K–2 readers, field trips, assemblies, music & arts experiences, playground supervision, and more.

Get Your Tickets Today!

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