11/10 McMicken Family Connection

Dear Families,

It is that time of year where we are culminating units of study and starting new ones. Our Cougars are showing off their knowledge in different ways through reading, writing, listening and speaking. For example, our Kinders recently celebrated learning new reading skills with a parade through the building while holding up their favorite books. It was wonderful to see their sense of pride as students and staff applauded this new milestone! Our Cougars have also been sharing their learning through discourse, using sentence stems or sign language to agree, disagree or add on to their peer’s thinking. It is so exciting to see our Cougars growing their knowledge collaboratively!

😄 Principal Haas

Thunder Boy Jr. wants a normal name...one that's all his own. Dad is known as big Thunder, but little thunder doesn't want to share a name. He wants a name that celebrates something cool he's done like Touch the Clouds, Not Afraid of Ten Thousand Teeth, or Full of Wonder.

But just when Little Thunder thinks all hope is lost, dad picks the best name...Lightning! Their love will be loud and bright, and together they will light up the sky.

This original tale, based on Pacific Northwest myth, in which frogs are being abducted from a local lake, "will be welcomed by fans of folklore and Native American literature." (Publisher's Weekly)

Frogs have been stolen, an earthquake rumbles, a village is in peril. To restore calm to her land, a girl must delve beneath the surface of a lake, deep into a spirit world. What she finds will thrill readers and introduce them to a classic hero's journey.

Just a reminder -- All clothing left in the school's Lost + Found will be taken to Value Village on Monday, November 28. If your student is missing anything, please stop by the school between 8:20 AM - 4:00 PM. Our Lost + Found is located in the main hallway down from the front doors on the right, next to the corner. Our Lost + Found will also be available during student conferences, November 21 - 23. (School will be closed Nov. 24 - 25.)

We are not requiring uniforms for the 22-23 school year as we seek community input to make updates to our Dress Code policy.

During the 2021-22 school year, we did not require students to wear uniforms. We have noticed a decrease of time spent on uniform compliance and more time in class as a result. We have seen an increase in students being able to dress in ways that embrace their personalities and cultural identities. Lastly, there has been less financial pressure on families to continue to buy uniforms.

We will seek community input about the future of our dress code policy during student-led conferences this coming week. Please stop by the voting booth downstairs before or after your student’s conference to vote on the future of our dress code policy.

November's Monthly Focus: We are COLLABORATIVE.

Weekly Focus (Nov. 14-18): Motivate positive choices.

A quote to think about: "We are not a team because we work with one another. We are a team because we respect, trust, and care." - Vala Alshar

When we motivate positive choices, it looks like:

Friday, November 11: Veteran's Day, No School

Monday, November 21-Wednesday, November 23: Student-Led Conferences, No School

Thursday, November 24 and Friday, November 25: Thanksgiving Break, No School

Monday, December 19-Monday, January 2: Winter Break, No School

Tuesday, January 3: Return to School

Did you know that Highline Public Schools has partnered with the Seattle Art Museum? That means that our Highline families can get free admission to the Seattle Art Museum! When you go to the ticket desk, you can let them know that you are a Highline family.

Check out their website for their current exhibitions, programs and learning available, and more!

Address: 1300 First Ave, Seattle, WA 98101

Phone Number: 206.654.3100

Hours: Closed Monday and Tuesday, Thursdays-Sunday open 10AM-5PM

Join the City of Normandy Park monthly from 10:00am-1:00pm for Family Foresters!

It is a free, family-friendly tree planting event happening monthly on the second Saturday at Marine View Park. Learn about the environment, how to plant trees, and ways to impact climate change. For future dates, please visit their website.

Date/Time: November 12, 2022 from 10:00am-1:00pm

Address: Marine View Park, 20945 Marine View Dr. SW, Normandy Park

The holiday season will be upon us shortly, and the Wellspring Holiday Gift Program has opened! The application to apply for holiday gifts opened on November 1st, and the application will tentatively close on November 30th (but is subject to close earlier, depending on demand).

Holiday gifts are available through this program for children between the ages of newborn to 17.

Families are eligible to apply for gifts if they are currently experiencing homelessness or at risk of becoming homeless (for example, food insecurity, low income, recent job loss, living in transitional housing, etc.). Below please find important information about this year's Holiday Gift Program:

Completing the application does not guarantee a family will receive gifts. Availability will be dependent on the donations we receive and demand.

• They are unable to honor requests for specific gifts, but they will do their best to provide items the children are interested in. Please note, electronics such as tablets, laptops, and gaming systems will not be available.
• This form can be completed by families requesting for their own children or by a case manager, public health nurse, etc. on behalf of a family.
• Please ensure only one form is submitted per family. Multiple submissions will not increase the likelihood of receiving gifts.
• If you are requesting for a family with multiple children, only one form needs to be completed. You can request for all children in one submission.
• If they can fill a request, you/the family will have 7 business days to pick up the gifts from their office (1900 Rainier Ave S, Seattle, 98144). They unfortunately cannot deliver.

There are many available resources and assistance for families in need this holiday season. Please see below for resources and information that may support your family's needs.

1. Toy 'n Joy offered by Salvation Army

• Taking applications now! Apply online.
  
• Description: Provides Christmas food voucher for eligible low-income families, as well as toys for children ages 17 and younger, in the West Seattle, White Center, South Park, Burien, SeaTac, Tukwila, and north Des Moines areas. Distribution Day Dec. 21st.
  
• For questions, email bill.talbot@usw.salvationarmy.org or call 206-767-3150.

2. The Forgotten Children's Fund

• Apply online by December 16th.
• Description: We provide a Christmas experience for families in need. This includes a visit to your home from Santa and his team of elves who will deliver gifts and warm coats for your children, blankets and a food box to your family on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day.

3. Kent Lutheran Church - Community Supper

• Description: Christmas dinner grab-n-go meals for anyone in need.
• Call 253-852-2027 with questions.
• Date/Time/Location: December 20th from 6pm-7pm at 336 2nd Ave S, Kent, WA 98030.

4. Kent Seventh Day Adventist Church - Neighbor to Neighbor

• Description: Christmas dinner grab-n-go meals for anyone in need.
• Call 253-852-3883 with questions.
• Date/Time/Location: December 22nd from 4:30pm-5pm at 25213 116th Ave SE, Kent, WA 98030.

5. November Holiday Food at Highline Area Food Bank, starting November 1 and ending November 22

• Description: Offers self-select holiday food during normal food bank hours for residents of the Highline area during the month of November (Nov. 1-22)
• Call 206-433-9900 with questions.
• Tuesdays (weekly): 12pm-2:30pm
• 2nd Tuesday of each month: 5:30pm-7:00pm
• Thursdays: 10am-12:30pm
• Address: 18300 4th Avenue South in Burien, Washington

6. December Holiday Food at Highline Area Food Bank, starting December 2 and ending December 23

• Description: Offers self-select holiday food during normal food bank hours for residents of the Highline area during the month of December (Dec. 2-23)
• Call 206-433-9900 with questions.
• Tuesdays (weekly): 12pm-2:30pm
• 2nd Tuesday of each month: 5:30pm-7:00pm
• Thursdays: 10am-12:30pm
• Address: 18300 4th Avenue South in Burien, Washington

7. USPS Operation Santa

• Description: Write a letter to Santa! The US Postal Service will pair letters from kids and families with generous people who fulfill their holiday wishes.
• For more information, visit their website.

Museums are for kids! Look through Seattle's Child's Magazine for August and September, focused on Seattle-area museums and events. It details information about the different museums available in this area, events that each host, and what kids and parents will love about it! As breaks are coming up, consider taking your family to a museum and learn something new together.

Disfruten de cuentos interactivos, canciones y actividades para niños.

Programa familiar, todas las edades son bienvenidas en compañía de un adulto.
Por favor regístrese.

Después de registrarse, recibirá un correo electrónico de confirmación con el enlace Zoom del programa. El mismo enlace de zoom se utilizará cada semana para las Horas de Cuentos en Español. Si no ve un correo electrónico, verifique su carpeta de correo no deseado.

Existe la posibilidad de hacer arreglos a petición de las personas con discapacidades para acomodar de forma razonable sus necesidades. Póngase en contacto con access@kcls.org al menos siete días antes del evento para solicitar interpretación ASL, servicios de subtitulado y/u otros arreglos de los programas virtuales de la biblioteca.

Enjoy stories, music, movement and rhymes that develop your child’s early literacy skills.

All ages welcome with adult.

Please register.

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing the program's Zoom link. The same link will be used each week for Spanish Story Times. If you do not see an email, check your Junk or Spam folder.

Reasonable accommodation for people with disabilities is available by request. Email access@kcls.org at least seven days before the event. Automated closed captioning is always available for online events.

See the full year's Heritage Month calendar and think about how you can continue to celebrate these groups and holidays at home. In addition, you can access the Heritage Month calendar in Spanish, Somali, or Vietnamese.

Explore resources, events, book lists, and more for November's Heritage Months in English or Spanish.

The month is a time to celebrate rich and diverse cultures, traditions, and histories and to acknowledge the important contributions of Native people. Heritage Month is also to educate the general public about tribes, to raise a general awareness about the unique challenges Native people have faced both historically and in the present, and the ways in which tribal citizens have worked to conquer these challenges.

Transgender Day of Remembrance is a global, annual observance on November 20th for the transgender individuals lost to violence and honoring the memories of victims of anti-transgender violence.

National Day of Elimination of Violence Against Women aims to prevent and eliminate violence against women and girls around the world, calling for global action to increase awareness, promote advocacy and create opportunities for discussion on challenges and solutions.

Contact us for support or with questions.

McMicken Heights Elementary School

https://mcmicken.highlineschools.org

Phone: (206) 631-4300

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