Madrona Bear Facts: Week 8
MKF Update, Bear Scare Call for Volunteers, 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 Update!
🙋 Get Involved With MIT - Volunteer to Help Our School!
🪪 Reminder for Volunteers
🐻 Bear Scare Update
💲 MIT Grants Submission Deadline Tomorrow!
🍱 Conference Week Teacher Appreciation Dinner
🏃🏻♂️ Madrona Miles Club - Register Here
🧑🏻🎨 Spark Creativity is Returning This Year
🎨 ArtWise After-School Art Class - Register Here
🏒 Ball Hockey Camp During Conference Week!
🛫 Madrona Middle School Trip - Save the Date!
🧠 Madrona Tips & Tidbits - Conference Week
💻 MIT Scholarships
⭐ Notes From MIT
📅 Upcoming Dates
10/20 💲 Deadline for Round 1 of MIT Grants
10/21 5:30 PM 🛫 Informational Zoom meeting for Middle School Trip 2027
10/24 🏫 NO SCHOOL - Staff Professional Development Day
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
11/4 👪 Mega Monday 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
💰 Madrona Kids Fund!
What is the Madrona Kids Fund (MKF)?
MKF is our once-a-year fundraiser run by MIT (Madrona Integrated Team). It supports our school community. We don't ask kids to sell gift wrap, candy, or other items to fundraise for the school. Instead, we as a community are asked to contribute.
MKF supports the MIT programs and events you love so much, like the Back to School BBQ, Bear Scare, MIT Scholarships, STEAM night, and so many more!
How to Participate
This year's recommended donation is $67
You can donate through PayPal
No PayPal account is necessary to donate
A green envelope will come home with your child this week which can be used to send cash or check
You don't need to donate to participate!
Commit to attend 3 MIT General Meetings
Commit to volunteer for a MIT event
Commit to sign-up for store give backs
Sending back the form in the green envelope counts as participation
EVERY KIND OF SUPPORT MATTERS!
A lot of great movement on all of the Madrona Kids Fund participation thermometers, including our first 100% class - Ms. Hemion! Remember:
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
🆔 Reminder for Volunteers
All volunteers can pick up their SafeVisitor badges from the Madrona office front desk!
Please make sure to print your safe visitors approval barcode and stick it on the back of your ID badge, if you have one. If you don't have an ID badge, please use an ID sleeve or laminate it. Using your safe visitors barcode to sign in is a lot faster and will eliminate some login errors.
Those who have not been cleared by the district, please sign in using your driver's license. If you get an error message while signing in, please let Carolyn or Brittany know.
🐻 Bear Scare is Back!
We need your help to make Bear Scare a Spooky Success!
We need small toys, candy, cookies, frosting, cupcakes but most of all, your willingness to help!
Check the links and sign up for this event. It's a lot of fun and really brings the community together! Remember, we will be having it on Friday, November 7th, 2025 6-8PM at Edmonds Heights! https://maps.app.goo.gl/fEdfF3EicnhofVMR6
Buy your tickets and pizza early so we can get this event off to a Spooky Start loaded with fun and games!
We're accepting submissions for the costume contest until Oct 31st. Voting begins Nov 1st.
💲 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. Grant Submissions are due Monday, October 20th!
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 are still in need of volunteers, especially for set up and clean up!
🏃 Madrona Miles Club - 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
🎨 Spark Creativity is Returning This Year
At the parent meeting on Monday, MIT formally approved funding for Spark Creativity and their arts curriculum to return to the intermediate classes at Madrona this year!
More info will be coming soon
🎨 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.
🏒 Ball Hockey Camp During Conference Week!
No ice? No skates? No problem!
Join Emerald City Ball Hockey for 1 to 4 days of action-packed fun during Parent-Teacher Conference Week — open to Grades 1–5!
📅 Dates: October 27–30
🕐 Time: 12:30–3:30 PM
📍 Location: Madrona Gym
💲 $78.40 per day or $274.40 for all 4 days — save $35!
Use discount code: PTCweek35
👭 25% sibling discount (same day required) — code: sibling25
Registration opens Monday, October 6 at 8:00 AM
Registration closes Wednesday, October 22 at midnight
Adult volunteers needed daily — volunteer and receive 50% reimbursement!
🛫 Madrona Middle School Trip - Save the Date!
We are thrilled to announce that the Madrona Travels trip for 2027 will be an exciting, action-packed trip to Ireland, Wales, and England. We can’t wait to tell you all about the trip and share our itinerary with you at our upcoming informational meeting. Plan to attend if you’d like to learn more about the trip and how you can sign up to travel with us.
Who? Current 6th and 7th graders
When? Informational meeting Tuesday, October 21st 5:30 - 6:30pm on Zoom.
Trip Sign-Up Opens: Friday, 10/24 8:00am
Zoom link: https://edmondsschools.zoom.us/j/81374776305?pwd=9nKa0r2ElXmf2MaxKXfM5uWiqbVazt.1&jst=2
Questions? Email Amy and Hillary at madrona.travels@gmail.com.
🧠 Madrona Tips & Tidbits
The note below was submitted by one of our readers.
"At first, I felt bad because I had a younger child and was not able to volunteer in the classroom.
Soon I found a need in the music class. Next with enrichment after school.
Next thing I knew I was a class coordinator and on committees.
I wish I had not felt bad about not being able to volunteer for all the things. Instead finding where I could volunteer helped me to become more familiar with Madrona Staff, students and guardians and all the happenings."
Thank you to all the volunteers who make everything MIT does possible. Without you there is no us. Please give yourself permission to be where you are. Get involved when and how you can.
We appreciate you!
💻 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
Subject to change
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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*