October 20 Owl Post

Thank you to the PTA and parent support for all of the ongoing support at STEM. Last week's skate event, game night, PTA meeting, and fundraising for Direct Give are examples of why our community is one of the best. If you want to volunteer at STEM, please connect with grade level room liaisons or the front office. We have all kinds of different ways for you to support our school!

The PTSA is sponsoring a professional development training for four of our teachers and myself to attend a 3-day training on the power of professional learning communities (PLC). After looking at climate survey data from previous years, the building leadership team approved our instructional vision that prioritized grade level collaboration. Teachers that collaborate with one another see huge impacts on student learning. For the first few months of school, grade level teams and specialists are coming together to write align standards, determine essential learning, and then create units in writing. Teachers will meet, review data, and determine next steps to make sure that students are learning.

Elementary School: We want your child to be successful in school and that means supporting and encouraging their whole development. While excelling in academic classes is important, children also need to learn how to take on challenges, make good decisions, manage strong emotions, and get along with others.

Louisa Boren STEM uses Second Step® Elementary, a research-based program designed to improve these skills and help children both in and out of school. Four units will cover the following:
Growth Mindset & Goal-Setting: Children learn how to pay attention and manage distractions, develop a growth mindset, and apply goal-setting strategies to their social and academic lives.
Emotion Management: Children learn how to identify and label emotions and use emotion-management strategies- including stress management for older students-to calm strong feelings.
Empathy & Kindness: Children learn how to recognize kindness and act kindly, have empathy for others and take others' perspectives, and recognize kind acts and empathy as important elements of building and maintaining relationships.

Problem-Solving: Children learn how to identify and state a problem, recognize if a problem is an accident, and use the STEP problem-solving process:

S: Say the problem
T: Think of solutions
E: Explore the outcomes
P: Pick a solution

Middle School: We want your child to be successful in school, and that means supporting and encouraging their whole development. While excelling in academic classes is important, students also need skills to help them overcome challenges, make good decisions, handle strong emotions, and get along well with others.

Louisa Boren STEM K8 is using Second Step® Middle School, a research-based program designed to improve these skills and help students both in and out of school. It includes the following units:
Mindsets & Goals: Students learn how to develop a growth mindset and apply research-based goal-setting strategies to their social and academic lives.

Developing a Positive Sense of Self: Students learn to identify their guiding principles, work toward becoming the person they want to be, and learn strategies for building confidence.

Thoughts, Emotions & Decisions: Students learn how to recognize strong emotions and unhelpful thoughts, and apply strategies to manage their emotions and reduce stress.

Managing Relationships & Social Conflict: Students learn strategies for developing and maintaining healthy relationships, perspective-taking, and dealing with conflict.

Updates on the online menu calendar are taking place. The meals that are served at school may not be what is shared on the menu. All students at STEM receive one free breakfast and lunch per day.

Filling out the The School Meals Application, helps our school receive federal and state funding. It does more than just support our cafeteria. Please fill out!

Middle School Families! A great way to have a window into your child's experience is by logging into The Source. Last week, I signed in and saw that my son had a C in Language Arts. I was able to look at his teacher's grade book and see that he hadn't turned in all of his assignments. Together, we are working to improve his grade. It is important that parents have access to this information. Currently, only 50 middle school families have signed onto this platform. At 5:40 p.m. on November 13 (before Culture Night), I will be hosting a Source workshop. We will have laptops and I will be able to access your login information. I have a goal of making sure that all families access this tool by the end of the school year. More information about The Source below.

The Source is Seattle Public Schools’ online communication tool that allows parents, guardians and students access to schedules, attendance, assessment scores, and more. RIght now, less than half of our Middle School families have signed on to The Source this year.

Below are some links to some tutorials about The Source.

• Learn more about features in The Source
• How to View Grades and Attendance for Secondary Students
• How to View Attendance for Elementary Students

Ms. Sawade’s CTE class is diving into 3D design, and we’re looking for volunteers with experience running 3D printers to help bring student projects to life! The printers take some finesse, lots of calibrating and readjusting, so we’re hoping to find someone who already knows their way around the process. While she’s starting with her CTE classes, her goal is to eventually have all of her classes (K-8) 3D printing and even learning to run the machines themselves. If you (or someone you know) has experience and would like to help, we’d love to hear from you!

Contact Ms. Sawade jlsawade@seattleschools.org

10-20: Author Samuel Sattin visit, 1p.m. during 3rd-8th assembly

11-11: Veterans Day No School

11-13: The Source: Family Workshop 5:40-6 p.m. @ STEM

11-13: Cultural Night at STEM 6-7:30 p.m.

Week of 11-25: No school-Parent Teacher Conferences

SPS School Calendar

Sign up to bring a dish to share and serve at Cultural Night here!

The week of November 24, there will be no school. Teachers will be meeting with families to discuss student progress on the 24 and 25 of November. Be on the lookout for an invite from your teacher. Our goal at STEM is to meet with every family. Parents are a child's first teacher and we couldn't do what we do without the support of you and our greater community.

Attendance: One of the most important things your student can do to achieve academic success-being at school each day! Regular attendance and arriving on time are key for your student's academic success. Studies have proven that these two factors play a crucial role. Missing class not only affects your student but also disrupts the entire class. It's important for the teacher and the class to make progress, which is challenging when students are frequently absent or late. We appreciate your partnership in our mission to support your student's education and success.

For students with 3 or more unexcused absences, the school will be connecting with you to understand barriers, and come up with plans to support.

School Supplies at STEM

Instead of having families purchase school supplies for children, we ask that families contribute to our school supply budget. Our request is for $55 contributions for families that are able. Purchase school supplies by signing onto the Source and going to SchoolPay.

Visitors Check in with the Office

If you have to come into the building for some reason, you will need to check in with the front office. All visitors in the building should have an visitor sticker or lanyard. There is a new kiosk to help us keep track of all of the wonderful people that are passing through.

STEM loves volunteers! Opportunities range from recess help, classroom organizers, 1:1 tutoring sessions, field trips, Enrichment parent chaperones and more! Before volunteering can begin, paperwork needs to be filled out and a background check completed through SPS. This process can take up to 3 weeks. Interested? Contact Leo, our new office assistant to get the ball rolling.

Parents, caregivers, students, educators & community members are called to action! Send a message to federal representatives and our Senators Murray and Cantwell to let them know that limiting the Dept. of Education's capacity to serve All students regardless of race, zip code, gender, ability or status greatly harms our students and keeps them from making their potential a reality.

📝 Additional info on the Dept. of Education's alarming de-funding & job elimination and to send an urgent message TODAY to reverse these decisions.

The PTA's big Fall Fundraiser is going on NOW, and we've raised almost $9K of our $30K goal for STEM! Direct Give is a opportunity for family and friends to support student(s) they know, locally or from afar. Donors are not being asked to purchase anything- just contribute to the many ways our PTA supports STEM!

Exciting News: We have a community member who has announced they will match up to $20K!!

💌Donation Request Letter students can send to their friends and family

Many employers have an Employee Match Program! Check with your management for details and reach out to treasurer@stemk8pta.org with any questions.

STEM PTA funds directly support our school in many ways: project based learning, Enrichment, field trips, building safety efforts, Library, Art & CTE, clubs, sports, committees, professional development opportunities for teachers and staff, community events, staff appreciation and MORE!

Our 1st Movie Night of the year is this Friday 10/24, 6 p.m. Join us in celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month to watch Coco! $5-$10 suggested donation for entry + snacks.

We're looking for help from our community to make this event awesome! Sign up for snack donation and event volunteer opportunities!

• SPED Support Group- Thur 10/23, 7-8 p.m.: Families and caregivers are invited to join a Zoom meeting to discuss, support, listen and share resources. Join the Zoom meeting. sped@stemk8pta.org
• STEM Day @ Ounces- Sat 11/8, 2-5 p/m: Tables of STEM activities hosted by STEM parents with Girls Rock Math joining us too! Kids can explore all the STEM fun while parents and caregivers get the opportunity to hang out, % of sales donated back to the PTA by local partner Ounces! Brought to you by the STEM PTA and 3rd grade.
• November General PTA Meeting- Thur 11/20, 6:30-8 p.m.: All are welcome to discuss the year and participate in important discussions that help shape our school support! Meetings are in the STEM Library or via Zoom. Join the General PTA Zoom meeting. Hope to see you there!

* View our up-to-date calendar *

If you have experience applying for grants and are willing to donate some time on behalf of Louisa Boren STEM, please reach out to vp@stemk8pta.org. Thanks!

Thank you to all who participated in our October General PTA meeting! October General PTA meeting minutes, please reach out to executiveboard@stemk8pta.org for questions.

*November General meeting is 11/20

Current Full Board open positions: Co-Race, Equity & Inclusion, Co-LGBTQ+, Membership, Field Trip Coordinator (grades 5-8) and Garden Club Coordinator. We're looking to grow our Fundraising Committee! If you'd like to join us for one or a few fundraising efforts this year, or have ideas you'd like to share, let us know! Please reach out to executiveboard@stemk8pta.org for additional info on these roles or with interest.

Check out our website for updated PTA & school activities, contacts for our Executive & Full Board, our PTA's Mission & Values, financial details, ways to support our PTA, updated Enrichment info and MORE!!

🦉 stemk8pta.org | Facebook | Instagram | communications@stemk8pta.org

Ultimate Schedule (so far)

Sat, 11 Oct 2025 12:15 p.m., Ingraham High school

Soccer
10/18 - 9:30 a.m., Madison vs South Shore
10/25 - 9:30 a.m., Whitman vs Hazelwof Varsity
11/1 -12:30 p.m.,

Madison vs TOPS
11/8 - 9:30 a.m., Madison vs Pathfinder

Principal: Adrienne Ollerenshaw amollerensha@seattleschools.org

Assistant Principal: Andrea Stowell anstowell@seattleschools.org

Administrative Secretary: Latisha Ellis ljellis@seattleschools.org

Office Assistant: Leo Shaugnhessy mrshaughness@seattleschools.org

School Social Worker: Dana Fink dmfink@seattleschools.org

STEM partners with the YMCA to provide an on-site before and after school program. Additional information about YMCA before and after care or contact our Site Director, Anna Hofmann, at ahofmann@seattleymca.org.