Thornton Creek Bulletin

Happy Wednesday, TC Community!

What a blast last Friday night was! If you weren’t able to make it, we hope to catch you at our next school event. The costumes were incredible, the pumpkin decorating was creative, and the haunted house brought just the right amount of spooky fun—all set to some great music that kept the energy high. A huge thank you to our amazing Parent Group for organizing the event, to our wonderful DJs, and to the many volunteers who made the night possible. We see you and appreciate all that you do to bring joy and connection to our community.

We’re keeping the fun going this week with our Harvest Festival on Friday from 12:00–2:00 PM! Be sure to read further in the newsletter for details about volunteer opportunities and costume guidelines for the event. Hopefully your child also came home excited today after meeting a special visitor—Buoy from the Seattle Kraken Team! He joined us to help celebrate an exciting milestone for one of our very own Dragonflies, and it was such a joy to share in that celebration together as a campus.

As we move deeper into fall and the weather begins to change, please take extra care during drop-off and pick-up times. With darker mornings and rainy afternoons, it’s more important than ever that we all follow posted traffic signs and procedures to keep everyone safe. Please do not park in sidewalks or crosswalks, as these are designated walking areas for students and families. If you need to park and come inside, we ask that you do so in the front parking lot to help maintain the flow of traffic. We’ve noticed ongoing unsafe parking along NE 80th Street, especially near the 42nd Avenue NE intersection, where vehicles have blocked ramps and crosswalks. This creates significant hazards during busy times, especially in poor weather and low light.

Let’s continue to look out for one another by being mindful of parking zones, slowing down, and practicing patience and care during arrival and dismissal. Thank you for helping us keep our school community safe and welcoming for everyone.

With appreciation and a smile,
Brandee

October

Today | View your Student's Pictures (retakes too!) | (details about Student Pictures below)

Fri 31 | Harvest Festival | 12:25-2 p.m. | (sign up to help Harvest Festival)| Costume Guidelines below

November

Fri 14 | TCPG Movie Night | 6:30 p.m. (details below) | Sign up to attend TCPG Movie Night

Tues 18 | Community Meeting (virtual and in person) | 7–8:30 p.m. | Live Stream Community Meeting

Mon 24 - Wed 26 | Elementary School Conferences | No School for Students

Thurs 27 - Fri 28 | Thanksgiving and Native American Heritage Day | No School for Students

* Check out new Thornton Creek gear—sweatshirts, t-shirts, and more. Orders close Monday, November 3rd. Don’t miss out—place your order here. If you need help purchasing a sweatshirt, please contact our social worker, Channon Agor. chagor@seattleschools.org

* Winter Evergreen sale now through November 9

As we celebrate the season with our upcoming Harvest Festival and Halloween festivities, we ask families to help ensure costumes are safe, inclusive, and school-appropriate.

Please review the following guidelines:

Keep it safe and simple: Students should be able to move, sit, and learn comfortably throughout the day. Costumes should allow full participation in class and outdoor play.
No masks or full face paint: Students’ faces must be visible at all times for safety and communication. Light face paint is fine.
Leave pretend weapons at home: Items such as swords, knives, wands, or toy guns should not come to school.
Avoid costumes that could scare or exclude others: Please skip anything violent, gory, or culturally insensitive. We encourage creativity, humor, and kindness!
Wear safe shoes: Students will still attend recess and specials—footwear should be comfortable and playground-safe.
No props needed: Costumes should be complete without extra items that could get lost or distract from learning.

We look forward to a fun and festive day that celebrates our community and creativity while keeping everyone safe and included!

🔗View your Student's Picture Gallery. Use your Student's 7 digit ID# as the "Online Code"

📫Order Today: Free Shipping to school ends on Wednesday, November 5th.

❓Questions: info@classactportraits.com or 253-569-1627

We’ve noticed ongoing unsafe parking on NE 80th St, especially near the 42nd Ave NE intersection. Vehicles blocking ramps and crosswalks create significant hazards, particularly during pick-up and drop-off times in poor weather and low light.

Please be mindful of no parking zones and posted signage to ensure safe movement around the school. Parking violations obstruct visibility and put pedestrians and drivers at risk.

Let’s all help keep our community safe by following parking rules and being considerate of others.

Thank you for your cooperation.

Thornton Creek Elementary Costume Trunk - Give a costume, take a costume!
Have costumes your kids have outgrown or no longer wear? Bring them to our Costume Trunk and pick out something “new-to-you” for next year!

How it works:

Drop off gently used costumes and accessories on the rack near the main office.
Browse the Costume Trunk during drop-off and pick-up hours to find a new favorite look.
All sizes welcome!

Dates: Today through Friday, 10/31
Location: Front entrance of Thornton Creek Elementary

Let’s keep costumes out of the landfill and share the Halloween spirit with our community!
Reuse. Recycle. Re-costume!

Spirit Store is Open!
Check out new Thornton Creek gear—sweatshirts, t-shirts, and more. Orders close Monday, November 3rd. Don’t miss out—place your order today! If you need help purchasing a sweatshirt, please contact the Thornton Creek School social worker, Channon Agor chagor@seattleschools.org

Harvest Festival - Friday, October 31 | 12:25-2 p.m.

The Harvest Festival is a fun, longstanding TC tradition held during school hours. Each year, the 5th graders design and lead creative activities and game for their classmates, while the other grade levels get to enjoy and participate in the festivities. Please volunteer to help at the Harvest Festival.

Landscaping Work Party

November 9 | 9 - noon | Sign up to help with Landscaping.

Winter Evergreen Sale - Now through November 9

Celebrate the season with fresh evergreens—perfect for every holiday and tradition! Wreaths, garlands, and centerpieces are available for purchase now through November 9th. Encourage family and friends to buy or gift them this season! Let’s hit our $5,000 goal! Order your Winter Evergreens today. Your festive greenery will be ready for pick-up the first week of December!

All fundraising proceeds go directly to Thornton Creek, supporting Expeditionary Learning, teacher development, academic support, library and art materials, and emergency supplies. Your generosity truly makes a difference. Thornton Creek wouldn’t be the school it is without you!

Family Movie Night: Live Action Lilo & Stitch | Friday, November 14 at 6:30 p.m.

Pizza and concessions will be available for purchase. Please sign up to attend and volunteer. Bring your family and cozy blankets for a fun night of community.

If you plan on attending with your family, consider being a floating volunteer to help wherever needed. Set-up starts at 6 p.m.. Tasks include: setting up the space, popping popcorn, serving pizza. We hope you'll find something that interests you.

Get Involved
Whether you have a little time or a lot, there are so many ways to connect—volunteering, attending events, or simply showing up to support our school community.

Stay Connected: TCPG Website | Newsletter Sign-up | Facebook Page

Sincerely,

Kelsey Johnson

Chair, Thornton Creek Parent Group

chair@thorntoncreekparentgroup.org

If you are able to donate unscented tissues to the school office we will distribute them to classes as needed. Also, individually packaged, allergen free, snacks are greatly appreciated for students who forget or don't have snacks. Thank you!

From Your TC Art Teachers:

Thank you for donating your egg cartons and toilet/paper towel tubes! Please keep those donations coming all year long!

Kerri is still hoping for some volunteers on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays from 12-2 p.m. to assist with the younger artists in our school. She's also looking for help every morning from drop off to 8:20 a.m. to help with putting away materials and filing. Please email her at klmckeighen@seattleschools.org if you're interested.

Kids Co @ Decatur

There are still spaces available for After Care programming at Kids Co at Decatur. Students are picked up from Thornton Creek and brought to our neighbor school, Decatur, for programming. If you are interested, please contact Adam Foote the Kids Co. at Decatur Program Director. He can be reached at 206-747-2584. For additional information visit Kids Co

Session 2 classes will run on Tuesdays and Thursdays (12/2/25-2/5/26). After-school camp is only offered on days when SPS is in session, so there will be no HOFTC Tuesday 12/23/25-Friday 1/1/26. Please note that we have moved from a Quarter schedule to a Session schedule. HOFTC will run every Tuesday and Thursday, with no breaks, that school is in session.

Hall of Fame

Session 2 classes will run on Tuesdays and Thursdays (12/2/25-2/5/26). After-school camp is only offered on days when SPS is in session, so there will be no HOFTC Tuesday 12/23/25-Friday 1/1/26. Please note that we have moved from a Quarter schedule to a Session schedule. HOFTC will run every Tuesday and Thursday, with no breaks, that school is in session.

When registration opens on Monday, November 3rd at 9 a.m., you will be able to send enrollment requests through the Parent Dashboard by clicking Enrollment, and then Enroll for 2025-2026. New families should complete the New Family Enrollment Form prior to registration opening, to get through the process faster. Registration closes on Friday, November 14 at 11:59 p.m. and schedule adjustments cannot be made after that time. Please note that class information will not be available in the Parent Dashboard until registration goes live.

Also, you will notice a new pricing structure on the flyer. Effective October 1, 2025 the State of Washington is now enforcing a new retail tax on live presentations. This includes after-school enrichment classes (FYI our understanding as of right now, this new tax does NOT impact summer camp). The tax rate is based on the address of the "presentation", so all programs in Seattle schools will be priced to include a 10.35% tax to the cost of the class.

Thanks and please don't hesitate to reach out with any questions!

Dr. Sara Ray

Director of After-School Programs

Hall of Fame Team Camp

970-219-5276

hof-teamcamp.com

School Start | End of Day

School begins at 7:55 a.m. At that time, our gates will be closed to help keep our campus safe and ensure our complex systems run smoothly. If you arrive after 7:55, please plan to pull around and drop off at the front entrance.

Attendance and Office Procedures

If your child will be absent or late, please email thorntoncreek.attendance@seattleschools.org or call 206-252-5304 with the reason for the absence.
Vacation days are recorded as “unexcused vacation” absences. These are not considered truancy, though you may still receive an automated call or email from the District. If so, you can simply disregard the message and enjoy your trip.
To pick up your child early for an appointment, please come to the office to sign them out. We’ll call your child to meet you once you arrive. Advance notice (by emailing thorntoncreek@seattleschools.org or calling 206-252-5300) is always helpful. While we understand that appointments during school hours are sometimes necessary, minimizing classroom interruptions is greatly appreciated.

We are excited to offer a variety of enriching field trips, classroom experiences, and materials to enhance your child's learning during the 2025-2026 school year. To help cover the costs of these activities, we are asking for an Expedition Fee of $100.00. This fee will go toward funding:

Field trips: Covering transportation, entry fees, and special activities.
Classroom experiences: Supporting hands-on learning activities, guest speakers, and additional educational projects.
Materials: Purchasing supplies and resources that enhance students' learning, like books, art supplies, and technology tools.

Payment Options:

In Person: You can pay by cash or check (make checks payable to Thornton Creek) directly to the school office or to Shannon Westerman.
Online: You can also make payments using School Pay via credit card (a small processing fee may apply) through the Source.

Important Notes:

Be sure to make the payment under your child’s correct grade band:

Kindergarten: Class of 2031
1st Grade: Class of 2030
2nd Grade: Class of 2029
3rd Grade: Class of 2028
4th Grade: Class of 2027
5th Grade: Class of 2026

Please Pay What You Can:

We understand that financial circumstances may vary, so please contribute what you are able to. Any amount helps and is greatly appreciated! We truly appreciate your support in helping us provide these exciting learning opportunities for our students. Thank you for being part of our school community!

Please let Shannon know if you have any questions.