Licton Springs K-8 November 2026

If you haven’t already, you may notice positive postcards arriving in the mail. This is part of our school-wide effort to support strengthening our communication with families. Our goal is to make our students and families smile and feel seen and valued. Over time, every student’s family will receive a positive postcard. We’re not stopping there! We want to grow our two-way communication with families and partner with you as your child’s first and most important teacher. Thank you for those of you who have already shared information about your child in our Family Questionnaire. Our teachers are using the information you provide to create positive connections with students that support their learning.

Speaking of a family survey, in a few weeks, you’ll receive an individual Family Fall Survey link from Seattle Public Schools. When you receive this, please take a few minutes to fill it out. Hearing from you is directly connected to our schoolwide improvement goals and your feedback will help us celebrate what’s working and identify areas for improvement. Thank you in advance for your time.

On November 20, our 4th and 5th grade students will travel to the Meany Center for the Performing Arts at the University of Washington to attend a special performance of BIRDY by Hung Dance, an internationally acclaimed contemporary dance company from Taiwan.

Choreographed by founder and artistic director Lai Hung-Chung, BIRDY is a visually stunning work performed by eight dancers. The performance combines contemporary dance with elements of Chinese opera, Tai Chi, and mythology to tell a powerful story through movement and imagination.

Using striking props such as rattan poles and flowing pheasant feathers, the dancers explore themes of freedom, resilience, self-expression, and navigating societal expectations. Through creative storytelling and dynamic choreography, BIRDY encourages audiences to reflect on what it means to find balance, overcome challenges, and move forward with strength and purpose.

We are excited for our students to experience this unique artistic performance and engage with a different cultural perspective through the performing arts. Opportunities like this help broaden students’ understanding of the world while fostering creativity, curiosity, and appreciation for diverse forms of expression.

Keep an eye on backpacks for the permission slip: coming home soon!

Parent-Teacher Conferences are a valuable opportunity to connect with your child's teacher, celebrate successes, and discuss goals for the school year.

Please reach out directly to your child's teacher to schedule your conference.

Conference times are available during the following windows:

📅 Thursday & Friday, November 19-20
🕒 2:55 PM - 5:25 PM

📅 Monday & Tuesday, November 23-24
🕒 7:55 AM - 2:25 PM

If you have not yet scheduled a conference, please contact your child's teacher to reserve a time that works for your family. We look forward to partnering with you to support your student's learning and growth.

Thank you for being an important part of the Licton Springs community!🤍🍎🖤

Parent-teacher conferences are an important opportunity to connect with your child's teacher, learn about their progress, and ask questions. We understand that some families may feel nervous about attending conferences, especially when language or cultural differences are involved.

To help families prepare for a successful and productive conference, Seattle Public Schools' has created a guide with tips, suggested questions, and information about what to expect during the meeting.

The guide is available in multiple languages. At Licton Springs K-8, the resources most commonly used by our families are in English and Spanish.

• English – Preparing for your Parent Teacher Conference
• Spanish – Preparing for your Parent Teacher Conference
• slideshow in other languages is available here

We encourage all families to review the guide before their conference and reach out if they need interpretation services or additional support.

Hey Licton Springs community!

Let's work together to keep our school neighborhood idle free. When you're waiting during drop-off or pick-up, please turn off your engine. It's a simple action that helps protect student health, saves fuel, and reduces pollution.

Did you know?

• Turning off your engine for more than 10 seconds uses less fuel than letting it idle.
• Unnecessary vehicle idling wastes millions of gallons of fuel every day across the United States.

By choosing to turn off your engine while you wait, you're helping create cleaner air for our students, staff, and neighbors while doing your part for the environment.

Thank you for helping make Licton Springs a healthier, greener place for everyone! 🌿

Safe. Kind. Responsible. Together, we can make a difference. 🌟

November is Native American Heritage Month

11/5: end of 1st quarter (middle school)

11/11: Veterans Day (No School)

11/20: 4/5 to Meany for BIRDY by Hung Dance

11/20: Final Friday Event - details to come!

11/19-20: Parent-Teacher Conferences (after school)

11/23-25: Parent-Teacher Conferences (No-School)

11/26-27: Thanksgiving & Native American Heritage Day

December is: Universal Human Rights Month and Learn a Foreign Language Month

12/1: Middle school report cards are live on the Source

12/11: 5:30–7:00 PM @ Salmon Bay K-8. Joint family meeting with Superintendent Shuldiner and Director Justin Hendrickson.

Families can subscribe to the district and/or school website online calendars. Your personal calendars update automatically when a change is made or when a new event is added. How to subscribe:

1. Click the calendar link(s) below:
   • Licton Springs K-8 School Calendar
   • Seattle Public Schools Calendar
2. Scroll to the bottom of the calendar page.
3. On the right-hand side, under Subscribe to Calendar, select a subscribe option.

The next PTO meeting will be Monday Dec 7th at 6pm!

Dear Licton Springs preK-8 Families and Staff,

Thank you to everyone who joined us for our virtual PTO meeting on Monday, November 2nd! Below is a summary of key updates, upcoming dates, and an important action item regarding proposed SPS school mergers.

Action Requested: Make Our Licton Springs Voice Heard!

As Seattle Public Schools explores potential merger options, the PTO leadership met with the Friends of Salmon Bay (FOSB) advocacy committee to coordinate community feedback and advocacy efforts.

Together, both PTOs are gathering community input through a joint survey. Because our Licton Springs student body and family community are smaller than Salmon Bay’s, it is critical that every single LSK8 family completes this form. We want to ensure that our unique culture, Native-focused educational priorities, and specific community needs are fully reflected alongside Salmon Bay's input.

• Fill out the Joint Feedback Form: LSK8 & SBK8 Family Input Survey. This is anonymous.

• Read the Advocacy Newsletter: Friends of Salmon Bay Advocacy Updates. Please check out the “Salmon Bay and Licton Springs Merger Information” section.

• Learn More: Review related articles on K-12 Policy & Legislative Engagement via the advocacy link above.

PTO Highlights & School Celebrations

• Harvest Fest Class Winners: Congratulations to Teacher Taylor’s class and Mr. Hammen’s class for winning ice cream parties for their fantastic Harvest Fest participation!

• Día de los Muertos Ofrenda: Our community Ofrenda will remain on display in the cafeteria through Friday, November 6th. Thank you to everyone who contributed!

• Staff Appreciation: PTO recently provided a principal appreciation gift and restocked the staff lounge to show our gratitude for our amazing educators.

• Community Partnerships: Our school is moving forward working on a partnership agreement with the Urban Native Education Alliance (UNEA) to continue expanding cultural programming for our students. We’ll let you know once paperwork is all filed what the next steps are.

Upcoming Meetings & Key Dates (not already on the school calendar)

Nov 4 - Seattle Rally for Intentional Tech -- 3:30 PM @ John Stanford Center. Join regional families advocating for tech policy in schools.

Seattle Public Schools is partnering with the Seattle Visiting Nurse Association to offer flu and COVID-19 vaccination clinics for SPS staff, students, families, and community members. Appointments are required, and space is limited. Be sure to register early. The updated 2026 Moderna COVID-19 vaccine will be available. For clinic dates, locations, and registration information, visit the SPS clinic registration site.

Important:

• Insurance information must be entered during registration, or payment is due at the appointment.
• Out-of-pocket costs: $60 for flu vaccine, $200 for COVID-19 vaccine.
• Cigna, TRICARE, and First Choice insurance are not accepted.
• Flu shots are available for ages 4+; COVID-19 vaccines for ages 5+.

Please see the clinic schedule link and registration link below, and feel free to share with family and friends.

SPS Clinic schedule (Oct 10-Nov 22)
Register for SPS Flu & Covid vaccination clinic!

For insurance questions or registration issues, contact info@seattlevna.com before confirming your appointment.

Licton Springs is looking for someone that can come to the building once a month and clean up the Lost and Found.

Tasks would include:

• Looking to see if items are labeled with student name and returning to correct classroom
• Hanging up/sorting lost and found items
• Date Items, and remove after 60 days for donation
• Take photos for newsletter in hopes someone recognizes their scholar's belongings

Tasks would include:

• group books by type/level
• restock when shelves get empty
• pull uninteresting titles (books generally not interesting to children, like Better Homes and Gardens Landscaping How-To)

Please send an email to Carole in the office at cljohnson@seattleschools.org and let her know. This will get the ball rolling!

Previous Licton Springs Newsletters can be found on the Website
Licton Springs Weekly Newsletter (and Archives)