Madrona Bear Facts: Week 14

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Check your ParentSquare for the latest information on the school parking lot and other back-to-school info!

📅 Upcoming Dates

🙋 Get Involved With MIT - Volunteer to Help Our School

🆘 Madrona Family Resources - Food and Community Support

🤝 Free and Reduced Meals

🦃 Thanksgiving Meal Kits

🌲 Madrona Giving Tree

🙏 Celebration of Life for Kris Strand

🏀 Elks Hoop Shoot Contest Coming to Madrona

🧠 Madrona Tips & Tidbits - Staff Favorites

💻 MIT Scholarships

🥪 This Week's Menu

⭐ Notes From MIT

Reminder: There is no MIT General Meeting in December. We will see you on Monday January 12.

12/3 9:30 AM 👪 Mega Morning Meeting assembly

12/5 💃🕺 Middle School Dance

12/6 🙏 Celebration of Life for Kris Strand

12/8 🏀 Elks Hoop Shoot Contest

12/12 🌲 Madrona Giving Tree Donations End

12/22 - 1/2 ⛄ WINTER BREAK - NO SCHOOL

1/5 🎓 Back to School

1/6 👪 Mega Morning Meeting assembly

1/9 ☕ Teacher Coffee/Cocoa

1/12 6:30 PM 🏫 MIT General Meeting

1/19 🫂 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day - No School

1/22 🎵 Middle School Concert

1/26 🏫 Teacher Grading Day - No School

Full calendar on Madrona BearFacts

Add the MIT Google Calendar to your own

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

As we head into the winter months we are aware that an increase in need can occur. Additionally, with the government shut down, this limits many families' budgets for food and resources. We wanted to share some school, local and state resources that may be able to provide support.

Check out these two pages on the MIT website for information on community resources available! We'll continue to update this list as we work to find more ways to support Madrona families

If you have pet needs that are not being met this holiday season, Jester’s Pet Supply is doing a giving tree for pet supplies. Please reach out via one of the contact methods below.

• Email Jesters@JestersPetSupply.com
• Text 425-405-5751
• Go by the store: 172 Sunset Ave Edmonds WA 98020
• Reach out over Facebook Messenger: Jester’s Pet Supply

This Thanksgiving, MIT provided Thanksgiving meal kits to 16 families in need! Thank you to all of our volunteers, staff members, and donations to help make this happen for Madrona families who needed a little extra help this Thanksgiving!

💛 If you’re experiencing a change in income — whether from the shutdown or any other reason — please take a moment to apply for Free and Reduced Meals. This program allows for students of qualifying households to recieve one full beakfast and lunch each school day.

📝 The application is just a snapshot in time, so even if things turn around quickly, it’s still worth applying. If your income fluctuates, use the lowest amount you might expect to receive when filling it out.

✅ If approved, you’ll qualify for the rest of the school year. There’s no need to notify our department when things improve. Instead, let this time help you build a strong foundation for your family.

💬 If you have questions or need help with the application, we’re here for you. Contact our department at: fnsoffice@edmonds.wednet.edu or (425) 431 - 7077.

Link to application in multiple languages: (These are also available in our school office) https://share.google/a4rRNENZFJytGBdeO

Letter to Households: (Details application process and guidelines)

https://www.edmonds.wednet.edu/our-district/departments/food-nutrition-services/letter-to-households

Food & Nutrition Services - Edmonds School District webpage https://share.google/yktcqRwoI1gGddmy3

Please help Madrona families in need of assistance during the holiday season, if you are able

What is the Giving Tree?

Each year we collect wishes from MIT families in need, this includes everything from underwear to toys. Each wish is put on a tag and hung on a tree on the Madrona campus. Folks from our community help to make the wishes come true.

Many centers or classrooms have chosen a family from the Giving Tree. Watch for requests from your students' teachers on ParentSquare for donations.

There are two ways to give:

• Pick up a tag from the Giving Tree in the front office and return the UNwrapped gift, with the Giving Tree tag, to the office.
• Donate money for MIT to purchase any unfulfilled gift requests. Donations can be made directly to the front office or via the MIT website

Thank you for spreading joy!

On May 2nd of this year, the Madrona community lost a beloved teacher, colleague, and friend Kris Strand.

We will be gathering in the Madrona Gym on December 6 from 1-3PM to share our favorite stories and memories we have of Kris.

Parents of basketball players and kids with grit — here’s their chance to shine! The Elks Hoop Shoot Free Throw Contest gives youth ages 8–13 the opportunity to compete for a spot in the National Finals in Chicago, IL! Participants shoot free throws in age divisions (8–9, 10–11, 12–13), with girls and boys competing separately. Each contestant can compete in only one Lodge contest per year, and must win at each level to advance — from Lodge → District → State → Regional → National.

Our six Madrona winners will move on to the District competition, representing our community against nearby Lodge champions. State winners advance to Regionals, and the 72 National Finalists compete on the big stage in April in Chicago, where six champions earn their place in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame!

Any questions, please reach out to the Lynnwood Elks Hoop Shoot Chairman, Richard Seeder, at 815-341-1679 or richseeder@att.net. Encourage your young athletes to take their shot!

Considering a gift for a Madrona staff member?

We keep up a list of staff members' favorite things on the MIT website. Check out the page on our website here: https://www.madronabearfacts.com/helpful-information/staff-favorites/

Don't see the staff member you're looking for? They will need to fill out the form which was sent to them before Thanksgiving.

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We do what we can to help get the word out, but we are a volunteer staff! Your contributions and feedback are invaluable in helping us make sure we are communicating effectively with the whole Madrona community.

• If you see something in this newsletter and aren't sure what it is
• If you have questions
• If you think something is missing
• If you have other suggestions

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.

Subject to change

See the menu any time at MySchoolMenus.com

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.

Sorry for the late newsletter this month! I was traveling for Thanksgiving and wasn't able to get it out Sunday as usual.

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!

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 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*