the Orca Splash
Viewlands Community Principal Wheeler Update
Hello Viewlands Families!
May has arrived! We are heading toward the last 6 weeks of this school year. As we approach the end of the school year, there can be changes to routines, excitement for some, and also nervousness for others. It is important, while there is much to celebrate at the end of our year of learning together, we stay committed to following our school expectations and classroom learning routines as best as possible. We appreciate your partnership at home in trying to keep routines, good sleep habits, and supporting students to finish the year strong.
On Wednesday this week, our community came together for the 2026 Evening of the Arts and Culture, Expression of Joy. Joy was felt throughout the evening! Thank you to all families that were able to join us this year for this event. We hope those that couldn't join us this year will come next year. I left feeling inspired, more dedicated to the journey of creating space for people in our community, and incredibly grateful for connections and partnerships forged. The presence and inspiration and connection with the Onyx Fine Arts Collective was beautiful. I hope this is truly only the beginning. Thank you to the families at the evening that connected with artists from the Onyx Fine Arts Collective. I have included a link below which we encourage others to explore. We want to continue to support. The Onyx team and artists dedicated time and energy to our community and shared their brilliance and lived stories.
We also partnered with VamoLá as a featured guest performer. They brought joy through dancing and music inspired by Brazilian culture. Their performance was incredible. The drumming and the dance kept us moving and feeling joyful. It was a wonderful way to end our evening together! Thank you to the incredible VamoLá performers, including a Viewlands parent, Mitch Fishman, dad to a 1st grader!
Thank you to the Evening of the Arts team that helped create such a special event, forged new partnerships, and curated joy and connection for our community! Ms. Norma and Teacher Valentine were part of this team and forged the partnership with Onyx Art Collective. Ms. B, Ms. McVay, Mr. W, and Ms. Misner were the other members of the team that led this incredible event. Thank you to this team for growing this evening into a true Expression of Joy!
One other big highlight of the week was our main stairwell. The main stairwell in the 3rd floor entry hallway has been fondly called rainbow stairs since moving into our new campus despite having no rainbow color. Our rainbow stairs magically transformed. When students arrived Monday, they were awe-struck! It is always good to bring a little color into our world and with great timing, the same week of our Evening of the Arts and Culture: Expression of Joy event!
Students are enjoying the bike unit in PE. We will share some highlights from PE next week!
Your children are bright, inquisitive, and creative thinkers. We will continue to seek ways to make every student feel known, valued, and empowered through the year.
In Partnership,
Carrie Wheeler | Viewlands Principal
