the Orca Splash

Hello Viewlands Families!

A big highlight this week was the Winter Olympic activity in PE with all classes! I was able to peek into a few grades and spend time with Mr. Thorpe's 4th/5th grade class. There was a bobsled station, ice skating station, skeleton station, skiing station, snowboarding, and curling. My personal favorite was curling! It was a fun way to engage in physical activity, talk about different sports, and connect to the recent Winter Olympics. Thank you Coach Lauren for creating a fun, engaging, and inclusive PE unit!

Another highlight was the author visit today. Suma Subramaniam. Suma was here for an assembly for our 2nd through 5th grade classes, and Mr. Brandon's 1st/2nd grade split classroom. Thank you Ms. Misner for organizing this and to 3rd Place Books for supporting this author visit. Suma is the author of many children's books. Most recently she wrote V. Malar the Greatest Ranger of All Time, a shorter chapter book. Suma has published both picture books and short chapter books. A couple of her picture books that are popular with our students are The Runaway Dosa and My Name is Long as a River. Suma shared more about living in India, her family, and her passions. Our students loved learning from her. They were very interested in what she shared about the biodiversity of the Western Ghats in India, especially the animals, and learning more about her dog, Malli, who she reads to each night.

A few highlights from my visits in classrooms and with students this week include: teaching math as a guest teacher for Mr. Gorohoff on Thursday and Friday; wiffle ball with some 4th and 5th graders during lunch, when students that have never played baseball, softball, or whiffle ball participated and had fun; watching and engaging with the roll and read literacy activity with a few kindergarteners; and seeing students excitedly turn in their yearbook cover art submissions to Ms. Lin this 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

Evening of the Arts and Culture is coming up on Wednesday, April 29th! The planning team is getting ready to turn everyday items into amazing student creations. We’re collecting clean, safe recyclables and craft supplies for our Evening of the Arts and Culture event Makerspace, where kids will imagine, build, and explore.

Please drop donations in the entryway box. The box is located under the table in the entry vestibule.

What to Donate (clean and safe)

Build It (Structures)

• Cardboard boxes, cereal boxes

• Toilet paper and paper towel tubes

• Brown paper grocery bags

• Craft sticks and small wood pieces

• Clean plastic containers, egg cartons, corks

Soft and Scrappy (Fabric and Paper)

• Yarn, felt, fabric scraps, burlap, elastic
• Old magazines, newspapers, tissue paper, coffee filters

Make It Pop (Decorations)

• Pipe cleaners
• Sequins, buttons, beads
• Stickers, ribbon, stamps

Junk Drawer Finds (Odds and Ends)

• Bottle caps, lids, game pieces, keys, CDs
• Straws, clothespins, Velcro
• Clean plastic forks and spoons

Think Like an Engineer (Build and Experiment)

• Bottle neck rings, washers, nuts
• Small pulleys or gears from broken toys
• Small zip ties, binder clips, foam sheets

If you’re cleaning out a drawer or recycling bin, we’d love to give those items a creative second life. If it’s clean, safe, and sparks curiosity, we can probably use it.

Thank you for helping make Art Night a hands-on, imaginative, and joy-filled experience for our students.

The new superintendent started Monday, February 2nd. He has organized seven community conversations centered in in the School Board Director districts and a city-wide virtual community conversation. Superintendent Shuldiner has expressed that the community meetings will be an opportunity to connect, share, and dream big together.

We all want Seattle Public Schools to be successful for ALL students. All families are encouraged to share their ideas and connect with new leadership by being part of a community conversations! Viewlands is part of district 1, so the closest location to our attendance zone is at James Baldwin, but you can attend a different one if that location and time frame work better for you!

• Tuesday, March 3, 7:30–8:30 p.m., South Shore K–8, 4800 S Henderson St.
• Tuesday, March 10, 7:30–8:30 p.m., Salmon Bay K–8, 1810 NW 65th St.
• Tuesday, March 17, 7:30–8:30 p.m., Eckstein Middle School, 3003 NE 75th St.
• Tuesday, March 24, 6:30–7:30 p.m., McClure Middle School, 1915 1st Ave W.
• Thursday, March 26, 6:30–7:30 p.m., James Baldwin Elementary, 11725 1st Ave NE
• Tuesday, March 31, 6:30–7:30 p.m., West Seattle Elementary, 6760 34th Ave SW
• Thursday, April 2, 6–7:30 p.m., Virtual, online; link forthcoming

Seeking Volunteers for VEPTSA’s Nominating Committee

The PTA is seeking 3–4 volunteers to serve on our VEPTSA Officer Nominating Committee. This small group will help recruit and recommend PTA Officers for the 2026–27 school year. We especially encourage families who are newer to Viewlands, or who are interested in getting more involved in shaping our school community, to consider joining.

• To learn more, please contact vicepresident@viewlandsptsa.org or reach out to your classroom’s Family Ambassador.

Ticket Box is Open for Blockbuster-Themed PTSA Spring Auction

Get ready for a night of fun, community, and great vibes at Old Stove Brewing Co. Gardens in Ballard on March 28th! 🎟️ Tickets for PTSA Spring Auction are available.

We’re also still on the lookout for fun auction items! Have a great idea, a connection, or something to contribute? Contact fundraising@viewlandsptsa.org.

• April 13-April 17 - No School, Spring Break
• Wednesday, April 29, 5-7 p.m.- Viewlands Evening of the Arts and Culture