Principal Wheeler’s Weekly Update 12-6-24

Hello Viewlands Families!

This week our new art teacher, Katie Buschmann, started at Viewlands. While students, staff, and families miss Mr. B, it was wonderful to see students welcoming her to our community! She is very excited to be at Viewlands. Her passion and love for teaching art was clear in just her first week at Viewlands.

If your family was not able to attend a learning conference during our conference week schedule, please reach out to your child’s classroom teacher to reschedule. This is an important part of our partnership. We want families to know how their children are doing at school as a learner, and we want to learn from you so we can best work together to help your child feel known, valued, and empowered at school!

A few highlights from my visits in classrooms and with students this week: 4th and 5th graders in Mr. Arango’s class establishing shared norms for group learning discussions; kindergarteners learning how to use a talking piece, a sharing square, in groups 3 or 4 students when sharing their knowledge about salmon; doing a read aloud with one group of kindergarteners; listening to 1st graders explain in their own words what subtraction means; and watching the pure joy and fascination with the “frost” on the playground at lunch recesses with our K-2 learners.

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

Inclement Weather Remote Learning

If there is inclement weather, like a snow day, Seattle Public Schools will determine before 6AM if there will be a delayed start or closed schools. If weather requires schools to be closed, Seattle Public Schools plans to offer remote learning. On any remote learning days due to weather, all absences would be excused as we know families may prefer to do learning and fun activities at home, and some families possibly will experience challenges related to electrical power outages, cell or wifi service outages, or other barriers. In addition, there will be no new content (meaning concepts not previously instructed) on remote learning days. Teachers will plan for learning activities that review previous standards as review or are fun generalized learning activities.

Viewlands uses student devices at school, so they stay at school and do not typically go home outside of specific needs for certain activities with some of our older grade students. We anticipate that Seattle Public Schools will ask schools to send home student devices prior to winter break on Friday, December 20th.

Please note: that families are responsible for devices and chargers when at school. Families are expected to pay for any lost or damaged devices or chargers. If you would prefer to opt out of your child bringing a device home and instead plan for home learning activities or using a home device to access remote learning, you can. Please reach out to your child’s teacher if you would like to opt out of your child bringing home their device over winter break.

In addition, the iPad and laptop agreement forms must be signed and returned by families before a device can be sent home. These went home with the beginning of the school year packets and again in November if your family did not return the completed agreement forms.

Our remote learning schedules are also linked below.

• Generalized school remote learning schedule: Inclement Weather Remote Learning_Viewlands 
• Remote Learning Schedule K/1: Kinder_1st Grade Snow Day Remote Learning Schedule 
• Remote Learning Schedule 2/3: 2nd_3rd Grade Snow Day Remote Learning Schedule 
• Remote Learning Schedule 4/5:4th_5th Grade Snow Day Remote Learning Schedule

The links for TEAMS for remote learning will be shared by the classroom teachers.

If student devices and chargers are sent home Friday, December 20th, families are responsible for them so please put them up for safe keeping. All devices and chargers must be returned to school after winter break. We need devices and charges at school, so please plan to keep devices in a secure and safe location so they can be returned to school after break. Please take extra caution to keep the devices and chargers safe. All chargers also must be returned. There would be charges associated with any lost or damaged devices or chargers.  

Please return ALL devices and chargers to school our first day back at school after winter break, January 3rd, unless that is a snow remote learning day. 

ARTS WA Grant Funded Mural Art Installation

Viewlands was awarded a new art installation to be part of our new building through ARTS WA. We were awarded the grant in December of 2022, specifically for an art mural project. Cable Griffith was the artist selected for this art mural project. Viewlands community members, family, staff, and alumni submitted photos of Carkeek Park. Cable Griffith used those photos to create an art representation.  If you want to learn more about Cable Griffith as an artist, please take a look at his bio and some of his work on his website to understand his style. 

The mural art will be installed in our middle stairwell in the academic wing of the new building. The middle stairs connects the 3 learning floors together and has an exit to our outdoor garden area and the gate access to the Carkeek trail, which is fitting on the mural project. The plan is for the mural to be installed over winter break. Once it is installed, student will have the opportunity to see and explore the mural. I will send photos of it in family communications once installed. The mural will be featured during our Evening of the Arts event in May for families.

VEPTSA

Updates and Messages from our VEPTSA Partners:

Give Big at Chuck’s & Winter Drive – Thank you and there is still time to donate TODAY!

There is still time to contribute to the Winter Drive fundraiser to support Viewlands families in need over the December break with grocery store gift cards and new books. This year we are combining Winter Drive with Give Big. Donations for Winter Drive can be made anytime between now through December 6 when we wrap up Give Big (learn more about Give Big).

Thank you to the families that were able to support our Give Big event at Chucks and supported our Winter Drive. We appreciate your support! You can still donate today if you are able!

Important Upcoming School Calendar Dates

• Friday December 20th – Early Dismissal at 1:25PM
• Monday December 23rd-Friday January 3rd – No School, Winter Break
• Monday, January 6th – First day back to school after winter break 
• Monday January 20th – No School, MLK Holiday