Hello Viewlands Families!

It was a great week back after spring break. Students came back ready to learn! As we head into the last seven and a half weeks of school, we will focus on finishing the year strong with learning, engagement, and community celebration. There will be district and state directed spring assessments that will also be happening in May and early June. Our 3rd-5th grade students will engage in the state assessments, as well as the spring MAP assessments. Our Kindergarten-2nd grade students will engage in the spring DIBELS and MAP assessments. The 3rd-5th state testing dates are shared on the Viewlands website. If you have questions about assessments dates for your student, please reach out to the classroom teacher.

This Friday was a busy day with art, events, and a visit from district leadership. When students arrived today, they were greeted in our main 3rd floor hallway with incredible art. Ms. Norma and Teacher Valentine helped curate a partnership with the Onyx Fine Arts Collective for our Evening of the Arts and Culture night next week. On Thursday night, we created a mini art gallery that featured art from this collective. This is a collective of professional black local artists. This will be here through our Evening of the Arts and Culture event next Wednesday evening. Students will be able to experience the art with their eyes and heart, as well as learn and talk more about the local black artists in their classroom communities.

Today, Superintendent Ben Shuldiner and School Board Member Liza Rankin visited Viewlands in the morning. They were able to visit many classrooms to see our Viewlands students and teachers engaged in teaching and learning. Superintendent Shuldiner asked many questions and shared observations. It was clear in his visit today to Viewlands that he is seeking to know our school and understand how the schools function as a district at a deeper level. I appreciated his questions, open dialogue, and observations.

Today, both of our 3rd grade classrooms hosted writers celebrations to share their most recent published writing. Families that were available joined the classrooms for the publishing celebrations. Students had the opportunity to learn from each other, while also celebrating their writing work.

Finally today, we hosted 5 Viewlands alum students from Whitman Middle School. They did a student-directed and school approved fieldtrip to volunteer all day at Viewlands. It was wonderful to have Lily, Wren, Julia, Stella, and Elsie back at Viewlands for the day! They volunteered and supported in different classrooms! It is always special to welcome back alum students as volunteers!

A few other highlights from my visits in classroom and with students this week include: a small group lunch with some 4th and 5th graders where we played games and ate lunch together; exploring fractions with a kindergartener; and learning more about the art story and journey from Ernie Thomas, a featured artist and the president of the Onyx Art Collective.

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

Expression of Joy!

Viewlands Evening of Arts and Culture 2026

Date/Time: Wednesday, April 29th 5-7PM

Open House Style

This joyful evening will transform our school into a gallery and creative studio, featuring hands-on art experiences for students, families, and staff, including:

🎨 Rainbow Art
🌌 Constellation Creations
💧 Watercolor Exploration
🛠 Makerspace Activities

🎵 DJ Music

🥁VamoLa Brazilian Drum Performance at 6pm

🖤 Featured Black Art in partnership with Onyx Fine Art Collective

🫶 Displayed student art

Throughout the school, we will proudly showcase student and staff artwork, honoring the creativity that lives within our community every day.

We are especially excited to partner with Onyx Fine Arts Collective https://www.onyxarts.org/, bringing a powerful community arts connection to this event. Their exhibition will feature PNW Black artists!

Expressions of Joy is more than an art night—it’s an opportunity to celebrate identity, imagination, community, and the joy that creative expression brings to us all. We truly hope every family will join us for this evening of celebration and community and creativity!

Today a form went home with students in their red folders about student art. If your child has an art piece they want to showcase for this event, please return that form completed after spring break by Wednesday, April 22nd! They can return the form to their teacher.

Our Makers Space is complete. We no longer need any donations!

Family and community volunteers are a vital part of any school. At Viewlands, we are incredibly grateful for the support of our family and community volunteers. Every year VEPTSA honors one to two individuals for their volunteer commitments in elementary school. VEPTSA would love to receive nominations for this from our community!

VEPTSA is proud to sponsor the Golden Acorn Award, presented each year at the 5th Grade Promotion Ceremony to honor an outstanding parent volunteer whose youngest child is graduating from Viewlands. This award celebrates the incredible families who give their time and energy to make our school community thrive — and this year, you get to decide who receives it. Nominations are open to all Viewlands community members; submit yours using the form below!

[Golden Acorn Award Nomination Form — link here]

We need to know if your child has a different plan (not Viewlands) for next school year. It it vital we know if your child will be attending a different school because of a move or other reason as we begin planning for next school year. If your child is transferring to the Highly Capable cohort model school, Cascadia, we already have that information so no additional steps are needed.

If your child will not be at Viewlands next school year due to a family move or for any other reason, we need to know. You have two options:

• You can complete this Not Attending Next Year (NANY) form linked below.
• You can send our office team or the classroom teacher a talking points text or e-mail sharing that your child will not return to Viewlands and the reason (a move out of state, a move to a different location in Washington, private school, or homeschooling). The office team will then complete the NANY form for you.

Again, it is really important for us to collect this information. It helps the school have accurate enrollment information, which is critical for planning for next school year.

LINK to the NANY form:

Viewlands Orca Cup Soccer -TOMORROW

Saturday, April 25, 2-4pm (Sandel Park, 9053 1st Ave NW)

This annual Orca Cup Soccer event is all about having fun together as a community. Students will get to engage in enjoyable warm up, fun field games, and friendly soccer matches. We will have energetic music, a photo op with a custom Orca Cup trophy, stickers, snacks, and special guest … Ollie the Viewlands Orca. For students who want something else the playground will be open to enjoy while also hanging out with friends. This community building event is free. Note, it is not a drop off event, adults must accompany their children. For more details check out the Konstella event. Reach out to events@viewlandsptsa.org with questions.

Volunteers are needed, signup here >

🚶 🚲 🛼 Walk, Bike, & Roll to School Day – Wednesday, May 6, before school

Lace up your shoes, and walk or roll into the school day again with our second Walk, Bike, & Roll to school day event of the year! This is a bi-annual event where we enjoy active transportation and build a stronger community spirit as we make our way to school together. All students, parents, and family members are welcome to join! Join a bike or walk/roll group around 7:10am and visit the celebration table at school between 7:30-7:55am. We also welcome students who carpool with their family or take the bus to stop by the table as well to celebrate with us as you also reduce your environmental footprint. For more details please visit Konstella event. Reach out to bikebus@viewlandsptsa.org with questions.

Volunteers are needed, signup here >

COMING SOON – Information on ways to support VEPTSA plans for Staff Appreciation Week, May 4th-May8th

• Wednesday, April 29th, 5-7PM- Viewlands Evening of the Arts and Culture
• Monday, May 25th – NO SCHOOL, Memorial Day holiday
• Tuesday, May 29th, Spring VEPTSA General Membership Meeting @ 6:30PM
• Monday, June 1st, 4th and 5th Grade Instrumental Music Showcase @ 9AM
• Thursday, June 11th, Kindergarten Celebration @ 6PM
• Friday, June 12th, Field Day – MANY VOLUNTEERS NEEDED
• Tuesday, June 16th, 5th Grade Promotion @ 9AM
• Wednesday, June 17th – LAST DAY OF SCHOOL, Dismissal at 1:25PM