Hello Viewlands Families!

Ms. Lin took time to transport the large number of items in our lost and found from the 2nd floor to the 3^rd floor inside our main entrance. We highly encourage families here at arrival or dismissal to look for any lost items. If you are not able to be here, but are looking for something specific, please send a detailed description to the office team. If we have some time, we will do our best to search through the items to look for the item. If you are interested in supporting the lost and found, helping go through items for names and organizing it, please reach out to VEPTSA and/or Ms. Lin. We appreciate support as the lost and found in an elementary school is always full! We would love a monthly volunteer to go through things, find items with names, and organize the items. Eventually with VEPTSA support we would love to have a photo library of items to make it easier for all families to help students get reacquainted with the many lost coats, sweatshirts, water bottles, and lunch bags and containers. We don’t have capacity in our work flow during the school days to accomplish that, but if you are interested in supporting this, please reach out to VEPTSA!  Also, another reminder, please label your child’s items. 

A few highlights from my visits in classrooms and with students this week: hearing a multilingual kindergarten student model how to join others in play and invite someone else to the play independently; listening to intense negotiations between a few 2^nd graders about playing wizards or biology lab at recess (in the end wizards was the choice, but I was highly curious about biology lab (: ); listening to some 4^th and 5^th graders in Mr. Thorpe’s class discuss their would you rather prompt about speaking 5 languages or reading people’s minds; and learning about ecological  case studies and the outcomes from 4^th and 5^th graders in Ms. Schilke’s class.

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. Seattle Public Schools will ask schools to send home student devices prior to winter break on Friday, December 20^th.

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.docx 
• Remote Learning Schedule K/1: Kinder_1st Grade Snow Day Remote Learning Schedule.docx 
• Remote Learning Schedule 2/3: 2nd_3rd Grade Snow Day Remote Learning Schedule.docx 
• Remote Learning Schedule 4/5:4th_5th Grade Snow Day Remote Learning Schedule.docx 

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

If student devices and chargers are sent home Friday, December 20^th, 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 3^rd, unless that is a snow remote learning day. 

VEPTSA

Updates and Messages from our VEPTSA Partners:

Winter Drive – Extended through the weekend!

We’re so close to reaching our Winter Drive goal for grocery store gift cards to support Viewlands families in need. We’re $400 away from reaching our goal (that’s just 8 more $50 gift cards). Are you able to share this with a neighbor or on your social pages? Next week both the books and grocery store gift cards will be wrapped up and given to students. Thank you to everyone who has already contributed, it makes a big difference!

Reading Partners Volunteers needed – Help students succeed in reading!

Reading Partners, a national nonprofit, is seeking community volunteers to provide one-on-one reading support to Viewlands Elementary students who are reading below grade level. Just one hour a week can make a huge difference! Volunteers will receive training and support, with flexible opportunities available throughout the week. Feel free to share this with a community member who is looking for a local volunteer program!

Learn more about volunteering and sign up here >

Reading support volunteers are needed especially during these times:

• Mondays 8:10-9:05 AM
• Mondays 10:20-11:20 AM
• Tuesdays 8:10-9:05 AM
• Wednesdays 10:20-11:20 AM
• Thursdays 10:20-11:20 AM\
• Thursdays 11:50 AM – 12:45 PM
• Fridays 11:50 AM – 12:45 PM

Important Upcoming School Calendar Dates

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