Principal Wheeler’s Weekly Update 9-20-24
Principal Wheeler’s Weekly Update 9-20-24
Hello Viewlands Families!
Today we completed our 2nd full week of school. As we head into the next few weeks, this is when students are building their school stamina. The first couple weeks the pure excitement, enthusiasm, and for some nervousness propels everyone through the school days. In the next few weeks, we often notice that some students will be more tired and struggle a little more to navigate the learning load and demands, as they build their own school stamina. During the summer, routines and schedules are often different, including sleep, so it takes a while for students to be back into the groove of school. Families can support this by focusing on getting back into good evening routines with sleep. A good night sleep can really help children settle back into the school routines and build that school stamina.
Next week, on Thursday evening, we are hosting our annual Bring Your Family to School night. We hope all families can come! This is the opportunity to meet the educators that are supporting your child and see the spaces your child uses at school. More details about the event are below.
Does your family have a tradition, cultural celebration, or heritage game or activity that is part of your family story and identity that you want to share with the classroom community this school year? Please reach out to your child’s classroom teacher if there is something you would like to share with their classroom or school community.
A few highlights from my visits in classrooms and with students this first full week include: learning and playing an African children’s game that is similar but harder than hopscotch from one of our 5th graders, Patience, at lunch recess; listening to math thinking with our 1st graders in Mr. W’s class; celebrating pirate day with Mr. Brandon’s 2nd graders learning about the r-controlled vowel “ar” sound and spelling in words; and hearing stories about different family artifacts shared in Mr. Arango’s 4th and 5th grade classroom.
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
Important Safety Reminders
We have noticed at drop off and pick-up some families are parking on the east side of 3rd and running across the street. This is NOT safe. If you park on the east side of 3rd, you need to use the cross walk at 105th or 107th. Please do not run across the street. 3rd is a main arterial and running across the street is dangerous.
If your child rides a bus home from school, please follow all safety rules when you are meeting the bus and model this for students. Students need to cross safely in front of the bus following all crosswalk safety, families should be meeting the bus on the corner where drop is located, and please do not encourage students to run across the street. Students should never ne crossing behind the bus. This is not safe.
Home-School Red Folders
If your family hasn’t completed and returned the start of school forms, please turn those in as soon as possible in the red folder. Those forms came home in the red folder at the beginning of last week.
The beginning of school packets coming home next week will have a lot of information.
- Required for all: Anything on green paper and the white device agreement form is required and must be completed and returned in the red folder
- Required for some: Anything on yellow paper are return only IF it applies to your child/family. If it does NOT apply to your child/family you don’t need to return it.
- Information: All other is information for your family.
Bring Your Family to School Night
Viewlands will host a Bring Your Family to School Open house on Thursday, September 26th in the evening. This is for all current Viewlands families. Every Viewlands student will be given a Viewlands Passport. The passport will have places to visit that are the spaces your child goes to during the school day, including your child’s classroom, the art room, the gym for PE, the library, and the lunchroom.
You will have the chance to see the spaces and meet the educators that are part of your child’s elementary experience this year. There will be other optional places to visit, including the multilingual team, special education team, school counselor, and VEPTSA.
The event is an open house style. Typically, families were here for 30-60 minutes to visit the different spaces. The event will start at 5:30PM and end at 7:00pm. Please plan to arrive no later than 6:30pm so you have time to visit the spaces. Families will need to exit the school building/campus by 7:05pm. This is not a drop off event, students attend with their families.
We encourage walking or biking for the event if possible. If your family will need to drive, please park in approved areas. There is parking available on the west side of 3rd in front of the school, on the north side of the school on 107th, and limited parking in the parking lot with spaces not used by staff. Please do not park on 105th, and avoid parking in non-parking areas on the east side of 3rd Ave.
When you arrive, you will enter from the front main entrance, sign-in, and pick-up the passports. When you finish you can exit the same front entrance. Students take their passports home with them.
School Picture Day
School picture day is in two weeks, on Friday, October 4th! The school pictures are used for the Viewlands yearbook unless a parent has opted out of a picture being in the yearbook. Families can also order photos if they want for purchase. The purchasing is directly through the photo vendor, not the school.
Picture Day is Right Around the Corner…
Students will be photographed by O’Connor Photography Studio for their school record on 10/4/2024.
Pre-order their portraits today!
You can also purchase by visiting our website.
If you have any questions or need assistance, please give our studio a call at 1-800-993-4929
We need 2-3 volunteers in the morning and 2-3 volunteers in the afternoon to support photo day. If you are interested in supporting, please e-mail volunteer@viewlandsptsa.org
Viewlands Spirit Days
We are excited to share our Viewlands Spirit Day plan! These are optional, not required, but anyone who wants to participate, we encourage it!
- Every Thursday – Viewlands Community Spirit Day – wear Viewlands spirit wear OR the main Viewlands color (blue) OR anything with an Orca on it!
- Every Friday – Community and Me Celebration Day – wear something that is about you (the student) and/or a community the student is a part of, simple things like their favorite color or, a sports team you/your family cheer for, a place or community you or your family love to visit or feel a part of, a college you or your family feel connected to, an organization or cause you support, LGBTQIA+ Pride gear, or just something you love to wear.
- 3-5 Fun Fridays Add-Ons to the Community and Me Celebration Day – these will be spread across the year and easy to participate in but completely optional.
Breakfast
Breakfast choices are available to students that need that option. This is typically milk, fruit, and one breakfast option like cereal, yogurt, or a bar. Breakfast is served 7:40-7:50 and all students finish breakfast and return to class by 8AM. Any students that are family drop off in the morning, need to arrive around 7:40-7:45 IF they need breakfast.
VEPTSA
Updates and Messages from our VEPTSA Partners:
Well Resourced Schools
We’re all in shock regarding the dramatic boundary change announcements from SPS this week – more information coming soon from VEPTSA. Join the Konstella Well Resourced Schools Social Group to share thoughts, ideas, community events, and hear from others.
Viewlands PTSA (VEPTSA) supports our school community providing coordination and funds for school and community events, critical student resources, and advocating for each student at Viewlands. Membership is now FREE! *Use the code Member24 at checkout for a free membership.
Join Konstella to access the school/VEPTSA calendar, volunteer opportunities, and classroom directory and events. FAQs and tips.
Fall Enrichment – registration opens Monday, September 23rd at 9:00 AM.
We are thrilled to announce the fall after-school enrichment program running Tuesdays and Thursdays (10/15-12/12). Details on after-school enrichment classes and pricing.
Important Upcoming School Calendar Dates
- Thursday September 26th 5:30-7PM- Bring Your Family to School Night
- Friday, October 4th – School Picture Day
- Monday, October 7th – Viewlands Move-a-Thon
- Wednesday, October 9th – Walk, Bike, & Roll to School Day
- Thursday, October 10th – Multilingual and Latinx Family Night – an event specifically for our Latinx families AND all families with students that are part of our multilingual program. Information will be sent to those families individually.
- Friday October 11th – No School, Staff Professional Development Day
- Thursday, October 31st – All School Zoo Fieldtrip, lots of approved SPS family volunteers needed during the school day to support this field trip
Neighborhood Information: Piper’s Orchard Harvest Festival
Piper’s Orchard is bringing back the annual “Festival of Fruit” on Saturday, October 5, from 11am – 2pm at Piper’s Orchard in Carkeek Park! Come celebrate the harvest with cider pressing, apple sampling, an Apple Identification Expert (folks should plan to bring their own apples!), a mason bee demonstration, live dance performance, cake walk (“Pie Walk!”), and more! Folks are encouraged to take public transportation, but limited parking is also available at Viewlands Elementary and QFC. Additional event information about Piper’s Orchard Harvest Festival.