Principal Communication

From: Allison Deno Sent: Friday, May 21, 2021 9:01 AM Subject: Principal Newsletter - May 21, 2021 It’s hard to believe we only have four weeks left in the school year. June is just around the corner with its many celebrations and closing activities. Whether students are in person or remote, Lawton staff is working to ensure we end the year on a high note. A strong finish for students this year will support our preparations to welcome all students back to campus next year. April Music Recordings Lawton’s April Art Songs are ready! These soundtracks based on different books were created by students during an online collaboration with the Learning with Style team. Check them out here:

From: Allison Deno Sent: Friday, May 14, 2021 9:01 AM Subject: Principal Newsletter - May 14, 2021 As we approach the end of the school year, we want to acknowledge staff members for whom June marks more than just the end of another school year. Susan Krizanc and Gayle Adler are retiring this year after dedicated and passionate service to Lawton students. Kelsey Fatland is taking a sabbatical next year to attend to matters with her extended family. Maria Volk has accepted a job at Coe Elementary. Due to decreased enrollment numbers, Abby Kinder and Bri Veleber have been displaced from Lawton but will still have jobs with Seattle Public Schools. Jasmine Lewis’ assistant principal position was eliminated.

From: Allison Deno Sent: Friday, May 7, 2021 9:01 AM Subject: Principal Newsletter - May 7, 2021 We’ve enjoyed celebrating some beloved Lawton traditions this month. The students are showing their school spirit in their sports-themed outfits today, we’re hearing them share their move-a-thon accomplishments, and our hallways are filled with teachers and staff basking in the appreciation showered on us this week. Our celebrations and community building looks a little different these days, but it still feels great to celebrate these (modified) traditions together. Heartfelt gratitude from our teachers and staff for all the appreciation and kindness you expressed this week. Thank you to our PTA for providing treats every day and to every person who shared

From: Allison Deno Sent: Friday, April 30, 2021 9:01 AM Subject: Principal Newsletter - April 30, 2021 The week of May 3rd – 7th is Teacher Appreciation Week. I want to take this opportunity to not only thank all of the teachers at staff at Lawton who work so hard to design learning experiences for our students but to thank all of our families and community members as well. Over the course of the last 13 months parents have been more involved in direct teaching of their own children than ever before. The partnerships between school and home have been the key for making this year a positive experience for our students. Thank you for your efforts and

From: Allison Deno Sent: Friday, April 23, 2021 9:01 AM Subject: Principal Newsletter - April 23, 2021 This week the jury reached a verdict in the trial of former officer Derek Chauvin in the murder of George Floyd. As educators, we are committed to providing safe spaces and age-appropriate resources for students to process, learn, and engage in important conversations about current events and the world around them. We invite you to join us and support conversations about racism and violence at home. While talking points and online resources may not help answer all the hard questions, they provide a place to start. Below are some resources you may find helpful. Read Aloud. Click HERE for a read-aloud

Students, families, and staff have all be adjusting to new learning schedules this week. Thank you for all you’ve done to ensure your students get to class on time virtually or in-person! This has allowed our teachers to stay focused on social emotional and academic learning. My highlights this week were seeing students inside our doors and getting to say hi to Ms. Misner’s virtual class as she took them on a mini-tour of Lawton!   I hope everyone has a restful and rejuvenating spring break. Are you traveling? Click HERE for SPS’s travel and quarantine guidance. Grab & Go Breakfasts and Lunches SPS is providing free shelf-stable breakfasts and lunches to students who need them for the remainder

Subject: Principal Newsletter - April 2, 2021 April 2, 2021 This week has been a whirlwind of action both on and off the Lawton campus. Teachers and staff have been busy preparing to welcome students on April 5th whether they return to us in person or remotely. Students have been working hard this week – both asynchronously and in live meetings – to keep their learning moving forward. For any student who completed the Sweet Math Challenge be sure to return those to be entered into the drawing for a fun family math game! Monday morning will feel like the first day of school for each of us! I am grateful for the strength of our entire community

From: Allison Deno Last week, Governor Inslee signed an emergency proclamation intending to ensure all students across the state have the option of some in-person learning. This week, the District and Seattle Education Association (SEA) reached a Tentative Agreement, setting in motion plans to offer an in-person hybrid learning model starting Monday, April 5th. We recognize this creates a range of emotions among families and staff. Lawton is beginning to plan based on what we see in the Tentative Agreement, recognizing that both SEA and the School Board must ratify the agreement before it’s final. This is a fast timeline with a lot of moving parts and communication pieces coming at families. I want to share the below information so that

It was so nice to have students back in class this week. As we move into March, we are excited about a couple of all-school art and literacy initiatives: Women’s History Art Lesson. In celebration of Women’s History Month, Lawton Dolphins will be creating planet mosaics inspired by the art of Alma Thomas and the space exploration of Mae Jamison. We are grateful to our arts committee for offering this shared learning experience for all students. Look for project supplies in your March learning packet.March Madness – Battle of the Books. This month we’re celebrating fabulous picture books. Check out this New York Times article on the joys and benefits picture books for all ages. All students are invited to participate in a “March Madness” bracket tournament

Happy (almost) Valentine’s Day! We hope next week’s mid-winter break gives you quality time with the ones you love. We look forward to seeing students back in class on Monday, February 22nd.  February is an in-between time in each school year – celebrating the solid relationships between students and teachers and evidence of learning and growth while we make plans for the year to come. Last week we hosted tours for families planning to join the Lawton community in the fall and we are now in the midst of our budget and planning cycle for next year. Community Budget Survey (please complete by February 26th) Lawton Elementary and the Lawton PTA start their budgeting processes at this time