Principal Communication

We are entering the final few weeks of the school year and they are busy weeks! Here’s a summary of key dates and what to expect. PTA Year-End Celebration – Friday, June 3rd Who: All Lawton families invited What: Zumba, face painting, tattoos, and treats. (Secret Sausage available for purchase) When: June 3rd, 5 pm - 7 pm Where: Lawton Playground and upper fields Why: To see old friends, meet new friends and gather together Library Book Returns – Friday, June 10th Please help us get our collection back by searching your home for library books that need to be returned. Not sure what your student has checked out? You can see library info in The Source. All

I know we have heavy hearts after this week’s news of another school shooting. Schools should be a place for students to experience safety and joy while they focus on growing and learning. Having that expectation violated causes fear and anxiety. Our children see and hear so much, but sometimes don’t know how to interpret what they are seeing. In the aftermath of tragic events, it is important to listen when they have questions and support them to process their feelings. This looks different depending on the students and their ages, but it is important for children to have space to ask questions and process what they are seeing and hearing. Below are some resources gathered by SPS

We have reached the mid-point of the spring testing season. Students and teachers in all grades are working hard on their reading and math assessments. This is the time of year we begin to see the fruits of all the hard work students been engaged in throughout the year. Take some time to celebrate your student’s learning and growth. Health Updates Covid notifications. We sent five classroom notifications in the past week. You can find district-level information on the SPS Covid Dashboard. PTA Updates Field Day. The PTA is excited to bring back Field Day on June 10th. Please consider volunteering to help with set up, take down, and/or game stations. Sign up here: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10c0445acad2ea7f58-lawton Yearbooks. The PTA

As we get closer to the end of the year our school comes alive with activities - from end of year reading and math assessments to classroom celebrations and fun. Our partnerships with families are what makes it successful for our students. Today's outpouring of volunteers for the Move-a-thon was joyful and an excellent way for our community to come together in person. Thank you for all the ways you support our students and our entire Lawton Dolphin community. 5th Grade Music Concert – Tuesday, May 17th at 3pm On May 17th, 5th graders will present a short instrumental music performance in the Commons beginning at 3pm. This will showcase the hard work students have done during instrumental

Thank you to all the families who showered the staff at Lawton with appreciation this week. We enjoyed the delicious treats, thoughtful notes, and beautiful flowers. It was great to see students so excited to share their appreciation of teachers and staff and rejuvenating to bask in the glow of our warm and welcoming community. It’s Time to Update Your Volunteer Approvals We’re entering the time of year with lots of events and volunteer needs. Field trips, move-a-thon, and field day … oh my! Hoping to participate in the fun? Please make sure you have a complete and updated volunteer approval on file a minimum of two weeks before any event: https://www.seattleschools.org/departments/volunteer/volunteer-application-process/ Many of those with past approvals

Lawton will celebrate Staff Appreciation Week May 2nd – 6th. As a principal, it is a privilege to work with a team of professionals who care so deeply about the work they are doing and show up every day committed to delivering quality learning experiences, guiding the social and emotional growth of our students, and keeping our school safe and clean. I am excited that next week provides a formal excuse to show our appreciation for all the people who make Lawton a great place for students. Student Talent Show Lawton will be holding two school-day assemblies for students to showcase their talents: 3-5 Talent Show on June 8th K-2 Talent Show on June 9th Auditions will be

It’s the time of year when we are planning for the year ahead. We would appreciate family feedback on two key things: Your plans for next year (K – 4th grade families only). Please complete THIS ONLINE FORM by May 6th to let us know if you are returning to Lawton next year. Having a good idea of our enrollment numbers helps us when building classes and assigning staff to grade levels. You are welcome to provide feedback on your student’s strengths, challenges, and learning style. We consider many factors when building balanced classrooms. While we do not take teacher requests, we value your expertise about your student. Great care and consideration is given to each child’s placement,

We are going to keep this newsletter short as we send you off with our wishes for a safe and fun Spring Break. Your student brought home the following this week: Student newspaper made by our 4th and 5th grade newspaper club Covid testing kit for testing the last day of Spring Break (blue instruction sheet included) We look forward to seeing you all again on Monday, April 18th. Lost and Found Last call for lost and found. All unlabeled items remaining at the end of the day will be donated. Lawton Book Drive Contribute to our Spring Book Drive on now through May 31st by clicking this link. Health Updates Spring Break Test-to-Return Supplies. Each student bought

It was fun to see book characters wandering our hallways today – what a great way to kick off literacy month! While every day is a great day for reading, we encourage you to join us in celebrating books a little extra during the month of April. Ways to support literacy month at home: Submit a picture of your student being “caught reading” for us to display on a hallway bulletin board. Email photos to kmcerise. Contribute to our Spring Book Drive on now. Check out one or more of the books nominated for a Washington Children’s Choice Picture Book Award this year. Do a family read aloud. Kids are never too old for this! Click here for

Spring is here! Along with longer daylight in the evening and the cherry trees blooming at Lawton, students this week had the opportunity to participate in the traditional Pacer Test in PE. During the Pacer Test students run back and forth between 2 points trying to increase their pace with each line run. Ask your student about their experience with the Pacer Test this week. Health Updates from Nurse Somi Allergies and inhalers. If your student needs an inhaler or has developed allergies since you last updated our school records, please email Nurse Somi so that we have the forms and current information on file. It’s helpful if daily allergy meds are managed and administered at home. Staying