Principal Communication

We’re back to our routine of sending Principal Newsletters on Friday mornings. This time of year, it’s a lot of logistics and reminders to help us make the start of school smooth for students and families. We promise there will be more fun information to share once students are back in the building. Teacher Training and Treats. We are excited to welcome teachers back to school on Tuesday. Want to brighten their days with some treats? Sign up here. Transportation. SPS anticipates driver shortages that will result in some school bus routes not running this year. The transportation department has not notified families or schools which routes will/won’t have service, so we don’t yet know how this will

Good morning, The Lawton Elementary front office is back open and busy preparing for the year ahead. We hope you’ve had a great summer and are making the most of these final weeks. We are excited to welcome 1st through 5th grade students back to the building on Wednesday, September 7thth (first day for kindergarten is September 12th). Bell times remain the same as last year. School entry bell will ring at 7:50am, with students expected to be in their classrooms and ready to learn at 7:55am daily. School dismisses at 2:25pm except on Wednesdays when it dismisses at 1:10pm. Please remember that while all other Wednesdays in the year are early release days, the first day of

June is such a fun month. The learning continues amidst lots of fun special events. This week: Classes redeemed WAVE tickets for frozen treats and celebrations; 4th and 5th grade students took walking field trips to rock climb, golf, and explore Discovery Park; Lawton Dolphins showcased their skills and talents in our Talent Show; and The whole school enjoyed Field Day activities. Ask your students to share which activities they most enjoyed and to think about the countless volunteers who donated their time to make these events engaging and fun. End of Year Close-Out At this point, the following should have been returned to school: Student devices and chargers Library books If you still have books or devices

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,