Principal Newsletter, 4/12/24

Lawton Families,

Welcome back from Spring Break! With no inclement weather days so far this year (hooray!), and our last day projected for June 21, the spring brings us so many fun events to look forward to – including field trips for many grade levels, Career Night (and Volunteer Appreciation) on April 23, the PTA Move-A-Thon fundraiser on May 10, and of course, Field Day on June 14.

Lawton Career Night (and PTA Volunteer Appreciation!)

Please join us on April 23rd, from 5:30-6:30 pm, for our second annual Lawton Career Exploration Night! We are so excited to showcase the jobs and careers of family members in our Lawton community. This is an all-ages open-house event with activities for all. Younger students will be able to engage with books and art at Ms. Gallegos’s career book table, and all students will get a bingo card to help guide them through the event space, discovering new information about a variety of jobs and career paths as they complete objectives. All students who complete their bingo card can turn it in and redeem a prize! Our PTA will also be there to honor and appreciate family volunteers who give their time and support to make Lawton an amazing school!

This event will allow students the opportunity to discover exciting careers in health care, engineering, travel, law, education, environmental science, outdoor ed and more! We are thrilled to have such a wide range of career paths in our Lawton community and can’t wait to see all that our volunteers plan to share with our students. We hope to see you there! (If you missed the invitation to showcase your job/career but would like to join us, all are welcome and it’s not too late- we’ll make room! The more variety of jobs the better to show all our students what’s possible. Click esbarry to participate.)

SPS Student Climate Survey (Grades 3-5 only)

Every year, SPS conducts district-wide Student Climate Surveys for students in grades 3-12 in the fall and spring. This survey provides our school and district with essential student feedback on our instruction, school climate, and academic content that helps us adapt and adjust our practices each year. I’d like to share the types of questions that students in grades 3-5 will be asked so that parents of students in those grades have the chance to discuss the questions with their children before they take the survey in early May. Many of the questions address cultural identity, ethnicity, social-emotional learning and other topics, and we would love to partner with families to help students navigate these complex concepts by talking about them together: https://admin.panoramaed.com/seattle/survey/demo_templates/142908?administration_id=85978&term_id=0

Planning for the 24-25 School Year

SPS has key school dates for the 24-25 and 25-26 school years approved by the School Board, so be sure to check them out here: https://www.seattleschools.org/news/school-calendar/#g8e9f16ff6581

Lawton will also be offering Jump Start for incoming Kindergarten students on 8/20 – 8/22 this year (9am-12pm) – more info to come, but help us spread the word!

PTA News

Yearbook Order Deadline extended to Sunday, April 21

If you haven’t had a chance to order your yearbooks, this is a final reminder. Our online sale (at $20 per book) has been extended till Sunday, April 21. The price for in-person sales in June will go up to $25, so don’t wait! Order your yearbook(s) here and use our school code 154041M.

Parenting Support Group: Thursday, April 25th

We’d like to invite you to the second meeting of our parenting support group, hosted by former Lawton parent and certified coach Kate Kiely. The meeting will take place in the library on Thursday, April 25th from 6:45-7:45pm. The group discussion will be based on the first chapter of the book “The Whole Brain Child” by Daniel J. Siegel and Tina Payne Bryson. Since we all have busy lives, reading the chapter is not a must, and Kate will give a summary at the beginning of the meeting. If you’d like to purchase the book but need financial assistance, please contact presidents.

From facilitator Kate Kiely: "Join us for a monthly parenting support group where you can share your experiences, learn new strategies, and get and give support in a safe space. When we raise kids in the context of community and connection, we learn to be more compassionate to ourselves, supportive of one another, and more present for the kids in our lives. We’ll exchange resources and read and discuss a parenting book together. It’s also a great way to make and strengthen connections within the Lawton community."