Principal Update – Email from Dr. Deno
Dear Lawton Families: It is with mixed feelings that I write to announce that my last day at Lawton will be November 14th. I have accepted a position as an executive director with the Tukwila School District. It is a position that aligns with my background and passions and will allow me to support preschools and the development of a dual language program. I’m grateful for the new opportunity, but leaving Lawton is hard. As I reflect on my years at Lawton, I feel honored to have been part of a community that gives so generously of its time and talents to support students. To have been part of a staff who pivoted with grace and creativity to remote teaching, then to hybrid, and back again to in-person learning – with unwavering commitment to keeping
Principal Newsletter – November 10, 2022
Today we held our Veteran’s Day Assembly – our first whole-school assembly since January 2020. It was a wonderful opportunity to gather all students together and honor our nation’s Veterans. Special thanks to our 5th grade student leaders, community speakers, and those who shared their own images of Veteran’s in their families. Welcome Dina Clagg Ms. Clagg is excited to begin serving as Lawton’s acting principal. Her first official day will be Tuesday, November 15th. Ms. Clagg has 25 years of experience in education and 20 years with Seattle Public Schools, most recently serving as Assistant Principal at Loyal Heights Elementary. She has a BA in Psychology from Smith College and a Master’s in Education from University of Massachusetts at Amherst. Ms. Clagg enjoys cooking, reading, and gardening. Family time with her husband and 12-year-old
Lawton Yearbook Cover Art Contest
A huge thank you to all our 5th grade artists for submitting their gorgeous work for the Yearbook Cover Art Contest! We had a great turnout with 19 beautiful designs from the following artists: M.B. & E.B. (as an artist team), E.C., M.S., P.S., M.C., M.G., S.P., E.W., E.R., C.H., E.H., F.C., C.B., R.H., A.F., L.L., F.S., A.S., and E.S.. All artwork will be included in the yearbook. We would also like to thank all of the K-4th grade students who helped by voting for the winning design that will be printed on the cover. This year’s winner is Miriam S. from Mr. Swartzman’s class! Congratulations!
Principal Newsletter – November 4, 2022
As the weather turns and the mornings are darker, we are seeing an increase in dangerous conditions at morning drop off. Please help us keep students and families safe by following these expectations: Students arriving by car should: Be packed and ready to exit the car independently Exit car on the sidewalk side of the car in the loading zone (not in the circle) Drivers using 27th street as their drop off area should: Wait in a single-file line once entering 27th street – do not pass cars waiting to unload Stay in the driver’s seat, do not exit car Other ways Lawton families can contribute to a safer morning drop-off for all: Arrive on campus at 7:40 to reduce the last-minute surge of cars and people Use the morning school bus if your student
Principal Newsletter – October 28, 2022
Our front lobby is filled with beautiful student art from our 5th graders – submitted as part of our yearbook cover contest. This year’s entries were stunning. School Pictures School pictures came home with students this week. Ordering instructions are in the envelopes if you didn’t pre-order. Retakes will occur on Tuesday, November 8th. Email kmcerise if you’d like to be added to the retake list. New Covid Procedures If your child tests positive for Covid-19, please do these three things: Report it at: lawton Follow isolation guidelines at: https://www.seattleschools.org/news/covid-19-isolation-guidance/ Last Call for Veteran Photos We’d love to have more pictures of veterans in your family to celebrate at our assembly on November 10th. Please email the picture with the Veteran’s name, relationship to student, and how they served to mbmichalsen. PTA News Fall Festival.
Fall Festival – Nov 4 from 5-7 PM
Lawton PTAs Fall Festival is happening on Friday, November 4th from 5-7pm Secret Sausage will be grilling up classic beef and veggie dogs! Mexicuban will be bringing their fusion flavors to us! Besides food trucks, get ready for music, crafts, games, and treats! Happy Fall Y'all! See you on the 4th! To find out more about what's happening at the Fall Festival and to sign up to help, click this link: Lawton PTA Fall Festival Fun!
Principal Newsletter – October 21, 2022
What comes to mind for you when you think of “kids these days”? For us, it’s remarkable flexibility and curiosity. This group of students has had so much practice adapting to change and adjusting to deal with new conditions. Their flexibility in the face of changes to routines continues to impress me. Their curiosity was evident this week during our first ever Career Exploration Night. Thank you to the Lawton community members who brought their expertise and enthusiasm to our students. Students were excited to share with one another what they thought was interesting and what they learned. This week saw air quality conditions that required changes in school routines and two surprise (to students) emergency drills. It was our annual fire drill practice with the Seattle Fire Department; we earned rave reviews for the
Direct Drive Fundraiser – 2022-2023
The Direct Drive is a way for all members of the Lawton community to come together and show our support for the students, teachers, staff, and families of our school. The Direct Drive is our biggest and most important fundraiser of the year, and we encourage all families to participate. While financial donations are greatly appreciated, they are not required for participation. 100% of any donations go directly towards funding the PTA budget for the school year. See below for additional information regarding the important programs and needs funded by the budget. CLICK HERE TO PARTICIPATE How much am I being asked to donate, and why? With our current enrollment, the budget covers approximately $436 per child. We understand that not every family is able to give at the same level, so please consider giving
Principal Newsletter – October 14, 2022
Partnerships among Lawton, our families, and greater Magnolia add to our overall sense belonging and community. In some instances, students are the recipients of community gifts – the grandma who visited Ms. McDonagh’s class to read aloud this week, the 5th grade camp scholarships provided by Lawton families, and the back-to-school clothing gift cards we were able to provide through partnerships with the Alliance for Education and Operation School Bell. Other times, Lawton students and staff share their gifts with others – Ms. Leache’s class artwork on display at the Magnolia library through the end of the month and some third graders serving as reading buddies with Kindergarteners. These are just a few examples of the richness of our community and what makes it wonderful to be a Lawton. This week we are also asking
Yearbook Cover Design Contest for 5th Graders
Calling all artists! The yearbook committee invites all fifth graders to participate in this year’s cover art contest. All designs need to be submitted to the front office by October 20th. K-4th grade students will vote on the winning design that will be printed on the yearbook cover. All other artwork will be featured inside the book! See below for the full flier of information. Cover-contest-handout_2022-10-01Download
Updated School Calendar – 2022 – 2023
The PTA understands that families have been awaiting updates on the school year calendar in response to school starting late this year. Below is the text from an email from Seattle Public Schools: The updated school year dates have been agreed upon by Seattle Public Schools (SPS) and Seattle Education Association (SEA). The school calendar is always developed in collaboration with the educators’ union. On Wednesday, Oct. 12, Seattle School Board approved the 2022-23 school year dates. Five days must be added to make up the delayed start of the school year. The five make up days are Feb. 2, June 27, 28, 29, and 30. High school graduation ceremony dates will be rescheduled based on the updated 2022-23 school year calendar. High school calendars will be updated with specific graduation dates by Oct. 21.
