Dear Parents and Students:
Welcome to the 2018-2019 school year at Christa McAuliffe Elementary! I hope you and your family had a safe and relaxing summer. I look forward to seeing each of you on the first day of school and hearing of your summer adventures!
I am honored to be the principal of Christa McAuliffe Elementary and look forward to working with our talented educators, supportive parents, and amazing students again this year. Thank you in advance for making McAuliffe a wonderful place for children to learn.
I’d like to take this opportunity to communicate a few updates, share staffing changes, and provide you with reminders of important August, September, and October dates. Please read the information provided in this email so that you’re caught up on all that’s going on at McAuliffe.
Here’s to a great school year!
Sincerely,
Brady Howden
Principal
Christa McAuliffe Elementary
YMCA Afterschool Care with Enrichment Options:
I am happy to share that we will again be partnering with the YMCA this year to provide after school care and enrichment classes for students on the McAuliffe campus. The YMCA will also be providing before school care, with that program being hosted on the Smith campus (and students being transported by the YMCA to McAuliffe in time for school to start). YMCA contact and sign-up information is included below.
Questions: Please contact Jenny Barr, YMCA Program Director, at [email protected]
Sign-up: http://ykids.seattleymca.org/files/images/content/2018.19%20Sammamish%20Kids%20U%20Form1.pdf
School Time Changes:
As you may know, the start/end times for McAuliffe have changed for the upcoming year. School will begin each day at 9:20am. Students may be on campus as early as 9:05am, with the first bell being rung at 9:15am. School will end on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday at 3:50pm. School will end on Wednesday at 2:20pm.
Program Changes:
McAuliffe will be hosting three new programs next year as we welcome Full-Time Quest (2/3 classes), Pull-Out Quest (2/3 and 4/5 classes), and elementary orchestra. I’m excited to have these programs at McAuliffe and look forward to working with the teachers/staff who will be leading these programs.
Entry Control System:
The safety and security of students is a top priority of our school and district. Over the summer our district worked to improve safety by installing an Entry Control Systems at all schools. This system allows schools to keep all exterior doors locked and requires all visitors to use a video call system to request access. The Entry Control System is similar to access systems used in many apartments or condominiums. The goal of the system is to: (1) Maintain control of access to the building interior; and (2) Maintain knowledge of persons entering the building interior. I want to thank our community in advance for your patience as we implement the new system.
Staffing Changes:
Each year we have changes to our staff, which I would like to inform you of. Please join me in welcoming the following new staff members to the McAuliffe family:
Family Access Reminder:
It is important that we have updated information for your student. We ask that parents review, update, and verify emergency information prior to school starting on September 4th. This can be done by logging in to Parent Access, clicking on “Skyward Family Access” (under “For All Parents on the right), and then clicking on the “Online Student Information Verification” button. Parents can also choose how they are provided with various automated messages by clicking on the “Skylert” button located in “Skyward Family Access” under the “For All Parents” tab on the right. This would include updates on lunch account balances, attendance calls, and other communication.
Upcoming Events/Dates:
September, and October are busy times at Christa McAuliffe Elementary. Please update your calendars to reflect the following school and PTSA events:
Letter from our New Associate Principal, Bridget Ballard
Dear McAuliffe parents, students, and community!
I am excited to join the Christa McAuliffe community as the Associate Principal and would like to share a little about myself!
I come to the Lake Washington School District from Kent where I have most recently been an Educational Assistant/Dean of Students and Academic and Behavior Interventionist for the last two years. Prior to my work in Kent, I worked as a 1st grade teacher for six years in Renton where I also completed my administrative internship. I began my teaching career as a 2nd grade teacher outside of Salt Lake City, Utah.
I enjoy spending time with my husband, Jerry, and our animals, Izzy, a yellow Lab, and Rusty, an orange tabby cat. I was born and raised in Montana where most of my family still lives and I visit as often as possible.
I look forward to meeting each of you and supporting the great work that is happening at McAuliffe!
Sincerely,
Bridget Ballard
Welcome to the 2018-2019 school year at Christa McAuliffe Elementary! I hope you and your family had a safe and relaxing summer. I look forward to seeing each of you on the first day of school and hearing of your summer adventures!
I am honored to be the principal of Christa McAuliffe Elementary and look forward to working with our talented educators, supportive parents, and amazing students again this year. Thank you in advance for making McAuliffe a wonderful place for children to learn.
I’d like to take this opportunity to communicate a few updates, share staffing changes, and provide you with reminders of important August, September, and October dates. Please read the information provided in this email so that you’re caught up on all that’s going on at McAuliffe.
Here’s to a great school year!
Sincerely,
Brady Howden
Principal
Christa McAuliffe Elementary
YMCA Afterschool Care with Enrichment Options:
I am happy to share that we will again be partnering with the YMCA this year to provide after school care and enrichment classes for students on the McAuliffe campus. The YMCA will also be providing before school care, with that program being hosted on the Smith campus (and students being transported by the YMCA to McAuliffe in time for school to start). YMCA contact and sign-up information is included below.
Questions: Please contact Jenny Barr, YMCA Program Director, at [email protected]
Sign-up: http://ykids.seattleymca.org/files/images/content/2018.19%20Sammamish%20Kids%20U%20Form1.pdf
School Time Changes:
As you may know, the start/end times for McAuliffe have changed for the upcoming year. School will begin each day at 9:20am. Students may be on campus as early as 9:05am, with the first bell being rung at 9:15am. School will end on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday at 3:50pm. School will end on Wednesday at 2:20pm.
Program Changes:
McAuliffe will be hosting three new programs next year as we welcome Full-Time Quest (2/3 classes), Pull-Out Quest (2/3 and 4/5 classes), and elementary orchestra. I’m excited to have these programs at McAuliffe and look forward to working with the teachers/staff who will be leading these programs.
Entry Control System:
The safety and security of students is a top priority of our school and district. Over the summer our district worked to improve safety by installing an Entry Control Systems at all schools. This system allows schools to keep all exterior doors locked and requires all visitors to use a video call system to request access. The Entry Control System is similar to access systems used in many apartments or condominiums. The goal of the system is to: (1) Maintain control of access to the building interior; and (2) Maintain knowledge of persons entering the building interior. I want to thank our community in advance for your patience as we implement the new system.
Staffing Changes:
Each year we have changes to our staff, which I would like to inform you of. Please join me in welcoming the following new staff members to the McAuliffe family:
- Bridget Ballard, Associate Principal
- Tahani Hammad, Kindergarten
- Paige Lilly, First Grade
- Katie Brown, Fourth Grade
- Theresa Daumit, 2/3 Quest
- Shannon Palermiti, 2/3 Quest
- Bryanna Fulghum, Pull-Out Quest
- Ashton Staudacher, Itinerant PE
- Sandra Hagy, Para Educator (Learning Center)
- Lauren Neely, Para Educator (Learning Center)
- Kriss Wells, Para Educator (Resource Room)
Family Access Reminder:
It is important that we have updated information for your student. We ask that parents review, update, and verify emergency information prior to school starting on September 4th. This can be done by logging in to Parent Access, clicking on “Skyward Family Access” (under “For All Parents on the right), and then clicking on the “Online Student Information Verification” button. Parents can also choose how they are provided with various automated messages by clicking on the “Skylert” button located in “Skyward Family Access” under the “For All Parents” tab on the right. This would include updates on lunch account balances, attendance calls, and other communication.
Upcoming Events/Dates:
September, and October are busy times at Christa McAuliffe Elementary. Please update your calendars to reflect the following school and PTSA events:
- Kindergarten Parent Connection Meetings: September 4, 5, and 6 (no school for kindergarten students)
- First Day of School, Grades 1-5: Tuesday, September 4
- Full Day of School: Wednesday, September 5 (2:20pm release begins on September 12)
- Curriculum Night: Thursday, September 6
- Grades 3-5 and Quest, 6:00-7:10
- Grades 1-2, 6:45-8:00
- First Day of School, Kindergarten: Friday, September 7
- Beginning of Year Assembly: Friday, September 7 (2:50)
- PTSA Welcome Back Coffee: Friday, September 7 (9:20)
- Outdoor Education (Fifth Grade): September 12-14
- PTSA GMM: Monday, September 17 (9:20-10:50)
- PTSA Ice Cream Social: Thursday, September 20 (6:30-8:00)
- Fun Run Envelopes: Friday, September 21 (passed out) – Friday, October 5 (returned)
- Fun Run: October 5 (2:50-3:40)
- Watch DOGS Kick-Off Event: Thursday, October 11 (8:15)
- Conferences: October 15, 16, 18
- No School: Friday, October 19
- PTSA Board Meeting: Thursday, October 30 (9:20-10:50)
- Fun Run Assembly: Friday, October 26 (2:50-3:40)
Letter from our New Associate Principal, Bridget Ballard
Dear McAuliffe parents, students, and community!
I am excited to join the Christa McAuliffe community as the Associate Principal and would like to share a little about myself!
I come to the Lake Washington School District from Kent where I have most recently been an Educational Assistant/Dean of Students and Academic and Behavior Interventionist for the last two years. Prior to my work in Kent, I worked as a 1st grade teacher for six years in Renton where I also completed my administrative internship. I began my teaching career as a 2nd grade teacher outside of Salt Lake City, Utah.
I enjoy spending time with my husband, Jerry, and our animals, Izzy, a yellow Lab, and Rusty, an orange tabby cat. I was born and raised in Montana where most of my family still lives and I visit as often as possible.
I look forward to meeting each of you and supporting the great work that is happening at McAuliffe!
Sincerely,
Bridget Ballard