As the school year comes to an end, I wanted to take a moment to thank all of our parents, staff, and volunteers for an amazing year. Because of this community’s commitment to our school we were able to offer an action-packed year filled with many new and exciting events like our Oktoberfest, Sing Out Seattle Annie performance, school dance, and rummage sale as well as a fully functioning garden program and school directory! With all of our events, fundraisers, programs, and dedication, the Lafayette Parent Teacher Association support reinforces the already amazing community we have here in West Seattle and helps to enrich the educational experiences of our students. So again thank you for your part in making our village fabulous and for your support during my year as President, we cannot do it without all of you.
Speaking of which is it not always easy to see what the PTA does other than when you see us in action. It is always nice to highlight some items so you can understand the importance of a PTA and how you may want to be involved in the future. This past year, we introduced a school supply program to help with equity and inclusion at our school, we also funded teacher training, technology, spirit wear, the school play, Red Nose Day, and created a school creed. Behind the scenes, the PTA has a voice in school discussions regarding inclusion, enrichment, culture, and curriculum. There is a lot of day-to-day impacts that PTA has on Lafayette for example funding resources which makes your support a valuable component to our children's success.
I also want to take this opportunity to congratulate all of the incoming board members and introduce Amber Zeddies who will be taking over as President next year. Amber has two Lafayette Leopards, a boy in grade 2 and a girl in kindergarten. She will be an amazing President and Amber has a fabulous board to help her on her journey. Best wishes!
With that, I am wrapping my arms around this wonderful community one last time.
Cheers!
Pamela Quadros
EVENTS
MAY 30, 7:00 PM: INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC CONCERT
The Lafayette Spring Instrumental Music evening performance is scheduled for Wednesday, May 30 at 7:00 pm in the West Seattle High School Theater. The concert will feature all Lafayette 4th and 5th Grade Instrumental Music students, including the Combined Band, Beginning Strings, 2nd Year Winds, 2nd Year Strings as well as some feature ensembles. There will also be a daytime assembly performance at 8:30 am on May 30th. All Lafayette parents and friends are invited to attend the performances. VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITY: Set up for the concert starts at 5:00 pm. Volunteer/help with setting up chairs and stands would be greatly appreciated. Please contact Instrumental Music Teacher Frank Seeberger if you have any questions.
MAY 30 - JUNE 5: BOOK FAIR
Keep the reading momentum going this summer! Here are the different ways you can buy books from the Book Fair:
Visit our library (during lunch recess (10:40-12:10 pm (lunch recess) and after school until 2:25-3 pm)
Order Online: enjoy a larger, expanded selection when you shop online (online orders delivered to the school before the year ends). You can shop online before the actual book fair starting on May 17.
Clip & Send the Newspaper Flyer Order Form from the interactive Book Flyer (remember to add 10.1% sales tax). The Library cannot accept cash book orders BEFORE May 30th. , Checks are accepted anytime and can be made payable to the Lafayette PTA.
Special Schedule: May 30 (early dismissal): open after school at 1:05-1:45 pm; May 31 (Spring Fling): 5:00-6:30 pm; June 5: open 10:40-12:05 pm (lunch recess), not open after school.
Thank you Ms. Nakagawa, her team of volunteers and everyone who shops. All purchases benefit the school - helping to buy books for the library and classrooms.
Running Club will be celebrating the end of the year with a FUN RUN next Thursday, May 31st during lunch recess on the playground! Any student wishing to run will be able to run/walk a half-mile course on the playground. Prizes for everyone! We are looking for parent volunteers to help mark the course. The kids have been training all year for this one last run, come cheer them on! THANK YOU to parent volunteers Aimee Corr and Liana Mezo and school nurse Mary Kay Sykes for leading our Running Club program.
Let's celebrate Spring! Join us for an evening of fun and games for the whole family. Forget preparing dinner at home, come purchase a slice of pizza, a drink and sides. PLUS there will be face painting, a tattoo parlor, cakewalk, games, popcorn, a bounce house, obstacle course and more! If you have any questions, please contact our Event Chairs. Tickets are 10 for $10 or 25 tickets for $20. As always, THANK YOU in advance for your support! We hope to see you there to enjoy an evening with our Lafayette community.
JUNE 5, 1:45-2:30 PM:VOLUNTEER TEA
Dear Lafayette Volunteers,
Join us June 5th at 1:45-2:30 pm in the cafeteria. If you volunteered this year for the school, in the classroom, events, on the playground or in the background, the entire staff of Lafayette Elementary would like to say a big THANK YOU for all of your efforts to support the school. There will be snacks, refreshments and student performances.
With Gratitude,
The Lafayette Elementary Teachers & Staff
JUNE 21: FIELD DAY
Be on the look out for more info from Ms. Banner on field day activities and possible volunteer opportunities.
PLAYGROUND
Have you seen the playground lately? THANK YOU to retired architect and community member Mark Ranson, who volunteered his time and talents to paint our labyrinth. It's been a fun new addition to our playground area for kids to walk or bike in. Come check it out in person or see the pictures posted on our FB page. Mark is the husband of Kathy Sorenson, who has been teaching the Great Composer Program at Lafayette for 9 years.
Two committees: Grades K-5 and Grades 6-8. You may join the K-5 committee or the Grades 6-8 committee.
Application deadline May 29, 9 a.m.
SPS SPECIAL ED PTSA MEETINGS: WEDNESDAY, JUNE 13, 7-9 PM
The Seattle Public Schools Special Education Parent Partners Program assists parents and guardians of students with an IEP (Individual Education Plan), to navigate SPS, the IEP process, and to access community resources. This program connects trained and experienced Parent Partners with parents and guardians who want support in their child’s IEP and special education process. It is the goal of this program to foster an atmosphere of family/professional collaboration in special education in Seattle Public Schools.
See the website for more information. All meetings are 7 – 9 PM in the auditorium at the John Stanford Center for Educational Excellence, 2445 3rd Avenue South. Please join the upcoming meeting on Wed, June 13.
FACILITIES MASTER PLAN REVIEW TASK FORCE INVITATION
The Seattle Public Schools School Board and Facilities and Operations Department are establishing a Facilities Master Plan task force. You are invited to apply.
To learn more or to apply, please visit Facilities Master Plan Review Task Force webpage. Applications are due by Thursday, June 7, at 5 p.m. Applicants will be notified Tuesday, June 12, by email, if possible, or by phone.
PTA UPDATES
NOMINATING COMMTTEE
Thank you to all of you who volunteered and participated in the Nominating Committee. The following is a list of the PTA's 2018-19 Board Members and Chairs.
Amber Zeddies, PTA President
Jenny King, Vice President
Matt Drake and Renee Dodds, Treasurers
Alana Holmquist and Monica Smith, Secretaries
Pamela Quadros, Past President
Joe Wadden, Enrichment
Dino Ignacio, Fundraising
Meghan Hogan, Legislative
Christy Pudduck, Spirit Wear
Aimee Corr, Health & Fitness
Kristin Szabadi and Karin Guidry, Events
Erika Stromberg and Tricia Coulter, Communication
Ellen Zoffel and Alden Alvarado, Garden and Science Program
Julia Wester and Daniel Wester, Website and Technical Support
Jennifer Barringer, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
Andrea Allen, Assemblies/Speakers/Field Trip Liaison
FUNDRAISING
Jen Wheatley, Walk-a-Thon
Pamela Quadros, Auction
Liana Mezo, Employer Matching
Claudina Valcarlos, Dine-Out and Box Tops
Our Walk-a-Thon and Auction Chairs have been amazing but all good things must come to an end. Next year will be the last for our Walk-a-Thon and Auction Chairs, if you have any interest in shadowing either team to fill these shoes in 2019-20, please contact us.
FOR YOUR MANY YEARS OF SERVICE TO THE PTA BOARD
Parent Volunteers Rachel Hagenson, Chris Weinmann, Kris Stafie, Jodi Hill and Sarah Dillard and Teacher Representative Carolyn Whipple
GOLDEN ACORN AWARD
Votes have been tallied and the winners of this year's Golden Acorn Award are......you'll have to attend the Volunteer Tea to find out.
BUDGET COMMITTEE: 2018-19 BUDGET
Thank you to those who participated in the Budget Committee and the budget process for the 2018-19. Working with the school, the committee determined what key programs to support for Lafayette's academic success. The preliminary budget was presented to the Board which was in turn presented and passed at our general meeting on May 22.
SCHOOL PLAY
We hope you enjoyed our presentation of Shrek The Musical - we are so proud of our cast and crew, you all did a FABULOUS job! Thank you to all of the parents, teachers and volunteers who made this production possible. Donation and concession sale proceeds help sustain the school play program. We have a video of the production available for parents of student performers, if you would like to download the video, please contact the PTA.
GARDEN AND SCIENCE PROGRAM
May was BUG MONTH in the garden. If you have been following us on FB you have seen the new addition to our Garden Lab, a new aquaponics garden system and the hatching of praying mantis eggs. The kids also released ladybugs and butterflies so ask them what bugs they have seen this year! The students have spent more time than ever in the garden and are really proud of making it their own. Thank you Ellen Zoffel and Alden Alvadrao for making science so cool!
Are you around this summer? Pick a week to weed, water and help maintain the garden in the summer months.
We held our first rummage sale on May 12. Thank you to all who donated, volunteered and shopped - all proceeds benefit Lafayette! Special THANK YOU to Karin Guidry and Pamela Quadros for coordinating this event.
BOX TOPS
Since joining the Box Tops program, we have earned $9,513.91. Those little pink coupons really add up so let's make it count - our last collection is JUNE 8! Thank You to parent volunteers Monica Smith and Julie Horgan for leading our 2017-18 Box Tops collection drives. Keep the momentum going and collect throughout the summer, download the summer collection sheets here.
PTA MEMBERSHP BENEFITS
Aside from supporting your awesome PTA, there are also some benefits associated with your membership. There are discounts available for:
Wild Waves Theme & Water Park
Seattle Storm tickets for the July 8 or August 19 games.
Silverwood
Great Wolf Lodge
BIG3 pro basketball 3-on-3 competition on August 20 at KeyArena.
Husky UW football tickets for September 16 game against Fresno State.
If you are interested in any of these promotions, please contact us.
CALENDAR
June 1Spirit Day
June 4Coffee w/the Principal, 8-830 am (cafeteria)
June 55th Grade FLASH
Volunteer Tea/Presentation of the Golden Acord Award, 1:20-2:20 pm (cafeteria)
Last Day of Book Fair (library)
Deadline to submit your response to the Office of Superintendent Public Instruction survey. Do you want to make your voice heard in public K-12 education? Let OSPI know what your education priorities are!
June 6Wednesday Early Dismissal
June 8Box Top Collection No. 3
June 11VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITY: 4th Grade Field Trip
June 13Wednesday Early Dismissal
SPS Special Ed PTSA Meetings, 7-9 pm
June 18VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITY: 5th Grade Field Trip
June 19VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITY: 5th Grade Promotion
June 20Wednesday Early Dismissal
June 21VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITY: Field Day
June 22LAST DAY OF SCHOOL/1-HOUR EARLY DISMISSAL (1:25 PM)
