
10/27 McMicken Family Connection
October 27, 2022

Principal's Corner
A Word from Your Principal
Dear Families,
We are so fortunate to have such great collaboration with our amazing McMicken Families. Our APTTs (Academic Parent Teacher Teams) have been steadily growing every year. For those of you who are new to the model, it is a true partnership between home and school that 1) recognizes family as their child’s first teacher and 2) supports transparency between home and school around important data related to your child’s progress priority standards. Believe it or not, we had our best APTT turnout over Zoom in the midst of the pandemic. As we look ahead to building back in our family events, we also recognize that Zoom may forever allow us to reach more families during the busy weekday evenings. Thank you to all of our families for their participation and support of our APTT model this past week and next week to come! Please do let us know your thoughts as well.
😄 Principal Haas
Principal's Book Choice for November
"We Are Water Protectors" by Carole Lindstrom, illustrated by Michaela Goade
Inspired by the many Indigenous-led movements across North America, We Are Water Protectors is a bold and vibrant picture book that issues an urgent rallying cry to safeguard the Earth’s water from harm and corruption.
Water is the first medicine.
It affects and connects us all . . .
When a black snake threatens to destroy the Earth
And poison her people’s water, one young water protector
Takes a stand to defend Earth’s most sacred resource.
Book Spotlights
Read a book with a heritage month focus!
"Go Show the World: A Celebration of Indigenous Heroes" by Wab Kinew, illustrated by Joe Morse
"We are a people who matter." Inspired by President Barack Obama's Of Thee I Sing, Go Show the World is a tribute to historic and modern-day Indigenous heroes, featuring important figures such as Tecumseh, Sacagawea, and former NASA astronaut John Herrington.
Celebrating the stories of Indigenous people throughout time, Wab Kinew has created a powerful rap song, the lyrics of which are the basis for the text in this beautiful picture book, illustrated by the acclaimed Joe Morse. Including figures such as Crazy Horse, Net-no-kwa, former NASA astronaut John Herrington and Canadian NHL goalie Carey Price, Go Show the World showcases a diverse group of Indigenous people in the US and Canada, both the more well known and the not- so-widely recognized. Individually, their stories, though briefly touched on, are inspiring; collectively, they empower the reader with this message: "We are people who matter, yes, it's true; now let's show the world what people who matter can do."
"Fry Bread" by Kevin Noble Maillard, illustrated by Juana Martinez-Neal
Told in lively and powerful verse by debut author Kevin Noble Maillard, Fry Bread is an evocative depiction of a modern Native American family, vibrantly illustrated by Pura Belpre Award winner and Caldecott Honoree Juana Martinez-Neal.
Fry bread is food.
It is warm and delicious, piled high on a plate.
Fry bread is time.
It brings families together for meals and new memories.
Fry bread is nation.
It is shared by many, from coast to coast and beyond.
Fry bread is us.
It is a celebration of old and new, traditional and modern, similarity and difference.
World Language Class: Learn Spanish!
To support Highline’s goal of all students graduating “Bilingual and Biliterate” as well as a core value to foster equity in our schools by nurturing the home languages and cultures of our student body, we will be offering a Heritage World Language class for 2nd and 3rd grade students on Wednesdays after-school on Wednesdays from 3:15 to 4:15pm, starting November 9th.
Students will learn Spanish for this 10-week program. Due to space being limited, please have your child return the permission form by November 4th to the front office. You will get confirmation about their acceptance into the program before the 9th.
Please contact Scott Villa (scott.villa@highlineschools.org), Estefania Plancarte (estefania.plancarte@highlineschools.org), or Birdie Rocha (birdie.rocha@highlineschools.org) for more information or with your questions.
Student-Led Conferences
It's time for fall student-led conferences! Fall student-led conferences are a great time to meet with your child's teacher and learn more information about their progress in the grade-level goals, and receive information on how to support your child in their growth. Our goal is to meet with 100% of our families this fall.
Information went home on how to schedule conferences with your child's teacher. Student-led conferences will be held on Monday, November 21, Tuesday, November 22, and Wednesday, November 23. Please reserve your time for your child's conference, and note if you need an interpreter for the conference.
Confirmation for the conferences will be sent home between November 16-18.
Academic Parent Teacher Teams (APTT)
Join us for our first round of Academic Parent Teacher Teams, or APTT! It is a time that we have an opportunity to grow our partnership between home and school. At the first APTT of the school year, you will have the opportunity to learn an overview of the school year, learn about an important grade-level skill students will need to be successful, and learn about activities that you can do at home to support your student's success.
Throughout the school year, APTT is a time between report card that will allow you to keep track of your child's growth towards a specific skill.
The first APTT will be hosted on Zoom. Please see your child's teacher's handout for their Zoom Meeting ID. The dates for the APTT are also under the section "Upcoming Events."
Please: Toys Stay at Home!
Starting Monday 10/17, all toys, including Pokémon cards and stuffed animals, need to stay at home. If students bring a toy that leaves their backpack, the toy will be collected by the teacher and families will be contacted to make plans for pickup. We’ve noticed that the toys brought from home are becoming a distraction from learning and causing conflict both in the classroom and on the playground.
If and when a class earns an incentive or reward involving toys like a show and tell party, the teacher will notify families and set a day for students to bring their toys. We appreciate your partnership in ensuring that all students are engaged in learning.
Staff Shout-outs!
Do you have an appreciation you'd like to share for a staff member at McMicken?
Consider filling out this quick form for your shout-out to be shared in our family newsletter in our new section, "Staff Shout-Outs!"
Our Weekly Habit
November's Monthly Focus: We are COLLABORATIVE.
Weekly Focus (Nov. 7-Nov. 10): Communicate positively with others.
A quote to think about: "We have two ears and one mouth so we can listen twice as much as we speak." -Epictetus
When we communicate positively with others, it looks like:
- Smiling, enjoying each other’s company
- Giving thumbs up or silent applause
- Using respectful hand signals to show agreement or disagreement
When we communicate positively with others, it sounds like:
Using kind words
Offering help
Complimenting each other
Giving advice or suggestions to improve work with kind words
When we communicate positively with others, it feels like:
Celebrating each other’s successes
Caring about others’ work
Tuesday, November 1: 4th Grade APTT #1 (5:30-6:45pm on Zoom)
Wednesday, November 2: 2nd Grade APTT #1 (5:30-6:45pm on Zoom)
Thursday, November 3: Kindergarten APTT #1 (5:30-6:45pm on Zoom)
Friday, November 11: Veteran's Day, No School
Monday, November 21-Wednesday, November 23: Student-Led Conferences, No School
Thursday, November 24 and Friday, November 25: Thanksgiving Break, No School
SeaTac Resource Fair (Thursday, November 3rd)
The City of SeaTac is offering its first resource fair! Join community organizations to learn more about programs and initiatives beneficial to local residents. Over 20 organizations will be present, with a range of information from health care information, resources regarding utility assistance, information for families and older adults, and fire and education information. Join them to learn more about how these organizations can meet your needs. The event is free for the public and for organizations to participate. Visit their website for more information!
For more information, please contact Jessica Ramirez at jramirez@seatacwa.gov.
Date: Thursday, November 3rd
Time: 2:00-7:00pm
Place: SeaTac Community Center, 13735 24th Ave. S. SeaTac, Washington 98168
Green Burien Events
To celebrate the kickoff of planting season in the Pacific Northwest, the Green Burien Partnership is hosting several environmental restoration events in Burien Parks this fall. All events are open to the public, kid-friendly, and with no experience necessary. Refreshments, gloves, and tools will be offered for each event.
Planting at Hazel Valley Park
When: November 5, 10 a.m.–1 p.m.
Where: Hazel Valley Park, 251 SW 126th St
Join the City of Burien and EarthCorps at Hazel Valley Park to plant native plants. We'll be working together to plant baby trees, shrubs, and ground cover plants. We'll be working together to plant baby trees, shrubs, and ground cover plants. This event is open for everyone, no experience necessary. Refreshments, lunch, gloves, and tools for all will be available. Register online.
Planting at Salmon Creek Park
When: November 12, time TBD
Where: Salmon Creek Park, 700 SW 118th St
Join the City of Burien, DirtCorps, and the New Start High School “Sharks in Restoration” interns at Salmon Creek Park to plant native plants. We'll be working together to plant the future forest and learn about environmental restoration from youth leaders. This event is open for everyone, no experience necessary. Refreshments, lunch, gloves, and tools for all will be available. Register online.
See the full year's Heritage Month calendar and think about how you can continue to celebrate these groups and holidays at home. In addition, you can access the Heritage Month calendar in Spanish, Somali, or Vietnamese.
Explore resources, events, book lists, and more for November's Heritage Months in English or Spanish.
Native American Heritage Month
The month is a time to celebrate rich and diverse cultures, traditions, and histories and to acknowledge the important contributions of Native people. Heritage Month is also to educate the general public about tribes, to raise a general awareness about the unique challenges Native people have faced both historically and in the present, and the ways in which tribal citizens have worked to conquer these challenges.
Transgender Day of Remembrance (November 20)
Transgender Day of Remembrance is a global, annual observance on November 20th for the transgender individuals lost to violence and honoring the memories of victims of anti-transgender violence.
National Day of Elimination of Violence Against Women (November 25)
National Day of Elimination of Violence Against Women aims to prevent and eliminate violence against women and girls around the world, calling for global action to increase awareness, promote advocacy and create opportunities for discussion on challenges and solutions.
Contact us for support or with questions.
McMicken Heights Elementary School
https://mcmicken.highlineschools.org
Phone: (206) 631-4300
Follow us on social media!
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/McMickenHeightsElementary/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mcmicken.heights
Twitter: https://twitter.com/mcm_heights
Click on the image to complete the consent form for COVID testing at school. This only needs to be completed once this school year.
Does your student have symptoms? Click on the image for a flowchart to know when to send your student to school.
Click on the image for information on COVID vaccination and upcoming vaccine clinics.
Click on the image for more up-to-date information about COVID safety in Highline Public Schools.
Keep updated on your student's grades, attendance, and more! Create or update your ParentVue account by clicking the image.
Click the image for current and past Book of the Months.