
11/03 McMicken Family Connection
November 3, 2022

Principal's Corner
A Word from Your Principal
Dear Families,
Just like that, it’s November! Our team and Cougars are working hard on their goals and a big part of that is our Cougar Habits. Throughout September and October, we steadily worked through all of our habits. In November, we will take a deep dive into being Collaborative. We love to promote collaboration as a way for our Cougars to get out of the Learning Pit. It is also so important to the learning process. You will often see our students collaborating in multiple ways—whether it is working on a math problem together, sharing ideas in a turn and talk, or whole class discussion about reading content. We also see increased collaboration around problem-solving in the classroom and outside at recess. Our Cougars love to work together!
😄 Principal Haas
This poster is in every classroom and also can be found around the school building. It reflects the Cougar Habits that we focus on during the school year through our Month and Weekly Foci. Consider discussing with your child how they are continuing to strive towards these skills and habits. Each week's focus can be found in our family newsletters!
Book Spotlights
Read a book with a heritage month focus!
"I Sang You Down From the Stars" by Tasha Spillett-Sumner, illustrated by Michaela Goade
As she waits for the arrival of her new baby, a mother-to-be gathers gifts to create a sacred bundle. A white feather, cedar and sage, a stone from the river . . .
Each addition to the bundle will offer the new baby strength and connection to tradition, family, and community. As they grow together, mother and baby will each have gifts to offer each other.
Tasha Spillett-Sumner and Michaela Goade, two Indigenous creators, bring beautiful words and luminous art together in a resonant celebration of the bond between mother and child.
"We Are Grateful" written by Traci Sorell, illustrated by Frane Lessac
The word otsaliheliga (oh-jah-LEE-hay-lee-gah) is used by members of the Cherokee Nation to express gratitude. Beginning in the fall with the new year and ending in summer, follow a full Cherokee year of celebrations and experiences. Written by a citizen of the Cherokee Nation, this look at one group of Native Americans is appended with a glossary and the complete Cherokee syllabary, originally created by Sequoyah.
Uniforms, Yay or Nay?: Vote at Student-Led Conferences!
We are not requiring uniforms for the 22-23 school year as we seek community input to make updates to our Dress Code policy.
During the 2021-22 school year, we did not require students to wear uniforms. We have noticed a decrease of time spent on uniform compliance and more time in class as a result. We have seen an increase in students being able to dress in ways that embrace their personalities and cultural identities. Lastly, there has been less financial pressure on families to continue to buy uniforms.
We will seek community input about the future of our dress code policy during student-led conferences this coming week. Please stop by the voting booth downstairs before or after your student’s conference to vote on the future of our dress code policy.
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.
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
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
Holiday Supports - Wellspring Holiday Gift Program
The holiday season will be upon us shortly, and the Wellspring Holiday Gift Program has opened! The application to apply for holiday gifts opened on November 1st, and the application will tentatively close on November 30th (but is subject to close earlier, depending on demand).
Holiday gifts are available through this program for children between the ages of newborn to 17.
Families are eligible to apply for gifts if they are currently experiencing homelessness or at risk of becoming homeless (for example, food insecurity, low income, recent job loss, living in transitional housing, etc.). Below please find important information about this year's Holiday Gift Program:
Completing the application does not guarantee a family will receive gifts. Availability will be dependent on the donations we receive and demand.
- They are unable to honor requests for specific gifts, but they will do their best to provide items the children are interested in. Please note, electronics such as tablets, laptops, and gaming systems will not be available.
- This form can be completed by families requesting for their own children or by a case manager, public health nurse, etc. on behalf of a family.
- Please ensure only one form is submitted per family. Multiple submissions will not increase the likelihood of receiving gifts.
- If you are requesting for a family with multiple children, only one form needs to be completed. You can request for all children in one submission.
- If they can fill a request, you/the family will have 7 business days to pick up the gifts from their office (1900 Rainier Ave S, Seattle, 98144). They unfortunately cannot deliver.
Holiday Resources and Assistance
There are many available resources and assistance for families in need this holiday season. Please see below for resources and information that may support your family's needs.
1. Toy 'n Joy offered by Salvation Army
- Taking applications now! Apply online.
- Description: Provides Christmas food voucher for eligible low-income families, as well as toys for children ages 17 and younger, in the West Seattle, White Center, South Park, Burien, SeaTac, Tukwila, and north Des Moines areas. Distribution Day Dec. 21st.
- For questions, email bill.talbot@usw.salvationarmy.org or call 206-767-3150.
2. The Forgotten Children's Fund
- Apply online by December 16th.
- Description: We provide a Christmas experience for families in need. This includes a visit to your home from Santa and his team of elves who will deliver gifts and warm coats for your children, blankets and a food box to your family on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day.
3. Kent Lutheran Church - Community Supper
- Description: Christmas dinner grab-n-go meals for anyone in need.
- Call 253-852-2027 with questions.
- Date/Time/Location: December 20th from 6pm-7pm at 336 2nd Ave S, Kent, WA 98030.
4. Kent Seventh Day Adventist Church - Neighbor to Neighbor
- Description: Christmas dinner grab-n-go meals for anyone in need.
- Call 253-852-3883 with questions.
- Date/Time/Location: December 22nd from 4:30pm-5pm at 25213 116th Ave SE, Kent, WA 98030.
5. November Holiday Food at Highline Area Food Bank, starting November 1 and ending November 22
- Description: Offers self-select holiday food during normal food bank hours for residents of the Highline area during the month of November (Nov. 1-22)
- Call 206-433-9900 with questions.
- Tuesdays (weekly): 12pm-2:30pm
- 2nd Tuesday of each month: 5:30pm-7:00pm
- Thursdays: 10am-12:30pm
- Address: 18300 4th Avenue South in Burien, Washington
6. December Holiday Food at Highline Area Food Bank, starting December 2 and ending December 23
- Description: Offers self-select holiday food during normal food bank hours for residents of the Highline area during the month of December (Dec. 2-23)
- Call 206-433-9900 with questions.
- Tuesdays (weekly): 12pm-2:30pm
- 2nd Tuesday of each month: 5:30pm-7:00pm
- Thursdays: 10am-12:30pm
- Address: 18300 4th Avenue South in Burien, Washington
7. USPS Operation Santa
- Description: Write a letter to Santa! The US Postal Service will pair letters from kids and families with generous people who fulfill their holiday wishes.
- For more information, visit their website.
Seattle Child's Museum Magazine
Museums are for kids! Look through Seattle's Child's Magazine for August and September, focused on Seattle-area museums and events. It details information about the different museums available in this area, events that each host, and what kids and parents will love about it! As breaks are coming up, consider taking your family to a museum and learn something new together.
Hora de Cuentos Familiar en Español - Spanish Story Time at KCLS!
Disfruten de cuentos interactivos, canciones y actividades para niños.
Programa familiar, todas las edades son bienvenidas en compañía de un adulto.
Por favor regístrese.
Después de registrarse, recibirá un correo electrónico de confirmación con el enlace Zoom del programa. El mismo enlace de zoom se utilizará cada semana para las Horas de Cuentos en Español. Si no ve un correo electrónico, verifique su carpeta de correo no deseado.
Existe la posibilidad de hacer arreglos a petición de las personas con discapacidades para acomodar de forma razonable sus necesidades. Póngase en contacto con access@kcls.org al menos siete días antes del evento para solicitar interpretación ASL, servicios de subtitulado y/u otros arreglos de los programas virtuales de la biblioteca.
Enjoy stories, music, movement and rhymes that develop your child’s early literacy skills.
All ages welcome with adult.
Please register.
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing the program's Zoom link. The same link will be used each week for Spanish Story Times. If you do not see an email, check your Junk or Spam folder.
Reasonable accommodation for people with disabilities is available by request. Email access@kcls.org at least seven days before the event. Automated closed captioning is always available for online events.
8th Annual Día de los Muertos
Día de los Muertos is a traditional Mexican celebration of life and remembrance where families and community members dearly departed with lively processions parades and "Ofrendas," or altars, that contain offerings of food, candy, flowers, sugar skulls, papel picado, day of the dead bread, and photos among other traditional elements - it is a festive, rich heritage thousands of years old. This is a time when great joy and care is taken to lovingly decorate ofrendas, cook, and honor dearly departed.
Date: Friday, November 4, 2022
Time: 5:30PM-9:00PM
Location: Sammamish High School, 100 140th Avenue Southeast, Bellevue, WA 98005
Register at the website!
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
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