Happy New Year to all of our students and families - you are truly the heart and spirit of our school! Your engagement and support helps build a stronger school community and further our ongoing journey towards excellence. Let’s embrace this fresh start with the new year together, ready to address any new challenges and celebrate our achievements as we continue to build a strong school community together.

As many of you know, I will be on medical leave for the next 4-6 weeks. In my absence, Erin Herda will graciously serve as the interim principal. Ms. Herda brings an strong background in leadership, with nearly two decades of experience at Showalter Middle School. During this time, she demonstrated an unwavering dedication to fostering student success, collaborating with educators and creating an inclusive and supportive learning environment. Her commitment to excellence and her ability to build strong relationships with students, families and staff make her an invaluable addition to our Thorndyke school community. I trust the Thorndyke community will be in good hands under Ms. Herda's leadership. Please be sure to give he a very warm welcome!

Important Assessments Dates
Please keep in mind the following important assessment windows:

• i-Ready Math and Reading: January 13th through January 24th

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• WIDA Assessment Window: January 21st through March 14th
  

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• Naglieri General Ability Tests for K-4: January 6th through February 28th
  

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• Dyslexia Screener for K-2: February 2nd through March 3rd

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These assessments enable us to refine our instructional strategies and provide targeted support to meet the unique needs of our students. Your involvement in helping them prepare is greatly appreciated. To set your student up for success, please ensure they get a good night's rest during the upcoming assessment windows.

On December 13, 2024, Julie Herdt, Quality Engagement Specialist, and I had the privilege of hosting our first school-based meeting with Parent Representatives from the Tukwila School District Parent Advisory Committee (PAC), Jose Barreras and Abdikarin Dihal. These sessions are designed to serve as a valuable platform for celebrating Thorndyke's achievements and exploring ways to improve communication about our school's opportunities for student growth with parents and families.

During the meeting, we shared ideas for engaging our community more effectively to meet the diverse needs of our students and their families. As part of this effort to strengthen communication, I have created a survey to gather your input on your preferred methods of receiving updates and information. Please click here to complete the survey. Thank you in advance for taking the time to share your feedback - it is invaluable as we work together to support the success of every student.

Martin Luther King Jr. School Assembly - January 16

Thorndyke Elementary School is looking forward to celebrating and reflecting on the significant influence Dr. King has had both nationally and globally. This year, the assembly will feature engaging performances that pay tribute to his legacy. Students from Ms. DePrez's class will recite an acrostic poem, which incorporates pivotal words that resonate deeply with Dr. King's message. Meanwhile, Ms. Plankey's class will enlighten us with a presentation titled "Who was Dr. King," offering a deeper look into his life and achievements.

Our assembly provides an invaluable opportunity for our students to deeply engage with Dr. King's enduring values of courage, compassion and equality. It is a chance for them to present their understanding and reflections on these principles to the entire school community. We anticipate a meaningful event that not only honors Dr. King’s memory but also inspires our students to carry forward his message of justice and equality in their own lives.

Martin Luther King Jr. Day – January 20
On January 20, we observe Martin Luther King Jr. Day, a U.S. federal holiday dedicated to honoring the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. This day serves as a reminder of his tireless efforts to advance social justice, equality, and civil rights for all. At Thorndyke Elementary, we are inspired by Dr. King’s vision of a world rooted in courage, compassion, and inclusion. As we celebrate this important day, we encourage our students and families to reflect on his powerful message and consider how we can continue his work toward justice and equality in our own lives.

International Holocaust Remembrance Day – January 27
On January 27, we join the global community in observing International Holocaust Remembrance Day. This day honors the memory of the millions of victims of the Holocaust and emphasizes the importance of education to prevent future genocides. It serves as a reminder of the need to stand against hatred, discrimination and intolerance in all forms. At Thorndyke Elementary, we are committed to fostering values of kindness, respect and inclusion in our students.

As we continue to foster a productive learning environment, please remember that students' cell phones must be kept put away and not used during school hours. Cell phones are a significant distraction and can lead to problems, including the loss of valuable instructional time.

Thank you for your ongoing support and partnership. Together, let’s continue working to create a nurturing and thriving environment for all our students. Here’s to an outstanding start to 2025 at Thorndyke Elementary School. This year, we have the opportunity to achieve great things and make it a time of growth and success for our students. All the best in the New Year!

In partnership,

Michael Croyle, Principal

🍎Our school compulsary Board Policy: 3121: Parents of any child eight years of age and under eighteen years of age its is their responsibility to make sure thier child attends school when it is in session, and For additional information please review this link.

• Tardies also effect your child's learning and disrupts the classroom. Please make sure your child is here on time. Class starts promptly at 8:50 am.
• School is out at 3:10 pm every day except for Early Release Wednesdays when school is out at 12:40 pm. Please be sure to pick up on time or make arrangements to have your child picked up on time.

• For absences please call: 206-901-7603 and leave a message to inform our attendance secretary.
• If you have an appointment and need to pick up early, please do so by 2:30 pm whenever possible.

We ask all families, if possible to send students with an extra pair of clothing in their backpack. We have accidents happen, wet weather and illnesses and all those end up on clothing.

We do ask all parents to if you can, to use an alternate way to pick up and drop off, whether it is walking or riding the bus. If your student does qualify for bussing, but you have not used transportation services, this one way you can help alleviate our traffic.

We have all available staff at the end of the day outside supporting dismissal: teachers, educational support staff and our principal, we all help support our students safely getting home.

To help reduce congestion in the morning is dropping off and picking up and only entering as needed. When we have many parents entering the building every day to drop off and staying with students it further congestions the mornings and afternoons. We encourage families to join us during special events, assemblies and conferences or to volunteer to support to classrooms and field trips.

Any adult that will be entering the building, must sign in at the front office everyday and sign back out and obtain a visitor’s badge. Here is our district visitor’s policy for further reference.