Eckstein Weekly News

December

• Dec. 9-13: Girls & Boys Basketball Tryouts
• Dec. 11: Second Semester Elective Changes Due
• Dec. 12: All Band Winter Concert (7:30 pm)
• Dec. 16-20: SPIRIT WEEK! (See Below)
• Dec. 16-20: Basketball Practices Begin
• Dec. 19: Winter Assembly (AM Assembly Schedule)
• Dec. 19: Last Day to Order a yearbook
  
• Dec. 19: Biker Donut Day (8:15 at Bike Cage)
• Dec. 20: One Hour Early Dismissal
• Dec. 23-Jan. 3: Winter Break (NO SCHOOL)

January

• Jan. 6 - Back to School
• Jan 7: Hot Cocoa Morning
• Jan. 9: Hot Cocoa Morning
• Jan. 17: MLK Assembly (AM Assembly Schedule)
• Jan. 22: Mowry Jazz Clinic (7 pm)
• Jan. 23: Theater Showcase (7 pm)
• Jan. 28: End Quarter 2/Semester 1
• Jan. 29: Begin Quarter 3/Semester 2
• Jan. 31: Black History Month Assembly (AM)

The last chance to order an Eckstein yearbook began on November 29 and will last until December 19. We contact the printers with the number of yearbooks ordered after the ordering window closes.
Yearbooks are $30 and can be ordered through SchoolPay located in your student's Source account or you can go here: https://schoolpay.com/. You can log in with your Source login information.

If you do not see a link to order the yearbook, most often that means you already ordered one. If you want to check you can contact Ms. Drachler at aldrachler@seattleschools.org

Yearbooks are distributed during the last week of school in June.

Last Yearbook Ordering Window

November 29 – December 19, 2024

Boys Tryouts

Tuesday, December 10 – All 6th graders + non-returning 7th graders
Group A -Families were emailed their student's group

• Check in at 4 pm
• 4:30 - 6 pm
  

Group B -Families were emailed their student's group

• Check in at 5:45 pm
• 6:15 - 7:45 pm

Cuts will happen after tryout

Wednesday, December 11 – All 8th graders + Returning Players

• Check-in at 5 pm
• 5:30-7:30 pm

Cuts will happen after tryout.

Thursday, December 12 – Final Cut
All 6th graders + non-Returning Players 7th graders

• Check-in at 4:15 pm
• 4:30-6pm

All 8th graders + Returning Players

• 6:15-7:45 pm
• Check-in at 6 pm

Boys Practices

• BOYS VARSITY: Tuesday and Thursday 4:15 -5:45 and Friday 4:00 - 4:30 for a 30-minute walk-through
• BOYS JV: Tuesday and Thursday 5:45 -7:15

Girls Tryouts

Wednesday, December 11

All Grades check in (2:30-3 p.m.)
Tryouts (3-4 p.m.)

Friday, December 13
All Grades check in (3:45-4 p.m.)
Tryouts (4-5 p.m.) – Final cuts!!!

Girls Practices

Girls Varsity
Mondays 4:00 – 5:30 pm & Wednesdays 2:30 – 4:00 pm, and Fridays 4:00 – 4:30 pm for a 30-minute walk-through

Girls JV
Mondays 5:45 -7:15 pm & Wednesdays 4:15 -5:45 pm

All games are played on Saturdays

If SPS declares that the roads are too hazardous to travel on due to snow, they will declare a Remote School Day due to Snow.

The first day this occurs, students and staff will use the first two hours of the morning to prepare for remote learning then REMOTELY check into their first period class at 10:55 am and follow the 2-hour late start schedule included in this newsletter. Any subsequent snow days will be regular school days, with period 1 starting at 8:55 AM.

Students should bring laptops and chargers home from school every day so that they are prepared to learn remotely if it snows.

Links to TEAMS meetings will be posted to each teacher’s Schoology page once the snow day is declared. They are created, but currently hidden from student view.

Whenever there is potential school disruption due to snow please check the SPS website at seattleschools.org and/or local news stations for the latest updates.

If SPS declares a two-hour late start, Eckstein will follow the bell schedule below:

Two Hour Late Start:

Period 1 10:55 to 11:34

Period 2 11:39 to 12:18

Period 3 12:18 to 1:32

1st lunch 12:18 to 12:48 class time 12:53 to 1:32

2nd lunch 1:02 to 1:32 class time 12:23 to 1:02

Period 4 1:37 to 2:16

Period 5 2:21 to 3:00

Period 6 3:05 to 3:45

Dear Families,

During the December 23-January 3 winter break from school, we are grateful to everyone for helping to restore a routine for showing up to school while supporting students and families.

We appreciate everyone’s efforts to avoid taking extra time off during the winter break. As long as your child is healthy, please encourage showing up to class when school is in session.

Every day of school is an important opportunity for students to learn as well as to connect to their peers and teachers.

We thank:

● Our students and their families who do their best to show up daily even when it isn’t easy.

● Our teachers who go above and beyond to make school a welcoming and safe place for all students to learn.

● Our administrators who help us work together to ensure we create a physically and emotionally safe and engaging learning environment.

● Our many, many healers and helpers - the support staff and community volunteers who provide the extra hands and attention our children need.

We appreciate each one of you. May these days off be restful and healing.

● If your family or your child needs support, please reach out to either their grade level counselor or our social worker, Ms. Davenport for help.
6th Grade - Reema Ziada: raziadeh@seattleschools.org
7th Grade - Bryan Manzo: bjmanzo@seattleschools.org
8th Grade - Mike Hoff: mmhoff1@seattleschools.org
Social Worker - Erica Davenport: esdavenport@seattleschools.org

● We look forward to seeing you again when school resumes on January 6, 2025.

Thank you for partnering with us!

Sincerely,
Katy Ryan, Attendance Specialist
ecksteinms.attendance@seattleschools.org

If you know that your student will be missing school around winter break, please have them complete a Preplanned Absence form. Your student can pick one up in the Attendance Office. Parents/guardians need to complete the top and bottom portions. Students will then take the form around to each of their teachers. When the form is complete, students will turn it into the Attendance office to have the absence excused.

Dear Eckstein Families,
You are warmly invited to join us for a special program on Wednesday, December 18th, from 7:00 to 8:30 PM at the JAMS Library.
This family education session on substance use will be led by Lynette Mitchell, Healthy Schools Coordinator for Seattle Public Schools, as well as myself, Maria Torres, Eckstein's Prevention and Intervention Specialist, and Daniel Adjei, JAMS Prevention and Intervention Specialist.
Together, we will discuss important information about substance use and share insights from the recent Healthy Youth Survey.
We hope you can attend this valuable session and look forward to seeing you there!

Warm regards,
Maria Torres
Prevention and Intervention Specialist
Eckstein Middle School

Join the Eckstein 75th Anniversary Celebration Steering Committee
2025 marks the 75th anniversary of the opening of Eckstein Middle School. We are planning to celebrate this anniversary in the fall of 2025. We are creating a steering committee of staff, students, and community members and would love your help. If you would like to join this steering committee please email Ms. Rose at kprose@seattleschools.org.

Eckstein Prospective Student Night (for 5th Graders) - Jan 30

Learn more: https://ecksteinms.seattleschools.org/news/incoming-student-open-house/

Student-Led Conferences - March 27, 2025 - NO SCHOOL FOR ECKSTEIN STUDENTS ONLY
Learn more: https://ecksteinms.seattleschools.org/news/student-led-conferences-march-21-2024/

Lunch Monitors Needed: We can always use help during lunch. Contact Ms. Detering at jrdetering@seattleschools.org for more information.

We’re thankful for all your support for our families this year! The household supplies, hoodies and socks have been super helpful during this time when everything is getting more expensive. About 10% of our school has significant ongoing financial needs. It means the world to us, and our students and families to have your support. To donate to our ongoing needs for clothes and household pick-ups and some concert shoes, click here for our Amazon wishlist

:Household Supplies

We’re thankful for all your support for our families this year! Over 10% of our school is facing significant and ongoing financial needs. Please help us supply the last Community Cupboard of the year with household supplies: Amazon Wishlist

Winter Break Gift Card Donations

Please donate gift cards to families at Eckstein this holiday season! We are struggling to keep up with all of our support for the number of families we have this year. $25, $50, and $100 Gift Cards to Ross, TJ Maxx, Target, Kroger (Fred Meyer/ QFC), Safeway and Walmart are requested and can be dropped off to the main office in an envelope labeled “Holiday Gift Card", or put in Ms. Davenport's mailbox by December 13th.

Sign-Up Genius

We will list the open house for high schools as we learn about them.

Nathan Hale High School Family Information Nights

We invite and encourage families who will be assigned to NHHS next year to attend our information evening in order to get a head start on transition to high school. We also welcome families who are assigned to another school but are interested in NHHS and are considering going through the Open Enrollment process.

Future and prospective parents/guardians and students are invited to join us for the following informational evenings:

Tuesday, December 10th, 2024

6:00PM – 7:00PM Information Tables and Tours in Commons (last tour leaves Commons at 6:40)

7:00PM – 8:00PM Presentation and Questions in Performing Arts Center

Thursday, February 6th, 2025

6:00PM – 7:00PM Information Tables and Tours in Commons (last tour leaves Commons at 6:40)

7:00PM – 8:00PM Presentation and Questions in Performing Arts Center

Center School

The Center School in Seattle is a unique public high school that focuses on fostering creativity, critical thinking, and collaboration among its students. Located in the heart of the city, it offers a diverse curriculum that emphasizes arts, project-based learning, and student leadership. The school aims to create a supportive community where students can explore their passions, develop their talents, and prepare for future challenges in a rapidly changing world. With a commitment to inclusivity, The Center School provides an engaging environment for learners who prefer a smaller learning community.

OPEN HOUSE DATES:

Tuesday, February 11, 2025, 6:00 – 7:30 pm

Interested students and parents can RSVP using the QR code in the flyer or the link here: https://forms.office.com/r/YC1wdjaKUb

For more information on The Center School, we invite you to take a virtual school tour linked here: https://vimeo.com/703976333/ad1b681004

For inquiries about scheduling a Shadow Day, please contact Michele Hayes, Counselor at mrhayes1@seattleschools.org.

The Roosevelt Jazz Program is putting on their annual Jazz Nutcracker this December. Many Eckstein alums have gone one to participate in Roosevelt's Jazz program. It's really wonderful to see Eckstein musicians continue their musical journeys in high school. Roosevelt's Jazz Band 1 is coming to perform a short program on Friday, December 6 as a special preview to Jazz Nutcracker during the school day.

Looking for something festive to do this holiday season? Not up for making the kids dress up to go downtown? Or just looking for something positive and joyful during these dark fall days?

Don't miss out on seeing Roosevelt High School's Jazz Nutcracker -- a NE Seattle tradition for 25 years! See amazing student musicians perform Tchaikovsky's classic, The Nutcracker Suite, re-imagined by Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn. This version of this holiday classic has challenged and inspired generations of young musicians at Roosevelt High School for decades. This concert is perfect for all ages. Bring the whole family! You will be blown away by the talent of our neighborhood students and walk away hopeful for the future.
This year the nationally acclaimed Roosevelt Jazz Band 1 will share the stage with the program's three other award-winning ensembles, Jazz Bands 2 and 3 and Roosevelt Vocal Jazz.
All concerts will take place in Roosevelt High School's Theatre (1410 NE 66th Street, Seattle 98115) - doors open 30 minutes before showtime

Friday, December 6 - 7:30 p.m.

Saturday, December 7 - 7:30 p.m.

Sunday, December 8 - 2:30 p.m.

Please purchase tickets in advance here: www.rooseveltjazz.org

If the shows haven't sold out, you will be able to purchase tickets at the door.