Volume 19 Issue 20
Thursday, February 6, 2025
Principal
Katie May
School Hours:
7:55 a.m. - 2:25 p.m.
Early Release Wednesdays
7:55 a.m. - 1:10 p.m.
Attendance
If your child is absent from school, please contact the main office at
(206) 252-2800, or
email thurgoodmarshall.attendance@seattleschools.org,
and notify us of the absence and the reason for the absence, so we can keep accurate attendance data.
All visitors to school MUST check in at the office upon entering campus. We ask that parents not enter the building during arrival or dismissal unless they are entering for a meeting, to help us avoid congestion in the hallways for our students.
REMINDER
Contact information for Thurgood Marshall’s YMCA Program:
-
Liz Abbot – YMCA Program Director for Central and South Region, 206-825-1235, labbott@seattleymca.org
-
Jimmy Welfare, YMCA Site Director for Thurgood Marshall Elementary, 206-841-1022, jimmywelfare@seattleymca.org
Expanding Cultural Celebrations at TM
Over the past several years, our school community has grown and changed in wonderful ways. Our student body now represents an even wider range of cultures, languages, and traditions, making our school a vibrant and dynamic place to learn and grow. We recognize the importance of embracing this diversity and ensuring that every student and family feels valued, respected, and included in our school community.
As part of Thurgood Marshall’s Continuous School Improvement Plan, we are committed to fostering a sense of belonging and strengthening relationships among students, staff, and families. A key part of this effort is reviewing our school’s cultural celebrations to ensure they truly reflect and honor the rich diversity of our community. We want to create opportunities for students and families to share their cultures, traditions, and histories in ways that promote understanding and connection.
This might include expanding current celebrations, introducing new ones, or finding meaningful ways to incorporate cultural learning into our everyday school experience. By working together, we can create celebrations that educate, inspire, and bring our school community even closer.
We would love to hear from you! If you have traditions, perspectives, or ideas to share, we welcome your input as we work to make our cultural celebrations more inclusive and representative. Your voices are essential in shaping a school environment where every student and family feels seen and valued.
If you are interested in being part of this process or have suggestions on how we can best celebrate the cultures and traditions of our families, please reach out to Chloe Reed cmreed@seattleschools.org. We look forward to working together to make Thurgood Marshall an even more welcoming and inclusive place for all.
By Chloe Reed
Calendar
February 3–7
Black Lives Matter at School Week
February 3–7
School Counselor Appreciation Week
Tuesday, February 4th
BLT Meeting
Thursday, February 6th
School Tour
Monday, February 10th
National African American Parent Involvement Day
Monday, February 10th
FTME Board Meeting
Thursday, February 13th
School Tour and HCC Info Night
4:30–5:00 Parent-led tour
5:00–5:45 HCC Info Session
Tuesday, February 25th
Dine out at Mioposto Italian Restaurant in Mt. Baker
4–9pm
Upcoming WIDA Testing for Multilingual Students
Each year, students in multilingual programs take the WIDA ACCESS assessment to measure their English knowledge and skills. The test measures academic English language proficiency for students learning English in our school and throughout our state. Teachers in our school use this information to help them make decisions about instruction for your child. Teachers also use these test scores to monitor the progress your child makes toward English proficiency.
Your child will take the WIDA ACCESS test between February 3-28
Your child does not need to study for this test. The test is an opportunity for students to demonstrate what they understand and can communicate in English.
PRÓXIMA PRUEBA DE WIDA PARA ESTUDIANTES MULTILINGÜES
Todos los años, los estudiantes inscritos en programas de aprendizaje de inglés toman un examen para medir su dominio del lenguaje—conocido como WIDA ACCESS. El examen mide el nivel lingüístico y académico del idioma inglés de los estudiantes que son parte de esta población en nuestra escuela y en todo el estado. En nuestra escuela, los maestros usan esta información para asesorarse y tomar decisiones sobre la instrucción de su hijo/a. Los maestros también usan las calificaciones del examen para monitorear el progreso de su hijo/a en el dominio del inglés.
Su hijo/a tomará el examen WIDA ACCESS 3-28 de febrero
Su hijo/a no necesita estudiar para este examen. La prueba es una oportunidad para que los estudiantes puedan demostrar su capacidad lingüística en el inglés.
KIỂM TRA WIDA SẮP TỚI DÀNH CHO HỌC SINH ĐA NGÔN NGỮ
Mỗi năm, học sinh theo học chương trình học tiếng Anh đều tham gia kỳ kiểm tra trình độ thông thạo ngôn ngữ WIDA ACCESS. Bài kiểm tra đánh giá trình độ thông thạo tiếng Anh học thuật đối với học sinh học tiếng Anh trong trường học của chúng tôi và trên toàn tiểu bang. Giáo viên trong trường của chúng tôi sử dụng thông tin này giúp đưa ra quyết định về hoạt động giảng dạy cho con quý phụ huynh giám hộ. Giáo viên cũng sử dụng những điểm kiểm tra này để theo dõi tiến bộ của con quý vị hướng tới trình độ thông thạo tiếng Anh.
Con quý phụ huynh sẽ làm bài kiểm tra WIDA ACCESS 3-28 tháng 2
Con quý phụ huynh không cần phải học WIDA ACCESS. Bài kiểm tra là cơ hội để học sinh thể hiện tất cả các cách mà học sinh hiểu và có thể giao tiếp bằng tiếng Anh.
ለብዙ ቋንቋ ተማሪዎች መጪ የዊዳ ሙከራ
በየዓመቱ የእንግሊዝኛ ትምህርት መርሃ ግብሮች ወሰጥ የተካተቱ ተማሪዎች “አክሰስ ፎር ኢኤልኤልኤስ” የተሰኘውን የቋንቋ በቃት መለክያ ፈተና ይወስዳሉ። ፈተናው፣ በትምህርት ቤታችን እና በመላው ግዛታችን እንግሊዝኛ ለሚማሩ ተማሪዎች፣ የአካዴሚያዊ እንግሊዝኛ ቋንቋ ብቃትን ይለካል።
ልጅዎ ለELLs ፈተናን መዳረሻ በሚከተሉት ላይ ይወስዳል የካቲት 3-28
ልጅዎ ለዚህ ፈተና ማጥናት አያስፈልገውም። ፈተናው ተማሪዎች የተረዱትን እና በእንግሊዘኛ መግባባት የሚችሉትን ለማሳየት እድል ነው።
IMTIXAANKA SOO SOCDA EE WIDA EE ARDAYDA AFKA BADAN
Sanad kasta, ardayda ku jirta barnaamijka bartaha Ingiriisiga waxay galaan WIDA ACCESS ee imtixaanka ku wanaagsanaanta luqadda ELLs Imtixaanku waxa uu qoyaasaa ku wanaagsanaanta Ingiriisiga ee tacliinta ee ardayda baranaysa Ingiriisiga gudaha Dugsigayaga iyo gobolka oo dhan. Macalimiinta ku jirta dugsigeena waxay u isticmaalaanmacluumaadkan si uu uga caawiyo ka guul gaadhida ilmahaaga. Macalimiinta sidoo kale waxay isticmaalaan buundooyinka imtixaanka si ay ula socdaan horumarka ilmahaagu ka gaadhay dhanka ku wanaagsnaanta Ingiriisiga.
Ilmahaagu wuxuu geli doonaa imtixaanka WIDA ACCESS Febraayo 3-28
Ilmahaagu uma baahna inuu barto ACCESS for ELLs. Imtixaanku waa fursada ardayda ay ku muujiyaan dhammaan qaababka ay fahmaan oo ay kula xidhiidhi karaan af Ingiriisi.
Thurgood Marshall Ultimate Frisbee Team Registration Open
Thurgood Marshall’s Ultimate Frisbee team is back, and registration for the spring season is open! The league we will play in is a co-ed, five-on-five league for students in grades 3–5. We welcome students of all backgrounds, genders, and ability levels. No previous experience throwing or catching frisbees required!
Saturday games start on March 8th and run into May. We will practice Tuesdays and Fridays on the school field at enrichment time right after school. If your kid wants to play ultimate for the school, or if you just want to know more, please join us at Judkins Park this Saturday 2/8 at 2:00 p.m. on the soccer fields there. And please contact Jesse Willard—by email at jwillard@gmail.com or by phone at 240-441-8788—with any questions or comment.
Why Do Schools Need Levies?
State, local, and federal dollars fund school districts. There continues to be a disparity between what the state funds for education and what it costs Seattle Public Schools (SPS) to serve our students. So, every three years, the district asks voters to consider renewing expiring levies.
The district is asking voters to consider renewing two levies in the Feb. 11 election.
-
Prop. 1 – The Educational Programs & Operations (EP&O) Levy continues funding for areas like student transportation, support staff, meals, special education, and student opportunities like athletics, music and art.
-
Prop. 2 – The Building Excellence VI (BEX VI) Levy focuses on maintaining and improving school facilities. It funds renovation, repair and replacement of schools, as well as repairs to roofs, HVAC systems, and playgrounds. The capital levy also funds 90 percent of the district’s technology budget.
Ballots for the levy renewals will be mailed around Jan. 22 and are due to King County Elections by 8 p.m. on Feb. 11. Visit the SPS website to learn more about what the levies fund.
School Tour Guides Needed!
We're not yet to our goal of having 3–4 volunteers signed up to lead each of our upcoming school tours for new families. Volunteers need to be familiar with the school, but you will get a script to help you answer questions. If you're available to help lead tours on either of the dates below, please email Principal May (kjmay1@seattleschools.org):
-
February 13 – School Tour and Highly Capable Cohort Info Night (4:30-5:00 PM Parent-led tour; 5–5:45 PM HCC Info Session in the Library)—We still need 3–4 tour guides for this one!
Winter Enrichment Registration is Still Available!
We are one week into Winter Enrichment and we still have spaces and scholarships available!
These classes still have spaces: LEGO K-1, LEGO 2-5, Parkour, Tabletop RPGs, HipHop Dance, Documentary, Capoeira, Ultimate Frisbee and Comedy Improv.
Questions? Email enrichment@tmlink.org or talk to Ms. Tana in the TMES front office.
Talent Show!
Time to start planning your act for the Spring Talent Show on April 25th. First rehearsal will be February 24th at 6pm. Acts must sign up by February 14th to participate!
Signup link: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSc9KAMG6VDs4BLVhbW62ytHdJ1BCbhuXgKsrkWXh9NIHGo1YQ/viewform?usp=header
Girls on the Run
Girls on the Run offers after-school programming for girls, non-binary youth, and gender expansive youth in 3rd-8th grade at elementary and middle schools throughout King County. Our fun, experience-based curriculum inspires our 3rd-8th grade participants to be joyful, healthy, and confident through life-skill lessons that creatively integrate running and movement. The Regional 5K Celebration will be held on Sunday, May 18, 2025, at Renton Memorial Stadium. Check out this four-minute video to see the program in action!
In Seattle Public Schools, 27 elementary and K-8 schools hosted a Girls on the Run team over the past 2 seasons. We would be thrilled to offer our programs at all SPS elementary and K-8 schools this spring!
If you are interested in hosting our program for the upcoming Spring 2025 season, at Thurgood Marshall Elementary, please contact Lesley Jones at lesley@tmlink.org for more information.
Thurgood Marshall Family Directory
Interested in reaching out to other Thurgood Marshall families? The Thurgood Marshall Family Directory is now available! Thank you to Zack Stednick for all his hard work on this project.
Please pay for your student’s school supplies, if you can!
Every year, Friends of Thurgood Marshall (FTME) bulk-purchases school supplies for every student based on lists provided by our teachers so every child has all the supplies they will need for the year (except backpacks and water bottles) starting on the first day of school.
For 2024-2025, the cost of school supplies is $55 per student.
This includes the actual per-student cost of supplies plus some padding (based on program costs from prior years) to account for the fact that not every family in the school can contribute to the cost of this program. If you can contribute something but $55 is too steep, please pay what you can. If you are able to contribute more than $55 per student, FTME will gratefully accept your donation and invest it back into this and other programs to benefit the school!
How to pay for school supplies:
Option A) Pay online by PayPal, credit card, or debit card. Scan this QR code or go to https://tinyurl.com/FTME-supplies. Make a one-time payment of $55 per student, or whatever you can afford. Select “School supplies” from the “Use this donation for” dropdown menu. You can enter your student’s name in the note field.
Option B) Pay by check. Make a check out to “FTME” for $55 per student, or whatever you can afford. Please write “school supplies” and your student’s name in the memo field. You can drop this check off in the Main Office at school.
Thank you!
.png)
Join the FTME Board!
Have you ever wondered how you can get more involved at Thurgood Marshall? Please consider joining our FTME Board!
We are currently recruiting for a Co-Chair or a Vice Chair, two Fundraising Co-Chairs, and members at large.
If you are interested in joining us please reach out to us at board@tmlink.org.
Tutu's Pantry
TUTU’S PANTRY DONATIONS support over 51 families with backpacks filled with food every Friday. Food supplies for the pantry are down and we are seeking donations of the following items:
-
Jam & jelly
-
Canned goods
-
Dry pasta: spaghetti, penne, and elbows
-
White rice, bags or microwave packs
-
Pasta sauce of any kind in all sizes
-
Cereal, boxes and single serve packs
-
Condiments, ketchup & mayonnaise
-
Cooking sprays & oils
-
Halal & Kosher foods
-
Peanut butter, almond butter, and sun butter
If you are able to donate, please bring unopened, non-expired shelf-stable donations to the office.
Thank you for your donations!
Amazon Wish List
We are so appreciative of the generosity of our Thurgood Marshall community. Classrooms are in need of student snacks and we have created an Amazon wish list for items. If you with to donate, the links is below. If you would like to donate individually to your student’s classroom, you can do that and drop off at the school. Thanks!
School Lunch Menu
Here is the link to current school menus (Breakfast and Lunch): https://www.seattleschools.org/departments/culinary-services/menus/
