Thursday, October 14, 2021, Volume 16 Issue 6
On Monday, Thurgood Marshall Elementary, along with schools across the district, recognized Indigenous Peoples Day. This is a holiday that celebrates and honors Native American peoples and commemorates their histories and cultures. It is celebrated across the United States on the second Monday in October. This is an important day that we recognize this day with our students each year. Teachers mark this day in many different ways in their classroom. Teachers may have highlighted Indigenous mathematicians or read stories or articles about Indigenous people. Ask your child how this day was acknowledged in their classroom on Monday. One way that we recognize Indigenous People is through a land acknowledgement. You will hear this during each school assembly. What is a land acknowledgement? If you have been to a recent Friends of Thurgood Marshall meeting, you have heard a land acknowledgement. Here is the one we use at school: On behalf of Seattle Public Schools, I acknowledge the land on which we stand today as the traditional home of the Puget Sound Coast Salish People, the first peoples of this land. Without them, we would not have access to this gathering space and the opportunity to learn together. I ask that we take this opportunity to recognize and thank the original caretakers of this land who are still here. Students learn that we take a moment to make this recognition to honor the people who inhabited our land for thousands of years before colonizers came. We thank the people who lived on this land long ago and their descendants who are still living on this land. Seattle Public Schools has curated a webpage of resources about Indigenous Peoples that are available to everyone. You may want to peruse these or simply be aware of them. If your child’s interest and curiosity has been sparked by Indigenous Peoples Day, this is a great time to explore more together. You can find videos, books, articles and read-alouds here: https://www.seattleschools.org/departments/native-american-education/.
FTME Meeting on Tuesday, October 26 6:30 PM
Friends of Thurgood Marshall Elementary (formerly PTA) would like to invite you to join us for our first virtual general meeting of the 2021-22 year! This meeting will be fairly informal, with the bulk of our time available for meeting each other, sharing stories, and to start planning for meet-ups and grade level social events. This year again looks different than most, and we have new challenges to face, so it's time to find some creative ways to build and strengthen our community! We encourage student attendance for at least the first 10-15 minutes of the meeting to say hello and share what they are loving about school this year!
2021-2022 FTME BOARD & PROJECT LEAD VOLUNTEERS
Position Name (Child’s Grade) Co-President ............................................ Chantel Hazlewood (K) Co-President ............................................ vacant Vice President .......................................... Aaron Schneider (3) Co-Treasurer Financials ........................... Pending vote Co-Treasurer A/P, A/R .............................. Trevor Lalish-Menagh (3) Secretary ................................................. Lesley Jones Communications Chair ............................ Cadence Miller Fundraising Co-Chair ............................... vacant Fundraising Co-Chair .............................. Melissa Carper PEACE Academy Rep ............................ vacant PTA Teacher Liaison ............................... Sarah Gese PTA Teacher Liaison ............................... Donna Dugan Volunteer Chair ....................................... vacant Events Co-Chairs .................................... Sandra Milard (3) Class Connector Coordinator .................. vacant Equity Action Teams Liaison .................... vacant Legislative Chair ...................................... vacant Principal .................................................. Katie May Arts Liaison ............................................. vacant Supplies Coordinator .............................. Alexandra Parbery-Clark
In order to remain a vital and effective part of the Thurgood Marshall community, Friends of Thurgood Marshall Elementary depends on the willingness and ability of our community to volunteer. We believe that everyone has something to share and even an hour of support can make a huge impact on our students and their experience. If you have an interest in a vacant position or a special talent, let us know!
We have met our 2021-2022 School Supply Fund goal of $10,000!
THANK YOU for supporting this important effort, which ensures every teacher and every child in every classroom starts the school year off with all the supplies they need and no student goes without. Thanks to your contributions, we were able to cover the cost to provide all students with supplies AND build a surplus of funds to be used next year. Your contributions have ensured our ability to continue this program in 2022-23.
Teachers Make A Difference
A big thank you to our teachers, support staff, and administrators for your commitment to our students and delivery of quality instruction.
Parents and caregivers, please consider sending a thank you note to your teachers, support staff, cafeteria staff, nurse, etc to let them know that you appreciate and acknowledge all of the extra work they are doing this year!
Our staff and teachers are working so incredibly hard this year. Let's show them some love and acknowledge their above and beyond efforts!
Free Virtual Fall Classes
Creative Advantage ALL ACCESS Arts Stream (CAAAAS) offers free online synchronous arts classes featuring 3 virtual 6-week classes for elementary-aged youth this fall. Virtual Poetry – Magic Words & Magic Powers with Jay Thompson October 13 – November 17, 2021; Wednesdays, 5-6 p.m.
Great for students in grades 2-4
Virtual Dancing our Natural World with Ciara McCormack October 14 – November 18, 2021; Thursdays, 5-6 p.m.
Great for students in grades 2-4
Virtual Pop-up Books and Paper Magic with Jiéyì Ludden October 16 – November 20, 2021; Saturdays, 10-11 a.m.
Great for students in grades 3-6
Students must enroll through the Seattle Parks & Recreation online ActiveNet registration system to receive the secure class Webex links to participate from their homes, community centers, and housing sites.
