Giving thanks for the McGilvra community

The McGilvra community has so much to be thankful for this year. We hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving. In the spirit of the holiday, the following is a list of events, people and happenings that deserve the thanks of the entire McGilvra community.

Thank you to Maggie Burgess, special education teacher, Yumi Pick and everyone who contributed to the McGilvra “Socktober and Mitten Projects” and food drive. With caring and teamwork, together we collected over 434 pairs of socks as well as food and gifts to make the holidays brighter for many.

Thank you to Hunter Robbins and Melissa Roque for leading the fifth grade fundraisers including the fashionable spirit wear and lovely Christmas trees and wreaths. Thanks to the support of the McGilvra community, students have made it to 90 percent of their goal. For anyone interested in closing the gap to help fund fifth grade graduation and camp activities, please contact Hunter Robbins, hunterhikes@gmail.com.

Thank you to all the school staff and volunteers who help organize McGilvra’s annual Caring for Community event, on Thurs. Dec. 1. The event includes a school “art walk” where parents get to view the beautiful artwork on display done by kids throughout the school year, as well as create a family charter and visit the annual book fair featuring carefully curated books. Pizza will be available to purchase for dinner.

Thank you to Tammie Le for leading a memorable and heartfelt Veterans Day Assembly, celebrating the service people in our community who have given so much. The slideshow and student participation are always highlights as we celebrate their service.

Thank you to Nori Hawkins and the Garden Club for lovingly turning the McGilvra garden into a living laboratory. For nurturing the students’ curiosity and sense of adventure as they learn about foliage and fauna and reap the tasty rewards of growing produce.

Thank you to Cathy Davidson and Debbie Collins for leading another amazing Run-A-Thon. As McGilvra’s only student-led fundraiser, this brings together the entire community for the run itself. Special thanks to Seattle Fire Department’s Station 34, who attended the run, and the merchant community who generously participated in the widely-successful coupon book.

Thank you to Carol Hoffman of Hoffman Design and Lisa Scharnhorst for their creativity, diligence, and unfailing willingness to ensure great communications through compelling design and timely Paw Prints.

Thank you to Daniel Langley of Langley Photo for keeping the Harvest Festival photo tradition alive. This has become a sought-after keepsake as families line up year after year to have an amazing professional photo taken.

Thank you to Cathy Davidson, Valerie Krutt and Elizabeth Fleming and all the parents/guardians who have helped contribute to McGilvra’s FunDrive. The FunDrive supports programs that wouldn’t be possible otherwise: art, counseling, math and reading support, tutors, and teacher grants, preserving precious programs and services for all our children. 

Thank you to Andy Jensen for helping  organize and spread the word about meetings with Meany Middle School Principal Chanda Oatis. Together we are learning about the new school and sharing ideas about its design and development. Upcoming meetings will be held 6-7:30 p.m on Dec. 13, Jan. 10, March 14, April 11, May 9 and June 13 for interested families within the neighborhood boundaries, at Miller Community Center (330 19th Ave. E.). Please contact Principal Oatis for questions and interpretation services: ceoatis@seattleschools.org. Starting in the 2016-2017 school year, families going to McGilvra will go to Washington or Meany Middle School. Please check the SPS website to see your boundary.

Thank you to Danae Powers for her hard work in organizing the school Book Fair (Nov. 28-Dec.2), which supports McGilvra’s school library and celebrates the joy of reading. Now is a great opportunity to stop in to buy books for the holidays and the best part is that the library receives about 35 percent of all sales. The fair will be open before and after school (and also 10-10:30 a.m.) daily.

Thank you to Glassybaby in Madrona for hosting another holiday gathering and fundraiser this year. The event is 6-9 p.m. Dec. 12, and is a fun opportunity to sip wine, enjoy great food and mingle with fellow McGilvra parents as you purchase great holiday gift for yourself and others. Ten percent of all Glassybaby sales will be donated to McGilvra Elementary. If you can’t make it that night, you can visit the Madrona store in person or online or call 206-518-9071 from Dec. 12 to Dec. 19 and mention the giving code “mcgilvra” to have the 10 percent applied to McGilvra. Encourage friends and families to shop using the “mcgilvra” code during this time as well.

And thank you to Principal Maria Breuder for offering such heartfelt and assuring post-election sentiments to our students and parents. We are grateful for your strong leadership in prioritizing sensitive and smart communications to our children about the world around them, empowering them to make wise decisions and embracing people of all backgrounds and perspectives.