McGilvra spring news bulletin
On March 14, McGilvra joined the rest of the world in celebrating Pi Day with our annual SciPi event. Families were able to see the fourth and fifth grade science projects, observe the science demonstrations from our guest presenter from the University of Washington and partake in pizza pie and dessert pie. All students were invited to create egg containers that can withstand a three-story fall. It was such fun to watch all the containers drop from the sky with anxious anticipation. Thank you to Ms. Powers, Ms. Battison and all the other teachers and staff that helped make this a fun event! Thank you also to the parents for helping with the activities around the school.
In response to Seattle Public Schools Enrollment Planning telling McGilvra Elementary that SPS plans on the school having a record-low student population, thus possibly losing two teachers, the McGilvra community responded with the following message to SPS:
Dear Seattle Public School Enrollment Planning,
What is the basis of McGilvra losing more than 20 students from this year to next? Our enrollment has grown over the last few years, we've never had less than 280 students in 3 years, Kindergarten open house tours have been filled to capacity, and our Kindergarten classes have deep waiting lists at the start of the year.
Your projection of 259 students in 2017-18 not only seems low, but greatly affects our budgeting and planning for faculty next year. Please provide how you came to the head count, and what recourse McGilvra can take to show our student enrollment numbers will be consistent with the past three years.
Our children will attend McGilvra next year.
If you are an incoming McGilvra Family, please email the message above with the number of students you are enrolling next year to enrollmentplanning@seattleschools.org, or call 206-252-0000 and ask for Enrollment Planning to count your child as an incoming McGilvra student.
The online auction is coming up May 8-15 and we need your help right now to procure fun items and experiences. The funds raised will go toward the PTA budget, which is more important now than ever given the SPS budget deficit. Please email fundraising@mcgilvrapta.org if you’d like to donate an item or experience to this year’s auction.
The final Wildcat Pantry food drive ended last week after running from March 20-31. This was to provide our students in need with nutritious meals and snacks during the spring break. Just before each break, participating students will be sent home with a backpack of kid-friendly snacks and easy-to prepare meals. Such donations are essential to helping our students in need get through the week-long break. If you would like your child to receive food via the Wildcat Pantry program, please email community@mcgilvrapta.org or let your child’s teacher, the principal, school counselor, school nurse or the lunchroom know.
The Madison Valley Spring Clean Up will be held April 29 between the hours of 9 a.m. and noon. This will be the third year that McGilvra has partnered with the Madison Valley Merchants Association and Community Council to help keep our community clean and beautiful.
We have started our biking unit in PE with Coach Mez in March — this is a great opportunity for future bikers of all ages to work on their skills, whether it be learning to ride a bike or bike safety. Thank you to all volunteers who have been working hard to help kids get up and off of training wheels!
Collaborative contributions from the McGilvra community, including Andy Jensen, Yumi Pick, Dana Rohde and Principal Maria Breuder and Sian Wu