The McGilvra Elementary community has been busy with community-building and charitable activities this holiday season. We’d like to take this opportunity to thank everyone for their generosity and acknowledge all of the work that we’ve done to make a difference in our McGilvra community and beyond.
We held our annual Caring for the Community night, where parents viewed kids’ Picasso-inspired self portraits and new art display case, and shopped the Scholastic book fair. The profits from this year’s book fair will provide the library with more than $3,000 for new books and materials. In addition to raising money for the library, McGilvra families donated over $800 in books for our classrooms. Please know that your generosity is greatly appreciated.
Thank you to everyone who has donated coats and shoes. We have received several warm winter coats, and we are extremely grateful as they will help keep many children warm this winter.
The Central Elementary Coat and Shoe Drive is an ongoing project without a defined end date. We are also collecting coats in larger sizes for students in middle school. Please dig through your closets for any clean, gently used (or even new) coats, boots and shoes appropriate for fall and winter. Donation boxes can be found on the landing outside the main office and on the first floor next to the Lost and Found
Every year McGilvra holds the Mitten Project, which helps our McGilvra families who may need a little extra help this holiday season. Throughout December the McGilvra community was able to select a mitten from the display in the library. Each mitten contained a gift card request that would help families complete their lists. This year we included “grocery bags” along with gift cards to grocery stores for students who may not have access to regular meals during the long two-week break.
We kicked off our annual Spirit Drive with an assembly, where kids learned that 3,600 homeless students in Seattle go hungry during weekends when they are not in school and $250 feeds 50 students for a weekend. For this year’s spirit Drive, each classroom that reaches 75 percent participation will be able to select either the Lowell Elementary PALS PTA or the Backpack Brigade as the recipient of a grant in their classroom’s name. Please return the red envelope with your donation or donate via our donor tools link here. EVERY gift, no matter how big or small, is important.
Our last formal tour for incoming families will happen on Jan. 12 at 9:30 a.m. If you are considering McGilvra for the 2018-19 school year (or in the future), please RSVP with the front office by calling 206-252-3160. More information at mcgilvrapta.org/tours
Happy new year and thank you all for helping make our holidays a little brighter!
Sian Wu is a McGilvra Elementary parent