Welcome to Curriculum Night from the PTA

Although we can’t be together in person, we’re excited to see you all in our virtual classrooms on Thursday. We’ve put together a few videos to help you get to know just a few of the many dedicated folks that help make our PTA go!

Move-a-Thon: Two Weeks to Go!

We have about 10 days under our belts, and our Sacajawea students are doing lots of moving, soaring, and shining!

So far, we’ve raised almost $6,000 toward our $30,000 goal. Thank you to everyone who’s already gotten going! Ms. Maynard’s and Ms. Neal’s classes are leading the pack, with Mr. Reddecliffe and Ms. Jackson close behind.

With just over two weeks to go, we still need your support to reach our goal.

It’s not too late to set up your pledge page and get started moving!

Thanks for your support!

The Sac PTA and Mrs. Kohler!

Here are a few of the next days’ activities!

Equity Team Newsletter, October 2020

Honoring Indigenous People’s Day, Introducing Black Lives Matter at School and the Year of Purpose

Dear Sacajawea community, 

We at Sacajwea’s Parent Racial Equity Team are launching a new initiative this year in support of Black Lives Matter at School. If you are new to Sacajawea or aren’t yet familiar with our team, we are a group of parents, grandparents, and faculty who are committed to race and social justice. 

Our goals include:

• creating an actively anti-racist school community

• supporting families when a biased incident occurs

• encouraging respectful dialogue about our differences

• understand our own biases on gender, race, ability, and sex

• removing barriers and biases to truly provide equal opportunity for our children; and, 

• supporting equity work at other schools and in our wider community.

As we think about how we can support this mission, we are joining the Black Lives Matter at School movement this year, and participating in the Year of Purpose. This is a national initiative that calls on educators and families to reflect on our collective work in antiracism, continuing to challenge ourselves to center Black lives. 

Before we talk about this important movement, we also honor today, October 12, as Indigenous People’s Day. This is a day when we recognize that Native people are the first inhabitants of the Americas, including the lands that later became the United States of America.

Honoring and recognizing the indigenous people of Seattle

The Duwamish are the first people of Seattle. The word Duwamish means the "people of the inside," because the Duwamish have lived for thousands of years along the interior of the Duwamish, Black and Cedar Rivers - which are now Seattle, Mercer Island, Renton, Bellevue, Kirkland and other parts of King County. In fact, we are all living on Duwamish land right now!

One of the ways we recognize this fact is by opening our meetings, events (and this email!) by stating a Land Acknowledgement:

We at Sacajawea would like to acknowledge that we live and study on the traditional land of the first people of Seattle, the Duwamish People past and present, and honor with gratitude the land itself and the Duwamish Tribe.

Another way that people living in Seattle can honor and recognize the Duwamish Tribe is by making a financial contribution to the tribe, through Real Rent Duwamish. Learn more about the Real Rent initiative, and consider donating today.

Black Lives Matter at School and the Year of Purpose

Black Lives Matter at School is a national coalition organizing for racial justice in education and first began in 2016 in Seattle. On October 19, 2016, educators around Seattle wearing shirts that said “Black Lives Matter: We Stand Together.” Many of Sacajawea’s staff and community participated in this event. Since then, this movement has spread all around the country and has spurred a national week of action in February, and now a Year of Purpose.

As this movement has grown, BLM at School developed the following demands for the movement:

• End “zero tolerance” discipline, and implement restorative justice

• Hire more Black teachers

• Mandate Black history and ethnic studies in K-12 curriculum

• Fund counselors not cops

Each month, the Parent Racial Equity Team will share information following the Year of Purpose programming, each month centering around one of the 13 guiding principles of the Black Lives Matter Movement.

This month, our focus is on Restorative Justice. October 14th is George Floyd’s Birthday. Justice for George is a day to remember him and call for the defunding of the police and the redirecting of those funds towards social programs and education.

Guiding Principle: Restorative Justice
We are committed to collectively, lovingly, and courageously working vigorously for freedom and justice for Black people and, by extension, all people. As we forge our path, we intentionally build and nurture a beloved community that is bonded together through a beautiful struggle that is restorative, not depleting.​ 

How can you support the Year of Purpose and recognize the Duwamish Tribe? 

1. Sign the pledge to support the Year of Purpose

2. Continue to learn, participate, and engage in the BLM at School, centered around the 13 Principles of Black Lives Matter. Read these emails, and talk your kids, family, and friends.

3. Support the Duwamish Tribe with a donation to Real Rent Duwamish.

4. Consider adding a Duwamish Tribe Land Acknolwedgement to your meetings and gatherings.

You can also wear your Sacajawea Black Lives Matter t-shirts, coming soon! The Parent Racial Equity Team will also reflect on key questions related to BLM at School, and share additional events, advocacy opportunities and other community events to support Black Lives Matter and racial equity at Sacajawea.

Additional Resources

Each month, we’ll share some additional resources and activities for you and your families to read, engage and learn more.

• Why the US Celebrates Columbus Day (Vox media )

• How to talk to your kids about what happened to George Floyd (By Gia Annette Washington, PhD)

• Black is Beautiful (By Kara Hinderlie, Illustrator: Kesha Bruce)

• Talking to young children about the Guiding Principles of the Black Lives Matter Movement (By Laleña Garcia)

• Teaching Young Children About Race: A Guide for Parents and Teachers (By Louise Derman-Sparks and Julie Olsen Edwards)

With gratitude,
Sacajawea’s Parent Racial Equity Team
Jennifer Sunami, Becky Beard, Dana Robison Slote, Robin King, John Delfeld, Karla Sclater, Sophie-Shifra Gold, Lori Phipps, Jenna Buzzard, Ara Swanson

P.S. -- We welcome everyone to join our next Parent Equity Team meeting, on November 4, 7:00 pm via Zoom. Email us for meeting details!

Move-a-Thon 2020 is here!

Every fall, we kick off the school year with Move-a-Thon, a fun way for kids to move their bodies and raise money for our school. This year, our event is fully virtual, but that doesn’t mean it’s going to be any less fun.

Our Physical Education teacher, Mrs. Kohler, has a special set of activities planned for our students and their entire families.

To see her kick it off in a very special Move-a-Thon 2020 video (with another special guest), head over to our Move-a-Thon page.

PTA Fundraising Letter for 2020-2021

On behalf of the Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) Fundraising Committee at Sacajawea Elementary School, we write to welcome your student and you to a new and unique school year!  Together, we strive to include every child and family as important members of our community. 

At Sacajawea, we enjoy a long-standing tradition of a strong reliance on parents and others contributing their time, talent, and resources. These contributions are what allows our school community to help fill the gaps in an underfunded public education system.

Traditionally, the Sacajawea community is invited to make financial donations at three points during the school year.  The first opportunity to donate will occur this month with the VIRTUAL MOVE-A-THON! 

We invite parents, friends, and our extended community to support Sacajawea Elementary with a financial contribution to this special event, or throughout the year, including:

• THIS MONTH!  Move-a-Thon Goal: $30,000 (Fall): The more your kids move the more programs our PTA can offer our school.  This is a great way to reach out to friends and family to involve them in your child’s education.

• Direct Ask (Winter): Your support enables us to provide funds for the programs listed below. 

• Community Celebration (Spring): We’re hoping that we will all be able to come together in the spring for a fun-filled evening celebrating and supporting Sacajawea.

• Amazon Smile - link your Amazon Account to Sacajawea PTA (Maple Leaf) to help us earn every time you shop at Amazon. See http://bit.ly/sac-amazon-smile for details

• Connect your Fred Meyer Loyalty Card to Sacajawea PTA to help us earn rebates every time you shop. www.FredMeyer.com/account/communityrewards 

• Box Tops for Education - No more clipping Box Tops!  Download the Box Tops App, Select Sacajawea and Scan your receipts to earn money for Sacajawea.

This year's fundraising will help us meet our needs for the 2021-22 school year. We believe we won’t be spending all of our budget this year, due to a reduction in some activities from distanced learning. Our original fundraising GOAL of $80,000, will be re-evaluated in the spring, but we’re hoping to start the year right with a successful Move-a-Thon!

We hope your student and you will participate in the virtual Move-A-Thon to help us to raise money and expand the list of programs and services the PTA can continue to support, in a post-COVID/in-person learning environment.  This includes but is not limited to 4th-grade instrumental music, teacher stipends, the visiting musicians program, travel for field trips, the Spring Arts Festival, and the Science Fair.

When you DONATE to the Sacajawea PTA, you’re helping us fund essential programs throughout the school year for your child and others at Sacajawea Elementary.  With over 200 households at Sacajawea Elementary, I feel confident we can meet or exceed our goal this year. For more information about Fundraising at Sacajawea please visit our Fundraising page. Employer matching gifts make your donation go further!   

It’s an honor to partner with Sacajawea students, parents, and families for the betterment of our school. On behalf of the Sacajawea PTA, we are grateful to count you as a member of our community.