Pathfinder Compass
January 9, 2021
What to expect with The Compass!
Every Sunday you will receive The Compass to keep us all informed and connected of essential Pathfinder news. If you are interested in narrating The Compass please reach out to Dr. Holmes!
In this issue:
- Lost and Found
- Music Update
- COVID Updates
- Lunch Volunteers
- Transitioning to Indoor Lunch
- Mark Your Calendars
New News
- Pathfinder Operations
- PTSA
- Just so you know...
Old News
- Family Connectors University
- Clickable link Community Curriculum Review
- Clickable link Blazing Trails News
- Clickable link Let us know if you need support
- Clickable link Virtual Tutoring with Library Link
- Recordings of Virtual Events
- Previous Compass Links
- Dr. Holmes' Incoming Goals
The soul would have no rainbow if the eyes had no tears.
-Native American Proverb
Lost and Found
Music Update
COVID Updates
We will continue providing testing for students who show symptoms while at school. If your student needs a test, be sure to complete the paperwork!
Should you learn of a positive COVID case for your student or close contact, please notify our Health and Safety Specialist, Thomas at ttnguyen5@seattleschools.org and your homeroom teacher.
If there is a positive case in your class, you will be notified as soon as possible. If your student has had a close contact, an investigator will call you to gather additional information.
Please be on the lookout for updated guidance based.
Lunch Volunteers
Transitioning to Indoor Lunch
Mark Your Calendars!
January 11th PTSA Board Meeting
January 17th NO SCHOOL MLK Day
January 18th BIPOC Listening Session 6 - 7pm
January 19th MLK Day Assembly 9 - 10am
January 20th Virtual Open House 12 - 1pm AND 6 - 7pm
January 25th Second and Third Listening Session 6 - 7pm
January 27th Make-up school day for November 12
February 8th General PTSA Meeting
Pathfinder Operations
Pathfinder Teams
There are several entities at Pathfinder K8 that serve this community. These entities are:
- The Building Leadership Team
- The Parent Teacher Student Association
- The family-based Racial Equity Committee
- The school-based Racial Equity Team.
Please follow this link to learn more about what each entity does and how to get further information.
Please note there is currently space for 2 more parents to serve on the Building Leadership Team (BLT). If you are interested in serving on the BLT, contact Dr Britney Holmes at bdholmes@seattleschools.org.
Enrollment is coming...
Please note enrollment does not happen at Pathfinder.
We will be hosting two virtual Open Houses on January 20th - feel free to share with those who may be interested. Open houses are for folx who are interested about Pathfinder and would like to have more information prior to enrolling.
12- 1pm
Meeting ID: 886 0579 5950
Passcode: 787024
6 - 7pm
Meeting ID: 830 9161 9987
Passcode: 765871
VOPP Virtual Open House
Grades 6-12 VOPP Virtual Open House for New Families (Live event)
- Tuesday, 1/11/22 and 1/18/22
- 6-7 p.m.
- Meeting Link
The Center School Open House
The Center School offers a rich academic program enhanced through its focus on the arts and its location in the heart of Seattle’s cultural and arts community. Our academic program is a college prep program with a career-centered professional lens that emphasizes high standards for all students, using best instructional practices including inquiry-based and project-based curriculum and performance-based assessments, along with internship and career explorations for professional transitions into higher education enrollments, employment or internships.
Open Houses Dates
Thursday, January 20, 2022
5:00- 6:00 PM
Link: https://bit.ly/center120
Monday, January 24, 2022
5:00- 6:00 PM
Link: https://bit.ly/center124
Vision and Hearing Screening Coming in January
Being able to see and hear are important for learning. The state requires that we identify students who may have trouble seeing or hearing.
Students in grades K, 1, 2, 3, 5 and 7 will be screened for vision and hearing in early January.
We would like to add students in grades 4, 6 and 8 because these students were missed last year.
The school nurse will use a SPOT screener or eye charts to screen for vision and an audiometer for hearing. Families will be notified rapidly if their student does not pass the screening.
Mental Health Lessons Update
From Susanne Paris, School Counselor:
We realize how important it is to help destigmatize issues related to Mental Health here at Pathfinder. I recently discovered a great website that addresses issues related to anxiety. You can find it here.
Sadly, the King County Crisis Connection and Teen Link needed to cancel this week’s Suicide Prevention and Intervention lessons for our Middle School Students. The presentation focuses on how students can support their peers to help prevent suicide. The content includes identifying warning signs, how to respond by talking to their peers and linking peers to appropriate trusted adults and/or resources. I am waiting for confirmation to schedule the presentations and have requested these dates and times:
February 1st
8th: 11:10
6th: 1:40
7th: 2:35
February 3rd
8th: 11:10
6th: 1:40
7th: 2:35
This presentation is educational rather than therapeutic; it educates students about the effects of stress and the potential for suicide as a reaction to difficulty managing stress. It empowers students to get help for themselves and their classmates. Research has consistently shown that discussing stress and suicide does not in itself lead to suicide attempts, and in fact, the opposite is true, that stigmatizing and ignoring the topic may increase feelings of isolation.
Please take look at 10 Things Parents Can Do to Prevent Suicide included here as we encourage parents to inform themselves about how to talk to teens about stress and suicide, as well as have regular conversations with their youth about mental health and stress management.
If you have any questions or concerns, please reach out to me or contact Crisis Connections training staff at 206.204.9520 or training@crisisconnections.org for additional support about how to discuss suicide prevention.
Sincerely,
Susanne Paris, M.A., A.T.R., M.S., L.M.H.C.
She/Her
Pathfinder K-8
School Counselor
Lunchtime Community Building Groups for BIPOC & Multiracial Scholars
Given the uncertainty around Omicron, groups will restart the first Wednesday in February (2/2/22) and will continue to gather on the first Wednesday of each month for the rest of the school year. Please let your scholars know!
The sign-up will be sent out again the last week in January for those who have not yet had a chance to join.
Please feel free to contact Jamelia Alnajjar at jmalnajjar@seattleschools.org with any questions
Lunch and Recess
PTSA
PTSA Board Meeting on January 11th at 6:30pm. The PTSA Board & Committees monthly meeting.
General PTSA Meeting on February 8th at 6:30pm. This is our 2nd General meeting this year, we'll discuss our progress for the first half of the year and our plans for the 2nd half of the year. Open to all interested in learning more about the PTSA!
Meeting ID: 961 7493 3129
Passcode: bT01DP
Just so you know...
MLK Day Assembly
If you are interested, please join us Wednesday, January 19th 9:00-10:00am for our MLK Day Assembly.
Upcoming Listening Sessions
January 18th BIPOC Listening Session
January 25th Second and Third Grade Listening Session
February 8th Kindergarten and First Grade Listening Session
February 22nd Fourth and Fifth Grade Listening Session
March 22nd Middle School Listening Session
March 29th Special Education Listening Session
Upcoming Affinity Groups
Affinity groups are a part of our continued healing, we are holding space to continue unpacking Octobers events to ensure they do not seep out in other ways that have negatively contributed to the Safe and Welcome environment Pathfinder is seeking to have for all of our students, staff, and community.
Please register for any of the Affinity Groups you will be attending. We ask that each adult register separately. Please note, this is one of the few places that are reserved for adults only.
Lost and Found Fridays
Spirit Wear
The PTSA has released new Pathfinder Spirit Wear items! Visit our online store to shop for new youth and adult items.
Family Connectors University
Family Connectors University Seattle Public Schools (SPS) families are invited to join North Seattle College’s Family Connectors University (FCU) class, a family-focused online course designed to help parents support their child’s learning and growth.
In partnership with North Seattle College and SPS Family Partnerships Department, topics include:
- Helping your child with remote learning
- Social Emotional Learning ideas for home
- Becoming a supportive partner at your school
- Helping your child with ‘big emotions’
- Supporting your child with reading and math
- Talking to kids about race, racism, and antiracist actions
Take this course in real-time or attend offline at a time that works for you. Check out video here and course details here.
Participants report that this year's pandemic-informed curriculum has been immensely helpful to families during remote learning:
“The Family Connectors University class was a wealth of practical ideas, and definitely worth the time investment!”
“…the conversations about self-care, supporting our kids' social emotional growth, dealing with "big feelings" and recommendations on supporting reading and math were fantastic.”
“Implementing just a few of these ideas brought the pressure level in our 'locked-down' household from a 9 to a 2.”
“I loved the chance to have one hour to myself each week to get ideas for helping my child and talk with other parents.”
The class takes place online via Zoom for 10 weeks beginning Tuesday, January 11th at 6pm. Parents can participate synchronously or asynchronously, as sessions will be recorded.
Course is facilitated by NSC Parent Education Instructor Lea Evans, Principal Janine Roy, SPS Family Partnerships Coordinator Asosa Sailiai, and special guest speakers.
The cost for the 2-unit class is $39.42 and some scholarships are available. Email Asosa Sailiai to enroll or find out more information: amsailiai@seattleschools.org.
Recordings of Virtual Events
- Dr. Holmes Meet and Greet
- MS Orientation
- School Opening and Pathfinder 101
- Second and Third Listening Session
- Kindergarten and First Listening Session
- Curriculum Night, Music with Mr. Bores, Elementary and Middle School Art with Adrian, Garden with Karen
- Fourth and Fifth Listening Session
- Middle School Listening Session
Previous Compass
January 3, 2022
September 19, 2021Dr. Holmes' Incoming Goals
- To know all folx personally and professionally connected to the school. Further, allow others to know me as fully as possible outside day to day connection, crisis, and problem solving.
- To use qualitative and quantitative data to determine concerns and issues regarding improving student performance that needs to be closely examined and addressed to repay the educational debt.
- To learn the artifacts, beliefs, and basic underlying assumptions through engaging in essential conversations with Pathfinder students, staff, and community.
- To identify, hold onto, and strengthen traditions that center students and bring the community together. Further, partner with students, staff, and the community to ensure social emotional learning and growth is embedded in the curriculum, adult strengths are highlighted, and we have fun!
