Pathfinder Compass
January 17, 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:
- COVID Updates
- Boosters Available!
- Mark Your Calendars
New News
- Pathfinder Operations
- PTSA
- Just so you know...
Old News
- Vision and Hearing Coming in January
- Pathfinder Teams
- Lunchtime Community Building Groups for BIPOC and Multiracial Scholars
- 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
In some not too distant tomorrow the radiant stars of love and brotherhood will shine over our great nation with all their scintillating beauty.
-Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
COVID Updates
Last week we closed three classrooms due to positive COVID cases. SPS has been following DOH guidance to inform these challenging decisions. Please know your students health is of the upmost concern, to continue protecting our community it is essential families let us know 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.
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!
As always, 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 note due to the increase in cases across the district, there may be a delay in the investigation.
Please note absences due to COVID are coded as such and do not negatively impact attendance.
Boosters Available!
Wednesday, January 19, 4 -6 p.m., Denny Middle School
Medical provider: Othello Station Pharmacy
Walk-in only. Please bring your student’s vaccination card to the clinic.
Vaccines provided: Pfizer for 5-11, Pfizer 12+, Moderna (18+) and Pfizer (12+) boosters
Sunday, January 23, 9 a.m.-12 p.m., Meany Middle School
Medical provider: Othello Station Pharmacy
Walk-in only. Please bring your student’s vaccination card to the clinic.
Vaccines provided: Pfizer for 5-11, Pfizer 12+, Moderna (18+) and Pfizer (12+) boosters
Wednesday, January 26, 4-6 p.m., South Shore PreK8 School
Medical provider: Othello Station Pharmacy
Walk-in only. Please bring your student’s vaccination card to the clinic.
Vaccines provided: Pfizer for 5-11, Pfizer 12+, Moderna (18+) and Pfizer (12+) boosters
Sunday, January 30, 9 a.m. – 12 p.m., Olympic Hills Elementary School
Medical provider: Othello Station Pharmacy
Walk-in only. Please bring your student’s vaccination card to the clinic.
Vaccines provided: Pfizer for 5-11, Pfizer 12+, Moderna (18+) and Pfizer (12+) boosters
You and your child can also get vaccinated at:
- City of Seattle: https://www.seattle.gov/covid-19/vaccinations/
- Kaiser Permanente, open to non-members: call 800-352-3610; https://k-p.li/3oLcuhO
- Downtown Public Health Center: Call 206-377-3977
- University of Washington Medicine: Call 844-520-8700; https:bit.ly/3Flp4Kh
Mark Your Calendars!
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
Lunch Volunteers
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
6 - 7pm
Family Based Racial Equity Committee
As we usher in the new year, REC is very excited to share that we recently welcomed Andy Woo and Precious Airhiavbere to our team! We're in the process of renewing our charter and making plans for the rest of the school year. Please watch this space for events and other updates from our team.
We have updated REC's Cultural Calendar for 2022 along with the Heritage Month Calendar. These calendars are intended to be living documents, and will be updated annually to better serve Pathfinder students, teachers, and families.
All comments and recommendations are welcome on the REC page. We will share the upcoming dates each month in the Compass to support the continued celebration of our diverse families and cultures at Pathfinder.
We hope that the Pathfinder teachers, staff and families will use this as a tool to help them explore on their own and also share with others. The resources we used to compile the calendars are shown in the footer of each calendar. A pdf version of the calendars is available on our page.
To add your thoughts and learn more about our work, please join the REC page.
- Your Racial Equity Committee (REC)
Precious Airhiavbere, Andy Woo, Jamelia Alnajjar, Becky Greenberg, Veena Prasad
Lunch and Recess
Just so you know...
Pathfinder Guest Teachers Wanted!
Do you have a passion for education and a desire to serve the Pathfinder community!? Do you want to spend one day of your week positively contributing to the lives of our students? If so, we are looking for YOU!
Applicants must have a minimum bachelor's degree. You need to apply below, pay $39.95 to take, pass a substitute training course with an 85% or above, complete the fingerprinting process, and then reach out to Dr. Holmes and Dr. Cordell. We are in need of certificated and paraprofessional substitutes daily at Pathfinder. We sincerely appreciate your help.
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.
February 1st 5:30 - 7pm registration will close Thursday, January 27th.
Lost and Found Fridays
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.
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.
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
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!
