8th Grade End of Year Info

It’s that time!!! We have a number of fun activities for our 8th graders this spring. We are looking forward to celebrating this special group of kids and wish them well as they move on up to high school.  I have included all-things 8th grade in this communication for your planning purposes.

Here are the details:

Laptop/Charger Returns: Monday, 6/17

Please make sure your McClure student comes to school Monday with their laptop and charger.  Fines will be issued from Seattle Public Schools’ Technology Services department in the weeks to come for unreturned items.

8th grade Beach day: Tuesday, 6/18

Thank you to our fantastic PTSA for organizing and deploying volunteers to make this super fun day happen this year. All students will meet in their advisory Tuesday morning and come to the Moving Up Assembly in the gym.  We will say goodbye to our 8^th graders who will meet their advisory teacher (chaperone) in the courtyard for role, then board the busses.  They will return from Beach Day in the early afternoon and spend some time in the field and in the cafeteria then we will release for end-of-day from there.

Students will be given explicit directions for expectations during Beach Day.  Please emphasize the following with your 8th grader:

• All school rules apply on field trips like Beach Day, including the “no cell phone” policy.  We want kids to interact and enjoy the experience into which we have invested a lot of time, energy, and resources. 
• Students need to ride to and from Golden Gardens on their assigned bus with their assigned teacher.  This is a HUGE safety requirement; we need to know where kids are, obviously.  We also will not allow kids to come and go via parent transport. 
• Kids may not go into the water (wading included).
• Students need to stay within the assigned boundaries that will be explained to them.
• Students need to have fun!  Be respectful…and grateful to the staff and parents who have volunteered to make this an amazing day!!
• Permission slips for Beach Day will go out in students’ Advisory class on the week of May 28th.  We are asking for $20 (Cash/Check (“McClure ASB”)/School Pay) from each of our 8^th grade families (or whatever you can contribute), in order to pay for buses and the building substitutes that we will need for coverage.
  • We would be grateful if you are able to pay a little more to cover those who need financial assistance.

Thank you in advance for your quick turn-around with getting permission slips returned and your payment submitted. See attached for Beach Day Parent/Guardian Field Trip Authorization!

8th Grade Celebration/Parade: Wednesday, 6/12

5:30-6:30 (8th graders arrive at or after 5)

We are continuing our tradition of having our 8th grade celebration send off right here at McClure Middle School!  This is a low-key, kid-centered, fun event and you are invited to participate!  Our 8th grade celebration send-off involves students uniting with their Advisory teacher and peers (which has been their McClure home base for three years!), put on their McClure swag, hold their Advisory Banner with pride and walk around the school to the grand applause of all on-lookers. Please feel free to bring bubbles, noise makers, balloons and whatever else makes sense to cheer on your Maverick 8th grader! 

Students, staff and families will then gather in the park afterwards for refreshments and fun!

Here are the details:

• On Wednesday, 6/12, all 8th graders will come down to the gym during their advisory class.  We will go over the directions and behavioral expectations for the event.  We will line the kids up on 2nd Ave (this is our staging area); they will stay with their Advisory Teacher for the entire parade route.
  • Students will walk in single file and will practice walking at a reasonable rate.
• On the evening of 6/21, students will arrive at 5:00 and find their Advisory teacher on 2nd Ave.  They will line up just like we did in rehearsal.  Our parade will begin at 5:30. 
• There will be refreshments in the field after our parade and an opportunity for kids to hang out with each other and their families.

• PARENTS/FAMILIES:
  • To make this a “functional” parade, we really need you to spread out around the school/parade route (which will start in the courtyard and circle around to the field (between Big Howe Field and Community Center) and come back around to the Courtyard.
  • We will post signs around the school so families can gather at a designated parade location based on last names (A-E, F-H, etc.)  PLEASE GO TO YOUR DESIGNATED LOCATION so that kids feel like there are people all throughout the parade cheering them on! The good news is you will definitely be able to see your kid because we are staggering the start for each advisory.
  • Please DO feel free to bring bubbles, noise makers, and whatever else makes sense for an uber fun parade!  (Staff will have bubbles…because we are fun)

Field Day (all school): Friday, 6/21

12:40-2:30 p.m.

Just including this here as a reminder that we also have an all-school celebration on Friday, 6/21…lots of activities including a bouncy-house, ga-ga ball, tug-o-war, belly-bumpers, relay races, flag football, popsicles, etc.  So fun!!