Family Newsletter – Hello Maverick Nation!

News items:

Student-Family Conferences at McClure: March 14, 2024

We are excited to bring back student-family conferences here at McClure! Last year was our first year hosting this important activity which was amazing AND we learned a lot. For those who were here last year, thank you for taking the family exit survey!! This and staff and student feedback helped immensely in our plans for this year.  Here are the deets:

• Instead of having conferences preceding the Thanksgiving Break, based on parent/teacher feedback, we have scheduled our conferences for mid-March. This allows kids to have more artifacts to choose from and gives them more time to really reflect on their progress so far.
• The biggest wonder from parents was how to get more individualized feedback from teachers. As you can imagine, this is very challenging because kids have six teachers plus an Advisory teacher who they see almost every day.  (Secondary teachers have 150-170 students in addition to their 20+ Advisory students). While we cannot provide face-to-face interactions like you get with your elementary teacher during conferences, our teachers have committed to providing a bit of input for each student on their roster. This will be including in students’ portfolios that they will share with you.
• March 14th will have a different schedule to allow for families to come to school outside of their workday if needed.  Student-family sessions will take place in your students’ Advisory teacher’s classrooms; Advisory teachers will be reaching out to schedule.  Conferences will run from 11:00 a.m. until 7:00 p.m. and will be about 25-30 minutes in length.
• What we need from you:
  • We will be presenting the format and requirements to kids in Advisory in the next week or so. Please encourage your McClure student to engage fully in this important process which is as much about them taking ownership over their learning and goal-setting for the future as it is about presenting their portfolio to you in a formalized setting and process.

We’ll have more details coming in the near future but wanted you to give you a heads up for planning purposes. Stay tuned!

ASB has planned a great Spirit Week for all McClure students

Wednesday, Jan. 24: PJ/Comfy Day

Thursday, Jan. 25: Wild Hair Day

Friday, Jan. 26: Mis-Matched Day

Staff-Student Basketball Game:

After School TODAY Jan. 23rd – students can watch the Staff vs. Students basketball game! 8th grade members of the Boys and Girls Varsity Basketball teams will be taking on our McClure Staff.  Pray for us (aka: me).  I haven’t played basketball for years!! It’s going to be fun, though!

From 8th Grade Counselor, Ms. Collings:  Hello 8th grade families,

High School Information Events/Open Houses are upcoming. Please visit the SPS Enrollment page for information on the SPS Enrollment and School Choice Process and for information on school choice and school assignment.

BINGO!! PRIZES!! FUN!!

Join the PTSA and other McClure families on Wednesday, January 31st from 6-7 PM for BINGO in the McClure Cafeteria!

There will be prizes. No cost to play. Family friendly — an adult chaperone required.

If you’d like to help out or donate prizes ($10 gift cards would be great!) please email Kelda at kmains@gmail.com

UPCOMING HIGH SCHOOL PROSPECTIVE STUDENT AND FAMILY OPEN HOUSES:

FOR THE MOST UP TO DATE INFORMATION, PLEASE REFER TO INDIVIDUAL HIGH SCHOOLS WEBSITES as schools occasionally make changes and updates. This information has been compiled from information on school websites as available.

SPS Admissions Fair and SPS Open House: To help families prepare to enroll new students, learn more about option schools, and talk with staff about Seattle Public Schools (SPS) programs and services, we are hosting an informational event on Saturday, Jan. 27. Join us to ask questions about the upcoming school year, learn more about Open Enrollment for School Choice, and the many outstanding programs and services available for SPS students. 

January 27 @ 10:00 am – 2:00 pm

Admission Fair and Open House
January 27, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.
John Stanford Center
2445 3rd Ave. S, Seattle, WA 98134

School and district department staff will be available to answer questions about their unique school and programs! You can also learn about the Open Enrollment and School Choice process. Learn more about school choice.

Ballard High School:

The Ballard HS 8th Grade Choice Night is currently scheduled for Thursday, February 8, 2024 TBD. More details and confirmation of information to be posted on the BHS website as it becomes available: Ballard High School Prospective Student and Family Information

The Center School :

The Center School will be hosting an open house for prospective students and families on Thursday, February 15, 2024, at 5:30-7:30 p.m.

There will be student led tours and information sessions for both students and parents. For more information on The Center School, we invite you to watch the virtual school tour video.

For questions, contact Michele Hayes at mrhayes1@seattleschools.org.

Ingraham High School:

Open House/Information Session for incoming or prospective students will be on Wednesday, January 31st, 2024, at 7pm. Meet Principal Floe, hear about the IB Program, and meet our wonderful teachers. Ingraham High School Prospective Student and Family Information

Lincoln High School:  

Lincoln’s High School Information Night for current 8th graders and their families will be held January 25th from 6:30 to 8:00 PM. This event is reserved for our future 9th graders and their families and other high-school aged students transferring to the area only. Our event is hosted as an open house with recorded videos coming soon on our website with all the pertinent information our future Lynx will need.  

The night begins at 6:30PM in our gymnasium with a student-run welcome assembly.  Gym doors will open at 6:15PM.  After, we invite students and families to a self-guided tours with identified areas for each academic program as well as information from student groups, student supports, the Student Based Teen Health Center, athletics and the PTSA.    

Optional pre-session welcomes will be available for our future students involved with or interested in being involved with our Black Student Union (BSU), Jewish Student Union (JSU), and students served on an Individual Education Plan (IEP).  Pre-sessions will happen from 5:45PM-6:15PM in the main building. 

Parking is limited, so we encourage you to arrive early and utilize other forms of transportation with carpooling, mass transit and walking.  If you do drive, please be mindful of our neighbors and only park in accessible spots that do not block their access.  

For more information about Lincoln, visit us on our website.

Nova High School:

• Open House on January 25th 5-7pm!
• Orientation for 8th graders will be held in February
• Nova will be at the School Choice Fair held in a Saturday in January at the John Stanford Center
• Please call the office at 206-252-3500 to sign up for an orientation during the school year
• Visit our Virtual Open House
• How to enroll at Nova

Roosevelt High School: Roosevelt HS Information Night for Incoming Students on February 8th 7:00- 9:00pm

 **More information can be found on individual school websites and the district enrollment website.

Art Showcase At McClure!!

Ms. Pattison’s Visual Arts classes will be hosting showcases of their personal art projects during 5th period January 25th and 6th period January 26th from 3-3:30. Families are welcome to attend! Please check with your student about which class they are in- 5th or 6th prior to attending the respective day. Make sure to sign in at the front office and get a visitor badge before joining us in the cafeteria for the showcase.

Students have worked on personal choice projects every Wednesday this semester and I am so proud of their amazing work. Come celebrate with us!

See you there!

Open House for incoming 6th grade families– 1/25, 6:00-7:10

I have sent flyers and news items to our feeder schools to get the word out to our incoming 2024-25 6th graders, but please feel free to spread the word!  Also, if you have an incoming 6th grader, we would love to have you; it’s as much for parents as it is for the kids. We’ll have an information sesh with a student panel and me, self-guided tour, opportunities to talk to staff and student leaders, etc. PLUS we will provide child care.  Always a fun and exciting evening.

Our biggest need right now is a PTSA treasurer. You will have lots of guidance and can do it on your own time. We are also planning events like an auction in the spring and BINGO night on January 31st. We can always use lunchroom volunteers as well.

End of first semester 1/31

Now would be an excellent time to check out your child’s grades and assignment completion in The Source. After the semester, students will not have opportunities to make up assignments/summative assessments, etc. District’s Source information page.

Remember to click on the grades and a page will open up to show you what assignments have been completed and graded, what is missing, etc.

Join the PTSA! (You’ll be so glad you did!!)

Please join the PTSA!  It’s a fun and easy way to connect with your McClure community and contribute to the school. Please click on the link and join as an individual or family.   Join McClure PTSA

That’s it for now!

Go Mavs!

Principal Shannon Conner

McClure Middle School