Principal's Message
Dear Island View Families:
In honor of the season, your Island View PTA created a gratitude wall for staff and students. Not surprisingly, students are reaching out to staff with messages of thanksgiving. Here is a small sampling:
· “Thank you for being my teacher. You help me so much.”
· “Thank you…now I know what to do this year in 3rd grade.”
· “Thank you for teaching me division.”
· “Thank you for helping me get started in math and reading.”
· “Thank you for teaching us.”
I am always inspired by the simplicity and honesty of student feedback. I have a sticker in my office that reads “Listen to Children,” which is something I strive to do every day. With that goal in mind, students in grades 3-5 recently took an anonymous survey that is designed to measure their sense of belonging and empowerment at school. Sample questions included the following:
· Students help each other at school.
· I feel important in my classroom.
· The principal knows my name.
· Teachers care if I am absent from school.
· I like going to school.
· My teacher helps me reach my goals.
The data we receive from the survey helps us improve our school community. Last year, for instance, the Island View student leadership team used the data to develop a kindness campaign at school. All told, listening to children is an important part of the Island View mission. If you would like more information on the survey, please visit this link.
As we move into the exciting but stressful holiday season, I offer several reminders. Children follow emotional cues from parents, so…
Relax. Rest when you need to. Savor simple moments of pleasure like reading a book or watching a movie or going for a hike with your child. Breathe. Be grateful for this special time in your child’s life. That time is the most precious gift of the season. Truly.
Enjoy a December of warm memories with family and friends.
Brian Hanrahan, Principal
DEC PTA Meeting CANCELLED!
The December PTA meeting is cancelled due to the busy holiday season. We look forward to seeing everyone at the next PTA meeting on Wednesday, January 8th at 6pm in the Island View Library.
Reading Is Fundamental (RIF)
It's almost time for R.I.F. Day, where children's literacy is celebrated and supported through guest readers and hundreds of free books from which every K-3rd grade student can select a free book to keep.
R.I.F. arrives on December 5th, and your help is needed to make the event a smashing success! Sign up here for shift times and give some of your time for literacy.
School Play signup NOW
Once again, Anacortes' very own and wonderful CLASS ACT will be hosting Island View's school play. Signup/permission forms went home last week and are available in the school office, due December 13th but turn them in ASAP because only the first 80 students to sign up will be in the play.
There are no auditions, this is a first-come-first-served signup. Parents will be notified Dec 16 about student status - either in or waitlisted. The first rehearsal is Jan 9. Thanks to Nicole Mortimer (nicole_mortimer@yahoo.com) for heading up the school play again this year!
Spirit Wear FLASH SALE
Just in time for the holidays, a final chance to grab some Island View Spirit Wear. Through December 1st, all your favorite attire is on sale here. Orders delivered mid-December!
'Tis the Season for GRATITUDE
The gratitude wall is filling up nicely - the only thing missing is you! If you haven’t gotten your picture in, there's still time! Remember to email pictures to yestokindness@gmail.com.
It’s so easy to see what is wrong with the world and the postcard project is a great opportunity to teach our kids how to look for the good in others and share gratitude! Thank you in advance for your participation in this fun community project!
Thanks UNICEF Trick-or-Treaters
An enormous thank you to all of the Island View students that so diligently collected Halloween donations for UNICEF. Your efforts raised over $500.00 to provide "medicine, better nutrition, safe water, education, emergency relief, and other support to children in more than 150 countries" (unicef.org).
BOOK FAIR Thank You
With over $13,000 in sales, last week's BOOK FAIR was the highest selling ever for Island View! A HUGE thank you to all of those that shopped and volunteered during the week, your support of the library and our students made all the difference!
Keep your eyes on the shelves...Island View library will have over 200 new books purchased from the fair inventory, plus some updated STEM books arriving soon.
Pizza Factory Restaurant Takeover Success!
Warm appreciation to all who attended the Pizza Factory Take Over on Nov. 24th, and a HUGE thank you to Pizza Factory for their donation to Island View PTA. PTA funded support to our students and teachers is possible through the generosity of our amazing Anacortes community!
Staff Appreciation = Room Service
The PTA Hospitality dynamic duo of Jennifer Jones and Nicole Mortimer delivered 'room service' to the teachers and staff on Friday Nov 15th. After staff selected from a wide menu of drinks and snacks, the duo assembled and delivered to each staff member tangible, tailor-made evidence of our collective gratitude for all that they do for our students and school. We love you Island View staff!
Island View Choir Performs
It's time to hear Island View Eagle voices soar to new heights as they spread holiday cheer around town. Come get festive and support our student singers at the following performances in December:
Dec 6th - Anacortes Chamber of Commerce Tree Lighting, 6pm at the corner of 9th and Commercial
Dec 7th - Lions Club Holiday Parade, 11am along Commercial between 3rd and 10th
Dec 7th - Anacortes Schools Foundation "Celebrate the Season" at the Port Transit Shed, 1pm
Dec 14th - Anacortes Parks & Recreation "Wonderland Walk at Washington Park", 6pm
ASF Celebrate the Season
The annual Anacortes Schools Foundation (ASF) fundraiser to benefit all Anacortes district students steams into town December 7th & 8th at the Port Transit Shed. Don't miss out on amazing family-friendly holiday activities (free), and a not-to-miss evening of festive entertainment Dec 7th (available through ticket purchase). See the flyer for details!
In order to create the incredible 'Celebrate the Season' winter wonderland, your help is needed to set up, decorate, and/or tear down. Sign up here to spread some holiday cheer!
Celebrate our Staff with TREATS!
Calling all kitchen mavens!! Ladies and gentlemen, don your aprons, man your mixers, and break out those treasured family recipes.
Please help us spoil our amazing staff by bringing in some of your favorite holiday treats to send home for the holidays. Homemade or store-bought treats are both fabulous!
We'll be collecting treats on Tuesday morning December 17th between 8:30-9:30 am to prepare for distribution on that same day. We have 60 staff members, and want to send them each home with a generous box of goodies, so please donate as much a you can!
Questions? Please contact: nicole_mortimer@yahoo.com
Thank you!!! And sign-up here to share delicious holiday cheer.
SAVE THESE DATES!
November
- 27th: Early Release, 12:05 p.m.
- 28th & 29th: Thanksgiving Break = NO SCHOOL
December
- 1st: Last Day for Spirit Wear FLASH SALE
- 4th: PTA Meeting CANCELLED!
- 5th: Reading Is Fundamental (R.I.F.)
- 7th & 8th: Celebrate the Season, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., free
- 7th: Celebrate Express Dinner to benefit all Anacortes students, ticketed event
- mid-Dec: Spirit Wear Flash Sale purchases delivered
- 20th: Early Release, 12:05 p.m.
- 21st to Jan 5: Winter Break = NO SCHOOL
January
- 6th: First Day of School in 2020
- 8th: PTA Meeting, 6pm, Island View Library
- 9th-23rd: Class ACT School Play Rehearsals after school
- 17th: NO SCHOOL for Students
- 20th: Martin Luther King Day observed, NO SCHOOL
- 24th: School Play Performance, 7pm
- 25th: School Play Performance, 2pm
