El Sol Newsletter: After-School Programs are Back, Sign up for Robotics TODAY, A Super Walkathon, and More

October 5, 2018 * ISSUE 10.5.18

Dear Puesta del Sol Families,

Congratulations on a successful first month of school! We are so proud of the students, teachers, families, and many volunteers that have made this month so successful!

Ice Cream Social, 1st day morning coffees, Walkathon, Scholastic Book Fair, and Mariners Night went beyond our expectations and were enjoyed by many. Meanwhile, the volunteers that support Passport Club, after-school programs, and our Amity Interns have achieved so much in such a short time. Congratulations to the hundreds of volunteers that made all these events and programs happen!!! We are eternally grateful for the community we have.

To everyone who donated to our 1st "Big Give" envelope drive, thank you! We are excited to report the initial count of just over $65,000! We will continue to accept donations throughout the year and the online monthly payment option is available. Please make sure to notify your company and secure matching donations to make your gift even greater!

Our PTA is at work daily to support the programs and events at Puesta del Sol. The upcoming Reflections Art competition, Pumpkin Bash (Oct. 26), and Movie Night (Nov. 2) cannot be missed. Stay connected on our website to capture all the latest news and calendar events, and to learn more about our PTA. We also have the latest information about our first membership meeting of the year. Thank you to all who participated. We love seeing new faces.

The year will go quickly. Please reach out to us with comments or questions.

Warmly,

Anne Wilson and Grace Muro-Aje

Puesta del Sol PTA co-Presidents

[email protected]

Upcoming Events

10/9	Art Appreciation Orientation Meeting
10/12	No School - Professional Development Day
10/22	Picture Retake Day & PTA Board Meeting (1:30pm)
10/26	2018 Pumpkin Bash
10/30	Passport Club Check Day
11/2	Family Movie Night - "Coco" (6:30pm)
11/9 & 11/12	No School - Professional Development Days
11/19	PTA Board Meeting (1:30pm)
11/27	Passport Club Check Day
	View Full Calendar

PTA After-School Programs are Back!

This year the PTA is sponsoring some returning favorites. Our After School Programs teach music and dance from Spain, Latin America, the Caribbean and Africa. These classes offer our students an opportunity to expand their appreciation of culture and diversity, all taught in Spanish!

Flamenco on Mondays
Fiesta Latina on Tuesdays
Bomba del Sol on Fridays

All classes are from 3:35pm to 4:35pm, in the Puesta del Sol gymnasium. Session 1 will run Oct. 8 - Nov. 16. Registration opens on Monday, Oct. 1. The Drama Club (open to 4th and 5th grade students) uses the gym mid-November to mid-January, then Session 2 will begin on Jan. 21.

Additional after school programs are available on our After School Programs page.

Spanish Outside School (S.O.S.) Postponed

It is with very heavy hearts that the PTA announces the Spanish Outside School (S.O.S.) program will not occur this fall due to lack of a parent volunteer to oversee the program. We hope to be able to offer this fun, educational and FREE program after Winter break, but it will depend upon having a Chair - 3rd, 4th & 5th grade parents, we are looking to you! Any questions can be sent to [email protected].

Puesta del Sol Robotics Deadline is Today!

Register for Puesta del Sol Robotics Innovation Lab Classes - Fall Deadline is Today, October 5.

Puesta del Sol offers free Innovation Lab (Robotics) classes for all students through our partnership with the Bellevue Schools Foundation. Our Innovation Lab program helps to establish science, technology, engineering, and math concepts while also building on students' team-building skills through fun challenges. Late registrations accepted.

2018 Pumpkin Bash, Friday, Oct. 26

You are invited to the 3rd Annual Pumpkin Bash Costume Party on Friday, Oct. 26 from 6:30pm - 8:00pm in the gym. An exciting evening of games, prizes, dancing, music, monster-mashing, treats and more! Get in the spirit and wear your costume - no masks or weapons, please.

Please email [email protected] with questions or check out the volunteer needs!

Calling All Artists!

Reflections is a national art competition that is sponsored by the PTA and is one of the categories for Academic Challenge. This year's theme is "Heroes Around Me".

Your child may submit an original work of art in any of 6 categories; Visual Art, Photography, Film, Choreography, Music or Literature. Please go to our Reflections Information Page where you will find the official rules, application, check list for success and registration. The due date for submissions is November 16th.

Please email your questions to [email protected]

Academic Challenge 2018-19 Begins!

Academic Challenge is a free enrichment program available to all students in Kindergarten -5th grade.

This is an optional, non-competitive program. Students choose and complete up to seven (7) challenges throughout the school year. These challenges are to be completed outside of school. Look for the Academic Challenge flyer to come home soon! To keep things fresh and interesting, some requirements have changed!

If your student would like to participate in the Reflections challenge, projects are due November 16. Please refer to the PTA website for additional information.

Art Appreciation Volunteers Orientation Meeting, Oct. 9

Did you sign-up to be the Art Appreciation Volunteer for your child's class? Are you interested in volunteering to do Art Appreciation for your child's class?

On Tuesday, Oct 9, at 9:15 AM we will be hosting an orientation meeting in the PTA room for new and returning Art Appreciation volunteers. At the meeting we'll show you the Art Appreciation resource closets, explain how to sign-up for the kiln, and share ideas of projects that have worked well in the classroom. We look forward to seeing you there! Feel free to contact Alycia or Lesley at [email protected].

Advocacy in Action

Bellevue PTSA Council will host two candidate forums with 4 candidates for State Legislature from the 41st Legislative District (LD) and 5 candidates from the 48th LD.

Who: Bellevue School District Community - YOU!
What: Candidate Forum for 41st and 48th LD

When: October 15th, 12:00-1:00pm AND 6:30-7:30pm

Where: WISC Rainier Room, 12241 Main St, Bellevue, WA 98005

Why: There will be some big education-related issues coming up in the next legislative session, to include possible funding issues related to the McCleary ruling last year. Exercise your civic right and responsibility to vote, and be educated about the issues! This is your chance as a voter to ask questions of the candidates themselves prior to the election. Many of the incumbent legislators from the 41st and 48th LDs serve on the House and Senate Education committees. For more info, feel free to contact Amy Ulrich at [email protected]. Not sure which LD you live/vote in? Check here.

Staff Spotlight
Diana Phillips

Have you noticed that our school is improving each and every year with addressing the needs of ALL our students? Thanks to Diana Phillips who is now our full-time resource teacher. This is Diana's 2nd year at Puesta del Sol and her 2nd year teaching.

Diana's parents immigrated from Colombia to New York and fully immersed Diana and her siblings into the Spanish language and culture. She is eternally grateful to her parents for prioritizing a bilingual, bi-literate and bi-cultural upbringing.

Now, Diana raises her own children, Nicholas and Raquel, with a bilingual upbringing as they are in the ISA program here at Puesta del Sol and Tillicum. She loves having fun with her kids as they go to parks, watch local sporting events and they are big Colombia soccer fans. Diana's hobbies include photography, reading and writing.

She loves our Puesta del Sol community and we are lucky to have her!

Say "Puesta del Sol" near her and see if she says "Viva el Espanol" in response.

A Super Walkathon

Students, families, teachers, and staff showed up full of energy and smiles and walked, ran, and danced the afternoon away at the 18 ^th annual Walkathon on September 28. Students completed a total of 15,655 laps... that's 157 miles! Medals will be awarded to the top male and female walkers in each grade at a school assembly later this fall.

Thank you to the more than 120 parent and student volunteers, the Puesta del Sol PTA, Principal Shearer, and our wonderfully supportive teachers and staff who helped to make this beloved community-building event a success. ¡Muchas gracias!