December 20, 2024 | Issue 12.20.24 | |
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Upcoming Events
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Monday, 12/23/24 to Friday, 1/3/25: No School - Winter Break
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Monday, 1/6/25: PTA Before & After School Classes start
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Wednesday, 1/8/25, 7:00-8:30pm: Town Hall: School Funding Crisis, Sammamish High School
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Wednesday, 1/8/25, 7:00pm: STEM Fair Info Night (Virtual)
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Friday, 1/17/25, 4:00pm: Open transfer, choice school and choice program application period ends
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Monday, 1/20/25: No School - Martin Luther King Jr. Day
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Friday, 1/24/25, 5:00-7:00pm: Diwali and Hanukkah Cross-Cultural Event
Link to full calendar
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Enjoy your winter break!
See you back at school on Monday, January 6th!
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Letter from the Board on the District's Budget
Dear Puesta del Sol Families, Teachers, and Staff,
On November 14th, Bellevue School District’s Superintendent Dr. Kelly Aramaki dedicated his blog post to our district’s budget. While many of us are aware of the larger financial hurdles our district has faced in recent years, much of what was outlined in Dr. Aramaki’s post, and in the November 14th School Board meeting, was unexpected and sobering news.
What the full-extent of BSD budget cuts will mean and how it will impact our school remains to be determined. Based on the discussions in recent weeks with district leadership, the Puesta del Sol PTA Board is anticipating some adjustments in the immediate and near future to our school’s building budget, staffing freezes, and (possibly) classroom sizes for next school year and beyond.
While our PTA does not have the capacity to make up all of the funding gap, we hope to lessen the blow to our school through our classroom grants, volunteers, and curriculum enhancement funds. Now more than ever, we are grateful for the partnership and support you provide to our students, teachers, and staff through the Puesta del Sol PTA.
During this season of giving and connection, we ask you to consider ways you can support our school. If your family is in the position to donate monetarily, monthly giving and corporate matching (if available through your employer) are immediate actions that benefit Puesta del Sol. Volunteering with specialists, classrooms, and our PTA programs also go a long way to supporting our teachers and students.
As updates continue to come in, we will inform you of what we learn. One important event that is coming up fairly soon that we want to put on your radar is a Town Hall on Wednesday, January 8th, 2025 at Sammamish High School. Bellevue PTSA will join with other local PTSA’s to discuss the funding challenges and its impact with legislators. Please join us this evening for this important discussion! We have included information for that event below. Please also be on the lookout for dates and details on our Puesta del Sol PTA General Membership Meeting sometime early into the new year as well as information on our Spring Fundraiser. We look forward to seeing you at all these events!
Viva el Español
Your 2024-2025 Puesta del Sol PTA Board
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PTA Sponsored Classes for Winter!
Register for Winter PTA Before & After School Classes!
It's time for a new session of amazing extracurricular classes!
Classes will run from January 6th to March 14th. Space in each class is available on a first-come, first-served basis. All classes will be closed to new students after January 10th. More details can be found on our Program webpage.
Become a PTA Member!
Curious about Financial Aid? More information available.
New Classes for Winter:
Art Together - Art Together is an interactive, experiential art program, designed to foster creativity, instill confidence and provide mentorship for students. Classes are taught by local BIPOC artists in both English and Spanish.
Basketball - Classes focus on the essential skills of ball handling, shooting, decision making (basketball IQ), and overall athleticism, as well as the intangible skills of teamwork, leadership, and confidence. Students will have fun and improve their basketball skills!
Continuing Classes:
Capoeira - Capoeira is a cultural dance-based martial art from Brazil. Students will learn foundational movements and songs while playing games and having fun in a trilingual environment.
Coding - The perfect opportunity to develop children's computational thinking skills, create their first programs and express their creativity.
Flamenco - Learn Flamenco with Maestra Cristina. This passionate and powerful art form is from Andalucia, in southern Spain. Dancers will work on technique, moving together as a group, and have fun.
Yoga Adventure Kids - Teaching mindfulness, movement and self-care practices, one breath at a time. Each weekly practice will include deep breathing, sun salutations, a variety of accessible postures, a peaceful meditation and gratitude circle.
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Cross-Cultural Night: Diwali & Hanukkah
Friday, January 24, 5-7 pm
Puesta del Sol Elementary
You are invited to Puesta del Sol's Winter Cross-Cultural Champions event! Learn about and celebrate two culture's traditional festival of lights, Diwali and Hanukkah. Event will include student presentations, cultural displays, crafts and snacks. Sensory-friendly space available. This event is part of City of Bellevue's Cross-Cultural Center without Walls. Contact: diversity@puestadelsolpta.org.
Please RSVP: https://forms.gle/x4f1cn4Hk6XxMip58
| Academic Challenge is BACK! | |
Academic Challenge is back! This is a free enrichment program for all students in K-5 at Puesta del Sol. This is an optional, non-competitive program for students to challenge themselves, and foster a love of learning and exploration beyond the classroom. Activities can be completed in Spanish or English. Each student can earn an Academic Challenge Award and/or the Principal's Medal depending on what activities are completed. Awards will be granted at a school-wide assembly in June.
The challenges have been updated and some are different or NEW. Check out the PTA website for more information!
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STEM Fair 2025
STEM Fair will be back this school year!! After a long hiatus, STEM Fair returned last year in 2024. We had a successful showing with over 40+ projects. We will be back this school year on April 23rd, 2025.
STEM Fair is a student-led project-based fair using Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics.
Come learn about the STEM Fair in one of our Info Nights!!
Session 1 - January 8th 7:00pm (Virtual)
Session 2 - February 5th 7:00pm (In Person, Library)
Learn more about the fair at the Puesta del Sol STEM Fair page.
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Corporate Matching
Just a reminder as we approach the end of the calendar year: Did you know there could still be money on the table if you happen to be eligible for corporate matching at an employer like Microsoft, Boeing, T-Mobile, Costco, Google, and many more? Please check with your employer for details on their specific program, as well as the resources available on the Puesta del Sol PTA website: https://puestadelsolpta.org/Page/Fundraising/CorporateMatching
Did you know your volunteer hours can turn into donations for our school? Many Seattle-area companies like Microsoft, Google, and Boeing, offer programs that donate money to nonprofits based on employee volunteer hours.
For example:
- Microsoft donates $25 for every volunteer hour submitted.
- Google contributes $10 per hour.
- Boeing provides $100 for every 10 volunteer hours and even more for group efforts!
If your employer offers such a program, please take a moment to log your hours. These donations are a simple yet powerful way to support our PTA’s efforts, enhancing programs and resources for our students. Don’t wait! The deadline to submit hours is fast approaching as the year comes to a close.
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We need YOU and we need your voice!
Schools across our state are in a budget crisis, as our state fails to pay the actual cost of education. Join us to learn more and tell our legislators we want our schools fully funded. When enough parents speak up, we will be able to prevent the cuts / closures that so many of our Eastside districts are facing.
Town Hall: School Funding Crisis
Wednesday, January 8th, 2025
7:00-8:30 PM at Sammamish High School (100 140th Ave SE, Bellevue WA 98005)
For questions please contact: advocacy@bellevueptsacouncil.com
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Nomination Committee Looking for Board Members
Want to get more involved at Puesta Del Sol? The PTA has a great opportunity for you!
For the 2025-2026 school year, PTA Board positions available will be:
- Co-President: (1 person to co-lead with returning co-president Sarah Moon)
- Payables Treasurer
- Deposits Treasurer
- VP of Membership
- Director of School Relations
- Educational Enhancement Team Member (2 people to join a team of 3)
Please contact the nominating committee if you are interested or would like to nominate someone. We are happy to answer questions. A conversation does not equal a commitment, so feel free to just inquire.
Thank you for considering serving!
Nominating Committee:
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Now Available: Open Transfer, Choice Schools and Language Programs Applications
The Open Transfer and Choice Schools and Language Programs application period for the 2025-2026 school year is now open through Friday, January 17th.
Have an incoming kindergartener, or know someone interested in attending Puesta del Sol? Apply for Spanish Dual Language Immersion at Puesta del Sol.
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Tillicum Middle School 5th Grade Open House
Date: Monday January 13, 2025
Time: 5:45–8:00 PM
All families with students considering Tillicum Middle School for next fall are invited to join the Open House!
For more information, please see the Tillicum MS website: https://tillicum.bsd405.org/
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From wastatepta.org:
Your voice matters!
We need your stories, we need your voice, and we need you! Help make PTA’s grassroots advocacy a success by connecting with legislators about our priorities during Focus Day and Focus on Advocacy Week.
Focus on Advocacy Week is scheduled for February 10-14, 2025. During this week, members can participate in daily email calls to actions. Subscribe to WSPTA Action Alerts.
Focus Day will be Monday, February 17, 2025 in Olympia and members are encouraged to meet with their legislators.
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