Spring Greetings!
Dear Thornton Creek Community,
We're closing in on the end of May! One thing this means for our school is that the next month will be filled (and I mean filled) with meaningful, fun, and memory-making growth opportunities for our students. Please read your weekly school bulletin so that you can catch all the important dates through June 30th.
Thank you to those who attended our Community Meeting last Wednesday. We had wonderful updates from Ms. Miller on what is happening in classrooms at each grade level and we heard from parent groups about business and upcoming events. We also had a surprise note from Principal Kischner to the community which was included in Thursday's school bulletin. You can see that message in the
meeting notes or from the Thursday school bulletin
here. Thank you to everyone who has asked what they can do to support our staff while our wonderful Principal is out on leave.
My immediate response is (and probably always will be!) please lean into volunteering. With a number of activities in June, we can use everyone's help to finish our year strong.
It's still budget season, which means we are continuing to work to both raise funds and plan a TCPG budget for next school year. As you're likely aware, the SPS budget cuts to schools are deep for next year and will cause significant impacts on staffing. TCPG is committed to supporting our school and has developed a proposed budget for next year that includes current allocations as well as a reserve fund to support additional school budget requests from the Building Leadership Team once the district/school budget picture becomes more clear for 2023-2024. Budget unknowns include the outcome of our school's open enrollment staffing allocation (we have a full band of Kindergarten kids coming in the fall!) and special education funds from the state. TCPG will hold these reserves until the school knows how these variables play out, at which time we will bring the reserve fund allocation proposal back to our members for review. In the meantime, you can view our proposed budget for the next year
here and send us your questions through June 10th using
this form.
We will take an advisory vote of the membership on the budget at the
Thornton Creek Parent Group Annual Meeting on June 13th, 6:30 PM - 8:30 PM. Zoom link.
Also at our Annual Meeting, we will vote on the TCPG Board of Directors.
We are currently recruiting volunteers to serve as TCPG board members and committee co-chairs and participants for next year. These roles are rewarding and make a significant impact on how TCPG can support our school's success. Please consider joining us! You can indicate your interest
by May 31, 2023, by completing this form. There are links in the form for more information about the roles. You can also indicate in the form if you'd participate in a committee.
It really does take a village and we would also appreciate your help with any volunteer needs through June. Thank you! As always, please do not hesitate to reach out to me or any
TCPG board member with your questions or concerns. All parents/caregivers of currently enrolled TC students are voting members of the Thornton Creek Parent Group. Please plan to attend the Annual Meeting on June 13th to share your voice and your vote - see you then!
On Friday, June 2nd we are having a
TC All-Family Dance Party (6:00 PM - 8:00 PM). It's time to celebrate our Thornton Creek community and the success of our students this year! Our students, staff and families have put focus this year on learning about IDENTITY. Our all-family dance party provides a fun and meaningful opportunity for all staff and every family to share their identities with the theme:
Proud To Be ME! This party is about showing up like we do every day at Thornton Creek - showing up with pride in who we are, showing up to appreciate each other, and showing our pride in Thornton Creek and all we have done together to make the school what it is. I am personally over the moon thinking about how hard everyone has worked and that we will have a time together to celebrate.
Please share your favorite music to help build our DJ's playlist! And it's Pride Month so expect to see rainbows, y'all!@ Let's dance as one community under the sky!
If you would like to volunteer, just sign up! See you there!
On Friday, June 16th, we will show the film Beyond Black and White and then have a panel discussion with the filmmakers (6:30 PM - 8:30 PM). This event is co-hosted by TC PTA and TCPG and is part of our ongoing equity-focused parent education for our school. This is the third year I have had the privilege of helping to plan these events and I am so grateful that our school is committed to supporting ongoing adult education to support our collective efforts to be a welcoming, inclusive, and anti-racist school community. I urge you to join this and other future events in the series, I assure you they will spark learning and meaningful conversation.
Move-A-Thon success! Students and adults alike had so much fun moving and grooving at the Move-A-Thon last Friday. Thank you to ALL our volunteers who helped make this happen, from the planning committee to those that did the heavy lifting and cheered on students at the event itself. And to all who have donated so far, THANK YOU! Your gift matters and goes a long way to mitigating the impact of district-wide budget cuts for next year. This fundraiser supports students through donations to TCPG and the Southeast Seattle Schools Fundraising Alliance. Learn more and donate today!
The site will stay open for the next two weeks so you can share the fundraising opportunity with your friends and family.
Donate HERE.
I'll close by saying that I appreciate each and every one of you - thank you for showing up for your own child and our community when you engage with our school. These are unpredictable times in our world, city and communities. I hope we can all lean into this uncertainty with grace and love for one another. My wish for you all is to take even a few moments each day to find joy. It can make all the difference in not only surviving but thriving, on this adventure called parenting/caregiving. Happy Spring (that is feeling like summer!).
In Community,
Erin MacDougall (she/her)
Chair, Thornton Creek Parent Group
