October 2024

McKenny Hawks Are Kind, Safe, Respectful and Responsible

McKenny Logo

Important Dates:

1: Individual Picture Day
2: Walk N Roll
3: 5th Grade @ Swantown Marina 9:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.
4: Teacher In-Service Day - No School
7: Conference Scheduler Open to Families to Register for Fall Conferences
8: PTO Meeting @ 6:30 p.m. McKenny Library
14: Indigenous People’s Day
17: 1st Grade @ Nisqually Reach Nature Center
21-25: Fall Conference Week - Dismissal @ 11:35 a.m.
25: PTO Trunk-or-Treat 6:00 p.m.. - 7:15 p.m.
26-November 8: PTO Read-a-Thon

Rainy Day Reminder:

A friendly reminder, slips and falls happen so please be sure your student has a complete change of clothes in their backpack. We simply do not have enough clothes to go around.. That being said, we work to encourage kids to refrain from purposely getting wet in puddles or on slides. Changes of clothes are meant for when accidents happen. We appreciate you sharing this message with your student.

Walk N Roll - October 2nd

Our school hosts a Walk N Roll event one day each month. These are optional days that students can bike or walk to and from school, and once they arrive, can receive special prizes. Please wear helmets when riding, and make sure students are crossing roads safely. Walking or biking to school is not only amazing for your health, but it is also helpful to the environment!

Fall Conference Week October 21-25

This is a great opportunity for students to share with adults what they are learning and their goals for the school year. Students will be Dismissed 11:35 a.m. and Grab N Go lunches are available upon request. Families can register for a conference date and time starting October 7th using Skyward Family Access. If you have issues scheduling please contact the front office at 360.596.8400.

Lost and Found:

Our lost and found has various items that have lost their way home. We kindly ask parents and guardians to take a moment to check if any of the items belong to your child. It's essential to label your child's belongings with their name to ensure a swift return in case they get misplaced. Let's work together to reunite these items with their rightful owners!

Skyward Updates:

The yearly updates for Student Information are now available. Please sign in to Skyward Family Access to complete the yearly update of student information including emergency contacts and make changes as necessary.

DO NOT add parents/guardians as emergency contacts. We always call family first before emergency contacts (aunt, uncle, grandparents, friends, neighbors etc).

Volunteering

Are you interested in volunteering this school year? Visit the district’s volunteer website for additional information. Please be sure to complete the volunteer application if you have not already done so. This application must be completed yearly.

Child Nutrition Services Information

Lunch is $3.75/breakfast $2.50.
Funds can be added to student accounts here at the school with cash/check/card (no change given), or through the online portal.
Menus are posted online (click the menu icon), if you would like a paper copy, please let the front office know. Menu subject to change based on availability.

News from the PTO

Join the PTO: There's still time to become a part of our PTO! Signing up is free and offers a wonderful way to connect with other families. You’ll stay informed about upcoming events, gain access to a digital directory, and have voting rights—without any commitments. Whether you're a returning family or new to McKenny, remember that registration is required each year. Sign up today using this link!

PTO CheddarUp Group Page: Check out our group page on CheddarUp to see any open collections for the PTO by clicking this link or visit bit.ly/PTOCU.

Get Moving with Pilates: We are excited to announce our upcoming beginner pilates classes starting on Tuesday, October 1st! Join us every Tuesday morning from 6:10 AM to 7:00 AM in the McKenny gym for a great way to improve your flexibility and strength. These classes are perfect for beginners and will be led by our very own McKenny parent Gina Snider. Each session is a suggested donation of $10 cash, with all proceeds supporting the PTO. Mark your calendars for this fantastic opportunity to get moving and connect with fellow parents! Classes will run through Tuesday, November 5th. Don’t forget to bring your own mat and a water bottle!

PTO Meeting Tuesday October 8th 6:30-8:00 pm: Please join us for our next PTO meeting on Tuesday, October 8th in the McKenny library at 6:30 PM or connect via Zoom for an engaging evening of discussion and updates on upcoming events. This is a great opportunity to share your ideas, ask questions, and get involved in our school community. We hope to see you there—whether in person or on ZOOM. Meeting ID: 881 5468 3334 Passcode: 772214

Trunk Or Treat Friday October 25th 6:00-7:15pm: Our 4th annual Trunk-or-Treat will be held in the school’s Traffic Garden. Join us for an evening of candy, costumes, car decorating contests, Halloween themed photo booth, and more! Click the link to sign-up to host a trunk, volunteer during the event, or donate candy.

Read A Thon October 26th - November 8th: The PTO is thrilled to announce that our annual Read-a-Thon kicks off on Saturday, October 26th and goes through Friday, November 8th. This event is a fantastic opportunity for students to immerse themselves in the world of books by reading to themselves, others, or having someone read to them. Be on the lookout for more information to come home in your students folder.

Yearbook Pre-order: You can now pre-order your Yearbook for the 2024/2025 school year! Please follow this link or visit bit.ly/PTOCU to put your order in, sales will remain open throughout the year. Yearbooks are $18 each. Remember to submit photos throughout the year so we can make sure everyone is included! You can submit your photos through Yearbook Snap App, password McKenny25. Be sure to label your photos with names and events so they can be accurately represented in the yearbook!

PTO email: [email protected]

PTO website: mckennypto.org!

Instagram: @mckennyhawkspto
Facebook: facebook.com/mckennyhawkspto

Principals Corner

Hello McKenny Families,

As we have settled into another school year, I receive daily reminders of why I feel so grateful to be a part of this amazing and magical school community. It’s mainly due to the students. They are so wonderful, kind, hard-working and funny. They bring joy to our school and to my life.

At our first assembly, we focused on the following four words:

Honesty: Tell the truth, live up to your word
Integrity: Do the right thing even when no one is watching
Kindness: Say nice things to others, help others, welcome people, smile
Hard Work: Do your best, challenge yourself, ask questions, persevere

I’ve witnessed students displaying these characteristics at school on a daily basis. And I appreciate your support in fostering continual growth in these areas.

Another source of joy for me at McKenny is getting work with the incredible staff members who are dedicating their daily time and effort to students and families. Whatever role they fill, our staff members have huge hearts for kids and work effortlessly to support their individual growth as students and as people.

Sincerely,

Michael Havens