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November 2024

McKenny Hawks Are Kind, Safe, Respectful and Responsible

 

 

 

Important Dates:

  • 1: First Day of American Indian Heritage Month
  • 3: Daylight Savings Time Ends
  • 4: 4th Grade to Kennedy Creek 10:15 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
  • 5: Picture Re-Takes
  • 5: Election Day
  • 6: Walk N Roll
  • 6: Veterans Day Assembly 1:05 p.m. (families welcome to attend)
  • 8: PTO Movie Night 6:30 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.
  • 8: Last Day for PTO Read-A-Thon
  • 11: Veterans Day - No School
  • 12: PTO Meeting at 6:30 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.
  • 21: 3rd Grade to Food Bank 5:00 p.m. - 6:30 p.m.
  • 27-29: Thanksgiving Break - No School
  • 28: Thanksgiving Day
  • 29: Native American Heritage Day

 

Congratulations to our All-State Choir Students!

The following students will be performing February 16th with the Jr. All-State Choir in Spokane, WA; Miya M., Arianna G., Amelie M., and Brynlee H. This is a huge accomplishment as thousands of kids audition and the choir is made up of 150 5th and 6th graders from all over the state!

 

Picture Re-Takes - November 5th

This is an opportunity for student's who were absent on the original picture day to have their photo taken. If your student was here and you simply do not like the picture, please send your student to school on picture re-take day with the picture packet to be turned in to the photographer.


Please see the attached flyer for ordering information or order online by clicking the following link.

If you have questions please contact the office at 360.596.8400.

 

Walk N Roll -November 6th

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!

 

Thanksgiving Food Support

McKenny is partnering with 4 the Love Foundation to provide extra food support for families in need during the November break. If this would be helpful to your family, please complete the Google form: Thanksgiving break food support  OR contact the family liaison, Maria Garcia, at [email protected].

The deadline for requests is: November 4th, 2024 by 4 p.m.

 

Toddler Group

McKenny Toddler Groups currently have openings for more toddlers!  Our free play groups for toddlers with and without special needs and their caregiver(s) meet weekly. If you'd like more information about the groups please text or email Simona.
Cell: 360-890-6897. Email: [email protected].

 

Attendance

Attendance supports your students' social, emotional, and academic achievement, and it is mandatory by law. However, cold and flu season is among us and with that we understand comes absences. If your child is not feeling well, has a fever or vomiting please keep them home. Refer to the document, "When Should Children Stay Home?" for further guidance. You can excuse their absence by calling the attendance line at 360.596.8403 or email [email protected]. You can also send doctors notes and planned absence forms to the email provide to excuse absences.

If you are checking in your student late or taking them out early, please utilize our new computers in the office!

 

Rainy Weather Has Arrived

A friendly reminder, slips and falls happen so please be sure your student has a complete change of clothes in their backpack. 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 simply do not have enough clothes to go around. We appreciate you sharing this message with your student.

 

Lost and Found

Our lost and found is bursting at the seams with 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).


Free/Reduced lunch applications are now available through Skyward Family Access for families to complete as needed. For additional information please click the following link.

 

News from the PTO

Pilates:

Don’t miss out! Join us on Tuesday, November 5th, from 6:10 AM to 7:00 AM in the McKenny gym for the last Pilates class of our six-week session. This class is perfect for beginners, and if you haven’t attended yet, now’s your chance! A suggested donation of $10 helps support our PTO. Remember to bring your own mat and a water bottle. We can’t wait to see you there!

Movie Night:

Mark your calendars for the first movie night of the year featuring Where the Wild Things Are! November 8th, doors open at 6:15pm. The cost is $5 for the first student and $4 for any additional. Tickets can be purchased at bit.ly/PTOCU. Pre-K and Kindergarten students are required to have an adult stay for the duration of the film. Free admission will be offered to any student who reads 60 minutes or more for Read A Thon by movie night!

Read A Thon October 26th - November 8th:

Our Read-A-Thon, "Cozy Up With A Good Book," kicked off on Saturday, October 26th, and runs through Friday, November 8th! Students can log minutes spent reading—whether they read independently, to someone else, or enjoyed a story read to them, or an audio book. Be sure to submit your reading minutes by November 12th to be counted. 

PTO Meeting Tuesday Nov 12th 6:30-8:00pm:

Please join us for our November PTO meeting on Tuesday, November 12th in the McKenny library at 6:30 PM or connect via Zoom for a great evening of planning and discussing our recent events. This is a great opportunity to share your ideas, ask questions, and get involved.  We hope to see you there—whether in person or on ZOOM.  Meeting ID: 881 5468 3334 Passcode: 772214 

Hawk Wear:

Check out the newest Hawk Wear! Whether you’re looking for T-shirts, hoodies, or accessories, we’ve got you covered. Head over to bit.ly/hawkwear2024 to explore the latest designs and show off your school spirit!

Yearbook:

Attention, McKenny Hawks! We want to make sure every student is represented in our yearbook, and we need your help! Keep submitting your photos through the Yearbook Snap App using the password McKenny25. Please label your photos with names and events for accurate representation. Let’s capture all the great memories together!

Trunk or Treat: 

A big thank you from the PTO for making this year’s Trunk or Treat a success! We are incredibly grateful to all our volunteers—whether you donated candy, decorated a trunk, or helped out at the event, your support made it all possible. Don’t forget to check out the fun memories captured at our Photo Booth! You can find the pictures at boothpics.com/7FNS

Holiday Wreaths:

The Olympia Education Foundation is excited to announce the sale of beautiful holiday wreaths! Proceeds will support all elementary parent leader groups in the district. Don’t miss out—orders are due by November 3rd, with pickup scheduled for November 24th. Visit olyedfoundation.org to place your order today.

Don’t forget to find us on Facebook, Instagram, CheddarUp and our website!

PTO email: [email protected] 

PTO website:  mckennypto.org!

Instagram: @mckennyhawkspto
Facebook: facebook.com/mckennyhawkspto 


Principals Corner  

Hello McKenny Families,

As we enter the month of November, once again I want to share with you how grateful I am to be a part of the McKenny family. 

Every single day, I get to witness the kindness with which students treat each other in class, in the hallways, in the lunchroom, and on the playground. In small ways, and large, students are accepting of others, supportive of their peers, and interested in learning about what makes each student unique and special. Sure, there are times when some of the children need some guidance and support in this area, but that is what we do and we are encouraged by the growth we see.

At our school assemblies, we have chosen to focus on our guiding principles (Be Kind, Be Safe, Be Respectful, Be Responsible) and our McKenny Life Skills. At the recent assemblies, we re-introduced the McKenny LIfe Skills of Effort/Hard Work and Curiosity.

For Effort/Hard Work, we talked about the practice of challenging yourself to do the best job possible. To see mistakes as opportunities to learn more and practice perseverance. To go above and beyond the basic expectations of school work and to add creativity and personal touch (especially when practicing writing skills).

For Curiosity, we talked about the importance of digging deeper when you have a desire to get better at something - whether it is a topic in school or a hobby/interest outside of school. When we truly have an interest in something, it is very rewarding to learn as much as possible and find ways to share that learning, or talent, with others.

I truly hope that you will reinforce these messages about Effort, Hard Work and Curiosity with the students at home. The more they hear about these skills, the more likely it is that they will apply them in their own academic experiences.

With Gratitude,

Michael Havens


McKenny Elementary School Schedule

Grades K to 5  8:30 a.m.—2:45 p.m. 

AM Preschool  8:30—11:00 a.m. 
PM Preschool  12:15—2:45 p.m. 
Early Release Every Wednesday 1:55 p.m.  (No preschool) 
Half Day Dismissal 11:35 a.m.  (No preschool)