Archived Family Newsletters
April 22 - May 5, 2022
April is School Library Month!
Students working in the Foster High School library.
The newly remodeled Foster High School Library.
FHS Teacher Librarian Maggie Shay recommends Year of the Reaper by Makiia Lucier.
Ms. Flack helps students at the Showalter Library.
Students play games at the Showalter Library.
Showalter Teacher Librarian Maria Flack recommends With the Fire on High by Elizabeth Acevedo.
Tukwila Elementary Teacher Librarian Yvonne Chesak recommends I Will Dance by Nancy Bo Flood.
Ms. Chesak checks in books for students at Tukwila Elementary.
Students play cards during lunch at Thorndyke.
Thorndyke Teacher Librarian Kyla Crawford recommends I Remember: Poems and Pictures of Heritage by Lee Bennett Hopkins.
Students read books in the Cascade View library.
Students enjoying their books at Cascade View. Teacher Librarian Ruth Hundtofte recommends Our Friend Hedgehog by Lauren Castillo.
Parent Advisory Committee Meeting
Please join us for a virtual Parent Advisory Committee Meeting on Wednesday, April 27 from 5:00 - 6:00 p.m. This committee will be ongoing and will address issues that the committee feels are important and advise the District on policies. Parent voices are extremely important in helping shape our schools and being part of this committee provides a crucial platform for parent-school communication.
Stories of Arrival Events
Virtual Event - Thursday, April 28 at 3:00
Hear local students from Foster High School read poems from their new anthology at a virtual event. The Voice of My Heart: Unforgettable Memories in an Unforgettable Year is the latest from the Stories of Arrival Poetry Project. Register at 1.kcls.org/storiesofarrival
In-Person Book Launch - Thursday, May 19 at 6:00 p.m. Spice Bridge
Dual Language Experiential Event
Join us for a Dual Language Experiential Event on Tuesday, May 3 from 5:00 - 6:30 p.m.
In this session you will experience what it feels like to learn language and content simultaneously while cooking comida casera. It's all FREE! We even supply you with the groceries. It's a fun way to engage with the Tukwila community and learn at the same time.
FHS Student Internships
Congratulations to our FHS students for being chosen for these internships!
1. Latino Conservation Week Ambassador - Jose Velasquez
What is Latino Conservation Week? Latino Conservation Week: Disfrutando y Conservando Nuestra Tierra is an initiative of Hispanic Access Foundation (HAF). Latino Conservation Week was created to support the Latino community getting into the outdoors and participating in activities to protect our natural resources. During this week, community, non-profit, faith-based, and government organizations and agencies hold events throughout the country. From hiking and camping to community roundtables and film screenings, these activities promote conservation efforts in their community, and provide an opportunity for Latinos to show their support for permanently protecting our land, water, and air. Latino Conservation Week Ambassadors coordinate events in their community.
2. Metro Equity Cabinet- Samara Pendley
Samra is the first youth to be accepted for this position. The cabinet includes 25 community leaders representing low-income communities, black, native and communities of color, immigrants and refugees, limited-English speaking people, and people with disabilities. The group convened regularly throughout 2019 to co-crate the Mobility Framework and continues to meet monthly in online meetings to discuss and provide feedback on proposed updates to Metro’s policies. Regular meetings will continue through mid-2021 when the updated policies are transmitted to King County Council, and then as needed through the Council review and adoption process.
3. IRC Gardening Internship- Juna Kim, Alex Vicuna Perez, Iittzy Soriano Hernandez, Alejandra Baries Serrano, Braulio Simental Santos
Students work with IRC's Youth Roots Coordinator Ashley Alvarez working at Namaste Garden on the youth garden plot as well as meet with elders in the community, learn gardening techniques, and problem solve together.
4. FHS Learning Garden Internship- Jose Vaca Martinez, Jenifer Carrera Garrido, Connor Clemans
Students serve on the FHS Garden Committee and are working to plan the FHS garden.
5. FHS Garbage + Recycling Initiative - Sophie Jimenez
Sophie is working to understand how garbage and recycling works at FHS. She will present an improved plan to increase the amount of recycling and composting on campus while reducing the amount of garbage collected on campus.
6. Sea Potential - Manuel Garnica Rios, Jose Fonseca, Khadeja Jangana
We have a focused curriculum design in outdoor experiential and observational learning, with hybrid adaptations availaTee. Our curriculum centers BIPOC perspectives while incorporating tools to acknowledge and heal individual and generational trauma related to water based ecosystems.
7. Unkitawa Indigneous Youth Program - Annabelle Growingthunder
8. Environmental Book Reviews- Angnes Grey
Angnes is working with FHS library Ms. Shay to organize the environmental book section in the library as well as writing reviews for books.
9. Climate Equity Community Task Force (CECTF) - Dennis Nguyen, Jada Nazarene, Alex Vicuna Perez
As part of King County’s commitment to action on climate change and equity and social justice (ESJ), the 2020 Strategic Climate Action Plan (SCAP) includes a new Sustainable & Resilient Frontline Communities (SRFC) section focused on climate equity and community-driven policy.
10. Youth Restoration Training Crew (PIE) - Samara Pendley
Education and training in environmental topics. Participants complete restoration projects in parks.
Thorndyke Mascot Survey
If you have suggestions for what Thorndyke's new mascot should be, please fill out the form below.
April 8 - April 21, 2022
Calendar Survey
Tukwila Schools have started long-term planning for our yearly calendars and we're interested in exploring different calendar ideas and getting feedback from the community about ways we can change the structure of the school year to work better for our students and families. Please fill out the following short survey to share your thoughts. This feedback will be used to inform planning conversations for years after the 2022-2023 school year.
Summer School Enrollment Window Closes on April 22
Tukwila School District is now accepting applications for summer school. Please visit our Summer School Enrollment page for more information.
Cascade View Robotics
From Estelle Kim, STEAM Lab Teacher at Cascade View Elementary:
The Winter session of our 5th grade robotics program came to an end this week and we wanted to share the hard work of our amazing 5th grade roboticists/engineers from the past few months. The students put together presentations that I have compiled into a video. A special thank you to Ms. Kristy Johnson and Mr. Dave Larson for all of their hard work running and supporting our 5th grade robotics program!
Thorndyke Mascot Survey
If you have suggestions for what Thorndyke's new mascot should be, please fill out the form below.
FHS Robotics Club Wins 1st Place!
FHS "Wormies" Win 1st Place at NW Regional Envirothon Competition
FHS Signing Event
On Monday, 3/28, we celebrated two of our student athletes. JuJu Fa'ataualofa has committed to Mayville State University to play football. Lyricc Lopez has committed to the University of Arizona to participate in Track and Field. We are so proud of both young men and their accomplishments on and off the field.
Access Baby & Child Dentistry (ABCD) Program
The King County Access to Baby and Child Dentistry program (ABCD) focuses on preventive and restorative dental care for Medicaid-eligible children, with an emphasis on "First Tooth, First Birthday, First Dental Exam" by a dentist or a doctor, as recommended by the Academy of Pediatric Dentistry.
Dentists have been specifically trained and certified on caring for young kids, preventing tooth decay early and educating parents about how to take good care of their children's teeth. Please see the documents below for more information.
March 25 - April 7, 2022
Preschool and Kindergarten Registration Event
The Tukwila School District will be holding a Preschool and Kindergarten Registration Event on Wednesday, March 30 from 2:00 - 7:00 p.m. at the Tukwila School District Administration Office (4640 S. 144th St.)
Children who will be 3 by August 31 are eligible to enroll in preschool and children who will be 5 by August 31 are eligible to enroll in Kindergarten. Translators will be available. We’re excited to meet you and your student!
Strategic Planning Family Meeting
Please join us for a virtual Strategic Plan Feedback session on Thursday, April 7 at 5:00 p.m. (Zoom link) Our new strategic plan will define the actions and measures needed to guide us into the future and ensure success for all students. We would like you to be an important part of this process by providing your thoughts and insights into the strengths, weaknesses, and opportunities of Tukwila’s schools.
Summer School Enrollment is Open!
Tukwila School District is now accepting applications for summer school. Please visit our Summer School Enrollment page for more information.
Thorndyke Mascot Change
Thorndyke Elementary School's mascot is changing! Students are going to begin the process of choosing options for a new mascot and then will vote on it in a few months. A committee has begun meeting to determine a process for gathering student and community feedback. We'll continue to keep you updated as the selection process progresses.
CTE at Foster
Students at Foster are utilizing one of the new break out spaces to learn and test on the life saving technique CPR for their Career and Technical class Family Health. Family Health is designed to prepare students for life-long decision making, problem solving, critical thinking, and management skills related to health and wellness issues impacting families. The primary role is enabling students to assume an active role in developing healthy lifestyles for themselves and others. Students earn a CPR and OSHA 10 hour certification in the course. This course focuses on the interrelationships of healthy choices and a productive, satisfying life.
Talking Points is Coming!
We're going to begin to use a new communication tool called Talking Points. This will allow the District to send texts to your phone with important information and updates and the texts will be translated into the language that you primarily speak. You will receive your first text from the Tukwila School District on Friday, March 25 and it will be sent from the number 1-415-329-4879. Please email communications@tukwila.wednet.
Child Tax Credit
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The Child Tax Credit increased, from $2,000 to either $3,000 or $3,600, depending on the child’s age and the income of their parents or guardians.
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Most families got half of what the IRS estimated would be their Child Tax Credit in advance monthly payments from July to December 2021.
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The Earned Income Tax Credit increased to $1,500 for some workers without qualifying kids at home. This is nearly three times as much as previous years.
To get these remaining credits, families and workers must file their taxes, even if they might not normally make enough to be required to file.
Visit the ChildTaxCredit.gov website or the IRS.gov Child Tax Credit website for more information, and resources to file taxes for free.