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Dear Queen Anne Elementary Family, Welcome! What an amazing 3+ weeks of school with an incredible QAE school community of students, families, teachers and staff. The QAE PTSA vision is to support this community and to support each other to help make our child’s potential become a reality and to help provide a powerful voice for our children. QAE PTSA is a volunteer-run organization and we appreciate all of your volunteering efforts! Before I jump in, I wanted to remind you that our first big event and fundraiser of the year is this Friday--our beloved QAE Jog-A-Thon! We're at $22,000 towards our goal of raising $40,000 and need your help to meet that goal and support our kids. Setting up a PledgeStar account is a snap — take a few minutes to set it up now. Whether you post your PledgeStar link to your social media or dial up your grandparent for a donation — every dollar raised helps! And we'll see you on Friday at the school! If you are new to QAE or back again I wanted to share the focuses we have this year. These were built on parent and staff feedback the Board received at the end of the last school year: Funding staff positions. The PTSA assists in funding our in-class tutors for Kindergarten and 1st Grade, playground supervisor, additional math specialist time, allocation for someone to help with particular paperwork and a Social Emotional Learning focused tutor. Providing staff and classroom support. Funding staff professional development, training days for learning new curriculum and positive discipline, and discretionary funds teachers can use to enhance their classroom or curriculum. And math curriculum for the 4th and 5th grade classes. Bringing in special guests for assemblies and events. Families of Color, which seeks to create a welcoming community for children and families of color, and to integrate cultural competency at QAE. Gather in the Garden, which uses the QAE Learning Garden to integrate basic earth sciences and community stewardship for our students and families. Classroom Coordinators, who keep you connected to what’s happening academically and socially in the classroom. In addition, we sponsor a host of additional support to build community and have fun through events, support Project Based Learning, and generally make QAE the most fun elementary school in Seattle! This is all made possible through the hard work of volunteers and through funds raised each school year. How does PTSA pay for the above initiatives: The PTSA holds fundraising events just three times during the school year. Our estimated total fundraising goal this year is $250,000. Jog-A-Thon – Powered by our students by reaching out to our family and friends for pledges. Explorer Fund Drive – Powered by our parents to help answer a call by our school, teachers and students. Auction – Powered by the whole community. A social evening that helps bring together our parent and teacher community to socialize and raise the dollars needed to fund this year’s operating budget. (Save the Date – Friday, March 13, 2020) Here’s how you can get involved: Complete the back to school checklist! This includes ensuring we can contact you for all of these great events, among many other things. qaeptsa.org/checklist. Volunteer. Whether you volunteer in your child’s class, in campus groups, or through the PTSA, there are many ways to be involved. We are looking for a team to plan our annual auction but there are opportunities on every level of time commitment and interest. Start at the PTSA volunteer page or reach out to presidents@qaeptsa.org. Attend a PTSA event. We organize community events (Family Games Night, Jog-A-Thon, etc) throughout the year, so please join us. We keep all school and PTSA dates on the calendar. Donate. Fundraising enables us to support our students. We organize three annual fundraising events: Jog-A-Thon (October 4, 2019), Explorer Fund Drive (Dec. 2020), and Auction (March 13, 2020). Read the Rocket Reader. Our weekly e-newsletter publication includes essential school and PTSA information and important dates. The email address you provide through the Directory will be added to our distribution list courtesy of QAE PTSA. Please contact communications@qaeptsa.org if you are not receiving the Rocket Reader. Look for more information at qaeptsa.org, in the Rocket Reader, and in your student’s orange folder in the coming weeks. We look forward to meeting you and thank you for your support. Sincerely, Sandra Nanney QAE PTSA President  PTSA President Sandra Nanney and her family Frequently Asked Questions How do I get information? Do I need Facebook?
We try to communicate in different ways to reach all parents – Rocket Reader emails, weekly Class Coordinator emails, student orange folders and Facebook postings. Some forms of communication will reach you faster than others. Facebook – I see two QAE facebook accounts. What’s the difference? There are two pages that shares school information. Queen Anne Elementary PTSA – primary posts are the official dates and to-do's pushed by the PTSA and the Board initiatives. QAE Community Discussions – closed group of QAE community family members where all individuals are welcome to post questions, discussions and support each other. The after-school enrichment registration process is different this year – why is that? After many years of running the enrichment program with a team of volunteers it was brought to the Board that the program had gotten larger than the parent volunteers could manage. The after-school program is now being run by Kids Co. It does look similar because we provided them all our previous providers for them to contact for set up. QAE PTSA Board Meeting vs. General Meeting –What is the difference? PTSA board meetings occur once a month for committee updates, discussions on ways to improve, execute, and vote on upcoming requests and needs of the communities. All are welcome but only board members have a vote on motions during the Meeting. General Meeting – PTSA holds three all school meetings each year to share with the community financial updates, committee updates or any motions that require an all membership vote I.e. the main PTSA Budget requires a general membership vote. All are welcome and usually kids club is available for students. I have an idea and want to start something new? Great! We are open to new ideas and parent led initiatives. Please reach out to president@qaeptsa.org and we can figure it out. What’s coming up?
Other questions? Email communications@qaeptsa.org and we'll do our best to help. Online registration is now available for 20 different after school enrichment classes offered this Fall at QAE! KidCo is running our enrichment program this year, but you'll see many favorites from previous years. Classes begin the week of Oct. 14th, with options for every grade level!
Get more information about After School Enrichment and register here. Hurry — many classes fill up quickly! Comb that hair and button up that shirt—QAE Picture Day is on Tuesday, Sept. 24th!
You should have received a printed order form in your child's orange folder. You can order by returning that form by Tuesday or by placing your order online via the Yuen Lui site. Make sure it's in prior to Picture Day. If your child is absent during Picture Day, our scheduled retake day is November. 15th. Come on over to QAE on Wednesday evening for Family Games Night. It's our first fun family event of the year! Please RSVP here to help us plan.
With the help of Blue Highway Games, we'll be playing games for all ages from 5:45-7:30pm. Come by anytime. Dinner will be easy — a food truck have soft tacos, burritos, quesadillas and nachos available for purchase! Get more details about Family Games Night here... We're also looking for adult volunteers to sit near games and teach other the rules. Easy and fun! Grab a volunteer slot here...
UPDATE: Curriculum Night has been postponed. However, Ms. Roy and a QAE PTSA representative will be in the Gym from 6:30-7:30pm fielding questions and putting together an additional FAQ that might have been missed by Janine's earlier email. Childcare will be available for those interested.
Our annual Curriculum Night is this Thursday from 6:30-8pm! It's an opportunity for parents to hear from our teachers! They'll share their vision for how Project Based Learning, Social Emotional Learning, how QAE handles homework, volunteer opportunities and, importantly, some of the nuts and bolts details of classroom life. Schedule for Curriculum Night There will be two different sessions for those families with more than one child at QAE.
Curriculum Night is for parents only. The PTSA is hosting Games Club that evening with a limited number of slots for kids (suggested donation of $5 per child). Sign up for a slot in Games Club here... We hope you can join us for Family Games Night on Wednesday, Sept. 25th. It's our first fun family event of the year! Please RSVP here to help us plan for Games Night.
With the help of Blue Highway Games, we'll be playing games for all ages from 5:45-7:30pm. Dinner will be easy — a food truck have soft tacos, burritos, quesadillas and nachos available for purchase! Get more details about Family Games Night here... Hello, families! We are headed into the next step of our planning phase for all in-school art residencies through the city's Creative Advantage program. We could use a few more parents at our next meeting on Monday, September 23rd from 3-6pm. If you are interested, please email parent Gillian Jorgensen at gillianj@mac.com for more information.
The school year is underway, kids are starting to get used to the routine. We've loved seeing all the smiling faces! Hope your first week has gone well!
For those new to the school, the Rocket Reader is an e-newsletter sent by the PTSA to parents. It comes out at least once a week, usually on Wednesdays. Back-to-School Information Form Thanks to those 70+ families who have completed this. It's the one-stop place to pay your student's supply and tech fees, purchase an annual, join the PTSA and share your directory. If you haven't done so, please take five minutes to do so now! Upcoming Events
As we start the year, there are a few volunteer positions where we could use your help. QAE relies on volunteers to make our school flourish. We'd love you to join us! If you're interested in any of the roles or have any other questions, please reach out to PTSA President Sandra Nanney at president1@qaeptsa.org
Auction Focus Group - call it an auction, fundraiser or spring social but once a year we host an event where QAE comes together to socialize and raise money for our school. We want to change it up this year but before paying for deposits we want to get a group of parents together to brainstorm ideas. Would you be willing to meet as a small group for coffee? Or after work drink? FYI - we don’t have a Auction Team Lead yet. We have plenty of volunteers but not someone to marry it all together. If you are interested in leading PLEASE reach out to Sandra Nanney @ president1@qaeptsa.org Legislative Director - do you like following the news? Do you read the voter pamphlets from cover to cover? This role might be right for you. Looking for someone that will inform our school of legislation that would impact our school community. Did you know that PTAs were created to advocate for the child. Please let us know if there are things we should advocate! Families of Color co-director - Equity, diversity and the ongoing community dialogue to better educate ourselves and our children. Do you have the desire to further the conversation? Our amazing Leader, Kay Dumlao Doherty, is hoping to have a partner to help further the conversation and share the goals of making sure we take the time to connect and educate. Fundraising Director - QAE PTSA hosts 3 fundraising events a year. As fundraising director you will review numbers and updates with the groups running the events. Support and brainstorm where needed. Usually the event teams are really focused on the execution to come to the boring board meetings :) Many years the fundraising director will run 1 of the 3 events themselves. Assistant Treasurer - are you good with check requests? Or tallying numbers? Our co-treasurers would like to round out the team with an additional person. Full transparency - Kelly Essmeier, our assistant treasurer for 1 year and now treasurer for her 2nd year will be graduating from QAE. She is hoping to pass on the knowledge to the next team so we have good transitions. We can add a lead to any position you are interested in. The President roles would appreciate a Co-President or a Co-Vice President to join them at the table. If you are interested please reach out to Sandra Nanney at president1@qaeptsa.org We're starting off the school year right with one of our favorite events of the year--Family Games Night, sponsored by Blue Highway Games. Come play new games, try them and buy them if you love them ! They will bring a selection of games for sale during the event. Games with be a range from educational to just pure family fun! There will also be a food truck there will food available for purchase. Get more information and RSVP here...  Queen Anne Elementary is officially open! It's was a bright, sunny morning and the playground was filled with smiling faces. We heard from Superintendent Denise Juneau, State Senator (and QAE parent alum) Reuven Carlyle, School Board Director Eden Mack and more! Principal Roy got a honorary hardhat from Hensel Phelps Construction and everyone pitched in to cut the ribbon. Our very own students also helped lead tours of our amazing new space. Photos below! Thanks to all those at SPS and QAE who put the ceremony together! Can you believe it's that time? After our ribbon cutting ceremony on Tuesday, school starts on Wednesday morning! Given that we had a later start time last year at John Marshall, we wanted to remind everyone of the schedule.
First Day:
School Hours:
Be sure to come by the gym on the first day for coffee and celebration! |
Welcome to the Rocket Reader blog! The PTSA's collection of news & information relevant to QAE Families. This is also shared weekly in the Rocket Reader e-newsletter. Use the form below to sign up!
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QUEEN ANNE ELEMENTARY PTSAOur Vision: Create, maintain, and support a healthy and successful environment within the QAE community and support staff, students, and their families in the quest for an excellent education.
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SCHEDULE2023-24 On-Site Schedule
7:55am - School Day Begins 2:25pm - Dismissal Wednesday Early Release 1:10pm - Dismissal |
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