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friendsofroxhill

RoxStar Newsletter - September 2024


Welcome back to school!


Here’s what’s happening at Roxhill and in our community this month.


Table of Contents



Message from Interim Principal Beach 


Dear Roxhill Families,


It is an honor to be at Roxhill to start this school year. With Ms. Lorow on leave, I have been invited to join this extraordinary school community in her absence. I have worked closely with the teachers and staff to prepare for the arrival of our students, and I have been thoroughly impressed by their dedication and commitment to providing a high-quality learning environment for every child.


This school year marks my 14th as a school administrator, with 12 of those years spent in Seattle Public Schools. My previous roles include working at West Woodland Elementary, John Hay Elementary, and Orca K-8. Throughout my career, my focus has consistently been on fostering collaboration and building positive relationships. I firmly believe that our responsibility as a school is to meet students where they are and to provide the best possible education tailored to each individual.


Please know that my door is always open to you. As a parent myself, I understand that school success begins at home. By partnering closely with families, we can achieve far more than we could on our own. Together, we can create a supportive and enriching environment that enables every student to thrive.


Thank you for your support and for being an integral part of our school community. I look forward to a fantastic school year ahead and to working with all of you.

Warm regards,


Principal Beach

Interim Principal, Roxhill Elementary


From the Nurse’s Office 


Welcome back families!  As the season of fall and harvest is upon us, I notice the leaves in all stages of being.  It reminds me of one of nature’s great lessons; all life is interdependent and moves in an on-going cycle of beginnings and endings.  Indigenous cultures throughout the world, including the Duwamish and Coast Salish people of the Pacific Northwest, have long honored the connection between ourselves, nature, place, and each other as being at the center of health. 


Educational and health researchers in Washington State and around the country have begun to notice the same thing.  Robust outdoor education programs are being encouraged as an important strategy for boosting physical and mental health, strengthen social emotional skills, nurture critical thinking, build scientific inquiry and nurture sustainability practices.


Last year, Roxhill students and staff had many opportunities to play in and learn from connections in nature.  We worked in our school garden with our alumni parent and master gardener, Adolfo, and parent garden stewards, Liz and Annabel; teams of classes joined DNDA and EcoArts at E.C. Hughes Park restoring the forest and creating nature art together; families accepted the invitation from Seattle Housing and City Fruit to plant trees during the fall harvest near HighPoint Commons Park, and FoRE and EcoArts teamed up to invite families to Roxhill Park for Saturday parent coffee and/or arts events.

 

We look forward to continuing to explore connections between health, nature, and learning in our Roxhill Community in the 2024-25 school year.  What does the connection between health and nature look like for you, your student, and family? What connections do you hold dear?  Would you like to join in thinking and planning together for this coming school year?  Please reach out to Nurse Ann.  Thank you!

 

Neighborcare


The Roxhill Neighborcare Health team is excited to kick off a new school year! We warmly invite all families to register for our programs this year. Neighborcare Health is committed to providing free access to medical, mental health, and dental services for all students. Feel free to stop by anytime during the day to register with our clinic coordinator, Fardosa. While our clinic is located at Roxhill Elementary, we are proud to welcome students from other Seattle Public Schools as well, offering our services to all students under 18 years of age.


Neighborcare Health, located at Roxhill Elementary School and other schools across the district, is dedicated to providing comprehensive healthcare to families and individuals who face challenges accessing care. Our mission is to respond sensitively to the needs of our culturally diverse patients, and to advocate for and collaborate with others to enhance the overall health of the communities we serve.


Along with medical, mental health, and dental services, we offer a number of different services:


  • Sports physicals

  • Prescription refills

  • ADHD evaluations

  • Flu vaccination

  • COVID-19 vaccination

  • HPV vaccination

  • Food Access

  • and much MORE! 


Please email sbhcroxhill@neighborcare.org Call 206-452-2660 or stop by our clinic right by the front office to register.





Kings and Queens Team


The Kings and Queens Team continues to grow at Roxhill Elementary.  The Kings and Queens Team is a culturally relevant social and academic mentorship program for 4th & 5th graders at Roxhill Elementary. This program is led by Hakeem Trotter, community activist and Seattle Public Schools employee. In Kings & Queens, we focus on developing warm and supportive relationships between students and staff, strengthening peer relationships across grade levels, and empowering students to make positive choices.

 

Do you have a 4th or 5th grade student?  You will receive a permission slip inviting your student to join over the next couple of weeks.  Opportunities include:


  • Classroom check-ins.

  • Weekly team meetings.

  • After school/weekend special events (please circle your preference)

  • Having a parent advocate at education team meetings.

  • Other?  What are your thoughts?


Please reach out to Mr. Hakeem with questions: 206-679-4173



Friends of Roxhill PTO Community Meeting



Monday, September 16

6:00-7:30 pm

Enter through front entrance


Friends of Roxhill is our school’s non-profit parent/teacher organization (PTO). We are parents, community members, and teachers who work together to support the education and enrichment of our multicultural public school. 


Everyone is welcome and all ideas are encouraged!


Join us for our first meeting of the school year! This is a great way to connect with interim Principal Beach, parents, caregivers, and teachers in the Roxhill community. Pizza and childcare will be provided. Spanish interpretation will be available. Interpretation for other languages is available upon request. Email friendsofroxhill@gmail.com with questions.


Back to School Fundraiser



Kick off the new school year by giving to the Roxhill Field Trip and Classroom Fund!

Did you know schools and families cover the cost of field trips? This creates a disparity between field trip experiences across schools in our district.


With your generous donations, Friends of Roxhill provides each teacher at our school with money for field trips and to equip their classroom with much-needed supplies, like educational games, toys, and books. Last year, donations helped send Roxhill students to the Seattle Aquarium, the Woodland Park Zoo, and the Seattle Children's Theater.

Last year, each teacher received ~$15 per student. We'd like to increase the amount to ~$20 per student this year!


Not all families in our school have the means to give. If you do, please consider donating on behalf of your student and a classmate. 100% of funds will go to teachers to benefit our RoxStars.


Roxhill Elementary is a small but mighty Title I school with about 250 students, located in the south end of West Seattle. Friends of Roxhill Elementary supports the education and enrichment of our multicultural public school in Seattle. Over 70% of our students are from BIPOC communities (Black, Indigenous, Person of Color). Our nonprofit focuses on building equity for students through fundraising, community building, and other important projects for our kids' school success.


Please make your gift today, then share it on social media.


Thank you for being a friend!



Volunteer Opportunities


All volunteer opportunities that take place on school grounds or field trips will require you to fill out a volunteer application through SPS. Apply here or check your status as a returning volunteer. Direct all questions about your SPS application to Office Assistant 


We are looking for volunteers to help with:


  • Lunchroom Helpers (TBD)

  • Reading Volunteers (TBD)

  • Friday Food Bag Prep and Delivery (Fridays at 12 noon)

  • Childcare during FORE Meeting (September 16)



Want to get more involved with Friends of Roxhill this year? 


We are currently recruiting board members for the 2024-2025 school year. The commitment for board members is to attend monthly meetings, vote on behalf of the Roxhill community when needed, read monthly meeting minutes for approval, and participate in occasional offline discussion on topics related to the board, budget, and events. 

We are also looking for volunteers who can help to:


  • Co-manage the Roxhill Learning Garden

  • Manage Facebook page and private group

  • Lead fundraisers

  • Coordinate volunteers

  • Plan events


You do not need to attend PTO meetings to help with any of these volunteer positions. Most can be done in your own time from home!


Email friendsofroxhill@gmail.com for more details.


Carpool Connections


We receive frequent requests for transportation help and try to coordinate carpools and walking buses by introducing families to each other. 


Please fill out the following form if:


  • You need help getting your child to or from school.

  • You would like to volunteer to drive or walk another student to or from school.



Your contact information will not be shared without your permission. Please contact friendsofroxhill@gmail.com with questions.



Important Dates


  • September 16: Friend of Roxhill Elementary Monthly Meeting

  • October 11: State In-service Day (no school for students)

  • October 14 -18: NatureBridge 5th grade camp


To view upcoming school year dates, please visit the online district calendar.

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