 Monday, Sept 13, 7pm
MEETING LINK • Meeting ID: 876 2935 4140 • Passcode: EMSPTSA! All Board meetings are open to the Eckstein Community (whether or not you're a PTSA member), and will be virtual until we are allowed to meet in person in the school building. This is a great way to learn about the community and hear directly from school leaders about what's going on. Engage with us, or just keep your camera off and quietly take it all in. Join us however you can! Eckstein is a wonderful community. The administration is capable and caring. The teachers are passionate and skilled. The families and parents of Eckstein students are supportive and encouraging of the good things that happen here. Thank you for MAKING Eckstein a great place to learn, grow, and work.
The Eckstein PTSA hopes to be a helpful connection between home and school. We support teachers and students through coordinating volunteers and financial resources. We also advocate for students at the state and national levels. We support families by making school information accessible. We are entering another new experience related to Covid-19. We do not know when we will have “normal” access to the building but we will return to coordinating helpful resources like amazing speakers and community events as soon as we can do so safely. Check out the website www.ecksteineaglesptsa.org for information about upcoming events, volunteer sign-ups, PTSA resources. Join Us: PTSA membership is essential to making sure the family community has a strong voice and an organized expression of support for our school and our kids. Families can join the PTSA at tinyurl.com/eckptsa or on the PTSA website noted above. The first PTSA meeting is scheduled for Monday September 13th at 7 pm. The PTSA board is planning to meet by zoom through December with the hope of eventually offering a hybrid option. Your students will be receiving a PTSA welcome packet in their homeroom class on the first day of school. Thanks for reading and thank you in advance for your support this year. Please contact the PTSA board with comments, questions, and ideas. We want to hear from you! All of our addresses are on the PTSA website. We are looking forward to an exciting year of growth for all our kids and community building for all our families! Sincerely, Beth Cogan Eckstein PTSA President Megan Sun McIntosh Eckstein PTSA Vice-President As we start school, some things will be familiar, some will be different.
To learn more about COVID protocols, please review the safety video and the document. COVID Safety Will there be Vaccine clinics this year? Yes-there will be additional partnerships. Dates are to be determined. Will there be on-site testing? Yes-through there will be a Protected Health Care Room Supervisor at each school. Families need to opt into the program. Is there any data about how many students are vaccinated? In Seattle, Youth vaccine (12-19) rate is 67-71% and adult is 82-86%. This is not specific to Eckstein. What measures are being taken during lunch period? Will there be outdoor seating? EMS is seating students spread out in the auditorium and the lunchroom. Students will also be allowed to eat outside on the field and in the garden.
Regarding lunchtime: Being indoors unmasked is the riskiest time of the day. Even if kids are distanced and all facing the same direction, virus can be carried in air currents throughout the room. There don't seem to be many covered areas outside. As the weather gets colder and wetter, are there any plans for increasing outdoor covered areas? Perhaps outdoor lunches can be prioritized for 6th graders? We only have one covered area provided by the District with 8 tables underneath it. It's only large enough for 24 students. Will there be health attestations this year? Starting September 1st (the first day of school for SPS middle schools), students will NOT need to fill out an attestation in order to enter the building. However, students should remain home if sick to protect fellow students and staff.
School Day Are there any restrictions to types of food kids can bring to school (such as peanuts)? No. Eckstein does not currently have any students with allergies that restrict other students from bringing items to school. What is the bell schedule this year? There will be a warning bell at 8:50. Students are expected to be in their Home Room classroom by the 8:55 bell.
Will there be a crossing guard or security on site? EMS will not have a crossing guard. There will security but as of yet one has not been assigned to Eckstein. Can students carry their backpacks during the day? Students will be able to carry their backpacks or keep in their locker during the school day. Do the students need to bring the laptops to school every day? Yes. They won’t be spending the entire school day in front of screens, but will be using technology in classes when it supports the lesson. Do students change for gym? Students can wear their regular clothes or change. There are not showers available. What are the COVID-19 protocols for assemblies and concerts? Will numbers be limited? Held outside? Windows open? Concert planning: Our music department is still determining how to hold concerts. Assemblies: Families will be able to opt out their students of the next assemblies. Students are seated with 2 seats in between the next student — more than 6 feet and all facing forward, staggered in seats. We will have 3 assemblies to reduce numbers. Multiple filters are operating in the auditorium. Miscellaneous Are there afterschool sport opportunities? Coed Frisbee and girls soccer will start in the fall. Visit the EMS athletic page for more details. Ms. Detering, EMS Assistant Secretary, will post more information about start dates as soon they are scheduled. If interested in sports, parents should fill out the paperwork and email it to Ms. Williams. Eckstein Athletics page We missed WEB Day or Back to School Fair…how do we get laptops, etc? Computers will be delivered to their homeroom on Wednesday, along with a planner. Schedules are available on The Source. I have not received a text regarding the Talking Points app? How do I get it? Eckstein is using TalkingPoints to communicate through the app with families. You will be able to respond to announcements and messages in the app. If you haven't received a link to download the app, or having trouble connecting it to your student(s), please contact Ms. Detering, EMS Assistant Secretary for help. What's the Computer Fee? Your student may have emerged from the Back to School Fair with a school laptop and a note about a $25 fee. This is a fee to help with wear and tear, and was not collected last year as the District rolled out its 1:1 device program for remote learning.
When will the Garden Club start up again? Could it be done after school on early dismissal days since the garden is being used as a lunch space? We can get this going when we have parental volunteers to make it happen. Volunteers just need to complete the proper SPS paperwork. We are also looking forward to starting a club time during the school day at Eckstein — we're dreaming this up right now with a team of teachers, and hoping for a 2nd quarter start. This would be a great time to engage kids, too! It’s one of the simplest ways to show your support of Eckstein students, staff, and the wider community
✓ Support our advocacy at city, state, and national levels ✓ Help us focus efforts on equity, accessibility, and mental health ✓ Fund student programs and activities ✓ Receive member benefits ✓ Scholarships and family membership discounts available Questions? membership@ecksteineaglesptsa.org |
School Information Attendance Office: email here or 206-252-5014 Eckstein Middle School Webpage Eckstein News Archives
September 2021
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