We have many board and committee positions to be filled, and we want YOU to get involved! 
Open positions include:
Vice President/President Elect: Attend PTSA meetings once per month. Support the PTSA president. The VP will assume the Presidency in 2020-2021.
Eckstein Annual Campaign Co-Chair: Supports the annual fundraising drive for in-class support.
Fundraising Chair: Manage the SCRIP and BoxTops fundraisers for the PTSA.
Staff Appreciation Chair: Organize staff appreciation activities (typically in December and May). 
Meetings are once a month on Monday nights. This is a great way to learn about Eckstein and do essential work to support our kids and their teachers. We'd like to have all positions filled by our June General Meeting, which will be held on June 10th in the Eckstein Library. Contact April Wright , Shelley Prosise, or Amanda Franklin for more information!

The Eckstein Community includes many great volunteers and staff and this is our chance to recognize their efforts. Every year, the Eckstein PTSA presents the Golden Acorn Award to one volunteer and one teacher/staff in recognition of their dedication and service to students at Eckstein Middle School.
These awards are given to individuals who provide exemplary volunteer and teaching service. This is an excellent way to honor volunteers and teachers/staff for their contributions on behalf of all Eckstein students.
Email your nominations (include the name of the person and a brief paragraph about why they deserve the award) to ecksteinvolunteerawards@gmail.com. The deadline is May 31st.
Recipients will be announced and honored at the final General PTSA meeting of the year on Monday, June 10, 2019, at 7:00 p.m. in the Eckstein Library.

Compost Give Away
Saturday May 18th from 10am to 2pm
Cedar Grove and Seattle Public Utilities are joining forces to give back to the community of avid recyclers in the City of Seattle with a compost giveaway at Eckstein Middle School. To thank residents for participating in food and yard waste recycling in the city, free compost will be available for residents to fill their buckets and trucks. The giveaway is on a first come, first served basis and each resident may take up to ½ yard of material as determined by staff.
Please help Eckstein host this community event! We will be hosting the compost giveaway near our courtyard garden and we need 4-5 volunteers to greet people and direct traffic. The event is scheduled for 10am - 2pm Saturday, May 18 (while supplies last), although it is possible the time will change to 9am - 1pm. Volunteers will have an opportunity to pick up their own 1/2 yard of compost during the event.
Sign up at https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0945A4A723A7FC1-call
Contact rochelle.lucero@gmail.com with questions

"Friends of Eckstein MS Pickleball" group has completed a formal project design process.  The firm of Johnson & Southerland, has delivered our technical specifications/ construction documents to use in a construction bid process. Drawings will be on display at the school. Next steps are fundraising and grant seeking.
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED:  A new leadership team (2-4 people) is needed to move this concept into the next phase ( the current leads are stepping down).  The next tasks and talent needed are: 

1. Expanding awareness into the Eckstein MS community and surrounding neighborhood (Bryant, WW, View ridge schools)
2. Fundraising, including creating a recognition program (Name on signs, tags on fence)
3. Grant application to Department of Neighborhoods by March, June or September due dates.
4. If Funded - Oversight / project management of construction phase professionals. (with assistance from Seattle Schools designated operations / facilities group for community based projects)

Email: Pickleballeckstein@gmail.com if you are interested in a lead role. 
If you would like to join the project newsletter mailing list - text keyword:  EMSpickleball to 22828. 
Seattle Parks Foundation is the committee's  fiscal sponsor providing banking and treasurer duties. This partnership provides us with a 501-3C non profit, tax deductible status for all donations. Finances are separate from the Eckstein PTSA budget.
Friends of Eckstein MS Pickleball is a collection of interested community parties, with the vision to replace the damaged, no longer used tennis court at Eckstein with 4 new, dedicated pickleball courts. The new courts would be used by students during PE classes and open play at lunch time, with possible pickleball clubs providing organized play opportunities after school.  The general public would have access evenings until dusk, weekends and any school holiday and vacation breaks.

Seattle Public Schools are currently in a Science Curriculum Adoption Process for grades K-12 which will provide new instructional materials and support for all our classrooms teaching science for the 2019-20 school year. The Board of Directors for Seattle Public Schools is scheduled to adopt the new curriculum at their May 15th meeting. We encourage our community to engage in this process and share their input.  Additional information about the School Board meetings can be found on their website.
Additional information about the adoption process can be found on the K-12 Science Curriculum Adoption Process website and the Science Curriculum website.

To all Eckstein families!! Please help us show our Eckstein  Teachers and Staff how much we appreciate all that they do!

You can help in two ways:
1) Bring or send something for the staff breakfast on Monday.
See the sign-up here: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/70A094BACA72EABF85-staff
2) Send in a gift card to be won by teachers and staff in a VERY exciting raffle on Friday during homeroom. 
Thanks to all the people who have so generously sent in gift cards already.
See the sign-up here: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/70a094baca72eabf85-eckstein2