Eckstein Newsletter

Contact Us

Main Office 206-252-5010; FAX 206-252-5011

Attendance 206-252-5014

Upcoming Dates

August 28th 6TH Grade WEB Day 3:00-5:30 PM

Please drop all 6th grade students in front of school on NE 75th street by 3:00 PM.

**We are unable to host back-to-school fairs this year for 7th and 8th grades, due to major construction in the building. Students will receive their computers, locker assignments, and take school photos once school starts.

September 6th First day of school – No early release – 8:55 AM – 3:45 PM

Early release will occur every Wednesday Except for the first week of school.

September 14th School Picture Day

September 27th Curriculum Night

September 29th 6th grade Eagle Night

Welcome Back from Principal Rose

Hello Eckstein Families,

Welcome to the 2023-2024 school year!

I hope this newsletter finds you and your family well and that you have had a wonderful summer. We are looking forward to welcoming our Eckstein Eagles back to school in a few short weeks.

I would like to extend a special welcome to our new families joining our Eckstein community. We are glad you are with us for your student’s middle school journey!

We ask that you do a careful read of this back to school newsletter. We send our weekly school information through this “Smore” format, as it provides opportunity for translation for our families. We hope the many questions you have as we embark on the new school year are integrated into this publication. Please reach out with additional questions you have.

I am fortunate to lead the most amazing community of students, educators and families.

It is a great honor to be your Principal.

Sincerely,
Kristin Rose, Principal

WEB Day for Incoming 6th Grade Students

Monday – August 28, 2023
3:00 – 5:30 PM

We are very excited to welcome our newest Eagles, the incoming 6th grade class, to Eckstein Middle School!

The transition from elementary to middle school can be filled with many different emotions. We hope to ease this transition by inviting your student to Eckstein on Monday, August 28th from 3:00 – 5:30 PM for our WEB program.

Where Everyone Belongs!

• Orientation and transition program to welcome our new 6th grade students.
• Community building activities.
• Meet fellow sixth graders.
• Tour the building.
• Much, much more!

We know that many families have plans in the final days before school starts and cannot attend WEB due to prior commitments. If this is the case for your student, please do not worry. The first day of school we repeat welcoming activities, provide tours of the school, and get our students well situated before they start moving to their various classes. Please rest assured that they will be well taken care of!

Please review the email with specific instructions sent from Principal Rose on 8/21/23.

Welcome New 7th and 8th Grade Students to Eckstein

We invite new to Eckstein 7th and 8th grade students to join us for a meet and greet and a tour of the school. We will meet on August 28th from 1:00-2:00 PM in front of the school at the blue and white Eckstein Middle School sign off of NE 75th Street. This event will be hosted by 7th grade Counselor Mr. Hoff and 8th grade Counselor Ms. Ziadeh.

Notes from the Nurse

Dear Parents and Guardians,

Welcome back! I hope you have all had a great summer and are ready to begin the year. I wanted to take a moment to introduce myself. My name is Amelia Kaune, and I will be your new school nurse. I have been a nurse for over 14 years with a background in labor and delivery and as a substitute school nurse for SPS. I have also lived in Wedgwood for more than 8 years. I am so excited to be joining Eckstein and look forward to collaborating with families to ensure the health of your students.

There are several things I need in order to be ready for your child this year.

Immunizations:

Please make sure that you child is up to date with all the required immunizations for school. You will receive a letter from the district office if a student is deficient in any of the required immunizations.

Medications:

If your child will need daily medication that will be given at school or, if your child has an emergency medication (epinephrine, albuterol, glucagon, midazolam, etc) that may need to be given at school, I will need the medication authorization form signed by both you AND his/her physician.

If the student will carry the medication with them (i.e.: albuterol), you must make sure to check that box otherwise, I should have it in the nurse’s office. Please make sure the physician states the name of the medication, the dosage, how often given and for what. I must have this form for all medications by the first day of school; without it, I cannot give the medication. If any changes are made to the dosage, etc. I will need a new medication authorization. All medication must come in its original package, not individual pills. It must have your child’s name clearly written on the box/prescription, and the dosage and administration instructions on the printed pharmacy label MUST match those on the medication authorization form.

I will be at the school on the following days this month (see below) and would invite you to come and meet me, especially for those of you that have students with emergency medications or chronic conditions (i.e.: diabetes, seizure disorders, severe allergies), and to drop off any medications and paperwork that will be needed this year. Please call in advance of coming to ensure I will be present to meet you.

• Thursday, August 24, 11AM to 4 PM
• Friday, August 25, 9 AM to 12 PM
• Monday, August 28, 1 PM to 4 PM
• Friday, September 1, 9 AM to 12 PM
• Tuesday, September 5, 9 AM to 4 PM

Emergency Contact:

Please make sure to have your emergency contact information up to date (sent home first week of school and an online update request will also be sent from SPS) in case I need to call due to illness and the need to return home. I will start with parents/guardians and then will go down your list. Remember that during school hours at any time I could call— being available during these hours is very helpful.

I look forward to working with you and your child this school year. During the school year, I work Monday-Friday from 08:30-4:00. Enjoy the remaining days of summer break.

Amelia Kaune BSN, RN (She/Her)
School Nurse, Eckstein Middle School
aakaune@seattleschools.org
P: 206-252-5017
F: 206-252-5011

Student Schedules

Please remember that Eckstein’s schedule is very complex and elective choices are not guaranteed. We prioritize the scheduling of core academic classes to ensure that all students are in the appropriate courses. We cannot accommodate teacher choice. We do our best to honor elective choices when possible.

If you would like to request a change to your student’s schedule, you may do so between August 29th and September 19th online

More information about schedules can be found on our Registrar’s webpage

Timeline:

• Preliminary schedules will go live on the Source on August 28th at 4 PM.
• Preliminary schedules will also be ready for distribution to 6th grade only at WEB Day on August 28th 3-5:30 PM so that students can view their schedule while taking their school tour, locating their classrooms.
• Changes can be requested online, directly to the registrar’s office until Sept 19th, at 4 PM.
• Final schedules will be distributed to ALL students on the first day of school in their Home Room class, where they will start their day.
• If you know that your student will not be attending Eckstein, please let Ms. Morgan know as soon as possible by emailing her at tmmorgan@seattleschools.org.

First Day of School Procedures

• Please encourage your student to bring their school supplies on the first day of school, including water bottles. Please refer to the school supply list below.
• Parent drop off and pick up of students is on NE 75th Street, right in front of the school. Please pull forward as far as you can to accommodate more vehicles. Drivers are asked not to exit their vehicles during drop off or pick up in order to maximize safety for students and smooth operations.
• Our accessible drop-off location is behind the school, just to the left of the loading dock, through the double doors. To access, please turn right into the alley on the far east end of school, off of NE 75th street. Once you enter the gate, turn right. The loading dock will be straight in front of you. Upon entering the school through the double doors, turn right to find the front hall.
• Students taking yellow school bus transportation will be dropped off at the parking lot on 30th. They will also catch the bus in the same place in the afternoon.
• A covered bike cage is available for students biking to school. For more information about safe routes to school contact Jessica Levine jclevine@seattleschools.org and michelesolis100@comcast.net.

7th and 8th graders – First Day of School Report to homeroom at 8:50 AM.

• Before the First Day of School students can find their homeroom teachers by logging onto the Source. Schedules will be live on the Source at 4 PM on August 28th. 
• If students do not know their homeroom before arriving at school on the first day, they will find postings of homeroom assignments in each of the front entrance hallways of Eckstein.
• Students should report to their homeroom teacher promptly after the first bell at 8:50am.

6th graders – First Day of School Report to Auditorium at 8:50 AM after picking up nametag with Home Room assignment in front of the school.

• At the front of the school on NE 75th Street to the left of the front doors on the large grassy area, 6th graders will identify their homeroom teachers by obtaining a nametag from a table which will have their homeroom teacher listed on it.
• They will then enter the building from the front doors on NE 75th Street, and walk straight into the Auditorium, located directly inside the doors, where they will look for their homeroom teacher holding a large sign. They will then sit with their homeroom class.
• We will take it from there as we welcome and orient our Eckstein Eagles to middle school!
• Parents and guardians will be invited to join the PTSA in the garden behind school for coffee and connection.

Supply List

While each student will be assigned their own laptop computer to use this year, they will also need a few supplies. All students need the supplies listed below with specific grade additions listed below:

General Supply List For ALL students

• One 3″ heavy duty three-ring binder Many students prefer the zippered version to allow them to transport their materials from class to class. If your student does not like a 3- ring binders, other options are sets of folders for each class (6) or the use of an accordion folder to organize daily work in classes.
• Binder dividers (a set of at least 5)
• I pkg of notecards student’s choice for size of 3×5 or 5×7
• Pencil Pouch
• Pencil sharpener
• Writing supplies 2 dozen sharpened pencils (about 6 per quarter), dozen black or blue pens (about 6 per quarter), 4 highlighters (1 per quarter), 2 fine tip black non-permanent felt tip pens (ex. Flair or Pilot brand)

• 500 college ruled notebook paper
• Eraser
• Scientific calculator preferred for 7th and 8th grade level math. For higher level math classes, please await further instructions by the teacher
• Colored pencils
• Grid paper
• Headphones/earbuds with microphone (preferred)
• Refillable water bottle
• Personal sized hand sanitizer (optional)
• Antibacterial Wipes (optional)
• School Planner (optional – school is unable to provide them this year)

Grade Specific Additions

6th Grade

• 2 composition notebooks, college rule (Math and ELA)
• 2 composition notebooks (Science: 1 for first semester, 1 for second semester)
• 1 yellow highlighter (Science)

7th Grade

• 2 composition notebooks, college rule (Math and ELA)

If taking a World Language

• 1 composition notebook, college rule

8th Grade

• 1 composition notebook, college rule (Math)

If taking a World Language

• 1 composition notebook, college rule

Individual teachers may request additional supplies once students are assigned to their classes. Teachers will provide this information the first week of school.

Donations of supplies are also greatly appreciated.

School Laptop Distribution

Students, by grade level, will be receiving their school laptop on the following days:
8th grade – September 8th
7th grade – September 11th
6th grade – September 12th

Daily Bell Schedule

Note: Homeroom is placed this year in the bell schedule after period 4 and scheduled lunches.

Monday, Tuesday, Thursday & Friday

Period 1: 8:55 am – 9:48 am
Period 2: 9:53 am – 10:46 am
Period 3: 10:51 am – 11:44 pm
Period 4: 11:44 am – 1:14 pm
1st lunch 11:44 pm to 12:14 class time: 12:19 to 1:14 pm
2nd lunch 12:44 pm to 1:14 pm class time: 11:49 am to 12:44 pm
Homeroom: 1:19 pm – 1:49 pm
Period 5: 1:54 pm – 2:47 pm
Period 6: 2:52 pm – 3:45 pm

Wednesdays

(75 minutes early release)

Period 1: 8:55 am – 9:41 am
Period 2: 9:46 am to 10:32 am
Period 4: 10:37 am to 11:23 am
Period 3: 11:28 am – 12:48 pm
1st lunch 11:23 to 11:53    class time    11:58 to 12:48
2nd lunch 12:18 to 12:48     class time   11:28 to 12:18
Period 5: 12:53 pm – 1:39 pm
Period 6: 1:44 pm – 2:30 pm

School Lunches

Breakfast and lunch will be for sale to all students for student lunches. Cost for breakfast will be $2.50 and lunch will cost $3.50. More information about School Meals is available on the district website

You can apply for free and reduced price meals online with our safe, private, and secure application on PayPams.

Lunch Seating Options

This year there will be two locations for students to eat lunch: at the tables in the cafeteria and picnics tables spread throughout the garden. Students will be encouraged to eat for at least 10 minutes, then clean-up, and can move to the field for movement and fresh air when they are ready. A huge thank you to PTSA for our great picnic tables that provide expanded outdoor seating options for students!

Athletics

Are you interested in playing a sport at Eckstein in the fall of the 2023-24 school year?

• We will offer Girls Soccer and Ultimate Frisbee as fall sports. Both of these are no-cut, meaning if you are eligible AND attend tryouts, you will be placed on a team.
• Tryouts will be held the third week of school in September, and the season runs through the beginning of December. You will not be allowed to tryout without Athletic Clearance on FinalForms
  • Girls Soccer Tryouts are September 18 and 21st from 4-5:30 pm. All students will report to tryouts both days.
  • Ultimate Frisbee tryouts will be September 19, 20, and 22. Exact times TBD
• Practices are on the Eckstein field after school (exact dates/times will depend on specific teams).
  • Girls Soccer will begin practice on September 25th and continue practices Mondays and Thursdays from 4-5:30 PM
    • No Practice on 11/23 for Thanksgiving break.
  • Ultimate Frisbee will begin practices on September 26th and continue practices on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Fridays- Exact times TBD.
• Games are on Saturdays and we will share as soon as we have a game schedule.

All athletes must have their clearance in FinalForms by September 15TH. We will not have the capacity to process paperwork on the day of tryouts.

All athletic paperwork can be completed through FinalForms

Athletic Coaches Needed

We are in need of the following coaching supports as we launch our fall sports season.

• Soccer – Assistant Coach (application posted on District website)
• Soccer – Volunteer position (contact Eckstein)
• Ultimate Frisbee – 2 volunteer positions for 6th grade team (contact Eckstein)

Interested in coaching and support Eckstein athletics?

Please contact Assistant Principal Mike Weyers at mjweyers@seattleschools.org.

Cam Orkila Volunteers Needed for Paperwork and Organization

We are in need of parent volunteers to help organize our scheduled 8th trip to Camp Orkila in October.

We will make the formal announcement with specific travel dates once we have District approval for the overnight field trip. This is currently in process.

Are you skilled at managing spreadsheets and inputting data? Organizing clipboards with materials for our chaperones and school staff? We could use your help as we organize 375 of our 8th graders into electives at Camp. This trip is a big undertaking and we cannot lift it without your help!

If you are available to assist, please contact Assistant Principal Berna Cristobal bjcristobal@seattleschools.org or 206-252-5019.

Lunch Volunteers Needed

We have great options for parents to participate in our Eckstein Community!

Regular opportunities to supervise lunch are available.

If you would like to volunteer in any capacity, please contact Julia Detering at jrdetering@seattleschools.org.

Your Grade Level Teams

Main Office Staff

Back to School Forms

SPS start of school forms

We will be sending home hard copies of the following forms:

• FERPA – return to school
• Emergency information & student release – return to school
• EMS ASB cards
• Orca card information