The Eagle – Winter Break 2025
Letter from Principal Bean
Dear Families,
I hope everyone is going to have an incredible holiday break and will get to spend quality with loved ones!
Gingerbread Performance: Each year every grade gets to experience a unique artist in residence experience thanks to the fundraising from the PTA. Every December, each kindergarten class cooperatively created their own gingerbread stories and then acted out the story in front of their families on Friday. Ms. Abercrombie’s class had their gingerbread dolphins escaping the dinosaurs by using their invisibility powers. Ms. Fenigsohn’s gingerbread penguins got away from the monkeys by sliding on their bellies down the mountain. Ms. Cieslar’s gingerbread planes fought off angry lions by creating magical metal gates.
Winter Break: Students will return from winter break on Monday, January 5.
Afterschool Programs: The PTA will begin their next Thursday after school programs on Thursday, January 15.
Read-a-thon: Make sure to keep reading over the holiday break! All the money raised from Ms. Leland’s fundraiser will be split between support new for books the library and sending our fifth graders to camp this spring!
Open Enrollment for School Choice Window: The window for school choice is much earlier this year. The window will go from January 5-31. Families will find out the school on February 24.
School Tours: Because of the earlier enrollment window, we are moving up our school tours this year. They are as following:
- Thursday, January 8 at 8:00 AM
- Wednesday, January 14 at 8:00 AM
In partnership,
Mr. Bean (he/him)
Principal, Olympic View
ajbean@seattleschools.org
206-252-5500
Important Dates
Every Wednesday is 1:10pm early release
- Winter Break December 22-January 2 NO SCHOOL
- Monday, January 5 First Day Back to School
- Thursday, January 8 School Tour 8-9 a.m.
- Friday, January 9 MLL Family Coffee
- Monday, January 12 Changemaker Assembly: Gratitude 8:10 a.m.
- Monday, January 12 Art Committee Meeting
- Tuesday, January 13 Art Docent Training
- Wednesday, January 14 Spirit Day: All the Colors Day
- Wednesday, January 14 School Tour 8-9 a.m.
- Thursday, January 15 Winter Session After-School Enrichment Begins 2:40-3:40 p.m.
This Week’s News
Join fellow Eagles to support the Huskies!
The OVPTA has secured FREE tickets to several UW Husky athletic events! We have tickets to four events this winter, with two each to both Women’s and Men’s Basketball. Please sign up using the form linked below and bring your whole family to the game!
- Women’s Basketball vs. Michigan, January 1 – 3 PM
- Men’s Basketball vs. Ohio State, January 11 – 3 PM
- Women’s Basketball vs. Minnesota, January 18 – 3 PM
- Men’s Basketball vs. Oregon, January 25 – 12 PM
After-School Enrichment – Enroll now!
More information is also available on the Hall of Fame Website.
Winter Quarter classes will run on Thursdays (1/15-3/12). After-school camp is only offered on days when SPS is in session, so there will be no HOFTC Thursday 2/19.
Returning families can send enrollment requests through the Parent Dashboard by clicking Enrollment, and then Enroll for 2025-2026. New families should complete the New Family Enrollment Form prior to registration opening, to get through the process faster.
REMINDER: Olympic View Read-a-Thon
We kicked off our first OV Read-a-Thon last Friday with an all school reading session!
Your student should have received a calendar tracker along with extra books from the OV library. Kids can keep track on paper or through our fundraising website. Family, friends and neighbors can motivate students by pledging donations for reading. These donations to the PTA will then help fund our library and 5th Grade Campers!
All participants get a coupon for a free ice cream from Ben & Jerry’s. Bonus prizes from Third Place Books and extra library time for the top readers and top classes in each grade.
Let the reading begin!
Lights, Camera, Auction!
Your 2026 Auction committee is seeking donations! This can be something big – a vacation home, a hosted party, a lead to a business – or something smaller that we can add to a basket – a lego set you received you already have, a small dollar gift card you won’t use, an extra candle from grandma you don’t need. Donations can be brought to the main office or send us an email at fundraising@ovpta.org. Tickets to go on sale in the new year. See you all on February 7!
Drop-In: Family Skate Night
OV Families what a great way to continue the skating momentum from P.E. Bring your own skates, roller blades or borrow a pair. Helmets are required.
Please contact Bitter Lake Community Center for more information 206.684.4075
2026 Drop in information
- #84396/Age at least 5 yrs but less than 75 yrs/Openings Unlimited
- Bitter Lake Annex/Broadview Thomson Elementary
- January 9, 2026, to March 27, 2026, Fri 6:30 PM – 8:15 PM
Seattle Torrent (Women’s Hockey) Tickets
This is the first ever season for The Seattle Torrent and you can see them live at Climate Pledge Arena! Use this link to get the group ticket rate for select Seattle Torrent games this season, with some tickets as low as $37 per person.
- February 27, Friday 7 PM versus Toronto
- March 29, Sunday 4 PM versus Ottawa
- April 18, Saturday 7 PM versus Vancouver
Volunteer Opportunities
Wonderful Wednesday Helpers
Once a month the Art Committee hosts a lunch recess art activity that is absolutely beloved by the students. From 11:05am-11:55pm we offer a small project supporting seasonal themes and exploring a variety of materials. Contact Cara Mattera at enrichment@ovpta.org for more Art Committee information.
Library Help
Thank you for considering volunteering in the OV Library. If this is your first time volunteering in the library, please reach out to Ms. Leland klleland@seattleschools.org to receive an SPS Volunteer Invitation. Send any questions my way.
Kristi Leland
Eagle Pack Volunteers Needed (and bags too)
The Eagle Pack program provides weekend food bags for any family that requests it. The University Food Bank provides the food items, and volunteers pack the bags and distribute them to classrooms every week. We need volunteers to help with picking up from the Food Bank on Thursday afternoons and packing on Friday mornings from about 8:00-9:00 am. If you are able to help during this timeframe, please sign up.
We would love to have some consistent volunteers, so if you can commit to one or more Fridays a month, that would be helpful. Approved volunteers can feel free to drop into the lunchroom any Friday, after drop off to lend a hand as well if you find yourself with some time.
We can always use plastic and paper shopping bags (the thicker, handled ones like from Target or a grocery store). If you have extras you can donate, please drop them off in the office.
Questions? Contact k.linnes@gmail.com
Subscribe to the PTA Newsletter!
Want to hear directly from the PTA on upcoming events and opportunities? Subscribe to the PTA newsletter!
General Information
Late Arrivals to School
If your student is late (the bell rings at 7:55 a.m.), please drop them off at the NE 95th Street entrance near the flagpole or blacktop. We now have a call box at the 95th Street entrance. After the bell rings at 7:55 a.m., all students must be signed in with office staff. The 8th Ave call box entrance will be used for staff only.
Absences
If your student will not be at school, please email the attendance email olympicview.attendance@seattleschools.org or call 202-252-5504 to let office staff know.
Early Pick Up
Parents/Guardians should come to the 95th Street security call box entrance. We are unable to call students down to the office until you arrive for pick up.
Pick Up Changes
If your student will have an alternate plan for pick up, please contact the office via email olympicview@seattleschools.org, phone 206-252-5500, Talking Points message, or a signed note with your student.
Our breakfast and lunch menus are now up on the SPS website!
Individual milk purchase (with home lunch) costs $.75
Want to know what to do if there is bad weather? Learn more about preparing for winter weather.
Please reach out to our Volunteer Coordinator, Sabrina O’Brien, for more information on volunteering: snobrien@seattleschools.org
Want to support your student’s classroom teacher?
Spirit Gear: The Olympic View Spirit Wear online store is now open!
Choose from Kids, Women, and Men’s sizes. We have t-shirts, long sleeved, crewnecks and hoodies all available in many colors.
Membership strengthens the voice of our community, helps support the WA State and National PTAs, and allows you to vote on OV PTA matters, including how to spend the money we fundraise. Scholarships are available, if you need one.
For all illnesses, including COVID, please keep students home if:
- They have uncontrollable secretions from their eyes or nose
- They cannot control their cough
- Their symptoms are improving
- They are fever, diarrhea, vomit free for at least 24 hours, without the use of medication
COVID testing is no longer required.
Resources
Food Bank and Pantries
As SNAP benefits are coming to an end and with the current government shutdown, I want to share some valuable resources for those in need of food and meals. Below is a link to a list of resources for free meals that are available without any requirements or registration.
SPS website: Support for Families in Need
Looking for additional resources? Please go to our Family Resource Page:
Contact Us
Office Hours: Monday-Friday 7:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Main Office: 206-252-5500 olympicview@seattleschools.org
Main Fax: 206-252-5501
Attendance: 206-252-5504 olympicview.attendance@seattleschools.org
Principal – Andrew Bean ajbean@seattleschools.org
Administrative Secretary – Crystal Parry cnparry@seattleschools.org
Office Assistant – Sabrina O’Brien snobrien@seattleschools.org
School Nurse – Angie Sterwald (Mon/Thurs) amsterwald@seattleschools.org
Nurse Fax: 206-743-3157
Counselor – Joyce Rho jecho@seattleschools.org
All Staff Directory
Olympic View PTA
To submit a school-related news item or announcement, please email Crystal Parry at cnparry@seattleschools.org. Submissions are due Wednesday of each week for Sunday publication and should have “For the Eagle” in the subject line.