Robin Lofstrom's blog

First, a few numbers: 

• Our first grant:  a 1/2 : 1 matching grant of $13K, used to pay for our design process.
• Volunteer hours so far:  Nearly 200. One hundred hours more and we'll meet our grant match!
• Attendees at first design workshop:  Nearly 60, including 20 students.
• Value of every hour you donate:  $20, through the Department of Neighborhoods matching grant
• Estimated cost of budget:  $125K-$200K.
• Amount of grant funding we may qualify for:  $125K+
• Next workshop:  Tuesday, February 15, from 7-8:30 pm in the school library.

Because of the timing of grants, and depending on our fundraising capacity, we’re anticipating that the playground will be built in the summer of 2012, and will open when school resumes in the fall.

By the way:  Did you see the playground featured on Ballard KOMO News?  Check it out here:  http://ballard.komonews.com/content/natural-word-choice-new-salmon-bay-playground.

We'll see you at 7:00 pm in the library.  Children welcome, of course.

The playground steering committee has selected a design architect, and is moving into the design phase for our renovated playground, and we need you.  Please join us at our first design workshop on January 22, 10am-noon, at Ballard First Lutheran Church.  For more information, visit us on the web at http://sites.google.com/site/letsplaysalmonbay/, or "like" us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/#!/letsplaysalmonbay.  See you soon!

Let’s play Salmon Bay!  With a grant award from the Department of Neighborhoods, we are moving into the design phase of our new playground project.  We have selected Johnson | Southerland Architects, an award-winning design firm whom we are thrilled to be working with.  The first design workshop will be on Saturday, January 22nd, from 10-noon, at Ballard First Lutheran Church.  Please join us!  For more information, visit our website at:  http://sites.google.com/site/letsplaysalmonbay/.  If you’re on Facebook, you can “like” us and stay in touch easily at http://www.facebook.com/letsplaysalmonbay. 

"Free Range Kids" book club discussion at Karine's

Wednesday, March 7, 2012

Meet outside the main office in the seating area. Time TBD.

PIE Event: Demystifying Standardized Testing & Assessments

Panel Discussion

Thursday, March 8, 2012 (rescheduled from January)

7:00 p.m. in the Salmon Bay cafeteria.

Coho Kids Time free childcare available. Call 206-297-7764 to reserve.

How is progress and knowledge measured for your child at Salmon Bay? What do assessment and testing mean for the student, family, school, district, state, and federal government? What is assessment? What tests do students take? What are the different viewpoints of testing? What can you do with this information? 

Come join some of the faculty for an informative discussion about the facts to these questions.

PIE Event: Cindy Leavitt, M.S.W.

Heart Matters: Safe-guarding our Children in Today's World

Monday, April 2, 2012

7:00 p.m. in the Salmon Bay Cafeteria

Coho Kids Time free childcare available. Call 206-297-7764 to reserve.

In this presentation Cindy Leavitt M.S.W. will discuss why the relationship between a child and the adults responsible for them is the most important factor in their development, and how adults can deepen their attachments with the children in their care. She will cover why children need to keep soft hearts and have their tears, how soft hearts lead to resilience and resourcefulness, and how the loss of tears is the common issue underlying the most frequently diagnosed childhood disorders. She will discuss theory and give practical suggestions. This presentation is an excellent introduction to the developmental approach to raising children.

PIE Members Annual Retreat (3 hours)

Tentatively planned for Friday, April 6, 2012, 7:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.

or Saturday, April 7, 2012, 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 a.m.

For members or those interested in reflecting our role in the school community and planning next year's events. Location TBD.

PIE Event: Bingo and Family Book Fair Night

Friday, April 27, 2012

7:00 p.m. in the Salmon Bay Cafeteria

Middle school students and parents are invited to a fun, social night of Bingo and gathering.  We'll have prizes!

Did you know the Playground Committee has a page on Facebook?  Check us out!  http://www.facebook.com/pages/Salmon-Bay-Playground-Committee/1230707810...

The Playground Committee has an update for the community.  We need volunteers...check it out here http://www.salmonbayschool.org/http%3A/%252Fwww.salmonbayschool.org/pare...

If your family is facing issues like social networks, texting, anonimity, cyber bullying, i.d.'s and passwords, etc., check out the book which our speaker from March, 2008 wrote, or visit her website to learn more http://look-both-ways.com/default.aspx.

A 13 year Microsoft veteran, Linda Criddle is the author of the award winning book “Look Both Ways – Help Protect Your Child on the Internet”, has written an online credited course entitled, Internet Safety for Educators for Washington State University, and is currently working on a complete K-12 Internet Safety Curriculum. Topics she spoke with us about were the following:

• How to build a foundation of online safety
• What are social networking sites? What is all the fuss about MySpace, Facebook, YouTube and others? How can you set your child up for success?
• Why Internet safety is not a ‘teen’ issue; every child and adult faces online safety issues – even those who don’t yet use the Internet
• The landscape of online risk – what factors create an environment of risk
• Online bullying and harassment
• How to manage life on the web
• How to create a realistic positive dialog about online safety with your children and others