Fifth-Grade Returns from Their Outdoor School Adventure!
Dear Soundview Families,
New Soundview apparel is available now. A portion of all sales support our financial aid program. Get your tees, hoodies, hats, and more today HERE!
Last Friday Mr. MacCully’s fifth-grade class went to Saint Edward State Park. They learned about environmental ecosystems and prepared for NatureBridge. You can see pictures from this field trip below. At NatureBridge, our fifth-graders enjoyed a range of outdoor adventures, from hands-on ecological studies to bonding around the campfire, our students had an incredible time. Learn more HERE, and check out photos from outdoor school in next week's letter.
We hosted our first Community Coffee of the year this week. Thanks to all of our attendees. All grade-levels were represented, some staff joined, and it was a great conversation about the upcoming election. We talked about the school as a 501(c)3, private school, and place of public accommodation. The conversation reminded me of a Soundview alum’s New York Times winning essay about productive political discourse. Read it HERE.
Our Director of Advancement, Ryan Wasserman, has been actively connecting with members of our community to discuss the Soundview Annual Campaign. He’s eager to hear your thoughts on what matters most to you in maintaining our school's commitment to being ethical, rigorous, and compassionate. We’d greatly appreciate your insights, and Ryan would love the opportunity to meet with you. You can schedule a time to connect with Ryan HERE.
We have kicked off admissions season for the 2025-2026 school year! Each year, we strengthen and grow our Soundview community through admissions, and we’ve already begun giving tours and accepting applications. You can help make a difference! Spread the word to friends and family—our school truly is one of a kind, and we want everyone to know about it. It only takes a few minutes to explore our website and discover how we provide an educational experience that is ethical, rigorous, and compassionate. If you have any questions about admissions or want to refer a family to Soundview, please feel free to reach out to Victoria HERE.
Soundview’s early admissions process for siblings of current students, which gives them priority consideration, starts now. The deadline for sibling applications is December 6th, 2024. For all other applications, the deadline is January 31st, 2025.
Here are the October reminders and opportunities to look forward to:
Join the SPGA on Tuesday, October 1st, from 4:00 PM to 5:00 PM for our exciting first meeting of the year! All parents and guardians are warmly invited to participate, and a virtual attendance option will be available upon request. If you require childcare while attending the meeting, please sign up HERE.
School picture day is Tuesday, October 8th for all students. There will be time for retakes, missed students, and sibling photos on Tuesday, November 5th. Soundview works with Lincoln and Lucy Photography, and you can preview their work HERE.
There is no school on Friday, October 11th for an all staff work professional development day. Our faculty and staff will be working on our Northwest Association of Independent Schools self-study.
Our first ParentMap ParentEd Talk will take place on Tuesday, October 15th, from 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM. We’re excited to host a live viewing in the Soundview library, with an optional discussion and reflection session afterward until 1:30 PM. If you're unable to join us in person, you can still participate by watching the live stream after registering. Here are a few helpful details:
The first talk will be with Jonathon Haidt who is a renowned social psychologist and author of “The Anxious Generation”. He will explore the key factors behind the rising rates of anxiety in kids and share practical steps parents and schools can take to reclaim childhood and protect our children’s mental well-being.
You can find the link to register HERE.
The password for complimentary ticket access is SOUNDVSCH
If you can’t attend a live event, no problem. After the talk concludes, all registered attendees will be emailed a link to watch the recorded session at their convenience.
Soundview Spirit Week is October 21st through October 25th. Details and daily themes coming soon, in the meantime secure your Soundview gear now by visiting HERE!
Mark your calendars for the Soundview Parent and Guardian Association’s upcoming event, BOOLING!, which is on Saturday, October 26th. BOOLING! is an exciting event that combines bowling with costumes and features a fun-filled trunk-or-treat! It’s one of our favorite community gatherings, and we encourage all Soundview families to join in the festivities. We’ll also take the opportunity to celebrate the successful completion of our annual campaign and the incredible support of our school community. Be on the lookout for RSVP details next week.
There is no school on Thursday, October 31st and Friday, November 1st These days are reserved for parent-teacher and student-led conferences. Details and sign-up information will be sent soon with in-person and virtual options available. Childcare will be available for the time(s) during your in-person conference(s).
Around the world and in different communities, September is a month of recognition and awareness:
October is Global Diversity Awareness Month. This is celebrated in October to honor the diversity of cultures and perspectives in the world. It's a time to recognize and appreciate the value of diversity, and to promote an inclusive society. You can read more about this HERE.
October is LGBTQ+ History Month. It is a time to celebrate the achievements and contributions of LGBT+ people and to raise awareness of the ongoing struggles and discrimination that they face. The emphasis is on recognizing and honoring the history and diversity of the LGBT+ community. You can see who is being recognized in the month of October by visiting HERE.
October is Polish American Heritage Month. It is celebrated in October to honor the history, culture, and contributions of Polish Americans to the United States. You can learn more about this HERE.
October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM). It is celebrated in October to recognize the contributions of people with disabilities in the workplace and to raise awareness of employment-related issues they face, and to confirm the commitment to ensuring disabled workers have access to good jobs. You can learn more about this HERE.
Wednesday, October 2nd is Rosh Hashanah for the people of the Jewish community. Rosh Hashanah is the Jewish New Year, and you can learn more about the history, significance, and celebration of this by visiting HERE.
Thank you to all our parents, students, faculty, and staff for a positive, enthusiastic start to the school year!
My very best to you and yours,
Chris
Chris Watson, Soundview Head of School
One more thing…
On September 27th, 2008, Zhai Zhigang became the first Chinese astronaut to spacewalk when he left the Shenzhou 7 spacecraft for about 20 minutes. Zhai wore a Chinese-developed Feitian space suit and exited the orbital module head-first. He retrieved samples, waved the Chinese flag, and moved around near the exits, tethered to a handrail. Zhai's fellow crew members were Liu Boming and Jing Haipeng who stood by the airlock during Zhai's spacewalk. China became the third country to conduct a spacewalk, after the United States and the former Soviet Union. You can learn more about this HERE.
