Welcome Back!
Dear Soundview Families,
Welcome back! I hope your break was refreshing. It has been wonderful to return to campus and reconnect with our vibrant community. Our students and families engaged in exciting learning experiences both on and off campus this week:
Monday: Our fifth-grade class visited the University of Washington to meet with their penpals, students involved in FIUTS (Foundation for International Understanding Through Students). This organization fosters understanding through cross-cultural experiences, student leadership, and community connections. To learn more about FIUTS, click HERE. You can view photos from this trip by viewing them below.
Also on Monday, our middle school hosted an educator from Domestic Violence Snohomish County (DVSC). She worked with our students on identifying and facilitating healthy relationships. DVSC will work with the middle school again this year on non-violent communication skills. You can learn more about DVSC HERE.
Thursday: Our third- and fourth-graders explored the Gates Foundation Discovery Center, gaining valuable insights into innovation and global impact. They learned how the Gates Foundation helps to ensure that all people, especially those with the fewest resources, have access to the opportunities they need to succeed in school and life. You can learn more about the Gates Foundation HERE. You can view photos from this below.
Wednesday: We hosted another virtual session in our ParentEd Talk Series, featuring Tom “Teacher Tom” Hobson. His discussion on Boosting Brain Power Through Play offered practical strategies and insights into the power of play in early education.
If you missed the event, you can watch the recording HERE.
The password to view the talk is EncouragePlay.
Admissions Updates
Admissions for the 2025–2026 school year are in full swing, and we’re thrilled with the positive response. The very best way to maintain the strength of our community is through your referrals. Special thanks to Victoria Nunes, our Director of Enrollment Management, and our dedicated student and parent ambassadors for their outstanding efforts in connecting with prospective families. Upcoming key admissions deadlines:
Sibling applications: Due today, December 6th.
Financial aid applications for current families: Due December 16th.
All other enrollment applications: Due January 31st, 2025.
If you have a referral, questions, or need additional information, please reach out to Victoria HERE.
Soundview Parent and Guardian Association (SPGA) is stocking the teacher lounge for the holidays! “Stock the Lounge” was such a successful event last year that we’ve added a “holiday addition.” Our goal is to restock the lounge with all the same goodies and provide a few extra for take-home over the break. Pick one, two, or even three items and drop off on Friday, December 13th during drop-off and pick-up times. The SPGA team will be there to collect your gifts. Popular items include: granola bars, bubbly drinks, individually packaged snacks, chocolate and candy, popcorn, microwave meals, coffee/tea, self-care items, favorite books, throw blankets, stationary or journals, pens or arts supplies, or some of your small favorite things. Also always in true Soundview fashion staff and teachers welcome and love your homemade cards and well wishes during the holiday season.
Here are the December reminders and opportunities:
On December 10th, in honor of Human Rights Day, our third through fifth-grade classes will host Soundview's first annual Human Rights Rally. Starting at 1:20 pm in the Soundview Performing Arts Center, students will give speeches on human rights before displaying their posters around the school and inviting the community to join a public gathering at the front entrance. The event will conclude at 2:00 pm, and parents are warmly invited to participate. For more information or to get involved, contact Mr. MacCully HERE. To learn about Human Rights Day and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, visit HERE.
Project Night is next Thursday, December 12th. Our students are excited to share the incredible work they’ve been doing in class, and show you their accomplishments. You’ll take a self-guided tour through the classrooms and hallways, experiencing the creativity and learning of every grade. You will enter through the Performing Arts Center and pick up a program that will guide you through the event. Parking will be available on campus after 3:45 pm, with overflow parking located at the Lynnwood Ice Center. Here are the details:
Early Childhood through 2nd Grade Project Night: 4:00 pm to 5:00 pm
3rd through 8th Grade Project Night: 5:30 pm to 6:30 pm
Our next Community Coffee is on Wednesday, December 18th, from 4:00 pm to 5:00 pm in the Performing Arts Center, with parking available at 3:45 pm. This casual event allows parents to engage in open conversations with me, our school counselor, and staff. This coffee is an opportunity to “get to know” incoming Interim Head of School Chrissy Sinclair. Upcoming dates are on the Community Calendar which you can find HERE. Should you require childcare to attend this event, please sign up HERE.
We are excited to share a special opportunity for our middle school students to represent our school at the upcoming Northwest Association of Independent Schools (NWAIS) Student Diversity Leadership Retreat on March 17th, taking place at Black Diamond Camp in Auburn, WA. This event is designed to foster leadership, collaboration, and personal growth while connecting students with peers from other schools. Middle school students from independent schools within the Puget Sound area are invited to come together, connect, and build relationships and skills around communication and inclusiveness during an overnight retreat. Further communication about this overnight retreat will be emailed in the coming weeks. Interested students should complete the online application form HERE.
Soundview School is closed from December 23rd - January 3rd for Winter Break. The school and offices will be closed during this time. There is no school for students on Monday, January 6th for faculty and staff work day. School resumes for students on Tuesday, January 7th at the usual time.
Around the world and in different communities, December is a month of recognition and awareness:
December 2nd - 8th is National Grief Awareness Week. This week is a compassionate and important observance dedicated to raising awareness about grief, providing support to those who are grieving, and fostering a better understanding of the grieving process. It acknowledges that grief is a natural response to loss and aims to break the stigma surrounding this deeply personal experience. It’s an event that aims to create a safe space for individuals to openly discuss their experiences with grief and loss. It encourages empathy, compassion, and support for those who are grieving, emphasizing that grief is a universal and often challenging part of the human experience. You can learn more about this HERE.
December 8th is Bodhi Day. Bodhi Day is a Buddhist holiday that commemorates the day Siddhartha Gautama, also known as the Buddha, attained enlightenment. According to tradition, Siddhartha had recently forsaken years of extreme ascetic practices and resolved to sit under a peepal tree, also known as a Bodhi tree (Ficus religiosa), and simply meditate until he found the root of suffering, and how to liberate oneself from it. You can learn more about this day HERE.
Thank you for making Soundview what it is today,
Chris
Chris Watson, Soundview Head of School
One more thing…
On December 6th, 1961, Syracuse running back Ernie Davis became the first Black player to win the Heisman Trophy, college football's top individual award, beating Ohio State fullback Bob Ferguson. Davis broke all of Brown's records, rushing for 2,386 yards, netting 3,306 yards in all-purpose running, scoring 220 points including 35 touchdowns. His rushing record was long-standing at Syracuse, 6.6 yards per carry. Davis was the first pick in the 1962 NFL draft, by Washington, which traded him to the Cleveland Browns. But he never played in the NFL. Davis was diagnosed with leukemia later in 1962, and died on May 18, 1963. He was 23. You can learn more about this HERE.
