News from the Nest

Posted on: September 17, 2026

Summary: Arbor Heights Monthly Family Newsletter

Arbor Heights Monthly Family Newsletter

From the Principal’s Perch
Key Dates
Important Announcements
Specialists Spotlight
Social Worker Corner
Arbor Heights Breakfast and Lunch
PTSA Updates
Arbor Heights Monthly Family Newsletter Archive

From the Principal’s Perch

What a wonderful start to the school year! It has been so much fun to have our Junior Seahawks back in the building—reconnecting with friends, building new relationships, settling into routines, and filling our classrooms and hallways with learning and laughter. Thank you to our families for all you have done to help us begin the year strong.

This week also marks the beginning of Hispanic Heritage Month, celebrated September 15–October 15. This year’s theme, “Unidos somos más” — “Together we are more,” feels especially fitting as we begin a year centered around being All In—for our students, for each other, and for what’s possible.

To celebrate and learn together, students across Arbor Heights will be creating papel picado, a traditional Mexican decorative folk art. We’ll bring each student’s individual piece together to create one schoolwide banner—you’ll soon see it growing throughout our hallways! I love the idea of hundreds of individual pieces coming together to create something that represents our whole community.

I’m grateful for such a joyful beginning to the year and excited for all that is ahead.

Principal Porto (she/her)

Key Dates

September & October

Every Monday: Junior Seahawk Pride, Wear your AHE Gear
Every Friday: Fan Friday (no costumes)
Every Wednesday: Early dismissal, 1:10 p.m. (excluding the first day of school)
October 7:Walk, Bike and Roll to School Day (more info to come)
October 6: PTSA General Meeting, 7:00 – 8:30, AHE library
October 8: Open House, 4:45 – 6:15 (more info to come)
October 9: State in service, NO SCHOOL
October 30: PTSA Harvest Carnival

Important Announcements

October 2nd – Picture Day information

Yuen Lui Studio will photograph individual portraits at Arbor Heights Elementary on Friday, October 2. Families can preorder portraits here: 2026-27 Arbor Heights Elementary Picture Day 10/2. Print orders will be delivered to the school in 3-4 weeks after picture day; digital orders will be sent via email from no-reply@imagequix.com. Contact Yuen Lui Studio with any questions. Thank you!

Phones & Smart Devices: Away for the Day

A reminder that SPS and Arbor Heights follow an “Away for the Day” expectation for student phones and smart devices. This includes smartwatches.

Phones and smartwatches should be turned off or silenced and stored in students’ backpacks for the entire school day. Students should not be using or wearing smartwatches during class, recess, lunch, or other parts of the school day. Thank you for helping us keep students focused on learning, friendships, and being present at school.

Safety Drills at Arbor Heights

Keeping students and staff safe is one of our most important responsibilities. Throughout the school year, SPS schools practice a variety of required safety drills so students and staff know what to do in different types of emergencies. At Arbor Heights, this includes drills such as fire/evacuation, earthquake, lockdown, and shelter-in-place.

Our goal is to help students become familiar with safety procedures in a calm, age-appropriate way. Just like practicing a fire drill, practicing different responses ahead of time helps our school community know what to do and where to go if an emergency ever occurs.

I also know that safety drills can sometimes lead to questions or conversations at home. I am committed to notifying families after a safety drill has taken place so you know what your child practiced that day and have an opportunity to talk with them if needed.

Keeping Our Field Clean & Safe

We have seen an increase in dog poop left on our field this year. As a reminder, pets are not allowed on SPS property, including our field and playground. Picking up after pets is also essential to keeping our shared spaces clean and healthy—our students use the field for recess, PE, and play throughout the school day.

To help reduce dogs on the field during the early morning hours, beginning next week we will lock the gates at approximately 6:00 a.m. They will reopen at 7:35 a.m., when morning supervision begins.

After-School Events & Supervision

A reminder that all after-school events at Arbor Heights require adult supervision. Students must attend with a parent, guardian, or other responsible adult who remains with them throughout the event.

Specialists Spotlight

Our Junior Seahawks do so much learning beyond their homeroom classrooms! Each month, our Art, Music, PE, and Library specialists will share a peek at what students are learning, creating, practicing, and exploring in their classes. Check back each month to see what our students have been up to!

Art with Ms. Burr

Art Starts with Something That Disappears. If your child has had art this week, this is what they did. If they have not had art yet, this is what their first two sessions will be.

Art began with soap, straws, and small cups of color. Students blew until the foam rose over the rim, lowered a card onto it, and lifted a print — a record of bubbles that had already popped. It looks like play. It is also careful work: a bubble print rewards patience and a steady hand, and it gives every child a finished piece on the first day, whether or notthey believe they can draw.

In the second session the prints come back out. Students turn them, find shapes in the color, and draw into them in pen. The bubbles are gone. What they make of what is left is the art.

More goes into our art program than fits in a newsletter. Rather than list it all, I would rather show you the work — and this project is not only fun, it is how artists actually work: make a mark, then respond to what you get.

To see more: watch for these posts, look for occasional Talking Points from me, and join me at Curriculum Night on Thursday, October 8, 4:45–6:15.

Library with Ms. Lindow

I have had so much fun meeting new students and seeing familiar faces back in the library! We’ve spent our first couple of weeks learning or reviewing library routines and procedures. Each class visits our library once a week for a lesson and checkout time. Library lessons focus on reading advocacy, library and research skills, as well as media literacy and digital citizenship. After our lesson, students have time to self-select books of interest to check out. Preschool and kindergarten students will start the year by keeping their library book at school, 1st through 5th grade students may choose to bring their books home. Please encourage your student to bring back their books ontheir library day. I am looking forward to a fantastic year of reading and learning together. If you have questions, you can reach me at jllindow@seattleschools.org. -Jessica Lindow, Librarian

Music with Teacher Kelly

September 15th – October 15th is Hispanic Heritage Month. We are celebrating in General Music! Lower grades started by learning “Chocolate” a rhythm hand clapping and feet jumping game with fun syllables from Mexico. In upper grades, we started focusing on “Zapatitos Blancos” as an introduction to rhythmic circle work. Our second lesson dip in General music, has focused on “Dale, Dale, Dale” a song reserved for children to sing while experiencing a piñata. Excited for what’s to come!

Be on the lookout for occasional Talking Points messages from me. Mostly pertaining to new music themes or instrument units of study.

Feel free to connect with your own musical experiences. I love to chat all things music. Kmlusnia@seattleschools.org

Musical interludes,

Teacher Kelly

PE with Mr. Davis & Mr. Brannon

At Arbor Heights, our two PE instructors ensure students get more PE time each week than most schools in our district. More class time means more learning, better physical and social growth, and lots of fun!

SOARing in PE sets our expectations: treat others well, do your best, and respect our space and equipment.

We focus on building strong bodies, minds, and spirits—including mental well-being. As Jr. Seahawks, students practice kindness, accountability, and ownership of their learning.

Grades 1–5: We’re starting with Rock Paper Scissors to help students play fairly, show good sportsmanship, and resolve minor conflicts. Ask your child about the different RPS games we’veplayed—they might even teach you!

Grades PK–K: Students are learning personal space, moving safely, while maintaining our motto: “Hands, Feet, and Body to Myself!” They’re building balance and trying new movements like skipping, hopping, galloping, and leaping. We use gym equipment to reinforce shapes, letters, numbers, and colors.

If you had fun, you already won! Reach out to Mr. Davis or Mr. Brannon anytime for more information. We love to talk PE

Social Worker Corner

Each month, our school social worker will share resources, tips, and updates to support students and families. This may include community resources, social-emotional learning, family supports, or ways we are helping our Junior Seahawks feel connected and successful at school.

Social Worker Introduction

My name is Katie, and I’m very happy to be joining our school community as the School Social Worker! I’m a Licensed Social Work Associate Independent Clinical (LSWAIC), and I have experience working with children, teens, and families in schools and community settings. Most recently, I worked as a School Counselor at Rabat American School in Morocco.

My goal is to help our students feel safe, supported, and connected at school. I’m also here to support families, answer questions, help with challenges, and connect you with school and community resources. Please know that you are always welcome to reach out to me. You do not need to have a problem or concern to say hello!

One resource I can help families connect with is the West Seattle Food Bank Backpack Program. This program provides a bag of nutritious, easy-to-prepare foods for students to take home on weekends. It is a simple, confidential way to give families a little extra support during the school year. If you would like more information, please feel free to reach out to me at klpowellrach@seattleschools.org.

Outside of school, I’m a mom to two preschool aged daughters and I love finding new coffee shops to enjoy. I’m looking forward to meeting you and getting to know our students and families. I’m so happy to be here!

Families on Playground

Safety is our top priority. School personnel wear bright yellow safety vests while monitoring students on the playground before and after school. We ask that all other adults remain on the sidewalk outside the playground between 7:35 a.m. and 2:35 p.m.

Arbor Heights Breakfast and Lunch

All students may receive one complete breakfast and one complete lunch at no cost each school day. Additional items, second meals, and milk purchased separately are not included and will be charged to the student’s meal account.

Please note that SPS Culinary Services does their best to follow the planned menu, but last-minute changes may occur.

View the school menus.

PTSA Updates

TODAY! Welcome Back Ice Cream Social!

When: TODAY from 5:30 to 7:00 pm Thursday, September 18
Where: Arbor Heights playground (enter through the gate on 104th)
Why: Enjoy free ice cream for students and shop limited-edition J-Hawks t-shirts.
Anything else? Why yes! Tummy Yummy, an Asian wok food truck featuring flavors from South, Coastal, and Central Asia, and Marigold Wood Fired Pizza will both be on site if you’d like to grab dinner as well. It’s gonna be…yummy.

After School Enrichment Volunteer Opportunities

We’re recruiting volunteers to help run this year’s after-school enrichment program, which runs October 12 – December 17. Contact Rachel Kunert-Graf (rachgraf@gmail.com) for more info, or sign up by filling out this volunteer interest form.

UW Education Day Fundraiser

Cheer on the Huskies vs. Minnesota on September 26 (time TBA) and support AHE. Tickets range $29.50-$52.50; the PTSA earns $10 for every ticket sold. Purchase your Arbor Heights Elementary Education Day Football Tickets.

Join Arbor Heights PTSA

Arbor Heights Elementary