Dec. 8: Learning Support and College Success Event

Dec. 9: Parent and Guardian Forefront Suicide Prevention Training

Dec. 11: No School (Student/Parent/Guardian/Advisor Conferences)

Dec. 14: 9th Grade Parents and Guardians Coffee

Dec. 15: 8th Grade Parents and Guardians Winter Warmer

Dec. 16: Fall Music Concert

If your family has a student in the current 8th grade and you receive financial aid (FA), or if you have a student in ANY grade and your family does NOT receive aid but you would like to request it for next year, the due date for submitting your application is Jan. 8th, 2021. If your family is not currently receiving FA and you wish to apply, please also contact the Director of Financial Aid Jonathan Hochberg ASAP and notify him of your intent to apply.

The Jan. 8 date is four weeks prior to the general FA application deadline of Feb. 4, 2021, which is for families who already receive Financial Aid and have students in grades 6, 7, 9, 10, and 11. We understand that you will need to do some estimating in order to meet this deadline, and also that your taxes for 2020 will not be completed yet. This is normal. For questions, please contact Jonathan.

Due to the high volume of additional FA provided by the school in response to the impact of COVID-19 on family finances in our community, it is IMPERATIVE that all requests for FA be received on time. Late requests may not be able to be considered.

Each week we will be providing a COVID-19 update to keep you informed about our decision-making processes and safety protocols. For any questions, please contact our Health Coordinator Sierra Maxwell.

Our Planning and Operations Continuity Committee meets on a weekly basis to review all of the data and guidance and apply them in real time. Here is a complete rundown of the sources informing our decisions:

We access and interpret metrics and recommendations provided by epidemiologist and public health officials to develop an internal plan for responding to that data. We reference guidance provided at the county, state, and federal levels. We are in alignment with the K-12 Schools Fall Guidance, provided by the Washington State Department of Health. This guidance can be referenced regardless of which county or phase we are in of Governor Jay Inslee's Safe Start Plan. The K-12 Fall Guidance informs us how to return to in-person learning. In addition to this, we reference the K-12 Decision Tree for making decisions about if/when to resume school in person. This tool provides us with clear metrics to guide our decisions based on the COVID-19 activity in King County. To monitor these levels of disease activity in King County, we use this dashboard provided by Public Health - Seattle King County.

At the federal level we can reference guidance provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, such as the Indicators for Dynamic School Decision-Making, Operating schools during COVID-19: CDC's Considerations, and Considerations for K-12 Schools: Readiness & Planning Tool.

Menstruation Northwest has a goal of eliminating period poverty in our community. We believe that access to period products is a right, not a luxury. To kickoff off our fundraising efforts for this school year, we have decided to host a drive for the holiday season. With temperatures getting colder, menstruators should not have to make the choice between food and hygiene.

Due to the pandemic, our fundraising looks a little different this year, but we still hope to collect 3,000 period products. If you are interested in donating period products, we can pick them up from you! If you are uncomfortable with us coming to your house or cannot buy period products during this time you can donate to our club's Venmo and we will use that money to buy products. All products collected will go to the Y Social Impact Center. Use this form to donate.

Thanks to all of you who have donated to our annual Uniquely Northwest campaign! This week, we’re featuring Director of Educational Technology Zach Groshell. Click here to learn how your annual fund support directly impacts technology, benefiting all our students. Every single gift makes a difference. Click here to give now. Questions? Contact Julie Lombardo.

On Dec. 8, at 7:00 pm, we invite all 10th and 11th grade parents and guardians of students with learning support plans to a meeting with our College Counseling and Learning Resources teams. We will converse about how to support your student with a diagnosed condition that impacts learning through the college search, application, and enrollment processes. Questions about the event? Please contact Erin Miller or Hillary French.

• Zoom Link
• Meeting ID: 967 6878 0718
• Passcode: 813768

Please join other Northwest School parents and guardians for a guided conversation about youth suicide prevention on Dec. 9, 7:00-8:30 pm. Topics will cover:

• Learning how to start and sustain conversations with your teen about mental health and suicide awareness.
• Learning the signs that someone you care about may be struggling with thoughts of suicide, practice and role-play how to ask about suicide, and learn about resources and ways to support someone who may be hurting.
• Connecting with other parents and guardians to build and strengthen your network of support and prevention.

Click here for the Zoom link.

Hope everyone had a restful and delicious Fall Break! The House Specialty program will run as follows during the upcoming weeks:

• December 7-11: OPEN
• December 14-18: OPEN
• December 21-25: CLOSED
• December 28-January 1: CLOSED
• January 4-8: CLOSED
• January 11-15: OPEN

If there are days when you do not plan to pick up your meal, or if circumstances have changed for your household during Trimester 2, please e-mail Bethany or Leilani.

Curious to know what’s on the menu for next week? Check it out here! It’s sure to be masarap!

The third book delivery is coming the week of Dec. 14! Books can be picked up, along with your dinners, at locations across the city. Space is limited on each route, so get your requests in early.

Fill out this survey with either specific titles that you’d like (browse the catalog first to see if they are a part of our collection), check out this Padlet for some ideas, or tell us a bit about your reading habits so the librarians can pick out books for you based on your preferences. The survey needs to be completed by Sunday, Dec. 6.

You’ll receive an e-mail reminder on the day of your pick-up. If you have books to return, bag them up, and bring them to the bus for drop-off.

The Northwest Spirit Wear Store is still open during remote learning! Get your holiday shopping done and feel more connected to your community during these remote times while wearing a new NWS sweatshirt.

Purchases can be picked up at the school by appointment or will be delivered with your House Specialty meal if possible.

Orders for individualized duffle bags must be placed by Tuesday, Dec 8, for delivery by Dec 18.

9th Grade Parents and Guardians Coffee, Dec. 14, 5:00 pm PT

• Zoom link
• Meeting ID: 897 7271 9561
• Passcode: 753637

8th Grade Parents and Guardians Winter Warmer, Dec. 15, 8:00 pm PT

Think of it as “coffee in the evening." Enjoy a hot chocolate or a brandy by the fire with your parent and guardian cohort!

• Zoom link
• Meeting ID: 897 4949 6545
• Passcode: 460999

Help us celebrate the last week of fall and the end of the 2020 year with our Fall Music Concert on Dec. 16, at 7:00 pm. It will be a delightful (virtual) evening of ensemble performances from our performing arts department.

• Zoom link
• Meeting ID: 966 9433 0744
• Password: music

Thanks to everyone who participated in our first online Holiday on the Hill event. With your help, we exceeded our fundraising goal! Our librarians Charlotte and Alicia plan to purchase books off their wish list and they’ll soon be on the shelves of the library. We could not have done it without you.

Did you know that Elliott Bay Book Company provides credit to our library year-round? When our community members identify themselves at checkout, the store adds to the library's credit. Remember to let the cashier know you're with Northwest next time you shop!

In her free time, Middle School Humanities teacher Tamara Bunnell is a board member and works closely with the Capitol Hill Historical Society. She would like to share a new and amazing coloring book they are releasing, featuring illustrations by local artist Anjl Rodee.

Each page includes a beautifully rendered, colorable image of a historic neighborhood location, along with a brief written description. Learn about the first Seattle home of journalists/activists Horace and Susie Cayton, the Waitresses Union Retirement and Recreation Home, nearby landmarks like 1101 E Pike, and Malden House, one of the first LGBTQ+ support networks in Seattle, among others.

Click here to pre-order.

Click here to join in live workouts every weeknight, at 5:00 pm PT.

Recordings of past workouts can be found here.

Please click here to view additional college counseling announcements, upcoming visits and events, admissions updates, and scholarship information.

About E-News: The weekly E-News covers a two-week period of upcoming events, parent reminders, and campus news.