If you have any used books in good condition to donate, place them in the box in the front office area. Our 4th Graders are sponsoring a book sale to raise money for their environmental field trip this spring. The more books we collect, the more successful our event will be!

State-funded programs like the Washington Reading Corps are struggling to stay afloat. Though we were put in the legislative budget this year, we’ll be fighting an uphill battle to maintain funding in coming years. Community and parent volunteers can help continue the work of the WRC if the program disappears. Please help create a sustainable tutoring program at Sanislo by becoming a WRC reading tutor! There are many students who don’t receive the support they need because there aren’t enough tutors to go around. Training is provided and the time commitment is flexible and minimal: each tutoring session takes only 30 minutes! Get involved today! For more information, please email Angie Fioretti: a.n.fioretti@hotmail.com.

Many children enjoy Tumbling Club on Thursdays this year, and Mr. Bonow could use more help with this after-school club. If you can stay and help take roll, setting up and taking down mats, and help direct the kids during club time, please come to the gym at 3:30 on Thursdays. For more information see Mr. Bonow or email Lisa Brody (lisabrody@yahoo.com). Thank you!

Sanislo will be hosting a phone bank to call voters and remind them there are important issues being addressed in the February 9th election. Please join us on Thursday, February 4, 6pm, in the Sanislo Library. We’ll provide scripts, phone numbers, food and childcare — you provide your cell phone. If you have friends and neighbors who could help, invite them! Please contact Gillian Allen-White if you think you can attend so we can arrange for enough scripts and phone lists. Leave a message at (206) 935-4943, or email her at
gillian@grandcentralbakery.com.

The Seattle School Board voted to place a $442.7 million operations levy and a $270 million capital levy (BTA III) on the Feb. 9 special election ballot. How important is this? Critical. Seattle Council PTSA Board endorses both levies.

Both are renewals. The operations levy covers about one-quarter of our schools’ budgets and supports educational services not fully funded by the state, including the sixth hour in middle and high school; libraries and textbooks; and competitive salaries for staff … The capital levy (BTA III) funds building repairs, maintenance and upgrades. It pays for such items as new roofs, playfields and science labs. The BTA III also includes money needed to reopen schools in oversubscribed areas, build facilities for on-site preschools, and open a skills center for vocational students. 100 percent of our capital budget comes from BTA and BEX levies.

Did one of your new year’s resolutions include leading a Sanislo club? The next session of clubs will be starting early February, and we are looking for people to help lead clubs. Please contact Lisa B. (lisabrody@yahoo.com) or Lisa K. (granolagulch@earthlink.net) if you are interested in leading or would like more information.

Flower Pots Needed For Valentine’s Day Project We’ve started collecting plastic or clay pots in the front hallway to gear up for the Valentine’s Day planting project. Low pots 3-4” across with drainage holes are best. Contact the project coordinator, Jay Potratz, at 932-3007 or jpotratz2@aol.com with any questions. Thank you for your help!

WOW! The Sanislo community once again demonstrated their tremendous generosity during our annual winter food drive. Our school of just over 300 students blew away our goal of 1000 lbs of nonperishable food, toiletries and cleaning supplies with their donations totalling nearly 3000 pounds (2912 to be exact). In full disclosure, one of our truly big-hearted dads once again donated hundreds of pounds of food to help his son’s class win the class competition. However, even without his amazing generosity, our kids still topped a ton (!!) of donations. There were more than enough donations this year to provide for our own school families needing extra help AND to share with the greater community through the food bank. Given the current economy and the fact that approximately half our students qualify for free or reduced meals, this is certainly an example of the kids’ and teachers’ care for one another.

Representatives from Mr. Apostol’s class accepted the trophy as this year’s winners, and their class leads off initial plate on our new plaque that will commemorate each year’s “Annual Sanislo Food Drive Superstars.” Mrs. Goethe’s kindergarten class and Mr. Simmon’s 4th graders also deserve mention for their tremendous efforts. Since the entire school did such a fabulous job showing us just what outstanding citizens they are, EVERY class won ice cream. Congratulations to you all!

The annual Sanislo food drive has started and will run through Dec.11th. Every year, Sanislo students collect non-perishable food (no fresh or homemade items, please) and household items (such as cleaning or toiletry supplies) for distribution to families in need at our school. Your family can send items to school with your student, or you can drop them off at the front desk. Let’s show just how generous our families are!

Thank you for your support of our kids and community.

Will be arriving on Today, Dec. 3rd. There are a few extras, so if you didn’t get your order in and would still like one, they will be available on a first come, first served basis, contact Carol Christian at caroberin@ comcast.net . If you didn’t want a wreath, but you would still like to help out families in need at Sanislo, you can make a donation check out to the Sanislo PTA and write “for family services” in the info line, and drop it in the gold PTA box in the front entry.