Read the 2012-2013 transportation update from Dr. Enfield here.

May 16, 2012

Dear Parents, Guardians, and Members of the McDonald Community,

International Night, Saturday, May 19th, 5:00-8:00:  Don’t miss this first-ever event here 
at Lincoln.  At approximately 7:00PM, the Building Leadership Team will showcase our new McDonald International School brochure, logo, and Mission & Vision statement.  

I look forward to seeing everyone here!

Thank you parents & PTA for the lovely flowers and edible treats last week during Staff Appreciation week!!!

Hiring news:  During the next two weeks, the teachers and I and our hiring committees will be working diligently to hire the following positions for 2012-13:  Kindergarten teacher (full-time, English), Second Grade teacher (half-time, English) and a half-time Art teacher.  All candidates must be current employees of Seattle Public Schools with continuing contracts for the 2012-13 school year.  I’ll keep you posted.

Time Flies:  Maybe it really is Spring:  We’ve entered the final five weeks of school – time flies!  Students have been here for the better part of a year (some almost two years), and I’d like to take this time for a few reminders.  We still have five weeks of school left – prime-learning time to prepare for next year.  With that thought in mind, I’d like to review a few Behavior Expectations for students as Spring is upon us: 

• Money, Toys, Games:  Students should not bring playthings to school except on specific days for “show and tell”. Students should not bring money except as necessary for lunches or other school-related activities.  Any valuable item should be left in the teacher’s care for safekeeping and returned home the same day.  The school cannot be responsible for lost toys, games, money, cell phones, etc.
• Appropriate shoes:  McDonald students (K-5) have Physical Education every day.  All students should wear appropriate shoes to school for this class.  This does not include “flip-flops”, sandals, open-toed shoes, etc.
• Roller skates/shoe skates of any kind are not allowed on Seattle Public School District property.
• Cell phones:  Students are only permitted to use cell phones outside the building before and after school.  During the school day, cell phones must be turned off, kept in backpacks, and not brought out for any reason.  Phones will be confiscated if these rules are not adhered to and parents will be asked to retrieve the phone from the school office.  “Camera phones” may not be used to take photographs at school.

Please review the above mentioned Behavior Expectations/Standards with your student/s and stress that their job is: 

• To learn everything they can each day
• Be responsible McDonald citizens
• Finish their assignments 
• Turn in their homework  

Thanks, in advance, for your help!  As always, if you have questions about life at McDonald, please give me a call in the office – 252-2900.  I’d be happy to chat.  

Sincerely, 

Cheryl Grinager, Principal

Principal Grinager provides the following information about the language assignment process:


If you would like input into which language your child learns at McDonald, you must fill out the  Language Selection Input Form (which you should already have received by mail) and return it by mail or in person to the school by May 16. (That's not a postmark date; the form must be received.)

On that form, there are places to indicate 1) if your child speaks one of the two languages already, 2) whether or not your child has a sibling who is currently in immersion at McDonald, or has a sibling who has been through the John Stanford International School (JSIS) immersion program, and 3) your language preference.  

The two languages offered at McDonald are Japanese and Spanish.  For the 2012 – 2013 school year, there will be 2 Spanish classes and 2 Japanese classes in Kindergarten. 

In this process, priority is first given to students in the following order: 1) fluent speakers of the language, 2) siblings, 3) lottery. 

Fluent speaker:  If your student speaks Spanish or Japanese fluently, please call the McDonald School office at 252-2900 to sign them up for a language interview with a teacher to verify the student’s language fluency.  The language fluency interview, which assesses the students’ ability to have a conversation in the target language, will take place between May 16 and May 24.

Sibling at McDonald or JSIS:   If you would like your child in the same language as a sibling currently at McDonald, or a sibling who has gone through JSIS’ language immersion program, please note that in the appropriate area on the form.  

Lottery:   The McDonald Building Leadership Team will randomly draw the remaining input forms and then place students based on the preference stated on the form while maintaining gender balance between classes.  The McDonald Building Leadership Team will conduct the language selection process on Monday June 4. 

Language assignments will be sent to the email provided on your Language Preference Form the week of June 4th. If you have any questions about the process, please call McDonald School at 206.252.2900.