HIMS Friday News

April 25, 2025

Dear Hamilton Community,

Welcome Back from Spring Break!  I hope this message finds you well.  Below are a few important reminders and updates from Hamilton and the PTSA. 

School Construction Improvement Project:

Hamilton community we will be beginning a school construction improvement project starting on Monday, April 28th, 29th, & 30th on the east side of the school next to the gym, on school side of Densmore Street. We will need to re-route traffic, including school bus transportation on Friday, May 9th. Please standby for additional details in upcoming Friday newsletter.

Thank You PTSA for Participating with the Meet The Principal Event:

We would like to say thank you to the representatives of the HIMS PTSA for participating in welcoming our new families who came out to our annual Meet the Principal event. We had a large group of families represented on both Tuesday and Thursday of this week.  Great questions were asked, and It was exciting to see parents help their prospective students begin the middle school transition to Hamilton International Middle School. 

Personnel Update:

We would like to welcome new staff members to Hamilton International Middle School as follows.

• Assistant Principal – Ms. Vidhya Sankaranarayanan – (Her First name is pronounced “Videe-Ya” and she pronounces her last name for short “SunCar”.  She started her first day on Monday, April 21.
• Kitchen Assistant – Mr. Daniel Kensler

SBA State Exams:

Hamilton Parents it’s that time of the year where our students will be preparing to take their SBA State Exams. We have about 5-more school days before that begins. Please be on the lookout for more information from Mr. David Cousins, House Administrator with details of the dates and how to prepare your child for testing.

Hamilton Wins Big at Prestigious Jazz Festival:
Congratulations to the 44 Hamilton Hawks who worked hard over spring break competing in the prestigious Lionel Hampton Jazz Festival.

The jazz program, led by HIMS teacher Angela Pence, won three first place trophies during their trip to Moscow, Idaho. The school’s Vocal Jazz Ensemble took the top prize in the Junior Division as well as first place in the Junior Vocal Solo category. Students from the school’s Jazz Band won both first place and runner-up in the Junior Instrumental Combo category.

Over 2,000 students took part in the 58th Annual Lionel Hampton Jazz Festival at the University of Idaho this year. The festival is one of the largest and oldest educational jazz festivals in the world.

The jazz program has an intense schedule of festivals and performances in the coming months, including Jazz Night at the middle school on June 5 which is free and open to the public.

Hamilton Jazz Night
June 5, 2025, 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm
Hamilton International Middle School
1610 N 41st St, Seattle, WA 98103

2 Photos Approved for External Media Use
Photo #1: The University of Idaho building where the students competed.
Photo #2: Vocal Jazz students, (from left) Aislynn Riffell, Althea Turkweiss and Mimi Schweikart celebrate their Vocal Jazz win.

JSU Family Event: Reflecting on Our Experiences and Addressing Antisemitism:

Good Afternoon JSU Families,

We hope you’re enjoying the start of spring! After the success of the JSU’s LA trip and today’s assembly, we’re excited to invite all families to a special event focused on reflecting and sharing experiences where you’ve felt your Judaism challenged or attacked.

Date: Wednesday, April 30th
Time: 6:00–8:00 PM
Location: Room 336 at HIMS

Join us for an evening of reflection, discussion, and community building, featuring Hilary Bernstein, an expert in addressing antisemitism. Hilary will guide us through recognizing, processing, and responding to antisemitic challenges.

About Hilary Bernstein:
Hilary is a respected education consultant and former Regional Director of the Anti-Defamation League in the Pacific Northwest. With over 30 years of experience, she facilitates discussions on bias, diversity, and positive change, and is a sought-after speaker on contemporary antisemitism.

What to Expect:
Pizza and salad will be provided. The event is free, thanks to generous donations, but please RSVP via the link below to help us prepare for the evening.

We look forward to seeing you there!

RSVP for JSU Family Event: Reflecting on Our Experiences and Addressing Antisemitism

All JSU students and their family members are welcome!

Warmly,
Jewish Student Union Parents

Yearbook Sales Opening up – June 2-13, 2025

Yearbook sales will open again on June 2-13 for distribution during the last week of school. Cost is $35. Watch for more details in the weekly bulletin (or whatever you call it) in late May for more details.

PTSA News 4/25/25:

Hi families! Heads up: We need MANY 6th and 7th grade parent volunteers to help with the 8th grade dance (June 13) and 8th grade promotion (June 17) – see below for details.

Contribute to Staff Appreciation Week May 5-9 – We are so grateful for the hardworking HIMS staff members who support our students and our community every day, and we are eager to show them our appreciation! The PTSA has a variety of treats lined up, including breakfast, Seattle Pops (with hopes of sunny weather!), and a catered Mediterranean lunch, but we need your help, too. Email Regina with questions at staffappreciation@hamiltonptsa.org. How to contribute: Send a note or email of thanks to a HIMS staff member. We notice the times that a teacher spends an extra few minutes explaining something or engages our kids with a super fun project. Let’s take a moment to let our staff know that we see and value their talent, effort, and dedication to our kids. Sign up to stock the Staff Lounge with snacks and drinks. Let’s fill the cupboards with non-perishable treats and the refrigerator with refreshing beverages to boost our staff throughout the week. Lunches are great, but a stocked pantry, accessible any time, will energize them through a busy week of testing. Sign up to support Staff Appreciation Week.

A Parent’s POV: April is Autism Acceptance Month – A HIMS parent has contributed a powerful piece our website about her daily experience with two autistic children, along with some helpful perspective and resources. We hope you’ll give it a read: A Parent’s POV: April is Autism Acceptance Month  

The PTSA Spring General Meeting: May 8 from 6:30-8:30 pm in the Commons – Are you worried about keeping your kids safe and how to help them navigate the challenges of social media? The PTSA will be focusing on kids and technology in our spring general meeting. Our tech team will host Katey McPherson, an expert on empowering parents to keep their children safe online, for an interactive discussion with parents and guardians on the evolving challenges our kids face in the online world, including tips on transitioning to middle school and high school. Additional speakers will include high school students like Lincoln junior Dorothea Kaste, who wrote a recent Seattle Times Additional speakers will include high school students like Lincoln junior Dorothea Kaste, who wrote a recent Seattle Times article urging more action urging more action. We’ll also provide an update on the “away for the day” policy and programs coming up in 2025-26. Bring your tough questions!  

Come Celebrate Mother’s Day, The Seattle Reign and the Hamilton Hawks on May 11 with Discounted Tickets – Big thanks to Alisa Gutierrez-Vitello from the PTSA board, who has arranged for the Reign to set aside a section of seats for Hamilton families and friends on Mother’s Day, Sunday, May 11 at 5 pm with a portion of ticket sales going to the PTSA. Tickets are $33 each – buy them here and invite others: Tickets are $33 each – buy them and invite others   Questions you’ve asked: Q: May my students attend the game without me or another supervising adult? A: No — this is just a super informal event for family community building, not an organized event with chaperones. The PTSA or school will not have responsibility for transport or safety of students.   Q: Is financial aid available to defray ticket costs for students? A: Yes – email treasurer@hamiltonptsa.org to make a request. Tickets for students may be given out once a supervising adult has purchased a $33 ticket.   Q: Is there a limit on tickets? A: Not really – no limit was provided on how many seats we can get, so this should be a great fundraising and community-building opportunity. Bring friends!  

Volunteer for Hawk Day on May 16 – Hawk Day is a celebration of the end of the quarter and all the hard work students have accomplished. It will take place the last hour of the school day with games, outdoor time, movies, karaoke, snacks, “chill time” zones, a 5 x 5 basketball tournament, and more! Please sign up to volunteer here: Hawk Day Volunteer Signup  

A New Date for the 8th Grade Dance – June 13 – Calling 6th and 7th grade families: You are needed to help out with the 8th grade dance – signing in students, arranging snacks and bevs, putting together photo stations and balloon arches, decorating the gym and more! Students dress up, and it’s pretty fun to see it all in action. Watch this space for a sign-up link next week.  

6th & 7th Grade Families: Help with 8th Grade Promotion! – The HIMS administration and PTSA are working together to plan 8th grade promotion, and we need a whole host of volunteers beforehand and day of. We are specifically looking for 6th and 7th grade parents and guardians to help, so that 8th grade families can kick back and enjoy the day. Want to tackle handmade signage? Balloons? Cupcakes? Good at wrangling 8th graders in and out of aisles, or making photo stations? Contact Jane at vicepresident@hamiltonptsa.org to take on a task!  

We are Recruiting for the 2025-26 Board – We have Several board members moving on this spring, and the PTSA will need a co-president, vice president, co-secretary, class reps and several other positions to be filled for next year. Please reach out to the Mollys at president@hamiltonptsa.org if you’re interested in learning about a volunteer opportunity for next year, big or small. It’s an amazing opportunity to know the school community better and contribute to making your students’ HIMS experience awesome.  

Lincoln is Expanding its Tutoring for HIMS Students – Did you know Lincoln students, as part of their volunteering requirements, offer free tutoring? Any subject from math to Spanish Mondays at Lincoln from 4-6 pm and Wednesdays from 2:45-3:45 pm. If no students show up in the first 15 minutes, tutoring will close. Sign up to get tutored: Sign up for TutoringBefore going, wait to hear confirmation from Lincoln. Enter at the main entrance with the ramp and glass doors on Interlake Ave N. Students should make sure their parents/guardians are aware they’ll be going. Reach out to 280ella@gmail.com with any questions!  

In Partnership,

Eric Marshall, Principal
Hamilton International Middle School
“Education is not preparation for life; education is life itself.” ~ John Dewey
Telephone: 206-252-5810
ermarshall@seattleschools.org