FAQs

When will I find out my child’s teacher?

Teaching assignments will be announced by the end of the day on Friday, August 29.  You will receive an e-mail from your child’s teacher.

Will there be an opportunity for us to visit school before the first day of school?

Yes.  All families are invited to a Meet & Greet with your child’s teacher on Tuesday, September 2 from 4:30 to 5:30.  In addition, Kindergarten teachers will arrange 1:1 meetings with each Kindergarten student.

How can I find out about volunteer opportunities?

Join the PTA Board

McGilvra has an active PTA and we hope you will be involved! The PTA is run by a Board of Directors that oversees fundraising, several community events, the Kids Time enrichment program, and more. We welcome your involvement!  If you would like to share your professional talents in fundraising, communications, accounting, event planning, graphic design, or any other area you can think of, please contact president@mcgilvrapta.org. The PTA Board meets monthly and it is a great way to meet other parents and have the inside scoop on all McGilvra happenings.

Become a Room Parent

Room parents help facilitate communication between the teacher and families.  In addition, they collaborate with the teacher for various celebrations and activities throughout the year.  Room parents also typically coordinate classroom gifts for teachers around the holidays.  If you would like to be a room parent, please contact your child’s teacher.

Volunteer in the Classroom

McGilvra teachers welcome parent volunteers in their classrooms throughout the year.  You can make a weekly commitment or you can make arrangements with your child’s teacher whenever you have time.  Teachers will be in touch at the beginning of the school year regarding volunteer opportunities. 

There are also many individual opportunities throughout the year, including chaperoning field trips or helping with special projects in the classroom.

Help in the Art Room or the Library

Ms. Finch (art) and Ms. Powers (library) also welcome volunteers throughout the year.  If you’d like to help in either the art room or the library, please contact Ms. Finch at jlfinch@seattleschools.org or Ms. Powers at dcpowers@seattleschools.org.

Help Out in the Garden

The McGilvra Garden is a unique space that is enjoyed by our students throughout the year.  It also requires loving care from volunteers.  If you are interested in helping, please contact Ms. Ongman at mmongman@seattleschools.org.

Do I need to complete any special forms to volunteer?

All volunteers must be cleared by Seattle Public Schools, a process that can take several weeks.  If you plan to volunteer at school in any capacity, including chaperoning field trips, you should begin the volunteer application process as soon as possible.  For more details and to access the application form, please visit the SPS website.  If you have any questions, please contact Ms. Finch at jlfinch@seattleschools.org.

Who do I contact if my child is absent?

If your child will be absent, in addition to notifying his or her teacher, you must notify the school office by writing to mcgilvra.attendance@seattleschools.org. Please do not forget this step as the office needs to call the families of any students who are not accounted for when teachers submit their daily attendance.

How do I check my child’s grades and test scores?

You will want to bookmark The Source. This is your go-to place for anything related to your child’s school record, including grades, test scores, and library books that are checked out. You will also go here to pay for field trips.

How does my child pay for lunch from the cafeteria?

Children can purchase meals or milk in the cafeteria. You can add money to your child’s account using MySchoolBucks. To create your account, you’ll need to first visit The Source (your go-to place for anything related to your child’s school record) and note their student ID number.

Note that MySchoolBucks charges users a $3 fee for credit/debit card meal payments and $2.49 for electronic check meal payments for a maximum payment limit of $150 per transaction. If you have more than one student, you can add money to multiple accounts in a single transaction so you’ll only be charged one fee.

If you prefer to pay by check, please contact Ms. Anderson for information about how to make those arrangements with the school’s culinary manager.

How do I make sure I am informed of all school news?

Every Monday, the school office sends a weekly newsletter called The Paw Print. This typically includes updates from the special teachers (library, PE, music, etc.), as well as information from the PTA. Please be sure to read it each week! In addition, Ms. Anderson regularly sends out text messages via the Talking Points system. Lastly, the PTA sends newsletters every few weeks.

Please note that the school is not allowed to share contact information with the PTA. To make sure you don’t miss any PTA news or reminders, be sure to join the PTA or agree to share your contact info with us.