Welcome Back Seaton Families!
We are so excited to welcome our Seaton families back for another school year! Thank you for your continued support, patience, and partnership as we transitioned to our new home at Seaton @ K.C. Lewis. Your support has helped make this transition a successful one for our Stingers.
We are excited to share our first schoolwide newsletter of the year. Families will receive a schoolwide newsletter every two weeks with important updates, celebrations, and upcoming events. In between newsletters, we will continue to share timely updates and reminders with families as needed.
Thank you for helping us make Seaton @ K.C. Lewis feel like home. We are looking forward to a wonderful school year together.
Best – Principal Torres
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Save the Dates!
Back to School Nights
Join us for Back to School Nights and get to know our new building! Families will be able to visit classroom, meet with teachers, and learn more about the upcoming school year. Please save the dates!
- Wednesday, September 16 – Grades PK3, PK4, Kindergarten, and Grade 1. Time: 5:30 to 6:30PM
- Thursday, September 17 – Grade 2, Grade 3, Grade 4, and Grade 5. Time: 5:30 to 6:30PM
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Parent University – Technology Updates
Join the DCPS Parent University session about DCPS’s Technology Guidance for this school year.
The session is today, Tuesday, September 1 at 6:00 p.m. You can join the session here: bit.ly/DCPSparentu
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LSAT Meeting (Local School Advisory Team)
The next LSAT Meeting is September 23 – 4:00 – 5:00 p.m. Families are invited the join the LSAT meeting held virtually here: https://teams.microsoft.com/meet/280537902029332?p=Fwib8lbz5ax7MXLTGy
Families can learn more about the LSAT here: https://dcps.dc.gov/page/lsat
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School Updates!
T-Shirt Sales
The PTO will continue to sell Seaton shirts throughout the year! We will be selling this Friday at drop-off. We will also be selling during the PTO Meeting next week (9/10). If you have questions about Seaton t-shirts or would like to make a purchase at a different time, feel free to reach out to bethany.young@k12.dc.gov.
DC One Card Available
We have received DC One Cards, and they are available free of charge for students in grades K–5.
If your child needs a DC One Card, please send an email to Ms. Daisy (gloria.torrento@k12.dc.gov) or come to the main office to request one in person.
Dismissal Transportation Permission Form – Students in Grades 3–5
Each year, some students in grades 3–5 may be permitted to walk home or take the Metrobus independently at dismissal time. If you agree to allow your child to walk home or take the Metrobus independently, please complete the permission form and send it to your child to the Main Office.
Thank you for your cooperation and support. English Dismissal Authorization Form
Parent Communication – Parent Square
This year, we are using a new app, ParentSquare, to communicate with parents and families. We would like to continue staying connected and sharing important information with you through the app. Please see the link below to upload and set up ParentSquare.
https://www.parentsquare.com If you have any questions or need help, please come to the office. We will be happy to assist you.
Parent Reminder: If your email address or phone number changes, please notify the main office so we can keep your contact information up to date.
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Cafeteria Update from Our Cafeteria Manager, Mr. Lee!
Seaton Elementary Parents,
My name is Mr. Lee, and I am excited to introduce myself as the new Cafeteria Manager at Seaton Elementary. I’m very happy to be here and look forward to providing your children with delicious, nutritious, and enjoyable meal options.
I’ve also been listening to some of the feedback from our school community. Please know that we are working behind the scenes to address concerns and make improvements that will provide the best possible experience for our students.
I wanted to share a few slight adjustments to this week’s breakfast menu:
- ECE and Grab & Go Breakfast: Instead of whole-grain biscuits, we will be serving apple muffins and cinnamon waffles.
- Wednesday’s ECE Breakfast: We will offer lower-sugar options, including Rice Chex and Cheerios.
Moving forward, I will be partnering with Principal Torres to communicate any menu changes or updates. Thank you for your understanding and support. I look forward to meeting many of you soon and working together to make mealtime a positive experience for our Seaton Elementary students!
Warm regards – Mr. Lee!
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Attendance Updates!
We are sharing the DCPS Guidance for Attendance: https://dcps.dc.gov/publication/attendance-and-truancy-policy
Please make sure you contact the school (via ParentSquare, a handwritten note, an Aspen Go note, a text, email, call etc.) regarding your child’s absence.
Throughout the next two weeks, the attendance committee will be sending letters home to children who were marked as Chronically Absent last year. Please continuously check your child’s backpack for any notes.
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SEL (Social Emotional Learning) Updates!
Seaton is implementing an SEL curriculum and structures to support students in developing a strong sense of belonging, safety, and community. This school year, we implementing the following curriculum as a year 2 school wide implementation.
Students in ECE, Kindergarten and Grade 1 are implementing Strong Start Whole Child Model that includes:
- Greetings
- Purposeful Partnering
- Community Building
- Goal Setting
Families can learn more about Strong Start here: https://www.wholechildmodel.org/strong-start
Students in Grade 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th will be implementing the Peace of Mind of curriculum that includes:
- Mindfulness
- Conflict resolution
- Practicing kindness
- Gratitude
Families can learn more about Peace of Mind here: https://teachpeaceofmind.org/parents/
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School Policies + Opportunities!
DCPS School Nurse
We currently have a rotating school nurse supporting Seaton three days a week. Nurse Caroline Brown is our designated school nurse. Families can reach Nurse Brown at caroline.brown1@dc.gov for any questions about Health Forms, Dental Forms, and medications.
DCPS Student Cell Phone and Electronic Device Policy
During the 26.27 school year, Seaton ES will continue to implement a cell phone free school day. This ensures that we are protecting school time to focus on learning, wellness, and safety. Upon arrival to school each day, students will turn in their personal electronic devices to the security officer on duty to be stored for the duration of the school day. Students may retrieve their personal devices upon dismissal (either from the regular school day or from after school). DCPS and its staff do not assume responsibility for students’ personal cell phones or personal electronic communication devices if they are brought to school grounds. DCPS is not responsible for loss, damage, and/or theft of students’ personal cell phones or personal electronic communication devices if they are brought to school grounds. To review the full DCPS Cell Phone and Electronic Device Policy, please click here.
School and Field Trip Volunteers
For SY 26.27, family members interested in participating in school field trips need to complete the DCPS Volunteer Clearance Process before attending any field trip. We encourage all parents and family members to complete the DCPS Volunteer Clearance process! Families can begin their process here: Volunteer in Our Schools | dcps
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After School Programming!
Kindergarten through Grade 5 After School Programming
The after-school program is currently underway at Seaton.
After-school programming for Kindergarten through Grade 5 takes place daily from 3:15 to 6:00 PM.
Students transition directly from the school day to the Seaton Cafeteria for the start of after-school programming at 3:15 p.m. and follow the schedule below.
- 3:15 to 3:30 – Supper in the cafeteria
- 3:30 to 4:30 – Power Hour: students transition to class with their afterschool teacher
- 4:30 to 4:45 – Transition back to the cafeteria from power hour
- 4:45 to end of day – Outdoor and indoor activities
Students in after-school are picked up at the front of the school. All families are asked to sign their students out at pick-up with Officer Bryant or Officer Boone.
Families can find the after school newsletter attached for district wide after school updates!
PK3 and PK4 After School Programming by the YMCA
PK3 and PK4 with an after-school seat are now able to complete the YMCA After School registration.
The program runs daily from 3:15 to 6:00 PM
To register, email Jaysha Washington at jaisha.washington@ymcadc.org to receive the form
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PTO Updates!
Seaton Families,
I hope everyone has had a great first week back at school! I’m Swathi, this year’s Parent Teacher Organization (PTO) president and parent to Jai (3rd grade) and Navya (1st grade). I want to welcome all parents, old and new, to Seaton’s PTO. The PTO is dedicated to improving the educational experience for all students at Seaton. We host schoolwide events, organize afterschool clubs, provide support for teachers, fund field trips and supplies, and more. Some of what we did last school year is recapped here. The PTO is 100% free to join, and all parents, teachers, and staff are automatically members. You can read more about the PTO, see our budget, read minutes of past meetings, and learn about our 2026-2027 executive board on our website: https://seatondc.org/pto/.
Keep up to date on Seaton PTO afterschool clubs (including registration deadlines), events, modernization details, and more by joining our WhatsApp and email listserv. Sign up for the PTO listserv by clicking here: https://groups.google.com/g/seaton-es-families or emailing president.seatonpto@gmail.com.
What’s Coming Up
- Back-to-School Family Brunch: Saturday, September 5, 12 – 2 PM – Lulu’s Wundergarden. Lulu’s Winegarden (owned bya previous Seaton family who remain dear Seaton friends) has reserved the front patio for a family-friendly brunch! No need to make a reservation, but if you could let us know you’re coming here, we can make sure there’s space for everyone. They are also donating 15% of the proceeds to the PTO, so please use code SEATONPTO at check-out.
- PTO Meeting: Thursday, September 10, 5:30-6:30 PM (agenda to come). The meeting will be held in the music room (201), on the second floor of the building.Child care and pizza will be provided. There is also a virtual option, here.
- Fall Movie Night: Friday, October 23, 6 – 8 PM. Mark your calendar for our annual Fall Movie Night. We’ll have the big screen out on the playground at Seaton @ KC Lewis, along with popcorn, hot chocolate, and glowsticks.
- Talent Showcase: Thursday, November 12, 5:30 – 7 PM. Get your Stingers working on their acts, more details to come closer to the event! Open to all students from PK3 – 5th, live and pre-recorded acts are fine.
- Winter Wonderland Dance: Friday, December 11, 7 – 9 PM. Our annual winter dance for 2nd – 5th graders features desserts, drinks, a photo booth, and the chance to dance the night away on a sugar high.
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Afterschool Clubs
The PTO sponsors afterschool clubs for students in grades K-5 enrolled in aftercare. A full list of our fall clubs, with deadlines and registration details, can be found here: https://seatondc.org/afterschool-enrichment/. If your student has received a spot in a teacher-led club, you will receive an email from the teacher by today, and registration for vendor-led clubs opens tomorrow. Teacher-led clubs are free to all, made possible through PTO stipends of approximately $50 per student. If your child is selected for a club and you are able, please donate here to help defray the costs so that these clubs remain free to all.
Girls on the Run sign-up is also now open, for female-identifying students in grades 3-5. Note that students do NOT have to be in aftercare to enroll for this club. A flyer is attached, and you can register at: https://www.pinwheel.us/register/index/DC-Fall-2026
Modernization and a New School Name
As many of you know, the modernization process has been ongoing for the last year. You can stay up to date on developments on our page, here: https://seatondc.org/swing-space-modernization/. DCPS maintains its own website on our modernization process here: https://dcps.dc.gov/page/seaton-es.
Finally, as part of getting a new building, our community has been asked to look at whether Seaton should get a new school name. I’m looking forward to engaging in a community-wide discussion about this issue, and we will send out more details about this process this week.
Uniform Policy
Seaton has a uniform policy, and all students are expected to come to school each day wearing a uniform. The PTO sells uniform-compliant tshirts throughout the year, including this Friday at drop-ff at Seaton @ KC Lewis and also at our first PTO meeting of the year. Thanks to everyone who stopped by and restocked last week! We also host uniform swaps. We’ll send details about the first one of those soon!
How You Can Help!
Our PTO does so much to support Seaton and our students, and we’d love your help! There are a lot of ways to volunteer. You can join any of the committees listed on our website, take the lead on an event, help us solicit corporate donations or identify grant opportunities, organize donation drives (like coats or shoes), or just pitch in to take a shift on one of our events. If you’re curious, please reach out to me at president.seatonpto@gmail.com and I can help you figure out what might work! We also always welcome donations, which are tax-deductible and can be made here: https://secure.givelively.org/donate/seaton-elementary-parent-teacher-organization.
