September 2 Seaton Family Newsletter

Seaton Families,  

We were so excited to welcome our Stingers back to school! We had a fantastic first week with Kindergarten through Grade 5 and a wonderful first two days with PK3 and PK4. It felt like we never left; students jumped right into practicing routines, reconnecting with friends on the playground, and even our lunch schedule ran on time (which almost never happens at the start of the school year!). Thank you for your support in helping us launch the year so smoothly. 

This week, classes are completing beginning-of-year assessments and launching their first units of study. Seaton teachers are excited that, together, we are setting the tone for a year filled with growth, joy, and high expectations.  

We are also sharing the September 2nd Family Newsletter, which includes school updates, important dates, and PTO news. 

Best! Principal Torres  

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Getting Ready for SY 25.26 

Futures of Seaton!  

Learn about what to Expect to the SY 25-26 Here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o6xQAozLTug 

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Daily School Logistics K-5 

Families Can Expect the Following Daily Logistics for Kindergarten Through Grade 5:  

• Arrival: Students can arrive as early as 8:15am daily!  

• Instructional Day: Students transition to class between 8:40 and 8:45am! Arriving on time supports us with smooth transitions and the start of the school day for all students.  

• Breakfast: All students in grades K-4 eat breakfast in the Seaton Cafeteria. Grade 5 eats in the Lobby.  

• Parking: Parking for families is available through designated Pick Up and Drop off (PUDO) 15-minute parking on 10th street and Q street.  

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ECE Arrival (PK3 and PK4)  

• Seaton staff members will welcome students at the front door between 8:15 and 8:40AM from August 28 to September 11.  

• Beginning Friday September 12, families will be able to walk students directly to their classroom doors during arrival from 8:15 to 8:40AM.  

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CES Program Arrival (Communication Educational Supports) 

• Students attending Seaton’s CES Program (Communication Educational Supports) in grade bands ECE and K–2 travel directly to their classroom doors, accompanied by a parent or OSSE Bus attendant.  

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Seaton School Uniforms Information  

We are proud to have a flexible school uniform that supports a sense of discipline and self-respect, enables students to concentrate on learning, and reduces peer pressure.   

All Seaton students are expected to come to school daily wearing a uniform. PK3 to 5th grade students should come dressed in white tops or navy bottoms.   

• Tops: white polo shirts, white shirts, or any Seaton logo t-shirt.  

• Bottoms: dark blue bottoms, shorts, skirts, or jumpers (below the knee).  

• Footwear: any closed-toe shoes for safety reasons.   

 
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Save the Dates!  

Back to School Nights 

Join us for Back to School Nights to learn more about the school community, priorities, and visit classrooms!   

• Wednesday September 17 – Grades PK3, PK4, Kindergarten, and Grade 1. Time: 5:30 to 6:30PM.  

• Thursday September 18 – Grade 2, Grade 3, Grade 4, and Grade 5. Time: 5:30 to 6:30PM. 

Grade 2 Update:  

• Ms. Hawthorne and Ms. Langston will meet families for Back to School Night on Friday August 19. Families will receive an updates from Ms. Langston and Ms. Hawthorne.  

Join the LSAT Meetings 

The Local School Advisory Team (LSAT) is a group of elected and appointed members that exists for every DCPS school. The team consists of parents, teachers, non-instructional school staff, and a community member. Local School Advisory Teams are a key lever to increasing transparency at DCPS and ensuring decisions affecting school communities are made collaboratively with the help of a diverse group of school stakeholders.  Our next meeting is September 10, 2025, at 4:00 p.m. in the library. If you want to join online, visit the Seaton website, and navigate to the LSAT webpage. 

SY 25.26 DCPS School Calendar   

Review the DCPS school year calendar here SY 25.26 School Calendar  

Attendance Committee Updates 

Parents and Guardians – This month is Attendance Awareness Month at Seaton!  

Today we had a parent resource table in which we provided some information regarding attendance, excused absences, and our new absence excuse note system! We also will be having a brief presentation tomorrow at the PTO meeting regarding attendance so please attend if you can. If you cannot attend, I will be at Back-to-School Night tabling and answering parent questions, please stop by if you can.  

We are also having an attendance spirit week! The themes are listed below: 

• Monday September 22nd – College Wear Day   

• Tuesday September 23rd – Tie Dye Day   

• Wednesday September 24th – Vacation Day   

• Thursday September 25th – Jersey Day   

• Friday September 26th – School Spirit Day   

Please try your best to have your students participate and show their school spirit!  As always please feel free to contact me if you have any questions. ” 

Thank you! Mr. Mercado – Bilingual School Counselor  

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SEL Curriculum (Social Emotional Learning)  

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 adopted the following curriculum based on feedback from both students and staff! 

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/  

School Policies + Opportunities! 

DCPS School Nurse  

We currently have a rotating school nurse supporting Seaton. We will share more information about the school nurse once we confirm the days that she will be available to meet families. In the meantime, please share any health or dental forms with Ms. Daisy at gloria.torrento@k12.dc.gov or the Seaton Enroll email at SeatonESEnroll@k12.dc.gov  

DCPS Student Cell Phone and Electronic Device Policy 

During the 25.26 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. 

Field Trip Volunteers   

For SY 25.26, 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   

Student Health Hub Events    

Still need to get your DCPS student ready for the new school year? Plan a visit to one of the upcoming Health Hubs for eye exams, dental check-ups, immunizations, family resources, and more. Register today: bit.ly/dcpshealthhubs2025  

Vision To Learn Program   

Vision to Learn is offering free eye exams and prescription glasses (if needed) for kids ages 3–18 at various DC Public Library locations. Families must pre-register at https://vtldc.intakeq.com/booking.  

Getting Ready the Start of School   

Want to prepare your PK3 and PK4 students for the start of school? You can watch the DCPS Early Childhood Videos Series here!   

• Getting Ready for Pre-K: Preparing for a Smooth Transition into School  

• Nurturing Emotional Growth in Your Child   

• Let’s Talk About Toilet Learning   

• Early Literacy: Sing, Talk, and Read with Your Child      

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After School Programming at Seaton 

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 PM. 

• Students in after-school are picked up at the front of the school. 

• All families are asked to sign their student out at pick-up.   

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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. Families that received a waitlist seat for PK3 and PK4 are also now able to enroll in the after-school program.   

• Registration opens Monday, August 4  

• The program runs daily from 3:15 to 6:00 PM, starting August 28 (first day of ECE)  

• To register, email Jaysha Washington at jaisha.washington@ymcadc.org  to receive the form 

• The program has a cost of $360 per month with a one-time registration fee of $50  

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Seaton Enrollment  

Enrollment Questions?   

Families can email the Seaton Enroll email or our registrar Ms. Daisy any questions about enrollment. This includes any questions about the MySchoolDC Lottery or DCPS Enrollment process.    

• Seaton Enroll email: seatonesenroll@k12.dc.gov   

• Ms. Daisy, school registrar: gloria.torrento@k12.dc.gov  

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PTO Updates 

Seaton Families,  

I hope everybody had a wonderful first week of school. For those who are returning, welcome back, and for our new families, welcome to the Seaton community!  

I am the mom of Jai (2nd grade) and Navya (K) and I am this year’s Parent Teacher Organization president. The PTO is a group of parents and teachers who work to build community at Seaton, provide funding for teacher support and appreciation, and generally make Seaton a joyful place for our Stingers to come to school every day. You can read more about the PTO here. As a parent or caregiver to a Seaton Stinger, you are automatically a member of the PTO, and it is 100% free – there are no dues to participate. 

Last year, we were busy! We organized fun community events like the Spring Carnival and Fall and Winter Movie Nights, we hosted academically enriching events like the Science Fair and Family Math Night, and we held our first ever Winter Wonderland dance for grades 2-5. We also launched afterschool clubs for the first time, offering eight different clubs over the school year. We celebrated teachers, provided direct support to families, and more. 

This year, we hope to continue our efforts to connect families and provide enrichment (and fun) to our Stingers. We are also looking forward to our school’s upcoming modernization, starting next August, and our corresponding move to swing space at 300 Bryant St NW. We also acknowledge that, in the middle of the excitement of the first week of school, our city and our neighbors are facing a lot of uncertainty. Please read on for ways you can support the PTO’s efforts to make sure every student, teacher, and family at Seaton has an amazing year. 

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First PTO Meeting of the Year – Tomorrow, Wednesday, September 3, 2025  

Please join us for the first PTO meeting of the year TOMORROW from 5:30-6:30 in the library. Here is our agenda: 

1. Family Relations Introductory Exercise (5 min) 

2. Introduction to the PTO (5 min) 

3. Principal Updates from Principal Torres and Q&A (20 min) 

4. Modernization and Swing Space Introduction and Updates (5 min) 

5. Afterschool Clubs Update (5 min) 

6. Other Committee Updates (15 min) 

7. Other business (5 min) 

We try to keep our meetings to one hour, and we provide pizza and childcare to make attendance easier! We also have a virtual option, available here. 

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Get Involved with the PTO 

If you can’t make the meeting, there are so many other ways to get involved.  

• You can sign up to join our volunteer list here! We are currently in need of room parents to help coordinate within homerooms. Also, if you have any particular interests, please feel free to include them in your sign-up. 

• You can donate to the PTO here. Our fundraising goal for the year is $40,000. Our two biggest fundraisers are Giving Tuesday and our Spring Auction, and we host other smaller events throughout the year. Any donation, whether it’s $5 or $500, makes a huge difference for our small PTO, and 100% of your contribution is invested directly back into the school. 

• Join the WhatsApp community to connect with other parents and stay up to date on the latest news from the PTO and the school. You can sign up for your homeroom’s WhatsApp group there as well. 

• Follow us on Instagram @seatonpto. 

• If you have grant writing experience, we are in need of help! Please reach out to president.seatonpto@gmail.com. 

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Free tickets to see the Washington Nationals 
Free tickets are available to join the Seaton PTO at the Nationals game at 11:35 am on Sunday, September 14th. In order to be considered for tickets, please fill out this form by September 4, 2025. Tickets are for current students and families enrolled at Seaton. We have a limited number of tickets available, so they will be distributed first come, first-served in the order that we receive the form. 

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Modernization & Swing Space 

Learn more about Seaton’s upcoming modernization and move to swing space, starting next school year 2026-2027 and continuing in 2027-28, on our website. You can also review DCPS materials about the modernization here. 

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Volunteer to Help Neighbors Get to School 

Amid the current situation in DC, we have families who could use support in getting to school. If you are interested in assisting, you can sign up on an encrypted form here. This is for Seaton families only, please do not forward. 

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Upcoming Events 

You can view the Seaton calendar on the website to get the most up-to-date list of upcoming events.  

• Sunday, September 7, 10 AM – 12 PM – Back-to-School Playdate on the Seaton playground (enter from 10th Street) 

• Monday, September 15, 5 PM – 8 PM – Dog Daze happy hour, with 10% of proceeds donated to the PTO 

• Saturday, September 20, 10 AM – 12 PM – Garden family work day (enter from P Street) 

• Friday, October 3, 6 PM – 8 PM – Fall Movie Night on the Seaton soccer field (enter from 10th Street) [sign up here to volunteer!] 

• Wednesday, October 8, 8 AM – 9 AM – Walk & Roll to School Day (stay tuned for more information about bike buses) 

• Wednesday, October 15, 5:30 PM – 6:30 PM – PTO Meeting 

That’s all for now! We are looking forward to a great school year and hope to see many of you at our PTO meeting tomorrow!