Building Communities Initiative

Mission

The heart of Salmon Bay K-8 is an inclusive, positive, supportive, and playful sense of belonging to a village of families on a learning journey with their children. FOSB’s Building Community Initiative (BCI) seeks to support this community spirit by fostering communication and connection among families within and between grade-levels in fun and meaningful ways. 

Activities

At least two volunteer parent representatives per grade communicate and collaborate with their families to:

  • Create and maintain grade-level opt-in FOSB BCI Google Groups and Facebook pages that remain with their cohort throughout their tenure;
  • Share community-building and FOSB-related information to families as well as engage their insight and participation;
  • Host at least two grade- or cohort-level community-building events each year; and
  • Help run annual school-wide events. 

If interested in being one of the BCI reps for your grade, email fosbbci@gmail.com

Schoolwide Events

We orchestrate annual school-wide, after-hours, on-campus events intended to provide opportunities for the entire school community (students, staff, and families) to gather, connect, and celebrate various aspects of our lives together. Past examples include,

  • Back-To-School Party
  • Multicultural Celebration
  • Winter Lantern Festival
  • Pi(e) Night

Every year, we need parent volunteers to help us organize each event. Sign-up here if interested, and we will reach out with more information and support, including a modest budget. We won’t be able to do this without you!

Grade Events

These events are intended to be low-effort, intimate, after-school occasions that serve the purpose of bringing families within a grade or cohort together to socialize and build relationships. They can be hosted on-campus (with school/district approval) or off-campus. Examples of events include field sports, beach days, pumpkin carvings, dances, movie nights, and game/trivia nights. FOSB maintains an on-campus supplies closet and has a modest budget available to support these efforts. Connect with your grade-level reps or google groups with questions, ideas, or enthusiasm for participating in these events.

Grade Google and Facebook Groups

Want to join? Not sure if you’re already connected? To be added to the appropriate group(s), email sb-join-email@googlegroups.com noting which grade(s) to join.

Costume Exchange – All October in the Front Lobby!

Got costumes and dress-up clothes gathering dust in your closet? Time to clear out the cobwebs! Throughout October, drop and/or pickup gently used costumes and dress-up clothes before or after school in the front lobby. Unclaimed items will be offered to our school’s theater department for upcoming performances, K/1 classrooms for dress-up, local charities, and our school community exchange in November, so nothing goes to waste.

Contact: fosbexchange@gmail.com

Cleat Exchange – All September in the Front Lobby!

Fall sports season is upon us! Have your kids outgrown their cleats? Do you need a new pair that fits? Throughout September, donate and/or grab gently used kicks anytime in the front lobby. Come October, unclaimed items will be moved to our new Community Exchange space in room 146 and/or donated to community charities. Questions? Contact: fosbexchange@gmail.com

More information to come on the Community Exchange Space in upcoming weeks. Stay tuned!

PAYING FOR 2025-26 SCHOOL FEES, INCLUDING CAMPS

Student Fees

Salmon Bay’s staff, administration, and volunteers work together to offer many opportunities throughout the year for learning outside the school building. These enriching opportunities cost more than the funding provided by the district. Families are asked to contribute per student.

This school year student fees will be collected twice. The Fall Payment includes fees for school supplies, enrichment, full camp payments for 5th and 6th graders, camp deposits for all other grades except kindergarten. Spring Payment includes fees for Middle School Spring Enrichment Program (SEP) and camp payments for all grades other than 5th and 6th.

Families can expect to receive payment links from the school volunteer coordinator, Lara Cowles, or classroom teacher in early September for the Fall Payments, and late January for the Spring Payments. Payments can be made in full or in installments via the SchoolPay online system.

Payment links can also be found here:

The school supply fee is new this year, more info here. Elementary enrichment is for field trips planned by teachers throughout the year; 7/8 grades attend Fall Connections; 6th grade spring outing. Camp payments for 5th and 6th graders are collected in the fall as their camp dates are earlier in the school year. Fall deposits are collected for most other grades. Some Spring fees are estimated and will be finalized by January, if necessary.

Scholarship Support

Partial or full scholarships are requested by emailing the school social worker Allie Ash (aeash@seattleschools.org) or the middle school counselor Rob Bright (rabright@seattleschools.org).