Bennett Elementary PTSA

06/17/2026

06/13/2026

Calligrapher and script-culture expert Shizu Usami and haiku poet and director of Rainer Haiku Ginsha, Kazuki Sawanoi, joined Bennett parent Dr. Anna-Marie Moblard Meier to introduce the whole school to this Japanese tradition on Friday, June 12th. This celebration is focused on writing wishes on strips of paper that are then hung on bamboo to be “delivered” to the stars. Haiku and Caligraphy are used to shape the wish. After the presentation, Bennett students created their own wishes on paper. All of these paper wishes will be installed at the Bellevue Arts Fair Weekend July 24th-26th.

The exhibition and all programming will be open to the public during the Bellevue Arts Fair Weekend. Come see your child’s wish on display! Watch a live taiko performance and calligraphy demonstration, make a wish as a family, create your own okiagari-koboshi tumble doll, and enjoy many more family-friendly activities throughout the three-day celebration. See flyer in this week’s PTSA newsletter for more information.

06/09/2026

Star Festival at Bennett Elementary

The exhibition and all programming will be open to the public July 24–26 during the Bellevue Arts Fair weekend. Come see your child’s wish on display!

Enjoy a live taiko performance and calligraphy demonstration, make a wish as a family, create your own okiagari-koboshi tumble doll, and take part in many other family-friendly activities throughout the three-day celebration.

We will also be sending promotional flyers home with students.

Parent volunteers are welcome to help:
https://signup.com/client/invitation2/secure/922160206029/false #/invitation

06/09/2026

Tanabata (Japanese Star Festival)
Calligrapher and script-culture expert Shizu Usami and haiku poet and director of Rainer Haiku Ginsha, Kazuki Sawanoi, will be joining Bennett parent Dr. Anna-Marie Moblard Meier to introduce the whole school to this Japanese tradition on Friday, June 12th. This celebration is focused on writing wishes on strips of paper that are then hung on bamboo to be “delivered” to the stars. Haiku and Caligraphy are used to shape the wish. All of these paper wishes will be installed at the Bellevue Arts Fair Weekend in July, 24-26.

The exhibition and all programming are open to the public during the Bellevue Arts Fair Weekend. Come see your child’s wish on display! Watch a live taiko performance and calligraphy demonstration, make a wish as a family, create your own okiagari-koboshi tumble doll, and enjoy many more family-friendly activities throughout the three-day celebration. See attached flyer for more information.

If you would like to volunteer to help during the activities on the morning of 12th, please click the link in our story or go to tinyurl.com/BennettTanabata. You may also contact your child’s teacher directly to see if they would like volunteers to help with completing the wish activity in their classrooms after the presentation. (Note that 2nd grade will be at their end-of-the-year park party during the activity on the 12th and will not be participating that day.)

06/08/2026

Please join PTSA at Tam O’Shanter Community Park after early dismissal on the last day of school, June 23rd. Ice cream will be available for sale. We look forward to celebrating the end of the year with you!

06/05/2026

Thank you to all our PTSA volunteers from this year - committee chairs and members, event volunteers, room parents, Curriculum Enhancement representatives, etc.! Please join us after drop off Tuesday if you can to celebrate all your time and hard work!

05/16/2026

With Curriculum Enhancement and Teacher Mini-Grant funding from PTSA, Ms. Johnson, the 4th Grade Teaching Team, and 4th grade CE Rep Carol Guattare have secured two author visits for Bennett Elementary students in just two weeks! Dan Gemeinhart will be speaking with 4th and 5th grade on Thursday May 28th, and Vikram Madan will be speaking with K-3rd grade on Friday May 29th.

As part of their visit, families can pre-order one of the author’s books to be signed for their student if they choose; some families may even want to offer to purchase a book for their child’s classroom. There is no obligation for anyone to purchase a book. Deadlines to order are approaching (May 19th for Dan Gemeinhart and May 20th for Vikram Madan). Books will be at the school (be sure to choose “Deliver to School” at checkout) and signed on the day of each visit.

05/11/2026

Join us for Bingo Night at Bennett! A fun-filled evening for families, students, neighbors and friends to come together, enjoy great activities, and help support our PTSA.
THIS FRIDAY, May 15th, 5:30-8:00 pm
We’ll have:
• Bingo & Raffle with prizes (Bingo prizes: authentic Labubus, Squishmallows, Snapdoodle Toys gift card, Central Bar $ Kitchen $100 gift card, 4 Kidsquest passes, Seattle Children’s Theater tickets, family photo mini session, etc. Grand raffle prize: One week of Steve & Kate’s summer camp)
• Fun games for all ages
• A family-friendly movie
• Pizza (cheese & pepperoni), hot dogs, and movie snacks available for purchase
There is no cost to enter the event, but food and activities will require tickets for purchase. All proceeds from this fundraiser will support the Bennett PTSA which supports school programs, events, and enrichment opportunities.
Your attendance and participation truly makes a difference - we hope to see you there!

Bingo card, raffle and and food presales are available at:
tinyurl.com/BennetBingoSales

Volunteers are still needed to run and games and help out; sign up at tinyurl.com/BennettBingoVolunteer

05/08/2026

Teacher Appreciation Week Day 5 - “Thank You for Making This Year So Sweet!” dessert bar.
A big thank you to our donors: 🧁 New York Cupcakes for the amazing cupcakes, 🍩 I Can’t Believe It’s Bread for hooking up our gluten-free teachers with dessert bars and donuts, and Potbelly Bellevue for sandwiches for our cafeteria and janitorial staff and others. That’s a wrap on Teacher Appreciation Week, but we are so thankful for our outstanding teachers and staff every single day. 💙
Thank you to our Staff Appreciation Chairs Amanda and Laura for all their hard work this week, and to our parent donors and volunteers as well as local business donors. Stay tuned for details on another staff appreciation project in the works: the Staff Room Glow-up! We are still collecting items to make the break room nicer for our staff at this link: https://tinyurl.com/StaffRoomGlowUp

05/08/2026

Teacher Appreciation Week Day 4 - “Let’s taco ‘bout how much we appreciate you!” PTSA provided lunch catered by Qdoba for the staff.