OCTOBER 2023 SPIN GIRLS NEWSLETTER
SPIN GIRLS MONTHLY NEWSLETTER | OCTOBER 2023
They say it is Spooky Season...
Hey autumn, people call you the “spooky” season or the "depressing" season. But here at SPIN Girls we embrace this season. To us, it fits right in with our SPIN Girls values and there is nothing scary or sad about being a SPIN Girl! Here’s what we think of this season.
“In fall, the growing cycle gives us ripeness and maturity. The harvest is associated with abundance, prosperity and wealth. Humans also experience an “autumn”. If spring represents new birth and childhood, and summer symbolizes youth, autumn represents adulthood and maturity.” - Gwynn Scheltema
SPIN Girls challenges you to think of this season of grey skies, falling leaves and lots of rain, as your time to begin your journey into the brilliant student you will be this 2023-2024 academic year. Us SPIN Girls know that STEM+ is everywhere and that the engineering design process is an everyday part of life so we should embrace all that autumn has to offer. We can’t wait to spend the year with you on this journey of maturing.
In this month's newsletter, you'll find a summary of program happenings, the schedule for October, a link to the SPIN Girls program orientation and a list of school districts with direct links to their resources. You will also find our program calendar which you should keep of for future needs. Let us know if you have any questions or concerns.
- SPIN Girls Program Team
MONTHLY RECAP
The end of September brought us the beginning of the official SPIN Girls program year! We kicked it off with our 2023-2024 program orientation. A week after orientation we welcomed our SPIN Girls into their lab day spaces. Both of these events brought lots of laughter, opportunities to learn about program participants, cohort leads and the fun learning experiences we will have throughout the year.
If you missed the program orientation please select the link below to view the slide presentation. Reach out to the SPIN Girls program manager if you have additional questions. Communication is our key to success this year and we are always here to assist you, just contact us.
Attendance goes towards student participation in the SPIN Girls program
RSVP to calendar invite or email required for all SPIN Girl cohorts
RSVP or email communication to be done three days before to field day event
Mark your calendars for Field Day #1
October 21st 10:00am to 1:00pm
Registration links for Connect to our new students have been sent out. The email was sent from "STEM Paths Innovation Network" with the subject "Online Connect Access". Please use the link to make an account and fill out the assigned paperwork. If you are having trouble accessing these documents please let the SPIN Girls Program Manager know.
SPIN Girls Pre-survey and Best Starts For Kids assessment surveys were completed at lab day #1. Please go to THIS link and complete BOTH surveys. If you would like information about what surveys are used for please reach out to the SPIN Girls program manager.
Orientation/Welcome Back was on September 23rd. If you missed it please use THIS link to view the slide presentation. If you would like a pdf version sent to you or you have program questions, please reach out to the SPIN Girls program manager.
Here's the schedule for the 2023-24 program year.
Add these dates to your calendar so you don't miss any!
Lab Day Saturday Time Schedules
8th grade cohort: 9:30AM - 12:30PM
9th grade cohort: 9:30AM - 12:30PM
10th grade cohort: 9:30AM - 12:30PM
Field Day Saturday Time Schedules
8th grade cohort: 10:00AM - 1:00PM
9th grade cohort: 10:00AM - 1:00PM
10th grade cohort: 10:00AM - 1:00PM
*Unless otherwise instructed by SPIN Girls team
SPIN GIRLS ARE GOING TO FLORIDA
Join SPIN Girls on September 23rd to learn more details about how you can register to join us for our science in motion trip to Orlando, FL
RESOURCES
SPIN Girls students attend multiple school districts throughout King County. We value our SPIN families and know that it takes a tremendous amount of resources to nurture a student and family to success. We want to remind everyone that there are always resources available to your families to ensure that they can reach their full potential, in whatever way they may need extra support. Below you will find direct links to each King County School Districts student, family and community resources page. We have also included links to WA public charter schools and WA homeschool organization. Our hope is that you use these links to inform yourselves of resources available to increase the success of your family at the beginning of the school year. We also want you to use these links throughout the year as more details or changes may become available on the district pages.
Washington Charter Schools Association for public charter schools in WA
SPIN GIRLS FELLOWS
Students who graduate from SPIN Girls are invited to apply for SPIN Fellows in the Spring of their 10th grade year. Fellows are accepted based on their commitment to SPIN Girls and their interest in pursuing a STEM career.
The goal of SPIN Fellows is to empower SPIN Girls students to feel confident in pursuing STEM college majors & careers. The vision is to grow a strong alumni community, supported by SPIN Girls mentors, staff, and other alumni. SPIN Fellows breaks down the barriers that girls of color face when exploring and pursuing STEM careers and shapes a more inclusive future.
For more information visit our website: https://www.stempaths.org/spin-girls-fellows