August Opus
The quarterly OPUS newsletter is put together by our Options Community Council. It is a digital magazine style communication where you can read in-depth articles about what is going on here at Lincoln Options.
Principal’s Welcome
By Melissa Hayes mhayes@osd.wednet.edu
Dear Lincoln Options Families,
I hope this letter finds you and your loved ones healthy and in good spirits. I begin the year with a deep appreciation for this community that is grounded in support. I am excited to welcome you all to the 2026-2027 school year. A little bit about me: this is my 23rd year in education. I have been with the Olympia School District for 19 of those years. I found myself at Lincoln 5 years ago as an instructional coach and the last 3 years were spent in the classroom. I am feeling so inspired and hopeful for the year ahead as I step into the principal role. This community is so dear to me and I look forward to partnering with you as a learning community while practicing learning, kindness and celebration.
Potlucks: All classes will host an outdoor welcoming potluck from 6:00-7:00. This is a chance for families to come together to build connections before the first day of school.
K/1: August 31
2/3: September 1
4/5: September 2
Class Meeting/Welcome Nights: This year, our class meetings have been combined with a new welcome/info night.
The event will start at 6pm in the gym, followed by class meetings in the individual teacher’s classrooms. These events are the opportunity for parents & caregivers to connect with their student’s teacher and learn all about what to expect for the upcoming year. Childcare will be provided in the cafeteria starting at 5:45pm.
September 9: Angela, Andrea, Kari, Rachel
September 10: Carrie, Erin, Jen, Michelle
September 17: Antonio, Danielle, Matt, Michael
Weekly Assemblies offer a forum for creating and expanding community. They are on Fridays from 8:50-9:20am. We have an OCC-sponsored coffee and pastry table for parents & caregivers before each assembly. Feel free to join us as often as you can.
School begins on September 3 for grades 1-5 and on September 9 for kindergarten! We will learn new routines that will become part of the new learning. I welcome all of you and I look forward to a year of shared learning, kindness and celebration.
Our Staff:
I am very excited about our team this year.
Please join us in welcoming:
Emily Petrie-- LAP Teacher
Anthony Szabo--- Special Ed Teacher
Chris Sabatini---- Para Educator
Antonio McClinon--- 4-5 Teacher
And now, about our lovingly prepared class lists…
Our goal and wish is to honor the children and their learning needs in the placement process. With approximately 300 students, this is no easy task. Each placement is interdependent, which means a change for any one child would cause a ripple effect impact on other children. Please work with your child and their teacher if you have questions, information or would like to request a specific plan to be put in place to help your child enjoy and/or graciously accept their class placement. Each family working with staff for the benefit of all of our shared children is the glue that holds our learning community together.
In gratitude,
Melissa
OCC Chair’s Welcome
By Cori Pembleton, OCC Chair and parent to Lark (4th grade)
Dear Lincoln Options Families,
Welcome to the 2026-2027 school year! This will be my second year as the OCC chair and I’m looking forward to spending this year in community with you all.
The OCC stands for Lincoln Options Community Council, the family/staff volunteer-run nonprofit that supports the Lincoln Options program. As Lincoln parents & caregivers, we are all part of the OCC!
A Year of Changes
We are excited to welcome Melissa Hayes as our new principal for this year! Melissa has spent the last few years here as a classroom teacher and has become a treasured part of our community. I know that she holds the Options philosophy close to her heart and treats all of our students and staff with kindness, love & respect. We will all miss our outgoing principal Marcela Abadi dearly, and we are lucky to have Melissa as a steady, familiar presence to help us navigate our future ahead.
Taking her place as the new 4/5 classroom teacher is Antonio McClinon. Antonio is also a familiar face at Lincoln! Many of you may already know him from his time last year as Michelle’s student teacher, from his work as the OSD student mentor program coordinator or as the parent to a couple of recently graduated Lincoln students. He is beloved by our students and staff alike and we are lucky to have him join our incredible teaching community.
You may be aware that there are changes being made at the district level. There is a school consolidation plan that will be presented at the school board meeting on 9/17. This is a difficult time with a lot of anger, grief and fear for our entire district. For more information and ways to get involved, please refer to the Opus article written by Ben Edwards and Lillie McCatty.
With so much change in the air, this year is the perfect opportunity to create a new Options Design for Learning (ODL). The Options program is designed to evolve with the times. Every several years, the community comes together to redefine our values and goals for the future. Our most recent ODL was completed in 2015 and can be viewed here: ODL IV If you are interested in being a part of creating the next vision for our future, reach out to me or keep an eye out for future communications about ODL V.
Our Auction Celebration is Evolving Too
The fundraising committee has decided to move our Spring Fling Auction to an every other year schedule. This event is a huge undertaking that requires hundreds of hours of planning & execution. This change will help ensure that this event will be sustainable for our program for years to come. Our primary fundraising effort this year will be the “Give 5” for Options campaign. Please check out Clair Maddox’s Opus article to learn more.
Our next auction event will be in Spring 2028, but we don’t want to miss the opportunity to celebrate together as grownups this spring! We’ve scheduled an event currently called the “Spring Soirée” for April 17th. What would you like to see at this event? Music & dancing? A talent show? A costume party? If you are excited about dreaming up this event, please reach out to me or click “Spring Soirée” on the volunteer interest survey.
Speaking of the volunteer interest survey…
Family Involvement is Key
At the beginning of each school year we ask all new & returning families to fill out our Family Directory & Volunteer Interest Survey: OCC Family Directory & Volunteer Interest Survey - Fall 2026
This is the best way for you to stay in the loop, get invited to class events like play dates & birthday parties and to let the OCC know about the ways you are interested in getting involved with Lincoln Options.
On the form, you can fill out as much or as little information as you would like, but our goal is to get a 100% response rate!
The Options program relies on family involvement and there are lots of ways to get involved from classroom volunteering to events to leadership. For more information about volunteering, check out the Opus article written by Alex Clifthorne.
The OCC’s most immediate needs right now are:
Secretary
Staff Appreciation Chair
Co-Volunteer Coordinator
Class Representatives
We could also really use more members on these committees: Fundraising, Camp Elderberry, Spanish, and Spring Soirée. Plus if anyone is passionate about coffee and pastries, please think about taking over for Kit as the Coffee Cart coordinator next year!
Back to School Events
The OCC helps coordinate a few ways to connect at the beginning of the school year.
Class Potlucks: a casual opportunity for you & your student to meet their teacher & classmates.
Class Meetings: a more structured, informational evening for grown-ups. Childcare is available.
Ice Cream Social: a fun, “sweet” afternoon for our whole school community to connect.
Please refer to your class lists for specific dates for these events.
I look forward to seeing you all soon! Feel free to reach out at any time or drop into one of our OCC meetings; they are the 2nd and 4th Tuesday of each month at 6pm and open to all.
In community,
Cori
A New Beginning…
By Paul Rocks, Science Specialist
The Great Jedi Master Yoda says, “Do or do not. There is no try.” While this may be true in many circumstances, science is based on trying, experimenting, and trying again. Science is about having good questions, controlling variables, making observations, and testing. At Lincoln, science is grounded in the Options Philosophy: it is developmental, it is based on experiences, and it operates with the belief that children are curious and creative.
At the elementary level we explore physics, earth and life sciences, and use engineering to solve problems. The month of September is an immersion into our wonderful garden where we will work, play, eat, and learn about where our food comes from.
Lessons are informed by a variety of sources including literature, published curricula, and the interest of students as well as local natural phenomena. This year, fourth and fifth grade students will engage in projects around systems, energy, and mixtures and solutions. Meanwhile, second and third grade students will learn about states of matter, seed distribution, the atmosphere, and our weather. Finally, kindergarten and first grade students will explore fossils, balance and motion, rocks, and the human body.
At the end of the day, In A Galaxy Close, Close To Home, science at Lincoln is about having lots of experiences – it is about trying.
Music Notes
By Joe Kinder, Music Specialist
Hello and welcome to the 2026-2027 school year. For those of you who don’t know me yet, my name is Joe Kinder, and I’m the music specialist at Lincoln. Twice a week, students come to the Music Room to grow their musical, social/emotional, teamwork, and problem-solving skills. In these sessions, through playing instruments, group singing, games, and thoughtful discussion, we foster joy and creativity, create bonds, form knowledge, and build community, all of which are core components of Lincoln’s philosophy. For different reasons, these days, it can be difficult to stay focused, to connect with our emotions, and to connect with others, but research backs up how much music can help us do all of these things.
Music is such an integral part of the Lincoln community, so it extends far beyond the Music Room. Every Friday morning, the Lincoln Community Band leads the school in a singalong of songs both old and new. The songs fit with the theme of that week’s assembly, and students are encouraged to practice singing and playing songs to be part of the assembly’s lineup. The Music Room is typically open during Morning Recess for students to work on performances. Students performing music at assemblies is empowering and fun both for them, and the classmates that get to experience the performance.
Every April, coinciding with the celebration of Earth Day, students have the option of marching and playing in Lincoln’s own rhythm band called “Lincoln Rhythm Machine” in Olympia’s Procession of the Species. Lincoln Rhythm Machine practices are held 2-3 times a week, start shortly after Winter Break, and students of all grades are encouraged to participate. Bells, shakers, snare drums, and bass drums are all available for students to play, and families of students are also encouraged to march and play along with the band using extra instruments, or percussion instruments brought from home! Participating in the Procession of the Species is a powerful way to celebrate and be thoughtful about the Earth, bring about joy and expression through music, and enjoy the benefits of being in a supportive community. There will be more information to come, but send me an email if you have any questions about this event, or about anything music-related.
I’m so looking forward to meeting all of our incoming students and families, and to seeing the familiar faces again. I feel so lucky to be a part of this joyful, thoughtful, kind, inclusive community, and to have the chance to create and teach music with such energizing and inspiring students.
See you soon!
Welcome to the Lincoln Library!
By Jodie Dubois, Teacher Librarian
August greetings from the library! I am delighted to be returning as the Lincoln Librarian this year. There has been a slight decrease in allocated library hours to 3 days a week (.6 FTE) for the 26/27 school year, which I am happy to steward. Although my librarian cohort from last year, Kim Moore, will no longer be here, she will take the helm at Madison Elementary and remain at Hanson. I am eternally grateful to have worked with her and benefitted from her wise guidance and skilled librarianship!! I am honored to pick up where we left off last year and continue to guide student learning in such a special space.
Speaking of a special place, I love the annual themes at Lincoln and I’m especially excited for this year's Sense of Place/ Environment. Lincoln has many long standing traditions that are deeply rooted in the beautiful spaces that have been created at the school over the years. When my oldest son first started at Lincoln, I remember the plowing of the garden, working more as a farm then, and the wonderful community of parents that would work together to construct outdoor spaces for our kids to learn and explore. The creation of the wetland amphitheater, colorful picket fences, gazebo and Mt. Lincoln are all artifacts of community ideas coming to life, either well planned or happy accidents. These spaces tell stories of what is possible when we work together to imagine and build an environment that truly enhances learning.
The historic architecture of the building itself lends a helping hand to inspire students. The tall ceilings and multi-paned windows are a wonderful backdrop for creativity. Students can gaze through the classroom windows and watch birds, visualize stories or think scientifically about how the natural world works. The library, originally an auditorium, is ripe with opportunities to imagine and think big as light and beauty pour through the stained-glass windows, creating a feeling of being inside a cathedral or an old theater. No better setting for a good story! Please visit throughout the year to marvel at the beauty of the library, and while you are here pick out an enjoyable book, the shelves are stuffed with them!
Alongside OSD librarians, I use the American Association of School Libraries (AASL) framework as a guide for tailored library curricula that support students in their learning. I try to cultivate a love of books, reading AND libraries by making our library a welcoming place for students to engage in ideas, puzzles, games and interactive lessons. My overall goal is to nurture readers to find the books that pique their interests and allow them to dive into worlds new and old while getting lost in literature, lost in possibility and lost in their own curiosity. I’m looking forward to welcoming all the students back to school on September 3rd!
P.S A long-time Lincoln family, now grandparents, have graciously fixed the springs and stuffing in our big-soft-purple-storytime chair. Now when you sit in it you don’t sink to the ground! Kids can continue to pile on as they do sitting four across while socializing and reading books. I’m sure there will be many astute observers who notice the surprise fabric under the cushion, no longer cardboard!
I hope you are reading something good and enjoying summer weather and activities.
Give 5 🖐️ for Lincoln Options
By Clair Maddox, Fundraising Committee
This year the OCC is asking every Lincoln family to Give 5 to show their support for the Options program!
What does “Give 5” mean?
Lincoln students Give 5 at assemblies and in their classrooms to show respect, attention and care for their community.
As Lincoln families we can Give 5 in all kinds of ways:
Give $5 a week with a recurring donation: tinyurl.com/give5foroptions
Give 5 hours of your time each month by volunteering
Give 5 times a year by attending school community events
Give 5 by sharing the donation link with family and friends 😉
Did you know?
Many of the enriching programs that make Lincoln so unique are not funded by the school district?
Each year, the OCC contributes approximately $75,000 — about $250 per student — to help keep these vital programs and traditions going:
A classroom fund for every teacher, supporting school supplies, field trips, project-based learning, and more
Our distinctive science curriculum, including the garden and wetland
Our community bandleader and the coffee & pastry cart at weekly assemblies
The Spanish program, library books, and art and music opportunities
Events like Harvest Festival, Student Makers Market, and Winter Dance
Camp Elderberry and 5th grade graduation
Staff professional development
…and much more!
When Lincoln families come together to give what they can, small contributions make a big difference in keeping our classrooms, programs, and traditions thriving.
Give 5 today: lincolnoptions.org/give5
The OCC Fundraising Committee is always excited to hear new ideas and meet new people! To learn more or get involved, email fundraising@lincolnoptions.org.
Volunteering at Lincoln Options
By Alex Clifthorne, Volunteer Coordinator, Parent of Aecean (K) and Raenyn Clifthorne (2nd)
Lincoln Options is a special place where adults and children alike get to feel at home, learn and evolve, build community, and contribute. We do incredible things that our kids are so lucky to get to experience - plentiful time in the garden, science class, Spanish class, frequent field trips, lots of small group activities, and more. Part of what allows Lincoln to offer these opportunities is VOLUNTEERS! That’s where you come in.
Volunteer opportunities at Lincoln range from helping in the library, chaperoning field trips, supporting small group work in your child’s classroom, bookkeeping, small construction projects, baking with children, fundraising, and almost anything else you can imagine. Volunteering can take place during school hours or evenings/weekends.
On average, we need each family to volunteer about 40 hours per year (which works out to about one hour per week) to help things function well. When everyone contributes what they can, we get the support we need. Get creative and think beyond just parents – grandparents or other community members make great volunteers, too.
As the Volunteer Coordinator, I work to connect willing and able volunteers with opportunities to joyfully use their talents and interests and meet our program’s needs.
Whether you definitely plan to volunteer or think you might want to volunteer – please fill out our Lincoln Elementary Directory and Community Connection Form. (EVERY adult in your family who wants to volunteer should fill out a separate form!)
OCC Family Directory & Volunteer Interest Survey - Fall 2026
This will ensure we can pair you up with the volunteer opportunities that work for you and find volunteers to meet our needs - a win, win!
Thanks and I hope to see you around school soon.
New Family Mentorship
Are you a new Lincoln family looking to make connections and learn more about Lincoln? Are you a seasoned Lincoln family, bursting with information and a warm, welcoming attitude? Let's get you all together! We'll be hosting several New Family Mentorship Cafes where parents are invited to come meet other parents, ask questions, share concerns, and get matched with a mentor. A parent mentor is someone you could reach out to with questions, or anything else that would help you feel at home as your family weaves into the community. The first cafe will be Saturday, August 29th from 10-11:30am at Friendly Grove Park. Subsequent cafes TBA. If you can't make it in person, but are interested in mentorship or being a mentor, make sure to note this on the volunteer form, and we can work to connect you digitally too. Hope to meet you soon!
Class Rep: A Vital Role
by Lillie McCatty & Cori Pembleton, Previous Class Rep Coordinators
Being a Class Rep is one of the most important and rewarding roles at Lincoln Options, but it can sometimes feel a bit shrouded in mystery. For instance, Lillie's oldest child was in the 5th grade before she felt brave enough to volunteer for the position and truly understood what Class Reps actually do. To clear things up, here are some common questions about the Class Rep positions. We hope this info will inspire you to jump in and support the teacher/family connection!
What is a Class Rep?
Every classroom has a team of class reps who help build a strong sense of community by representing both the teacher and the families. At the beginning of the year, these reps meet with the teacher to team up and create the inclusive classroom & family culture that is a vital value at Lincoln. Their goals include representing families at the Options Community Council (OCC) meetings and supporting the teacher in various ways.
How many Class Reps are there for each class?
Each classroom team has at least 2 reps. One rep attends OCC meetings and focuses on connecting families, while the other works closely with the teacher to help with coordination, shopping, resourcing, and finding classroom volunteers. These responsibilities can also be divided in whichever way works best for the class rep team.
What kind of time commitment is involved?
Families participate in various ways:
One Class Rep should strive to attend the twice-monthly OCC meetings as much as they are able. This role acts as a bridge between the class, the teachers, and the OCC. The rep at each Council meeting will advocate for their class's perspective. This rep also plans social activities for families to connect and build community outside of school.
The other rep should be prepared to meet with the teacher and spend time on phone calls and emails to delegate and coordinate needs, for example finding field trip volunteers.
I’m an introvert. Is this a good fit for me?
Absolutely! Each class has (at least) two reps, so there's room for different levels of involvement. You can choose a role that suits you, whether it's bold social engagement or working behind the scenes.
Do I have to wait until the class meeting to volunteer to be a Class Rep?
Nope! You can volunteer as soon as you know which class(es) you child(ren) are in. Feel free to reach out and express your interest right away!
How do I volunteer?
Reach out to this year’s class rep coordinator Tomas Gold at classreps@lincolnoptions.org if you are interested or need more information. You can also select "Class Rep" on the volunteer section of the OCC Family Directory & Volunteer Interest Survey and Tomas will get in touch.
Can I be the Class Rep for more than one class if I have multiple children enrolled at Lincoln?
It's best to stick to representing only one class to avoid overloading and to make sure each class has its own unique voice at the Community Council.
When are the meetings?
OCC Meetings are on the 2nd and 4th Tuesdays at 6:00pm. New members start attending in October, with an informational and community-building retreat on October 3rd.
I can’t attend the meetings. Can I still be a Class Rep?
Yes! Only one person from the team needs to attend the meetings, so if that's not you, another team member can take on that responsibility.
I can’t volunteer in the classroom during the school day. Can I still be a Class Rep?
Definitely! Only one rep needs to be available during the day, and even that can be intermittent to coordinate with your teacher.
Are the OCC meetings via Zoom or in-person?
All meetings are available via Zoom, AND there will also be an option for in-person attendance for around half of the meetings. Attending in person is fun and a great way to build community with other OCC members!
Can I bring my child(ren) with me to in-person meetings?
We can arrange childcare if needed! We haven’t needed it the past couple of years, but if childcare would help you attend in person, let us know!
Is being a Class Rep worth it?
Absolutely. The Lincoln Options program is beautiful not only for its academic instruction but also for its dedication to compassion, community and personal growth. It is a dynamic, evolving program and as the world changes, our programming must adapt. The OCC members are the stewards of this change, and Class Reps play a crucial role in representing the needs and perspectives that might otherwise go unheard.
Garden Update
By Sara Morrisson, Garden Chair
One of the things that makes the Options Program at Lincoln special is our garden. For over 30 years, students, staff and volunteers have built and maintained the garden so that it can be used as space for kids to learn, regulate and connect. Thanks to the many volunteers who have been coming this summer to weed, water and care for the plants, our school garden is bursting with food and flowers. This year’s harvest is going to be amazing! If the beginning of the school year feels like a big transition and you are wondering what tomorrow will bring, I encourage you to visit the garden and live in the moment. Today’s dahlias will be tomorrow's compost. Enjoy their beauty now, let it calm your overwhelm. On Tuesday Sept 1st from 9am-noon there will be a garden work party to prepare the garden for the kids' arrival. Come do some light weeding, shovel some wood chips, breathe some fresh air.
Knowing who’s interested and available to help in the garden is really helpful for planning for next year's harvest! If you would like to be in the loop for more upcoming garden events, want to volunteer in the garden during the school day or just hear about garden news, please fill out this quick survey 2026-2027 Garden Interest Survey.
Community Band
By Miriam Sterlin, Community Band Leader
“Fall is here, hear 
the yell, back to school, ring the bell…I can tell that we are gonna be friends!”
Welcome, and welcome back! Is this the year you’ll play and sing with the Community Band? Is this the year Friday morning Assembly will fill your bucket, and you’ll be so glad you attended? Who knew that 30 minutes could fill your day (and week!) with smiles to spare? Songs to share! Connection to community with joy and care! Assembly is held every Friday morning in the gym from 8:50-9:20, and each week holds live music, community singing, student sharing, class presentations, and a connection to a deeper theme. Please, come be part of it all! The question is: how? What works for you?
Join Assembly each week in person, or online. Parents, grandparents, family, and community members from across the U.S. join the Assembly online each week. Music is an integral part of Lincoln traditions in addition to Assembly: Harvest Festival, Plantapalooza, Theme Night, Camp Elderberry, 5th Grade Promotion, gigs, and more. If Friday morning is not a go for your schedule, there are evening and weekend opportunities to join the CB! One joy of the school year is when the Community Band gathers at our Potluck Practices. Families are welcome, and whether you are ready to contribute to the potluck, arrive and enjoy the good food, or host, you and yours are encouraged to come.
Olympia School Board: Proposed School Consolidations
By Ben Edwards, Treasurer, parent of Jo (5th grade)
& Lillie McCatty, parent of DG (4th grade) and Laurel (1st grade)
You may have heard some information about possible school closures. Here is what we know:
At an Olympia School Board work session on August 6th Superintendent Patrick Murphy laid out a proposal and timeline to consolidate multiple schools in the Olympia School District.
Citing low enrollment, low facility usage at some locations, and an overall permanent capacity usage of 76% district-wide, the superintendent has proposed consolidations in an effort to reshape the district. In this context consolidation means closing some buildings and moving students from the closed building into a second underutilized building. This plan emphasises increasing the number of students and resources in a building to align with the prototypical school model (RCW28A.150.260). This is the second time Superintendent Murphy has made a similar proposal in recent years and although no buildings were closed in 2023 the system for closing schools has changed and the timeline is much shorter this time around.
An additional difference is that in his most recent proposal to maximize facility usage, the superintendent intends to ask voters to approve a bond in 2027 for renovations of existing schools in order to accommodate displaced students. In addition, the bond would include a request for taxpayer funds for the construction of a larger school.
On September 17th, the superintendent will announce which schools will be impacted by consolidation. At that time, the district will reveal written analysis as outlined by district policy 6883. Multiple public hearings at potentially impacted schools will take place for the school board to hear community feedback on the proposal. A final vote for whether or not the school board feels Superintendent Murphy’s proposal is appropriate will be taken on November 12th.
The criteria for why a school will be chosen as a candidate for consolidation as well as a more comprehensive timeline are available at the district website.
As of the date this article was written, it is unknown if Lincoln Options Program will be impacted by the superintendent’s proposed consolidation plan. There are several possible outcomes for our building and our community. One possible outcome is that Lincoln the building will be scheduled for closure but the consolidation plan will include relocating the Options Program to a larger building. Another possibility is that both the building and the program will be identified for closure in order to consolidate our students back to their neighborhood schools. And lastly it is possible that our building and program will not be named at this time but that we will see one or more of our neighborhood schools named for closure. Whatever happens it is vital that we uphold our Options values and habits of mind: listening with empathy, thinking flexibly, striving for accuracy, applying past knowledge to new situations, as well as wonderment, creativity, teamwork, hope, and remaining open to new possibilities. Whatever happens we must be sensitive to the grief that will come with change and fill our interactions with kindness and community care at all times.
We encourage you to consider how uncertainty affects young children as we navigate the coming changes. Reminding students that whatever happens they will be loved, they will have friends, they will find a sense of belonging, and that they are strong and capable is a vital part of finding our way through this with who we want to be intact. Kids are always listening and when we discuss other schools, our school board members, our superintendent, and each other around our children we must know that they are absorbing what we say. Reassuring, compassionate, calm, and caring words will go a long way.
This is a great time to remind our community that one of our greatest assets is our school-wide directory. Providing your information for the directory is 100% voluntary, but it serves the Options Program to be able to quickly share information about school and community events, playdates, and, if necessary, calls to action.
Please consider providing contact information for the 2026-2027 school-wide directory here: OCC Family Directory & Volunteer Interest Survey
If you want to be involved in the Options response effort or receive more information you can select “OSD School District Affairs Committee” in the volunteer interest section of the above linked directory or send an email to chair@lincolnoptions.org.
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