Students at North Beach enjoy a wide range of after-school and extracurricular activities that supplement their learning.

ACTIVITIES
Art Club: This after school club gives students a chance to explore their artistic talents. 

Banking:  Washington Mutual Crown Hill Branch provides a free bank account for any student who signs up for banking at North Beach.  Bank days are on Thursdays during  lunch.  Students bring their deposits to our "bank" and the parent volunteers (banking ladies as the kids call them) collect the deposits, enter the information into a computer and take everything up to the bank.  Students receive statements every quarter and can make withdrawals at the bank branch. Every time the students make a deposit they can earn prizes provided by Washington Mutual. 

Cartoon Club:  Started by students, this new program introduces kids to the exciting world cartooning. Cartoon club is open to second through fifth grade students. Meets Fridays.

Chess Club:  Every Thursday after school the library is transformed into a chess parlor with rows of chess boards ready for eager players. Chess master, Nori Mihara is on hand for coaching, questions and instruction.  Skill level is not important as beginners can improve their game while advanced players have an opportunity to play a variety of competitors. Chess club is open to grades 2nd through 5th.

Chorus:  North Beach has a wonderful singing and performance group called the Shining Stars Chorus. The chorus meets Tuesday and Thursday mornings before school and is open to grades 2nd through 5th.

Mad Science: This six-week program is offered periodically throughout the year. Children get hands-on experience with exciting science experiments. To learn more visit http://www.madscience.org/ (Open to all grades).

Dance Class: This K-2 dance program is a diversified program that combines ballet, tap and jazz. Meets Wednesdays.

Drama Club:  Drama Club meets in the spring for 6-8 weeks and is open to 3rd, 4th & 5th grades.  In Drama Club the kids participate in various activities such as paper bag skits, songs, impromptu, games and mime.  They also take part in the school play.  

Spanish Club: Students are introduced to different Hispanic cultures through games, songs, read aloud, finger plays, video clips and lots of oral practice.

Sports Club:  Our PE teacher Mr. Hartmann has created an opportunity for kids (grades 3-5) to explore physical activity in a fun, after school atmosphere. Meets Tuesdays & Thursdays.

Student Council:  The Student Council serves as a student government.  The officer positions are open to 3rd, 4th & 5th grades. But second and third graders elect representatives from each class to attend the meetings.  Student Council provides students with a voice in decisions made that affect their school.  During the monthly meetings, the officers and classroom representatives discuss ways to implement various projects that concern the student body. Student Council teaches self-advocacy, democracy and responsibility.  Since the officers and classroom representatives are all elected by the student body, the children learn about the elections and campaigns as well.

A school is a community. In order to enhance that feeling of community we have a variety of events that include the entire family.

EVENTS
BALLARD PARADE:  North Beach Elementary students, staff and parents  love to enter into this Ballard tradition that celebrates Nordic Heritage Day on 5/17. 

BINGO: How do you spell fun?  B-I-N-G-O!  The entire family is welcome to these exciting fundraising events that occur throughout the school year.  This years events are :  November 9th at  6 p.m.;  January 25th at 6 p.m.

FAMILY MATH NIGHT: This fun filled evening brings together students and their families to play games while learning math related concepts. We work with things like rice, toothpicks, tangrams, pentominoes, candy and mirrors to learn about math concepts like estimating, reasoning and even  geometry.  Classrooms are available for beginners (K-1), intermediate (2-3) and advanced (4-5) Family Math participants.  You can spend a little time in each, if you like.  This year's Math Night is January 10th at 6 p.m. 

MULTI-CULTURAL POTLUCK: This event provides families with an opportunity to share favorite dishes from their culture as well as socialize with other North Beach families. We also like to include cultural entertainment with this event.  This year's Potluck is October 23th at 6 p.m.

MUSIC CONCERTS:  Our Musician-in-Residence works with all the students to perform in four music concerts. A Winter Concert and a Spring Concert is given by the primary and secondary grades.  This year's concerts are:  Winter Primary - 12/4; Secondary - 12/6;  Spring Primary - 5/20; Secondary - 5/22.

READ ACROSS AMERICA:  Local celebrities enter the classrooms and read from their favorite books. This national event corresponds with Dr. Seuss’s birthday, March 2nd. This year's celebration will be March 3rd.

SCIENCE FAIR: All students are invited and encouraged to participate in the Science Fair.  Students present projects as complex as a scientific experiment with an hypothesis and a conclusion or as simple as a display of a pet snake.  The entire family is welcome to view the projects. Be prepared to be amazed at the imaginative scientific minds of the North Beach students.  This year's Science Fair is March 14th at 6 p.m.

SOCK HOP: This is a rockin' good time for the entire family.  The gym is transformed into a sock hop where kids and parents  twist to songs from the Fifties.  Pizza, hotdogs and root beer floats can be purchased in the lunchroom or save your appetite for the cake you can win in the Cake Walk challenge.  This year's event is sponsored by the Fifth Grade class to help raise money for their camp.  It is set for Friday, February 8 at 6 p.m.

WALK-A-JOG-A-MOVE-A-THON:  All the students are invited to seek out friends, family and neighbors to sponsor them in a walk-a-thon style fundraiser.  A circular path is outlined in the playground and students run, walk, ride or jog around the path as many times as they can.  Refreshments and music are on hand to add to the excitement.  This year's Walk-A-Thon is set for May 28th.

WOO HOO NIGHT:  At the end of the year we honor all of the volunteers who gave so much of themselves throughout the year and the educator who went beyond the scope of their job to help our children.  We also celebrate the wonderful work of our Resident Specialists. This year's event will be on June 3rd.

Then there are some events that fit into a category all on their own.

ADVENTURES
FIELD DAY:  Kids wait for Field Day all year!  Games and activities such as three-legged races, balloon toss, hole-in-one golf, and face painting fill the field. Kids get a passport to be stamped at every station and can turned in at the end of the event for an ice cream. Teachers and parents participate in this fun event that is designed to provide one last exciting day before the end of school. This year's event will be held on June 16th.

FIFTH GRADE CAMP:  The two night stay at Camp Colemen is a 'Rites of Passage' for the fifth graders at North Beach. All the fifth graders get to participate in a three day excursion to the Peninsula for a stay at Camp Colemen. This environmental educational camp is located on the shores of the Puget Sound and is comprised of one hundred acres of forest and beach. While at the camp the kids partake in nature study classes and interpretive walks in the forests.  Other activities include archery, crafts, games, dances and campfires.  Row boats and canoes are available in the lagoon which is also open for swimming.  This year fifth grade students will work the Sock Hop to raise money to help send them to camp.  The camp will be in June.

KINDERGARTEN WELCOME NIGHT:  Kindergarteners and their parents are often nervous about the first day of elementary school.  It helps if they have been familiarized with their new classroom and teacher.  Before the first day of school, new kindergarteners and their parents are invited to meet their teacher and visit their classroom.  This is also an excellent time for the students to meet their classmates and begin to form friendships.

KINDERGARTEN SUMMER PLAY DATES:  The transition from preschool to kindergarten can be hard especially if you do not know anyone who will be going to your new school.  That is why we have organized play dates throughout the summer that meet at the school playground.  These play dates are hosted by former kindergarten parents and provide a great opportunity for children to meet each other before school starts.  This also gives them the chance to familiarize themselves with the school grounds and hopefully, make those first few days of school a little more enjoyable.