Southwood Elementary School

We've been having a busy few days here at Southwood!

The final Panther Buck purchase of the year was a favorite last Friday. Mr. Bwanika's class cashed in their Panther Bucks for a "Dress Up Mr. Means Day!" They made sure our Husky-loving principal spent the day proudly sporting Cougar gear!

Our annual Fun Run on Friday was a success, and our students showed determination as they completed the course. One of the most memorable parts of the event was watching students come together and run with one of their fellow Panthers. Their kindness and encouragement helped make the day extra special and showed what a caring school community we have.

And Field Day today was the perfect way to keep the fun going! Thank you to our students, staff, volunteers, and families for helping make these events so memorable.

One more wake-up, Panthers! You've got this!

Today we got to celebrate our 5th grade graduates! We are so proud of all they have accomplished and the wonderful people they have become. While we will miss seeing their smiling faces every day, we are excited to watch them take on their next big adventure in middle school. Congratulations, 5th graders, we know you'll do great things!

Mrs. Markquart’s class got some special visitors today! Members of the Bonney Lake-Sumner School Board, whom she serves alongside, stopped by as part of their Strong Minds, Kind Hearts campaign. Since Erin is usually busy during the day teaching our ESD kids, they decided to bring the fun to her. What a fun surprise and a great way to celebrate all she does for students in both districts—big elephants taking care of little elephants!!

Ms. Snyder's class took a turn to dress up Mr. Means today!

Yesterday, we had the joy of welcoming back some of our graduating seniors for the annual "Make 'Em Weep" Day. Seeing them walk our halls and reconnect with their elementary teachers was a special reminder of how much they've accomplished.

Adding a little extra fun to the day, Mr. Means was sporting bunny ears after a student used Panther Bucks to earn a "Dress Up Mr. Means" day! The photo of him with our seniors was a sweet reminder of the laughter and fun that made their elementary years so special!

To the Class of 2026, congratulations! We are incredibly proud of all you have achieved and honored to have been a small part of your journey. As you celebrate this milestone tonight, know that your elementary school family is cheering you on!

We had a big week at Southwood last week! Our Safety Patrol students enjoyed their year-end field trip to Peak Gymnastics, we had beautiful weather for some basketball at recess, and our Hero Team celebrated the end of the year with root beer floats.

We also held our final Panther Pride Assembly, where students were recognized for demonstrating this month's skill of creativity. Our PTO hosted Donuts with Grownups on Friday morning and Popcorn Friday during recess, making for a fun end to the week!

There is still plenty of excitement ahead this week as we begin our last full week of school for this school year!

Southwood isn't going to let this gorgeous make-up day get us down! Way to make today great, Panthers!

Reminder: This Friday, May 22, 2026, is a School Makeup Day!

Due to school closures earlier in the school year, Friday will be a Regular Friday Schedule for Southwood Elementary, Sunrise Elementary and Enumclaw Middle School

There will be No School for all other schools: Birth to Five Center, Black Diamond Elementary, Byron Kibler Elementary, Westwood Elementary, Thunder Mountain Middle School and Enumclaw High School

Did you know that May is National Get Caught Reading Month? Our Panthers have certainly been rising to the challenge and getting caught reading!

Last week, our amazing Battle of the Books team represented Southwood at the district competition. After months of dedication and reading, they showcased outstanding teamwork and did a phenomenal job in the fast-paced relay competition!

Then on Friday, our school library reached an exciting milestone by checking out its 10,000th book of the school year!

Way to go, Panthers! Your hard work, enthusiasm, and love of reading continue to make Southwood shine.