Sanislo School PTA

Love Harriet Tubman

The Small School With Big Ideas. Located in West Seattle. JOIN
https://sanislo.givebacks.com/ Here is the History of our school- Captain Stephen E.

Sanislo Elementary School

In the late 1960s, a new school was planned for the Riverview area to reduce the distance to school for children who previously attended Cooper, Highland Park, and Hughes. The school was named for longtime West Seattle resident Stephen E. Sanislo, a 54-year veteran of the Seattle Fire Department. Captain Sanislo spent 31years educating Seattle schoolchildren on fire saf

ety and, in 1942, was officially named education director for the fire department. His talks, accompanied by his imaginary dog "Skipper," combined storytelling and harmonica-playing. The results of his work are evident in the city's excellent fire safety record during his tenure. In September 1969, a year before the new building opened, Sanislo Elementary students were housed in portables at Highland Park and Cooper. Groundbreaking took place on February 6, 1970, with Sanislo's widow helping with a shovel. Although it was not ready for the start of the following school year, Sanislo opened a few months later for 325 pupils in K-4. The design for Sanislo was so unique it was featured in an architectural magazine in Paris. It had few walls between classrooms; a design aimed at accommodating innovation and flexibility. Electrical and mechanical systems were housed not within walls but in brightly colored and visible overhead and wall space. The educational theory used at Sanislo lets children develop at their own individual pace. In its first years, it was a showplace for the district. However, by the mid-1980s, some educators questioned whether the school should retain its "open concept" design. At that time, there was movement toward a "return to basics," favoring standardization. Some 140 children assigned to Sanislo in 1983-84 transferred to other schools. The open concept arrangement was retained, however, and today it is staunchly defended. Sanislo considers itself a community that fosters cooperation and mutual respect. It emphasizes integrated, thematically focused instruction with team teachers. Sanislo won the state championship for physical fitness in 1990, with all students scoring above 85 percent on tests, which include running, pull-ups, and toe-touching. Sanislo also is the home of SCATS, a circus acrobatics team originally headed by Bud and Sue Turner, PE teachers. The SCATS group performs Double-Dutch jump-roping, unicycling, juggling, and tumbling. A remodeling and expansion of the school was launched in summer 1997. The remodeling, which increased classroom size and the amount of natural light entering the main teaching areas, was completed before school started the next fall. Next came an addition west of the original building. Included were a new 2nd grade classroom, a multipurpose room, an art and science area-music room, and a learning resource center. Work was completed in time for graduation ceremonies to be held in the new multipurpose room in June 1998.

05/22/2026

This evening at 6:00 p.m., please join us for another COMPLIMENTARY PTA movie night, featuring ZOOTOPIA 2. Complimentary snacks will be provided while supplies last.

05/19/2026

Jog-A-Thon is here!

Jog-A-Thon is a TOMORROW on Wednesday May 20th at 12:15 on the playground. We still need volunteers to count laps.

Also, remember this is a PTA fundraiser. Donations can be made for a student or in general, at the following link.

https://www.givebacks.com/causes/sanislo/campaigns/fc7a046974b5

So grab your water bottle, lace up those sneakers and meet us on the playground for an active day.

05/14/2026

Gonna be a blast for the next couple of weeks, starting with tonight's totally tubular Skate Party @ Southgate Roller Rink. See you there!

Donate to Help Ka'Leah and Her Family Through Tough Times, organized by D R

05/05/2026

This fundraiser is just getting started, and sharing helps so much in the early days. Ka'Leah, a 12-year-old in our Sanislo community, recently suffered a brain aneurysm, and her family is facing a tough time with medical bills and other needs.

Even if you can't donate right now, a quick share can help it reach someone who may be able to support. Please keep Ka'Leah and her family in your thoughts as she fights to heal. Thanks for your kindness! 💙 🤲🏼

Donate to Help Ka'Leah and Her Family Through Tough Times, organized by D R Ka'Leah Rhodes is an 11-year-old member of our community who is currently facing o… D R needs your support for Help Ka'Leah and Her Family Through Tough Times

05/05/2026

Sanislo Teacher Appreciation Week is here!!!

This week, we’re celebrating our amazing teachers and staff with a full week of appreciation:

💆 Monday – Pamper Day (because they deserve a little soft life!)
🍳 Tuesday – Breakfast (fueling the inspiration!)
💐Wednesday – Flower Day (giving them their flowers 💐)
🍩 Thursday – Snack Day (a little boost to keep going strong!)
🍽️ Friday – Catered Lunch (a well-earned treat!)

💌 Students are encouraged to bring letters or drawings for their teachers all week long!
Don’t forget to sign the Teacher Appreciation poster at school—families are welcome to add a message of thanks or drop off gifts for teachers!

Let’s show our Sanislo staff just how much they mean to our community

05/04/2026

Where's our baseball fans at?

Due to a gracious gift to the Sanislo School PTA, our Sanislo families are invited to attend Three Free Mariners Games this month.
We have tickets available for 3 upcoming Mariners games. Tuesday, May 5th 6:40 p.m., Tuesday, May 19th at 6:40 p.m., and Wednesday, May 10th at 1:10 p.m.
First come first serve. Digital only. Fill out form below.
https://forms.gle/zi8zsyGo2dJpT2QB6 ⚾️🎟️👏

04/23/2026

Check out Sanislo featured in this edition of SPS First Bell.

04/23/2026

Updated PTA newsletter out now! Mark your calendar for this great slate of events. Links in comments.

04/23/2026

Happy Earth Day!

04/22/2026

It's National Volunteer Week, and we want to recognize the incredible families and community members who give their time, energy, and care to make Sanislo such a special place.

Whether you’ve helped in a classroom, supported an event, or simply shown up for our students, you are what makes this community thrive. If you’ve ever thought about getting involved, this is the perfect time—there’s a place for everyone.

Upcoming events that need volunteer support:

📚🎨 Literacy & Arts Night: April 23

🏈 UW Dawgs After Dark: May 1

💐 Teacher Appreciation Week May 4-8

🗳️ PTA Meeting & Elections: May 11

🏃 Jogathon: May 20

🎬 Movie Night: May 22

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Location

Seattle

Contact the school

Click here to send a message to the school

Telephone

+12062528380

Website

https://sanislo.givebacks.com/, https://venmo.com/u/Sanislo-PTA

Address

1812 SW Myrtle Street
Seattle, WA
98106

Opening Hours

Monday	7:55am - 2:25pm
Tuesday	7:55am - 2:25pm
Wednesday	7:55am - 12:25pm
Thursday	7:55am - 2:25pm
Friday	7:55am - 2:25pm

Sanislo School PTA

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