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What is Salmon in the Schools at BF Day?

Starting this school year, BF Day students will be able to watch Pacific salmon grow from eggs to fry in a public school tank, with opportunities to help observe and care for the fish as the program develops. In the spring, the young salmon will be released into a local waterbody designated through the Seattle Salmon in the Schools program. The experience connects students with salmon biology, habitat and local watersheds, water quality, environmental stewardship, and the cultural and ecological importance of salmon in the Pacific Northwest.

Parent volunteers are essential to making Salmon in the Schools work at BF Day—from tank setup and ongoing care to the spring release—and to keeping the program sustainable year after year. We'll be updating this site as we get more information for volunteers.

Welcome to BF Day’s Year of the Salmon!

Parents--Get Involved!

Ready to Volunteer?

Join the Salmon Keeper parent volunteer team.

Already know you want to help? Tell us a little more about how you’d like to participate — once, occasionally, or as part of the core team. It takes about 60 seconds.

I’M READY TO VOLUNTEER

Want to Learn More? Raise Your Fin!

Curious about the program or interested in helping, but not ready to choose a volunteer role yet? Add your name and we’ll keep you in the loop. It takes about 15 seconds.

KEEP ME POSTED

Ways to Help

ONE-TIME HELP

Pitch in for a specific activity without committing to ongoing tank care.

Tank setup

Egg pickup / delivery

Spring release day

CORE SALMON KEEPER TEAM

Help share responsibility for the salmon tank through the winter and spring.

Attend the Salmon in the Schools training workshop

Help with recurring tank care and water changes

Most ongoing fish care happens January through spring

OTHER SUPPORT

Classroom support

Backup help

Special Events

Choose one way to help — every bit helps. You do not need to do it all.

Hands-on learning, right here at BF Day

Salmon in the Schools gives students a living, hands-on way to explore science and our local environment.

Salmon biology & life cycle

How salmon grow, develop, and survive.

Habitat & watersheds

How streams, rivers, forests, neighborhoods, and salmon are connected.

Water quality

Why clean, cool water matters and how environmental conditions affect salmon.

Environmental stewardship

How people can help care for salmon and the habitats they depend on.

Pacific Northwest connections

The ecological and cultural importance of salmon in our region, including Indigenous connections and tribal stewardship.

What happens during the Year?

FALL

Build the volunteer team, attend Salmon in the Schools training, prepare the tank, and get ready for the arrival of salmon eggs.

WINTER

Salmon eggs arrive. Students watch the fish develop, first grade begins its salmon life-cycle curriculum, and the Salmon Keeper team helps care for the tank.

SPRING

The fry grow and begin feeding. Students continue observing their development and eventually help prepare for the salmon release.

Questions from Families

Have questions about how students across BF Day may participate? Here are a few of the questions we’re hearing from families. We’ll add more here as we receive them.

How will students at BF Day participate in Salmon in the Schools?

BF Day will raise Pacific salmon from eggs to fry in a tank located in a shared area of the school, so students across BF Day can see the fish and follow their development throughout the season.

For BF Day’s first year, 1st grade is serving as the sponsoring grade. Salmon science will be built into the winter curriculum, and 1st graders will follow the salmon’s development closely through regular observation, classroom learning about the salmon life cycle, and opportunities to help with simple fish-care tasks such as feeding and observing tank conditions. First grade is also planning to participate in the spring salmon release.

Teachers and school staff decide how individual classes participate and which activities make sense for their students.

What opportunities might students in other grades have?

Students in other grades may have opportunities to visit and observe the tank, help feed the fish, record observations, or take part in activities such as tracking temperature and water quality, depending on their grade level and classroom.

The Salmon in the Schools program includes activities for a range of ages, from observing and feeding fish to tracking temperature and monitoring water quality. Which opportunities are used at BF Day will depend on individual teachers and the school.

Can classes participate in Salmon in the Schools field trips and the spring release?

Potentially. Salmon in the Schools–Seattle offers field-trip and release opportunities to participating schools, and they are not limited to one grade.

For BF Day this year, 1st grade is not planning to participate in the fall field trip, but is planning to participate in the spring salmon release. Participation by other classes will depend on their teachers, school logistics, and program availability.

Will there be more opportunities for students across the school over time?

We expect so. This is BF Day’s first year with Salmon in the Schools, and some participation will naturally develop once the tank is set up and students begin seeing the salmon regularly.

We’ve heard that at other schools, the visibility of the tank often creates more interest from students and teachers and leads to additional ways for classes to participate. Our hope is that the tank becomes a living science resource that more of the school can use as the program grows.

SPS Volunteer Process

SPS requires new school volunteers to first be matched with a specific volunteer role by an SPS staff member. For Salmon in the Schools, once you indicate you want to volunteer through the volunteer link, we'll connect you with the BF Day Teacher Lead for the program to confirm your volunteer need.

Once your role is confirmed, you’ll complete the SPS volunteer application and required approval steps. Ms. Brenna Kamppi, BF Day’s School Volunteer Liaison, manages the school’s volunteer application and approval process. Some one time help needs, may not require SPS Volunteer Approval.

SPS VOLUNTEER PROCESS

Questions about BF Day volunteer approval?

Ms. Brenna Kamppi

BF Day School Volunteer Liaison

bckamppi@seattleschools.org

Learn More

The program is supported by the BF Day PTSA and is part of the official Salmon in the Schools – Seattle program, supported by Seattle Public Utilities and community partners. Below are official program information and resources behind BF Day’s Salmon in the Schools program.

Salmon in the Schools — Seattle

Official program information, learning goals, annual timeline, release information, and program resources.

OFFICIAL PROGRAM SITE

Salmon Learning Resources

Lessons and curriculum materials covering salmon biology, ecology, water quality, stewardship, and Pacific Northwest connections.

LEARNING RESOURCES

Teacher & Tank Volunteer Handbook

The Teacher & Tank Volunteer Handbook is the practical guide to running Salmon in the Schools, with step-by-step information for teachers and parent volunteers on tank setup, water quality, feeding, cleaning and maintenance, troubleshooting, salmon care, release, and end-of-season cleanup.

OFFICIAL HANDBOOK

Key Contacts

Questions about the program, volunteering, or SPS approval? Start with the person below who best matches what you need.

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