Superintendent Brower Newsletter

Dear Students, Families, Staff and Community Members,

Wow! Where do I begin?

It has been a busy summer for our maintenance and facilities department getting ready for our students and staff members to return. We now have a remodeled portable at Weyerhaeuser Elementary and a relocated portable behind Eatonville Elementary and Middle Schools to meet the needs of our students.

As part of our efforts to ensure student safety and security, we are pleased to announce all five buildings have had new exterior cameras, keyless entry systems, remote entry and intercom systems installed.

Please know all exterior doors will be locked at all times. Employees will have a badge or an app on their cell phone to grant them access to the building.

For parents or guests entering:

1. When arriving at the front entrance to the school, there will be a button to push.

2. The secretary will be alerted that we have a visitor.

3. That visitor will be seen on the camera system.

4. The visitor will, at that time, communicate their needs using the speaker located near the button.

5. The secretary will answer the visitor’s questions or remotely unlock the door for entry.

6. Unrecognized visitors will be asked to show identification as a safety measure.

7. The visitor will hear a tone that will indicate the door is unlocked. Visitors should look for signage that specifies which door to pull open.

August has also been a busy month for our staff members who have dedicated tremendous time and effort to prepare for the return of our nearly 2,000 students. This includes professional development opportunities that will benefit all students.

August 29th was a busy day for all 262 staff members who gathered to reconnect, to hear a motivational speech from our Eatonville School Board Chair, Paulette Gilliardi, to welcome the newest members of our Eatonville team, to honor our teacher of the year and to receive training on how to respond to an active shooter on campus.

I am happy to announce that, while we will miss those who have left Eatonville School District, we have hired great employees to take their place. Each new staff member was welcomed to our team and three were given the opportunity to enter TwinStar Credit Union’s Cash Grab Machine, each receiving a $100 Visa gift card to buy items for their classroom or program. Be sure and check out our newsletter which features each new hire.

Congratulations to Dr. Tira Hancock from Eatonville High School who was selected from many nominations to receive the prestigious Teacher of the Year award presented by the Ohop Grange! She received a resounding applause from her colleagues for her many years of service to students, to staff members and to the Eatonville community.

Chief LaLiberte and Officer Justman from our Eatonville Police Department teamed up with the Pierce County Department of Emergency Services to train our entire staff on how to respond to an active shooter on campus. We join other school districts around the nation who have received similar training in an effort to ensure the safety and security of all students.

We have new bus drivers to replace retirees, however, we are still facing a shortage. The first days will be a challenge.We continue to advertise and give bonuses to attract and recruit new hires. Please share our need for drivers with others.

I am going to continue with a similar school board meeting schedule of having work study sessions on the second Wednesday of each month and the school board meetings on the fourth Wednesday of each month. Everyone is welcome to attend.

In closing, it is an honor to serve the Eatonville School District. After spending the past three days with our 262 staff members, I can honestly say that I am impressed by their dedication and commitment to all students. Please join me in thanking them. Eatonville Strong!

Mr. Jay Brower

Superintendent

Eatonville School District

On August 29, we officially kicked off the 23-24 school year as all staff members joined Superintendent Brower for a full day of learning! The day include many celebrations, special speeches, critical training and lots of staff bonding. We are pleased to share all of our staff members have been formally trained by law enforcement to enhance our response to active shooters.

Eatonville Police Chief LaLiberte and Officer Justman teamed up with the Pierce County Department of Emergency Management to train all of our Eatonville School District staff on how to respond to an active shooter on campus.

After spending the morning learning how to prepare for an event like this, and how to properly lockdown/evacuate their classrooms, staff demonstrated what they learned by participating in a practical exercise. They were grouped according to the age levels of their students and were tasked with securing their classrooms – beyond just locking their doors. They also had to come up with a plan to distract and control the shooter in case they made it into the classroom.

Staff were engaged throughout the day and demonstrated their dedication to keeping their students – your kids – safe.

We also want to thank the Pierce County Sheriff's Department’s Mountain Detachment for providing security during our training and for coaching staff during the practical exercise.

We appreciate our strong partnership with the local law enforcement and plan to continue working closely with them.

We are planning a great year for our students and keeping safety a top priority.

Welcome back to another year at Eatonville School District! The new school year brings so many new opportunities and changes for our students and school community. As your student moves through the school year we want to ensure that you have all of the support your family needs to help it be a successful year.

Please see email addresses of our school counselors below.

EHS

• Maryann Barker: m.baker@eatonvilleschools.org

• Kirsten Saari: k.saari@eatonvilleschools.org

• Brenda Waugh-Reimer: b.waughreimer@eatonvilleschools.org

EMS

• Anisa Parks: a.parks@eatonvilleschools.org

CCA

• Deb Noble-Perry: d.noble-perry@eatonvilleschools.org

EES

• Jana McIlraith: j.mcilraith@eatonvilleschools.org

WES

• Kristin Bjorklund: k.bjorkulnd@eatonvilleschools.org

September is Suicide Awareness Month. Suicide is a subject that is not unfamiliar to our community. It is immensely impactful, heart breaking and confusing. Suicide is the second leading cause of death in youth ages 15-24 and it is also one of the most preventable causes of death. There are action steps that we can all take.

Our district is partnering with Tacoma Pierce County Health Department to bring teen Mental Health First Aid courses to our students in 10th, 11th and 12th grade. This is an optional course, outside of the school day, that will train teens to notice warning signs of mental health and substance abuse crisis and how to get an adult to support their peers.

Ways you can take action:

• As a teen, attend a teen Mental Health First Aid training in your area.

• As an adult in a support role for a teen, attend a Youth Mental Health First Aid Training in your area to be better equipped.

• Save the suicide prevention number in your phone #988

• Organize an out of the darkness walk in your community.

• Wear a purple and turquoise ribbon to raise awareness.

We are pleased to announce we are offering a new incentive for new bus drivers:

• New applicants who come to the District already holding a CDL with all required school bus endorsements who are recommended for a bus driver position are eligible for a one-time $3,000 salary bonus, once their hire is approved by the school board.
• The $3,000 salary bonus will apply only to drivers who would not need to go through a driver training program in Eatonville.
• New applicants who come to the District, complete the District’s CDL training program, and are recommended for a bus driver position, are eligible for a one-time $2,500 salary bonus, once their hire is approved by the school board.

Superintendent: Mr. Jay Brower

Executive Assistant: Mrs. Ashley Farrens

District Office Hours: 7:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.

Email: communications@eatonvilleschools.org

Website: https://www.eatonville.wednet.edu
Location: 200 Lynch Street West, Eatonville, WA, USA
Phone: 360-879-1000
Facebook: facebook.com/eatonville.school.district
Twitter: @EatonvilleSD

Eatonville School District #404 will provide equal educational opportunity and treatment for all students in all aspects of the academic and activities program without discrimination based on race, religion, creed, color, national origin, age, honorably discharged, veteran or military status, sex, sexual orientation, gender expression or identity, marital status, the presence of any sensory, mental or physical disability, or the use of a trained dog guide or service animal by a person with a disability.

The district will provide equal access to school facilities to the Boy Scouts of America and all other designated youth groups listed in Title 36 of the United States Code as a patriotic society. District programs shall be free from sexual harassment. Auxiliary aids and services will be provided upon request to individuals with disabilities.

Address: 200 Lynch St. W., Eatonville, WA 98328; Telephone: 360-879-1000

Title IX Coordinator, Section 504/ADA Coordinator & Civil Rights Compliance Coordinator: Cristin Blaskowitz, Executive Student Services. Email: c.blaskowitz@eatonvilleschools.org