SBLSD News
December 16, 2021
In our ongoing commitment to safety and preparedness, the Sumner-Bonney Lake School District is participating in a regional lahar exercise, which is designed to test and improve the ability to evacuate or shelter students and staff in the event of an incoming lahar from Mount Rainier. The drill is only for schools, not the general public or surrounding residences.
WHEN
The lahar exercise will begin at 9 a.m. on Friday, April 29. There will likely be some staggered start times for operational effectiveness.
HOW
All schools will participate by either evacuating or sheltering in place, depending on their location in the valley or on the hill.
Evacuation (valley)
Schools: Sumner HS, Elhi Hill HS Program, Sumner MS, Daffodil Valley Elem, Maple Lawn Elem, Sumner Early Learning Center.
Under staff supervision, with assistance from local police personnel, students will follow a designated evacuation route on flat, paved sidewalks with one street lane closed.
Students will complete about 80 percent of the route, stopping before gaining significant elevation with an end at the Gordon Family YMCA.
With the exception of Sumner High School, buses will transport students back to their school where they’ll complete the remainder of their school day as normal. Total time for the drill is approximately one hour.
Shelter in place (hill)
Schools: Bonney Lake HS, Lakeridge MS, Mountain View MS, Bonney Lake Elem, Crestwood Elem, Donald Eismann Elem, Emerald Hills Elem, Liberty Ridge Elem, Tehaleh Heights Elem, Victor Falls Elem.
Students will shelter in place by remaining at school inside their classroom.
Teachers have the option to deliver lahar-related lessons and activities, sharing more about lahars and what to expect should we experience one.
The shelter-in-place drill should last no longer than five minutes.
WHO
Coordinated by the East Pierce Interlocal Coalition Emergency Management Team, participants in this regional, full-scale lahar evacuation exercise include these surrounding school districts, cities, towns and emergency management agencies:
March might be Music in Our Schools Month, but schools across the Sumner-Bonney Lake School District celebrate music all year long.
From elementary to high school, hundreds of students are involved in music programs with some of our award-winning teachers.
The District’s high and middle schools offer jazz band, symphonic band, percussion, beginning guitar, marching band, musical theater and choir courses.
Here are some stats for some of our District classes:
- 110 singers in 5 choirs at Bonney Lake HS
- 85 students in the band program at Bonney Lake HS and 55 students taking beginning guitar
- 125 Students involved in the Sumner HS Instrumental Music Program
- 166 students in 4 choirs at Mountain View MS
- 59 students at two musical theater classes at Mountain View MS
- 112 students enrolled in Sumner MS instrumental classes
- 140 students in choir and musical theater classes at Sumner MS
- 140 students in the band program at Lakeridge MS
- 125 students in the choir/musical theater program at Lakeridge MS
- 37 students in an after-school choir club at Maple Lawn Elementary will be performing the National Anthem at the Tacoma Rainiers Game on April 24
In our elementary schools, music teachers see every student in the entire building each week. At our Early Learning Center, students are learning the foundation of music education, like moving and playing a steady beat and reading and composing rhythms.
Our talented students have been awarded for their hard work, including “Excellent” and “Superior” ratings by our middle and high school band and choir students at state solo and ensemble competitions.
Aside from their annual school concerts, you may have seen some SBLSD students participating at community events like the Daffodil Parade, Tacoma Rainiers games, Thunderbirds hockey games and tree-lighting ceremonies.
Many of our District music teachers are actively involved in professional music organizations like the American Choral Directors Association (ACDA), the Washington Music Educators Association (WMEA), the National Association for Music Education (NAfME), the National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS) and the American Orff-Schulwerk Association (AOSA). Some also are Kodaly or Orff certified, which means they participated in intense training for teaching music.
Hello, Nationals!
The Family Career and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA) at Bonney Lake and Sumner high schools are national qualifiers after participating in the State Leadership Conference in March in Wenatchee.
Sumner FCCLA received all gold awards and qualified for nationals:
- Rei — Professional Presentation: 2nd Place
- Chris — Hospitality, Tourism and Recreation: 2nd Place
- Viola, Alexys, Hannah — Chapter Website: Top 15 in nation
Bonney Lake FCCLA received all golds and also qualified for nationals this summer:
- Dylan and Gigi — Hospitality, Recreation and Tourism: 1st Place
- Isabelle and Callia — Professional Presentation: 1st Place
- Lauren — Leadership: 1st Place
- Lily and Samra — Chapter Service Project Portfolio: 1st Place
- Romel — Food Innovations: 1st Place
- Chloe and Emily — Repurpose and Redesign: 2nd Place
- Hailey and Paige — Chapter Website: Top 15 in the nation
Bonney Lake FCCLA advisor Kahale Ahina also received the Master Adviser Award for his leadership and dedication to FCCLA, leading to high levels of membership and participation.
FCCLA is a nonprofit national Career and Technical Student Organization working with students in school to promote personal growth and leadership development through Family and Consumer Sciences education.
They’ve already taken home first place wins at the recent District 3 competition.
Now, the Bonney Lake High School Drill Team will take to the stage at the State Dance/Drill Championships at the Yakima Valley SunDome this weekend. They’ll compete against other school teams across the state.
The team will be competing in the military, kick and pom categories. At the district competition, they took first place in 3A/4A military, first place in 3A/4A kick, and second place in 3A pom and the highest score in District 3 with a 281.2/300 for their military routine.
Wish the Bonney Lake High School Pantherettes luck!
