Principal's Corner

Winter is in full swing and the month of February is filled with many exciting opportunities for our students. There are also days we will not be in school as well as a few events worth mentioning. Please see below for events occurring this month.

FEBRUARY HAPPENINGS:

1. Non-Student Teacher Work Day: Monday, February 2nd No school for students as this is teacher preparation day.

2. Port Gardner SLP Week - Friday, February 2nd through Thursday, February 8th

3. SHS Term 4 ends: Wednesday, February 7th

4. SHS Check & Connect: Thursday, February 8th 10:00 am - 1:00 pm

5. SHS Appointment Day: Friday, February 9th All Day

6. Port Gardner 2nd Semester - Monday, February 12th Classes begin this week

7. SHS Connected 6 begins - Wednesday, February 14th

8. ASVAB Testing - Wednesday, February 14th

9. Mid-Winter Break - Monday, February 19th and Tuesday, 20th

As always, please check our website often for updates and pertinent information. In the event you have a question and/or concern please do hesitate to reach out.

Registration for Everett Public Schools High School and Middle School Summer Academy starts Monday, March 11.

High School Summer Academy includes district-facilitated credit recovery courses and credit advancement opportunities. In addition, career exploration, mentorship and internships are available through Everett Career Link.

Middle School Summer Academy focuses on exciting and engaging math and English Language Arts content for current 5th through 7th grade students. Academic lessons include math problem-solving and foundations as well as literature through close reading and novel studies, to help students build foundational skills needed for the next year.

High School and Middle School Summer Academy classes are located at Eisenhower Middle School and are scheduled for July 8 – 26, 2024. In-person summer programming is free to in-district students. Transportation and meals are provided.

In addition to in-person programming, online classes for high school students are hosted through OnlineHS. Online classes are scheduled for June 24 - August 1, 2024; tuition is $350 per class for in-district students and $450 per class for out-of-district students. Scholarships are available based on need. For more information or to register for classes, please visit https://www.everettsd.org/domain/2422.

Let’s Connect on February 6, from 6-7 p.m. at Cascade High School, where Dr. Lucía Magis-Weinberg, from the University of Washington, be talking about how technology, especially social media, influences students and ways we can encourage healthy digital habits.

What to Expect:

Dr. Magis-Weinberg will share insights on how digital technology shapes adolescent development. After her keynote, join small group discussions with other parents and school district leaders. These discussions will revolve around conversational prompts, making sure everyone gets a chance to share their thoughts.

Our Goal:

To advance our understanding of how adolescent development is shaped by the risks and opportunities afforded by digital technologies, and to collaboratively explore healthy digital habits.

Who's Welcome:

This event is for families with kids in elementary, middle and high school. We all play a part in understanding and navigating the digital world that impacts our kids.

The week of February 5 to 9 is National School Counseling Week and highlights the tremendous impact school counselors can have in helping students achieve school success and plan for a career. We love our counselors!

Every year OSPI publishes a report card for each district and each school within the district. You can access the 2022-23 data on the OSPI website.

To review the data for the school district or a school, start typing in the name and a drop box will appear with choices. Select your choice to view the report card.

Optionally you can select ‘See all schools and districts’ and navigate to the district or school you want to select.

Did you know there is a Special Education PTSA in the district? The Special Education PTSA serves students, families and educators involved in Special Education. They encourage students, families, educators and community members to work collaboratively to provide programs and activities recognizing each student's potential and enhancing the educational opportunities of children receiving and/or seeking special services in our district. Connect with the SEPTSA on their Facebook page.

If we must cancel school or delay the start of school, we will use our parent communication system to call in the morning, typically around 5:30 a.m. (or sometimes the night before if it can already be determined) with a brief message about the reason for closure or delay. We will also use local media, social media and post the message on our website.

If there is no announcement about Everett Public Schools, school is on the regular schedule. More information and resources for school closures or delays is on the district website under the Parents tab.

In cases of inclement weather or other emergencies, please:

• check your email or phone for district messages
• listen for media announcements
• view the district’s website at www.everettsd.org
• watch district Facebook, Twitter or Instagram accounts

Check out Everett Public School’s latest video on Parent University! It covers our College and Career Readiness Seminar, a must for all seniors gearing up for life after high school. They dive into essential 21st-century skills, navigating FAFSA for post-high school education, crafting resumes, honing interview skills, understanding financial stability, and much more!

This month, the Food and Nutrition Department brings you potatoes grown in the PNW! Be sure to check out our menu for dishes containing this tasty Harvest of the month!

Did you know that potatoes are the most popular vegetable grown in the US and are an excellent source of Vitamin C, B6 and potassium? Find out more by checking out the Harvest of the Month flyer on the district website.

Will your child be 5 years old by August 31? On March 4, you can complete your child’s online enrollment for kindergarten. An easy and quick process as detailed in the step-by-step parent walkthrough video available in multiple languages on our website www.everettsd.org/kindergartenenrollment. You can also enroll in-person at your neighborhood school or download a printable packet, complete it, and deliver it to your child’s home school with the required documents.

Enrolling early in March will ensure invitations to your school’s kindergarten events and participation in Everett Ready, a transition-into-kindergarten program offered for four days in August to all enrolled kindergarteners – more information will be available in June on www.everettsd.org/everettready.

A Kindergarten Enrollment - Kick-Off Webinar will be held on Monday, February 26, 2024, from 6:00 to 7:00 pm. Join us to meet the Superintendent and learn about Kindergarten in Everett Public Schools. Information with a link to the webinar will be available on our website www.everettsd.org and www.everettsd.org/kindergarten by February 15.

EPS offers the following Choice Programs beginning in kindergarten– early enrollment is recommended as space is limited. Click on the links for more information on the programs:

• Lighthouse Cooperative – Housed at Jefferson Elementary School

This K-5 program features standard district curriculum with an overlay of parent involvement via weekly classroom volunteering and support for enrichment activities such as field trips and parent-led specialty lessons.

• Dual Language Spanish Immersion Program – Located at Emerson Elementary School.

Students are immersed in the Spanish language and culture with the majority of instruction being in Spanish. Priority will be given to students within the Emerson Elementary school attendance area. If a high number of students apply, a lottery will be conducted to select students.

• Port Gardner Family Partnership K-12 – Located on Sequoia High School Campus

Port Gardner K-12 is a parent partnership program, where parents/guardians are the primary educators of their children. Our program is a blend of on-site classes taught by certificated teachers, and remote classes taught by parents/guardians in the home.

Note: Choice Programs will require a school transfer approval if not located at your child’s home school.

We are looking forward to welcoming you and your student to kindergarten!

Looking Ahead ---------------------------->

• February 1, Progress Due & the last day of 1st semester
• February 2-8, Student Learning Plan Appointments
• February 5, PRs received after noon will be marked as Overall Unsatisfactory
• February 9, Teacher Work Day, no classes today
• February 12 & 26, Welcome to Port Gardner Classes 1 & 2
• February 14, PTSA Valentine's Party 2:15 to 3 pm
• February 16, Overall Progress Evaluations, no classes today
• February 19-20, Mid Winter Break
• February 26, Writing Workshop for K/1 Families 9:20 to 10:30

Belinda Mountjoy, Principal: bmountjoy@everettsd.org 425-385-5190

Autumn Slater, School Counselor: aslater@everettsd.org 425-385-

Megan Slaker, Secretary: mslaker@everettsd.org 425-385-5150

Kim Cortright, Paraeducator: kcortright@everettsd.org 425-385-5180

Allison Hinds, Primary Teacher: ahinds@everettsd.org 425-385-5183

Celeste Johnson, Primary/Intermediate Teacher: cjohnson@everettsd.org 425-385-5183

Jocelyn Sievers-Bailey, Intermediate Teacher: Jsievers-bailey@everettsd.org 425-385-5186

Laura Wight, Middle School Teacher: lwight@everettsd.org 425-385-5141

Mark Ryder, Middle/High School Teacher: mryder@everettsd.org 425-385-5142

The district’s main webpage has an icon, “report/assistance,” with resources and assistance for students and families on:

• Suicide Prevention
• Crisis Support
• Eating Disorder Help
• Substance Abuse Help
• Report Safety Concerns
• Report Harassment
• Substance Abuse Trends
• Overdose Symptoms and Prevention

Do you or your student have a concern about someone experiencing bullying or harassment? Report it! You can talk directly with your school’s office or you can call, text or email your concern.

If there is reason for concern about safety on a designated walkway to school, call 9-1-1 immediately for authorized, quick help. We have strong partnerships with local law enforcement who share our interest in safe schools and neighborhoods. Student safety is a priority for all of us. Working together, we can help make our neighborhoods and schools nurturing places for students to safely learn and grow.

Six ways your student can protect their online identities:

1. Share carefully – don’t give out any personal information to unknown sites or strangers

2. Go private – keep privacy settings high and limit location services when possible

3. Log out – especially after using shared computers

4. Mix up passwords – use different passwords for different apps and websites

5. Avoid clickbait – avoid quizzes and random questionnaires

6. Choose wisely – pick an appropriate username

Learn more about online safety, digital wellness, cell phones and learning with technology with age-specific tips and tools on www.commonsensemedia.org.

Kids in Transition (KIT) program supports students who qualify for two federal programs which provide support for children and youth whose housing is highly mobile: those who meet the more inclusive definition of homeless under the federal McKinney-Vento Homeless Act and those who are eligible for Foster Care Education support.

Students who are in foster care placement (where a child welfare agency has placement, care and authority) or those who are without a fixed, regular and adequate nighttime residence may qualify for this additional support.

The KIT program works to eliminate barriers to students’ academic success and extra-curricular involvement. We ensure eligible students have access to free school meals, school supplies and uniforms. KIT may help students access extended day or summer school classes or coordinate access to additional academic support or tutoring when needed. The KIT Program may also cover, or coordinate waivers for, fees required to take part in activities such as school-sponsored sports, clubs, and required class fees. KIT can also help set up transportation for eligible students to maintain school stability, as long as the commute is​ feasible and in the best interest of the student. We also partner with the Family Resource Center and other community agencies to connect families and students to resources as needed.

Last year, Everett Public Schools served over 1,350 students through our KIT support at some time during the school year. For more information, visit www.everettsd.org/KIT to learn who your school’s KIT support staff is; or contact the KIT Office at 425-385-4032.

Drive smart. Keep kids safe. It is important to be extra cautious this time of year when it is darker in the mornings and late afternoons. Make sure everyone gets home safely by staying alert, slowing down and following all traffic laws and signals.

Drivers:

· Eliminate distractions – put your phones down and keep your eyes on the road.

· Pedestrians can be unpredictable. Be alert at all times and don’t assume they see you.

· Be extra cautious early in the morning, at night and in rainy weather.

Students:

· Plan a walking route to school or the bus stop. Choose the most direct way with the fewest street crossings and use intersections with crossing guards.

· Cross the street in a designated crosswalk. Be extra careful in rainy, foggy, or snowy weather.

· Always look left, then right, then left again before crossing a street and allow enough time to cross the street safely.

· Make eye contact with drivers before crossing the street. Never assume a driver sees you.

· Don’t be distracted by electronic devices that take your eyes and ears off the road.

To schedule a meeting with me, please email my Office Manager, Betsy Monroe.

Email: bmonroe@everettsd.org
Website: www.everettsd/Sequoiahs
Location: 3516 Rucker Ave Everett, WA 98201
Phone: (425) 385-5100