

Port Susan Middle School

Family & Student Update 02.18.24
Principal's message
Thank you, staff and students, for the thoughtful feedback on our schedule. Our building leadership team met on Monday and went over the responses (almost 400 total) and there was definitely pros/cons to both schedules.
As we look at our overall focus in supporting our learning environment, it is clear that the current schedule is allowing additional student contact in all classrooms. In addition, the data related to less discipline following advisory as well as the time allowed to support students during the core instruction outweighs the benefits of the additional transition for a 25 minute time period. Therefore, we are going to keep the current schedule (no advisory) and have announcements in the morning.
Students will use this time to do the following: check grades, silent read for 10 minutes, send an email to a teacher for clarification, finish up an assignment, use the calendar to plan out their day/week, etc. In addition, teachers will be reaching out with a schedule for additional after school support for students. More information to come!
— Mrs. Almanza
Attention 8th grade students
Tuesday, the Stanwood High School Counselors presented to our 8th Graders about the transition to high school and course registration for next year. They covered Graduation Requirements, 9th Grade Course Offerings, and the Registration Process. Here is a link to their presentation.
The counselors will return on 2/27 to answer questions and help students submit their course requests into Skyward. We are asking each student to have their Freshman Registration Worksheet completed by that date as they will turn that in along with their electronic registration. We encourage you to review this information and the SHS Course Catalog with your students.
Stanwood High School would also like to invite you to their annual Course Fair and 8th Grade Parent/ Guardian Night on February 20th. The Course Fair will run from 5:30 PM to 6:30 PM in the Stanwood High School Commons. At this event, the various departments and programs at the high school will have booths for Students and their Parents/ Guardians to learn about the opportunities at the high school level and to ask questions of teachers about these opportunities. At 6:45 in the Stanwood High School Performing Arts Center, they will host an information session for Parents/ Guardians to learn about graduation requirements, admission requirements, opportunities, and much more about the high school.
Update: New Schedule *Trial*
We have dropped a survey for all students and staff to fill out regarding the schedule trial. We will continue this schedule below for this week and our building leadership team will be looking over the responses (pros/cons) of the different schedule choices. Ultimately, our goal is to support student learning at Port Susan Middle School. The decision will be made based on growth and best interest of students. Thank you for your support and we'll communicate the decision in next week's communication.
Monthly Library Update
What's New in the PSMS Library? We are having a Bookmark Design Contest starting this
month! Deadline to enter is March 31, 2024. Prizes! Stop by the library for forms and details!
Check out the February Library Newsletter for details
Spring Play
Spring Play will practice this month on Tuesdays with all cast and Thursdays Character Cast from 2:30-4 each day. Full schedule can be found here.
Sports
Wrestling will have their first match on Thursday February 22 at Burlington. Match Schedule can be found here.
PSMS Clubs
D&D Club Flyer: Mondays with Mr. McCrumb 2:20pm-3:50
Music Club Fridays 2:30-3:30 with Mr. Bletscher Sign Up Here
Sewing Club Thursdays 2:20-3:30 with Mrs. Zurcher
Chess Club 2: Wednesdays/ every other Fridays 2:20-3:30 with Mrs. Shoemaker Sign Up Here
Staff Shout Out: Mrs. Harrington
In honor of National Leadership Day on February 20, we are highlighting our PSMS Leadership teacher, Mrs. Harrington this week. National Leadership Day is set aside to acknowledge the power of leadership and recognizes the impact that leaders make in people's lives as they seek to develop themselves and others. The observance aims to empower people to help others and be change agents and difference makers in someone's life. To show people what it means to be a good leader and inspire them to be a positive force of change in another person's life.
1) How many years teaching at Port Susan Middle School? This is my 13th school year teaching at Port Susan. I have taught 6th, 7th, and 8th grade Language Arts, 6th grade social studies, and the 7th/8th grade Leadership class. I am also the ASB Advisor.
2) What is your favorite part of PSMS? I love the staff and students at Port Susan! Working at a place where your coworkers become friends makes everything better. I also really like that many students (that I've never had in class) will stop to give me a fistbump in the hall. I have met many students throughout the years just from these interactions. One of my favorite things is that I get to be in charge of many activities out of school so I can see the students outside of the classroom setting.
3) What are your hobbies that you enjoy? When I am not at Port Susan, I like spending time camping with my family and friends, traveling to new places, and going to watch the Mariners play. I also do a lot of reading!
Reminder: 4-day weekend for President’s Day
There is no school Monday, Feb. 19, in observance of President’s Day weekend.
Ever thought about volunteering?
Come to the community Volunteer Fair to discover a bunch of local volunteering opportunities — including with the school district!
The event runs from 10 a.m. to noon on Saturday, Feb. 17, at The Floyd Norgaard Cultural Center in Stanwood.
To learn more about volunteering in our schools — or to apply! — visit www.stanwood.wednet.edu/volunteer
Week of 02/19 through 02/23
Monday, February 19th
- NO SCHOOL (President's Day)
Tuesday, February 20th
- New Regular Schedule
- Girls Basketball @ Anacortes
Wednesday, February 21st
- Wednesday Schedule: Teacher Collaboration
Thursday, February 22nd
- New Regular Schedule
- Girls Basketball vs N. Whidbey
Friday, February 23rd
- New Regular Schedule
Local nonprofits offer clubs and programs for students
Several area nonprofit organizations — such as the Stanwood-Camano YMCA and the Stanwood Camano Arts Advocacy Commission — offer clubs, programs, classes, and events for local students, including:
- Spring Sports (YMCA)
- 2024 Sports Offerings (YMCA)
- Youth & Government program (YMCA)
- Leaders Club (YMCA)
- Freeform Line Drawing (SCAAC)
- Spring Rowing (Everett Rowing)
- Youth Dynamics (Stilly Valley)
View even more local programming on our Community e-Fliers webpage!
Friday Family Message
Find the most recent Friday Family Message from the Stanwood-Camano School District online HERE
Thank you for your support!
Cherae Almanza, Principal
Crysty Auckland, Assistant Principal
Teacher Emails
Dave Austin (6-8 Fitness & Social Studies 6) daustin@stanwood.wednet.edu
Jonathan Bletscher (6-8 Band & 6 Choir) jbletscher@stanwood.wednet.edu
Joan Campbell (6-7 Math) jcampbell@stanwood.wednet.edu
Tamara Pedersen (6-7 Math) tpedersen@stanwood.wednet.edu
Lori Stunz (7 ELA & 7/8 Art) lstunz@stanwood.wednet.edu
Grace Gale (6 Science & 8 STEM/Robotics) GGale@stanwood.wednet.edu
Chelsea Hanson (6-8 ELA/Humanities) CHanson@stanwood.wednet.edu
Audrie Harrington (6/7 ELA & 7/8 Leadership) aharrington@stanwood.wednet.edu
Joshua Keaton (7/8 History) jkeaton@stanwood.wednet.edu
Seth Hills (6/7 Social Studies) shills@stanwood.wednet.edu
Lori Johnson (6-8 Assist) ljohnson@stanwood.wednet.edu
Wade Johnson (7/8 Science) wjohnson@stanwood.wednet.edu
Rebecca Klein (6/7 Science) rklein@stanwood.wednet.edu
Meghan Lawrence (6-8 PBS) mlawrence@stanwood.wednet.edu
Ellianna Martin (6-8 Math) emartin@stanwood.wednet.edu>,
Daniel Mccrumb (6/7 Science) DMccrumb@stanwood.wednet.edu
Sarah Oldow (6-8 Health & 6 Art) soldow@stanwood.wednet.edu
Tracy Riley (6-8 ELA) TRiley@stanwood.wednet.edu
Kelcie Rocha (7/8 Math) krocha@stanwood.wednet.edu
Brad Rochon (6-8 Computers & 6 Leadership) brochon@stanwood.wednet.edu
Sheri Schroeder (8 History & ELA) sleeschroeder@stanwood.wednet.edu
Kym Shoemaker (7/8 Math) kshoemaker@stanwood.wednet.edu
Crystal Titus (6-8 Fitness & 7/8 Lifetime Fitness) ctitus@stanwood.wednet.edu
Kayte White (8 ELA & 6 Cultures) kwhite@stanwood.wednet.edu
Julia Zurcher (7 History & 7/8 Home Ec) jzurcher@stanwood.wednet.edu
Office Support
Christy Thompson (8 Counselor) cthompson2@stanwood.wednet.edu
Keli Niegemann (6-8 Counselor) kniegemann@stanwood.wednet.edu
Emily Bowne (School Psychologist) ebowne@stanwood.wednet.edu
Kandyce Hansen (Speech Language Pathologist) khansen@stanwood.wednet.edu
Debbie Byrum (Librarian) dbyrum@stanwood.wednet.edu
Amy Hart (Student Support Advocate) ahart@stanwood.wednet.edu