Stanwood Middle School
Family Message — Sunday, December 3, 2023
Good afternoon everyone!
Empowering Our Spartans
This month our character trait focus is humility. On Friday, we kicked off this trait with the following words of wisdom on our morning announcements:
The definition of humility is being authentic without being arrogant. Understanding that everyone has something to teach you. Yes, everyone. So today, take a moment and realize that you can learn something from everyone you interact with–and focus on how that will help you become the most authentic version of yourself.
As we focus on understanding that everyone has something to teach you this month as part of our humility study, we will learn about different cultures and their winter celebrations. We will also focus, as always, on respect and kindness.
December is a fun month during the school calendar year--and while our focus is always on the standards being taught in the classrooms, we work hard to incorporate the important social and emotional lessons that learning about character traits brings to our Spartan's world--especially when it comes to becoming your most authentic self.
Have a great Sunday everyone!
Tod Klundt
Principal
Stanwood Middle School
360.629.1350
Spartan Staff Spotlight
Special Education Day is celebrated on December 2 to commemorate the signing of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act into law on this day in 1975 (IDEA). IDEA granted access to children with special needs to free and quality public education.
We want to thank the above staff members for their tireless work in the Special Services Department. Pictured above: Violet Brown, Gigi McNeal, Amy Simonsen, Karma Hearing-Graham (top picture), Janet Preo, Kim Liebscher, Paula Kvam, Jenny Taney, Margaret Martin (bottom pictures, left to right). Not pictured: Jo E Scarber, Stanwood MS Psychologist and Jennifer Zill, ASSIST Psychologist.
Our new ASSIST Program, started November 6. Meet our team of dedicated individuals as the Spartan Staff Spotlight shines brightly on them:
Violet Brown--Mrs. Brown is in her second year working in the Stanwood Camano School District. She really enjoys her new team and watching the students grow everyday. Outside of school, she loves to spend time with family.
Gigi McNeal--Mrs. McNeal is in her 24th year of working in our school district. In her short time at Stanwood MS she is enjoying her new team. Outside of school she likes to read.
Amy Simonsen--Mrs. Simonsen is in her fifth year in our school district. She's really like the Stanwood MS staff, especially her team. Outside of school she likes to cook.
Karma Hearing-Graham is in her third year in our school district, but brings 30 years of experience to the role of ASSIST teacher. She is enjoying the excitement of building a new program and meeting all the new people, including the students. Outside of school she enjoys walking her dog.
Poster Contest Winners
Congratulations to Glenn Plambeck and Tristan Singletary for placing in the top 3 of the annual SCSD anti-HIB poster contest!
Spartan Pride Awards
Each week we find time either during lunch or the morning announcements to honor the students who show of PRIDE. You'll received the write up for prominent display on your refrigerator. We appreciate all of our Spartans and how they work hard across so many areas each day.
SMS Holiday Ornament Show Photos from Dec. 2
Pictionary at lunch this week!
1st Week of Volleyball Practice!
Staff List for SMS!
Teachers:
Amy Anderson - aanderson@stanwood.wednet.edu
Shannon Austin - saustin@stanwood.wednet.edu
Jenna Berg - jberg@stanwood.wednet.edu
Gaylynn Beuthien - gbeuthien@stanwood.wednet.edu
Patrick Bliss - pbliss@stanwood.wednet.edu
Lara Brown - lbrown@stanwood.wednet.edu
Elizabeth Currey - ecurrey@stanwood.wednet.edu
Alissa Donovan - adonovan@stanwood.wednet.edu
Dave Gelatt - dgelatt@stanwood.wednet.edu
John Getzinger - jgetzinger@stanwood.wednet.edu
Claudia Holum - cholum@stanwood.wednet.edu
Kelli Ingram - kingram@stanwood.wednet.edu
Kim Liebscher - kliebscher@stanwood.wednet.edu
Amelia Mundell - amundell@stanwood.wednet.edu
Jason Schonberg - jschonberg@stanwood.wednet.edu
Doug Smith - dsmith@stanwood.wednet.edu
Jenny Taney - jtaney@stanwood.wednet.edu
Morgen ten Hoopen - mtenhoopen@stanwood.wednet.edu
Kiah Thomas - kthomas@stanwood.wednet.edu
Larry Wall - lwall@stanwood.wednet.edu
Mark Wayland - mwayland@stanwood.wednet.edu
Carl Webster - cwebster@stanwood.wednet.edu
Counselors
Jayde Piggott - jpiggott@stanwood.wednet.edu
Christy Thompson - cthompson2@stanwood.wednet.edu
Student Support Advocate
Amy Hart - ahart@stanwood.wednet.edu
Administrators
Tod Klundt - tklundt@stanwood.wednet.edu
Holly Christmas - hchristmasharris@stanwood.wednet.edu
December menus available
Families can find breakfast and lunch menus for December and meal prices on our Food Services webpage and via the Menu button at the top of each school website.
Meanwhile, we continue to encourage families to submit a Free and Reduced Meal application online via Skyward Family Access by clicking the Food Service tab and then Applications.
Spartan Little Cheer
Spartan Cheer is hosting their winter Spartan Little Cheer event on Jan. 10-11.
Spartan Cheer will help teach participants a routine from 4-6 p.m. on Jan. 10 in the Stanwood High Commons. The Little Cheer participants will then perform during halftime of the Jan. 11 home Spartan girls basketball game.
Participants receive a Little Cheer t-shirt, poms, and hair bow to keep. Wear athletic gear and bring your spirit! Spartan Little Cheer is an ASB fundraising event.
Little Cheer is open to students in grades K-8. Deadline to register is Jan. 9. Families can register their child online under the Cheerleading tab on our Winter Sports webpage at https://shs.stanwood.wednet.edu/athletics/winter_sports
Get the facts about our levy
Watch the video below for more facts and information!
Watch our next community levy presentation
The community is invited to join us at the historic 1906 Camano City Schoolhouse at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 7, to learn more about the levy and to ask questions!
The Camano City Schoolhouse, located at 993 Orchid Road on Camano, is decked out for the holidays with festive lights. We hope to see you there.
But if you can't make it, please watch live on our Facebook page and Instagram!
Important SMS Information
Bus Information
Check out your student's route and bus stop information for the 2023-24 school year now at our Bus Route Information webpage, which includes instructions on how to use Versatrans eLink.
Student Drop Off/Pick Up
Student drop off/pick up will be in our east parking lot. This is the opposite parking lot from where our busses drop off. Students will still enter through the front of the building when dropped off in the morning.
Morning Routine
Once students arrive at school they can eat breakfast in the cafeteria each day. All students will wait in the foyer, or cafeteria if eating breakfast, until our bell rings at 7:25 a.m. When the bell rings at 7:25 a.m. students will go straight to class. On regular schedule days students go straight to 1st period, on Wednesday students will go straight to our Spartan Space (Advisory).
Routines and Expectations at Stanwood Middle School
You will see below we have included expectations we have developed for classrooms, the cafeteria, hallways, bathrooms, the library, our outside areas, and the bus lane before and after school. we will review all of these with students throughout the first week.
In addition to what is listed below, we don't allow hats, hoods, gum chewing or cell phone usage from 7:25 a.m. to 2:10 p.m. We will talk with students about these expectations during the first week as well.
During the first day of school Holly Christmas, our Assistant Principal, Jayde Piggott, our Counselor, and myself will be visiting every classroom twice. We will first walk around in the morning to introduce ourselves to every student and make sure we answer questions about lunches, schedules and anything else that will make students comfortable on their first day. We will again visit every classroom after lunches to talk about bus and pickup procedures for students after school.
After School Bus Procedures
First Wave: Stanwood Buses - students will leave class and go straight to their bus.
Second Wave: Camano Buses - students will go to the following classrooms to be supervised.
Rt 15: Mr. Wall, 151
Rt. 14: Mr. Bliss, 153
Rt. 12: Mrs. Donovan, 159
Rt. 11: Mrs. ten Hoppen, 105
Rt. 10: Mrs. Berg, 107
Y bus: Mr. Schonberg, 218
Students need to exit the building immediately and go to their bus, their bus room, leave to home, pick up line, or practice/club/activity.
A few reminders:
- Find school breakfast and lunch menus HERE
- Sign up to volunteer in our schools HERE
- See our job openings HERE
- See school start times HERE
- Steps on how to complete Free & Reduced Meal applications are HERE
- Find the calendars for the school year HERE
- Sign up for our new weekly Spartan Sports Report newsletter HERE
Friday Family Message
Find the most recent Friday Family Message from the Stanwood-Camano School District online HERE
The Stanwood-Camano School District does not discriminate in employment, programs, or activities on the basis of sex, race, creed, religion, color, national origin, age, veteran or military status, sexual orientation, gender expression or identity, disability, or the use of a trained dog guide or service animal and provides equal access to the Boy Scouts and other designated youth groups. Inquiries regarding compliance and/or grievance procedures may be directed to the District's Title IX/Affirmative Action Officer and Civil Rights Compliance Coordinator, Christine Del Pozo (cdelpozo@stanwood.wednet.edu), or the Section 504/American Disabilities Act Coordinator, Robert Hascall (rhascall@stanwood.wednet.edu) Stanwood-Camano School District, 26920 Pioneer Hwy, Stanwood, WA 98292. Telephone: (360) 629-1200.