Dear Friends

Mark your calendars for our Spring Into Kindergarten event. All 2024-2025 kindergarten families and students are highly encouraged to attend and register on this day. Spring Into Kindergarten will be held on Thursday, March 7, from 4-6:30 p.m. at district elementary schools. Families should complete and return their kindergarten registration paperwork that day. Each school will also be conducting school tours and having important information available for families (WaKIDS, PTA/PTO/parent organizations, bus transportation, special services and more). Learn more at www.sno.wednet.edu/kindergarten.

Have you recently moved to the area? Or, do you have a child who will be new to the Snohomish School District during the 2024–2025 school year? We can’t wait for you to join us! Register now at the Snohomish elementary, middle, or high school your child will attend or visit www.sno.wednet.edu/newstudentenrollment.

Do you have a preschool-age child who will be eligible for kindergarten after September 2025 (Note: To enter kindergarten, a child must be 5-years-old on or before August 31)? Has it been a challenge for you to access a preschool program for your child? If so, the Snohomish School District’s Transition to Kindergarten pre-K program may be the place for your child to learn and grow! Our Transition to Kindergarten program:

• Serves 4- to 5-year-old students
• Is a state-funded, free Monday through Friday full-day preschool program
• Serves children and families who demonstrate a need through the Transition to Kindergarten pre-K application and screening process
  

To learn more about Transition to Kindergarten, please fill out the district Preschool Inquiry Form at www.sno.wednet.edu/preschoolform. Upon completion of the form, a district enrollment specialist will be in touch! Screenings and placements typically will occur in March, June, and August. Learn more about all of the district’s early learning programs at www.sno.wednet.edu/earlylearningprograms.

In addition to Transition to Kindergarten, we offer other early learning programs including Developmental Preschool and Early Childhood Education and Assistance Program (ECEAP). Developmental Preschool serves 3- to 5-year-old students who meet eligibility requirements for special education services. ECEAP is a state-funded, free preschool for limited-income families.

To learn more about ECEAP and Developmental Preschool, please fill out the district Preschool Inquiry Form at www.sno.wednet.edu/preschoolform. Learn more about all of the district’s early learning programs at www.sno.wednet.edu/earlylearningprograms.

Students should live within the attendance boundary of a school in order to enroll. Unsure of which school your child will attend? Use our SchoolSite Locator Service. Enter an address and the list of schools for that particular address will pop up:

• English locater link
• Spanish locater link
• Or, call our Transportation Department at 360-563-3525.

If a student in the district wants to attend a school outside of their neighborhood attendance boundary, a request for an in-district or choice transfer must be submitted for consideration each year.

Our district's January 2024 Golden Apple Award recipients are Kathy Derks, bus driver, and Alisa Ashmon, science teacher at Glacier Peak High School! We are so excited to be able to recognize these two amazing team members!

Read more about Kathy and Alisa and their nominations at www.sno.wednet.edu/goldenapplerecipients. Kathy and Alisa, we are proud to recognize you as recipients of the Golden Apple Award. Thank you for all you do for our students, staff, families, schools, and community. Congratulations!

Is there a district employee who you would like the district to recognize for helping our students thrive? Golden Apple is an employee recognition program that recognizes two staff members quarterly for their student-centered service to students, staff, families and/or community. Staff members selected for this quarterly honor will be recognized for helping “create an educational community that ignites a passion for learning where every student is known and empowered.” Students, parents/guardians, district staff, and community members are encouraged to nominate a staff member at any time! To have your nomination considered for the next quarter, please submit a nomination no later than March 1. Visit www.sno.wednet.edu/goldenapple to learn more or to nominate a staff member!

Congrats to these Snohomish High School FBLA students who competed at the FBLA Winter Conference and received awards in the following events:

• Abigail Fendley – 1st place in Sales Presentation
• Ayaan Shariff – 1st place in Intro to FBLA, 2nd place in Impromptu, 3rd place in Public Speaking, and 3rd place in Public Policy & Advocacy
• Athen Hoyt - 2nd place in Journalism
• Madison Doty- 3rd place in Agribusiness
• Introduction to Information Technology - Tej Sathvik Koganti, 3rd place; Abrahim Shaikh, 4th place; Gabriel Miller, 6th place
• Vivek Sama – 5th place in Business Calculations
• Heaven Girma- 6th place in Health Care Administration
• Team of Tej Sathvik, Vivek Sama and Abrahim Shaikh - 4th place in Web Design

Awardees qualified to compete at the Washington Leadership Conference in April. Teacher Kathy Purviance-Snow is FBLA advisor.

• Dutch Hill Elementary students Ila Batstone, Keira Ensey, Alex Lopez, Lillie Repp, and Nataly Torres Barboza and their music teacher Holly Batstone recently traveled to Spokane to sing in a Children’s Honor Choir. The students performed at a concert along with a choir from the University of Washington and Choral Arts Northwest. The Children’s Honor Choir was part of a conference and concert series by the American Choral Directors Association. These five Dutch Hill students auditioned and were selected for the choir with other students from the Pacific Northwest (Washington, Oregon, Alaska, Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming).
• Snohomish High School (SHS) student Jayden Montiel recently traveled to Spokane to sing in a select honor choir. The 100-voice Tenor/Bass High School Honor Choir was part of a conference and concert series by the American Choral Directors Association. Jayden auditioned and was selected to represent not only SHS, but Washington state, with other students from around the Pacific Northwest (Washington, Oregon, Alaska, Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming).
  
• Congrats to Valley View Middle School Viking Jazz Band who recently performed at the Bellevue College Jazz Festival. During the award ceremony, 8th grade student Ivan Dimson received an award for outstanding bass solo, and 7th grade student Ella Vaule received an award for outstanding saxophone solo. In addition, the entire band was recognized as one of the top three outstanding bands out of 16. Teacher Nathan Sackman is the school’s band director.
  

Snohomish High School freshmen Cadhla Ensey and Izzy Martinez and sophomore Ayaan Shariff recently served as pages in the Washington State House of Representatives. Ensey was sponsored by State Rep. Brandy Donaghy (D-Fircrest), Martinez by State Rep. April Berg (D-Mill Creek) and Shariff by State Rep. Mike Steele (R-Chelan).

In Olympia, pages assume a wide variety of responsibilities, from presenting the flags to distributing amendments on the House floor. Pages support the efficient operation of the Legislature while also receiving daily civics instruction, drafting their own bills, and participating in mock committee hearings.

School-Based Enterprise (SBE) DECA programs at Glacier Peak High School (GPHS) and Snohomish High School (SHS) were recently certified Gold Chapters. GPHS’s food (students Tiffany Baek and Ariana Ferrie) and retail (students McKenna Footer and Eleanor Johnson) programs and SHS’s retail operations (students Morgan Gibson and Ellie Wetmore) program were certified.

Our high school SBEs were among 728 school-based enterprises achieving gold-level certification for the 2023-2024 school year. They will be recognized during DECA’s International Career Development Conference held April 27-30 in Anaheim.

A SBE is an entrepreneurial operation in a school setting that provides goods and services to meet the needs of the market. SBEs are managed and operated by students as hands-on learning laboratories that integrate national curriculum standards in marketing, finance, hospitality and management.

SBEs can be certified at three levels: bronze, silver or gold. In order to apply for the certification, SBEs must submit extensive documentation that explains how the SBE demonstrates the practice of various marketing and retail standards. A national review committee evaluates the documentation to determine which level of certification has been achieved.

Our high school DECA teachers are Jaime Dooley (GPHS), Ben Doucette (SHS), and Alicia Sents (GPHS).

• Friday, February 16-Monday, February 19 - Mid-Winter Break (no school)
• Week of March 25 - Spring conference week
• Tuesday, March 26-Friday, March 29 – Half-day early release
• Monday, April 1-Friday, April 5 - Spring Break (no school)
• Monday, May 27 - Memorial Day (no school)
• Monday, June 17 - Tentative last day of school (as of February 13, 2024)
• Wednesday, June 19 - Juneteenth (no school)
• Potential inclement weather make-up days
• Tuesday, June 18
• Thursday, June 20
• Friday, June 21

2024-2025 school year

Below are some important dates for the 2024-2025 school year. Additional dates will be available this summer.

• Wednesday, September 4 - First day of school
• Monday, November 11 - Veterans Day (no school)
• Wednesday, November 27 - Half-day early release
• Thursday, November 28-Friday, November 29 - No school/Thanksgiving Break
• Friday, December 20 - Half-day early release
• Monday, December 23-Friday, January 3 - Winter Break (no school)
• Monday, January 20 - MLK Jr. Day (no school)
• Monday, April 7-Friday, April 11 - Spring Break (no school)
• Monday, May 26 - Memorial Day (no school)

Sno-Isle TECH Skills Center is holding it's first open house for 8th grade students and their families on Tuesday, April 30. This is an opportunity to see Sno-Isle TECH Skills Center programs first-hand and decide which ones may be of interest to students. Students are able to apply to the program during their sophomore and junior years of high school. At the open house attendees will also learn about summer school opportunities! Join Sno-Isle TECH Skills Center for an open house from 5:30-7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, April 30. This event is open specifically to 8th grade students who are soon to be incoming freshman. Sno-Isle TECH Skills Center is located at 9001 Airport Road in Everett. Learn more about the open house by clicking here.

District 4th-6th grade students will prepare their favorite after-school snacks as part of the annual Kids in the Kitchen/Junior Chef Competition, sponsored by the district’s Food Service Dept. District finalists will prepare their creations for a panel of judges who will select the grand prize winners. Past award categories have included: health-conscious foods; simple, kid-friendly preparation; fun food; and judge’s choice.

The young chefs will feature their creations at a 4 p.m. reception on Friday, March 1, in the Glacier Peak High School Commons. Parents/guardians, siblings, staff, friends, and community members are invited to attend! Click here to download this year’s recipe book, which includes all recipe submissions, as well as the recipes of the finalists who will prepare their creations at the event.

2024 Finalists

• Cascade View Elementary
  • Andrew (AJ) Hanson - Protein Balls
• Cathcart Elementary
  • Sage Figler - Fruit Salsa with Cinnamon Chips
• Central Emerson Elementary
  • Quinn Lykken - BLT Deviled Eggs
• Dutch Hill Elementary
  • Aalia Shariff - Pinwheel Samosa
• Little Cedars Elementary
  • Ava and Eliana Manning - Homemade Soft Pretzels with Cheesy Dipping Sauce
• Machias Elementary
  • Aubrey Forsythe - Grandma's Good Cookies
• Parent Partnership Program
  • Philip Van Dyke - Philip's Dairy-Free Power Smoothie
• Riverview Elementary
  • Tatum Barstad - Famous Tatum’s Thai Peanut Meatballs
• Seattle Hill Elementary
  • Avery Calamusa - Aunt Kelsey’s Potato-Cheese Soup
• Totem Falls Elementary
  • Thomas Magdy - German Crêpes

We will again be asking our 3rd through 12th grade students to participate in the Panorama survey for social-emotional learning. This survey has been given to district students since 2021 in the fall, winter, and spring.

Panorama helps schools and districts transform their approach to education, so that every student thrives in school, every student benefits from an excellent education, and every student graduates prepared with the knowledge, skills, and mindsets they need to thrive in the modern, ever-changing world. Through our work to improve education, we help create a world where every child has equitable access to opportunities in school and in society more broadly. Panorama is a tool used by the district in conjunction with multiple other resources, such as attendance, behavior, grades, etc.

For elementary, the Panorama questions center on their current knowledge, how they feel about the school environment, and whether they have access to staff and resources to feel safe and successful. For secondary, the questions center on the same areas and further explore whether students feel they have the skills, opportunity, or ability for personal and academic growth along with social awareness and positive relationships. The survey window will be open during the first two full weeks of February. Survey results will be available after the survey window closes. If you have any questions, please reach out to your child's principal.

Our goal as a district and community is to ensure that each student feels safe, welcomed, and supported in our schools and while attending school activities. The information provided through this survey is one tool we can use to hear student voice and perspective. Other considerations will continue to include conversations with students, families, and staff along with monitoring of academic progress and social-emotional awareness. It is ok to not feel ok, but please know that there is help and support so that it does not have to remain that way.

Questions can be directed to Wil Johnson, Director of Equity and Inclusion.

Mark your calendars for our upcoming high school spring musicals. More information including ticketing links and posters will be available in the coming weeks. You won’t want to miss either one!

Glacier Peak High School presents Disney Newsies – The Broadway Musical

• Disney Newsies – The Broadway Musical is set in turn-of-the century New York City. Newsies is the rousing tale of Jack Kelly, a charismatic newsboy and leader of a band of teenaged “newsies.” When titans of publishing raise distribution prices at the newsboys’ expense, Jack rallies newsies from across the city to strike against the unfair conditions and fight for what's right! Based on the 1992 motion picture and inspired by a true story, Newsies is packed with non-stop thrills and a timeless message, perfect for the whole family and every audience.
• Performance dates – April 12, April 13, April 19, April 20, April 25, April 26, and April 27
• Thursday and Friday performances at 7 p.m. and Saturdays at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m.

Snohomish High School presents Mean Girls Jr.

• Adapted from Tina Fey's 2004 blockbuster film and the Broadway smash hit, the Mean Girls Jr. script is a coming-of-age story filled with laughter that is family and kid-friendly. Cady Heron may have grown up on an African savanna, but nothing prepared her for the wild and vicious ways of her strange new home: suburban Illinois. This naïve newbie navigates the wilds of the American high school and the social ranks by taking on The Plastics, a trio of lionized frenemies led by the charming Queen Bee Regina George.
• Performance dates - May 3, May 4, May 5, May 10, May 11, and May 12
• Friday performances at 7 p.m., Saturdays at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m.

Recognize a deserving teacher or classified employee in your life or at your school, and nominate them to be the next NWESD Regional Teacher of the Year or Classified Employee of the Year. Nominations are due Friday, March 1. Learn more and nominate a staff member at https://t.e2ma.net/.../dfd7f6c5fa45a56bb86007565d840c9c.

Snohomish School District students who will be in the 4th through 6th grade next year are invited to participate in the district’s 4/5/6 Elementary Highly Capable Program which provides learning opportunities around depth, complexity, and acceleration. If interested, the following dates and information are important. Students currently enrolled in the 4/5/6 Elementary Highly Capable Program do not need to complete the referral process.

• Referral packets for the 4/5/6 Elementary Highly Capable Program are available at all elementary schools, online and at the Snohomish School District Resource and Service Center (1601 Avenue D in Snohomish) in English, Spanish and Russian. Referral packets can be downloaded from school and district websites (on the main page or under Departments & Programs … Highly Capable/Honors) or by visiting www.sno.wednet.edu/hicap.
• Wednesday, February 7 - There was a parent/guardian information night held on Wednesday, February 7. Click here for a copy of the presentation.
  
• Thursday, February 29 - The completed referral packet deadline is Thursday, February 29. Completed packets can be turned in at student home schools or the Snohomish School District Resource and Service Center (1601 Avenue D in Snohomish). There is a drop box at the district office.

Learn more at www.sno.wednet.edu/hicap. Questions can be directed to Linda Varner at 360-563-7296 or linda.varner@sno.wednet.edu and Belinda Kelly at 360-563-7258 or belinda.kelly@sno.wednet.edu.

Juniors and seniors are invited to participate in the annual Trade Up! Apprenticeship Day. This is an opportunity for students to experience several hands-on activities in different trade areas in one space. This event will be held on Thursday, March 21, at the Evergreen State Fairgrounds, hosted by the Snohomish & Island County Labor Department in partnership with several local businesses and apprenticeship programs. Interested students from Glacier Peak High School or Snohomish High School can sign up in their career centers, and AIM High School students can sign up in the counseling office.

Potential participating trades and groups include:

• Plumbing
• Fire fighting
• Transit electric
• Carpentry
• Advanced manufacturing
• Concrete
• Construction
• Sheet metal
• Cement masonry
• Pipe fitters
• Public works
• Washington Laborers Union
• Snohomish County PUD
• Finishing Trades Institute NW

For more information, please contact:

• Glacier Peak High School - Kari Winckler at kari.winckler@sno.wednet.edu
• Snohomish High School - Patty Stapleton at patricia.stapleton@sno.wednet.edu
• AIM High School - Derek DeGroot at derek.degroot@sno.wednet.edu

Testing dates:

• Glacier Peak High School - Tuesday, February 27
• AIM High School - Wednesday, February 28
• Snohomish High School - Thursday, February 29

The ACT is a leading U.S. college admissions test and includes tests in science, writing, reading, math and English. It is a curriculum-based educational and career planning tool that assesses students’ academic readiness for college. It includes an interest inventory that provides students with valuable information for career and educational planning, as well as a student profile section that provides a comprehensive profile of an examinee’s work in high school and their future. To learn more about the ACT, please visit www.act.org.

Snohomish Education Foundation (SEF) 2024 Local Scholarship Program (LSP) scholarships are now available for district seniors at washboard.org. This year, there are nearly 100 different scholarships being offered to graduating seniors by individuals, school district alumni, businesses and organizations in our community. There is a wide variety of different types of scholarships recognizing all the different interests, hobbies and areas of focus – from future career paths, STEM, the arts, athletics and service – there is an opportunity for everyone.

For more information, please reach out to high school counselors or college and career center specialists.

• Click here for a list of sections that should be completed on washboard.org to apply for LSP scholarships (applicants do not need to share testing or FAFSA info).
• Click here for step-by-step instructions to set up a washboard.org account and apply for scholarships.
• Please remember to include transcripts with 1st semester grades.
• The LSP application deadline is 11:59 p.m. on Monday, March 11, 2024.

Students can meet with their school's counselors or college and career center specialists about any of the scholarships, requirements, or for help in setting up a profile and creating application materials.

Click here for a list of available scholarships.

Learn more about the Snohomish Education Foundation at www.snoed.org or contact scholarships@snoed.org.

School contacts

• AIM High School - Derek DeGroot, counselor, at derek.degroot@sno.wednet.edu
• Glacier Peak High School - Kari Winckler, College and Career Center specialist, at kari.winckler@sno.wednet.edu
• Snohomish High School - Patty Stapleton, College and Career Center specialist, at patricia.stapleton@sno.wednet.edu

The Snohomish Education Foundation (SEF) is a non-profit organizations that supports students, teachers and staff in the Snohomish School District through its scholarship program, grants, and district-wide program support. The SEF is completing a strategic planning process over the next few months. As they look to the future and envision the potential growth and impact of their organization, they believe that the insights and perspectives of our key stakeholders are invaluable. As a parent/guardian and a member of our community, we would be honored if you could spend three to five minutes to provide the SEF with feedback.

Please complete this survey by Monday, February 26, at https://forms.gle/maz9kgR728ygBwtA6. Any discussions and feedback will be confidential, and the SEF has assured that any personal insights shared will be anonymized in their final documentation. Thank you for your consideration.

We want to share information about an upcoming consideration that will impact the structure of our school system. The district is recommending the reconfiguration of our schools by moving 6th grade to our middle schools, thereby creating K-5 elementary schools and 6-8 middle schools. The reason we are looking to reconfigure is based on the academic and developmental needs of our students. Visit www.sno.wednet.edu/middleschool read more about this recommendation, the “why,” timelines, the FAQs, and how you can get involved.

• Snohomish Community Resources
• Spring into Kindergarten - Thursday, March 7
• AIM Textile Drive - March 29-April 7
  
• Alateen Meetings in Lake Stevens
  
• Boeing Manufacturing Summer Internships Summer 2024
  
• Campfire of Snohomish County
  
• Candy Sushi at Snohomish Library - February 13
  
• Climb the Mountain Speech and Debate - Winter 2023
  
• Cold Weather Shelter - Volunteers Needed
  
• Cub Scout Pack 193 - 2023-2024 Calendar
• Dancing with the Stars Snohomish High School Swing Dance - February 24
  
• Drumline Festival at Glacier Peak High School - March 16
  
• Everett Rowing - Spring Season
  
• Evergreen Recovery Centers - Youth Detox
• Flag Football - Snohomish Panther Junior Football Association Spring Registration for Youth
• Free Financial Literacy & Education Program for Youth - WorkSource and Workforce Snohomish Opportunities
• Girls Lacrosse Spring Registration
  
• Girls on the Run - Riverview Elementary
  
• Girls Who Code at Fred Hutch
• Girl Scouts of Western Washington
• Marine Science Club at the Seattle Aquarium
• Reflections School of Dance
• Seattle Children's Chorus Registration
• Seattle University Summer Reading Skills Program
• Sky Club for Kids Soccer Classes
  
• Sno-Isle Open House (8th Grade) - April 30
  
• Snohomish Girls Lacrosse
  
• Snohomish Healing Project - Volunteers Needed
• Snohomish Resource Fair - February 24
  
• Snohomish Sky Soccer Camps
  
• Snohomish Youth Volleyball - March through May
• Strategic Kids Chess at Cascade View Elementary
  
• Strategic Kids Chess at Cathcart Elementary
• Strategic Kids Chess at Riverview Elementary
• Strategic Kids Chess at Seattle Hill Elementary
  
• Strategic Kids Chess and Lego at Totem Falls Elementary
• Taekwondo for Kids - February 2024
  
• Teen and Tween Programs at Snohomish Library
• TOPSoccer Community Service Opportunities
• YMCA Overnight Camp - July and August 2024
• Youth in Action Snohomish for Equity SFE Scholarship
  

• Snohomish School District
• Website - www.sno.wednet.edu
• Phone - 360-563-7300
• AIM High School
• Website – www.sno.wednet.edu/aim
• Phone - 360-563-3400
• Glacier Peak High School
• Website - www.sno.wednet.edu/gphs
• Phone - 360-563-7500
• Snohomish High School
• Website - www.sno.wednet.edu/shs
• Phone - 360-563-4000
• Centennial Middle School
• Website - www.sno.wednet.edu/cms
• Phone - 360-563-4525
• Valley View Middle School
• Website - www.sno.wednet.edu/vvms
• Phone - 360-563-4225
• Cascade View Elementary
• Website - www.sno.wednet.edu/cascadeview
• Phone - 360-563-7000
• Cathcart Elementary
• Website - www.sno.wednet.edu/cathcart
• Phone - 360-563-7075
• Central Emerson Elementary (Central Campus)
• Website - www.sno.wednet.edu/centralemerson
• Phone - 360-563-4600
• Central Emerson Elementary (Emerson Campus)
  
• Website - www.sno.wednet.edu/centralemerson
• Phone - 360-563-7150
• Dutch Hill Elementary
• Website - www.sno.wednet.edu/dutchhill
• Phone - 360-563-4450
• Little Cedars Elementary
• Website - www.sno.wednet.edu/littlecedars
• Phone - 360-563-2900
• Machias Elementary
• Website - www.sno.wednet.edu/machias
• Phone - 360-563-4825
• Riverview Elementary
• Website - www.sno.wednet.edu/riverview
• Phone - 360-563-4375
• Seattle Hill Elementary
• Website - www.sno.wednet.edu/seattlehill
• Phone - 360-563-4675
• Totem Falls Elementary
• Website - www.sno.wednet.edu/totemfalls
• Phone - 360-563-4750
• Parent Partnership Program
• Website – www.sno.wednet.edu/ppp
• Phone - 360-563-3423
• ECEAP
• Website – www.sno.wednet.edu/eceap
• Phone – 360-563-4641
• Snohomish Aquatic Center
• Website - www.snohomishaquatic.com
• Phone - 360-563-8030

To create an educational community that ignites a passion for learning where every student is known and empowered.

Email: communications@sno.wednet.edu
Website: www.sno.wednet.edu
Location: 1601 Avenue D, Snohomish, WA 98090
Phone: 360-563-7300