Hawks

January 2025 - Volume 9 Issue 5

From the Principal

Happy New Year and Welcome Back to all Heatherwood Families!

I hope everyone had a wonderful and restful holiday break. As we return from break, we are focused on finishing our first semester with strength and confidence. As such, we encourage our students to check their class assignments, current grades and communicate with their teachers if they have questions. Please note Friday, January 31 is a staff workday and there will be no school for students. Second semester starts Monday, February 7, 2025.

It’s officially winter, so it’s time to bundle up! Please encourage your student(s) to dress in layers so they are prepared for the outside cold temperatures. We encourage our students to get fresh air during the day. Whether that is on route to and from school, traveling class to class and/or at lunch time. Fresh air can positively impact their day. A long-sleeved t-shirt, sweater and/or a hooded sweatshirt with a jacket will allow for layered warmth that they can adjust throughout the day. A hat, scarf, and gloves are also possibilities, especially if your student enjoys getting outside at lunchtime. We do not encourage our students to wear slippers or bring blankets. Thank you for your support.

Please help me welcome Officer Nick Wood as Heatherwood’s new School Resource Officer (SRO). Officer Wood is a Mill Creek Police Officer. Officer Wood will partner with our administration and campus security officer to improve safety by identifying, investigating, deterring, and responding to incidents that present a significant threat to safety and security. Welcome Officer Wood!

Here’s to a safe, healthy and positive 2025! We appreciate your partnership.

Laura Wellington

Principal

From the Assistant Principal

Happy New Year Heatherwood Hawks!

I hope that you each had a restful and relaxing winter break. Here at Heatherwood, we are continuing to focus on SOAR (Safety, Ownership, Achievement, Respect) with all things January, and there are a few reminders we want to make sure to highlight as we approach the new year.

This month we are planning on completing our i-Ready diagnostic in reading and math on January 22 and 23rd. We look forward to comparing our student's progress from the Fall 2024 i-Ready diagnostic tests. Please feel free to connect with your student’s teacher if you have any questions about this process or your student’s progress.

As we come back from a long break, here are some reminders for supporting safety during arrival to school and dismissal:

On the Bus:

Follow the driver’s instructions at all times.
Remain seated facing forward with your backpack on your lap.
Keep your hands, head, and belongings inside the bus.
Cross in front of the bus only with the driver’s permission.
Help keep the bus clean and free of distractions.

During Parent Drop-off and Pick-up:

Please pull forward to the school entrance to drop off and pick up your student.
Yield to school buses attempting to enter or leave Heatherwood campus.

Sports

The Winter 2 sports season is just around the corner, and we have some thrilling events lined up:

7th and 8th Grade Girls Basketball: Begins January 21, 2025
Wrestling (All Grades): Begins February 19, 2025

We encourage all parents and guardians to come out and support our student-athletes during these competitions. Your presence makes a significant impact, and it's a fantastic way to show our Hawks pride.

Safety Focus: Earthquake Drill and Procedures Practice

In the spirit of maintaining a safe and prepared school environment, we will be conducting an earthquake drill this month. The safety of our students and staff is of utmost importance, and these drills help ensure that everyone is familiar with the necessary procedures in case of an emergency.

Students will receive guidance on the earthquake drill procedures beforehand to ensure they are well-prepared. We appreciate your support in discussing the importance of these safety measures with your children at home.

Thank you for all you do to help keep Heatherwood a safe and SOARing community during the school day and beyond. I wish you all a very Happy New Year and a productive January.

Go Hawks!

Chris Doll
Assistant Principal

January 6 – First day back from Winter Break

January 10 – LIF Day 1:35pm release

January 15 – Martin Luther King Jr. Assembly

January 17 – LIF Day 1:35pm release

January 20 – Martin Luther King Jr. Day – no school

January 22 & 23 – i-Ready Testing

January 24 – LIF Day 1:35pm release

January 31 – No School – Teacher Workday

Counselor's Corner

Happy New Year, Heatherwood Hawk Families! Here are some updates from the counseling department:

Second Semester Schedules:

Semester 1 ends Thursday, January 30th (with no school for students on Friday, January 31st)
Please check Home Access Center (HAC) the evening of February 2nd. Second semester starts Monday, February 3rd.

Naviance:

All Everett Public School secondary students have access to this comprehensive college and career readiness platform. Naviance has become an essential tool in helping our students map out their futures. Through its goal-setting and future-planning features, students gain the confidence and skills to explore their aspirations and create actionable plans to achieve them.

We encourage families to explore Naviance together and discuss how it can enhance their child’s educational journey (accessible via student Clever accounts). For more information about Naviance and how it supports our students, please contact your student’s grade level counselor.

Naviance Lesson Delivery:

6th grade: Ms. Arpin will be in English classes right after Winter Break delivering the Naviance lesson with a focus on GPA.
7th grade: Ms. Smith visited English classes last month and assisted students with a lesson career and future planning. Students took a survey which matched their interests and strengths with several possible jobs they may consider as they get older.
8th Grade: Ms. Freeman will be in English classes the last week of January to go over high school pre-registration with students and to discuss helpful information regarding financial aid for college.

Thank you!

Heatherwood School Counseling Team

Ms. Myra Flor Arpin, 6th grade School Counselor: marpin@everettsd.org; 425-385-6314

Ms. Jocelyn Smith, 7th grade School Counselor: jsmith1@everettsd.org, 425-385-6313

Ms. Jana Freeman, 8th grade School Counselor: jfreeman@everettsd.org; 425-385-6310

ASB Happenings

ASB has been very busy this first semester. We started the year with our Staff Pumpkin Decorating Contest Fundraiser. We collected spare change and raised $260. Our first-place winner was Mrs. Thomas with her Jack Skeleton pumpkin. Dr. Wellington came in second place with the Charlie Brown painted pumpkin. Our third-place winner was Mrs. Musselman with the Kakamora/Moana pumpkin. ASB showcased these pumpkins at the Mill Creek Town Center Trunk or Treat and handed out candy, pencils, pens, and stickers.

As we entered November, ASB hosted our Veterans Day Assembly with two parent speakers and two student speakers. It was our privilege to honor our local Veterans. ASB also coordinated a Food Drive for the Mill Creek Community Food Bank. We filled two pallets of food and supplied local families with meals before Thanksgiving Break. In December, our main fundraising event was McTeacher’s Night at the Mill Creek McDonald's. Thank you to everyone who came out to support the event.

ASB is excited for January as we prepare for our MLK Jr. Assembly. We are honored to partner with Jackson High School's Black Student Union who will be assisting with our program. Our ASB students and advisors are thankful for making positive connections with our student body and community.

Please email Sarah Fischer (Walker) or April Musselman with questions or comments.

swalker3@everettsd.org

amusselman@everettsd.org