Community Letter

Dear LISD Families,

On Monday, our community will be recognizing MLK Day. in school, our students have been learning about what MLK Day means to them all week. Below are just a few of the activities that are occurring within our classrooms, library, and during advisory time.

Elementary:

• Learning about what equality, segregation, and discrimination mean and the idea that we need to keep fighting peacefully for kindness and respect.

• Literacy lessons about who Martin Luther King, Jr. is and what he has accomplished for America

• Writing activities on the topic: “I have a dream”

• Library read alouds to individual classes followed by deep discussions

Secondary:

• In advisory on Tuesday, January 18, secondary students will be watching a video of Martin Luther King speaking to a Junior High School. Then students will discuss how MLK's words are relevant and meaningful to us today.

Please remember that there will be no school on Monday. We will see everyone on Tuesday, January 17th.

All our best to you and your family,

Mary and Martha

What’s your earlier memory at LIHS?

I used to be the last stop on the bus route, and every single day of kindergarten I would fall asleep on the bus and Della had to wake me up using the speaker. A few times, I was forgotten and she found me in the bus after we were already back at school.

What clubs/athletics/extracurriculars have you been involved in?

I played Volleyball the last couple years, golf every year, and I've been in ASB since 10th grade, and I was in French club.

What is one positive memory from your time here that you’ll carry with you forever?

The Heritage Spanish presentation on Dia de los Muertos this year.

What is the best piece of advice you have received from a teacher?

Mr. Tetu always says something like, "Make sure that you when you do something, you do it from your heart."

Finish this sentence: “I cannot live without…….”:

Music…..I love so many genres of music.

What is the most creative excuse you have ever used to get out of school work?

During remote school, I totally pretended a couple times that I had glitchy internet to avoid Zoom meetings.

What is one piece of advice you have for incoming high school students.

Explore all of your interests. This is a great time to try things out with less pressure. There are so many opportunities in the community and people who can help you out.

What is the most meaningful assignment ever given to you by a teacher?

Reading the Little Prince in 9th grade. It encompassed a lot of the lessons and reminders I would need for the pandemic, like having gratitude for what you have and taking care of the things around you. The quote from the book I've never forgotten is, "The most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or touched, they are felt with the heart.”

What’s the most important quality in a friendship? Why?:

For me, accountability. It’s important to be around people who lift you up but also encourage you to be a better version of yourself, hold you to your word, and help you grow as a person.

In 10 years, I will be…:

Working! I hope to have a dog….my own pet, and that I’ve visited Europe at least once….especially France. I want to go into mediator work….lawsuits between big companies

Who/what do you find inspiring?

Honestly, the volunteering spirit that exists here on Lopez. That’s a really special thing about the island….the way people come together here to create opportunities and reach out to each other, help.

What song summarizes your feelings about graduating from high school?

This Will be Our Year by the Zombies

What are your plans after high school?

I'm taking a gap year and I want to travel. After that, I want to go to a 4 year college to start a pre-law track, eventually going to law school.

What is one important life lesson you learned in kindergarten?

One that I learned and have trouble remembering to apply is “it’s okay to say no thank you.”

Is there a book or movie that has changed your life?

A book that changed my life was The Alchemist because of the following quote that I've kept in my planner to look at daily: “When we strive to become better than we are, everything around us becomes better, too."

Fantastic Mr. Fox changed me because, while being a movie about animals, the characters are incredibly human in various ways. One example being Mr. Fox's quote: “I think I have this thing where everybody has to think I'm the greatest. And if they aren't completely knocked out and dazzled and slightly intimidated by me, I don't feel good about myself.”

Is there anything else you want people to know about you?

I hope people know that I did my best to leave something behind for the school.

Come cheer for the Lobos at home on Tuesday, January 17, 4:40 girls, 6:00 boys. See you there!

Last Friday night, the gym was packed with LISD students and families, community members, and former student athletes, all here to watch the Lobos play and to honor long time coach M.R. Buffum for all his years of service to Lobo athletics. There was a lovely ceremony after the boys' game including a presentation, basketball stories (very entertaining!), and a photo with many of M.R.'s former athletes. What a great night!

Students have homework...almost always. Ds and Fs are usually the result of missing work, both class assignments and homework. If your child repeatedly says, "I don't have homework," be very suspicious!

It has come to our attention that some parents are not getting some school email....like the messages about student absences. This is because gmail/google has ramped up their filters to include school emails. Families should regularly check their spam folder for emails and let us know if you suspect that you are not getting messages you should be getting.

It may be possible to "white list" Lopez Island School District on your gmail account in an effort to ensure that you get important communication from school. Here's what to do:

1. 1) Login to Gmail, click on the gear icon and select "Settings":
2. 2) Select "Filters and blocked addresses":
3. 3) Scroll past all your existing filters and select "Create a new filter":
4. 4) Add the email address that you want to whitelist to the "From" field.

Place your orders now for some delicious chili and help support our school! We are accepting pre-orders ONLY - don't miss out! Pick up will be Saturday, January 21 from noon to 1 pm at the school. Delivery is also an option. Click here to order.

Dance details:

• This dance will be held in the middle school Ewert Commons area. You can drop off and pick up your child at the south end of the secondary building.
• Middle school students ONLY
• Guests for dances always have to be registered ahead of time in the LISD secondary office
• Free with an ASB card, $5 without one. Students should bring their ASB card to the dance, but we have a list if they forget.

Many thanks to everyone who stepped up to chaperone! You are making it possible for our middle schoolers to have a dance :-)

Please join us Saturday night for the opening of the LISD High School Art Show at Chimera Gallery, 5:00-7:00 p.m.

A dental hygienist will come to the school on January 25th to do "smile checks" for K-12 students. It is a quick one-minute look in the mouth to check for cavities and/or infections. If it's determined that treatment is recommended, students will have the option of receiving treatment on April 27th-28th when the Snohomish County Mobile Dental Team comes to visit.

If you choose to have your student not participate in the "smile checks" an the opt out form was sent home with students last week and will need to be turned in to Nurse Will.

These agreements need to be signed for every student that is enrolled, parent partner or otherwise. If you received this, message in an email, you have at least one student who is enrolled at LISD. If the agreement is not signed, the student's account will need to be deactivated and they will no longer be allowed to use technology at LISD. The deadline is Wednesday, January 11th.

If it is absolutely an impossible task to fill out this form online, you can come into the elementary office and someone will print a form for you to sign. The Qmlativ login steps and instructions for filling out the form are below. Keep in mind that if you do not get a password reset email, it is probably in your spam folder.

1. In a web browser, navigate to lopezislandschool.org

1. En un navegador web, vaya a lopezislandschool.org

2. Select the Qmlativ link under the banner

2. Seleccione el enlace Qmlativ debajo de los

Short-term, Long-term, part-time, full-time, daily, weekly... whatever you want, there is a position here for you!!!!!

Many of these positions qualify for Medical, Dental, Vision, & Retirement benefits, plus EAP and paid leave time (personal, sick, & vacation). Allocations are based on hourly commitment and classification.

Classified:

· **NEW** Elementary Custodian - perfect for you if you like to work independently! This position helps to clean and maintain the Lopez Island school buildings. It is a daily position with flexibility in actual working hours (up to 7 per day) and schedule, starting in late January 2023.

· Literacy Interventionist - multiple positions are available fill the newly created position of Elementary Literacy Interventionist, working one-on-one or with small groups of students in grades 1, 2, and 3 to practice the fundamentals of literacy. This contract position runs for two 10-12 week sessions during the school year.

· ParaEducators - Interested in working with students individually, in small groups, and/or in general classrooms and helping assist teachers in modifying student behavior? Then Paraeducator is your dream job, and we have positions available!

· Special Needs Behavior Technician- If you have been thinking about being a Special Needs Behavior Technician for Lopez Island School District...well you are in luck!!!! We are looking for a Special Needs Behavior Technician to hire for this school year!! Behavior technicians are responsible for assisting behavior specialists and the Special Education department to implement behavior reduction and skill acquisition treatment plans. The candidate will assist students with day to day activities, monitor their behavior, record and collect data on students’ progress, and communicate with the team.

· Van Driver - Want to get out and see the island? This transportation position drives a wheelchair van (or another vehicle) to transport student(s) with special needs to and from school. This 3.5 hour per day, Monday through Friday.

- Stipend:

· HI CAP - providing leadership of the Special Service Program for Highly Capable (HC) students, grades K-12, in the Lopez Island School District.

- Substitutes:

· Certificated Teachers

· Paraeducators

· Bus Drivers

· Cooks

You can see full postings on our website! Just go to District Info and then to HR and Employment for more details.

We look forward to working with you!!!

Ed Murray, Superintendent

Martha Martin, Secondary Principal

Mary Fordham, Elementary Principal

The Lopez Island School District does not discriminate in any 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. The following employee(s) has been designated to handle questions and complaints of alleged discrimination: Civil Rights Compliance Coordinator, Ed Murray – emurray@lopezislandschool.org; Title IX Coordinator, HR Specialist, Summer Hagge – shagge@lopezislandschool.org; Section 504, Mary Fordham – mfordham@lopezislandschool.org; OR contact by phone, 360-468-2202, OR mail to 86 School Rd, Lopez Island, WA 98261.

Website: lopezislandschool.org
Location: 86 School Road, Lopez Island, WA, USA
Phone: 360-468-2202