SBLSD News

Reminder: There is no school for only middle school and high school on Friday, Jan. 26 for Grading Day. Find all of our key dates for 2023-24 here: sumnersd.org/keydates.

The Sumner-Bonney Lake School District will have replacements of two expiring levies that support every student on the Feb. 13 ballot:

• Replacement Educational Programs & Operations Levy

• Replacement Instructional Technology Improvements & Security Upgrades Levy

A deeper dive into the facts about Proposition 2 highlights the technology access, tools and security offered districtwide to every school and every student.

Access to Technology

• Expanded classroom technology improvements at all elementary, middle and high schools

• Access and computers for all K-12 students and staff to use at school, and staff and secondary students at home

• Staff training and up-to-date software and online learning tools for students and teachers

Up-to-date Tools for Teaching and Learning

• Replaces outdated classroom computers for teachers and students

• Supports technical training of computer systems for teachers and students

• Maintains licenses and internet access for students and teachers, and expands wireless network

• Upgrades high-speed internet access and other IT system improvements

Safety, Security & Privacy Protections

• Increases cybersecurity privacy protection for students, teachers and staff

• Maintains security cameras, school access control, video and audio security entrances at buildings, intercom and phone systems for all-school alerts and emergency notification

View stories about Proposition 2 levy dollars at work:

• New translation tool helps families and staff

• Interactive panels take learning to a new level at SBLSD

• In the News: Enhanced security measures welcome students back to SBLSD

• New voice, video intercom system add extra security

Learn more about both propositions at sumnersd.org/vote. And, remember to vote Feb. 13 -- every vote counts!

The District’s combined Sumner Spartans and Bonney Lake High School Panthers Special Olympics basketball team, called the Spanthers, played Pack the Gym Night on Jan. 23 at Sumner High School. If you missed it, root them on when they play at Bonney Lake High School’s Pack the Gym Night on Feb. 15. The individual skills competition begins at 6:30 pm with the team game at 7 pm.

Check out this week's STEM Spotlight featuring Ms. Martinez and her awesome Biotech program at BLHS! Students are diving into science, forging community connections, and gearing up for the future.

Ms. Martinez and her students will be showcasing Biotech and HOSA (Health Occupations Students of America – Future Health Professionals) at the upcoming STEM Fair & Art Show on Feb. 24, 10 am - 2 pm at Sumner Middle School. It's a celebration of student curiosity and creativity – mark your calendars, we'd love to see you there!

Kindergarten students and their families enjoyed the Sumner Early Learning Center’s Family STEAM Night on Jan. 23. Celebrating students’ learning about Native Americans through science, technology, engineering, arts and math, the event featured hands-on activities, such as basket weaving, a fry bread kit, making a family totem pole, and building a tipi and a wigwam. Families also enjoyed an art walk and pizza.

Sumner High School and Bonney Lake High School DECA chapters participated in the Washington DECA Area 7 Competition in Puyallup, where a total of roughly 720 students in our region competed.

Students in DECA work both independently and as a team to showcase their knowledge of careers in areas of marketing, finance, hospitality and management. DECA members created business ideas to present to judges, developed on-the-spot marketing strategies with their teams, and more.

The SHS DECA chapter also earned the Thrive level recognition for the 23-24 DECA Chapter Campaign, earning them spots to Nationals in Anaheim, Calif. at the end of April.

Congrats to all who competed from both Bonney Lake High School DECA and Sumner High School DECA and who qualified for the state competition next month (listed below):

At the Jan. 16 Pierce County Council meeting, Councilmember Dave Morell read a proclamation recognizing Superintendent Dr. Laurie Dent as the 2024 State Superintendent of the Year! Several council members commented on the honor, noting Dr. Dent’s leadership, commitment and dedication to public education and the Sumner-Bonney Lake School District.

Is your senior interested in attending a college or university in Washington after graduation? As college application deadlines approach, the Sumner-Bonney Lake School District wants to help qualified students receive guaranteed admissions to select higher educational institutions through the Guaranteed Admissions Program.

If you’d like your child to begin receiving information from participating colleges/universities, please complete a Guaranteed Admission Program Student Data Sharing Agreement online through Skyward Family Access or fill out this PDF form and download and attach in an email to register@sumnersd.org by Feb. 9.

To learn more about the Guaranteed Admissions Program, please contact your school’s counselor.

Families and their students can receive free childhood immunizations and other services at the Department of Health Care-a-Van from 12-3 pm on Feb. 17 at 9002 Main St E #100 in Bonney Lake.

Childhood vaccines, flu vaccines, and more services will be offered. No appointment is needed. We recommend families bring any immunization records that they may have. Go to MyIR Mobile to get your most current immunization records.

The Care-a-Van is a mobile health service that serves people across Washington state, working closely with community partners and local health jurisdictions.

Paying for education or training beyond high school can be daunting for students and families, but it doesn’t have to be. The Free Application for Federal Student Aid, also known as the FAFSA, is the one-stop destination for graduating seniors to apply for all financial aid. And with major changes for 2024, the application window is open now!

In the past, the FAFSA form has been complex and many families assume they won’t qualify for aid. But this year, updates were made to simplify the application and expand eligibility for federal Pell Grants, which means many more students can access financial aid.

Also open now is the WASFA (Washington Application for State Financial Aid), which is for Washington students who aren’t eligible for federal aid — including people who are undocumented — to get state aid.

To help you in completing the applications, consult organizations like Washington Student Achievement Council and Futures Northwest. Learn more about simplifying the process in this Seattle Times article.

January is School Board Recognition Month! We want to give a big thank you to our board members for the crucial role they play in our schools and communities.

Elected school board members voluntarily tackle the enormous job of governing our school district in providing vision and leadership, while taking actions and making decisions that affect the present and future lives of our children. Watch this short video to learn more about the role of a school board member.

We thank our board members for their commitment and contributions to Sumner-Bonney Lake School District, and for serving with a willing heart, positive attitude and the desire to make a difference.

Read how our board members recognize our promise to know, value and support every student.

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