Message from Principal Collins
Hello Evergreen Friends and Families,
Thank you so much to the families that attended the Community Connection on Wednesday evening at Federal Way High School. We appreciate families making the time to come out and engage in discussions about student and district progress. Your input and feedback are invaluable to us as we all work together to support all of our students.
Our students and staff have worked so hard this year, and it is time for them to “Shine and show what they know” through end-of-the-year testing. This week we conducted our iReady math testing. Our scholars were focused and did their best on the math test. State testing (SBA) will begin May 7th and will continue throughout May. All students will be tested in Math, and English Language Arts. In addition, our 8th graders will be tested in science. Consistent attendance during the testing window is recommended for student success. Please avoid scheduling appointments and vacations on testing days as much as possible. When students are absent for testing, they sometimes end up missing additional classes to complete the assessment. That can create a snowball effect on missed instruction and missed assignments. We don’t want any kind of snowballs in April!
Also at this point in the year, students are encouraged to lean into the skills they’ve been building all year:
- stay organized with school work and supplies,
- communicate with teachers (by email or in class) if there are questions,
- use class time wisely,
- and most of all - persevere!
- • Remember that one test won’t change your student’s entire future.
- • Get plenty of sleep, eat breakfast on test day, and dress comfortably in layer
Help your Middle Schooler Bounce Back from Low Grades
It’s natural to be upset if your child brings home a low grade. But showing your frustration and anger won’t result in better grades. Instead: • Put grades into perspective. Let your middle schooler know that grades are important, but that they are not a measure of a person’s worth or learning potential. • Focus on the positive. Talk about what your child has done well— in an academic subject or another activity. Ask, “What are you most proud of?” • Look for possible causes. Low grades indicate a problem. Ask what your child thinks the problem is. Sometimes it’s not academic ability, but poor study habits or test anxiety. Set realistic goals for improvement. Don’t expect all A’s if your middle schooler is currently getting all C’s. And be specific about the steps your child needs to take in order to meet goals. • Contact teachers. Sometimes students try their best and still fail. Or, they blame teachers for their troubles. Gather more information by asking your child’s teachers for their opinion about what’s happening.
This is an exciting time of the year, and it can also be challenging. Please cheer your student(s) on! Encourage them to show Evergreen Pride with behavior that is safe, kind, responsible, and proud! Grizzlies Stand Tall!
We are excited to announce the launch of our inaugural Attendance Cup competition, April 8th – May 31st.
Our theme is “Attend Today, Achieve Tomorrow!”
In alignment to our Strategic Plan Goal 2: Whole Child, we are launching a campaign to engage our scholars and families for attendance; collective effort aimed at increasing and celebrating school attendance. As we all know, regular attendance is crucial for academic success and personal growth. This campaign is designed to make attendance not only a priority but also an enjoyable and rewarding experience for our scholars. The primary goal of the Attendance Cup Campaign is to improve overall school attendance rates by fostering a sense of community, engagement, and excitement around attending school regularly.
As always, I appreciate you and truly believe that we will finish this school year Grizzly Strong with your unwavering support. Thank you for being a part of the Grizzly family.
Your Partner in Education,
Mrs. Collins
253 945 5100
Better than a cup of coffee
Every morning, I pass through the main entrance of Evergreen Middle School with my lunch in one hand, and my coffee thermos in the other. Some mornings are harder than others. I have two kids, you see, one of which may have been crying all night, and the other who likes to wake everyone up two hours before the alarm goes off. In other schools I’ve worked at, passing through the main entrance wouldn’t be that exciting, but here, it is the highlight of my day. Let me explain why.
It all starts with a smile and a greeting from Joan Veit, our Financial Secretary, and Bree Vance, our Attendance Secretary. They cheerfully buzz me in and wish me a good morning. “Happy Friday, Zach,” they said to me this morning. They may not know it, but this small gesture makes me feel supported and cared for. They provide this level of care every day to our students, too.
Next, I walk past Monica Nelsen, our Office Manager, who is often juggling multiple tasks at once. Monica has a contagious laugh and always has something funny to say. Despite the morning being a busy time for her, she always makes time to tease me, like the time she announced, “Everyone remain calm, we have a doctor in the house.”
Melody Clements, our Data Secretary, is the last person I walk by before turning the corner into my office. “Good morning, Zach,” she’ll say. “Check your e-mail, I sent you that report you asked for.” Melody works hard to organize us so that we can focus on making your child’s experience better in the classroom.
By the time I get to my office door, I’m no longer the Zach who came in sorry and sluggish. I am the Zach who everyone was happy to see. Perhaps these small moments come off as mundane, but they are part of what makes Evergreen so special to me.
Zach Groshell, Ph.D.
Instructional Coach
Evergreen Middle School
