Mount Baker Monthly Update

Hello Mount Baker Families!

Coming off a long weekend, I wanted to take this opportunity to share with our wider community some of the professional development that our certificated staff participated in last week. Given that changes to routine impact families, it’s important to share the work that occurred on Friday’s non-student day.

All certificated staff began the day at the Secondary Campus for conference-style sessions focused on social-emotional learning (SEL). While SEL professional development is legally required, research and experience also highlight its importance.

Following an introductory keynote, staff selected sessions that best applied to their work in supporting students. In the afternoon, they applied their learning in building-based teams.

Feedback from staff indicated that it was a day well spent. Many expressed gratitude for the opportunity to engage in this important work, reinforcing its value for both educators and students.

Sincerely,

Interim Superintendent

Below are some photos from the February 14 PD Sessions.

On Tuesday, February 18, eight Mount Baker High School students visited Olympia to meet with legislators. The goal of the students was to advocate for Mount Baker and the students who will attend our schools for years to come.

What was critical about the messages from the students is that it provided first-hand accounts of the impacts of the State's continued underfunding in three specific areas. The students provided specific examples of challenges they have navigated because of adverse effects of current funding on Mount Baker.

We are fortunate that all members of our legislative delegation are strong supporters of education. They all spoke very highly of the students and emphasized the importance of youth advocacy in the legislators' work.

The students who made the trip to Olympia are: Joe Abitia, Alyssa DeRoco, Savannah Gooch, Cailyn Jewell, Dakota Jimmie, Dylan Kalsbeek, Gabbi Ruiz-Santana, and Cameron Scott.

Pictured below are the students with Representatives Ramel and Timmons on the floor of the House of Representatives. The second picture shows the students with Senator Shewmake at the Senate dais.

Not pictured are meetings with Representative Rule and the legislative assistant for Representative Lekanoff.

This section of the monthly update highlights many of the great co-curricular activities going on around the Mount Baker School District.

The Mount Baker Senior High Mountaineer Band was chosen to perform at Disneyland this spring. They are hosting a Jazz Dessert and Silent Auction on Saturday, February 22nd at 7:00 in the high school cafeteria to raise money for the trip. Tickets are $25 and can be purchased in advance from a band student or at the door. We hope the whole community will come out to enjoy a night of music and merriment while supporting the band! Bonus: You may go home with a great auction item.

Can't make the event and want to support the band? Visit their Facebook page to learn more.

This month, I want to provide an update on the facilities upgrades and repairs happening in our district. These projects are funded by the Capital Projects Fund and made possible by your support of the Capital Levy. While collections for that levy begin in the spring, we have some funds available for smaller projects that will lead to long-term savings through current pricing and energy efficiency—all while directly benefiting students.

One project that might not be immediately noticeable but deserves attention is the modernization of our HVAC controls. Our current system has limited control over heating in specific buildings and rooms. By working with a new company, we’re centralizing those controls into a single computer system. This will allow us to schedule heating adjustments across the district—for example, lowering the temperature at night and during breaks to save energy, while remotely increasing it in the event of a freeze to protect pipes. These upgrades will lead to immediate efficiency savings.

Another project is replacing the roof at the Early Resource Center. While there is only a small leak currently, a full replacement will be needed soon. To keep costs down while ensuring durability, we’ll be using leftover sheet metal from the High School and Junior High roofing projects. This will provide a high-quality roof that will last for decades.

Lastly, due to the rapid rise in prices, we are acting quickly to acquire 150 new Chromebooks. These devices will go directly to students as older ones ‘age out’ and become less functional. Purchasing them now will save the district money in the long run while fulfilling a commitment made in the Capital Levy.

Thank you again for your support in passing the levy—it makes all of this possible. The Board of Directors will evaluate options for larger projects and set priorities at their regular meeting on March 27.

Brian Fraser, Director of Finance

• Thursday, February 27: School Board meeting at 6:00p
• Friday, March 7: Regular school hours (snow makeup day)
• Monday, March 10: No School (staff non-contract day)
• Thursday, March 13: School Board meeting at 6:00p
• Tuesday, March 25 through Friday, March 28: Elementary early release at 1:00pm for conferences. Regular dismissal time for JH/HS.
• Wednesday, March 26: No late arrival. Because of elementary conference early release, all schools will begin at their regular time.
• All athletic schedules can be found on GoBakerAthletics.com.