Vision (who we must become):
We are a community of learners and leaders united to enrich the lives of all our students.

Dear Mary M. Knight Families and Community Members,

As we enter another exciting week at MMK, I'm thrilled to share the many ways our Owls continue to soar!

First, I want to extend my heartfelt appreciation to everyone who supported our students at the Old Timer's Fair this past weekend. Our ASB booths were bustling with activity, and our students demonstrated exceptional leadership, creativity, and community spirit. The funds raised will directly support student activities throughout the year. Events like these remind us of the strong connection between our school and the broader community, and we're grateful for your continued support.

Our elementary students achieved something special last week through our Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) program. They successfully met all their goals for reducing office referrals, improving attendance, and meeting i-Ready learning targets. They celebrated with extra recess and treats - a well-deserved reward for their collective effort! This achievement demonstrates how working together toward common goals brings out the best in our students.

Important Upcoming Information:

State Testing (SBAC) - Mark Your Calendars

• Testing window: May 12-23, 2025
• Grades 3-12 will be tested in mathematics, reading, and science
• Adjusted schedules will be communicated soon
• All students must bring their assigned Chromebooks to school
• Chromebooks should remain at school during the entire testing period
• Please help your children prepare by ensuring they get plenty of rest and eat nutritious breakfasts

This Week's Activities (May 5-9):

• Monday: Teen Game Night, 7:00 PM
• Tuesday: HS Track @ North Beach, 3:30 PM
• Wednesday: Late Start; MS Track @ Ilwaco, 3:30 PM; Baseball vs. Wishkah, 4:00 PM; HS Golf Districts @ Longview
• Thursday: HS Golf Districts @ Longview (continues)
• Friday: State SBAC Testing Preparation

Community Updates:

• Information about Summer Food Benefits (Summer-EBT/SUN Bucks) is now available. Visit www.dshs.wa.gov/sunbucks or call 833-543-3230 for details.
• Our CTE Construction students reached an exciting milestone by setting the first beam on their new pergola project near the district office!
• May's Character Strong trait is Creativity - check out the attached newsletters for family activities and discussions.

Congratulations to Our GRIT Award Recipients: We're proud to recognize staff members Ms. Dodge, Ms. Kemp, and Ms. Ehler, who demonstrated exceptional dedication by coming to school on Saturday to prepare for their students. We also celebrate our student GRIT award winners who exemplify Growth, Resilience, Intensity, and Tenacity.

Get Involved:

• Next PTO Meeting: May 14, 2025, at 3:30 PM in the elementary library
• Follow us on Facebook for daily updates: https://www.facebook.com/MMKOwls

Remember, our mission is to ensure all students have the knowledge, skills, motivation, and confidence to be successful citizens. Thank you for partnering with us in this important work!

• Teen Game Night 7:00 PM

• HS track @ North Beach 3:30 PM

• Late Start
• MS track @ Ilwaco 3:30 PM
• Baseball vs. Wishkah 4:00 PM
• HS golf districts @ Longview

• HS golf districts @ Longview

Friday 5/9

Dear Mary M. Knight Families,

State Testing Schedule - Mark Your Calendars

We want to inform you that our annual SBAC (Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium) state testing will take place from May 12 through May 23, 2025. During these two weeks, students in grades 3-12 will be taking assessments in mathematics, reading, and science.

Adjusted Schedules Coming Soon

We will be creating an adjusted daily schedule to accommodate testing needs for all participating grade levels. More detailed information about specific testing days and times for each grade level will be communicated in the coming weeks. Please keep an eye on future newsletters and communications from your child's teachers.

Chromebook Requirements - IMPORTANT

All students must bring their assigned Chromebooks to school during the testing period. Additionally, we ask that students keep their Chromebooks at school throughout the entire testing window (May 12-23). This ensures that:

• All students have access to their personally assigned device for testing
• Devices are properly charged and ready each testing day
• Technical issues can be addressed promptly
• Testing security is maintained

If your child typically takes their Chromebook home, please make arrangements for them to have alternative technology access at home during this period if needed.

Preparing for Success

We encourage all families to help students prepare for testing by ensuring they:

• Get plenty of rest each night
• Eat a nutritious breakfast each morning
• Arrive at school on time
• Maintain a positive attitude

More specific information about testing schedules, preparation tips, and support resources will be shared in upcoming communications.

Thank you for your cooperation and support as we prepare for this important assessment period.

What an incredible weekend at the Old Timer's Fair! We couldn't be more proud of how our students, ASB clubs, and dedicated staff advisors represented Mary M. Knight at this wonderful community event.

Our ASB booths were buzzing with activity all weekend, and the creativity and enthusiasm our students brought to their various offerings truly showcased the spirit of MMK. From the delicious treats to the creative fundraising activities, our Owls demonstrated exceptional leadership, responsibility, and community service.

A special thank you to:

• All our student volunteers who worked tirelessly at the booths
• Our ASB officers for their outstanding organization and leadership
• The staff advisors who provided guidance and support throughout the event
• Our families and community members who stopped by to support our students

Events like the Old Timer's Fair remind us of the strong connection between our school and the broader community. Seeing our students engage with community members, manage their booths professionally, and represent our school with such pride reinforces what makes Mary M. Knight special.

The funds raised through our ASB booths will directly support student activities and programs throughout the year, making this not just a fun community event but an important investment in our students' experiences.

Thank you to everyone who came out to support our Owls! Your encouragement means the world to our students and helps strengthen the bonds between our school and community.

I am delighted to share some wonderful news about our elementary students' recent achievement through our Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) program!

Over the past two weeks, our young Owls set their sights on three important goals:

• Reducing office referrals
• Improving attendance rates
• Meeting i-Ready learning time targets

Through determination and teamwork, our elementary students successfully met all their objectives! Today, they celebrated their accomplishment with an extra recess period and special treats while enjoying our beautiful weather. Watching our students come together to celebrate their collective achievement truly exemplified the spirit of our MMK community.

This success demonstrates how our PBIS program effectively encourages positive behavior and academic engagement throughout our school. When our students work together toward common goals, amazing things happen!

To all our elementary Owls: Your dedication to positive behavior and learning continues to make our school community proud. This achievement shows exactly what makes Mary M. Knight such a special place to learn and grow.

Congratulations to our remarkable elementary students!

Dear Mary M. Knight Families and Community,

Mrs. Freeman and our Food Service team are excited to share that details about the Summer-EBT program (also known as S-EBT or SUN Bucks) are now available! This program helps ensure our students have access to nutritious meals during the summer months.

If you've been waiting for information about this valuable resource, here's how you can learn more:

Resources for Summer-EBT/SUN Bucks:

• OSPI Summer EBT FAQ (PDF) - Available through the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction
• Visit www.dshs.wa.gov/sunbucks for comprehensive program details
• Call the SUN Bucks Contact Center at 833-543-3230 (TTY: 800-833-6348)
  • Available Monday–Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. (excluding holidays)

We encourage all families to explore these resources to determine if you qualify for this important summer nutrition support. Please share this information with friends, neighbors, and anyone in our community who might benefit from the Summer-EBT program.

Our food service team remains committed to supporting our students' nutritional needs year-round. If you have any questions about the program or need assistance accessing these resources, please don't hesitate to reach out to our school office.

Together, we can ensure all our Owls have access to healthy meals throughout the summer!

Our Career and Technical Education (CTE) Construction class under the leadership of Ms. Cole continues to make remarkable contributions to our campus! This week, our talented construction students reached an exciting milestone by setting the first beam across their latest project - a beautiful new pergola next to the district office.

This hands-on learning experience showcases the incredible skills our students are developing through our CTE program. The pergola project not only enhances our campus but also provides our students with real-world construction experience that will serve them well in their future careers.

Ms. Cole and our construction students have been consistently improving our school environment through various projects this year. Their dedication to craftsmanship and attention to detail make us incredibly proud. These hardworking Owls are not just learning construction skills - they're actively contributing to the beauty and functionality of our campus.

We look forward to watching this project progress and sharing more updates as our construction students complete the pergola. Their work continues to demonstrate the value of hands-on learning and the exceptional opportunities available through our CTE programs at Mary M. Knight.

Thank you to Ms. Cole for her outstanding leadership and to our construction students for their hard work and dedication!

For any questions, please contact Athletic Director, Tom Kerr at (360)426-6767 or tkerr@mmk.wednet.edu

Find updates at the Mary M. Knight Athletic Web-Page

GRIT Awards - In the 2024-25 academic year, we're all about embracing 'Nurturing Resilience, Inspiring Excellence' as our guiding principle. We believe that having GRIT – Growth, Resilience, Intensity, and Tenacity – is key to creating a culture where challenges are seen as stepping stones to greatness. We want to foster a growth mindset in our students and ourselves, understanding that hard work and dedication can help us develop our abilities and intelligence. Student will be nominated weekly if they are demonstrating characteristics of GRIT. Student will receive a certificate and shared out.

Dear MMK Families and Community Members,

We are delighted to announce this week's GRIT Award winners! These awards recognize staff members who demonstrate exceptional dedication, resilience, and go above and beyond for our school community.

Secondary: Zoie Anderson, Kris Ortiz, 7-12 students

PTO updates and information will be posted on the district website at https://www.marymknight.com/domain/25

• Next Meeting: May 14, 2025 at 3:30 pm in the elementary library

Email: jstoney@mmk.wednet.edu
Website: https://www.marymknight.com/
Location: 2987 Matlock-Brady Road, Elma, WA, USA
Phone: (360) 426-6767
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MMKOwls