Dear Friends

Families -

I hope this message finds you well.

Recently, you may have heard about other districts throughout the region and state having to take drastic measures due to budgetary concerns. These measures include staff reductions, school or campus closures proposals, and program eliminations. I want to assure you that the Snohomish School District is not facing the same challenges.

Over the past years, our budget has weathered various storms, from state unfunded mandates to the challenges brought by the pandemic and shifting enrollment. Despite these hurdles, our focus on financial stability has remained steadfast, and I'm pleased to let you know that we are on a solid, positive trajectory. Here are some key points to note:

• Our district boasts strong bond ratings (Moody's Aa3 and Standard & Poor AA-), indicating our capacity to meet financial commitments.
• Enrollment trends are promising, with numbers slowly but steadily inching upward toward pre-pandemic levels of about 9,600 students. Projections for the upcoming year continue this trajectory, as we are forecasting approximately 9,400 students.
• Our unassigned fund balance aligns with the Snohomish School District School Board policy #6022, that demands we maintain an amount of at least 4-6% of our expenditures.
• Our financial decisions are grounded in intentionality, with a collaborative approach that involves our staff and community to ensure successful levies and sustainable practices.
• Our community is supportive of our district. Local levy dollars make up about 16% of the district’s total budget. Every levy must be approved by local voters and is collected over a set number of years. The 2022 voter-approved Educational Programs and Operations Replacement Levy and the Replacement Levy for Technology, Safety and Facility Improvements will expire at the end of 2026. While 16% may not sound like a substantial number, it makes a dramatic difference in the quality of education our students receive in Snohomish.

I want to express my gratitude to you. Our current financial standing is a testament to the collective effort of our entire school community. It's not about any one individual or team but the dedication and resourcefulness of everyone involved in nurturing our students' growth and success.

Thank you for your unwavering commitment and contribution to our district's financial health. Together, we will continue to build a brighter future for our students and community.

Warm regards,
Kent

Join us in celebrating our upcoming 2023-2024 high school graduates! 808 students will graduate from Snohomish on Thursday, June 6 (AIM High School ) , Friday, June 9 (Transition Center) and Monday, June 12 (Glacier Peak High School and Snohomish High School). Please click here for a listing of 2024 graduates and more details on the graduation events.

• The district Resource and Service Center will be open throughout the summer.
• High school, middle school, and elementary school offices will be closed to the public after Wednesday, June 26.
  • Please note school offices (especially those at our high schools and during summer school) may open intermittently between Monday, June 24, and Friday, August 9. Please see individual school websites for additional information.
  • Glacier Peak High School and Snohomish High School graduates and alumni needing a copy of their official high school transcript, please visit Parchment.com.
  • All education verifications and third-party background screenings, please visit Parchment.com.
    • Glacier Peak High School - Click here to order your transcript.
    • Snohomish High School - Click here to order your transcript.
  • AIM High School graduates and alumni needing a copy of their official high school transcript or needing education verification, should leave a phone message at 360-563-3400. Messages will be returned after Wednesday, August 7.
• Student Information Verification - All district families will be asked to please confirm their student’s information in Skyward/Family Access. Student Information Verification will be open from Friday, August 9 through Friday, August 23.
• High school, middle school and elementary school offices will reopen on Monday, August 12.
• Skyward/ Family Access will open for elementary students and families at 9 a.m. on Thursday, August 29.
• Skyward/Family Access will open for middle and high school students and families at 4 p.m. on Thursday, August 29.

For those looking to get a jump on the fall, back-to-school information, please visit www.sno.wednet.edu/backtoschool for more information.

High school, middle school, and elementary school offices will be closed to the public after Wednesday, June 26. Please note school offices (especially those at our high schools and during summer school) may open intermittently between Monday, June 24, and Friday, August 9. However, if you need a copy of your transcript:

• Glacier Peak High School and Snohomish High School graduates and alumni needing a copy of their official high school transcript, please visit Parchment.com.
• All education verifications and third-party background screenings, please visit Parchment.com.
• Glacier Peak High School - Click here to order your transcript.
• Snohomish High School - Click here to order your transcript.
• AIM High School graduates and alumni needing a copy of their official high school transcript or needing education verification, should leave a phone message at 360-563-3400. Messages will be returned after Wednesday, August 7.

Any balances remaining on your child’s food service account from the previous school year will move forward to the new school year. If your child is graduating, funds are automatically transferred to a younger sibling's account. If your child is graduating and there are no younger siblings, or if your child is no longer a district student, a refund of any remaining account balance can be requested by contacting Food Service at kim.horton@sno.wednet.edu or 360-563-7357. Please include your child's name, school, student ID number and address.

We are excited to share that we will be using a new communication tool for school-to-home communication in the Snohomish School District called ParentSquare beginning next school year (2024-2025). This communication platform is designed to streamline school district and school communication, keep families informed, and encourage greater engagement and connection with our schools and district. The best part of ParentSquare is that it offers translation in more than 100 languages and allows families to customize when and how they want to receive communication!

Beginning at the start of next school year (2024-2025), all district-wide and school-wide information will be sent to families via email and/or text message through ParentSquare, including notifications for emergencies, absences, lunch balances, and inclement weather/snow days and delays. Families will receive communication automatically translated into whatever language they have designated in Skyward/Family Access as their primary home language. They will also be able to change their language settings to any of the 100+ languages.

Families who activate their ParentSquare account will also have access to all school and district communication in one centralized location, which can be utilized through a web browser or by downloading the mobile app (iOS and Android). While activating your account is optional, it offers many features to streamline information, including:

• Direct two-way messaging that is automatically translated (families can send messages in their home language and it will be auto translated into English for those on the receiving end to read)
• Consolidated, newsfeed-style communications from multiple sources in one place
• School calendars
• And many more features!

Within the coming weeks and months, all families will receive more information about the platform including an email invitation and directions on how to activate their ParentSquare account. This step is optional and is for those who want to change their language settings and have access to all school and district communication in one centralized location through ParentSquare’s web browser or mobile app. If you do not activate your account, you will still receive all important district and school communication via email and text message.

Many other districts in the nation and region use ParentSquare as their school-to-home communication too. Other school districts currently using this platform include Northshore, Mukilteo, Monroe, Edmonds, Lake Washington, Shoreline, Bellingham, Oak Harbor, South Whidbey, Lynden, and Ferndale.

We will roll out the system in a “soft launch” to district staff and families this June. During the June “soft launch,” our district teams will be using this period to troubleshoot issues and adjust as needed. It will also allow users to register their accounts and familiarize themselves with the system before the start of the new school year. Throughout the summer and before the start of the school year, additional resources will be provided to help users navigate the system.

Note: ParentSquare will be used for all district-wide and school-wide communication, including school newsletters, beginning with the 2024-2025 school year. With this rollout of ParentSquare, the automated mass notification system School Messenger and our listserv subscription tool for newsletters will no longer be used as of late August 2024. Please note that the School Messenger and listserv will continue to be used through the remainder of the 2023-2024 school year.

Our goal is for every Snohomish School District family to join ParentSquare and stay connected! Watch for more information in the coming weeks, and thank you for your flexibility and understanding as we roll out this new communication tool to better engage and effectively communicate with you!

Learn more at www.sno.wednet.edu/parentsquare.

In the Snohomish School District and community, we honor and recognize our diversity. Please join us this June as we acknowledge Caribbean American Heritage Month and LGBTQ+ Pride Month. Although these months may be designated as times for specific recognition, we encourage honor and recognition of our culture and diversity throughout the year.

National Caribbean American Heritage Month (NCAHM) was first recognized in 2006 by Presidential Proclamation. The observation serves to promote the culture, heritage, and contributions of the Caribbean people to the United States of America. Some notable figures of Caribbean heritage in our history include Alexander Hamilton, Colin Powell, Cicely Tyson, W.E.B. Dubois, James Weldon Johnson, Harry Belafonte, and Sidney Poitier.

Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer (LGBTQ+) Pride is observed during June in recognition of the Stonewall Uprising which occurred in 1969. The first Pride march was held in 1970 on the one-year anniversary of the uprising where thousands of people gathered to protest and raise awareness around hostility and discrimination. During the month of June, memorials are also held for those lost to hate crimes and recognition is given to LGBTQ+ individuals who have had an impact on history.

Please consider the following statistics provided by one of our student organizations: It is important to acknowledge and celebrate Pride Month because of all the challenges the LGBTQ+ community faces. LGBTQ+ youth, especially youth of color and transgender youth, are an especially vulnerable part of our community. According to The Trevor Project National Survey on LGBTQ Youth Mental Health 2021, 42% of LGBTQ+ youth seriously considered attempting suicide in the past year and 75% of LGBTQ+ youth reported that they had experienced discrimination based on their LGBTQ+ identity at least once in their lifetime.

While LGBTQ+ Pride Month is a time to celebrate the progress and the strength of the LGBTQ+ community, it is also a great opportunity for reflection on how we can better support and uplift our LGBTQ+ staff and students.

For more information on recognitions throughout the year please check out this link from pta.org.

Congrats to Snohomish High School sports medicine students who took 1st place at the 18th Annual Wesco Sports Medicine Competition! Students who participated in the annual event were Sidney Brandvold, Maile DeVine, Adison Blaisdell, Aubrey McLaughlin, and Kelly Lachapelle. Teacher Sara Larson is the school's sports medicine advisor.

Congrats to Snohomish High School student McKaye Morrill who was recognized with the Washington State School Directors' Association Award for her photograph “Janitor." Learn more about the artist, this piece, and the selection process at minute 28:30 in this video. We appreciate this amazing student photographer and her recognition of the work of custodians!

The mission of the Puget Sound Junior Livestock Show, in harmony with the students and communities, is to empower youth to be positive contributors to society and the livestock and agriculture industries. Last weekend, Glacier Peak High School (GPHS) had five students participate in this final show of the school year:

• Dylan Hereth - Won overall Grand Champion in a grouping of three meat birds
  

• Logan Hereth - Won overall Reserve Champion in a grouping of three meat birds
• Ava Thomas - Won a blue ribbon in a grouping of three meat birds
• Amber Perkins - Won a blue ribbon in a grouping of three meat birds and was named Showmanship Champion
• Mara Lauzenhauzer - Won Reserve Champion in meat rabbits and Grand Champion Showmanship for rabbits

Teacher Alisa Ashmon is GPHS FFA advisor.

Thank you, Snohomish Education Foundation (SEF)! The SEF recently donated $70,000 to the district’s summer programming including the elementary Summer Academy, Book Café and summer literacy programs, secondary summer school programs, and more. This gift was made possible through generous community donations to the SEF though the SEF Annual Auction and their other fundraising campaigns.

Since 1986, the SEF has funded and managed more than $3 million in scholarships to graduating high school seniors, funded more than $1.1 million in classroom grants to teachers and staff, and financially supported nearly $650,000 in Snohomish School District K-12 programs. To learn more about the SEF, visit www.snoed.org.

Kids' Café - All area children aged 18 and younger are invited to join the Snohomish School District for its Kids' Café summer breakfast and lunch program. The program is free, and there is no pre-registration or sign-up. Any area child is encouraged to participate and enjoy a healthy breakfast and/or lunch.

Kids' Café will be held Mondays through Fridays and runs from Thursday, June 20, through Friday, August 30. (There is no service on Thursday, July 4.) Meals will be offered at the following times and locations:

• Valley View Middle School (14308 Broadway Avenue SE in Snohomish)
  • Breakfast - 8:30-9 a.m.
  • Lunch – Noon -12:30 p.m.
• Three Rivers Mobile Home Park (13201 Elliott Road in Snohomish)
  • Lunch - 11-11:15 a.m.
• Circle H Mobile Home Park (6413 123rd Avenue SE in Snohomish)
  • Lunch - 11:45 a.m.-noon
• Snohomish Library (311 Maple Avenue in Snohomish)
  • Breakfast - 8:30-9 a.m.
  • Lunch – 12:15-1 p.m.

About the program:

• Children will need to consume all meals on site. Children cannot take food away from the service site.
• Children must be present to get a meal. Children will not be permitted to take food for siblings at home.
• Children may only receive a single breakfast and lunch per child, per day.
• Parent/guardian pick up of meals is not allowed.
• Mealtimes (breakfast and lunch) are stand alone, and meals can only be served at the predetermined times. Breakfast and lunch cannot be served together.
• The Snohomish School District’s food service provider is Chartwells Food Service/Compass Group.

State of Washington summer meal site finder

• Summer meal site finder by phone: 1-866-3-HUNGRY (1-866-348-6479) or text “Food” to 304-304
• Summer meal site finder by website: https://www.fns.usda.gov/meals4kids.
• Summer meal site finder by phone (Spanish) : 1-877-8-HAMBRE (1-877-842-6273) or text "Comida" to 304-304

Learn more about the Snohomish School District Kids’ Café summer breakfast and lunch program at www.sno.wednet.edu/kidscafe.

School library information - The following elementary school libraries will be open every Wednesday (July 3 through August 21) from 9-11 a.m.:

• Cascade View Elementary (2401 Park Avenue in Snohomish)
• Cathcart Elementary (8201 188th Street SE in Snohomish)
• Central Emerson Elementary (1103 Pine Avenue in Snohomish)
• Dutch Hill Elementary (8231 131st Avenue SE in Snohomish)
• Little Cedars Elementary (7408 144th Place SE in Snohomish)
• Machias Elementary (231 147th Avenue SE in Snohomish)
• Riverview Elementary (7322 64th Street SE in Snohomish)
• Seattle Hill Elementary (12711 51st Avenue SE in Everett)
• Totem Falls Elementary (14211 Sno-Cascade Drive in Snohomish)

A Snohomish School District staff member is available at each location to greet students and their families and to check out books. Students must be accompanied by an adult. All students are welcome at any location, including entering kindergartners.

Book Cafe - Keep a lookout for the Book Café in a neighborhood near you! The Book Café will deliver free books for students to read throughout the summer. Watch for the Book Café vehicle on Tuesdays and Thursdays (July 9 - August 15) at the following locations:

• Three Rivers Mobile Home Park (13201 Elliott Road in Snohomish)
  • Tuesdays at 11:15 a.m.
• Snohomish Boys & Girls Club (402 2nd Street in Snohomish)
  • Tuesdays at noon
• Plantation Mobile Home Park (9425 56th Street SE in Snohomish)
  • Thursdays at 11 a.m.
• Snohomish Mobile Home Park (1330 Avenue D in Snohomish)
  • Thursdays at 11:30 a.m.
• Circle H Mobile Home Park (6413 123rd Avenue SE in Snohomish)
  • Thursdays at 12:30 p.m.

Learn more about the Snohomish School District Book Café and summer literacy opportunities at www.sno.wednet.edu/bookcafe.

Since 2010, hundreds of dedicated volunteers have joined us in our effort to feed children and families from our community through our Kids’ Café summer meal program. Two to four volunteers are needed each Monday through Friday from 8 a.m.-1:30 p.m. throughout the summer. To learn more and sign up for Kids’ Café summer volunteer opportunities, please click here.

New for summer 2024 – Due to volunteer oversight and the number of individuals who would like to volunteer with Kids' Café this summer, please sign up for a maximum of two (2) volunteer spots per individual, per summer. All volunteers must be 15 years old or older.

All students entering 7th grade must have a Tdap shot before they can start school in September 2024.

For students in 7th grade, the Tdap vaccine must be given at or after age 10 to be accepted for school entry. If your child is in 6th grade and already received this booster, their immunizations are complete. The middle school nurse may need medical verification when this vaccine was given. If your child receives this booster over the summer, please bring the record to the nurse at registration in August 2024. It is good to keep a copy of immunizations for your records.

Please note, the Tdap shot is different from the Td shot. If your child receives the Td shot, that vaccination is not in compliance with Washington immunization requirements, and they will need to receive the Tdap shot, as well, before the first day of school.

• Please click here for additional information about state vaccine requirements.

• For an interactive Washington State Department of Health map of facilities enrolled in the State Childhood and Adult Vaccine Program, please click here.
  

• Please click here to access the Washington State Department of Health Personal/Religious Certificate of Exemption.

Please remember, these immunizations are not just a good idea – they are required by Washington state law for school attendance.

Make sure your child's immunizations are up to date! It is important to make sure your child goes to their regularly scheduled wellness appointments, which often include immunizations. The summer months are a great time to get your child caught up with immunization requirements before the 2024-2025 school year. Schedule your appointments early, as health care providers’ schedules quickly fill up in August and September. Make sure to turn in your updated immunization paperwork to the school health room/nurse by the first day of school on Wednesday, September 6.

This reminder is especially important if your child is transitioning to preschool, kindergarten, or 7th grade, as each of these grades has additional immunization requirements. Please click here for additional information about state vaccine requirements.

For an interactive Washington State Department of Health map of facilities enrolled in the State Childhood and Adult Vaccine Program, please click here.

Every student enrolled/registered in school or childcare in the state of Washington must have medically verified up-to-date immunization records on file with the school in which they are enrolled/registering before the first day of school, 2023-2024. Medically verified immunization records include one or more of the following:

• A Certificate of Immunization Status (CIS) printed from the Immunization Information System (IIS)
• A physical copy of the CIS form with a healthcare provider signature
• A physical copy of the CIS form with accompanying medical immunization records from a healthcare provider verified and signed by school staff
• A CIS printed from MyIR at https://myirmobile.com/signin/.

2023-2024 school year

• Monday, June 17 - Last day of school (student half day)
• Wednesday, June 19 - Juneteenth (no school/school and buildings closed)

2024-2025 school year

Below are some important dates for the 2024-2025 school year. Additional dates will be available this summer.

• Wednesday, September 4 - First day of school
• Monday, November 11 - Veterans Day (no school)
• Wednesday, November 27 - Half-day early release
• Thursday, November 28-Friday, November 29 - Thanksgiving Break (no school)
• Friday, December 20 - Half-day early release
• Monday, December 23-Friday, January 3 - Winter Break (no school)
• Monday, January 20 - MLK Jr. Day (no school)
• Monday, April 7-Friday, April 11 - Spring Break (no school)
• Monday, May 26 - Memorial Day (no school)

• Snohomish Community Resources
• 2024 Kids Café and Summer Literacy

• Boeing Manufacturing Summer Internships Summer 2024
  
• Camp BioMed - July 8-August 16
  
• Camp Erin Bereavement Camp - Summer 2024
  
• Campfire of Snohomish County
  
• Central Emerson Elementary PTA Car Show - June 8
  
• Creation Camp VBS - July 22-26
  
• Environmental Careers Preparedness Summer Scholars Program - July 1-31
  
• Everett Rowing Association Summer Registration
  
• Evergreen Recovery Centers - Youth Detox
  
• Girl Scouts Recruitment and Volunteers
  
• Glacier Peak Girls Basketball Kids Camp - June 24 and June 25
  
• Glacier Peak Junior Cheer Registration - Now Open
  
• Grand Slam Summer Baseball Camps
  
• Grizzly Youth Soccer Camp - June 18-19
  
• Grizzly Volleyball Youth Skills Camp - June 17-19
  
• Heavy Metal Summer Experience
  
• Honoring Black and African American Academic Graduates - Nubian Jam - July 27
  
• Kids Vendor Day 2023 Snohomish Farmers Market
  
• LEAP for Animals Program Participation
  
• Marine Science Club at the Seattle Aquarium
  
• Materials Camp at University of Washington - July 8-13
  
• Nike Youth Soccer Camps
  
• Nubian Jam - July 27
  
• Panther Youth Volleyball Camp - June 25 and June 26
  
• Reflections School of Dance 2024-2025
  
• Schack Summer Youth Art Camps
  
• Seattle University Summer Reading Skills Program
  
• Sky Club for Kids Soccer Classes
  
• Snohomish Block Party - Young Adult Battle of the Bands - June 22
  
• Snohomish High School Kids Tennis Camp - June 3-5
  
• Snohomish High School Youth Basketball Camp - June 18-21
  
• Snohomish Jr. Cheer Sideline Cheer Registration
  
• Snohomish Sky Soccer Camps
  
• Social Skills Group for Neurodivergent Teens - June 26-August 14
  
• Taekwondo for Kids - June 2024
  
• Technovation Summer Day Camp Campfire
  
• TOPSoccer Community Service Opportunities
  
• UW Nurse Camp 2024 - July 15-19
  
• YMCA Overnight Camp - July and August 2024
  

Fliers are typically posted on Tuesdays during the months of August through June. For additional flier program details and/or to complete a request for distribution, please click here.

• Snohomish School District
• Website - www.sno.wednet.edu
• Phone - 360-563-7300
• AIM High School
• Website – www.sno.wednet.edu/aim
• Phone - 360-563-3400
• Glacier Peak High School
• Website - www.sno.wednet.edu/gphs
• Phone - 360-563-7500
• Snohomish High School
• Website - www.sno.wednet.edu/shs
• Phone - 360-563-4000
• Centennial Middle School
• Website - www.sno.wednet.edu/cms
• Phone - 360-563-4525
• Valley View Middle School
• Website - www.sno.wednet.edu/vvms
• Phone - 360-563-4225
• Cascade View Elementary
• Website - www.sno.wednet.edu/cascadeview
• Phone - 360-563-7000
• Cathcart Elementary
• Website - www.sno.wednet.edu/cathcart
• Phone - 360-563-7075
• Central Emerson Elementary (Central Campus)
• Website - www.sno.wednet.edu/centralemerson
• Phone - 360-563-4600
• Central Emerson Elementary (Emerson Campus)
  
• Website - www.sno.wednet.edu/centralemerson
• Phone - 360-563-7150
• Dutch Hill Elementary
• Website - www.sno.wednet.edu/dutchhill
• Phone - 360-563-4450
• Little Cedars Elementary
• Website - www.sno.wednet.edu/littlecedars
• Phone - 360-563-2900
• Machias Elementary
• Website - www.sno.wednet.edu/machias
• Phone - 360-563-4825
• Riverview Elementary
• Website - www.sno.wednet.edu/riverview
• Phone - 360-563-4375
• Seattle Hill Elementary
• Website - www.sno.wednet.edu/seattlehill
• Phone - 360-563-4675
• Totem Falls Elementary
• Website - www.sno.wednet.edu/totemfalls
• Phone - 360-563-4750
• Parent Partnership Program
• Website – www.sno.wednet.edu/ppp
• Phone - 360-563-3423
• ECEAP
• Website – www.sno.wednet.edu/eceap
• Phone – 360-563-4641
• Snohomish Aquatic Center
• Website - www.snohomishaquatic.com
• Phone - 360-563-8030