Spartan Update

Monday 11/25 Schedule B

Tuesday 11/26 Early Release (see schedule below)

Wednesday 11/27 NO SCHOOL

Thursday 11/28 NO SCHOOL

Friday 11/29 NO SCHOOL

Photo by Jaide Davila

Photo by Nova Fuge

Photo by Jaide Davila

Photo by Jaide Davila

Photo by Jaide Davila

The colors of Cap, Gown and Stole have changed this year. Students will not be able to reuse a cap or gown from previous years.

It doesn’t take a winter snow storm to impact school operations. Some fall weather conditions, such as wind storms, have the potential to require implementation of our inclement weather procedures.

Here are reminders to help you prepare for possible changes to bus and school operations due to inclement weather:

• Refer to inclement weather procedures for an outline of what to expect regarding communications and operations.

• For safety reasons, there may be a need to offer limited transportation and use inclement weather bus routes. This means buses will generally run on main roads rather than side streets or through neighborhoods.

  • We use “zones” to define inclement weather bus routes. Please become familiar with the zone your child’s bus route falls within. It is the responsibility of families to know if they live on an inclement weather route.

  • Bus drivers will hand out hard copies with the inclement weather bus zone specific to your child in early December. For questions, please call the Transportation Department at (253) 891-6400.

• Follow us on social media for updates: Facebook, @SumnerSchoolDistrict and Instagram, @SumnerBonneyLakeSD.

It’s important to keep in mind that while streets might be clear in the Sumner valley, that’s often not the case on the hill in Bonney Lake, where there’s considerable elevation and tight, winding roads.

We’re excited to invite you to the V.I.B.E.S. Conference - Visionaries Inspiring Black Empowered Students - at Washington State University! This annual conference is a three-day, two-night event designed to inspire and empower Black students, focusing on leadership development and higher education.

Event Details

• Dates: February 7-9, 2025
• Location: WSU Pullman Campus
• Student Application: Opens November 1, 2024
• Application Deadline: January 17, 2025 by 11:59 PM
• Transportation: Provided via charter buses from multiple locations across Washington state.
• Cost: $50 (covers transportation, lodging, meals, and conference materials; please note that fee waivers are limited and available upon request)

The conference is primarily for juniors and seniors from African-American backgrounds, but we welcome applications from students of all identities and grade levels.

Student attendees will engage in workshops, team-building activities, and discussions on college prep, personal growth, and community challenges.

Leading up to the conference we are hosting informational webinars for counselors. Please sign up for one of the following webinars to learn more about the V.I.B.E.S. conference.

• Webinar #1: 3 - 4 p.m., Thurs., Nov. 7
• Webinar #2: 12 - 1 p.m., Weds., Nov. 13
• Webinar #3:12 - 1 p.m., Tues., Dec. 17
• Webinar #4: 12 - 1 p.m., Fri., Jan. 17

We hope your students take advantage of this opportunity. For questions, contact us at si.vibes@wsu.edu or our advisor, Josue Zuniga at josue.zuniga@wsu.edu.

It is that time of the year again! The SBLSD STEM Fair is on February 22nd, 2025, and as in past years, we are encouraging students to participate in the event through the poster contest. Key elements of the contest are as follows:

• All students grades K-12 are encouraged to enter.

• The winning design will be featured in STEM Fair promotional materials, and will receive special recognition at the event.

• Entries may be hand drawn, or electronic.

• All entries will be judged equally, regardless of age/grade.

• Entries can be submitted to Jeremy Martin at jeremy_martin@sumnersd.org, or mailed through district mail to Jeremy Martin at District Office.

• The deadline for submission is Friday, November 29th.

Here is some information that can be shared with your buildings, added to family newsletters, or otherwise communicated to people in your networks:

STEM Fair Poster Contest Communication

STEM Fair Contest Entry Template

We value every student’s contribution to our school community and miss them when they are gone. Regular, daily attendance is one of the most important things a student can do to be successful in all grade levels.

Please remember…

• All absences (excused and unexcused) have the potential of harming students academically.

• Students who miss 10 percent (18 days) of the school year, or two or more days a month, are defined as being chronically absent.

• By 6th grade, absenteeism is one of three signs that a student may drop out of high school.

• By 9th grade, regular and high attendance is a better predictor of graduation rates than 8th grade test scores.

• It takes an average of 3 days for a student to catch up from every 1 day of being absent.

• Missing 3 or more days of school per month can set a student back up to 2 full years of learning.

Assess Your Student’s Attendance

Take an assessment of where your student is a quarter of the way through the school year and learn what you can do to help.

• The Satisfactory Zone (0-3 absences): Your child has good attendance. Celebrate and make a goal with your child to have even better attendance.

• The Warning Zone (4-6 absences): Your child’s learning may be affected. Pay special attention to make sure your child is keeping up with school work and support strong attendance in the future.

• The Danger Zone (7-9 or more absences): There is a good chance your child has fallen behind academically. Develop a plan with your child’s school to help your child get to school on time and attend regularly.

Good attendance matters

• Chronic absence (missing 10 percent of the school year or more) does not just affect the students who miss school. If too many students are chronically absent, it slows down instruction for other students, who must wait while the teacher repeats material for absentee students. This makes it harder for students to learn and teachers to teach.

• Good attendance helps children do well in school and eventually in the workplace. Good attendance matters for school success, starting as early as prekindergarten and throughout elementary school. By middle and high school, poor attendance is a leading indicator of dropout. Developing the habit of attendance prepares students for success on the job and in life.

Washington State law requires that every student receives HIV/AIDs prevention education in grades 5 through 12. Because this unit covers sensitive topics, Washington State law and SBLSD board policy require that parents are provided the opportunity to preview these lessons.

The Sumner-Bonney Lake School District (SBLSD) is hosting a curriculum night for families to preview the HIV/AIDS prevention curriculum for students enrolled in the following:

• 2nd semester 8th grade Skills for Life (HIV/AIDS) and

• 9th grade Health classes (Health content).

The Curriculum will be available for preview. This is an opportunity for parents and guardians to understand the health content for students currently enrolled in 8th grade Skills for Life or 9th grade Health classes, preview teaching materials and ask questions about the resources used in the classroom.

Parent Review Night

December 10, 2024 4:30-6:00 p.m.

Sumner-Bonney Lake School District Administration Building, Board Room

Parents wishing to exclude their child from the Sexual Health curriculum required by our state must preview this curriculum and sign an exclusion form.

Additionally, there will be another opportunity in the spring for families of 6th-12th graders who will study this Health-related content during 2nd semester.

The Sumner-Bonney Lake School District does not discriminate on the basis of sex, race, creed, religion, color, national origin, age, honorably discharged veteran or military status, sexual orientation including gender expression or identity, the presence of any sensory, mental, or physical disability, or the use of a trained dog guide or service animal by a person with a disability in its programs and activities and provides equal access to the Boy Scouts of America and other designated youth groups. The following employees are designated to handle questions and complaints of alleged discrimination: Title IX/Civil Rights Compliance Coordinator Adrienne Chacon (253) 891-6033, ADA Coordinator Diana Thomas (253) 891-6033, Section 504 Coordinator Karen Finigan (253) 891-6040. Address: 1202 Wood Ave, Sumner, WA 98390.