Edmonds eLearning Academy

Friday, October 18: No School (Teacher Workday)

Welcome to October!

Hopefully this message finds you well underway with your courses for the 2024-2025 school year. It’s been an exciting start to the school year for eLearning. Our new Credit Recovery program has been launched and we are starting to settle into our new space. We hope that you will make it in to visit us soon. This month we are focusing on introducing you to our full staff (see the staff bios below) so I will keep my message short. Keep up the good work on your classes and make sure you are making weekly contact! We love being able to support you in all your academic endeavors.

• Spend about one hour per school day per course working towards success.
• Have an academic exchange with your teachers once a week. (Weekly Contact)
• Reach out to our staff as soon as you need help.

We encourage you to fill out the 2024-2025 Free and Reduced Meals Application if you haven't already done so. By completing this application, your family may qualify for fee waivers, but to ensure the fee waiver is applied, you must also consent to share your information by selecting "Consent to Share" on the form.

If you didn't consent when initially filling out the form, you can complete the "Consent to Share" form online, available in Skyward Family Access. This step is crucial, as it enables us to waive fees such as ASB, academic, parking, and graduation fees. Once you submit the consent form, the Food & Nutrition Services Department will review and process it, and applicable fees will be automatically waived the following day.

Thank you for helping us ensure your student receives the benefits they are eligible for!

Registration for World Language Proficiency Testing is now open for all Edmonds SD students in grades 9-12. Through this testing, students who are able to read, write, speak, and listen in a language other than English have the opportunity to earn up to four credits for demonstrating proficiency in that language. For students taking a language test for the first time, the testing is free.

World Language Proficiency Testing 2024-25 School Testing Dates and Locations:

Lynnwood HS: Monday, December 16 Tuesday, December 17 @ 7:20 am

Meadowdale HS: Wednesday, January 8 & Thursday, January 9 @ 7:20 am

Mountlake Terrace HS: Wednesday, January 15 & Thursday, January 16 @ 7:20 am

Edmonds Woodway HS: Wednesday, February 5 & Thursday, February 6 @ 7:20 am

Scriber Lake HS, Edmonds Heights & eLearning: Week of February 10th - 13th (specific days to be determined)

To register for testing use this link: http://bit.ly/WLtesting2024-25

For more information about testing, visit the World Language Proficiency Credits Website at https://bit.ly/WLregInfo.

Please Note:

• Registration closes at 4:00 pm on November 15th, 2024.

• The district will not be providing World Language testing during the spring and will only provide the testing on those dates listed above.
• Students will only be able to register with their district Gmail account.

2025-26 FAFSA/WASFA applications open on December 1, 2024!

The Office of Federal Student Aid (FSA) announced that the 2025-26 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) will open on December 1, 2024. This delay will allow for the 2025-26 FAFSA to be tested by select users beginning October 1, ensuring the application will be fully functional by December 1. FSA will release more information soon about how this testing period will work. The WASFA will follow a similar timeline regarding its opening.

During the delay, students and parents can still take their first step to filing a FASFA by creating their FSA ID. The 12th Year Campaign will be hosting virtual financial aid nights where students and parents can receive support creating their FSA ID. These free events will be held in English and Spanish and are open to all students.

Seniors - CLICK HERE to see your Senior Checklist and Commencement Timeline for 2025! This guide is designed to help you navigate your final year of high school with confidence. You’ll find essential tasks, important dates, and helpful resources to ensure you're prepared for graduation and your next steps after high school. Stay organized, stay on track, and get ready to celebrate your achievements!

October Highlight: Book your senior meeting with your counselor

This meeting is done once during your senior year, typically right at the beginning. For EeLA students, book a meeting with Jamie Regis and for Graduation Alliance students, book a meeting with Katie McCain. Also, keep an eye on your Graduation Plan (emailed to you from your counselor) for regular updates and courses still required.

Our new address is 23200 100th Ave W, Edmonds, WA 98020. You can now find us on Google Maps, just put in Edmonds eLearning Academy. We are located on the Former Woodway Campus - Building B on the back side of the campus by the tennis courts. Look for our banner above the main office door.

Thank you for your understanding and support during this time of change. We look forward to seeing you at our new location!

Our on-campus support classroom is open Monday through Thursday from 11:00-4:00. Students can drop-in at any time to ask questions, get one-on-one help from teachers, or just have a quiet place to work.

The CRC will follow district holiday and half-day schedules.

Prefer to meet virtually? You can also access academic support on Zoom. Drop in anytime between 11:00-4:00, Monday through Thursday.

Links to virtual support sessions can be found on our school's Google Calendar, which will be included in students' welcome emails from their teachers or accessed through the student's Maestro dashboard.

Did you know that you can drop into the eLearning Writing Center to get help with your essays or other writing assignments? You can also submit drafts to get teacher feedback before turning in your final draft! Take advantage of this great, free resource every Monday through Thursday from 11:00-4:00.

https://sites.google.com/edmonds.wednet.edu/elearningwritingcenter/home

Parents and Guardians, if you would like access to see your student's progress in their classes, please reach out to anyone on our team (teacher or office staff) and ask to have your parent portal set up. For more information, you can check out this video tutorial from our science teacher, Terence.

Students will continue to use the Chromebook issued to them. If you are a new student or need to replace your Chromebook, please reach out to our office team at 425-431-7298.

Our goal at Edmonds eLearning Academy is to partner with families to ensure that students are meeting their attendance requirements. One of the most powerful ways to prepare a student for success in life is through regular school attendance.

How do we take attendance at EeLA?

Attendance is monitored through weekly contact. Our weeks start on Sunday and end Saturday at midnight. To be marked present, students are required to make two-way academic contact with at least one teacher, one time per week. Academic progress in classes is not the same as weekly contact, and parent/guardian contact does not count towards weekly contact.

Examples of weekly contact include but are not limited to:

• A student discussing feedback with their teacher to improve a writing assignment or a student meeting with their teacher in a Zoom session to gain a greater understanding of mathematical concepts.

• A student messaging their teachers through Edgenuity to discuss their goals for the week in their EeLA class(es).

• A student/teacher phone call to check in about progress, goals, or any questions the student has.

If a student has valid justification for missing weekly contact, as defined by the Edmonds School Board, a guardian must contact the attendance office within two school days, and provide valid justification and documentation to excuse the missed contact. The attendance office phone number is 425-431-3908. Alternatively, guardians can complete the Absence Excuse Form.

Attendance is a mandatory requirement and must be fulfilled as part of your student’s enrollment at EeLA. Consequences for missed weekly contact without valid justification are as follows:

• One week of missed contact - Student and guardian are notified of an unexcused absence by email address on file.

• Two consecutive or three cumulative weeks - A mandatory student and parent conference will be scheduled by email. The student’s needs will be evaluated and a written improvement plan will be established.

• Four cumulative missed contacts: A letter will be mailed home informing parents/guardians that the student is at-risk of a truancy referral.

• Five consecutive or six cumulative weeks - EeLA is required to refer the student and parent for truancy as stated in WAC 392-550-040.

I’m Ann Christianson, and am overjoyed to join the team as the new English teacher. I have been searching for an inclusive school and feel incredibly lucky to have found Edmonds eLearning Academy. I’ve been a teacher for 20 years both in small K-8 and big school settings. I love getting to know and partnering with my students. I’m married and we have four adult children, two live locally in Seattle, one is in LA (California) and the other is in Maine. Spending time with them is the best. My free-time “favorites” include being outside hiking, walking, being in or near water (ocean, lake, pool) as well as immersing myself in stories – books, movies, plays, documentaries, podcasts, etc. I’m excited to get to know each of you.

Hi, I'm Becki, one of the English/electives teachers at eLearning! I have a BA in Communications from UC Davis, a Masters in Teaching from UW, and a Masters in English from WWU. I love talking about books! I live with my husband and our furry kiddos (a dog and cat) in Lynnwood. My biggest passion is traveling and I do it every chance I get. I've visited 36 countries so far! Other hobbies are cooking, reading, and playing board games.

Hi! I'm the Student/Family Resource Advocate at eLearning and Scriber. I graduated from the University of South Dakota in 2011 and have been working with kids and families ever since. I have a chow chow that I love to take on walks and hikes.

Hi, my name is Chuck Gonwa and I teach social studies and a few different electives at eLearning. I've been a teacher since 2004, when I started at Meadowdale Middle School. I enjoy reading, movies, and hanging with my dog Dougie. I play bass guitar and try to go to see as much live music as possible.

Hey there! I'm Daniel Rivera-Flores, and I've been working in education for 23 years. I earned my Bachelor's degree in Adaptive and Elementary Physical Education from the University of Puerto Rico and later completed my Master's degree in Teaching. I'm from Vega Baja, Puerto Rico, I've been happily calling Washington home for the past five years. Right now, I'm teaching Spanish, Health, and Physical Education at Edmonds eLearning and College Place Middle School.

Hi! I am the Digital Learning Coach for EeLA and LHS. I support teachers in using the Tech Levy Funded tools such as Canvas, the Google Suite, WeVideo, and more. Prior to this role, I taught High School Math and English. I am also the parent of an ESD 6th grader.

Hello, My name is Deb Eckerlin and I am the school nurse for EeLA this school year. Students and staff may call me "Nurse Deb." I started my school nurse career in the Shoreline School District in the 1990s and began in the Edmonds School District in 2021. I have enjoyed supporting students, parents, and staff in many different educational settings over the years. Please feel free to reach out to me if you have any school-related health questions or concerns that I can help with this school year. In my free time, I enjoy trekking with my Australian Shepherd. The Woodway Campus is one of our favorites during the summer!

Hi, I'm the new eLearning Registrar. I have two degrees from the University of Washington and have worked in schools for over 15 years. My family and I like to watch bugs, hang out in gardens, find fun animals at the beach, make art, and go to Reign, Storm, and Sounders games. I have ridden a camel, held hands with an octopus, kayaked in sea caves, and I recently started playing in a steel drum band.

Hi, my name is Jamie Regis, and I am one of the eLearning counselors, currently assigned to students in 9th, 11th, and 12th grade students. I have a Bachelor's in Psychology from the University of Washington Seattle, and a Master's in Guidance and counseling from CityU Seattle. Watch out, if you don't pick your own electives I will likely put you into a psychology class because they are my favorite!🤣 I have been with EeLA since the 2012-2013 school year. I have two kiddos who attend schools in the district as well. I love to spend time camping, hanging out in the pool, and planting flowers in my yard, but definitely not weeding it. I look forward to working with you this year!

Hello! I'm Jay Kirk and I've been an English teacher at eLearning since 2017. Before that, I taught at Edmonds Woodway High School, Mountlake Terrace High School, and an international school in Bangkok, Thailand. I went to school at the University of Oregon (Go Ducks!) for my undergraduate degree and Antioch University for my Masters in Education. When I'm not teaching, I like to play guitar, build guitars, play soccer, read, cook, and spend time with my family.

Hey there, I'm Jeff Brender, and I'm a graduate of Mountlake Terrace High School and UW! This is my 20th year of full-time teaching in ESD, and I was a substitute before that. I love hiking, camping, fishing, biking, cooking, and reading. I have two cats and a dog and I live on an island. If you can guess which one, I'll give you a prize.

My name is Katie Coffman, and I’ll be the counseling intern this year, with Jamie as my mentor. My primary student group will be 9th grade. I’ve been the Office Manager for Edmonds eLearning Academy for four years. Prior to that, I worked as an event manager and stage manager. I love spending time in my garden, going to the Seahawks games, and traveling with my two kids who will be in 8th and 10th grade this year. Feel free to reach out if I can help answer any questions!

Hi! My name is Katie McCain, and I am one of the eLearning counselors, currently assigned to 7th, 8th, 10th, and full-time Graduation Alliance students. This is my second year EeLA and my 14th as a school counselor. I love to garden, take long walks, spend time with my family and friends, and watch my kids play their various sports. My kids are in 5th and 8th grade this year and keep my husband and I busy! Looking forward to working with you this year, please don’t hesitate to reach out with any questions!

Hello Awesome eLearning Students and Families, I am Kim Hunter, your principal. This is my 20th year in Edmonds School District and my professional career. I spent 10 years teaching math at Brier Terrace Middle School, 2 years as the district math content lead, and 5 years as the director of secondary education before joining eLearning. This is my third year as principal and I love my job. I went to St. Olaf College in Minnesota for my Bachelors in Mathematics then to Seattle University for my Masters in Educational Administration. I live in Everett with my dog, Korben Dallas, who likes to take me out in the yard to play and on trips to the dog park. When I have the time, I like to cook, sew, travel, and see my family. My greatest joy in my career is when I get to work with a student or family to help them find a path to graduation that fits their way of learning.

Hello!! I am the new math teacher here at eLearning. I have taught math at Lynnwood HS and Alderwood MS. I have also worked in the Lake Stevens and Marysville school districts. I grew up in Texas. I attended the University of Texas and marched as part of the Longhorn Band! I have degrees from Univ of Texas, Univ of Washington, and Western Washington University. So wouldn't you know, my son is a Coug at Washington State University. I foster cats and kittens, like to sew, and plant things in my yard. I am super excited to be here at eLearning and love answering student questions.

Hi, I'm Leslie, one of the math teachers at eLearning. I'm originally from Minnesota but moved to Washington for college. I earned my BA in Mathmatics and a Masters in Teaching at the University of Washington Seattle. I live in North Lynnwood with my husband, 2 kids (daughter 11 yrs old and son 8 yrs old), and our furry baby (dog 3 yrs old). Our family loves spending time outside together, especially camping. This past summer we really got into paddle boarding. It's always fun to watch my kids learn a new skill. I enjoy spending time with friends and family, eating good food, gardening, and reading/listening to audiobooks.

My name is Lynne Behrendt. I am proud to say this is my 40th year in education! I have filled a variety of roles at almost every level from 1st-12th+ grades in both Wisconsin and Washington. Currently, I am a Learning Support Teacher here at eLearning half-time. I also teach part-time at Edmonds Heights this year. I enjoy spending time with my family and friends, traveling, and reading. I love working at this school and appreciate the staff and community very much.

I'm the school psychologist at eLearning. I have worked at eLearning in small amounts before but this year will be the largest capacity yet. I like to walk my dog and cat, thrift, take cold plunges in the sound, paint, and I LOVE live music.

Hello! My name is Penny Lefavour. I have worked as a teacher/principal for the past 37 years. I have been at eLearning for the last 4 of those. I love working with high school students! I have degrees from Monmouth College, National Louis University, and the University of Washington. When I'm not at school, I enjoy jigsaw puzzles, gardening, and volunteering.

I'm Soraya Al-Khoury and this is my 12th year teaching Social Studies at eLearning! I have a Bachelor's degree in History and Near Eastern Civilizations and a Master's degree in Education both from the University of Washington. I'm married and live in Lynnwood with my husband and my almost two-year-old daughter. We're currently expecting a second baby in December and are very excited for her arrival! In my free time, I love spending time with my extended family, cooking, taking my daughter to new places, and crafting of every kind!

Hi. I'm Saundra (Whittemore). My pronouns are she/her/hers. I'm lucky to work in our office and enjoy it when you have questions (they help me learn). Please feel comfortable to ask your questions by phone or email. I first moved to Seattle to live aboard a wooden boat and enjoy music, water sports, family (3 kids) friends, dogs, cats, bird watching, and reading. I don't just love reading because we're supposed to say that as educators -- I really LOVE how books can transport me to anywhere in time and space. As a kid, we moved a lot, and books were always there to transport me to any time and space desired.

Hi, my name is Shirley Rogers and I am the Alternative Learning Experience Coordinator at eLearning. Along with tracking our ALE state-level requirements, I also wear a few other hats here and do a lot of behind-the-scenes work. This is my 9th year at eLearning and I absolutely love our environment and working with students who want something a little different than the traditional classroom experience. My background: I earned a BA in English Language Arts and a teaching certificate from Western Washington University, followed by a Master of Education from George Washington University. When I’m not at eLearning, I enjoy spending time with my family, hiking, camping, reading, listening to audiobooks, watching movies, cooking, and going on new adventures to new places. I look forward to talking with you this year!

Howdy, my name is Terence Thomas. I teach Science, History, and a few different electives at EeLA. I grew up in various rural small towns across southern Idaho and Oregon. In those small towns, my mom was the high school librarian, and my dad was the high school History/PE/Weights teacher and head football coach. Most of my time as a kid was spent riding bikes, fishing, hunting, swimming, and hanging out around the weight room and football practice with my dad. As I got older I started getting recruited to play D1 football as an offensive tackle. I never liked practicing in 100 F+ weather, and I like trees, so UW is where I landed. While at UW I played football as a right offensive tackle, had a few injuries, and finished out my undergrad with a degree in Environmental Science and Resource Management with a focus on Wildlife Conservation. I was vice president of WSAAC, Washington Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, and I also earned an environmental stewardship award for managing the recycling of thousands of tennis balls from the UW tennis team that went on to be used at Fort Lewis to help train special forces dogs (mainly German Sheppards). I received my Masters in Teaching Science from WGU and immediately joined Edmonds eLearning Academy after finishing my graduate degree. This is my 7th year with EeLA.

Hi, I'm Tony, one of the Learning Support teachers at eLearning. I've been teaching at eLearning for almost ten years and look forward to working with you. I enjoy time with friends and family, sports, music, movies, and travel.

Greetings! I am Trinity Meriwood, the CTE, electives, and sometimes PE teacher! My education includes Seattle University (where I played 3 sports) and Central Washington University (where I played rugby). I have been teaching for almost 20 years! I have been with eLearning since 2017, and I am also at Scriber. In my spare time, I really enjoy music, traveling, and going to Sounders, Reign, Seawolves, and Storm games.

Email: coffmank965@edmonds.wednet.edu
Website: https://eela.edmonds.wednet.edu/
Location: 23200 100th Ave W, Edmonds, WA 98020
Phone: 425-431-7298