Evergreen Middle School
December 06, 2024
Message from Principal Collins
Hello Evergreen Families,
Our second sports season has begun. Our girls’ basketball team had their first game, and both varsity and junior varsity were victorious. What a great way to start the season. This coming week wrestling will have their first match and basketball will continue to play. All are invited to come out and cheer our Grizzly Athletes on. Thank you to the staff and parents who came to our Portrait of a Graduate. Dr. Pfeiffer welcomed families and other stakeholders to the start of the Portrait of a Graduate event. Our presenter from Battelle for Kids spoke on setting a road map to graduation. Our goal is to create a collective vision that articulates our community’s aspirations for all of our students.
As we begin December, I look back and think how quickly this school year has gone so far. Throughout these first few months, I thank each and every one of you for your patience and support. I truly love the wonderful families and community that we have at EVG. What a great time of the year! It is exciting to see the joy in the faces of our middle school students during the holiday season. Due to the busy nature of the season, sometimes schedules and added responsibilities can cause stress. Concerts, parties, family visits, and so many other events seem to be packed into a limited amount of time. Scheduling becomes an issue and we always seem to be looking for ways to complete our to-do list. I want to thank you for your commitment to sending your children to Evergreen Middle School, especially during this busy time of the year. The success we have experienced since the opening of the school year owes a great deal to parents/caregivers and families like yours.
Our scholars and staff have accomplished a lot during our first few months of school. Professional development helps our teachers dive deeper into the child-centered philosophy of teaching and learning. Our child-centered vision is designed to use a child’s natural curiosity to drive their learning inside of the classroom. The standards help teachers design the best lessons and help scholars set goals for success. Our professional development focused on how to help teachers build an environment where scholars can effectively engage in a wide range of rigorous, content-rich conversations that are safe, supportive, and collaborative. Scholars learn through play and when they have a choice. We are working and planning during the early release days on how we can continue to support the success of all of our scholars.
As we move closer to the holidays I would like to remind you to keep your child reading. A holiday break is not a time just for worksheets and textbooks, your child should continue to learn. The best way is just to read a little bit every day. That means reading more than text messages!
Here's how:
- Link movies to books. Your middle schooler, like many others, may enjoy watching movies during winter break. Encourage them to watch at least one based on a book--and read the book first.
- Give books as gifts. If your child will receive a gift this month, consider giving them a book or a gift card to a bookstore. Suggest this to other family members as well.
- Read for a purpose. Practical reading--the kind you do to learn a skill--is both fun and informative. If your child enjoys cooking, they could read a recipe and try it out. If they like gadgets, they could read the instruction manual and put one together. If they like sports, they could check out the newspaper for a look at how their favorite teams are faring.
December contains a winter break from school. Once your child returns in January, the school year will be about half over. This is a great time to review the first part of the year and make plans for the next. Looking at your child’s school attendance should be part of this important process. Did your child attend school every day unless they were sick or there was a family emergency? If so, congratulations! Let them know you’re proud of their strong attendance. Help them keep up the good work for the rest of the year and beyond. Strong attendance is one predictor of success in school.
If not:
- Remind your child that regular school attendance is a priority.
- Emphasize the need for rest, nutrition, and exercise to stay healthy and stay in school.
- Consider the reasons you take your child out of school. Can you make some appointments outside school hours?
- Create consequences. Let your middle schoolers know that skipping school erodes your trust in them.
Your support is essential in making sure our scholars are in class, ready to learn, and making the most of every school day. We appreciate all that you do to support your child’s education. Happy Thanksgiving!
Thank you for your partnership,
Mrs. Collins
Principal Evergreen Middle School
253 945 5100
Parents/Guardian: If you know you will be picking up your child early from school; we ask that you send a note with them to the office. This way we can write them a pass with a dismissal time and they can arrive at the office at the requested time. This is beneficial for you with less wait time and we do not have to interrupt important class time.
