Message from Principal Collins
Hello Evergreen Families,
Welcome to the beautiful month of June. This is my last newsletter of this school year! On behalf of the entire administrative team at Evergreen Middle School, I want to extend our warmest wishes for a fantastic summer break! As we close out another successful academic year, we want to take a moment to express our gratitude for your unwavering support, dedication, and resilience.
This year has been filled with remarkable achievements, personal growth, and unforgettable memories. We have watched our scholars excel academically, pursue their passions, and make lasting contributions to our school community.
To our returning students, we eagerly anticipate your return in the fall, refreshed and ready to take on new challenges. Continue to nurture your curiosity, pursue your goals, and embrace the opportunities that await you.
To our parents and guardians, thank you for your trust, partnership, and unwavering commitment to your child's education. Your involvement and support are essential to our school's success, and we are grateful for the strong bond we share with our Evergreen Middle School families.
As you enjoy the summer break, we encourage you to engage in activities that bring you joy, explore new interests, and create lasting memories. However, you choose to spend your summer, we hope it is filled with laughter, adventure, and personal growth.
Are you preparing your child for a safe summer?
Summer is prime time for fun and also for taking risks—especially for middle schoolers, who may not always be in sight of an adult. Are you doing all you can to make sure your child is healthy and safe over the summer? Answer yes or no to the questions below to find out:
- Do you require your child to wear sunscreen and insect protection when playing outdoors?
- Do you insist that your child wear a helmet when on a bike, scooter or skateboard?
- Do you consider your child’s maturity before assigning chores, such as mowing the lawn with a riding lawn mower?
- Do you encourage your child to drink plenty of water when playing or exercising outdoors in the heat?
- Do you look for supervised activities that will keep your child busy and active? How well are you doing?
Mostly yes answers mean you are preparing for a safe summer for your middle schooler. For no answers, try those ideas in the quiz.
Encourage your child to find and enter a contest this summer. There are many opportunities for students to keep learning during the summer months. Without the demands of schoolwork, they can choose what they’d like to learn more about. Entering a summer contest can allow your middle schooler to spend time developing talents and interests. Contests can also: • Inspire excellence. Whether your middle schooler enjoys art, writing, photography or science, the idea of competing against others may motivate your child to produce a “personal best.”
- Boost self-image. Even if your child doesn’t win the contest, taking a healthy risk and working hard is something to celebrate. Say something like, “You worked so hard. You submitted your entry on time and tried something different. You should feel really proud of yourself. I know I’m proud of you.” To find a suitable contest:
- Check with the school. Sometimes, companies that sponsor contests for students will send materials and entry forms directly to school principals or counselors.
- Ask a librarian. Librarians often know about contests for students.
- Search online. Research any sponsor offering a contest before you allow your child to enter. You should never have to pay a fee to enter or provide personal financial information.
Thank you, again for your continued support this year. Best wishes to our eighth graders now officially ninth graders, whom we will miss greatly. Have a wonderful summer break. We look forward to welcoming you back this fall for another exciting year at Evergreen. Until then, stay safe, stay healthy, and enjoy your well-deserved break
Here’s wishing you love, laughter, and learning.
Have a great summer Grizzlies,
Your Partner in Education,
Mrs. Collins
253 945 5100
Happy Trails, Grizzlies
For the last three years I have used this space to share research findings about teaching, parenting, and learning. We talked about attention, behavior, cognitive load theory, dual coding, spaced practice, feedback, and assessment, to name just a few. I hope you found something useful from all this advice. I certainly learned a lot from writing these little blogs up!
All good things, however, must come to an end, and this will be my last post as the instructional coach at Evergreen Middle School. During my time here, I experienced many professional and personal accomplishments. I helped to design and implement systems to get kids into classrooms, and systems to get cell phones out of classrooms. I finished my PhD in instructional design, I became a published author, and I witnessed the birth of my second daughter, Rose. I hosted two podcasts that get around 10,000 downloads an episode, I presented at cutting-edge conferences, and I started a consulting business to help schools develop research-based instruction. It is now time for me to pursue some of these passions full time.
On the wall of my office are the pictures of each of the schools I’ve worked at. These include Chief Leschi School, International School Saigon Pearl, Khartoum International Community School, Nanjing International School, The Northwest School, and Evergreen Middle School. Each of these schools has their own unique flavor and character; each brings back memories of community and connection and life. Yet another sign of the changing seasons took place this week when the graduating class of Thomas Jefferson High School visited our building, each adorned in graduation robes and regalia; their sights set squarely on the horizons that await them. None of us knows where our paths will take us, but we can be assured that the future is bright.
