LISD School Newsletter

Dear LISD Families,

The fall semester has flown by so quickly! Spring semester is a little longer since there are two week long breaks in the middle of it, but it's still hard to believe that this school year is halfway over. Here are a just a few highlights from semester 1:

• The girls varsity soccer team played their very first season.
• The boys varsity soccer team took 2nd in state.
• We had so many girls interested in volleyball, so we formed a full varsity AND JV team
• Middle schoolers are enjoying a newly painted and spruced up commons with ping pong and foosball
• We formed a new mariachi band.
• Elementary students are enjoying a newly resurfaced playground.
• We are using a new social-emotional learning curriculum, Character Strong, in 3rd-8th grades
• Writers in the Schools came back to Lopez to work with students in 6th grade and selected middle and high school classes.
• We implemented a balanced calendar with more three day weekends throughout the year.
• Kindergarteners have official 6th Grade Buddies, and they plan fun activities to do together.
• We are offering free lunch for all students.
• Our safety and technology levy passed!
  
  

I could list so many more highlights, moments, and celebrations. It truly has been a great school year so far, and we have great plans for the spring semester.

Thanks for regularly reading this newsletter, and thanks to Sara Wysocki for wrangling all the news/updates/photos and creating something beautiful and informative for us each week.

I truly hope this two week break from school is both fun and relaxing for all our students and staff. Breaks give us a much needed chance to reset, reflect, and rest our brains.

All my best,

Martha

On Wednesday, January 15th from 1:30-3:30PM there will a vaccine clinic here at school. The online scheduling portal is being upgraded so it is not available for this clinic. Please call 360-378-4474 or email nicoleg@sanjuancountywa.gov to make an an appointment.

• January 6, 2025: Semester 2 begins

• January 7: HS Boys Basketball, 5:30

• January 8: School Board Work Session, 4 - 7 pm, LMC

• January 13: HS Basketball, Girls 5:00 pm, Boys at 6:30 pm

• January 16: HS Basketball, Girls 5:00 pm, Boys at 6:30

• January 17: Seed Swap & Soup Night, 5 - 7 pm, MPR

Eight students received their Seal of Biliteracy this week. Congratulations on this achievement! These students will get a notation on their diploma and it will be listed on their transcript.

The Seal of Biliteracy is an award given to high school graduates who have demonstrated proficiency in two or more languages. The award can be given by a school, district, or state. The Seal of Biliteracy recognizes that an individual has attained a certain level of proficiency in two or more languages.

If your family qualifies for free or reduced lunch at the school there is a good chance you might qualify to recieve a $30 discount on your monthly internet bill if your service is through Rock Island. To see if you qualify, please visit: https://www.lifelinesupport.org/.

Once you qualify, send an email to support@lopezislandschool.org to arrange your discount or new service.

Lopez Island has a new sport developing - wrestling! A wrestling mat has been ordered and the Lopez Island Mat Club will start practicing on Monday nights in approximately 6-8 weeks after the mat arrives. Wrestlers may attend competitions off island when coaches feel wrestlers are prepared to compete.

Thanks to the Lopez Island School ASB and IMC for helping make this happen. The head coach for mat club is Autumn Miller and she will be assisted by Robb Ellis, Robert Spreine, Paul Somers, Ed Sanford, and Kevin Sterling. The goal will also be to have a WIAA Lopez Island high school wrestling team for the winter season of 2025-26!

Practice will be Monday nights in the school cafeteria from 3:45-4:45 PM for grades K-6, and 5:15-6:15 for grades 7-12. Stay tuned for the first practice date: it will likely be at the end of January or in early February when the wrestling mat arrives. All genders will practice together but wrestlers can choose to wrestle with their same gender or all genders depending on their comfort level. Wrestlers will need to wear shorts or sweats and a t-shirt to practice and have two things: wrestling shoes and a USA wrestling membership. Wrestling shoes can be purchased online and at most sporting goods stores for approximately $50. Wrestlers will need to show proof to coaches that they have USA wrestling membership which can be purchased at this link for $65: https://www.usawmembership.com/help/category/3/question/14

If you have any questions or you would like to let coaches know that a student is interested in joining the wrestling club, email Robb Ellis at rellis@lopezislandschool.org. If a student would like to try wrestling but is having a hard time paying for wrestling shoes or a USA wrestling membership and the student qualifies for free or reduced lunch, email Robb to inquire about financial assistance.

Mr. B led his 6th grade students in a math lesson in a fun way - in the kitchen! From Mr. B:

"Students decided to bake, so we doubled and tripled recipes, a great practical example of scaling up ratios. We aimed to feed ourselves and our kindergarten buddies.

We baked on Thursday. On Friday, we rearranged our classroom into a cafe, installed restaurant mood lighting, created menus, built "table reserved" cards and prepared to play host to our 5 year old buddies. 6th graders greeted kinders in the hall, called out, "Will, your table for 2 is ready," then escorted their buddy to a reserved table. After reviewing the menu, 6th grade servers went to work bringing food to tables.

I and every adult in the room were blown away by the joy and sweetness of this culminating event. I'm continually impressed with 6th graders, seeing them develop loving relationships with our youngest students and passing on the joys of school is a very special thing to witness.

Who knew math could be so fun, and sweet? Happy holiday season and may your kitchens be joyful.

Gardening season is just around the corner. Really! All gardeners (or would be gardeners) are invited to join us for a cozy night of soup, bread, seeds and garden chat. Or any kind of chat. When the days are dark and cold we can have fun dreaming about the warmer and brighter days ahead. January 17, 5 - 7 pm.

What clubs/athletics/extracurriculars have you been involved in?

I’ve done golf for four years (counting this one), basketball for two years, and soccer for four years. I played keyboard for MPPACT my sophomore year, and I just recently joined the Spanish Club.

What is one positive memory from your time here that you’ll carry with you forever? The soccer team going to state this year! I scored the last penalty kick that made us go into the finals.

What is the best piece of advice you have received from a teacher?

Mr. Tetu used to tell us to challenge authority.

Finish this sentence: “I cannot live without…….”

Family.

What is one song that summarizes your graduation from high school?

Better Days by Neiked

What is one piece of advice you have for incoming high school students?

Get your work done on time. Do the work as soon as you get it and don’t push it aside, so you don’t have to worry about it later.

What is the most meaningful assignment ever given to you by a teacher?

I liked the rap we did in Mr. Berg’s class last year. It was hands on and fun. We got to be really creative about history topics.

What’s the most important quality in a friendship? Why?

Trust….and it’s important to have friends you can go to whenever and friends you can laugh with.

In 10 years, I will be…

Hopefully I will be living somewhere nice (maybe a city) with a job I like.

Who/what do you find inspiring?

David Goggins. He’s a motivational speaker. Sometimes he pops up on my feed and he makes me want to get up and go do something.

What are your plans after high school?

I’d like to go to a four year college. I’m undecided about my major but I’m applying to a lot of colleges and universities in Washington.

Brady Smith, Superintendent

Martha Martin, K-12 Principal

The Lopez Island School District does not discriminate in any programs or activities on the basis of sex, race, creed, religion, color, national origin, age, veteran or military status, sexual orientation, gender expression or identity, disability, or the use of a trained dog guide or service animal and provides equal access to the Boy Scouts and other designated youth groups. The following employee(s) has been designated to handle questions and complaints of alleged discrimination: Civil Rights Compliance Coordinator, and Title IX Coordinator Brady Smith, HR Specialist ; Section 504, Steven Dahl. OR contact by phone, 360-468-2202, OR mail to 86 School Rd, Lopez Island, WA 98261.