

Principal's Corner
Monthly Newsletter - June 2024 Edition
A Message from Regional Superintendent, Cathy Woods, re: Principal, Belinda Mountjoy
Dear Sequoia, Port Gardner, and Online High School Families,
I would like to announce that, Principal, Belinda Mountjoy has resigned her position as principal of Sequoia, Port Gardner and Online High School effective at the end of the school year.
Belinda joined Everett Public Schools in 2020 as an assistant principal at Heatherwood Middle School. In 2022, Belinda transitioned to her current position. Belinda has shared her passion for serving students who have been traditionally marginalized and for increasing opportunities for student voice and engagement.
Prior to Everett, Belinda served for five years as an assistant principal at Fullerton Joint Union High School District in Fullerton, CA. She also worked in the Phoenix Union High School District serving as dean of discipline, safety and security as well as the Special Education Facilitator at Cesar Chavez High School beginning in 2007.
I will update you as we search for the next principal for Sequoia, Online High School, and Port Gardner.
Sincerely,
Dr. Cathy Woods
Regional Superintendent
A Message from New Interim Principal, Jack Roy
As we approach the end of the 2023-24 school year, we are quickly approaching graduation. Seniors must have completed all course work by June 11th as well as attend graduation practice the morning of June 13th, to participate in the graduation ceremony. The Class of 2024 will celebrate graduation at Everett Civic Auditorium on June 13, 2024, at 6:00 PM. Each graduate will have 10 tickets to distribute to their guests.
The last day for all non-seniors will be June 20th. Please view all graduate information here.
The Sequoia High School website has enrollment information for the 2024-25 school year. Thank you all for your continued support of our programs. Enjoy a safe summer and we look forward to seeing you in the fall!
Dates and Times to Remember
When Does School End this Year?
The last day of school this year is Thursday, June 20, and will be an early release for all students. June 12 is the last day of school for seniors.
Class of 2024 Graduation Dates
The Class of 2024 is graduating this month! Save the dates on your calendar to celebrate these graduates.
June 12, Providence Colby Campus Rainer/Cascade Rooms
🎓 Project Search at 4:30 p.m.
June 13, Everett Civic Auditorium
🎓 Sequoia High School at 6 p.m.
June 15, Angel of the Winds Arena
🎓 Cascade High School at 11 a.m.
🎓 H.M. Jackson High School at 3 p.m.
🎓 Everett High School at 7 p.m.
June 18, Community Resource Center, Port Gardner Rooms
🎓 Transition (includes STRIVE and Goal) at 5 p.m.
PRIDE Night at the Everett AquaSox
In honor of the upcoming Pride Month, Everett Public Schools (EPS) reaffirms its commitment to ensuring every student, staff member, family, and community member feels a sense of safety and belonging within our district. In partnership with EPS’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion department and the Everett AquaSox, you are invited to attend the first annual Pride Night at the ballpark on Friday, June 7 at 7:05 p.m. as a symbol of solidarity, acceptance, and celebration for our growing LGBTQIA+ community.
This event is family-friendly and welcomes all to celebrate safe and inclusive school environments. For more information and to secure your seats, visit Pride Night at the Ballpark!
Updates from the District
Preliminary Scores Release
Smarter Balanced Assessments (SBA) preliminary scores will be coming soon and will be available in the online Home Access Center (HAC). These scores will be released by grade level once 95% of the grade level’s results are in, to ensure scores are accurate and stable. Families will also receive a hard copy in the fall. Go to www.everettsd.org/SBAinformation to learn more.
How do I get the test scores?
- Under Quick Links, click How to view SBA scores for instructions. If you do not have a HAC account or have questions, contact LMS@everettsd.org.
Washington Comprehensive Assessment of Science scores
- These assessments are scored over the summer and will be available in the fall.
Download the Versatrans My Stop App!
We’re excited to announce that our Versatrans My Stop App is now available and here to make your life easier.
What does the Versatrans My Stop App offer?
- Real-Time Bus Tracking: Get live updates on your student’s bus location. No more guessing or waiting in the dark!
- Estimated Arrival Time: Receive accurate estimates for when the bus will reach your stop. Plan your mornings better by knowing exactly when to head out.
- Peace of Mind: Rest assured that your child is on their way to school or back home safely. With the app, you’ll always be in the loop.
How to Get Started:
- Download the App: Visit your app store (available for both iOS and Android) and search for “Versatrans My Stop.” Install it—it’s free!
- Sign Up: Create an account using your student’s information. It’s quick and easy!
- Set Up Notifications: Enable notifications to receive alerts about bus delays, route changes, and more.
Remember: Even with the app, continue to arrive at the scheduled bus stop location 5 minutes prior to the stop time. Safety first! Get started today! Visit www.everettsd.org/MyStopApp for more information and to sign up for the My Stop App! 🎉
ECEAP Preschool Accepting Applications for 2024-25
Everett Public Schools Early Childhood Education & Assistance Program (ECEAP) is a FREE preschool program for three- and four-year-old children from families with limited income. ECEAP prepares children for kindergarten and provides family support and health and nutrition services. It is funded by the Washington State Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF).
The six ECEAP sites within our school district are Cedar Wood, Hawthorne, Jackson, Lowell, Madison, and Silver Lake elementary schools. Students across the district are welcome to attend. Space is limited – apply early! For an application or more information, please visit the district ECEAP website or call 425-385-4628.
Summer Learning Activities
Everett Public Schools looks forward to another successful year of summer learning. This year’s theme is “Summer’s Greatest Hits.”
Please check out the Summer Opportunities website for the following activities:
- Engage in each week’s new science, math, reading, and writing activities
- Read good books
- Participate in community library programs
- Access iReady for reading and math digital lessons
- Track your participation so that next fall you can tell your teacher about your summer learning
What Holidays Do You Observe?
Everett Public Schools is rich in culture with a diverse community that represents and speaks over 90 different languages. We are a school district committed to embracing every one of our community partners' experiences, culture, beliefs, and traditions. To reflect and honor this diversity, we are working on creating a formal calendar to recognize and spread awareness about religions and cultures within our district for our students, staff, and community.
We have also identified dates as High Impact Observances that may impact student learning due to religious or cultural observances (EX: student absences, inability to participate in school events, etc.). Our schools get regular communication reflecting these dates so they may do their best to accommodate students who may need support during these times.
We are different, we are the same. Let’s learn more about what makes us unique! Visit www.everettsd.org/DEI to learn more.
Music4Life
The Music4Life Everett Booster Club supports Everett School District’s ongoing commitment to instrumental music across the district. These instruments are donated to Music4Life, refurbished by our repair partners, and then distributed throughout the district wherever there’s a need. If you have an instrument you’d like to donate, contact info@Music4Life.org or go to www.Music4Life.org to learn how to make a tax-deductible donation to support music programs in Everett Public Schools.
Stuff the Bus is Coming!
With the support of our generous community, the Everett Public Schools Foundation is hosting its annual Stuff the Bus for Kids school supply drive. Help us reach our goal of delivering over 3,000 backpacks to students and families in the Everett Public Schools this August. Look for collection bins at local businesses this summer and the big yellow Durham school buses at Fred Meyer in Mill Creek and QFC – Claremont Village on Evergreen Way, Aug. 9 -11. To volunteer, please visit the EPS Foundation's website. For questions, please contact Kirsten Hansen at khansen@everettsd.org.
Vaccinations for Next Year
Now is the time to plan for the vaccinations your child may need before they return next fall. We encourage you to obtain these vaccinations as soon as possible and provide documentation to your child’s school health room staff. Providing this information before the new school year will help you avoid getting calls and letters as well as the potential exclusion from school in the fall. As a reminder, students entering 7th grade usually require a Tdap booster before they can start school. More information can be found on the district’s immunization webpage.
School Supply Lists
Are you looking to get a jump start on next year’s school supplies this summer? You can find the school supply list on our website under the Our Schools tab around the last week of school.
Kindergarten Registration is Open
Do you have a child who will be 5 years old by Aug. 31, 2024? Registration is open. You can complete enrollment forms for kindergarten online! A step-by-step parent walkthrough video is also available as a resource.
Harvest of the Month
This month, the Food and Nutrition Department brings you asparagus grown in the PNW! Be sure to give it a try this month by choosing our roasted asparagus menu option.
Did you know that just ½ cup of asparagus has the highest folate content of all the vegetables? Find out more by checking out the Harvest of the Month flyer on the district website.
Port Gardner Parent Partnership
Click on the PGS Mascot to Learn More about Port Gardner
Family Assistance & Informational Resources
Summer Meals
Every summer when school ends, millions of children and teens are at risk of going hungry without access to the free or reduced-price meals they receive in school. The USDA’s Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) provides free healthy meals to children and teens in communities with high rates of poverty. For more than 30 years, Everett Public Schools (EPS) Food & Nutrition Professionals have been serving summer meals to all children up to 18 years old. This year EPS will be partnering with a variety of new community organizations to offer free meals from July 1 – August 15. Check our website regularly to find out which parks, libraries, and community centers will be providing complimentary meals all summer long.
Stay Connected Over the Summer
We invite all Everett Public Schools families, students, friends, and community members to follow our social media sites including YouTube. On our main district Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram pages, you will find emergency district communications, photos, videos, event postings, content highlighting students and staff, and accomplishments.
Visit our social media directory at www.everettsd.org/socialmediadirectory to follow school pages, district pages, teachers, clubs, student groups, and more. Stay connected with us to learn the latest news! We can't wait to see you there!
Stay in Touch with InTouch!
Read highlights of what is happening in our district and find out when we have our next regular school board meeting. Click to sign up for our bi-monthly newsletter.
Assistance Icon on Website
The district’s main webpage has an icon, “report/assistance,” with resources and assistance for students and families on:
- Suicide Prevention
- Crisis Support
- Eating Disorder Help
- Substance Abuse Help
- Report Safety Concerns
- Report Harassment
- Substance Abuse Trends
- Overdose Symptoms and Prevention
Safety Tip Line
Do you or your student have a concern about someone experiencing bullying or harassment? Report it! You can talk directly with your school’s office or you can call, text or email your concern.
If there is reason for concern about safety on a designated walkway to school, call 9-1-1 immediately for authorized, quick help. We have strong partnerships with local law enforcement who share our interest in safe schools and neighborhoods. Student safety is a priority for all of us. Working together, we can help make our neighborhoods and schools nurturing places for students to safely learn and grow.
Parent Digital Safety Tips
Six ways your student can protect their online identities:
1. Share carefully – don’t give out any personal information to unknown sites or strangers
2. Go private – keep privacy settings high and limit location services when possible
3. Log out – especially after using shared computers
4. Mix up passwords – use different passwords for different apps and websites
5. Avoid clickbait – avoid quizzes and random questionnaires
6. Choose wisely – pick an appropriate username
Learn more about online safety, digital wellness, cell phones and learning with technology with age-specific tips and tools on www.commonsensemedia.org.
Kids in Transition Program
Kids in Transition (KIT) program supports students who qualify for two federal programs which provide support for children and youth whose housing is highly mobile: those who meet the more inclusive definition of homeless under the federal McKinney-Vento Homeless Act and those who are eligible for Foster Care Education support.
Students who are in foster care placement (where a child welfare agency has placement, care and authority) or those who are without a fixed, regular and adequate nighttime residence may qualify for this additional support.
The KIT program works to eliminate barriers to students’ academic success and extra-curricular involvement. We ensure eligible students have access to free school meals, school supplies and uniforms. KIT may help students access extended day or summer school classes or coordinate access to additional academic support or tutoring when needed. The KIT Program may also cover, or coordinate waivers for, fees required to take part in activities such as school-sponsored sports, clubs, and required class fees. KIT can also help set up transportation for eligible students to maintain school stability, as long as the commute is feasible and in the best interest of the student. We also partner with the Family Resource Center and other community agencies to connect families and students to resources as needed.
Last year, Everett Public Schools served over 1,350 students through our KIT support at some time during the school year. For more information, visit www.everettsd.org/KIT to learn who your school’s KIT support staff is; or contact the KIT Office at 425-385-4032.
"Education is not preparation for life; education is life itself."
Belinda Mountjoy Principal
Email: bmonroe@everettsd.org
Website: www.everettsd/Sequoiahs
Location: 3516 Rucker Ave Everett, WA 98201
Phone: (425) 385-5100