Friday Family Message

During my time in schools this week, I had the opportunity to observe our teachers engaging with students, building relationships, and teaching routines. Some of the highlights include:

• Our youngest students are now in school; we serve students as young as three in our preschool programs. Our preschoolers and kindergarteners are adjusting well to new classroom routines, fun and engaging activities, and building new friendships.

• Each elementary and middle school has begun using our newly adopted reading and writing materials. You can learn more about these materials from your teacher, principal, or our Teaching and Learning team at the district office.

• Our secondary students and staff participated in honoring those lost on September 11, 2001. It was impressive and humbling to see our students play a role in the remembrance of those we lost.

I'm constantly looking forward to my time in our classrooms to see all the wonderful, innovative, and empowering learning happening in our schools. And I'm excited to share more highlights throughout the school year!

The Stanwood-Camano School District and local law enforcement are urging high school seniors and their families to be cautious about students participating in an off-campus game known as “Senior Assassin.”

The game is not sponsored or condoned by the school district.

Typically, all participants in the game are assigned another participant as a “target” who they must “eliminate” with a toy gun. The game is not permitted on school district property and often involves participants trying to eliminate their targets throughout the Stanwood-Camano community.

The school district and law enforcement personnel ask that parents discuss the activity with their children because it could cause public alarm, injury, citizen intervention, and 911 calls generating a police response. The Stanwood-Camano community is not alone. School districts across the country are increasingly grappling with the dangers associated with this game.

We are concerned about student safety each and every day, and we believe students who participate in this activity expose themselves and others to unnecessary risk of harm.

Congratulations to North County Fire & EMS for officially opening their new training center today north of Stanwood.

The much-needed site at Interstate 5 Exit 215 near North County Fire’s Station 96 will provide a wide variety of real-world training as well as be able to accommodate several groups at one time.

The training facility features a multi-story custom-made structure built from shipping containers stacked in various configurations to replicate real-world situations for local firefighters.

The Stanwood-Camano School District is proud to have donated an unused surplus portable from the former Stanwood High School site that will be used for classroom space at the facility. Firefighters can now receive instruction and immediately walk outside to put the lessons to work in real-life situations. Local police officers can also use the facility and its various street designs for K9 training, practicing traffic stops, and learning about collision response.

North County Fire officials said they hope to expand offerings on the 33-acre site to include more streets, different training structures, and a Children’s Safety Center where school kids could visit to learn about fire safety.

Stanwood-Camano School District students and staff paused Monday morning to join the community in remembering and honoring those who died during the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.

In addition to a moment of silence earlier in the day, students from Stanwood High School and Port Susan Middle School lined the streets along the city’s annual procession route with American flags in-hand. Stanwood Police and North County Fire & EMS personnel led the procession along Highway 532 near Station 99 at Pioneer Highway east toward Stanwood High School and back west by Port Susan Middle School. After returning to Station 99, first responders held a September 11 memorial service for the community with guest speakers.

Throughout the day Monday, passersby also saw a symbolic flag display surrounding the intersection of Pioneer Highway and Highway 532. There are 343 flags representing the firefighters who lost their lives in the World Trade Center towers and 82 flags honoring the fallen law enforcement personnel. Overlooking the flag display is a giant American flag waving from atop a ladder truck to honor all that lost their lives on that tragic day.

On Camano Island, a September 11 memorial installed by Camano Island Fire & Rescue was on display at Freedom Park.

Tuesday is ★ National Voter Registration Day ★

Take 30 seconds to learn about registering to vote or how to check your registration status at vote.wa.gov.

If you’ve recently moved, turned 18, or changed your name, you may not be properly registered to vote. National Voter Registration Day is an opportunity to update your voter registration.

Learn more about voting in Washington state, voter deadlines, ballot drop box locations, and more on the school district's Voting webpage.

Thank you to everyone who stopped by our big yellow bus at last Saturday’s annual Touch-A-Truck event in downtown Stanwood!

Our school district is fortunate to have access to Operation School Bell — a program offered by

the Assistance League of Everett for students who are in need of new clothes.

To qualify for assistance, students must be enrolled and attend school on a regular basis. The process takes a few minutes to get started and involves basic information.

This program is for all Stanwood-Camano students in preschool through 12th grade.

For more information, please contact our Amy Hart, a Student Support Advocate, at ahart@stanwood.wednet.edu.