Aberdeen Schools

Students at Aberdeen High School are looking forward to the start of Trimester 3 on Monday and a return to in-person instruction on Thursday, March 18. The ASB and PBIS student leaders in the photo above were in the building last week to help create back-to-school videos welcoming 9th graders to AHS and videos reviewing new school procedures in the hybrid model -- social distancing, etc.

Pictured, from left: Lauren Fagerstedt, Garett Hunt, Jimmy Boora, Taleah Ibrahim, Angelina Gomez, Makenna Parris and Merryn Bruner.

Just think: We are almost two-thirds of the way through the school year and next week will be the first week for our 9th graders to be on the AHS campus. Thank you, ASB and PBIS, for rolling out the red carpet.

With the return of Grades 9-12, all grade levels in the district have an in-person option for students. Students may still choose to remain remote.

McDermoth students share their work after becoming acquainted with the Frog and Toad series.

Superintendent Alicia Henderson announced this week that our PreK - 3rd Grade students will be able to attend school in-person four (4) days per week after spring break.

Currently, students are divided into Cohorts A and B, with each cohort attending two days a week. Starting Monday, April 12, students can attend school in-person on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays. The daily schedules are not expected to change.

"Our principals have been busy double-checking classroom measurements, class enrollments, desks, and student supervision coverage to see if it could be possible," Dr. Henderson said. "We are now able to move forward with the additional in-person days while maintaining the required social distancing." The Transportation Department is also gearing up and will be ready for April 12, she said.

The traditional Aberdeen/Hoquiam football game will take place as planned on Saturday, March 20, at Stewart Field, but it's a whole new ballgame this year when it comes to attendance at sporting events.

The Athletic Department is still working out the details, but we know in-person attendance will be limited under state and WIAA regulations.

However, Bobcat fans can still catch all the action. The district has joined the NFHS Network. The game will be livestreamed. Subscribers can watch remotely from anywhere in the country.

A monthly subscription to the NFHS network is $10.99 per month, annually is $69.99. You can find more information here.

Visit the Aberdeen page on the NFHS Network to subscribe.

Agenda for March 16 (pdf)

Link to the Meeting

The next meeting of the School Board is scheduled for 5 p.m. Tuesday, March 16, via webinar. You can find agenda materials and a link to join the meeting on the asd5 website before the meeting.

Written public comment is accepted until 3:30 p.m. the day of the meeting. Public comment should be submitted to schoolboard@asd5.org. Comments are shared with the board and become part of the online meeting record.

Our district is building the Extended Learning Program -- a summer program for students that is being designed to help fill learning gaps from this current school year and begin the healing process from the pandemic.

At the high school, a major focus will be credits needed for graduation. Students will have the opportunity to earn up to two credits. At all grade levels, the program will have a strong social-emotional component to help students recover from the trauma of the pandemic.

Three principals have been named to spearhead development of the program. They will be presenting information to the School Board on Tuesday:

• Aaron Roiko, Secondary Extended Principal, Grades 6-12
• Jamie Stotler, Elementary Extended Principal, Grades 1-5
• Joan Hoehn, Jumpstart Kindergarten

The one-time government stimulus funds will be used to ensure the programs are robust and results-oriented.

"The pandemic has exacerbated mental health issues," Gov. Jay Inslee said during a press conference Friday calling for all districts in the state to offer an in-person option not later than April 19. "The scale of the impact on our children cannot be ignored."

"In the Aberdeen School District we are very fortunate to be well ahead of many districts in developing programs that embrace the important role that school plays in both academics, and the overall wellbeing of our students," Superintendent Alicia Henderson said. "The hard work of our staff to make these opportunities possible is to be commended."

Gov. Jay Inslee announced on Friday that he will be issuing a proclamation requiring all schools to offer an in-person option not later than April 19.

Our district is alreaady in compliance. ASD5 began phasing into the hybrid model of in-person and remote instruction on February 1. Students at all grade levels in Aberdeen will have the option as of Thursday, March 18.

“The impact of this pandemic on our children’s mental health has created a crisis among our young people," the governor said. "Now is the time for all schools to return to in-person learning.”

Two prominent pediatricians accompanied him at the press conference in support of the mandate. – Dr. Nwando Anyaoku, chief health equity officer at Swedish Hospital in Seattle and Dr. Peter Asante, chair of pediatrics at Virginia Mason Memorial Hospital at Yakima.

In addition, the governor has announced that effective March 22, the entire state will enter Phase 3. It will be determined on a county-by-county basis whether an area can remain in Phase 3. The updated guidance for sporting events is linked here.

Congratulations to Anna Weber, a senior on the AHS Swim & Dive team, for being named an Athlete of the Week by the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association (WIAA).

This week of March 8-12 was Education Support Professionals Week in our state.

In the photo above, you can see how Robert Gray Elementary School helped celebrate our amazing classified staff.

You can find a Q&A page on the district website on the Reopening tab, along with school schedules and other information about a safe reopening.

Visit the Q&A Page

If you have a question, please submit to the attention of Superintendent Alicia Henderson at ahenderson@asd5.org.

The Aberdeen School District, in partnership with some parent volunteers, has been offering online weekly technology help sessions on Wednesdays at 7 p.m.

This offering was developed in response to Survey No. 1 where many parents expressed the desire to learn more about Canvas. Sessions are offered via Zoom and are open to parents of any age students in our district. A series of sessions have been offered since February. Tune in for the March 17, 2021 Session.

• Superintendent Alicia Henderson, ahenderson@asd5.org

• Business Office, Elyssa Louderback, elouderback@asd5.org
• Human Resources, Christi Sayres, csayres@asd5.org
• Special Education, Rick Bates, rbates@asd5.org
• Career & Technical Education, Lynn Green, lgreen@asd5.org
• Teaching, Learning & Technology, Traci Sandstrom, tsandstrom@asd5.org
• Food Services, Jaime Matisons, jmatisons@asd5.org

****************************

The Aberdeen 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 employees have been designated to handle questions and complaints of alleged discrimination: Christi Sayres, Title IX Coordinator and Civil rights Compliance Coordinator, 216 North G St., Aberdeen, WA 98520; (360) 538-2222; csayres@asd5.org; Dr. Richard Bates, Section 504/ADA Coordinator, 216 North G St., Aberdeen, WA 98520; (360) 538-2017; rbates@asd5.org.