Superintendent Brower's Newsletter

Dear Students, Families, Staff and Community Members,

Condolences-Our heart goes out to the family of EHS Student, Jason Naro. He will be greatly missed by students, staff, and community members and remembered for his positive influence on all of us. I want to thank our District Crisis Team and our community members for wrapping their arms around our students during this time of mourning.

Transportation-On September 20th we held a public transportation forum asking you for ideas on how to address our transportation challenges. Your ideas, along with your support, are working! We now have 41 bus driver applicants, including some that we have already hired. Since then, our transportation department has been working non-stop to on-board potential drivers. They are at different stages of the lengthy process and we should see fewer and fewer cancellations in the weeks ahead.

Invitation-Just as we came together to address our transportation challenges, we would like to invite you to a public levy forum on November 7th, from 6-7:30 pm at the Eatonville High

School. The primary objective of the forum is to gather input from the community to assist the Board of Directors as they make decisions regarding the renewal levies that will appear on the ballot in the upcoming year. In the event that you are unable to attend, we will be providing the option of offering your ideas on our Eatonville School District Website and on our FaceBook page.

Gratitude-My number one reason for applying to the Eatonville School District was because of the many reports that I received about how well our parents, staff and community members support Eatonville students. Those reports have proven to be 100% true. For example, I try to visit schools as often as I can. Each time I do, I see our staff members focusing on student achievement, parents who are volunteering time to enhance student learning and community members who are looking for ways to support students and staff members. When I attend athletic events, I see the stands full of fans who cheer on our student athletes whether they win or lose. When I attend community events, I see individuals and groups asking how they can support the education of our students. I am grateful for each and every one of you for making a difference in the lives of our students. It is an honor to serve with you. Happy Thanksgiving! Eatonville Strong!

Mr. Jay Brower

Superintendent

Eatonville School District

November is Indigenous People’s Heritage Month, also known as Native American Heritage Month, which is an important time of year for our community to reflect on the vital role of the first and original stewards of these lands we now call the United States.

As with any group of people who have some unifying lived experiences, shared histories and identities, there will also be a wide variety of opinions and ideas about what words best describe such a diverse community. American Indian, Indian, Native American, Indigenous, and Native are just a few of the words that people use. Many people also prefer to have their specific tribal name referenced. Whatever the case may be, identity is deeply personal and as much as possible, it is important to build relationships and learn how people personally identify themselves, rather than guess.

For more information about terminology, visit this link to the National Museum of the American Indian.

Since Time Immemorial: Tribal Sovereignty

Since Time Immemorial: Tribal Sovereignty in Washington state or other tribally-developed curriculum be taught in all schools. The use of the Since Time Immemorial curriculum has been endorsed by all 29 federally recognized tribes.

• Since Time Immemorial Curriculum
• Native American Heritage Teacher Resources
  
• Resource Guide
  

Members of the Strategic Planning Steering Committee have taken the next step toward creating a Strategic Plan for the Eatonville School District.

On Oct. 19th, steering team members worked from the five focus areas, to create objective statements after reviewing specific data previously reviewed by the Steering Team. Planning Teams were convened on Oct. 23rd and 24th to test the created objectives to determine if they are viable.

Throughout this entire process, our community has played a critical role in our planning work. We are at a crucial point in our process of developing a strategic plan that serves the needs of each and every student. As noted Education Elements Consultant, Lauren Schulten “Strong strategic plans do not just sit on the shelf, they are living documents”.

On Nov. 2nd, Steering Team members will spend the day to continue developing the components of the plan, using recommendations provided by a number of different focus groups and planning teams.

Parents, teachers, principals, students, board and community members continue to be engaged in conversations about what is and isn’t working and looking at ways to change or better our work with students, parents and community. It was amazing seeing everyone coming together and being honest and working toward a system that will potentially be good for everybody.

Throughout the process, it has been very important to hear all voices and use what has been heard to develop our plan. This process helps us create that culture where we have a unified vision, mission, and purpose guiding what we do every day in classrooms and across the district.

The Steering Team reaffirms understanding of how many people throughout the community care about the educational experience of all students.

October was a wonderful month for our Student Services Department. We're delighted to see the high level of student and parent participation in our classrooms, showing a strong commitment to education and community involvement. Our students' enthusiastic participation during Homecoming Spirit Week was inspiring. They showed immense support for our Cruisers, and the spirit of togetherness was truly heartwarming.

Our first community access event to Knutson Farms was a resounding success. We created lasting memories and are deeply grateful for the support we received from Knutson Farms and our parents. These partnerships make a real difference in our community.

We're thrilled to report that Socktober was a tremendous success! Thanks to the generosity and kindness of our community, we collected numerous sock donations. These donations will make a significant impact on those in need during the colder months. We are delighted to announce that we will be delivering all these donated socks to the community center this Wednesday.

A heartfelt thank you to everyone who contributed to this worthy cause. Your generosity is making a positive difference in the lives of others, and it's a testament to the power of community collaboration.

As we move into the next two months, we want to encourage your children to prioritize rest, hard work, and fun. Time can fly by quickly, and finding that balance is crucial for their well-being and success.

Remember that we're here to support your child's growth and development every step of the way. If you have any questions, concerns, or ideas to share, please don't hesitate to reach out. Together, we can make these upcoming months filled with meaningful experiences, learning, and memorable moments.

Wishing your family a fantastic and fulfilling journey in the months ahead!

Warm regards,

Cristin Blaskowitz

Executive Director of Student Services & Assessment

In preschool to help keep our classroom clean/tidy for our custodial staff, every afternoon our kids play secret garbage. Each adult finds something on the floor that shouldn't be. The kids pickup (most) trash or toys that are left on the floor. Everyone is searching for each teacher's piece of garbage and can earn a small prize. It helps quickly clean our classroom, encourages teamwork, and helps us keep pride in how nice our space looks. We noticed EES campus could use a major trash cleanup, and decided to play secret garbage all over campus. We filled 2 bags with trash from all over campus, including in front of the school and parts of the playground. The kids thought it was wonderful how much prettier campus looked when we were finished! They were very proud of themselves and wished we had time to do more!

~ EES Preschool Team

Mr. Potter's life skills program is learning job skills while assisting the community center with putting bags of food together for those in need.

Mrs. Honaker's class has been building language skills, reading about movement and practicing moving fast and slow, up and down, side to side and back and forth. They are also learning to identify things that are same, similar and different in math. Fall is upon us, so students have been creating some fun fall crafts and baked some sugar cookies.

~ Mrs. Honaker

EES and EMS self-contained programs went on a community access trip to Knutson Farms. Students had fun riding the cow train and grain trains, got lost in the corn maze, pet farm animals, rode trikes around the trike course, played in sand bins, on bouncy balls and ran through a hay maze! There was so much to do! They ended the trip with picking out a small pumpkin to take home. We wish we had a little more time to spend there!

Harassment, Intimidation, and Bullying (HIB)

October is National Bullying Prevention Month and every child deserves to be safe from child victimization, including bullying. Statistics show why we need to bring attention to bullying and promote kindness, acceptance, and inclusion. Bullying is preventable, but it takes everyone’s commitment to recognize and respond to it and consistent education and intervention to prevent it.

We are organizing a Harassment, Intimidation and Bullying Forum and looking for input. Please reach out to Cristin Blaskowitz at (360) 879-1800 if you are interested in helping.

Definitions:

RCW 28A.600.477(link is external) states that "Harassment, intimidation, or bullying" means any intentional electronic, written, verbal, or physical act including, but not limited to, one shown to be motivated by any characteristic in RCW 28A.640.010(link is external) and RCW 28A.642.010(link is external), or other distinguishing characteristics, when the intentional electronic, written, verbal, or physical act:

• Physically harms a student or damages the student's property;
• Has the effect of substantially interfering with a student's education;
• Is so severe, persistent, or pervasive that it creates an intimidating or threatening educational environment; or
• Has the effect of substantially disrupting the orderly operation of the school

Bullying is defined as negative actions which are intentional, repeated, negative, show a lack of empathy, and a power imbalance.

Center for Disease Control(link is external) defines bullying as: any unwanted aggressive behavior(s) by another youth or group of youths who are not siblings or current dating partners that involves an observed or perceived power imbalance and is repeated multiple times or is highly likely to be repeated. Bullying may inflict harm or distress on the targeted youth including physical, psychological, social, or educational harm. A young person can be a perpetrator, a victim, or both (also known as "bully/victim"). Bullying can occur in person and through technology. Electronic aggression or cyber-bullying is bullying that happens through email, chat rooms, instant messages, a website, text messages, or social media.

Stopbullying.gov(link is external) defines bullying as: unwanted, aggressive behavior among school-aged children that involves a real or perceived power imbalance. The behavior is repeated, or has the potential to be repeated, over time. Both kids who are bullied and who bully others may have serious, lasting problems.

In order to be considered bullying, the behavior must be aggressive and include:

• An Imbalance of Power—Kids who bully use their power-such as physical strength, access to embarrassing information, or popularity to control or harm others. Power imbalances can change over time and in different situations, even if they involve the same people
• Repetition—Bullying behaviors happen more than once or have the potential to happen more than once.

Bullying includes actions such as making threats, spreading rumors, attacking someone physically or verbally, and excluding someone from a group on purpose.

• Intimidation is defined as implied or overt threats of physical violence
• Harassment is defined as any malicious act, which causes harm to any person's physical or mental well-being

We are excited to announce Student Services is hosting a coat drive throughout the month of November to make a positive impact on our local community. Your support can make a significant difference in the lives of those who need it the most.

We encourage you to share this coat drive with your friends, family, and colleagues. Together, we can amplify our impact and make a meaningful difference in the lives of those who require assistance. Helping local families with additional assistance plays a vital role in building a stronger, more supportive community. Student Services mission this school year is to give back to our community, so keep looking for additional opportunities to join our team in giving back.

Eatonville School District is hosting a Levy Forum on Tuesday, November 7th, from 6:00 pm to 7:30 pm in the Eatonville High School Commons.

The primary objective of this forum is to solicit input from the community to assist the Board of Directors as they make decisions regarding the levies that will appear on the ballot in the upcoming year.

Your voice is crucial in this process and we hope to see you in attendance.

State Representative Andrew Barkis visited Eatonville School District to learn about our district how to support our priorities.

Student Board Representative, Dylan Norman spent time with Board Director Litzenberger and Superintendent Brower to share with Mr. Barkis more about Eatonville schools.

The Director from the Department of Ecology and a committee of state agricultural leaders visited the GRITS Farm to learn more about the program with Superintendent Brower and Board Director Litzenberger.

Interested in attending a parent workshop to learn effective strategies?

Please visit the link to submit your registration.

There will be a $15 fee, however, there may be funds available to help offset the cost.

We hope your first month of the new school year was a success. As your student moves through the school year we want to ensure that you have all of the support your family needs to help it be a successful year.

Please see email addresses of our school counselors below:

EHS

• Maryann Barker: m.baker@eatonvilleschools.org

• Kirsten Saari: k.saari@eatonvilleschools.org

• Brenda Waugh-Reimer: b.waughreimer@eatonvilleschools.org

EMS

• Anisa Parks: a.parks@eatonvilleschools.org

CCA

• Deb Noble-Perry: d.noble-perry@eatonvilleschools.org

EES

• Jana McIlraith: j.mcilraith@eatonvilleschools.org

WES

• Kristin Bjorklund: k.bjorkulnd@eatonvilleschools.org

As a member of the Oglala Lakota Sioux tribe, I’ve had the privilege of growing up on both the Rosebud Sioux Reservation and the Pine Ridge Sioux Reservation, as well as a farm in Wyoming. Having that diverse Western experience has cultivated an interest and appreciation for storytelling and community.

~Brenda Waugh-Reimer.

“Through time, the Sioux have created a rich and unique culture that many of them embrace to the current time. The origins and legends of their traditions give a remarkable view into their past. While it is possible to recount only the smallest fraction of this oral tradition and legend here, it is important to remember that much of the Plains Indian heritage is closely connected to the Black Hills. If you want to know more, The Journey Museum, The Sioux Indian Museum, Crazy Horse Memorial, and Prairie Edge Gallery are a few of the many excellent local sources of information. We’ve also included a short bibliography.

The Lakota were originally part of the seven council fires (Otchenti Chakowin – pronounced Oceti Sakowin), made up of 7 bands: 4 Dakota, 2 Nakota, and one Lakota. These were often referred to as “The Three Tribes of the Sioux”.

Links of interest:

• Home | Native Knowledge 360° - Interactive Teaching Resources
• Native American History | National Archives
• Puyallup Tribal News

🏐We are pleased to announce the EHS Volleyball C-Team has earned a scholarship! 🏐

The scholarship was awarded to 3 teams that demonstrated sportsmanship and fair play throughout the tournament. It was voted on by different teams participating in the event as well as the officials.

Way to go!

Tremendous thanks to Karma Indian Restaurant/Fiesta Taqueria Restaurant owner, Ramesh for the incredibly generous donation of lunch for all district employees members.

Ramesh and his crew provided nearly 600 lunches over the course two days to Eatonville School District staff out of pure generosity and kindness. Staff were treated to Indian food and the next day, Mexican food.

Staff throughout the district were extremely appreciative of the opportunity to enjoy tasty food with each other two days in a row.

Thank you for this delicious luncheon. We appreciate your very giving nature.

Thank you to Mr. Brower, for arranging the meals and even taking over for teachers in their classroom so they could take time to enjoy lunch.

Superintendent: Mr. Jay Brower

Executive Assistant: Mrs. Ashley Farrens

District Office Hours: 7:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.

Email: communications@eatonvilleschools.org

Website: https://www.eatonville.wednet.edu
Location: 200 Lynch Street West, Eatonville, WA, USA
Phone: 360-879-1000
Facebook: facebook.com/eatonville.school.district
Twitter: @EatonvilleSD

Eatonville School District #404 will provide equal educational opportunity and treatment for all students in all aspects of the academic and activities program without discrimination based on race, religion, creed, color, national origin, age, honorably discharged, veteran or military status, sex, sexual orientation, gender expression or identity, marital status, the presence of any sensory, mental or physical disability, or the use of a trained dog guide or service animal by a person with a disability.

The district will provide equal access to school facilities to the Boy Scouts of America and all other designated youth groups listed in Title 36 of the United States Code as a patriotic society. District programs shall be free from sexual harassment. Auxiliary aids and services will be provided upon request to individuals with disabilities.

Address: 200 Lynch St. W., Eatonville, WA 98328; Telephone: 360-879-1000

Title IX Coordinator, Section 504/ADA Coordinator & Civil Rights Compliance Coordinator: Cristin Blaskowitz, Executive Student Services. Email: c.blaskowitz@eatonvilleschools.org