SBLSD News
May 18, 2023
More than 100 people attended the Sumner High School Phase 1 ribbon cutting and open house event on May 17. The school’s band, land acknowledgement, remarks from school and district officials made for a meaningful celebration, which included high praise for the beautiful, state-of-the-art building and recognition for the tremendous community and voter support that made the project possible.
A team of staff and students cut the purple ribbon, ushering in the crowd who enjoyed a self-guided tour of the three-story building that highlighted classrooms, science labs, the library and student store.
When kindergarteners lose a tooth at school, where does it go?
Kinders at the Sumner Early Learning Center can pick out a tooth pillow made by students at Sumner Middle School to keep their tooth safe until they get home.
Students in Hailey Thrush’s Family and Consumer Science Personal Choices class learn personal finance, careers/job interviews, kitchen safety/cooking and sewing. They created the pillows during the hand sewing unit before they began using the sewing machine. Hailey’s classes usually make and donate about 25 pillows per semester after starting the project last school year.
Thank you, students! The kinders love their pillows!
In honor of Mental Health Awareness Month, SBLSD Equity Director Josh Agpalza shared his own story about when he had to put his mental health first.
It started back in January 2021, after he returned to work from being sick. An assistant principal at Sumner High School at the time, he started having negative thoughts that wouldn’t go away. Every day felt like a struggle. When his heart began to race one day while at work, he didn’t realize at the time that it was a panic attack.
With support from both his family and his work colleagues, Josh was able to find help that he still uses to this day.
If you’re a student, Josh said, don’t hesitate to seek help from your school counselors, who are there to support you. If you’re a staff member, it’s okay to seek help from your colleagues.
“I want people to know that mental health is not a stigma — it’s nothing to be ashamed of. We have to recognize it, be open about it and be okay with getting the help we need,” Josh said.
Read the full story here or watch the video below. Thank you, Josh, for sharing your story and finding the strength to seek help. We are proud to have you as part of our SBLSD family!
Visit sumnersd.org/MHAM for a list and contact information for mental health and wellness resources. If you or someone you know is in crisis or mental distress, call or text the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988.
