Family newsletter - Finalized calendar, summer EBT d...

In this issue: Revised calendar finalized! Meal program passes audit Summer food benefit (EBT) Kindergarten registration incentive Budget update   Revised 2024-25 calendar The new last day of school will be Monday, June 23. Here is what that means for the last few days of school: Wednesday, June 18: Regular, full school day Thursday, June 19: Juneteenth holiday, no school Friday, June 20: Learning Improvement Time (LIT) early release Monday, June 23: Last day of school, early dismissal The one-page and district website calendars have been updated to reflect the revisions. The early dismissal and LIT release times are noted at the bottom of the one-page calendar.   Meal program passes audit The district's Nutrition Services program provided by Sodexo recently underwent a state audit and passed without any findings! The auditors spend four days watching service for appropriate foods, financials and processes. They did not look at food safety because that is already covered by the county health department twice a year at each school. The auditors did not report finding any errors and gave high praise for nutrition services staff at the audited sites, Discovery, Odyssey, Harbour Pointe and Kamiak, for their knowledge, effort and excellent rapport with students.   Summer EBT, SUN Bucks Summer grocery benefit for qualifying families SUN Bucks provides eligible school-aged children with $120 in food benefits to buy groceries during the summer while meals aren’t available in schools. This amount will be adjusted annually for inflation. Last summer, Washington SUN Bucks provided an additional food benefit to nearly 600,000 children, the first year of the new program. The school district will upload their qualifying family data to the state in May. If you’re already enrolled in benefits like SNAP, TANF, or FDPIR, your school-age children will automatically be enrolled in SUN Bucks if it’s available where you live. Also, if your household income meets the requirements for free or reduced-price school meals and you've already received confirmation of that, your child will automatically be enrolled in SUN Bucks. If you are NOT automatically enrolled, you can apply for SUN Bucks directly. SUN Bucks requires students to meet Income Eligibility Guidelines. Free school meals in our district doesn't require income verification, so families must apply for the benefit if they are not already enrolled in state-provided benefits like SNAP, TANF, etc. If you have not already done so, please apply for free and reduced benefits through the Child Nutrition Benefit Application on the district's Nutrition Services Free Meals webpage. Once you’re enrolled, SUN Bucks may be automatically added to your SNAP account, issued as a separate electronic benefit transfer (EBT) card, or sent in other ways depending on where you live. SUN Bucks cards will be mailed to the address on file at DSHS or at the child's school, or the address listed on the application. Families should be sure their address is correct at both locations. Apply for meal benefits   Kindergarten registration Help spread the word! Kindergarten registration for the 2025-26 school year is open now!   If you or someone you know has a child who will be five years old by Aug. 31, register for kindergarten starting Monday. Families can register online or in person at their neighborhood school between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m., Monday through Friday. Families who register a kindergartner by June 27, will receive a free backpack with school supplies! Already registered a kindergartner for next year? Please watch for a form in the next week or so to gather your backpack and supply needs. Learn more on the kindergarten registration website.   Budget update District budget news As you might recall, we shared in late January that we would need to make additional budget reductions for the 2025-26 school year due to enrollment trends and inadequate state funding models. On Tuesday, the school board received a second reading of a proposed Reduced Educational Program that identified general areas of reduction for next school year. I encourage you to review the slides and watch the recording of the initial presentation (starts at the 1:03:50 mark) to hear the full context. The proposal identified nearly $5.4 million in general budget reductions for next school year. The school board approved the Reduced Educational Program resolution. One of the largest areas of reductions is about 19 classroom teachers because of reduced student enrollment. The second largest area of reduction is administration and office professionals (a total of 5.8 positions) including another Superintendent’s Cabinet position. There are also a few other reduction areas but at a much smaller scale. Now that the board approved the Reduced Educational Plan, our next steps include identifying specific positions and notifying any affected staff. Last year, we were able to avoid issuing Reduction in Force (RIF) notices to many affected positions once we took retirements and resignations into account. We hope to do the same this year. There is nothing easy about reducing staff, no matter what the reason. While the number of staff being reduced for next year is relatively small compared to prior years, it still stings to lose even one valued member of our district community. We are doing what we can to increase enrollment, attract new students to our district and strongly advocate for public education funding with our legislators. In the meantime, we will continue to do what we can with the resources we have.  U.S. Department of Education changes School districts receive guidance from the state, and together, we monitor the federal changes closely. With news of the U.S. Department of Education's plans to close, we are still gathering if or how federal funding will be distributed to school districts. Our district receives about five percent, just under $16 million, of the district's general budget from the federal government. That funding supports students receiving special services, students learning English, students experiencing poverty and student meal reimbursements. We are monitoring the situation closely and working with the state to help us interpret the quickly changing situation.  As always, we remain committed to serving all students and ensuring they have what they need to focus on learning. Thank you for your support as we continue to navigate the continuous changes and challenges in education. We'll update you as we learn more.   Immigration-related questions? If you have immigration-related questions or concerns, please call or visit your school for more resources. They have printed and electronic resources to help guide families who are concerned about the immigration status of a family member.   Mukilteo 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 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: Civil Rights Coordinator and Title IX Coordinator Simone Neal (425-356-1244), nealsr@mukilteo.wednet.edu, Section 504 Coordinator Becca Anderson (425-356-1277), andersonra@mukilteo.wednet.edu, and the ADA/Access Coordinator Karen Mooseker (425-356-1330), moosekerkw@mukilteo.wednet.edu. Address: 9401 Sharon Drive in Everett, WA. Inquiries regarding ADA/Access issues at Sno-Isle TECH Skills Center should be directed to Wes Allen, Director (425-348-2220) allenwr@mukilteo.wednet.edu. Address: 9001 Airport Road in Everett, WA 98204.

Saturday, Mar 29 2025

Family newsletter - Gratitude, kindergarten registra...

​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ In this issue: ​ ​ ​ ​ Kindergarten registration begins Monday Thanks for the Kindness Week messages District food drive a success! Dual Language reading buddies Federal funding - what happens if the U.S. Dept. of Education closes? Reminder: June 23 is new tentative last day of school ​ ​ ​ ​   ​ ​ ​ ​ Kindergarten registration ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Help spread the word! Kindergarten registration for the 2025-26 school year begins March 3!   If you or someone you know has a child who will be five years old by Aug. 31, register for kindergarten starting Monday. Families can register online or in person at their neighborhood school between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m., Monday through Friday. Learn more on the kindergarten registration website. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​   ​ ​ ​ ​ Random Acts of Kindness Week ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Thank you to the nearly 650 people who submitted notes to staff for Random Acts of Kindness Week! They were printed on the postcard (pictured) and delivered to staff Monday. Some of the best were from students, and we even received a few for teachers in other districts, which we passed along to those recipients. Your generosity went a long way to brighten peoples' day. Thank you! ​ ​ ​ ​ ​   ​ ​ ​ ​ Food for our families ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Thanks to everyone who contributed to the districtwide Food and Supply Drive! Whether it was monetary, food, or personal hygeine items, many families will receive what they need.   The drive was hosted by the new Family Engagement Liaison Center, located at Explorer Middle School. The goal of the event was to come together as a district and community to support students and their families, and the response was overwhelmingly positive.   To continue to provide for families, the family engagement center welcomes donations of non-perishable food and essential supplies anytime. If you would like to make a donation, please contact your school's family engagement liaison. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​   ​ ​ ​ ​ Federal funding information ​ ​ ​ ​ What will happen if the U.S. Department of Education is closed? ​ School districts receive guidance from the state, and together, we monitor the federal changes closely. We don’t yet know for certain if or how federal funding will be redistributed if the U.S. Department of Education is closed or critically disabled, but what we do know is that our district receives about five percent, just under $16 million, of the district's general budget from the federal government. That funding supports students receiving special services, students learning English, students experiencing poverty and student meal reimbursements. We are monitoring the situation closely and working with the state to help us interpret the quickly changing situation.  As always, we remain committed to serving all students and ensuring they have what they need to focus on learning. Thank you for your support as we continue to navigate the continuous changes and challenges in education. We'll update you as we learn more. ​ ​ ​ ​   ​ ​ ​ ​ Dual language reading buddies ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Students in the Dual Language kindergarten class at Horizon Elementary love Fridays! Why? Because that’s the day their fifth grade reading buddies visit!   Students in Mary James’s fifth-grade class have been reading to the students for 30 minutes on Fridays since the school year began. “I was a multi-language learner as an elementary student when my family moved from the USA to Europe. My teachers were remarkably kind and skilled, and their exemplary teaching inspired my desire to pay this skill forward in my own teaching practice.” Said James. “I have worked with multi-language learners in my elementary teaching career since 2007 and received my ML endorsement in 2016.”   James proposed to the dual language teacher to have her class visit with her class once a week for 30 minutes to support literacy skills with her students. It has been a delightful partnership that has built community and fostered a love for reading. It also supports schoolwide behavior expectations for fifth-grade students, helping them develop leadership, collaboration, and community building skills as they prepare for the transition to middle school. The students are becoming great buddies, while learning to read and write in Spanish and English together.   Mukilteo School District started the Dual Language program at Horizon Elementary School last year. It is a Spanish-English bilingual program in which students develop academic and social skills in both languages. The dual language program promotes cultural diversity and respect among all students. Applications for the program will open along with kindergarten registration on Monday, March 3.   Learn more about the dual language program. ​ ​ ​ ​   ​ ​ ​ ​ Make-up school days ​ ​ ​ ​ With the two weather-related closures earlier this month, we must make up those days at the end of the school year. However, we will wait to republish the calendar until we are through the winter weather in case we have more weather-related closures. As of today, the tentative new last day of school will be Monday, June 23. ​ ​ ​ ​   ​ ​ ​ ​ Immigration-related questions? ​ ​ ​ ​ If you have immigration-related questions or concerns, please call or visit your school for more resources. They have printed and electronic resources to help guide families who are concerned about the immigration status of a family member. ​ ​ ​ ​   ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Mukilteo 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 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: Civil Rights Coordinator and Title IX Coordinator Simone Neal (425-356-1244), nealsr@mukilteo.wednet.edu, Section 504 Coordinator Becca Anderson (425-356-1277), andersonra@mukilteo.wednet.edu, and the ADA/Access Coordinator Karen Mooseker (425-356-1330), moosekerkw@mukilteo.wednet.edu. Address: 9401 Sharon Drive in Everett, WA. Inquiries regarding ADA/Access issues at Sno-Isle TECH Skills Center should be directed to Wes Allen, Director (425-348-2220) allenwr@mukilteo.wednet.edu. Address: 9001 Airport Road in Everett, WA 98204. ​ ​ ​

Saturday, Mar 01 2025

Now accepting registration for Big Picture High School!

Families of eighth and ninth grade students, Last fall, we launched  Mukilteo Big Picture High School , replacing our original alternative high school, ACES. Now, as our high schools begin planning their registration processes for next year’s courses, we want you to look at us too! Our school provides a different kind of student learning experience than traditional high school programs. Students who attend Big Picture focus on projects that they design, and that have meaning to them. Our program is limited to 110 students schoolwide, and we are proud of our small group supports and customized learning plans. How are we different? students learn in a small school environment supported by staff who care about the interests that drive each student’s learning instead of a six-period day, a more open school schedule allows for deeper involvement in self-directed projects and potential internships  students show learning through projects driven by their unique interests and design thinking projects include personal learning plans, goal setting, and portfolios assessments are project-based exhibitions rather than tests  students connect to the world outside of school by participating in internships related to their areas of study students show learning through competencies, not credits teachers advise students on how to tackle their projects and meet competencies Does this sound interesting?  As a first step, all students go through the registration process at their home schools AND apply for a transfer/variance to Mukilteo Big Picture. This is live now and will get you in position for an informational meeting with Principal David Zirkle, Ed.D. Learn more on the  Mukilteo Big Picture website and attend one of the informational webinars on Feb. 26 and March 12, 6-7 p.m.  Zoom link for both webinars:   https://zoom.us/j/7323111834 Recording: ​ [Monday, Feb 24 at 4:07 PM] Reminder: If you're interested in learning more about the Big Picture program, please attend one of the informational webinars on Wednesday, Feb. 26 and Wednesday, March 12, 6-7 p.m. Zoom link for both webinars is https://zoom.us/j/7323111834. Hope to see you there! [Tuesday, Mar 18 at 3:54 PM] The informational webinar recording about Big Picture High School is now available! If you weren't able to attend one of the informational zoom meetings, you can catch the recording here: https://youtu.be/SPmUV7Bed98. [Monday, Mar 31 at 11:10 AM] Reminder: If you are interested in attending Big Picture at ACES in the fall, please follow these instructions: For 8th graders entering high school this fall: Please register at your home high school first. Then visit the ACES/Big Picture website and click on the "Now accepting registrations for the 2025-26 school year!" link to complete a variance request. https://ac.mukilteoschools.org/bigpicture For current high school students: Please go to the ACES/Big Picture website and click on the "Now accepting registrations for the 2025-26 school year!" link to complete a variance request. https://ac.mukilteoschools.org/bigpicture

Thursday, Feb 13 2025

Family newsletter - Thank a staff member, Black Hist...

​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ In this issue: ​ ​ ​ ​ Thank a staff member Make-up school days Black History Month District food drive Immigration-related resources ​ ​ ​ ​   ​ ​ ​ ​ Random Acts of Kindness Week ​ ​ ​ ​ This week is Random Acts of Kindness Week and many schools are observing the week through classroom or schoolwide activities. As part of the kindness activities, we invite you to write an appreciation note to one or more staff members. Hearing from students and families is a wonderful way to brighten staff's day and it doesn't cost a dime. To write a note to a staff member (any staff member, classified or certificated), write a brief note through this online Google form by Monday, Feb. 17. We'll merge your message onto the custom-designed postcard (pictured) and deliver it to the staff member next week. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​   ​ ​ ​ ​ Make-up school days ​ ​ ​ ​ With the two weather-related closures last week, we must make up those days at the end of the school year. However, we will wait to republish the calendar until we are through the winter weather in case we have more weather-related closures. As of today, the tentative new last day of school will be Monday, June 23. ​ ​ ​ ​   ​ ​ ​ ​ Black History Month ​ ​ ​ ​ February is Black History Month! Black History Month is an annual celebration and recognition of achievements by Black Americans and the central role they played in U.S. history. Historian Carter G. Woodson and other prominent Black Americans initiated the effort. Since 1976, every U.S. president has officially designated February as Black History Month. Other countries around the world, including Canada and the United Kingdom, also devote a month to celebrating black history. Learn more about Black History Month ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​   ​ ​ ​ ​ Food for our families ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Our new Family Engagement Center is hosting a districtwide food and supply drive Feb. 3-14. The goal is to come together as a district and community to support our students and their families. As we all know, basic needs insecurities can impact students’ academic performance and health. With the rising costs of living, a large population of our students and families are struggling. Please join us by donating items from the list below. Items may be dropped off at schools during school office hours or the Family Engagement Center at Explorer Middle School, located in House 3, between 1 and 4 p.m. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​   ​ ​ ​ ​ Immigration-related questions? ​ ​ ​ ​ If you have immigration-related questions or concerns, please call or visit your school for more resources. They have printed and electronic resources to help guide families who are concerned about the immigration status of a family member. ​ ​ ​ ​   ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Mukilteo 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 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: Civil Rights Coordinator and Title IX Coordinator Simone Neal (425-356-1244), nealsr@mukilteo.wednet.edu, Section 504 Coordinator Becca Anderson (425-356-1277), andersonra@mukilteo.wednet.edu, and the ADA/Access Coordinator Karen Mooseker (425-356-1330), moosekerkw@mukilteo.wednet.edu. Address: 9401 Sharon Drive in Everett, WA. Inquiries regarding ADA/Access issues at Sno-Isle TECH Skills Center should be directed to Wes Allen, Director (425-348-2220) allenwr@mukilteo.wednet.edu. Address: 9001 Airport Road in Everett, WA 98204. ​ ​ ​

Wednesday, Feb 12 2025

Afternoon and evening activities update

Afternoon and evening events may continue today unless your school has notified you otherwise. Activity buses will run as scheduled.  Reminder: afternoon buses will be on  snow routes as they were this morning.  We'll keep you informed about any delays or cancellations tomorrow, but if you don't hear anything in the morning, that means schools and buses are on schedule. 

Tuesday, Feb 04 2025

Afternoon activity buses cancelled

The afterschool activity buses for middle and high school students are cancelled today due to hazardous road conditions that we expect to worsen after sunset. Please plan for your student to ride the regular bus home or make alternative transportation arrangements. Thank you. 

Monday, Feb 03 2025

Family newsletter - Snow routes, food drive, immigra...

​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ In this issue: ​ ​ ​ ​ Calendar reminders Immigration-related resources Family survey reminder Preparing for weather impacts District food drive Budget update ​ ​ ​ ​   ​ ​ ​ ​ Calendar reminders ​ ​ ​ ​ Feb. 17: No school, Presidents Day Feb. 18-21: No school, Mid-Winter Break ​ ​ ​ ​   ​ ​ ​ ​ Immigration-related questions? ​ ​ ​ ​ If you have immigration-related questions or concerns, please call or visit your school for more resources. They have printed and electronic resources to help guide families who are concerned about the immigration status of a family member. ​ ​ ​ ​   ​ ​ ​ ​ Last call for family survey responses ​ ​ ​ ​ Thanks to those of you who already completed the family survey. As a reminder, we are inviting staff, students (grades 2-12) and families to participate in an annual survey through Feb. 7. It asks questions about your experiences with schools and the district. The survey should only take 10 to 15 minutes to complete and is available in 17 languages.   It’s easy! Choose your language preference on the opening page of the survey. Select your student’s school. If you have children in multiple schools, please complete one survey per child. Complete the survey and click submit.   Thank you for helping us get a sense of how people are doing and how we can better support students and families. Your responses are extremely important and help guide our work each year. ​ ​ ​ ​ Complete the family survey ​ ​ ​ ​   ​ ​ ​ ​ Preparing for weather impacts ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Sometimes weather this time of year can cause school to be delayed or cancelled. Bus routes can also be affected by unsafe travel conditions. The announcement of a school closure or delay is usually made early in the morning. All authorized parents and guardians will receive a ParentSquare message if school is closed or delayed. If you have a mobile phone number on file with your child's school, you should also receive a text message.  Updated school closure and delay information will also be posted on the school district’s website, on the FlashAlert website, and the district Facebook page and Instagram page. The district will let families know if bus routes are limited, but please review your child’s alternate route before then so you can plan accordingly. The alternate bus routes are listed on the transportation website.  If school is canceled, the school day will be made up later in the year. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​   ​ ​ ​ ​ Food for our families ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Our new Family Engagement Center is hosting a districtwide food and supply drive Feb. 3-14. The goal is to come together as a district and community to support our students and their families. As we all know, basic needs insecurities can impact students’ academic performance and health. With the rising costs of living, a large population of our students and families are struggling. Please join us by donating items from the list below. Items may be dropped off at schools districtwide (hours vary) or the Family Engegement Center at Explorer Middle School, located in House 3, between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​   ​ ​ ​ ​ District budget update ​ ​ ​ ​ Last week, the school board heard a presentation about the district’s enrollment projections and budget. I hope you review the slides and/or watch the YouTube recording for details. Here are the key takeaways. Enrollment trends The good news and bad news During the pandemic, we saw a significant drop in student enrollment as did many school districts. While enrollment increased after we were back to in-person learning, it has not quite reached our pre-pandemic levels. The good news is that projections show a modest growth or flat enrollment after next year before picking up in 2028, so we are not expecting this decline to last long. In fact, growth is predicted in future years due to developments in the process of permitting and construction. Budget More reductions in the near future A lower number of students means less funding from the state since most of our general budget is based on the number of students enrolled. The enrollment decrease for next school year alone equates to $3.5 million. Other contributing factors such as inflation of goods and services and other costs not fully funded by the state such as special services, staff leave costs, and state-mandated staff payment increases, add to the shortfall. We continue to advocate with state representatives to fully fund the cost of education and share alongside other school districts in our state how the current funding shortage affects our districts and students. We are grateful the Legislature is discussing these issues during their current session, but understand large sweeping fixes are unlikely this year. If you want to share your questions or concerns with your state representatives, you can find their contact information on Washington State Legislature’s contact webpage. Why are school districts in this situation? You can see a history of budget reductions and contributing factors on the Budget website. We’ll keep you updated as we get further into the process. ​ ​ ​ ​   ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Mukilteo 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 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: Civil Rights Coordinator and Title IX Coordinator Simone Neal (425-356-1244), nealsr@mukilteo.wednet.edu, Section 504 Coordinator Becca Anderson (425-356-1277), andersonra@mukilteo.wednet.edu, and the ADA/Access Coordinator Karen Mooseker (425-356-1330), moosekerkw@mukilteo.wednet.edu. Address: 9401 Sharon Drive in Everett, WA. Inquiries regarding ADA/Access issues at Sno-Isle TECH Skills Center should be directed to Wes Allen, Director (425-348-2220) allenwr@mukilteo.wednet.edu. Address: 9001 Airport Road in Everett, WA 98204. ​ ​ ​

Monday, Feb 03 2025

Immigration-related concerns

Dear families, We have received several questions and concerns related to immigration-related topics from staff and families. We  shared initial information last Thursday including family resources, but given recent federal government actions and media stories, the concerns and questions have understandably increased. This morning we received further  guidance from OSPI which reminds Washington state school districts about their legal obligations and practices around student education. PUBLIC SCHOOL STAFF DO: Enroll and provide services to all students, regardless of immigration or citizenship status Collect only data and records required for enrollment purposes Be aware that schools have no legal authority to enforce U.S. immigration laws Follow policies and procedures that align with state laws for responding to immigration enforcement actions impacting a school campus (see resources below for details) PUBLIC SCHOOL STAFF DON’T: Deny admission or continuing enrollment to a student based on the student’s citizenship status Require or create an impression that birth certificates or social security numbers are required for enrollment or continuing enrollment Engage in any practices to "chill" the right of access to school Require students or parent(s)/guardian(s) to disclose or document their immigration status Make inquiries of students or parent(s)/guardian(s) that may expose their undocumented status Require social security numbers from all students, as this may expose undocumented status It might help reassure families that any person desiring to communicate with a student, enter school grounds, or conduct an arrest must first produce a valid court order or judicial warrant. The principal will forward the request to the district superintendent and/or legal counsel who shall review the court order or judicial warrant for signature by a judge and validity. Additionally, schools do not permit access to information, records, or areas beyond that specified in the court order, judicial warrant, or other legal requirement. One school reported that a few families received a voice message saying there would be “ICE raids” at their children’s school. This is untrue and likely meant to cause fear. Schools are one of the safest places for students and we will continue to serve  all students. We will inform families if we have any reason to believe that might change. RESOURCES: Board Policy 4300: Limiting Immigration Enforcement in Schools Board Procedure 4300P: Limiting Immigration Enforcement in Schools OSPI Guidance: Protections for Immigrant Students in Washington’s K-12 Public Schools Jan. 17 ParentSquare post: Our commitment to students and families

Friday, Jan 24 2025

Family newsletter - Family survey, Lighthouse Award ...

​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ In this issue: ​ ​ ​ ​ Calendar reminders Family survey reminder Staff Lighthouse Award winners Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Preparing for weather impacts Pathfinder kindergarten artists ​ ​ ​ ​   ​ ​ ​ ​ Calendar reminders ​ ​ ​ ​ Jan. 20: No school, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Jan. 31: No school, staff work day Feb. 17: No school, Presidents Day Feb. 18-21: No school, Mid-Winter Break ​ ​ ​ ​   ​ ​ ​ ​ Family and student surveys ​ ​ ​ ​ Thanks to those of you who already completed the family survey. As a reminder, we are inviting staff, students (grades 2-12) and families to participate in an annual survey through Feb. 7. It asks questions about your experiences with schools and the district. The survey should only take 10 to 15 minutes to complete and is available in 17 languages.   It’s easy! Choose your language preference on the opening page of the survey. Select your student’s school. If you have children in multiple schools, please complete one survey per child. Complete the survey and click submit.   Thank you for helping us get a sense of how people are doing and how we can better support students and families. Your responses are extremely important and help guide our work each year. ​ ​ ​ ​ Complete the family survey ​ ​ ​ ​   ​ ​ ​ ​ Lighthouse Award winners! ​ ​ ​ ​ On the darkest, dreariest day of the week, Superintendent Brynelson set out to bring sunshine to a few staff. We visited two schools to surprise the winners of the Lighthouse Award, a recognition given each semester to a certificated and classified employee! We captured the moments in the three-minute video reveal below. Congratulations to all the amazing staff nominees who will be recognized during the January 28 board meeting: Carol Collison, paraeducator at Mukilteo Elementary Jon Melby, teacher at Columbia Elementary  Paul Minnich, teacher at Challenger Elementary Nicholas Taylor, paraeducator at Horizon Elementary ​ ​ ​ ​   ​ ​ ​ ​ Honoring Dr. King's legacy ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ In honor of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day on Jan. 20, many schools are holding powerful student assemblies. Many include speeches, performances and other activities to celebrate the rich diversity in our schools in addition to honoring Dr. King’s legacy. At Mariner High School's assembly, students celebrated themes of finding strength, purpose, and having resilience in times when hope feels lost. They enjoyed spoken word performances from Black and Pacific Islander students, a video from the Black Student Union, dances from the Mariner Step and University of Washington Step teams, a student duo musical performance, and the Mariner Choir led by Principal Marcus Pimpleton. Don't forget that schools are closed on Monday, Jan. 20, in honor of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​   ​ ​ ​ ​ Preparing for weather impacts ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Sometimes weather this time of year can cause school to be delayed or cancelled. Bus routes can also be affected by unsafe travel conditions. The announcement of a school closure or delay is usually made early in the morning. All authorized parents and guardians will receive a ParentSquare message if school is closed or delayed. If you have a mobile phone number on file with your child's school, you should also receive a text message.  Updated school closure and delay information will also be posted on the school district’s website, on the FlashAlert website, and the district Facebook page and Instagram page. The district will let families know if bus routes are limited, but please review your child’s alternate route before then so you can plan accordingly. The alternate bus routes are listed on the transportation website.  If school is canceled, the school day will be made up later in the year. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​   ​ ​ ​ ​ KindergARTners 🎨😀 ​ ​ ​ ​ Artist (noun): Def.: A person who creates art …   The district office is grateful to have a beautiful display from student artists at Pathfinder Kindergarten Center. The winter scenes are mixed media including chalk, bleeding tissue paper, pen, crayon, saltwater solution, and glitter! Each piece was inspired by lessons from the book The Three Snow Bears and a lesson on winter trees at night. Keep creating, kindergARTners!  ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​   ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Mukilteo 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 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: Civil Rights Coordinator and Title IX Coordinator Simone Neal (425-356-1244), nealsr@mukilteo.wednet.edu, Section 504 Coordinator Becca Anderson (425-356-1277), andersonra@mukilteo.wednet.edu, and the ADA/Access Coordinator Karen Mooseker (425-356-1330), moosekerkw@mukilteo.wednet.edu. Address: 9401 Sharon Drive in Everett, WA. Inquiries regarding ADA/Access issues at Sno-Isle TECH Skills Center should be directed to Wes Allen, Director (425-348-2220) allenwr@mukilteo.wednet.edu. Address: 9001 Airport Road in Everett, WA 98204. ​ ​ ​

Saturday, Jan 18 2025

Our commitment to students and families

Dear families, We have received several questions from families about potential federal government changes recently reported in the media. While school districts are waiting and monitoring the actions closely, we hope the following information is helpful for families until we have more information. Question: What happens if the U.S. Department of Education is dissolved?  Answer :  Our school district receives about two percent of our budget from the U.S. Department of Education, which helps support students learning to speak English and students receiving special services. Until there is a clear plan announced to dissolve the department that includes how current funding will be distributed, it’s difficult to predict the impact to our district. However, dissolving the department does not necessarily mean that allocated federal funds will stop flowing to districts. We expect that IF the federal education department is dissolved, the funding and program oversight may shift to other departments or the states, which may not be a large impact for schools. However, we are monitoring the situation closely to prepare for what may come our way as best we can. Question: What would happen to the special education and 504 supports?  Answer : Every child has the right to a public education. Public schools must provide education for students who require special services per  state and federal law . While the current federal funding may shift, schools must have a way to provide resources to ensure all children receive an education.   Question: What about immigrant students or family members?  Answer : Every child has the right to a public education, regardless of immigration status. The board policy follows  state and federal laws which state that school personnel do not collect immigration status information from families and that school properties are considered sanctuary spaces. If you have questions or concerns about your family or friends, please contact one of the organizations below for assistance. Resources OneAmerica Legal Counsel for Youth and Children Washington Law Help Northwest Immigrant Rights Project Colectiva Legal del Pueblo Immigrant Legal Resource Center Consejo Counseling and Referral Service SeaMar Community Health Centers We’ll continue to monitor any changes from the federal government and keep families informed as we learn more. As always, we exist to teach students and support their families, and we will continue to serve every student.

Friday, Jan 17 2025