Tornado Warning
February 2022
Principal's Message
Good afternoon Yelm families,
Second semester is already off to a great start. First semester final grades were posted in Skyward on Wednesday, February 2, 2022. We have seen great things from so many of our students at YHS … see some of the celebrations below. I want to share the message I voiced to students at the start of this new semester…
“With so much going on around you, much of which is out of your control, I encourage you to seek the wins in things you can control, seek the things that make you smile, and seek ways to make others smile as well. You have another opportunity to start fresh … with grades, peers, and your teachers. You have so many people here who care about you and want to see you succeed. You need to do your part … show up to class on time, mind the routines and expectations (like the 10-10 rule), pick up after yourselves, be respectful to staff, and treat others with kindness … and when you mess up, make it right! It’s ok to make mistakes, it’s not ok to ignore the impact your actions have on others and our school community. You will always find what you are looking for, so look for the good.”
To families, thank you for your continued support of our efforts at school as we guide students in practicing healthy learning habits. A few things that you have done that have had a positive impact on your student’s success are monitoring and addressing your student’s attendance/tardiness, encouraging your student to communicate with teachers regularly, and checking in with your student about their day. We appreciate you more than you know as we “team up to show up” for our students.
Message to Upperclassmen
If you start receiving information or communication from WWU, EWU, Evergreen, CWU, and/or WSU… it’s because you are on track or have met their admission requirements. If you are interested in any of these schools and believe you have met the requirements, but do not receive communication from them in the near future, please reach out to your school counselor.
Celebrations
We were happy to see our failure rates decrease by a significant amount as we ended the first semester.
Many groups of students, clubs, and volunteers, have served our community by keeping our campus clean and showing pride for our school. I have even seen parents bring their own trash bags after school hours to pick up around the campus. I am proud to be a Tornado.
Big Bird was restored and relocated into the commons. We held a rededication ceremony with Tribal Leaders, District Staff, Washington Arts Commission and County Commissioners. If you haven’t seen it yet, take a look next time you come through the commons at YHS … it's beautiful. You can view the recorded video below.
We have a new to our school but not new to the district staff member, Stacy Roe, who is serving as our Restorative Specialist. This is a celebration because these efforts have a direct impact on the student’s social and emotional growth.
Vandalism and student altercations have decreased, which has lessened the anxiety around campus.
Our Winter Sport teams have also had a successful season. Boys Basketball will play Bainbridge Island Wednesday February 9, at 7 p.m. for a district tournament bid. Girls Basketball will play PCL Friday, February 11, at 7 p.m. at YHS. Our boys Wrestling Team took 1st in the South Sound 3A boys Sub Regional Tournament to begin their post season journey to the Dome. Our Girls Wrestling team took 2nd place overall at their sub regional tournament. Friday, February 5, we had a great sendoff for our cheer team that competed at the Cheer State Championships on Saturday.
Upcoming
Please mark your calendars for Tuesday, February 22, 2022 from 6-8 p.m. at YHS for our Student Success/Next Year Registration Information session. We will have our Counselors and other staff on hand to present information regarding 8th-11th grade courses to families and students … for example AA-DTA Program, New Market, graduation requirements and much more! This will be the start of the graduation process that will continue through spring.
On Thursday, February 17, we will welcome James Layman from the Association of Washington School Principals to our school to work with approximately 40 YHS students on school climate and culture. We will use the R.S.V.P (Raising Student Voice and Participation) framework to help guide the conversation around opportunities to improve our school. We will then follow up with a civic action plan for students to lead the charge on how we all can take action.
Principal
Yelm High School
Staff Spotlight for February
Please meet Thomas Hoghaug
Hey Y'all, my name is Thomas Hoghaug. I am extremely excited to be at Yelm High School and starting my 12th year teaching! I am a Pacific Lutheran grad where I played Football and swam on the swim team. GO LUTES! I am very excited to be teaching Physical Education in the Gym and Weight Room. I love to improve the areas I work in, be on the lookout for some awesome murals and improvements in the weight room. I love to coach and promote students' achievements, check out the Instagram Pages yelm__tornado_athletics and yelm_tornados_football.
My wife and I have 3 children, Henry age 6, Benney age 4, Mae age 2. We have a very full and chaotic life with our family. I would not change it for anything! I love Sports, Weight Lifting, and STAR WARS! I am so excited to be at Yelm, and it feels like my forever home.
Meet Christine Ronquillo
Hello, I am Christine Ronquillo, the Community Outreach Specialist at Yelm High School. I am excited and eager to work with students, families and staff! My role is to support, assist and connect students with needed resources. I also provide students with weekly supplemental food bags, clothing, hygiene products, school supplies and more. Feel free to reach out to me with any questions. Email christine_ronquillo@ycs.wednet.edu Office # 360.960.6122.
YHS NATIVE AMERICAN ARTWORK RESTORATION CELEBRATION
Black History Month
Please join Yelm Community Schools in celebrating the achievements of African Americans and their central role in American history. February was selected for this observance because it coincides with the birthdays of former President Abraham Lincoln and social reformer, Frederick Douglass. Both leaders played significant roles in ending slavery in the United States. Other countries, including Canada and Great Britain, also devote a month to celebrating Black History.
"In recognizing the humanity of our fellow beings, we pay ourselves the highest tribute."-Thurgood Marshall, first African American U.S. Supreme Court member
YELM DOLLARS FOR SCHOLARS 27th ANNUAL AUCTION
Yelm Dollars for Scholars will hold their annual auction March 5-12 to directly support Yelm High School graduates pursuing further education and training in the form of scholarships. The program has raised and distributed $2.6M in scholarships over the last 26 years and the DFS team is eager to see you again in March.
Live Auction: The live event is scheduled for 5 p.m. March 12 at the Yelm Community Center. This is a ticketed event with a provided dinner and drinks, and it is set to be a great night out with an incredible community. Get your tickets before they sell out!
Online Silent: Leading up to the live auction will be the renowned silent auction. Bidding will open March 5 and close at 10 p.m. March 11. Create an account early to get notifications!
Taste of the Prairie: Let Dollars for Scholars help with meal planning! In the days leading up to the Auction, many businesses will be donating a portion of their proceeds on select days to support Yelm Graduates. View the full Taste of the Prairie calendar!
If you have any questions, please send them an email at yelmdollarsforscholars@gmail.com or visit their website at yelm.dollarsforscholars.org.
WHAT CAN THE WORLD EXPECT FROM A YELM GRADUATE?
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Calendar of Events
February - National Black History and CTE Month
February 7-11: School Counselor Week
2/8/2022-Election Day
2/9/2022-Boys Basketball Playoffs vs Bainbridge H.S. @ 7:00PM Tickets @ GoFan.co
2/9/2022-FFA District 2 Leadership Competition @ White River High School
2/10/2022-Virtual Field Trip 9:00AM in the YHS PAC. Students must submit permission slip. Please see Ms Mathis in the Career Center.
2/11/2022-Girls Basketball Playoffs vs Mt. Tahoma H.S. @ 7:00PM. Tickets @ GoFan.co
2/12/2022-Jazzline Competition @ Lakes High School 9:00AM
2/12/2022-Boys Wrestling Regionals - time and place to be determined.
2/12/2022-Girls Wrestling Regionals - time and place to be determined.
2/18/2022-Regular School Day (Snow Make-up)
2/21/2022-No School Presidents Day
2/22/2022-YHS Student Success Night for 9th-11th Grade
2/28/2022-Spring Sports begin. Registration is now open at Register My Athlete
(Please visit Yelm High School sports schedules for all of your team scheduling information. Sports schedules do change so please refer to the website for current scheduling.)