Bearcat Necessities
March 30, 2020
To Our Bearcat Community
Welcome to our first week where we are moving forward with learning. We want to make sure that we are on the same page as we move forward. This week, teachers are offering lessons and resources that will help finish off units that were interrupted by the school closing and that will get students ready to begin new units on April 13. Our recommendation to staff has been that this is a good week to ease back into the learning and not make things worth points. But that doesn’t mean the learning is not necessary. By completing this work, students will ensure they are ready to start their units on April 13. There are teachers that are still collecting assignments that were started prior to the school stoppage and in many cases those will be worth points. For a sense of what your student should be working on this week, please check out the Educational Resources page at our district website. If you have let us know that you do not currently have computer access for this work, we have made copies for your student. We are dividing up these student packets and plan to have them available at our Elementary School sites during the lunch distribution on Wednesday.
Following this week, we are on Spring Break. Some teachers have offered additional support work for that week. Students enrolled in, and receiving credit in, a College in the High School course may have assignments due that week as those courses follow the EvCC schedule (just like in a typical school year).
Starting April 13, we are off and running with distance learning. At that time our teachers are moving to two week units where you will again be able to follow your student’s learning on the Educational Resources page. That week's resources will be up prior to our return from Spring Break. Assessments will be explained on that page and students will be back on track toward earning their credits for this semester. This will not be 80 minute classes every other day. Teachers will provide a few instruction lessons found on their individual pages which will be recorded so students can access them at times convenient to them. Teachers will also offer opportunities for check-ins with students. These could be assigned Zoom times or times that students can sign up for phone calls with teachers. We are still working out the logistics for these check-ins but plan to have a schedule configured by the end of this week.
Each student has an assigned teacher that will connect with your student on a weekly basis and see how they are doing. This likely won’t be the only teacher that will contact you or your student but we want to make sure that every student does have a consistent staff member throughout our time away from the building. If you or your student did not receive a check in call last week, please let us know at 360-804-4512 (be sure to leave your student’s legal name and a good contact number for you).
We want to once again thank all of you for your patience and grace through this. We know that there have been some conflicting messages as the rules and expectations continue to evolve from the state and the district. We don’t know of a professional that is harder on itself for mistakes made than educators and MHS teachers are no exception. They are frustrated when they put time into a message for their students and then the rules of the game suddenly shift on them. And as much as we’d love to promise that this won’t happen anymore, we can almost promise you that it will. We keep reminding our teachers that they are reshaping an education system that was over a century in the making, in a matter of mere weeks. Mistakes will be made, but teachers are available in a myriad of ways (phone, email, Zoom, carrier pigeon (just seeing if you are still paying attention) and are happy to answer questions if there is any confusion. If you have a question that goes beyond a single class, feel free to email an administrator with your questions/concerns.
Ed Crow, Principal: crowe@monroe.wednet.edu
Dani Mundell, Dean of Students, Last Names (A-E): mundelld@monroe.wednet.edu
Jeannette Siemers, AP/Athletic Director (F-Le): siemersj@monroe.wednet.edu
Shannon Tarrach, AP/CTE (Li-Q): tarrachs@monroe.wednet.edu
Hugo Molina, AP/Special Education (R-Z): molinah@monroe.wednet.edu
Chromebook Disbursement: Our District Technology Team has been working hard to get chromebooks into the hands of students that need them and we are starting distribution this week on Tuesday. Our first priority is to provide Chromebooks to all of our current high school seniors. High school seniors are invited to come check out Chromebooks at Monroe High School on Tuesday, March 31st at these times:
Students with last names that begin with A through E -- 8:00 to 9:30 a.m.
Students with last names that begin with F through K -- 10:00 to 11:30 a.m.
Students with last names that begin with L through P -- Noon to 1:30 p.m.
Students with last names that begin with Q through Z -- 2:00 to 3:30 p.m.
If you are not available to come during these scheduled times, further information will be communicated at a later time on when and where to check out a Chromebook.
Seniors: We are currently creating a Frequently Asked Questions page for seniors that should be complete in the next couple of days.
Registration for 2020-2021 School Year: Make sure to complete your registration for next school year right away. Information on registration can be found at our Course Registration Website. Here are some items you will find on our website to help you with registration:
Video Tutorial: You will find this under your Graduating Class under Registration and has an actual example of what it would look like to add classes and alternates.
Registration Instructions: If you prefer to just follow step-by-step instructions, this is your tool.
Class Availability list: To find courses on the Registration tool in Family Access.
Course Catalog: To find descriptions of courses and their prerequisites.
Graduation Requirements: To know what you need for graduation.
If your student needs help and can’t find the answers on the website, they should contact their alpha counselor via email.
Last Name A-E: woodardl@monroe.wednet.edu
Last Name F-Le: garibaya@monroe.wednet.edu
Last Name Li-Q: parrys@monroe.wednet.edu
Last Name R-Z: stevensj@monroe.wednet.edu
Athletics- a message from Athletic Director Siemers: While I don’t have a lot of answers for our student-athletes, what I can share is that WESCO athletic directors met last week and are planning and coordinating in line with what the WIAA recently released on March 25th. You can find that information here. Should school resume again on April 27th, we have created a tentative schedule for a compacted spring season that will lead to state championships the weekend of May 30th.
Team coaches should be making weekly check-ins with your student athlete through email, calls or Zoom. I loved seeing the softball team connect with Coach Tui through Zoom this past week!
During this time, I am closely following the WIAA and NCAA pages to provide coaches with up-to-date information as we get it. Originally the final signing date of the year was scheduled for April 15th, however the NCAA has enacted a recruiting “dead period” so I anticipate this will be delayed. Once we have a new date, I am working on creating a virtual signing ceremony to recognize our final group of MHS student athletes who will play after high school. Additionally, the NCAA is currently focusing all their efforts on their current collegiate student-athletes so have not released any information on what this final semester for our senior student-athletes needs to look like academically. Please know I am keeping this in mind as we make decisions for our grading systems moving forward.
Student-athletes, do your best to get outside with a family member every day. Stay healthy. Stay safe.
We will be in touch soon to check-in. And remember, even in these uncertain times, IT’S A GREAT DAY TO BE A BEARCAT
In partnership,
Mr. Crow, Mr. Molina, Ms. Siemers, Ms. Tarrach, and Ms. Mundell
New Translation feature for Bearcat Necessities
Who's Who at MHS
Ed Crow - crowe@monroe.wednet.edu
Principal
Shannon Tarrach - tarrachs@monroe.wednet.edu
Assistant Principal
Jeannette Siemers - siemersj@monroe.wednet.edu
Assistant Principal/Athletic Director
Hugo Molina - molinah@monroe.wednet.edu
Assistant Principal
Dani Mundell - mundelld@monroe.wednet.edu
Dean of Students
Melissa Myers - myersme@monroe.wednet.edu
Office Manager - 360-804-4502
Oscar Partida - partidao@monroe.wednet.edu
Main Line - Front Desk - (360) 804-4500
Lauren Martin - martilau@monroe.wednet.edu
Office Support - Attendance - (360) 804-4510
Michelle Gallik - gallikm@monroe.wednet.edu
Office Support - Financial Office/ASB - (360) 804-4513
Tara Weyrick- weyrickt@monroe.wednet.edu
Office Support - Athletics - (360) 804-4511
Denise Palmer - palmerd@monroe.wednet.edu
Registrar - (360) 804-4524
Helen Hutson - hutsonh@monroe.wednet.edu
Office Support - Counseling - (360) 804-4503
Jacci Rasmussen - rasmussenj@monroe.wednet.edu
Office Support - Counseling - (360) 804-4520
Michelle Dickinson - dickinsonm@monroe.wednet.edu
Success Coordinator / Career Center - (360) 804-4507
DISTRICT NOTICE OF NON-DISCRIMINATION
Notice of Non-Discrimination:
Monroe 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:
Civil Rights Coordinator:
Joanne Dickinson and Title IX Coordinator, 360-804-2539, dickinsonj@monroe.wednet.edu;
504 Coordinator: David Paratore, 360-804-2609, paratored@monroe.wednet.edu.
Address: 200 E Fremont St., Monroe, WA 98272.