Sehome High School Mariner Memo
Week of August 23-27, 2021
PRINCIPAL'S LETTER
This week we started having students back in the building. We are excited to have our fall sports start up. Freshmen and new student orientation also happen this week! It is so exciting to have their energy and excitement bringing life to the building once again. Our counseling staff and main office staff return to work this week. We know that many of you have been patiently waiting to hear back from your counselors. Please give them some time to settle in and get caught up on the emails and messages that have come in. If you have reached out to them, please wait patiently for them to get back to you before reaching out again. They are the best of the best and will get back to you! We promise.
We continue to hire additional teachers and staff members. You will see those continue to be updated below. We are excited to have such incredible people joining our Sehome team.
We are excited to kick off the 2021-2022 school year with each of you! Here we go!!!
Sonia Cole
Principal
IN THIS EPISODE:
2- Schedules
3- Cameras
4- Parking Permits
5- Bus Loop
6- Bell Schedule
7- A/B Schedule
8- Attendance
9- Open Campus for 9th-12th Grade
10- Athletics & Activities Information
11- COVID-19 Safety Protocols
12- Transportations
13- Staffing Update
14- Save the Date- Open House
15- Multi-Lingual Message Line
16- Food Service
17- PTSA
18- Contact Information
2- SCHEDULES
- This year, you will not be receiving a printed copy of your class schedule. You can access your class schedule through Skyward.
- Freshmen schedules will be available for freshmen orientation on August 26.
- Sophomore, junior, and senior schedules will be viewable on Skyward on August 30th.
- If you are unable to access your schedule, please come by the main office or counseling office and we will print a copy for you.
- How do I change my schedule?
1) Check the Master Schedule - Classes for 1st Semester to see what courses are offered.
2) Check the course catalog for course descriptions and graduation requirements.
3) Email your counselor with courses you want to drop and add.
- Schedule changes are not guaranteed and are subject to approval only due to extenuating circumstances. Schedule Change Forms are only accepted the first two weeks of school.
3- CAMERAS
Over the spring and summer, contractors installed security cameras inside and outside of several of our schools, including here at Sehome. This project was approved by our community as part of the 2018 school facilities bond. Security cameras will help us maintain the health, welfare and safety of students, staff and visitors, and protect our school’s equipment and beautiful campus.
Cameras are located at key points outside the building for exterior vandalism deterrent and protection, and in some common interior areas such as hallways. Cameras do not record audio, and they will not be installed in classrooms, restrooms or locker rooms or any places where we presume privacy. Recordings will only be available to authorized people. For more information, see policy 6610.
Our district is installing cameras at all of our schools and has prioritized high schools for the first phase. We are excited to see this project coming to our high schools as an important tool in helping keep our school community safe and secure.
4- PARKING PERMITS
Parking passes will be issued beginning the second week of school. While parking for students is free, we do require that all part-time and full-time students register their vehicles with the school. Registration forms are available in the ASB office and online. Please return completed forms to Cathy Moran in the ASB office beginning the second week of school.
5- BUS LOOP
Thank you.
6- BELL SCHEDULE
8- ATTENDANCE
We are looking forward to welcoming all students back to the building and we believe strongly in the benefit of regular school attendance to support academic achievement and graduation. Families should contact the office within 48 hours regarding a student's absence. An absence can be classified as excused if it is related to illness, health condition, medical appointment, family emergency, religious purposes, court-related, or directly related to a student's homeless status(Policy 3122). We commit to supporting students and families around consistent school attendance. We may partner with the Juvenile Court system if unexcused absences(truancy) begin to hinder the academic progress of students. We look forward to learning together with your student this year.
9- OPEN CAMPUS
10- ATHLETICS & ACTIVITIES
Fall Sports Information:
Football Practices start Wednesday, August 18.
All other Fall Sports start Monday, August 23.
Please contact the coaches listed below for additional details.
To register for Fall Sports:
Update your student’s information and documents in Final Forms.
1. Go to FinalForms, click on “Parent” and login.
· If you forgot your password, click “Forgot your password?”
· If you have never set up your FinalForms account, click “Never logged in?” then enter the main email address that we have on file for you in Skyward to resend the confirmation link. Then, use the link to set up the account and login.
Coach Contact for Fall Sports:
Fall Sports
Boys Tennis Tom Sloane sloanes@comcast.net
Coed Cross Country Kevin Ryan kevin.ryan@bellinghamschools.org
Coed Dance Selena Arciniega-Storey selena.arciniega-storey@bellinghamschools.org
Coed Football Kevin Beason beas5112@yahoo.com
Coed Cheer Beth Kealy elizabeth.kealy@bellinghamschools.org
Girls Slow-Pitch Jim Emerson burgleremerson@comcast.net
Girls Soccer Emily Webster emily.webster@bellinghamschools.org
Girls Swimming Don Helling don.helling@bellinghamschools.org
Girls Volleyball Zach Calles skagitislandvball@gmail.com
Any questions, reach out to:
Kristin Cerenzia
Activities & Athletics Admin Asst
Kristin.cerenzia@bellinghamschools.org
Colin Cushman
Athletic/Activities Coordinator
11- COVID-19 SAFETY PROTOCOLS
Our two primary goals for the 2021-22 school year are to maximize in-person instruction by keeping kids in school and to minimize the transmission of COVID-19 among students and staff and to their families and our broader community. Our best protections are the COVID-19 vaccine and masks.
Here is the current guidance that we will follow:
- Masks are required inside schools for everyone regardless of vaccination status.
- Masks are optional outside but recommended for crowded events.
- Physical distance should not be a barrier to in-person instruction. Our goal is to have a distance of 3 feet between students in the classroom.
- We will not be doing health attestations for students. We ask that everyone stay home when they are sick.
- We are hoping to expand testing access to every school.
- We will continue to do contact tracing.
- We will continue to focus on handwashing and sanitizing.
12- TRANSPORTATION
Bus pick-up and drop-off times, as well as bus stops, have changed from last year.
13- STAFFING UPDATE
RETIREMENTS:
- Craig Snyder, Band Director
A note from Mr. Snyder--
It’s been a magical experience at Sehome these last few decades – so many amazing people I have had the privilege of working with, students, faculty, staff, and parents! Of my career, Dan Fogelberg’s words come to mind, in song of course:
“The leader of the band is tired and his eyes are growing old
But his blood runs through my instrument and his song is in my soul
My life has been a poor attempt to imitate the man
I’m just a living legacy
To the leader of the band”
Congratulations on your retirement, Mr. Snyder. We wish you all the best on your next adventures.
NEW STAFF:
- Amy Boyson, Preschool Paraeducator
- Christina Campbell, Intervention Prevention Specialist
- Kerri Clary, Exceptional Education
- Sasha Colmenero, Exceptional Education
- Sarah Curlin, Administrative Assistant
- Valerie De Fehr, School Psychologist
- Kristin Dungan, Paraeducator
- Katharine Festin, Exceptional Education
- Luke Holtgeerts, Video Productions
- Kim Kirk, Ed Tech TOSA
- Laura Lawyer, Preschool Paraeducator
- Gulzar Rahman, Custodian
- Donny Rose, Band & Choir Teacher
- Serhiy Zablotskyy, Night custodian
- Max Zentner, Social Studies and Leadership
COUNSELING ASSIGNMENT CHANGE:
We are moving away from the model of having a 9th grade counselor. Students will now be divided by alpha and will remain with their counselor all four years.
The new assignments are:
Amy Hjelt, Counselor A - D: amy.hjelt@bellinghamschools.org
Jeff Smith, Counselor E-K: jeffrey.smith@bellinghamschools.org
Hana Schutz, Counselor L-Re: hana.schutz@bellinghamschools.org
John Vandermolen, Counselor Rh - Z: john.vandermolen@bellinghamschools.org
If you have any questions about your child, please do not hesitate to reach out to your child's counselor.
15- MULTI-LANGUAGE MESSAGE LINE
16- FOOD SERVICE
Families are still encouraged to fill out the Free and Reduced Price Meal Application for other benefits related to free and reduced status.
You can view the lunch menu here.
17- Sehome PTSA
To join the Sehome PTSA: https://www.memberplanet.com/packetview/sehomehighptsa/sehomehighschoolptsamembershippages
Email: sehomehighschoolptsa@gmail.com
Website: https://sehomehighptsa.memberplanet.com/
Facebook: SehomeHighSchoolPTSA
Instagram: @sehomehsptsa
18- Sehome Points of Contact
Sonia Cole, Principal: sonia.cole@bellinghamschools.org
Mike Couto, Assistant Principal: A - K mike.couto@bellinghamschools.org
Bethany Barrett, Assistant Principal: L - Z bethany.barrett@bellinghamschools.org
Colin Cushman, Athletics & Activities: colin.cushman@bellinghamschools.org
Amy Hjelt, Counselor A - D: amy.hjelt@bellinghamschools.org
Jeff Smith, Counselor E-K: jeffrey.smith@bellinghamschools.org
Hana Schutz, Counselor L-Re: hana.schutz@bellinghamschools.org
John Vandermolen, Counselor Rh - Z: john.vandermolen@bellinghamschools.org
Contact Information
Website: https://sehome.bellinghamschools.org/
Location: 2700 Bill McDonald Pkwy, Bellingham, WA, USA
Phone: (360)676-6481