Stanwood Middle School
Family Message — Sunday, March 17th, 2024
Good afternoon Stanwood Middle School Families!
Communication is vital to all of our Spartans' success. With conferences coming up on March 27 and 28, this is a prime opportunity to ensure Spartan families have all of the information they need. Spartan staff started sending emails this past week to schedule conferences. If you would like to schedule a conference--either with a group of teachers or individually--please call our office at 360-629-1350 or email the teachers directly (all staff emails are listed below).
The Spartan Scene
Tomorrow kicks off another spirit week, capping off with our spirit assembly on Friday.
- 3/18: Green Day
- 3/19: Duo/Twin Day
- 3/20: Sweats vs. Jeans Day
- 3/21 PJ/Comfy Day
- 3/22 Spartan Out
The fourth and final sports season is here! 7th/8th Grade Co-Ed track begins Monday, March 25. 7th/8th Grade Boys Soccer begins Monday, April 8. To register, you'll need to go through Final Forms. All athletes must also have a current physical on file.
To sign up, please click https://stanwood-wa.finalforms.com and follow the prompts to create your account, add your student(s), and sign your forms. You will be required to sign your forms once per year and after any update; you may review your data at any time to verify it is current.
Don't forget we will have half days starting March 27 before our Spring Break (April 1-5).
What’s New in the SMS Library?
Do you enjoy writing poetry? The America Library of Poetry is holding their 28th Annual National Student Poetry contest. There are lots of prizes available, plus a $500 grand prize! All grades can enter. Deadline to enter is April 30, 2024. Complete details in the March Library Newsletter or stop by the library to pick up a flier. Check all the library events and literary news in the March Library Newsletter.
Have a great Sunday everyone!
Tod Klundt
Principal
Stanwood Middle School
360.629.1350
Staff List for SMS!
Teachers:
Amy Anderson - aanderson@stanwood.wednet.edu
Shannon Austin - saustin@stanwood.wednet.edu
Jenna Berg - jberg@stanwood.wednet.edu
Gaylynn Beuthien - gbeuthien@stanwood.wednet.edu
Patrick Bliss - pbliss@stanwood.wednet.edu
Lara Brown - lbrown@stanwood.wednet.edu
Elizabeth Currey - ecurrey@stanwood.wednet.edu
Alissa Donovan - adonovan@stanwood.wednet.edu
Dave Gelatt - dgelatt@stanwood.wednet.edu
John Getzinger - jgetzinger@stanwood.wednet.edu
Claudia Holum - cholum@stanwood.wednet.edu
Kelli Ingram - kingram@stanwood.wednet.edu
Kim Liebscher - kliebscher@stanwood.wednet.edu
Amelia Mundell - amundell@stanwood.wednet.edu
Jason Schonberg - jschonberg@stanwood.wednet.edu
Doug Smith - dsmith@stanwood.wednet.edu
Jenny Taney - jtaney@stanwood.wednet.edu
Morgen ten Hoopen - mtenhoopen@stanwood.wednet.edu
Kiah Thomas - kthomas@stanwood.wednet.edu
Larry Wall - lwall@stanwood.wednet.edu
Mark Wayland - mwayland@stanwood.wednet.edu
Carl Webster - cwebster@stanwood.wednet.edu
Counselors
Jayde Piggott - jpiggott@stanwood.wednet.edu
Christy Thompson - cthompson2@stanwood.wednet.edu
Student Support Advocate
Amy Hart - ahart@stanwood.wednet.edu
Administrators
Tod Klundt - tklundt@stanwood.wednet.edu
Holly Christmas - hchristmasharris@stanwood.wednet.edu
Help us address attendance issues
Research shows that missing as little as two days of school every month, or 10% of the school year, can significantly impact students' learning ability and test scores.
Chronic absenteeism is trending down in our district in most categories — such as illness, family business, and appointments. However, absence rates still remain higher than in pre-COVID years, and the total number of “unexcused absences” so far this school year is trending higher than last year — particularly among our high schoolers. “Unexcused absences” are days a student misses class and the school is not notified as to the reason.
Reducing the number of days students are absent is a key component of improving graduation rates, increasing academic achievement, and giving students the best chance at success in the workplace. We want all of these things for our students!
Together, we can ensure our scholars arrive at school on time every day when they are well.
Let's do this! Find information and tips on our Attendance webpage.
Spartan Pride Awards
Each week we find time either during lunch or the morning announcements to honor the students who show of PRIDE. You'll received the write up for prominent display on your refrigerator. We appreciate all of our Spartans and how they work hard across so many areas each day.
Staff Spotlight
Super Star Spartan Staff Shout Out
This week we are shouting out Larry Wall, our health and US History teacher. There's not a lot Mr. Wall hasn't done in his 26 years at Stanwood MS (29 total in Stanwood Camano) from PE to computers to coaching almost every sport under the sun.
Mr. Wall says Stanwood MS students and staff make our school special--the energy the students bring every day, plus the opportunity to coach those students in volleyball, wrestling, and track.
When he's not at school you'll find him on the golf course, fishing in the Puget Sound, working in his yard, or on a hike.
All Around SMS!
A few quick reminders from around the district ...
Still time to take and share the annual community survey!
We're still hoping more community members take our annual Community Survey.
Your voice truly helps us plan for and prioritize for the years ahead as we adjust our practices in several ways to meet the needs of our students, staff, families, and community!
Help us address fentanyl
We wanted to share that our Fentanyl and Opioid Awareness Night on Tuesday was attended by about 60 individuals. If you missed it, you can watch a recording of the presentation on our YouTube site.
A common theme throughout the night was the importance of having conversations early and often with our children and students about the dangers of taking pills and drugs from unknown sources. Law enforcement experts are finding more and more substances laced with potentially lethal amounts of fentanyl, many times unbeknownst to the buyer and seller of the pill or drug.
It was compelling to hear our presenters and audience members affirm that talking with our youth about these dangers once or twice is simply not enough. Regular conversations are needed to help protect our children.
You can learn more about fentanyl at www.dea.gov/onepill
Youth sports equipment drive at the Y!
The Stanwood-Camano YMCA is collecting gently used and new youth sports equipment for a free Sport Equipment Swap.
If you’d like to donate new or used youth sports equipment, please drop it off at the YMCA now through March 20.
Then, the YMCA will host the free Community Youth Sport Equipment Swap from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on March 23. Everyone is invited to shop or swap.
Local nonprofits offer clubs and programs for students
Several area nonprofit organizations — such as the Stanwood-Camano YMCA and the Stanwood Camano Arts Advocacy Commission — offer clubs, programs, classes, and events for local students, including:
- Spring Sports (YMCA)
- 2024 Sports Offerings (YMCA)
- Youth & Government program (YMCA)
- Leaders Club (YMCA)
- Freeform Line Drawing (SCAAC)
- Spring Rowing (Everett Rowing)
- Youth Dynamics (Stilly Valley)
View even more local programming on our Community e-Fliers webpage!
Important SMS Information
Bus Information
Check out your student's route and bus stop information for the 2023-24 school year now at our Bus Route Information webpage, which includes instructions on how to use Versatrans eLink.
Student Drop Off/Pick Up
Student drop off/pick up will be in our east parking lot. This is the opposite parking lot from where our busses drop off. Students will still enter through the front of the building when dropped off in the morning.
Morning Routine
Once students arrive at school they can eat breakfast in the cafeteria each day. All students will wait in the foyer, or cafeteria if eating breakfast, until our bell rings at 7:25 a.m. When the bell rings at 7:25 a.m. students will go straight to class. On regular schedule days students go straight to 1st period, on Wednesday students will go straight to our Spartan Space (Advisory).
Routines and Expectations at Stanwood Middle School
You will see below we have included expectations we have developed for classrooms, the cafeteria, hallways, bathrooms, the library, our outside areas, and the bus lane before and after school. we will review all of these with students throughout the first week.
In addition to what is listed below, we don't allow hats, hoods, gum chewing or cell phone usage from 7:25 a.m. to 2:10 p.m. We will talk with students about these expectations during the first week as well.
During the first day of school Holly Christmas, our Assistant Principal, Jayde Piggott, our Counselor, and myself will be visiting every classroom twice. We will first walk around in the morning to introduce ourselves to every student and make sure we answer questions about lunches, schedules and anything else that will make students comfortable on their first day. We will again visit every classroom after lunches to talk about bus and pickup procedures for students after school.
After School Bus Procedures
First Wave: Stanwood Buses - students will leave class and go straight to their bus.
Second Wave: Camano Buses - students will go to the following classrooms to be supervised.
Rt 15: Mr. Wall, 151
Rt. 14: Mr. Bliss, 153
Rt. 12: Mrs. Donovan, 159
Rt. 11: Mrs. ten Hoppen, 105
Rt. 10: Mrs. Berg, 107
Y bus: Mr. Schonberg, 218
Students need to exit the building immediately and go to their bus, their bus room, leave to home, pick up line, or practice/club/activity.
A few reminders:
- Find school breakfast and lunch menus HERE
- Sign up to volunteer in our schools HERE
- See our job openings HERE
- See school start times HERE
- Steps on how to complete Free & Reduced Meal applications are HERE
- Find the calendars for the school year HERE
- Sign up for our new weekly Spartan Sports Report newsletter HERE
Friday Family Message
Find the most recent Friday Family Message from the Stanwood-Camano School District online HERE
The Stanwood-Camano School District does not discriminate in employment, 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. Inquiries regarding compliance and/or grievance procedures may be directed to the District's Title IX/Affirmative Action Officer and Civil Rights Compliance Coordinator, Christine Del Pozo (cdelpozo@stanwood.wednet.edu), or the Section 504/American Disabilities Act Coordinator, Robert Hascall (rhascall@stanwood.wednet.edu) Stanwood-Camano School District, 26920 Pioneer Hwy, Stanwood, WA 98292. Telephone: (360) 629-1200.