SBLSD News
Nov. 3, 2022
BLHS, SHS graduation dates set
Graduation dates, times and location are now confirmed for Sumner and Bonney Lake high schools. Both will be held on the same date and location. In time, when more details are finalized, each school will communicate directly with seniors and their families about further information such as tickets, practices and more. In the meantime, mark your calendars to celebrate this momentous milestone.
- Bonney Lake High School: June 12, 4 p.m., Tacoma Dome
- Sumner High School: June 12, 7 p.m., Tacoma Dome
In addition to our comprehensive high school graduation dates, we have other significant celebrations and activities scheduled for June 5.
- Elhi Hill High School Program Graduation Celebration: This celebration typically takes place throughout the day, by groups of students, at Elhi Hill. Please stay tuned for further details that will be communicated directly to families of students in the program.
- Victory Tour: This much-anticipated annual tradition has graduates don their caps and gowns to tour our middle and elementary schools. Students and staff line the halls to participate in the celebration.
¡Feliz Día de Muertos!
Sumner High School held its first school-wide ofrenda this week, a joint effort from ASB and the Latino Club.
Ofrendas consist of a set of items, often including photographs, dedicated to loved ones who have passed and celebrate their memories.
SHS staff and students submitted photos to be included in the ofrenda on display at school. Memories keep us alive!
Congratulations to our new BLHS, SHS Daffodil Princesses!
Congratulations to this year’s Daffodil Princesses: Kiana Kniest (BLHS) and Kiara Ramos-Carrillo (SHS)! They will represent our District and serve among other daffodil royalty from 24 other Pierce County high schools. Princesses are selected from their high schools based on their status as demonstrated representatives of leadership and academic success. Throughout the year, the Daffodil Princesses reach out to the community through service, public appearances, and ambassadorship, beyond being a highlight of the Daffodil Parade each spring. Mark your calendars for the 90th Annual Daffodil Parade with the theme “90 Years Around the Sound,” scheduled for April 1.
Kiana Kniest (BLHS)
Princess Kiana Kniest is involved in various clubs at BLHS, including Key Club, Panther Crue, and National Honor Society. She has maintained a 4.0 grade point average while having a job and staying committed to numerous clubs. She works at the YMCA as a child watch lead and as a toddler gym teacher. Her passions include helping people and working with children. In her free time, Kiana enjoys spending time with her mom, baking, reading, and decorating for holidays and seasons. Kiana plans to continue her education at a college level to receive a bachelor of science in nursing degree to become a pediatric registered nurse.
Kiara Ramos-Carrillo (SHS)
A full International Baccalaureate student, Kiara has a 3.9 grade point average and is the vice president of the school’s Honor Society Club. She is also the co-president of the Amnesty International Club, secretary of the Band Leadership Council, and section leader of the flute section. Kiara loves to read and enjoys watching movies or TV shows with her family. She also volunteers at the children’s hospital every Sunday. After high school, Kiara plans to go to a four-year university to major in biochemistry on the pre-med pathway, with the hope to go to medical school to become an ER doctor.
BLHS, SHS culinary students show skills in ‘Bite of Apprentice’
Culinary students from Bonney Lake High School and Sumner High School attended the “Bite of Apprentice” event in Seattle in October, where they served delicious food to more than 200 judges and guests!
Hosted by the Washington State Chefs Association, the event gives students from local culinary programs the chance to get their food tasted and judged.
Shout-out to SHS advisor Janine Sather and BLHS advisor Kahale Ahina for coordinating this industry-like experience for our culinary students!
Community shows spirit, support at Sumner High Homecoming Parade
Despite a devastating fire in historic downtown Sumner on the morning of the Sumner High School Homecoming Parade, the community showed up in droves to show their support and spirit.
The fire broke out early Friday morning at businesses along Main Street. Thank you to the first responders who worked hard to keep us safe!
Sumner High has raised $3,310 so far for the impacted business owners online and through a “Pass the Boot” at last Friday’s homecoming football game. There is still time to donate until 2:20 p.m. Friday, Nov. 4. The donation link is here. All proceeds will be given to the Sumner Rotary to be disbursed to the business affected.
KIRO 7 News asked SHS principal Kassie Meath, SHS teacher Bryan Wentzel and SHS senior Rylee Smith what it means to be “Valley Strong.” See the article and video here.
“Sumner is such a special place to be,” Rylee told KIRO News. “Because we aren’t only together, only helping during the good times, but we come together to support each other no matter what.”
Center for Strong Families on a mission to help with financial stability
When 2021 Bonney Lake High School graduate Stephanie Otero-Texidor was unexpectedly laid off from her job at a private daycare, she also thought she’d lost opportunities offered by her employer to go to college to study education.
That’s when the Sumner-Bonney Lake Center for Strong Families stepped in to help.
The center offers employment coaching, financial coaching and screenings for income support through various benefits programs. Since Stephanie wanted to work part time while going to college, Employment Coach Luan Watts helped her find what worked with her schedule.
“She helped me by looking at part time jobs. She helped me apply for college. She helped me create cover letters,” Stephanie said as she shared her story at the Sumner-Bonney Lake Center for Strong Families ‘Financial Opportunity Center’ Open House on Wednesday.
The Center for Strong Families is a collaboration among the Sumner-Bonney Lake School District, Sound Outreach, and United Way of Pierce County, thanks to funding from Kaiser Permanente and Pierce County.
“With the Center for Strong Families, it's all about helping families earn, keep, and grow their income,” said United Way of Pierce County President & CEO Dona Ponepinto.
Of clients who received bundled coaching services with the Center for Strong Families,
The average starting wage is $20 per hour
64% improved their FICO credit score
41% decreased their debt
Financial and employment stability at home can also help students in school.
“When there is less stress at home, there's less stress for kids at school,” said SBLSD Superintendent Dr. Laurie Dent. “What we've done in this district is we've made a promise to every kid that you will be known, valued and supported, ready to graduate. And the Center for Strong Families helps us fulfill that promise.”
When Stephanie shared that she was studying elementary education at Pierce College and was in the middle of applying for a paraeducator position, the crowd burst into applause.
Asking for help can be hard, but Stephanie encouraged people to reach out to the Center for Strong Families.
“There are so many things to help you – the only thing you have to do is ask for help,” she said. “I started very low but I'm aiming very high.”
The Sumner-Bonney Lake Center for Strong Families is located at Sumner-Bonney Lake Family Resource Center, 1508 Willow St. Portable 706 in Sumner. For more information, visit sumnersd.org/CSF or call Sound Outreach at (253) 593-2111.
‘Fall back’ this weekend; gain an hour of sleep
While there’s still debate about whether to adopt a permanent daylight saving time, for now, it’s still a thing. Daylight saving time ends at 2 a.m. on Nov. 6, so remember to turn your clocks back one hour before going to bed on Saturday.
Fall sessions: Learn to prepare students for kindergarten
Registration is open for fall READY! for Kindergarten sessions.
READY! for Kindergarten is a free program that offers age-appropriate targets, training and tools for parents and caregivers of children birth to age five that ensure success in school.
Families new to Ready! must attend Orientation from 6-6:30 p.m. before your registered class session.
Session dates*:
Nov. 29 at Donald Eismann Elementary (13802 Canyon View Blvd E, Bonney Lake)
Dec. 5 at Emerald Hills Elementary (19515 S Tapps Dr E, Bonney Lake)
Dec. 7 at Sumner Early Learning Center (1500 Willow St, Sumner)
Time: All sessions are held from 6:30-8 p.m.
Register: www.readyforkindergarten.org/sumner
*Please select one session date to attend per registered child
BLHS fall drama production: ‘Trap’
Unnerving, exhilarating, and wildly inventive, you've never walked into anything quite like “Trap,” Bonney Lake High School’s fall drama production. The public is invited to enjoy four performances by the school’s Drama Club later this month.
When: Nov. 17-18 at 7 p.m.; Nov. 19 at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m.
Where: BLHS Performing Arts Center (lower campus, 10920 199th Ave Ct E)
Tickets: Call (253) 891-5714 for phone orders; cash and credit card sales at the door
Ticket prices: $8 students, seniors and military; $12 adults
About Stephen Gregg’s “Trap”:
An incomprehensible event: every person in the audience of a high school play falls unconscious — every person but one. Using interviews with witnesses, loved ones, first responders, and the investigators pursuing the case, a theater ensemble brings the story of the strange event to life, documentary-style. But as the strands weave together into an increasingly dangerous web, it becomes clear that this phenomenon might not be entirely in the past.
Title I Parents Right to Know
Under the Every Student Succeeds Act, parents/guardians of students in Title I schools (schools that receive federal assistance due to their high poverty level) have a “right to know” about the qualifications of their child’s classroom teachers and paraprofessionals. This includes:
- Licensing and certification for grade level and subject
- Emergency or other provisional status
- B.A. major and graduate degrees
The Sumner-Bonney Lake School District Title 1 schools are Bonney Lake, Crestwood, Daffodil Valley, Emerald Hills and Liberty Ridge elementary schools, and Lakeridge and Sumner middle schools.
Learn more about Parents Right to Know. To request qualifications of your child's teacher, contact the District's Human Resources Department.
The weather outside is … who knows
We’ve experienced especially wacky weather recently, so a prediction of snow showers, strong winds and freezing temperatures for next week only makes sense, right? ;)
Whether it’s snow, ice, flooding or severe wind with power outages, here are reminders to help you prepare for possible changes to bus and school operations.
- Refer to inclement weather procedures for an outline of what to expect regarding communications and operations.
- For safety reasons, there may be a need to offer limited transportation and use inclement weather bus routes. This means buses will generally run on main roads rather than side streets or through neighborhoods.
- NEW: We are now using “zones” (instead of letters) to define inclement weather bus routes. Please become familiar with the zone your child’s bus route falls within. This may be different from what you’re used to from last year. It is the responsibility of families to know if they live on an inclement weather route.
- Bus drivers will hand out hard copies with the inclement weather bus zone specific to your child on Nov. 21. For questions, please call the Transportation Department at (253) 891-6400.
- Follow us on social media for updates: Facebook, @SumnerSchoolDistrict; Twitter @SumnerSchools; Instagram, @SumnerBonneyLakeSD.
It’s important to keep in mind that while streets might be clear in the Sumner valley, that’s often not the case on the hill in Bonney Lake, where there’s considerable elevation and tight, winding roads.
STEM Fair Poster Contest: Deadline Nov. 18
We invite students in all grades to create original artwork for use in promoting the 2023 STEM Fair, a districtwide event featuring activities and displays from the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering and Math.
The winning student or students will be acknowledged in all promotional materials and will receive special recognition at the STEM Fair, which will be held on Saturday, Feb. 25.
All artwork must be original by the student without help from others and must be 6 x 6 inches or smaller. Be sure to check out the full contest rules and judging components. Submission deadline is Nov. 18. Please submit entries to your child's school.
Remember to vote Nov. 8
The Sumner-Bonney Lake School District regularly reminds voters of upcoming elections and registration deadlines. Next month is Pierce County’s general election.
- Oct. 21: Ballots mailed
- Oct. 31: Deadline to register to vote online or by mail
- Nov. 8: Return your ballot by mail or at a ballot drop box
Learn more at piercecountywa.gov/elections.
November meal menus
The meal menus for November are here. See what’s for breakfast and lunch:
- Elementary
- Middle and High
- Interactive menus (ingredients and nutritional information)
You can always check for monthly meal menus at sumnersd.org/menus.
School Board: Next meeting, Nov. 16
The public is invited to attend School Board study sessions and meetings, which are held both virtually and in person. Dates, times and locations are subject to change. The Nov. 9 study session is canceled. Agendas are published a day prior to each meeting. Here are details for the Nov. 16 school board meeting:
- In person: 6 p.m., Central Office Boardroom (1202 Wood Ave)
- Virtual: Meeting link (passcode: 869878 )
- Sign up for in-person or virtual comments
- Submit comments online