Principal's Corner
What's Happening at Sequoia - March 2023 Edition
Connected 5 Registration Deadline is January 5th at 10am
Theme 22-23 School Year
Principal's Message
Dear Sequoia Parents/Guardians and Community Members
March is here and spring is just around the corner! This month is a busy one for sure, with plenty of exciting activities and events to look forward to.
First up, we'll be conducting the Panorama Survey for both Sequoia and Port Gardner. Information has already been sent home and all information regarding the survey is currently on our website. The information that is gleaned from this survey will assist us in guiding our school’s continuous improvement process. Your input is valuable and we appreciate you taking the time to complete the survey.
Secondly, we will be taking our Juniors and Seniors to Everett Community College and Edmonds Community College campuses on Friday, March 24th. We will also be taking a trip to visit Western Washington University in Bellingham on Wednesday, March 29th. We love to give our students options and give them experiences that will have an impact on their future. There will be more information to come on these trips so stay tuned. We will communicate through parent field trip permission slips as well as posting information on our website.
As always, please do hesitate to reach out.
Dates to Remember
Calendar Reminder - Daylight Savings Time Begins March 12th!
Connected 7 Runs March 20th - April 13th
Deadline to Register is Thursday, March16th at 10am
Expectations for ALL Students:
In order to successfully pass the CONNECTED course you will need to:
1. be on time - No Exceptions
2. be present daily for the entire eight days of the course. 2:30-4:30pm
3. comply with the District cell phone policy, which will be strictly enforced. School Board Policy 3246P: High school students who choose to bring cell phones and other PEDs to school may only use their cell phones and other PEDs during transition periods, at lunch and before/after the school day. Students are expected to silence their cell phones and other PEDs before entering a classroom.
4. follow all Sequoia Way Behavioral Expectations.
5. complete all homework, activities, and assignments to standard, and submit by their final due date.
6. be an active participant in class activities and discussions.
New to Sequoia Enrollment: If you were not attending Sequoia last school year, you are REQUIRED to be enrolled at your “home” campus (Jackson High School, Everett High School or Cascade High School) prior to enrollment in CONNECTED. Being that you MUST pass the CONNECTED course in order to be accepted into Sequoia, you will also need to call and account for your absence at your “home” high school daily.
New to Sequoia Attendance Reporting: You MUST do the following: 1. Excuse your absence at your home school each day of CONNECTED.
Supplies Needed: You will get a student computer device on the first day of CONNECTED. Bring something to write with (pen/pencil), and something to write on (composition books, lined paper, etc.) If you need school supplies, please let us know and we will ensure you receive them.
High School and Middle School Summer Academy
Registration for Everett Public Schools High School and Middle School Summer Academy starts Monday, March 13.
High School Summer Academy includes district-facilitated credit recovery courses and credit advancement opportunities. In addition, career exploration, mentorship and internships are available through Everett Career Link.
Middle School Summer Academy focuses on exciting and engaging math and English Language Arts content for current 5th through 7th grade students. Academic lessons include math problem-solving and foundations as well as literature through close reading and novel studies, to help students build foundational skills needed for the next year.
High School and Middle School Summer Academy classes are located at Cascade High School and are scheduled for July 10 – 28, 2023. In-person summer programming is free to in-district students. Transportation and meals are provided.
In addition to in-person programming, online classes for high school students are hosted through OnlineHS.net. Online classes are scheduled for June 26 - August 3, 2023; tuition is $350 per class for in-district students and $450 per class for out-of-district students. Scholarships are available based on need. For more information or to register for classes, please visit https://www.everettsd.org/domain/2422.
The SAT free for all juniors!
On Wednesday, March 22, all juniors will take the Student Aptitude Test (SAT) at no cost. There will be a 4 hour late start for all other high school students with late bus transportation provided. Learn about the benefits of SAT testing and how to prepare at SAT Family Information and Resources.
Kindergarten registration begins this month!
Will your child be 5 years old by August 31? On March 6, you can complete your child’s online enrollment for kindergarten. An easy and quick process as detailed in the step-by-step parent walkthrough video available in multiple languages on our website www.everettsd.org/kindergartenenrollment. You can also enroll in-person at your neighborhood school.
Enrolling early in March will ensure invitations to your school’s kindergarten events and participation in Everett Ready, a transition-into-kindergarten program offered for one week in August to all enrolled kindergarteners. We are looking forward to welcoming you and your student to kindergarten!
News around the district
Annual School Stakeholder Survey
To guide the Everett Public Schools’ continuous improvement process, each year schools survey students, families and staff. This information helps us to understand our specific strengths and challenges that impact school quality.
The School Stakeholder Annual Survey is only one of many pieces of data analyzed by school leaders and staff and results are carefully and thoughtfully reviewed. In addition to survey data, student achievement, attendance, discipline, and program data is evaluated to create School Improvement Plan goals. Your opinion is important to us!
Students in grades 3-12 will be taking this survey in class. Families will also be invited though social media, on the school homepages under the announcements and through normal channels of communications from principals to parents to take the survey which runs February 22 to March 31.
Annual Student Art Shows
Everett Public Schools, in partnership with the Everett Public Schools Foundation, is celebrating 25 years of student art shows.
The elementary art show will be on display at the Community Resource Center (CRC) (3900 Broadway) from February 22 to March 15, 2023. There will be an elementary art show open house on March 2, 2023, from 6 – 7:30 p.m. for families to view the art show in the evening. The elementary art show can be viewed virtually on the district’s website.
High school art will be displayed for public viewing from March 22 to May 4. All participating students, their family members and friends are invited to the High School Art Show Reception on May 4, 2023, 6 – 7:30 p.m. at the CRC. Awards will be announced at this reception.
Middle school art will be displayed for public viewing from May 8 to June 8. All participating student artists and their family members and friends are invited to attend the Middle School Art Show reception on June 8, 2023, 6 – 7:30 p.m. at the CRC. Awards will be announced at this reception.
Education Support Professionals Week
Communications
Do not miss out!
Our school is using Peachjar to send flyers home electronically. Just go to the home page of our school website and click on the Peachjar Eflyer button to check it out. You do not need to login to receive or view school eflyers.
No action is required on your part. You should have already received a welcome email from Peachjar that includes a username and password. This is provided so you can manage your account and flyer delivery preferences. Don’t worry if you’ve forgotten your password, you can reset it at any time. If you cannot locate your welcome email, you can go to Peachjar and sign up!
This system is used exclusively for the distribution of school-approved flyers. Your email address will not be shared or used for any other purpose.
Update emergency contacts
Please call your school if your phone number or emergency contact information changes at any time during the school year. This is the contact information used by the Everett Public Schools automated phone system in emergencies and to share important school information with families.
Parent University – suggest a topic
Parent University is an on-demand resource created to help parents and guardians become full partners in their child’s education. Parent and family engagement in education positively impacts the academic and social success of children. Content includes a selection of pre-recorded videos and how-to documents that can be viewed at any time.
If you have additional topics you would like to suggest, please email communications@everettsd.org. We value your partnership as we continually improve this resource for families.
Delayed start or closed schools
If we must cancel school or delay the start of school, we will use our parent communication system to call in the morning, typically around 5:30 a.m. (or sometimes the night before if it can already be determined) with a brief message about the reason for closure or delay. We will also use local media, social media and post the message on our website.
If there is no announcement about Everett Public Schools, school is on the regular schedule. More information and resources for school closures or delays is on the district website under the Parents tab.
In cases of inclement weather or other emergencies, please:
- check your email or phone for district messages
- listen for media announcements
- view the district’s website at www.everettsd.org
- watch district Facebook, Twitter or Instagram accounts
Safety Corner
Safety procedures
Our highest priority is to provide a safe and secure learning environment for our students. We would like you to know what we do in case of emergency so you not only know what to expect, but also so you can feel confident we practice and plan on how to keep your child safe.
If we are alerted of an immediate threat at or around our school, we would implement a lock down. This is a precautionary measure while the nature of the threat is evaluated. In a lockdown, staff is trained to lock classroom doors, shut off the lights, close the blinds and instruct students to sit away from the sightline of the doors or windows. The perimeter doors remain locked, including the front office and no one will be allowed in or out. In addition, the phones will not be answered, so please don’t call the office at this time.
Law enforcement will validate if the threat is legitimate. If there is no threat to our students and staff, we would lift the lockdown and families would receive a communication from the school informing them of the lockdown and that it was not a legitimate threat. That communication may not come until later in the day.
If law enforcement validates the threat is real, the school will remain in lockdown as long as necessary. In this case, families will receive communication either from the school or the district office with information about the lockdown and what is known at the time. In lengthy lockdowns, families will receive ongoing communication with updates as available, including when the lockdown is lifted. Again, these communications would either come from the school or the district office depending on the situation.
We hope this helps you understand the lockdown plan and how we will communicate with you. You can find more information about our safety responses and plans on the Safety and Emergency Preparation website.
Safety Tip Line
Do you or your student have a concern about someone experiencing bullying or harassment? Report it! You can talk directly with your school’s office or you can call, text or email your concern.
Parent Safety Tip
Six ways your student can protect their online identities:
1. Share carefully – don’t give out any personal information to unknown sites or strangers
2. Go private – keep privacy settings high and limit location services when possible
3. Log out – especially after using shared computers
4. Mix up passwords – use different passwords for different apps and websites
5. Avoid clickbait – avoid quizzes and random questionnaires
6. Choose wisely – pick an appropriate username
Learn more about online safety, digital wellness, cell phones and learning with technology with age-specific tips and tools on www.commonsensemedia.org.
Resources & Services
Kids in Transition program
Could you or a family you know use some help? Find information and links to helpful resources on the district’s Parent Tools webpage:
· Washington State Library – local and regional information about services and agencies offering help to families in a variety of ways including food, shelter, clothing, childcare, legal services, employment opportunities, and counseling
· Everett Public Schools Kids In Transition (KIT) program – supports homeless children and youth to continue their education
· Snohomish Health District for Snohomish County community dental resources for children and adults
· United Way of Snohomish County – 2-1-1 is a free telephone number that is your best "first call" to quickly find the right source of help. The information line is staffed by trained operators from Volunteers of America Western Washington who can connect you to a wide range of community services.
How to Stay In Touch & Connect with Us
Everett Public Schools believes communication with parents and the community is very important. One resources available for families is our “Stay Connected” chart, which will show you the different ways you can regularly keep informed. Visit the communications overview page on the district’s website at www.everettsd.org/communications to download your copy.
Please also make sure your student’s school has your updated contact information so the district can communicate effectively with you.
Belinda Mountjoy Principal
Email: bmountjoy@everettsd.org
Website: https://www.everettsd.org/sequoiahs
Location: 3516 Rucker Avenue, Everett, WA, USA
Phone: 425-385-5190
Twitter: @Sequoia_HS