MARINER MEMO
9/10/22-9/16/22
PRINCIPAL'S LETTER
Dear Sehome Community,
What an incredible start to the year! There is such a positive, joyful feeling in the building from staff and students. We have had lots of students and families showing up to our athletic events. It has been so fun seeing everyone and sharing in the joy of the start of the year.
Next week, we will have our Family Night Open House on Wednesday, 9/14 from 6:00-7:30 PM. This will be an evening for students and families to see the building, meet teachers and other staff members, have conversations with other families, and hear more about all of the offerings at Sehome. It will not be the same structure as in years past where parents followed their child's schedule and went to each class to hear from teachers. Families will be able to walk around the building, meet teachers, hear about classes, and ask any specific questions they have about the classes. This is not a time to talk about specific student needs. If you have specific questions for a teacher, please reach out to them over email to set up a time to further discuss. Click here to access teacher email addresses. There will be a table where you can complete Free and Reduced Lunch Applications. We will have optional parent meetings that you can opt into. Topics could include school safety and supporting your child's mental health. The Mariner Market will be open so that you can buy some Sehome gear. Cash or check is preferred. Translation services will be provided. In order to help with parking and traffic in the building, we are asking families to stagger their start times.
We ask that you follow this schedule to the greatest extent possible.
Freshmen Families: 6:00 PM start time
Sophomore Families: 6:30 PM start time
Junior and Senior Families: 6:45 PM start time
Parking is limited so please consider carpooling, riding bike, walking, or taking WTA.
We look forward to seeing everyone next week Wednesday for a fun evening! Please reach out if you have any questions, concerns, or feedback.
Sonia Cole
Principal
We are looking to stagger the flow of traffic in the parking lot and throughout the building. Please follow the schedule below to the greatest extent possible:
Freshmen Families: 6:00 PM
Sophomore Families: 6:30 PM
Junior/Senior Families: 6:45 PM
Parent Information Sessions- Supporting Teens with their Mental Health
Two repeating sessions: one at 6:15 PM and another one at 6:50 PM
High School can be a challenging time for teens and their mental health. Join the counseling team for a brief discussion on mental health symptoms, engaging in difficult conversations, and to learn more about what resources we have at Sehome.
IN THIS EPISODE:
1 – Picture Day
2 – Career Center
3 – Senior Pictures
4 – Yearbooks
5 – Climate Action Project
6 – General Updates
CAREER CENTER
Resources for Students:
· Field Trips to local colleges and local employers and training centers
College Visits and local tours
· College Fair (fall at Sehome)
· Teen Job Fair! (spring at BHS)
· Résumé help
· Volunteer Opportunities
· Scholarships and financial aid
· Sumer camp opportunities
High School and Beyond Support!
Students sign up in the Career Center
Contact:
Martha Zender
High School and Beyond Coordinator
martha.zender@bellinghamschools.org
3 - SENIOR PICTURES
Sehome High School Senior Photos and Quotes Form - Class of 2023
Due October 31st!
We want your senior photo to reflect your personality. That said, we do have a few policies in place to ensure the unity of the class section.
- a head-and-shoulders portrait where your face takes up about 1/3 of the width of the photo.
- taken straight-on, not at an angle; your face should be recognizable and visible, not hidden by makeup or accessories.
- a reasonably current image (no baby pictures)
- school-appropriate
- prop-free (this includes food, pets, musical instruments, friends, etc.)
We will request a replacement photo if yours does not meet these guidelines, OR we will use your ASB card photo instead
Senior Quote Guidelines:
We will not publish the following:
• Anything that is not commonly understandable/ is a hidden reference (acronyms, inside jokes, abbreviations)
• Shout outs about students or teachers
• Profanities, obscene, inappropriate, or offensive language
• References to inappropriate medium
• Anything inappropriate for school
Important!
• 150 CHARACTER COUNT
• Ensure your quote is someone important to you: an author, movie, television, books, etc.
• We reserve the right to omit any quotes that do not fit our guidelines without notice. The spot under your picture will be left blank.
• Students are given ONE opportunity to submit a quote! NO RESUBMISSIONS!
CLICK HERE TO SUBMIT SENIOR PHOTO AND QUOTE
If you have any questions, please contact the Sehome Yearbook Staff at sehomeyearbook@gmail.org.
4 - YEARBOOKS
Sehome High School Grad Ad Order Form - Class of 2023
All seniors are being provided a quarter-page grad ad free of charge! Simply provide the photos and the text and our designers will create a fabulous ad for you! The deadline for submission is Dec. 2, 2022.
Before you get started, here are our ad guidelines:
-We are only accepting digital images.
-Make sure digital images are high-resolution scans or files of 1MB or larger.
-Student editors reserve the right to request replacement photos or text if the content is inappropriate for a student publication.
-No copyrighted images or text will be reproduced unless complying with Fair Use copyright law. This includes song lyrics.
Tips for success:
-Let us do the hard work… creating collages is not necessary.
-4 photos maximum.
-Please avoid pictures with a significant other… because you never know what might happen in a few months.
Here is the link to the final forms in which the photos need to be submitted:
SHS Senior Grad Ad Order Form (qualtrics.com)
We are only offering 1/4 pages at this time. Unfortunately, we cannot offer any upgrades in size for any student. If you have any questions, please email: sehomeyearbook@gmail.com
5 - Climate Action Project Opportunity
RE Sources & North Cascades Institute are working together to offer the Youth for Environment and People (YEP!) program in Skagit and Whatcom counties. High school students from all four Bellingham high schools are invited to join the program and will meet after school at Options High School on Mondays to plan a climate action project in their community. Students will receive a $150 stipend at the end of the program for their participation.
Applications are due Wednesday Sept 19th. Students can find more information and the link to apply online on our website.
STAFFING UPDATES
NEW STAFF:
- Lourdes Aguliar, Band/Choir
- Kristin Dungan, Special Education
- Gwen Fetherolf, Counselor
- Jared Greenwood, PE
- Caden Mee, PE
- Lindsay Perwak, Multi-Lingual Learner Specialist
- Nick Viera, Social Studies
COUNSELING ASSIGNMENT CHANGE:
The new assignments are:
Amy Hjelt, Counselor A - D: amy.hjelt@bellinghamschools.org
Gwen Fetherolf, Counselor E-K: gwen.fetherolf@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.
PARKING PERMITS
BUS LOOP & DROP OFF
Please use the main lot for drop off and pick up of your child. We ask that you pull all the way forward and do not park in the fire lane.
OPEN CAMPUS
FOOD SERVICE
We encourage Sehomefamilies to complete the federal free and reduced price school meals application online. You can find this linked on the food services webpage. If you prefer a paper application, we have them in our office, or contact food services 360-676-6504.
New this year! families who qualify for reduced-price meals eat for free; the reduced-price co-pay has been eliminated.
For paying students, the cost of school breakfast is $1.75 and lunch is $3.25
Student status – whether free, reduced, or full-pay is confidential. All students enter an id code into a point of sale terminal and student status – whether free, reduced, or full-pay is confidential.
Meal accounts are used to pay for school meals; more information can be found on the food services webpage.
The Good Food Project includes scratch-cooking from the central kitchen, fresh salad bars, locally-sourced products, and a variety of options with broad appeal.
If you have any questions about the food services program or CEP, please visit the food services webpage, email laura.davis@bellinghamschools.org or call 360-676-6504. School menus will be posted as we get closer to the first day of school.
BELL SCHEDULE
ATTENDANCE
Contact Sarah Curlin at sarah.curlin@bellinghamschools.org with any attendance questions.
We believe strongly in the benefit of regular school attendance to support academic achievement, connection, 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.
Under a new WA state law (HB1834) taking effect this month, students can use excused absences from school as needed for mental health reasons.
In supporting the mental and academic wellness of each student, we know that these two are often connected, and students who attend school regularly have improved levels of mental health and wellness. We recognize that students may need to take absences due to mental health needs. Multiple school absences can also lead to increased stress or anxiety related to missing school, classwork and decreased social connection. Students, parents/guardians and school staff can work together to develop additional support that assists the student in attending school regularly. Additional information regarding this new law and its implications will be coming out soon. If you have any questions, please reach out to your child's assistant principal- Mike Couto (last names A-K) or Bethany Barrett (last names L-Z).
CAMERAS
AHLETICS & ACTIVITIES
Fall Sports Information:
Football Practices start Wednesday, August 18.
All other Fall Sports start Monday, August 22.
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 Clayton Sin clayton.sin@bellinghamschools.org
Fall Sailing Scott Wilson whatcomsailing@gmail.com
Any questions, reach out to:
Kristin Cerenzia
Activities & Athletics Admin Asst
Kristin.cerenzia@bellinghamschools.org
Colin Cushman
Athletic/Activities Coordinator
TRANSPORTATION
Bus pick-up and drop-off times, as well as bus stops, have changed from last year.
MULTI-LANGUAGE MESSAGE LINE
PARENT SQUARE
This school year, Bellingham Public Schools is launching a new communication platform called ParentSquare, an app-based, web-based system that enhances two-way communication. Find out more online at bellinghamschools.org/parentsquare or look for the back-to-school checklist insert in the summer mailing.
We will be sending out an activation email and text soon to all families. Download the ParentSquare app now!
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
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
Gwen Fetherolf, Counselor E-K: gwen.fetherolf@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