November 2018 District Newsletter

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Dear South Whidbey Families,

Fall has arrived, the leaves are falling, the rains are coming, and school is in full swing.

This year, we are focused on improving communication throughout the district. In the mornings, weoffer Word on the Street - Coffee with the Superintendent, hosted by Mukilteo Coffee Roasters. In theevenings, we offer Moving Forward - Community Conversations at the South Whidbey ElementarySchool Community Board Room. Both are open to the public for South Whidbey family andcommunity members to ask questions, request information and learn more about what is happeningat South Whidbey School District. Please see the website calendar and Peachjar flyers for upcomingdates.

Additionally, I am having a monthly staff conversation for staff members to come during their teacherdirected time to ask questions and bring concerns directly to the Superintendent. Summaries of ourgatherings and answers to questions are provided online for all to review linked here.

We transitioned to the new South Whidbey School District Website. The goal of the new website is tomake the information you need easier to find. Please look here for answers. However, if you cannotfind the information you need, please contact any of the school offices. Our staff will direct you to theinformation you need.

Peachjar is available to all of our district families to provide you with current flyers and handoutsregarding our school and community events. All of the current flyers can always be located onour Peachjar site linked on our website.

Attendance is an ongoing issue in our district. Students should be kept home if they are sick.However, to avoid truancy reports, parents and guardians must call within 10 days to excuse theirchild's absence. More details regarding excused and unexcused absences is on our website linkedhere. Add the attendance lines to your phone directory: SWSD Attendance Lines:South Whidbey Grades 7-12 Attendance Line: (360) 221-0937South Whidbey Academy Grades 7-12 Attendance Line: (360) 221-7879South Campus SWES 5&6 & SWA Grades K-6: (360) 221-0638 South Whidbey Elementary School Grades K-4: (360) 221-0637

We are hoping for a quiet, mild winter but planning for the "just in case." If there happens to be aschool closure or late start due to inclement weather, we will be sending out an early morning ROBOcall throughout the district. We set up ROBO SMS messages too. If you "Opted In" to receiving textmessages, the notifications will come to you by phone, email and text message too. Please utilize

our website for all your school news and updates. Don't hesitate to contact us with your questions.

Enjoy the holidays and upcoming breaks!Sincerely,Jo Moccia

Upcoming EventsNov 1: Grades K-4 Picture Retakes; SWHS Jazz Ensemble at UW Jazz

Festival

Nov 1-16: Grades 5-6 Food Drive;

Nov 2: Grades 5-6 Field Trip to WICA - The Victoria Ballet

Nov 4: Daylight Savings Time Ends, Turn Clocks Back One Hour

Nov 5: Grades 5-6 Picture Retakes

Nov 6: SWHS SBAC -Math Makeup

Nov 7: Early Release; SWHS SBAC - Math Makeup; SWHS Veteran's Day Assembly

Nov 8: Grades 9-12 Winter Sports Packets Due. Get your packets turned in or have your fall sport

paperwork transferred over.

Nov 9: SWHS We Scare Hunger Food Drive Ends; Grades 5-6 Veteran's Day Assembly (11:30am);

Grades K-4 Veteran's Day Assembly (1:30pm)

Nov 9-11 & 16-18: SWHS Drama Club The Pajama Game

Nov 12: Veteran's Day (NO SCHOOL);

Nov 13: Grades 9-12 Winter Sports (Boys and Girls Basketball and Wrestling) turnout starts; SWES

Family Engagement Night - Reading and Literacy Skills (6pm)

Nov 14: Early Release; Meet with Principal Swanson - Open Discussion (8am); Word on the Street

8:30am; Free Preschool Child Development Screening (Appt Required); SWHS SBAC - ELA

Makeup;

Nov 15: SWHS SBAC - ELA Makeup; Grades K-6 Harvest Feast (flyer linked here);

Nov 16: Grades 5-6 Field Trip to WICA

Nov 19, 20, 21: Grades K-8 Conference Week (No School for grades K-8)

Nov 21: Grades 9-12 HALF DAY - Release at 11:30am

Nov 22 & 23: Thanksgiving Break (NO SCHOOL)

Nov 27: Music In Motion Concert, WatchDOG Pizza and Movie Night - SWES-N at 6pm

Nov 28: Early Release; Word on the Street (8:30am); ; School Board Meeting (6:30pm)

Nov 29: Holiday Band Concert (Grades 5-12) 7:00pm

Dec 3-7: Grades K-6 Book Fair in Library

Dec 5: Early Release; Moving Forward 6:30pm

Dec 12: Early Release; Word on the Street (8:30am); ; School Board Meeting (6:30pm)

Dec 13: Grades 7-8 Band Winterfest Field Trip

Dec 14: Grades 9-12 Band Winterfest Field Trip

Dec 19: Early Release;

December 24- January 6: Winter Break (NO SCHOOL)

Jan 7: Return to School

Jan 9: Early Release; Word on the Street (8:30am); School Board Workshop (6:30pm);

Jan 16: Early Release; Moving Forward (6:30pm)

Jan 17: Grades 7-8 Winter packets due. Get your packets turned in or have your fall sport paperwork

transferred over.

Jan 21 Martin Luther King Jr. Day (NO SCHOOL)

Jan 22: Grades 7-8 Winter Sports Begins (Girls Basketball and Wrestling)

Jan 23: Word on the Street (8:30am); School Board Meeting (6:30pm);

Jan 25: Half Day (Grades 7-12 release at 11:30am, Grades K-6 release at 12:30pm)

Jan 28: End of Semester (NO SCHOOL)

Check the District Web Calendar (linked) for Updates & New Events

SWSD Family Handbook Linked Here

Free Preschool Child Development ScreeningProvided by the South Whidbey School District

November 14, 2018

If you have a preschool age child (3- 5) with developmental concerns and would like to have themscreened by our team (speech therapist, occupational therapist and school psychologist), pleasecontact Marie at 360-221-6808 ext. 2206 to set up an appointment for the screening day or for moreinformation. If you have developmental concerns for a child age birth to 3, contact Sharon at the

Toddler Learning Center @ 221-6808 x 4420.

SWSD Projects Update

People were “craning” their necks this week as workers installed newheating units on the rooftops at South Whidbey High/Middle Schooland the Elementary South Campus. The project, funded by thedistrict’s capital levy, replaced worn out heating units dating to the mid1990s. The old units were removed and new units placed using arather large crane that was needed for the long reach over the roof atboth schools.Work at both sites proceeded on schedule with minimal disruption ofschool activities. Additional equipment will be replaced as part of afuture project.

South Whidbey Grades K-6

K-4 families are cordially invited to our Veterans Day Assemblyon Friday, Nov. 9th, at 1:30pm in honor of Veterans and thosecurrently serving in the military. If you are bringing a guest,please contact Katharine Pfeiffer at kpfeiffer@sw.wednet.edu sowe can honor them during the assembly.

Our annual Harvest Feast will be on Thursday November15th. Our cafeteria and school farm will again partner to bring anamazing array of meal options from turkey and gravy to foodprepared by our students from the school garden. Please join usfor our harvest feast and enjoy an extra special meal with us.Email Kim Glandon for more information:kglandon@sw.wednet.edu.

Don't forget to sign up for Artsonia to view and share your child's

art work from school. Contact Valarie Heggenes:vheggenes@sw.wednet.edu

The elementary school continues to work on our PositiveBehavior Intervention and Support (PBIS) system this year andour work during the last month on preventing bullying andcreating more unity in our school community has complementedour program. This year the students have been doing anamazing job of creating a community of respectful, responsible,safe and kind learners.

This year we have continued with our partnership with Ruby thedog. Ruby visits the school several days a week so students canread to her. The program has been a great addition to ourreading intervention program. It is a great way to engagestudents in reading, especially reluctant readers. If you have apet at home, you might try having your student read to it.

Family Engagement Night on the K-4 Campus is Tuesday,November 13th, 6-7:30pm. The goal is to share ways toencourage reading and literacy skills with families. Dinner andchildcare will be provided. Information to come to RSVP.

Thank you to all of the volunteers that helped create an excitingand festive afternoon on Halloween. Students thoroughlyenjoyed the class activities as well as our annual parade toshow off their costumes.

Lost and Found: We have a plethora of coats, hats, lunch boxesand water bottles at both campuses . Please come check themout prior to 11/16, when we will be bringing all unclaimed itemsto Good Cheer.

Parent teacher conferences will be November 19-21. Pleasestay tuned for more information from your teachers on setting uptimes to meet.

Please check out our daily podcast by SWES students recordedand linked here.

SWES K-4 Website Linked Here

Our 5-6 program enjoyed a fabulous Fall Harvest Party and acrazy hat day on Halloween. Monthly, we have held our CougarPride Assembly where we recognize students who have gone“above and beyond” in demonstrating our Cougar R.O.A.R.principles of showing Respect, Observing Rules, ActingResponsibly and being Ready to learn. We will also be kickingoff our “Scare Hunger” food drive to benefit Good Cheer at theassembly – with a representative from Good Cheer here tospeak to our students about the importance of the food bank inour community. We hope to “fill the truck” of Good Cheer whenthe drive ends on 11/16 – so please send nonperishable fooditems with your children, which they will bring to theirhomeroom.

Please join us for our 2018 Veteran's Day assembly on

November 9, 2018. If you or a member of your family is aveteran, please join us! We will be honoring all those who have

served our country. The 5-6 assembly will be held at 11:30amon the South Campus..

We would love to have parent volunteers for the following roles

on the South Campus:-Help with the “Cougar Den” student store – Fridays11:00 – 12:00Tutor/Mentors for a new lunchtime homework club we willbe kicking off in early December – 12:00 – 1:00 p.m. –Wednesdays. Training will be provided. “Editing helpers” beginning in early January during ourhomeroom classes – 11:40 – 12:00. We will beworking on writing skills schoolwide during homeroomand helpers would work with students on writing skills,editing, revisions, etc… training will be provided.

Remember that all volunteers need a Washington State PatrolBackground check on file with the district prior tovolunteering. Please see Megan in our office to get yourbackground check completed.

Check out our South Campus Daily Bulletin linked here.

SWES 5-6 Website Linked Here

South Whidbey Grades 7-8

Home of the Cougars!

SWMS is in its second year on the SWHS campus. Lastyear, before the end of school, we requested families toanswer a survey on their thoughts about the new 7-8configuration at the SWHS Campus.

On October 25, 2018, we had a Parent Night Meeting to goover the survey results. A powerpoint of the meeting isavailable on our website linked here. Families whoanswered the survey found that the transition went smooth,the bus schedule was better, students like the multi-periodschedule, and having their own wing.

For 2018-19, we are working on three goals: studentsgaining a 60% or greater growth on the 2019 ELA and Mathassessments and building a culture around restorativepractices, community and social emotional learning.

SWMS started Wednesday enrichment classes. Thosestudents who need extra help in their core classes receiveit during these periods. The rest of the SWMS studentsreceive a choice of enrichment classes between MarineStudies, Exploring trails, Greek Mythology, CommunityService, Intro to Boxing, Journalism and more.

Stay tuned in for bigger and greater things happening atSWMS! Join Principal Swanson at 8am for coffee atMukilteo Coffee Roasters for an open discussion on thefollowing dates:11/14, 12/12, 1/9, 2/13, 3/13, 4/10, and 5/8.Please check out our daily bulletin which is posted on ourwebsite and linked here.

SWMS Website Linked Here

South Whidbey Grades 9-12

After a successful Homecoming week, the Leadership studentshave been hard at work preparing for Veteran's Day. They willfocus on honoring those who have served and teach theirpeers about the sacrifices made by so many. In addition topresentations and assemblies, Leadership has its sights onspending time focusing on inclusion and building a climatethat is welcoming and supporting for all. The CharacterStrong curriculum is going to be included in this nextendeavor. Additionally, service based projects to support ourschool, district and community are getting underway. If you have an interest in working with theleadership class in a service component, please email kphillips@sw.wednet.edu.

Please check out our SWHS weekly bulletin which is linked here and provides the daily schedule,news and ASB and sports updates.

SWHS Website Linked Here

South Whidbey Academy

We have had a great start to the year. Kristen Nelson has joined usthis year as our English/US History teacher, the kids have welcomedher as all the staff. The students enjoyed Homecoming this year, lotsof our students participated in many of the activities. Our ASB officers are President: Dylan Blair Vice President: MariahPeters and Senator: Olivia KarlovStudents are all engaged and doing well in classes. We have a greatopportunity this year with Dee Brown (former student academiccounselor) She is working with our seniors to prepare them forcollege opportunities, trade schools or employment after graduation. Please check out our websiteSouth Whidbey Academy Website Link

SWSD School Bus Drivers Make Learning Happen for the South Whidbey School District!

Here are your 2018-19 bus drivers:

Bear - Steve LampkinCheetah - Teri TeeterCougar - Jim DavisFalcon - Bonnie NixonFrog - Junus DarugnaGiraffe - Woody WoodardHummingbird - Joe MerrickLion - Jeremie CantyMonkey - Carmen SchulzOrca - Ken BarstowTurtle - Annette BanksECEAP Driver - Carmen SchulzSno Isle Driver - Carmen Schulz

Substitutes - Sue Harris, Ken Beaver, Dan Schlangen, WendyBusch

Driver Trainer is Carmen SchulzHead Mechanic - Todd BragerAssistant Mechanic - Woody Woodard

Transportation Supervisor and Dispatcher is Linda Proctor

Please contact the Transportation Department directly at(360)221-5209.

Please visit our website here!

Please note that the frog route is still on modified route untilthe County completes road word on Anderson.

Waiting for the Bus? Walking to School?Help other road users to see you. Wear or carry something light-colored, bright or fluorescent in poor daylight conditions. When itis dark, use reflective materials (e.g. armbands, sashes,waistcoats, jackets, footwear), which can be seen by driversusing headlights up to three times as far away as non-reflectivematerials.

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South Whidbey School Bands

The South Whidbey Schools Performing Arts Boosters would liketo thank our generous community for once more supporting thehigh school band program by purchasing some of their holidaydecorations from a music student!

For more information about the SWSD Band Program, pleasecheck our webpage linked here.

South Whidbey School Board

We will have only one meeting in November(28th) and one in December (12th) due to theholidays and breaks. The Board will beattending the WSSDA Board Conference inBellevue from November 14-17, 2018.

Please check Board Docs for updated SchoolBoard meeting agenda and minutes.

Welcome to SWSD New Employees

Monique Karlov - SWSD Business SecretaryPatty Maddux, Youth Support Specialist

Kelly Pinkley, Para EducatorTamara Valdez, Para EducatorAubrey Waldron, Para EducatorTiffany White - Para EducatorRandall Haller, SWCC CustodianLori O'Brien - SWES TeacherAmber Hedgpeth - SWES Teacher

The SouthWhidbeyCommunityCenter (SWCC)is in full swingwith lots ofcommunity fun,learning andactivities from artand cooking, tokarate andcrossfit. Being ina central

location, we provide a place for people to work andorganize together for the benefit of the South Whidbeycommunity. Rooms are rented to individuals andorganizations that offer programming which benefitsthe whole community. Additionally, we provide hourlymeeting spaces for classes and groups to meet.

The community center is a safe environment for allages to come and embrace technology and getconnected. The Recreation Room (Room 121) isopen to the public. Feel free to come in and chill, playping pong and have a cup of coffee or a snack. You’llfind the Rec Room just inside the main entrance, upthe stairs and to the right, just across the hall from theSWCC offices and information desk. Successfulcommunity building is a grassroots effort. Feel free tocome in and share your vision. Stop by on a Thursdayfor a tour. Check us out online and signup for ournewsletter: https://southwhidbeycommunitycenter.org/

We welcome volunteers who want to be a part of thiscommunity asset. Please email Gail Lavassar formore information at glavassar@sw.wednet.edu.

The Family Resource Center is settled intoour new location at the South WhidbeyCommunity Center, stop by for a cup ofcoffee or tea and find out more about whatwe have happening here!

We’ve been busy this year, our Back toSchool program supported 290 studentswith the supplies they need to be ready tolearn for the school year ahead. We haveschool supplies available to students allyear.

We are kicking off our 3rd annual Ready forRain program-we’re stocked with rainboots, raincoats and winter jackets-everyone learns better when they are warmand dry! Please don’t hesitate to call orstop by if your student is in need of a jacketor boots, but your finances keep you frommaking a purchase.

Preparations are underway for HolidayHouse! The reality for some families onSouth Whidbey is that the ability to givegifts to kids gets lost in the stress of payingrent, unexpected bills, and the high cost ofliving. Holiday House ensures despite theoverwhelming financial factors that causestress, at least every child can receive anew, popular present from their parents-and feel the joy of the holiday season.

If you would like more information aboutany of the programs Readiness to Learnoffers, stop by room 117 of the CommunityCenter. Call 360-221-6808, ext 4321 oremail: rtlfprograms@readinesstolearn.org.

Back to School, Ready for Rain andHoliday House are all made possible bygenerous donations from communitymembers and organizations. We arethankful for our generous community!

South Whidbey PTSA Grades 7 - 12:

Please come and join us at our board meetings every secondTuesday of the month at 6:30 p.m. in the conference room in theSWHS/SWMS Office. Our next meeting is Tuesday, November

13th.

The Elf Chase is coming….get ready for some holly-jolly fun and help support our biggest fundraiserof the year. The Elf Chase 5K Walk and Fun Run is happening on Sunday, December 2, 2018 at theSW Parks & Rec. Community Park. Registration opens at 9:00 a.m. Please sign up early to beguaranteed a cool Elf Chase Tee Shirt. Visit our website (https://swptsa.weebly.com) for registrationforms and to prepay registration fees online to avoid the rush on the day of the event. NEW THISYEAR….we are making this year’s Elf Chase a true FUN walk and run and all participants whocomplete the course will be put in a drawing for some wonderful prizes donated by localbusinesses. We will also have prizes for the best costume and plenty of elves to be chased for prizesfor your youngsters! (2018 Participant Registration Form Link)

We are also looking for businesses to sponsors the Elf Chase. All sponsors get advertised on ourcandy cane lined course. For higher levels of sponsorship, get your name on the Elf Chase TeeShirts and more (see our website and Business Sponsorship Form for details). BEST OF ALL yourmoney goes to fund Teacher & Staff Grants and other SW PTSA Programs. Last year wegave $5,467.00 in teacher and staff grants and these grants funded items including: novel sets forthe classroom, math related board games, science equipment, P.E. equipment, field trip expenses,video production equipment and more. Your sponsorship funds will also go to award two deservingSWHS seniors two $500.00 scholarships! To sign up as a Business Sponsor, please see ourwebsite where you can pay online (https://swptsa.weebly.com) or download a business sponsorshipform. (2018 Elf Chase Business Sponsorship Form)

Remember when shopping this holiday season, to shop at Amazon Smile and choose to supportSW PTSA! A percentage of your payment goes to SW PTSA!

Hello from SWEPTA K-6!

At our first board of the year, we opened by going around in acircle and saying what we love best about South WhidbeyElementary (SWE). The gist of everyone’s answer was about thegreat people at SWE-the kids, the teachers, the parents-we allfeel so lucky to be part of such a great community! And really, thatis what SWEPTA is all about, keeping that good feeling going forthe school community we all love-we’re all in it together.

We’re off to a great PTA year-one way we can measure that is bythe number of paid memberships we have so far. We’re up to 71SWEPTA members this year, and that is more than we’ve had inat least 5 years! And, most of those paid members work at SWEK-6. We have almost 100% teacher membership, which is reallysomething to be proud of. Thank you to everyone who has joinedso far! We’re hoping to reach our goal of 100 paid members thisyear. We can do it with your help! You don’t need to volunteer to bea member (but you can-email cailyn_m@hotmail.com to be onour volunteer list!) and you can join online through the WA StatePTA website: https://www.wastatepta.org/get-involved/find-your-pta/

We have some fun plans in the works! Here are some dates to put on your calendar: November 27that 7:00, our November Board meeting. December 1st, our annual Holiday Market, this year beingheld at the South Whidbey Community Center-check our website (www.swepta.org) for details. We’restill looking for vendors. Stay tuned for upcoming details about a November Family Fun Night andSpiritwear!

South Whidbey School GardensSeptember and October at the school farm areaction-packed, with the students enjoying thelate summer harvest and then watching the fallmove in and the season change. It's such abusy time with over 500 students per week atthe farm and/or culinary classes, K - 7. So muchlearning!

It's a great time to teach about flowers andseeds, decomposition, the seasons, and somany other subjects. Harvesting crops theyplanted in the spring, the children learn aboutlife cycles. Pulling out the plants helps reinforceunderstanding of plant structures. Buildingcompost piles teaches about decompositionand microbes. Weighing pumpkins teachesmath and graphing. Click HERE for the classeson the Autumn Cycle. Click HERE for the delightof the students returning to the farm inSeptember.Check out our website linked here.

School Lunch Menus are available online linkedhere or on our Chartwells App.

You can make lunch payments by dropping off acheck at your school office or online linked here.

K-6 Harvest Feast is on November 15th. Pleaselet us know if you can join us by completing theform linked here.

For more information on free or reduced lunch,please contact Monique Karlov at (360)221-6808 ext 2224.

South Whidbey Schools Foundation

The South Whidbey Schools Foundation is a charitable organizationdedicated to providing grant opportunities to district staff to facilitate andbring additional resources to the classroom, as well as experiencesoutside the classroom. We are pleased to report that we have recentlyapproved over $42,000 in grants this school year thus far! Grants fundedrange from field trips, music, art and science enrichment, professionaldevelopment support, and helping bring back clay and music curriculumsto the students! Primary ways in which we fundraise include our annualspring gala (auction), "Dine out Wednesday’s" in March and October, andthrough our annual newsletter mailing. We appreciate the support we get from our local businessesas well as the individual donations we receive. They all add up to making it possible to support ourwonderful school district to grow well rounded and highly capable citizens of the future. GoBlue! swsfoundation.org

Our Commitment to Non-DiscriminationThe South Whidbey School District #206 does not discriminate on the basis of sex, race, creed,religion, color, national origin, age, marital status, honorab ly discharged veteran or military status,sexual orientation including gender expression or identity, the presence of any sensory, mental, orphysical disab ility, or the use of a trained dog guide or service animal by a person with a disab ility inits programs and activities and provides equal access to the Boy Scouts and other designated youthgroups. The following employees have been designated to handle questions and complaints ofalleged discrimination: Affirmative Action/Title IX/ RCW 28A.640 /RCW 28A.642 compliance officer,Dan Poolman, dpoolman@sw.wednet.edu, or Section 504/ADA coordinator, Dr. Jeff Fankhauser,jfankhauser@sw.wednet.edu, 5520 Maxwelton Road, Langley, WA 98260, 360-221-6100.

South Whidbey School District | (360) 221-6100 | Email | Website