Rocket Review

February 25, 2022

Dear Skykomish Community,

On Wednesday, February 2, 2022, Punxsutawney Phil emerged from his burrow and saw his shadow, predicting six more weeks of winter for everyone.

As the legend goes, if Phil sees his shadow, he considers it a sign of six more weeks of bad weather and he heads back into his hole. However, if it is cloudy and he does not, folks can put away their winter coat sooner than expected. Spring is just around the corner on March 20th, so do not give up hope for warmth.

Milestones should be a big deal to us. They represent progress, growth, and achievement.

On February 11th we celebrated our 100th day of school. The 100th day of school may not be a significant milestone in the overall perspective of life, but for teachers, parents, and students it offers a great opportunity for creative learning and celebration.

Besides our 100th day of school celebration we celebrated our high school students this month for their academic achievement. Every high school student made the honor roll for first semester! This is something that has never occurred, as long as faculty and staff can remember. Congratulations to our high school students for their hard work, dedication, and commitment to excellence!

On February 17, 2022, Governor Jay Inslee announced that the statewide indoor mask requirement for Washington State, including in our K–12 schools, is scheduled to end on March 21, 2022. Once the statewide requirement is lifted, masks will be encouraged in our school buildings, but not required. Masks will still be required on school buses per a federal mandate that requires masks to be worn on all forms of public transportation. Once the statewide mask requirement lifts, barring a new requirement from our local health department, masks will become optional in our school buildings. Staff and students will have the choice to wear a mask at school, with the expectation that others’ choices will be respected.

Yours in education,

Thomas Jay

Superintendent

February is Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month!

Exploring and creating healthy boundaries in friendships and relationships is a pillar of the adolescent experience. All of our teens navigate the endless questions which go along with relationships, important conversations about boundaries, consent, and communication can reinforce a safe place for your teen to problem solve. Young people often feel pressure to adjust their own boundaries to fit into a situation or reduce the likelihood of conflict. Reminding your student that they have options and control over their own boundaries is an important step to helping them build healthy relationships.

Open up some conversation at home about boundaries. How many types of boundaries can your family identify? What are examples of healthy boundaries? How do we communicate our own boundaries and work to understand and respect other people?

An exercise to try at home…

Discuss healthy boundaries with your family. How many of these tips do your children bring up on their own? How can you all work to practice these in a safe environment so they feel more prepared to reinforce these with friends, partners, crushes, and everyone in the in-between?

Tips for Healthy Boundaries:

• Know your limits - Identify what is acceptable to you and what is not.

• Know your values - Know what you value and work to protect it.

• Listen to your emotions - Explore what emotions you are having and why that might be.

• Have self-respect - Show as much respect to yourself as you do to others.

• Have respect for others - Take time to consider what is fair to everyone given the setting and relationship.

• Be assertive - When it is time to set a boundary, don’t be shy. Say “no” respectfully but without ambiguity.

Take a look at these resources for more information and support.

Love is Respect https://www.loveisrespect.org/. This site contains useful self-directed relationship quizzes, hotlines, chatlines, and multiple other outlets for support and information. Some of the topics covered include:

• • Dating

  • Healthy Relationships

  • Power and Control

  • Setting and Maintaining Boundaries

  • Personal Safety

  • Relationship and Cultural Context

The Trevor Project https://www.thetrevorproject.org/. The Trevor Project provides 24/7 crisis support services to LGBTQ young people. Text, chat, or call anytime to reach a trained counselor. Free and confidential. The site also shares information and resources for LQBTQIA+ youth and their families. Website topics include:

• • A Guide to Being an Ally to Transgender and Nonbinary Youth

  • Understanding Gender Identities

  • Resources for Healthy Relationships

  • Crushes and early relationships