Skykomish Rockets
Newsletter
September 30, 2020
Dear Skykomish Families,
Welcome to the 2020-2021 school year – a school year that will certainly be unique and historic as we open our virtual doors this year. The runway leading up to the start of this school year has been eventful and challenging at times for everyone, but our team of Skykomish educators is moving forward and is encouraged by a fresh beginning full of new opportunities for students.
The start of school is a chance for us to reflect on the District’s core values. This year is no exception. In fact, I would like to highlight a Skykomish motto that you may encounter on a regular basis because it appears on the front page of our website: Everyone Succeeds, No Exceptions, No Excuses!
We are happy to report that we have reached every student within our District by distributing laptops before the start of the year. With a strong one-to-one system in place, our students will be equipped to begin distance learning. Skykomish teachers, counselors, and aides are interacting with every student, every day to make sure every student succeeds in a variety of ways including through live interaction, synchronous and asynchronous instruction, and support.
We have accepted no excuse with every challenge that has emerged throughout this pandemic. Each challenge has been thoughtfully discussed and reviewed by a team of educators, administration, board members, parents, and students when appropriate. Areas of concern such as instruction, health and safety, social-emotional wellness, family and community engagement, and operations issues will continue to be tirelessly addressed throughout the year. Continuously monitoring changing circumstances and direction from governmental agencies will guide our path forward including a potential return to physical classrooms in the future. Our decisions will be based on data and science while keeping the safety of students and employees as our priority.
Though not physically open we are still providing special services for our students remotely and face-to-face. Each day we are delivering resources and meals to every student. We cannot wait until we receive the greenlight from authorities to return to school face-to-face.
I want to applaud many of our team members who worked diligently throughout the summer. We appreciate everyone’s contributions including all the hard work and determination put forth by our teachers who spent many hours participating in professional development sessions focused on improving distance learning for our students and designing those resources. Our District continues to thrive because of the unwavering commitment from our amazing Skykomish employees, and we are eager to move forward on our path toward a successful school year.
Please also consider supporting our Skykomish PTSO, as a volunteer opportunity. Connecting with this organization along with your students’ teacher, counselors, and support personnel is critical currently to ensure that the tradition of a high-quality, public school education within the Skykomish School District continues soundly.
I look forward to a successful year ahead with each of you!
Sincerely,
Thomas Jay
Superintendent
BY HANSA D. BHARGAVA, MD Board-certified pediatrician Submitted by: Rosemary Mitchell
These first few months of the COVID-19 pandemic have been really difficult for all of us. Some of us know people who have been infected, or we may have been infected ourselves. And many have lost their jobs or have experienced a decline in income. Hearing the constant drum of difficult news is hard. So how can we get some relief?
Sometimes, even when we have our darkest moments in life, changing our perspective can make a difference. Earlier this year, I had a very rough patch. My 13-year-old son got quite sick and needed to be hospitalized. Just a few days after he came home from the hospital, my father had a fall and was rushed to the hospital, where they found a large bleed in his brain that required surgery. And if that was not enough, a couple of weeks later, my husband needed to go to the emergency room. It was probably the worst month of my life.
But as I was going through this, I heard from my friend who had just lost her mom after a long battle with cancer in December – she was reaching out to tell me that her father was now hospitalized with a serious illness. She had been through so much with her mom, and now her dad was sick. The following week, my neighbor lost her dad to pneumonia suddenly and was devastated. My heart ached for my friend and her family. And then for my neighbor.
But when I started to think about their situations and how I could possibly help, something happened – my own troubles seemed a little less burdensome.
When we focus our attention on helping others, it not only takes our mind off our own worries, it reminds us that we are not the only ones who have them. We remember that we are not alone and that bad news happens to everyone – no one in life is exempt from troubles (no matter how happy their social media posts may seem). Offering kindness and help to others also helps us by providing a sense of purpose. It helps us ‘do something’ to bring comfort and peace to another person. And, another lasting benefit? It helps us to connect with someone else on a deep level. By lending a hand when someone needs it, we move beyond everyday small talk, and step into their lives in a meaningful way.
Our acts of kindness benefit us on a physical level, too. Research has shown that even just witnessing an act of kindness can be helpful – it releases the hormone oxytocin, which dilates the blood vessels and can lower your blood pressure. It is also the same hormone released when you get a hug, calming our stress levels as well. A study at Yale University looking at people doing small acts of kindness showed that those people processed stress differently, feeling less stressed on days that they opened the door for someone or did another positive ("prosocial") act. There have been significant studies on the effects of kindness, so much so that several universities have created courses for learning about compassion, including Stanford and Yale. I have been taking a compassion training course (for healthcare workers) at Emory University, and it’s made a big difference in how I feel.
Recently, I was invited by the Born this Way foundation to participate in their 21 Days to Be Kind campaign. Each day from September 1st through the 21st, I will do an act of kindness. Whether that is checking on my friend who just went through a divorce, posting an inspirational quote on my social media account, or texting my neighbor because she has been stressed out about her kids starting virtual school. It all counts, and frankly, I benefit from the empathy, too.
So, as we all cope with COVID-19 and the stressors that have come with it, try to reach out and help a friend, family member, or members of your community. Call your elderly neighbor to see if he/she needs anything from the grocery store when you make a run. We are all together in this journey, and we will all get through it. Helping each other along this road will make it easier for all of us.
GRANGER, OUR NEW STUDENT!
By: Lynne Kelly, Nurse
Have you noticed we have a few new students this year? Hopefully, you have been able to meet virtually in your Zoom classes. One new student we have has four legs! Her name is Granger and she will be 5 months old by the time you read this article. Granger and I are in school together, learning special skills so that in about a year she will be almost ready to serve a visually impaired person as their guide dog, to stay safe and live a more independent life.
Many of you saw me with various Guide Dog puppies last year and that was how I learned the skills I need to know to make Granger successful. Granger will live and work with me for 18-20 months and we attend classes every week to make sure our progress is on schedule. After our year and a half together, she goes to “doggie college” for two months. That involves very intensive training using special instructors and vehicles and all sorts of scenarios. When that is finished, we all meet at a special graduation ceremony and I will hand her over to her new person. Sometimes people wait years to get a guide dog, so there are a lot of happy tears, just like at other graduations. I know I will be very sad to say goodbye to her, but it will also be exciting to know that she will be loved and appreciated.
The training is fun because it is a lot like being able to talk to animals. We keep communicating (over and over!) until we understand each other, followed by a lot of tail wagging and treat eating. If you get a chance to see it, there is a short documentary about being a guide dog puppy raiser; it is called Pick of the Litter and is on Netflix. The movie describes perfectly all that Granger has to learn to become a Guide Dog. Here is a picture of Granger riding the Bainbridge Island ferry. She was very brave when the ferry horn blew!
I can’t wait to introduce you to Granger once we are all back together again in school. She will look quite a bit bigger than she does here!
The Importance of Flu Vaccine
By: Lynne Kelly, Nurse
Dear Parents and Guardians,
It’s more important than ever to get your family vaccinated against the flu. The flu vaccine can prevent your family from getting sick with flu during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Department of Health recommends a yearly flu vaccination for everyone aged six months and older, including pregnant and nursing women, and people at higher risk for flu complications. Even children who learn virtually this fall should get a flu vaccine. You can also help prevent both COVID-19 and flu by washing your hands with soap and water for 20 seconds, covering your coughs and sneezes, staying home when sick, and wearing cloth face coverings when around other people.
Your family should get vaccinated for flu early in the fall, and preferably by the end of October. It is best to get vaccinated before flu viruses start to spread in your community. Flu vaccines are available for the whole flu season at many locations near you, with guidelines in place to safely give vaccinations during the COVID-19 pandemic. Visit www.vaccinefinder.org for more information. All children aged 18 and under in Washington can get flu vaccine and other recommended vaccines at no cost. The provider may charge a fee (called an administration fee) to give the vaccine. You can ask them to waive this fee if you cannot afford it. Remember, we may not have a vaccine yet for COVID-19, but we do have a vaccine for the flu. For more information, please visit. www.knockoutflu.org.
The Changing Seasons
By: Kimberly McCullough, High School Science & Math Teacher
As the wind blows in cooler air from the ocean
And the days are getting shorter,
The trees change to their Autumn wardrobe.
The air smells different and the birds fly south.
Kids are back to learning.
Fireplaces are lit.
We settle in for the coming of even cooler weather and shorter days.
May we find a cozy place to read a book, or draw, or sing.
May we breathe in the crisp air and admire the colors of change.
Hello Fall! Welcome Back.
Attendance Information
From: Ms. DeLana Slone, Office Manager
We hope that all of you are getting settled and figuring out how to get logged into all of your classes. I know that this has been quite the challenge for some. While we are doing remote learning, we are reporting attendance a little differently. We have been giving grace to students and families who have had issues logging in. Starting October 5th, all attendance will count towards overall attendance totals. This is required by Washington State law. It will be very important that if you are late or you miss class that you send an email to your teachers and cc: DeLana Slone (dslone@skykomish.wednet.edu) on the email, so that your attendance can be recorded properly. You can also call the office at 360-677-2623 ext. 100, if that works better for you. Any prearranged absences will also need to be set up with your teachers and the office. We are still waiting on further guidance from the State regarding attendance and hopefully, we will be sending letters out soon. For now, just make sure you are communicating when you are not able to make it to class.
Attendance matters!
Highly Capable Program Selection Process
By: Sonia Bartosek, Counselor
What is it?
Highly Capable Services are designed for students who perform or show potential for performing at significantly advanced academic levels when compared with others of their age, experiences, or environments. Successful candidates are often independent learners who thrive on progressively challenging opportunities, utilize advanced problem- solving, and enjoy in-depth study and presentation of the curriculum. Students qualifying for Highly Capable Services shall receive appropriate curriculum and instruction to meet their academic needs.
Who can be nominated?
Any student grades Kindergarten through 12th grade who lives in the Skykomish School District boundaries.
Who can nominate students?
Nominations for the Highly Capable Program may come from parents, teachers, school staff, students, and other community members.
How can I nominate a student?
Call or email for a nomination form:
Sonia Bartosek, school counselor
(360) 677-2623 ext. 201 / sbartosek@skykomish.wednet.edu
What’s next?
Once a referral is received, you will receive a nomination form to complete. In addition, the counselor will review current standardized testing and grades. A Gifted and Talented Evaluation Scale (GATES) will be provided to the student’s teacher. This is a norm referenced rating scale which identifies Intellectual Ability, Academic Skills, Creativity, Leadership, and Artistic Talent in comparison to average students their age. An additional screener, the Screening Assessment for Gifted Elementary and Middle School Students (SAGES-3) will be given to K-8 students by the counselor.
Following the screening process, if a committee determines it is possible the student may qualify for Highly Capable Services, the parent/guardian will be provided further information about the program. The parent/guardian then decides whether or not they want their child formally assessed and must provide written permission.
Counselor Note
By: Mrs. Bartosek, Counselor
I hope this message finds you happy and healthy at the beginning of this new school year. While many of us did not expect to still be completely online at this point, that is where we are. I hope you are all adjusting to the schedule and are settling into somewhat of a routine with your classes.
Attendance, both daily on-time, to your classes is extremely important in a remote environment. In addition, staying online and treating your time as if you are at school, rather than at home, is important. Ask questions, answer questions, participate in activities and discussions, and remain on Zoom with your teacher throughout the class time, even if your screen is off during individual work time. Success will also come when you stay organized, keep up with your work and make sure everything is turned in on time. While there are times built into the schedule for additional assistance, it’s not as easy as it was during in-person instruction to get extra help after class, during lunch, after school, and at other various times throughout the day.
I am excited that we have added more Second Step Social Emotional lessons in grades K-5 (in addition to adding Purposeful People). We have also added Character Strong activities for grades 6-12. They compliment the High School and Beyond Lessons and Leader in Me so well. Building College/Career Readiness Skills and the 7 Habits are reliant upon the character traits taught in Second Step and Purposeful People/Character Strong: Commitment, Forgiveness, Honesty, Humility, Kindness, Patience, Respect, Selflessness, Courage, Perseverance, Gratitude, Empathy, Responsibility, Cooperation, Listening, and Creativity.
You have this, Rockets!
Thoughts about teaching during the month of September 2020
By Mrs. McEachern, Special Education Teacher
This is not the same old, same old. It is a struggle to find anything that has not changed. While this can be scary for both teachers and students it is also rather exciting. I have the added joy of teaching from home and school. Three days a week I make the commute into school, but even that normal task is not the same without my son riding along with me.
Let us focus on the positives: My son now makes his own breakfast and lunch. If a student has gas during a Zoom meeting, I am none the wiser. I really look forward to seeing my students in-person, this is a rare and special treat. I can sleep in when I do not commute. I have been forced to get to know an online learning platform, they say learning new things can keep Alzheimer’s at bay.
I can eat stinky food at lunch without offending anyone. Coordinating my mask with my outfit makes me feel accomplished. Although not techy, I have upped my tech game. And finally, my students have met my cat.
