@sequimschools — Aug. 30, 2017

Published 1:30 am Wednesday, August 30, 2017

DISTRICT

Now is the time to become an approved volunteer for the 2017-2018 school year! Click on the “Volunteer” link on the district’s webpage at www.sequim.k12.wa.us and complete the online process. A computer kiosk is available at the district office during office hours if needed. Processing can take up to two weeks. Thank you for volunteering!

Consult the district website for alerts, updated event information, school calendar, school news, announcements, bus routes, lunch menus, policies and procedures, and more. School supply lists and fee schedules are posted on each school’s website at www.sequim.k12.wa.us.

The first day of school for grades 1-12 is Wednesday, Aug. 30. Helen Haller Elementary School, Sequim Middle School and Sequim High School begin at 8:15 a.m. and Greywolf Elementary begins at 8:30 a.m.

There is no school on Monday, Sept. 4, and the district office will be closed in observance of Labor Day.

Kindergarten parent/teacher conferences will be Aug. 30, Aug. 31 and Sept. 1 at Greywolf and Helen Haller elementary schools.

The first day of school for kindergartners and Olympic Peninsula Academy students is Tuesday, Sept. 5.

The next school board meeting is at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 5, in the boardroom of the auditorium building, 503 N. Sequim Ave. The public is invited to attend and time is set aside for public comment. To view the agenda and minutes of past meetings, click on “Board of Directors” on the district’s website at www.sequim.k12.wa.us.

Save the date: A public forum for Sequim School Board candidates is planned from 5:30-7:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 5, at the Helen Haller Elementary School gym, 350 W. Fir St. Childcare and refreshments will be provided. The event is sponsored by the Sequim School District and Clallam County League of Women Voters. More information will follow.

GREYWOLF, HELEN HALLER ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS

Students from Helen Haller and Greywolf elementary schools gathered this summer to take on the challenge of becoming voracious readers. Comprehension, accuracy, fluency and expanding vocabulary were areas of focus during the Jumpstart Reading Program.

Students entering second grade were taught by Cathy Green, first-grade teacher at Greywolf Elementary, and Jen Saul, guidance counselor at Helen Haller Elementary. The class also was supported by three experienced para-educators, Luke Kisena, Fani Hernandez and Paula Rainey. Special appreciation goes to Betsy Smith, reading specialist at Helen Haller, for directing this summer’s Jumpstart Program and teaching students entering third grade, along with para-educators Lesa Dippert and Rhonda Cays. Congratulations to everyone for a successful two-week program!

Picture day for Helen Haller students is Thursday, Sept. 21. Picture day for Greywolf students will be Wednesday, Sept. 20.

Join us in helping our students become proficient readers! Reading specialist Betsy Smith is offering two fall training sessions. Training sessions are from 3:15-4:15 p.m. Sept. 18 and Sept. 25 in the school library. Please commit to attending both sessions. For more information, call Smith at 360-582-3248 or bsmith@sequim.k12.wa.us. Individuals will need to become approved volunteers for the 2017-2018 school year. More information on that topic will be presented at the training sessions.

OLYMPIC PENINSULA ACADEMY

Otter Day is Thursday, Aug. 31. Parents must attend with their children. School photos will be taken. The first day of class for the 2017-2018 school year is at 8:15 a.m. Tuesday, Sept. 5.

SEQUIM MIDDLE SCHOOL

Sixth-graders will participate in WEB training (Where Everyone Belongs) during the morning of the first day of school on Wednesday, Aug. 30. Training includes a series of ice-breaking activities to help students become acclimated to their new school building.

A welcome back assembly will be held Friday, Sept. 1, in the gymnasium for all students.

Congratulations to all the students who participated in the sixth-annual Kitsap County Underwater Vehicle Competition. Members of our Robotics and Engineering class, taught by Caleb Gentry, did a fantastic job of representing our school at the Olympic High School Aquatic Center on June 10 in Bremerton.

Students built underwater vehicles called ROVs and learned how to pilot them in order to complete challenges.

Participants included Walker Ward, Taig Wiker, Enya Griffin and Emily Green.

The team of Tyler Lawson and Brandon Charters finished in seventh place overall, with a score of 975 points.

Liam Kuh and Richard Meier finished in sixth place with a score of 1,095.

Piper Shields and Kenneth Wolfley finished in fourth place with 1,315 points, just missing the podium.

Jace Francis–Wallace and Dustan Koch had a nearly flawless performance in the water, but came up a few points short in the technical presentation. They finished with 1,545 points and secured second place overall.

The powerhouse team of Erik Christensen and Garrett Hoesel, who were dominant in all the qualifying events, lost a propeller in the final event and were unable to complete the last section of the final challenge. They finished 70 points behind Jace and Dustan in the driving challenges, but scored so well on the technical presentation that they secured first place by just 10 points over their classmates!

The third-, fifth- and 10th-place teams came from our local competitors at the Feiro Marine Life Center in Port Angeles. Congratulations to all the top teams from the peninsula! Thanks to the YMCA of Sequim for all its support of our program!

SEQUIM HIGH SCHOOL

Our student school board representatives for 2017-2018 are senior Tea’ Gauthun and junior Damon Little. This is Gauthun’s second year on the board. Student representatives sit in on all regular board meetings and report to the board on upcoming school activities.

Sequim High School is officially a Project Lead the Way school! SHS will offer three project classes this year: Principles of Biomedical Science, Human Body Systems and Introduction to Engineering Design.

Project Lead the Way is heavily rooted in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education and the classes are designed with a “hands-on” approach to solving real world problems. For more information, go to www.pltw.org or call the school office at 360-582-3600. All Wolves are capable of success — no exceptions!

Band parents: A mandatory band parent meeting is planned for 7 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 12, in the band room. Band students have a lot to get ready for performance-wise with the Sept. 1 football game and Husky Band Day in Seattle on Saturday, Sept. 16.

Auditions for the all-school play will be at 3 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 13, in the auditorium.