“You’ve had a lot thrown at you,” Sequim school board president Brandino Gibson noted Monday morning, with hundreds of teachers and paraeducators from Sequim’s elementary, middle and high schools, along with custodians, bus drivers, administrators and others.

“In another week, we’ll have 2,000-plus kids walking back through our doors … we’re going to do this together.”

Gibson kicked off a series of pre-2021/2022 schoolyear rally cries from administrators as Sequim schools look to open on Wednesday, Sept. 1.

They’ll do so with a mask mandate for students and staff alike. Staff in Washington state’s public and private schools — about 160,000 of them — will also have to be vaccinated for the COVID-19 virus by state order. They will need to provide proof of vaccination obtain a medical or religious exemption by Oct. 18.

“Our over-riding theme (this year) is ‘belonging’,” superintendent Jane Pryne told staff Monday morning. “Our goal this year is one-hundred percent of our staff, students and families feel like they belong to the Sequim School District.

“I’ts not enough to have everyone at the table, but (also) to amplify those voices.”

Sequim school officials welcomed new employees and also honored 18 staff members with at least 25 years of experience.

For more about the Sequim School District, visit sequimschools.org.

Staff from Greywolf Elementary shout out a cheer for students at a pre-schoolyear rally on Monday morning. Greywolf edged out Sequim High School in a tiebreaker for loudest cheer. Sequim Gazette photo by Michael Dashiell