DISTRICT

The district office will be closed July 3-4. Summer hours for the district office are 7:30 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday-Friday. The district office will be closed on the following Fridays: July 14, 21, 28 and Aug. 4. For more information, call 582-3260.

The next school board meeting is at 6 p.m. Monday, July 17, in the boardroom in 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.

The first day of school for the 2017-2018 school year is Aug. 30! Check out information about back to school activities at www.sequim.k12.wa.us. Have a great summer!

GREYWOLF ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

More than 700 students and their families participated in a Breakfast and Books event on Friday, June 16, the last day of school. After sitting down and enjoying breakfast with their family, each student had the opportunity to choose 3-5 books, at their reading level, to take home to read over the summer break.

Our kids have worked hard this year to improve their reading skills, so reading each day will be the key to maintaining their progress. This event was successful because of the many community member volunteers and staff members who were on hand to help students with their book selection.

We appreciate the support of the Sequim Education Foundation for sponsoring the breakfast as well as providing funds to purchase books for this great program! We also would like to thank Jennifer Lopez, our Parent Engagement coordinator, for her many hours of hard work and commitment to helping us partner with families.

HELEN HALLER ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

Gail Kite’s students wrote opinion pieces about their fifth-grade year. Here are some excerpts:

My favorite part of fifth grade was writing. There is no limit to writing, except your imagination. The biggest challenge for me was science. Remembering how to do a conclusion and procedure really got tough. The biggest surprise was how easy and quick fifth-grade math was. I would advise fourth-graders to not complain about what the next activity is. I had a great fifth-grade year. Marli Gagner

The best part of fifth grade is coming home and knowing more than your family. The biggest challenge is keyboarding. It sounds easy, but it is not. The biggest surprise is that almost everyone has a phone. Orin Ledgerwood

The best thing about fifth grade is having so many wonderful friends and people in my class. I think some of the biggest challenges are math and drama with friends. For me, math was always just confusing but Miss Kite (my teacher) helped me a lot. I think the biggest surprise is how well everyone got along. I mean, there are groups like the popular kids and the football players, but everybody got along. Kaiya McAllister

My favorite part of fifth grade is all the responsibility. The biggest challenge for me was science. The greatest surprise was how easy math was. I think the easiest part of math was learning fractions and coordinates were easy, too. To the fourth-graders: I’m speaking directly to you. Fourth grade was probably very challenging. Fifth grade is too, but if you pay attention in class and don’t talk to your friends during the lessons, you’ll be fine. I have a warning for fourth-graders. In fifth, the responsibility is massive. If you’re scared, don’t be. The teachers are here for you. Trust me, you’ll enjoy fifth grade. In sixth grade, I’m looking forward to no more lines, the student store, the library and our own hallway. Anna Jones

The biggest challenge I had as a fifth-grader was the math. The math in fifth grade is hard because every day we have to learn something new and our brains are full! Having the greatest teacher ever is the most surprising part of fifth grade. Miss Kite takes care of us like we’re her own kids. The best part of fifth grade is going to school and seeing all of my friends. My advice for fourth-graders is to be ready to do more work. You never know when you’ll learn something new. Dylan Allen

SEQUIM MIDDLE SCHOOL

Eighth-graders Erik Christensen and Garret Hoesel came in first place in the 2017 Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) Competition in the Middle School Division at the SeaPerch Underwater Robotics competition, held June 10 at Bremerton High School.

Christensen and Hoesel are in Robotics and Engineering class taught by Caleb Gentry.

“We spent a lot of class time, working out the design,” Hoesel said. “Next, we built the machines, soldering all the wires together. Then, we practiced maneuvering our machines at the Y’s pool for 45 minutes a day every day after school for two weeks.”

Dustan Koch and Jace Francis-Wallace, also eighth-grader Robotics students, received pins and certificates of achievement for Technology Presentation.

SeaPerch, sponsored by the Office of Naval Research, is a hands-on educational challenge that integrates STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) and builds teamwork.

“A special thanks goes to the folks at the Sequim YMCA for allowing our students to utilize the pool while preparing for competition,” Gentry said.

SEQUIM HIGH SCHOOL

The counseling office closes for the summer on June 30. Seniors, please pick up your diplomas before this date!

Report cards will be mailed June 30.