Sequim Gazette staff
Not ready for the 2016-2017 school year? Here are key upcoming dates for students in the Sequim area, from individual school office hours to orientations, immunizations and other events to help get back on track.
District office
The Sequim School District office, at 503 N. Sequim Ave., is open to the public during weekdays from 8 a.m.-
3 p.m. throughout the summer. Summer hours remain in effect through Aug. 26.
The district office will be closed on Aug. 25 until 1 p.m. for an all-staff training event.
During the school year, district office hours are 7:30 a.m.-4 p.m.
School supply donations may be dropped off at the district office during business hours.
Collected school supplies will be made available to families in need at the annual Back to School Fair (see below). A school supply list is available on each school’s website.
School families can expect to receive the Sequim School District Parent Guide and Annual Calendar and the Kids Today Back to School Guide in the mail after Aug. 15.
For more information about school events, contact your student’s school or consult the district website at www.sequim.k12.wa.us. “Like” the Sequim School District Facebook page to receive updates on Facebook.
SHS hours, events
Sequim High School office re-opens Aug. 11 and hours are 8 a.m.-noon and 1-3 p.m.
An orientation for new families and transfer students will be held Aug. 16; see more details at www.sequim.k12.wa.us.
Wolfpack Days are Thursday, Aug. 18, (seniors and juniors from 8-11 a.m., sophomores from noon-3 p.m.) and Friday, Aug. 19, (freshmen with last name A-L from 8-11 a.m., M-Z from noon-3 p.m.) At this event, students can collect class schedules, have school pictures taken and pay for ASB card, yearbook, campus permits and PE uniforms.
Band Days are 9 a.m.-noon Aug. 23-24 in the high school band room.
Incoming ninth-graders should arrive at 8:30 a.m. on Aug. 23. Band uniforms will be issued during this time.
Husky Band Day is scheduled for Sept. 10.
“We will begin rehearsing music for this trip at Band Days,” SHS band director Vern Fosket said.
Link Crew Orientation for all incoming ninth-graders is from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 30. Link leaders, junior and senior leadership students, have been training and preparing for this event since last May and lead the students through a series of ice breaker activities.
“This is an awesome opportunity for freshmen to meet their Link leaders, get a tour of the school and interact with their classmates,” SHS principal Shawn Langston said.
“Link Crew events are planned to occur throughout the school year to provide continued support and familiarity. It’s a great transitioning program for our ninth-graders,” Langston said.
Deadline for fall sports forms to be turned in at the high school office is Aug. 16. Football practice begins Aug. 17 while all other fall sports begin Aug. 22. A current sports physical is required for participation in all sports. Sports physicals are good for 24 months.
Fall sports include volleyball, boys tennis, cross country, girls soccer, swimming/diving and cheerleading.
The first varsity football home game is at 7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 9, in the stadium, when the Sequim High Wolves host the Montesano Bulldogs.
SMS hours, events
Sequim Middle School’s office re-opens Aug. 17; hours are 8 a.m.-noon and 1-3 p.m. An orientation for families of incoming sixth-graders and those who are new to the district is scheduled for 6 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 23, in the gym.
Timberwolf Days are from 2:30-6:30 p.m. Aug. 22 for students with last name beginning with A-K and from 2:30-6:30 p.m. Aug. 23 for those with last names L-Z. At that time, students can collect class schedules, pay applicable fees, purchase an ASB card, yearbook and PE uniform, as well as pay money on lunch accounts and have individual school pictures taken.
This year, Sequim Middle School’s WEB (Where Everybody Belongs) orientation program for incoming sixth-graders will be during the morning of Aug. 31, the first day of school. The WEB program is designed to ease the transition from elementary school to middle school.
Parents of Sequim Middle School band students may arrange to rent band instruments from 3:30-7 p.m. Sept. 1 in the school’s Town Hall.
Immunizations
A team from Clallam County Health & Human Services will be on site at Sequim Middle School’s Timberwolf Days on Aug. 23-24 to administer the following vaccines to any Sequim School District students in grades K-12: Tdap, Varicella, MMR and MMRV. Tdap vaccine for tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis is required for all students in grades 6-12. Meningococcal is recommended, but not required. At the Back to School Fair on Aug. 27 (see below), immunizations will be available to children of all ages. There is no charge for the vaccine itself, but there will be an administration fee charge of $23 per vaccine.
For those on Medicaid, Medicaid can be billed directly. For those with other sources of health insurance, payment will be needed upfront, either cash or a personal check. A receipt will be provided for submittal to insurance for reimbursement.
Elementary schools
The offices at Helen Haller Elementary and Greywolf Elementary re-open Aug. 17 from 8 a.m.-noon and 1-3 p.m. Each elementary school will host an Open House on Tuesday, Aug. 30 from 4-6 p.m.
“It is important for families to attend Open House,” Helen Haller Elementary teacher Sheri Suryan said. “It takes a lot of pressure off the kids and relieves anxiety about the first day of school. It’s fun for teachers to get to say hello to families. We want to welcome in the parents as well as the students. The kids get to see their classroom and see friends they haven’t seen all summer.”
School beginnings
The first day of school for grades 1-12 is Wednesday, Aug. 31. Helen Haller Elementary, Sequim Middle School and Sequim High School begin school at 8:15 a.m., and Greywolf Elementary begins at 8:30 a.m.
School begins one hour later on Late Start Mondays, consistent with last year’s academic schedule.
Kindergarten parent/teacher conferences will be held at Greywolf Elementary and Helen Haller Elementary schools on Aug. 31, Sept. 1 and Sept. 2. The first day of class for kindergarteners is Tuesday, Sept. 6.
Each school will send a letter to families by mail with more details.
Sequim School District has an all-day kindergarten program.
Otters and OPA
Olympic Peninsula Academy’s Otter Day, a required orientation for parents and students, is Sept. 1. OPA families will receive a postcard by mail with assigned times and more details.
Olympic Peninsula Academy is a parent partnership program within the district.
Fairs abound
The fourth annual Back to School Fair is from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 27, at the Boys & Girls Club, 400 W. Fir St., Sequim. Information about family resources and youth activities will be available. There will be car seat checks, haircuts, immunizations, health-related information, free food, free books and other activities. School supplies and backpacks will be available for Sequim families in need. There will be a school bus, a fire truck and a police car for children to explore.
The Sequim School District again will host a booth at the Clallam County Fair on Aug. 18-21. Registration packets and other district information will be available. A Sequim School District bus will be displayed at the booth.
The Washington State Fair provides free tickets for Sequim students to attend the state fair in Puyallup from Sept. 2-25. Students may obtain a ticket in their school’s office after the beginning of the school year.
Volunteering
Those interested in volunteering in the Sequim schools must undergo a background check each school year. Valid photo identification such as a current Washington driver’s license must be submitted for the clearance process.
The district has a new all online procedure for volunteer registration for the 2016-2017 school year. An email address is required to utilize the system. Beginning Aug. 18, individuals may start an application to volunteer, following step-by-step instructions on the district’s website at www.sequim.k12.wa.us.
A computer kiosk at each school building and the district office are available during office hours, if needed.
