MARYSVILLE – The Marysville School Board passed a resolution on Unity and Wellness Month at its meeting Monday.
School board president Pete Lundberg said instead of a month it should be, “Every day, all year long, everywhere.”
A 10-page handout from the Tulalip Tribes presented positive messages and helpful hints about dealing with mental illness. Messages included: “You Matter. Your life is Sacred. We need you here?” and “You are so loved. Stand tall and say ‘I Will Live.’”
It included the National Suicide Prevention Hotline of 1-800-273-8255 and the native youth text line NATIVE to 97779.
The handouts also included information on the 2nd Annual TMUnity Month kickoff Color Run &Walk. It is Oct. 7 with registration at 4 p.m. and the run at 6 p.m. Meet near the Tulalip Health Clinic. The run ends at the Tulalip Don Penoke Hatch Youth Center with a light meal.
For details, go to www.tulalipyouthservices.com or call 360-716-4909.
Curriculum
In a work session after the meeting, Melissa VanZanten, curriculum director, gave an update. She said an audit revealed there were areas in the curriculum that needed to be addressed so there are new programs for K-5 ELA, 6-8 math, middle school ELA teachers agreed to teach three specific units to all students at the same time in all buildings, and Spanish has been updated at all middle and high schools. Specifically, the district has been piloting Engage New York in K-5 for three years. It has been updated to align with the Washington State Learning Standards, but the goal is to look at other curriculums to ensure students get the best program available. For science, the state adopted Next Generation Science Standards. Because the former elementary science curriculum did not align with the NGSS, the schools used Mystery Science, an online K-5 curriculum. There is only one elementary program that aligns with NGSS, but it is weak, she said.
Leah’s Foundation
Meanwhile, Ginger Merkel, executive director of special education, and Kellogg-Marsh Elementary School Principal Eneille Nelson talked about Leah’s Dream Foundation. Nelson said Leah is a student there who has made the school a better place. “They helped make our dream come true,” Nelson said of Leah’s family, who has donated funds for a new playground. Merkel added Leah has “inspired and engaged the community” in helping to obtain a “more-inclusive playground.”
Nelson added Tuesday that the foundation has donated $45,000 for the playground, the first stage of which will be installed by the end of the month. It will include sensory activities to special education students can touch, manipulate and play music with. K-M has about 50 such students in its preschool and K-5 programs. “They have a huge vision,” Nelson said of the Leah Foundation. “It’s something for the community, not just the school.”
In other news
•The community will be able to find out about discussions on the future of Marysville Getchell High School on its district website.
