MARYSVILLE – Hey kids, remember how excited you were about the snow days?
Well, this isn’t Bernie Sanders land. Nothing comes free. Students won’t be getting out of school until the first day of summer, June 21. The last day had been set for June 19.
But that’s not all. There were six snow days. So two other days that had been days off, students now will be in school.
The Marysville school board approved all that, plus a waiver of two days allowed by the state because of the snow emergency.
In addition, early release Fridays have been eliminated for the rest of the year to make up for lost instruction time, which included two two-hour late starts due to snow.
“That will actually mean more minutes of instruction, not less,” Superintendent Jason Thompson said at Monday’s board meeting.
Director Chris Nation said, as he has often, that research shows it’s important for kids to be in class. So he’s glad about no more early release days. But in the future the district needs to better plan for snow days earlier in the calendar, he said.
Thompson said he’s glad the district could work in the days. Some districts are having to extend every day of school for the rest of the year 15 minutes or so to make up the time.
Meanwhile, during the earlier work study session, the school board heard from Rodrick Merrell, director of secondary schools, about the importance of transitioning from one school to another.
Best practices include identifying students of concern early and providing interventions and information to the new school. Support structures can include helping middle school students to assure high school success and implementing a summer bridge program.
Other tips:
•Provide opportunities for incoming students to meet older ones.
•Help students form realistic expectations for middle and high school.
•Provide a positive first impression, and demonstrate an inviting, supportive and safe environment.
•Host parent/community information nights.
•Inform parents and students about academic success and resources for support.
•Develop site visits to middle schools and high schools in June, and design transition lessons for elementary and middle school students.
School board president Pete Lundberg said as part of the presentation directors tried to keep balloons in the air but eventually, of course, some fell to the ground.
To him, that symbolized the importance of building relationships with every student. “We can’t lose track of one kid,” he said.
Director Tom Albright said school leaders need to visit the schools themselves. “We sit here 50,000 feet high” on the board looking down, but we need to walk through the schools to really see what’s going on, he said.
Also at the board meeting:
•The Equity, Diversity and Indigenous Students of the Month are Tessalynn Napeahi of Quil Ceda Tulalip Elementary, Colin Napeahi of Marysville Middle School, Isaiah Bagley, also of MMS, and Mikhail Montez of Marysville Getchell High School. Neither Napeahis were able to attend, but educators said Bagley is positive, encouraging, well-behaved and a good leader. Montez is senior class president and a standout academically. She plays volleyball and is in track. In basketball, she made the All-Wesco first team. She plans to take business courses at Arizona State University.
•The board approved the sale of about 10 acres of school property on the east side of Getchell Hill off Highway 9 near the park-and-ride for about $198,000. •The school board will meet with constituents March 23 and April 13 at 9 a.m. at the Living Room Coffee House on 4th Street.
•Because of spring break, the board will only meet once in April, on the 15th at 6:30 p.m.
