Sedro-Woolley High School Spring Drama Production auditions will be held on February 6 at 3 p.m. in the auditorium. Call-backs will be held on February 8 at 3 p.m. in the auditorium. Just show up on February 6 and the high school will provide what you need for auditioning. All SWHS students are welcome to audition. NO, you will not have to sing or dance (unless you want to) to be considered for a role. Please see Miss Nita in the ASB Office if you have any questions.
📣 Attention Sedro-Woolley School District Community 📣
Friday, January 26 marks the End of 1st Semester for Sedro-Woolley schools.
🚫 There will be no school on Monday, January 29, as it's the transition day between semesters.
📚 Second semester begins Tuesday, January 30. It's a scheduled Blue Block Day at Sedro-Woolley High School. Check out the Blue/White Calendar here: [https://5il.co/1yp9y]
🌨️ Due to last week's inclement weather, ALL schools will be in session on February 16 and May 24. Updated calendar available: [https://5il.co/20yha]
Stay informed and mark your calendars accordingly! 📅
#SedroWoolleySchools #SemesterUpdate #CommunityNotice
Reminder: Join us for the next "Coffee and Conversation" meeting on Thursday, January 25, 2024, at 9:45 a.m., at the District Office (801 Trail Road).
Bring your interests, comments, celebrations and concerns related to the district as a whole to chat over coffee. This will be an informal meeting and a time for the superintendent and other district leaders to make themselves available to you.
If you have specific questions or concerns related to your students, we encourage you to reach out to your student's school. They are always willing and happy to hear your concerns.
Don't forget, all schools will start one hour late tomorrow so staff can participate in professional development!
CMS: 8:40 a.m.
SWHS: 8:55 a.m.
SSHS: 9:00 a.m.
Elementary: 10:25 a.m.
Get to know our incredible team in the “Meet our Staff” Monday series! We hope you enjoy getting to know the faces behind the scenes!
#MeetOurStaffMonday #BehindTheScenes #EmployeeAppreciation #GetToKnowUs #SWSDStrongerTogether
Meet our Staff: Katherine Reijm
Katherine Reijm has been shaping young minds in the Sedro-Woolley School District for the past nine years as a kindergarten teacher at Big Lake Elementary.
Katherine grew up in Burlington, attending Burlington-Edison High School. After a brief stint at PLU, she found her way to Western Washington University, ultimately settling in Sedro-Woolley with her husband.
“I love the small town feel of Sedro and its community,” she said. “It is somewhere that I can see my boys growing up and I am grateful for being able to be a part of this district. I especially enjoy that Big Lake Elementary is the center of the Big Lake community.”
She has become an integral part of the Big Lake Elementary family.
Armed with an associate's degree, a bachelor's in P-3, and a master's in Education Learning and Technology, Katherine brings a wealth of knowledge to her role. Her educational journey has equipped her to create a welcoming and enriching environment for her students.
While her childhood dream was to become a veterinarian, Katherine's path led her to education, inspired by her mother's dedication as a daycare provider. She worked as a toddler teacher, discovering a passion for early childhood education. Her dream of becoming a kindergarten teacher materialized, and she has cherished the role for nine years alongside her teaching partner, Mary Lynch.
One of Katherine’s most memorable moments was receiving a video from a parent capturing their child's first steps into reading.
“I had a parent, maybe during my second or third year of teaching, that sent me a video of their child starting to read and it was so rewarding to see how excited he was. He just kept saying, "I'm reading mom, I'm reading!" like he was so surprised about it. I have had so many more experiences working with wonderful parents and their children. I keep a notebook by my desk of all the silly and sweet things my students say.”
These types of experiences, coupled with the daily interactions with students, fuels Katherine’s commitment to creating a positive learning environment.
Outside of school, Katherine leads a vibrant life on a small farm, raising black Angus beef and owning horses.
“My son is just getting into riding, which has been a lot of fun to get him on his first pony,” Katherine said. “I love to hunt, fish, build and do anything outdoors. I love a good book on my hammock in the summertime and I enjoy baking and trying new recipes.”
Katherine's somewhat immediate goals include sifting through her teaching partner's extensive collection of 30 years and downsizing it for her future classroom.
Katherine's advice to students is simple: "Be a kind person."
Ultimately, Katherine said she hopes that her students will discover their passions and pursue activities that bring them joy and fulfillment, creating a foundation for a happy and successful future.
A special shout out this week to Transportation Director Tracy Gugel, Transportation Supervisor Chad Wesson and Transportation Head Mechanic Jim Cimoch. They hit the roads at 3:30 a.m. Wednesday through Friday this week inspecting bus routes and assisting district leaders in understanding the conditions of some of the more challenging routes. Huge thanks to our entire transportation crew for their dedication to keeping our students safe every day, but especially during inclement weather. 👏🚌 #TeamTransportation #SafetyFirst #StrongerTogether
Schools will be operating on a two-hour late start today due to continued icy road conditions. Please click the following link for more information.
Two-Hour Late Start Times:
Elementary schools — 11:25 a.m.
Cascade Middle School — 9:40 a.m.
Sedro-Woolley High School — 9:55 a.m.
State Street High School — 10 a.m.
https://www.smore.com/jf51b
All schools will be closed today (Jan. 18, 2024) due to icy road conditions in some areas of the district. All field trips, activities, including athletic and other events, are canceled for the day. All outside user group events are also canceled when school is closed due to inclement weather.
Our transportation crew will begin assessing road conditions starting at 3:30 a.m. on Friday, January 19. If the roads are determined to be safe for travel, the district will not share any additional messaging via school messenger (autodial/text/email). However, we will share the information on the district’s live feed (https://www.swsd.k12.wa.us/live-feed), Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/SedroWoolleySchoolDistrict), and Instagram page (https://www.instagram.com/swsdcoms/), and we will proceed with school starting on time. You can also download the Apptegy app on your mobile device by scanning the QR code below and choose “Yes” to receive push notifications.
Download App:
https://apple.co/3pG1BRD
https://bit.ly/44ni0cx
If tomorrow morning’s assessment proves the roads traveled by our buses are still not in great shape, the district will implement a two-hour delay and communicate the decision through School Messenger as well as the channels identified above. Any delay would allow more time for both staff and students to arrive safely as temperatures rise throughout the morning.
You can also download Flash Alert, which is the first place closure or delay information is sent. Media outlets use Flash Alert to feed their information tickers during newscasts. Sign up at https://www.flashalert.net and review your account each year to ensure that you continue to receive messages.
We understand that these weather-related changes can be challenging, and we appreciate your continued patience. Thank you for your cooperation and understanding as we work together to ensure a safe learning environment for everyone.
This morning, the Sedro-Woolley School District implemented a two-hour delay before eventually canceling school to ensure the safety of our students. The two-hour delay allows us time to continue to evaluate road conditions across our extensive district that spans 395 square miles. The decision to keep schools open, start late, or close due to inclement weather involves careful consideration of various factors, with student safety being the foremost concern.
Our district leaders invest significant effort and thought into this decision-making process.
In the case of a two-hour late start, secondary students' buses leave the bus barn by 8 a.m. We strive to keep schools open whenever possible and we waited until the last moment this morning before canceling classes (from continually driving some of our more treacherous roads, it was obvious the roads were not safe for our buses or our young drivers). While staffing considerations are always important, today's decision was primarily influenced by icy roads in many of our outlying areas. It is crucial to emphasize that our priority is the safety of our students in such situations.
We will continue to monitor the weather this afternoon and into the evening, and our transportation folks will be back out on the roads tomorrow morning at 3:30 a.m. so they can make the best assessment of the conditions.
We appreciate your patience and understanding as these decisions are always difficult to make for such a large area!
#SWSDStrongerTogether
UPDATE: This is an important message from the Sedro-Woolley School District. School is closed. Staffing shortages and road conditions make it unsafe to operate school.
Reminder: All field trips, after school activities, meetings, etc., will be canceled for the day.
UPDATE: This is an important message from the Sedro-Woolley School District. School is closed. Staffing shortages and road conditions make it unsafe to operate school.
This is an important message from the Sedro-Woolley School District. Schools will be operating on a two-hour late start today due to icy road conditions in some areas of the Sedro-Woolley School District. Buses will be on snow routes. For more information, please click the link below:
https://www.smore.com/4ms0a
The Sedro-Woolley School District will be operating on a two-hour late start on Thursday, January 18, 2024. Overnight temperatures are not expected to be above freezing until after 9 a.m. which will create hazardous driving conditions for many outlying areas in our district.
The adverse weather team will reassess conditions first thing Thursday morning and will communicate with families as soon as possible if a cancellation is required.
Two-Hour Late Start Times:
Elementary schools — 11:25 a.m.
CMS — 9:40 a.m.
SWHS — 9:55 a.m.
SSHS — 10 a.m.
https://www.smore.com/fsnqz
Don't forget, all schools will start one hour late tomorrow so staff can participate in professional development!
CMS: 8:40 a.m.
SWHS: 8:55 a.m.
SSHS: 9:00 a.m.
Elementary: 10:25 a.m.
¡Familias de estudiantes Latinos! ¡El Distrito de Sedro-Woolley les invita a un evento especial! " Noche de Información sobre Becas! "
El evento se llevará a cabo el 24 de Enero de 6:00 a 7:30 p.m en la Preparatoria de Sedro-Woolley, 1235 Third St. , Sedro-Woolley.
Esta noche será una noche de información sobre cómo preparar a sus estudiantes de la secundaria y preparatoria 7-12 para el colegio.
¡Habrá bocadillo y refrescos! Este evento es organizado por el Departamento Multilingüe y de Migrantes.
Para obtener más información, envíe un correo electrónico a mvivanco@swsd101.org o llamar al 360.855.3772. ¡Los esperamos ahí!
Attention Cascade Middle School Parents: Remember to pre-order your 2023-2024 yearbook so your student can receive one at the end of the school year. Payments (cash or check) can be made in the office. The price has increased to $40.
Reminder: Sedro-Woolley School District is closed today (Monday, January 15, 2024) in observance of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. School will resume on Tuesday, January 16.
Get to know our incredible team in the “Meet our Staff” Monday series! We hope you enjoy getting to know the faces behind the scenes!
#MeetOurStaffMonday #BehindTheScenes #EmployeeAppreciation #GetToKnowUs #SWSDStrongerTogether
Meet Our Staff: Joana Michaelson
Joana Michaelson is a familiar face at Cascade Middle School, where she serves as the Wellness (PE/Health) teacher. Having dedicated nearly six years to the Sedro-Woolley School District, Joana brings a wealth of experience and a passion for education to her role.
Originally born in the Philippines, Joana's journey took her to England at the age of four and later to the United States when she turned 12. Growing up in Olympia and later attending Western Washington University in Bellingham, Joana discovered her calling for teaching while coaching youth club soccer for Northwest United FC in Skagit County. It was through these connections that she fell in love with the tight-knit communities, including Sedro-Woolley, eventually leading her to pursue a teaching position at Cascade Middle School.
Joana holds a BS and MS in Kinesiology from Western Washington University, later completing her post baccalaureate and earning a BA in Secondary Education. Initially drawn to a career in sports science research, Joana's path shifted towards education due to her experiences coaching club soccer. At the age of 12, she envisioned a career in nursing, reflecting her lifelong interest in the medical and health sector.
One of Joana's most rewarding experiences is encountering former students in the real world who remember and appreciate the impact she made during their middle school years. Landing her first teaching job at Sedro-Woolley after college remains a standout achievement in her career.
Outside of school, Joana indulges in various activities. She is an avid golfer, pickleball enthusiast, mountain biker, and skier. Her passion for golf and pickleball shines through as particular highlights.
Looking ahead, Joana plans to pursue her administrative certification in the next five years with aspirations of becoming an assistant principal.
Her advice to students is simple: "Enjoy the process of learning and lean into your challenges."
Joana hopes that SWSD students will carry with them positive memories and a sense of preparedness for the next stages of their lives.
Attention SWHS students: second semester class schedules will be available for pick-up, in the auditorium entry, starting Friday, Jan. 19, before school and during lunch.
Schedule change forms will be available at that time. A parent or guardian signature is required; acceptable reasons for requesting a change are limited. Forms are due no later than 3 p.m. Feb. 2. Late requests will not be accepted. Many classes are already full, so please give more than one option for possible changes.
Mary Purcell Elementary School invites the community to attend their sixth-grade "Family Heritage Night" in the Mary Purcell gymnasium TONIGHT, January 11, from 6–7 p.m.
Students will be completing a family heritage poster board, a written report, have a food sample representing one part of their bloodline and will be displaying family heirlooms.
Audience members are invited to walk around, view the poster boards, ask students questions, sample food, etc.
The 57 sixth graders are excited to host this fabulous event for the first time since 2019!
