A Message from Mr. Sackett

Mukilteo Elementary Falcon Families,

The first weeks of school are always busy and challenging, but I have to say this year really tops them all! However, we are now coming to the end of our first full week of distance learning! I have had the opportunity to visit many virtual classrooms and have really enjoyed seeing students engaged in a variety of things, including learning about each other, learning new vocabulary, and developing expectations together. Not only are we navigating distance learning, but this week we also dealt with oppressive smoke from the many wildfires across the west. Through it all, your kids have attended school through Zoom and logged into Schoology, our new learning management system, to complete assignments. We have been working very hard to get all families connected to Schoology, and are excited to see that students are logging into this system daily. I’m impressed with their resilience and tenacity!!

Believe me, we know it wouldn’t happen without your support and encouragement, for which our staff is so appreciative. The onboarding of Schoology district-wide happened very quickly this summer; and in getting teachers, students and families up to speed with the technology, we have had some glitches. For example, some of the buttons that teachers worked hard to put in place for easy student navigation are not always visible. Know that we will continue to troubleshoot these things as they come up. We greatly appreciate your patience with all of us, as we work very hard to provide the best possible education during these challenging times.

Have a great weekend and let’s hope that the wind blows or the rain flows so that we can clear out these smoky skies!

~Jack Sackett, Principal

Attendance is essential for student learning. When students are not present, they cannot engage in learning. For Distance Learning, we are taking daily attendance. For a student to be “in attendance,” a student must be engaged in planned asynchronous (pre-recorded lesson and/or offline learning activities) or synchronous (“live streaming teaching”) activities. If a student does not engage or demonstrate participation in any way, a student will be marked as absent. Therefore, students are required to check-in each day.

For clarity, here are some concrete examples of what “attending a class” looks like:

• Daily logins to Schoology;
• Daily interactions with teachers to acknowledge attendance (including messages, emails, phone calls, or video chats); and/or
• Evidence of participation in a task or assignment.

Please contact the office if you are having any technology issues. We can either help you or direct you to the specialist who can answer your questions. We are here to support you and make distance learning as smooth as possible.

COVID-19 Safety Plan

Health and safety are our top priority. Even though students are not on campus right now, we have implemented a COVID-19 Safety Plan that aligns with state and Health Department Guidelines. All staff and visitors are responsible for following these guidelines when onsite.

This includes:

1. Wearing a facial covering
2. Sanitizing and Signing-In
3. Maintaining physical distancing of 6 feet minimum.

Our custodians have a frequent and regular cleaning schedule to sanitize commonly used spaces and classrooms.

You can help reduce the risk for getting and spreading viral respiratory infections, including COVID-19, by taking these steps:

• Wash hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds
• Avoid touching eyes, nose, or mouth with unwashed hands
• Avoid contact with people who are sick
• Stay home while sick and avoid close contact with others
• Cover mouth and nose with a tissue when coughing or sneezing, then throw the tissue in the trash and wash hands
• Cover coughs and sneezes with elbow rather than hands

Every weekday, your student should log on to Schoology.

1. Students MUST log on to Schoology from our district's student portal. (Using home computer? Go to mukilteoschools.org and click on "student portal" icon). Most school computers automatically take students to the student portal. (IMPORTANT: Do NOT google "Schoology" and try to log on--it doesn't work. You will get an error message.)

• Username for Schoology: StudentID#@mukilteo.wednet.edu, i.e., 1234567@mukilteo.wednet.edu
• Password: Capitalized first initial and last initial with StudentID#, i.e., AZ1234567

2. Once in Schoology, your student needs to click into his/her courses every day to see if there are any updates or assignments. Teachers are able to see which students have checked in to their classes throughout the day. This along with participation in live teaching via Zoom is how attendance will be taken.

It’s Prize Day for our Mukilteo Elementary Summer Book Club Participants!

Awesome Reading Gwendolyn, Freddie, Sophie, JW, Indie, Tia, Mary, Ty, Aubrey, Kyle, Lucas, Ethan, and Anna!

KIDS Photography will be taking school photos in September!

The location is 4114 198th Street SW, Suite #5, Lynnwood, WA 98036. Photos are by appointment only. You can visit their website to sign up. Or you can use this link to the online order and appointment form.

Questions? Email KIDS Photography at KIDSphoto@comcast.net

Join ME PTSA and support our school and our students! This year, you - AND your student! - can join online!

To join or renew your membership and to see all the ways to stay updated about the work we do (Facebook! Instagram! Newsletter!) And we want to hear from you! Let us know how we can support you, or send us your great ideas for being distantly social! Let us know how you would like to get involved! Let’s make this the best year it can be.

1st Meeting of the Year!

Please RSVP here, you will receive the Zoom link by email. Join or renew your membership, so you can vote!

Where to find your ME PTSA:

Highly Capable Services

Each fall the Mukilteo School District identifies students for Highly Capable services. Screening takes place in September and October. All students in grades Kindergarten – Grade 5 will be universally screened.

Referrals are accepted but are not necessary for students in grades K – 5.

All middle school students now have the option to enroll in English Language Arts Honors class if interested and space is available. Parents of students in grades 6, 7, 8 who would like their student screened/tested must submit a Permission to Test form by October 1. This form is available on the District’s website www.mukilteoschools.org by clicking on: Programs, Highly Capable Services, Highly Capable Forms & Documents.

A continuum of Highly Capable services includes:

• Learning Enrichment Achievement Program (LEAP) – Grades K – 12
• Summit Program – Grades 3 – 8
• Honors & Advanced courses – Grades 6 – 8
• Advanced course offerings, College in the High School and Running Start – Grades 9 – 12

You can submit the form by e-mail to the Assessment Department at KellyBD@mukilteo.wednet.edu or by mail to our District Office located at 9401 Sharon Drive, Everett, WA 98204

Servicios para estudiante altamente capaces

El Distrito Escolar de Mukilteo identifica cada otoño a estudiantes para pertenecer a los Servicios para Estudiantes Altamente Capaces. Las evaluaciones se llevan a cabo en setiembre y octubre. Todos los estudiantes de Kindergarten a Grado 5 serán evaluados.

Las peticiones para solicitar la evaluación no son necesarias para los alumnos de los grados K-5.

Todos los estudiantes de Secundaria (Middle School) tendrán la opción de matricularse en la clase avanzada de Lengua Inglesa, en caso se encuentren interesados y haya cupo disponible. Los padres de los estudiantes de los grados 6, 7 y 8 que deseen que sus hijos sean evaluados para los Servicios para estudiantes altamente capaces deben enviar un Formulario de Autorización para la evaluación a más tardar hasta el 1 de octubre. Este formulario se encuentra disponible en la página web del Distrito www.mukilteoschools.org, lo puede encontrar siguiendo la ruta: Programs, Highly Capable Services, Highly Capable Forms & Documents (las opciones del menú se encuentran en inglés).

Otros programas que se encuentran en los Servicios para estudiantes altamente capaces son:

• Programa Learning Enrichment Achievement (LEAP)- Grados K-5
• Programa Summit- Grados 3-8
• Cursos Honors y Avanzados- Grados 6-8
• Disponibilidad de cursos avanzados, College en la Preparatoria (High School) y Running Start- Grados 9-12

Puede enviar el formulario por correo electrónico al Departamento de Educación Primaria a KellyBD@mukilteo.wednet.edu o por correo a la oficina del Distrito, cuya dirección es: 9401 Sharon Drive. Everett, WA 98204.

The Mukilteo School District acknowledges that we are gathered on Indigenous Lands, the traditional territory of the Coast Salish People, specifically the Tulalip Tribes, successors in interest to the Snohomish, Snoqualmie, Skykomish, and other allied bands signatory to the 1855 Treaty to Point Elliott. The district serves a diverse population of about 15,000 students who live near the Puget Sound about 15 miles north of Seattle, Washington. Our mission is to help prepare our community's children to be successful, contributing members of the community. Our students learn in an environment that is positive, caring, and focused on their highest academic potential. And, it's working. Mukilteo students consistently score well in annual achievement tests and win academic honors. Many people have moved to the area because of the first-rate Mukilteo school system.

Mukilteo School District does not discriminate in any programs or activities on the basis of sex, race, creed, religion, color, national origin, age, veteran or military status, sexual orientation, gender expression or identity, disability, or the use of trained dog guide or service animal and provides equal access to the Boy Scouts and other designated youth groups. The following employees have been designated to handle questions and complaints of alleged discrimination: Civil Rights Coordinator and Title IX Coordinator Bruce Hobert (425-356-1319), hobertbl@mukilteo.wednet.edu, Section 504 Coordinator Lisa Pitsch (425-356-1277), pitschla@mukilteo.wednet.edu, and the ADA/Access Coordinator Karen Mooseker (425-356-1330), moosekerkw@mukilteo.wednet.edu. Address: 9401 Sharon Drive in Everett, WA. Inquiries regarding ADA/Access issues at Sno-Isle TECH Skills Center should be directed to Mike Gallagher, Interim Director (425-348-2220), gallagherms@mukilteo.wednet.edu. Address: 9001 Airport Road in Everett, WA 98204.