SOUTH WHIDBEY: SWSD Navigator Newsletter [Sep. 5, 2024]
Prior to every Board Meeting or Workshop, the South Whidbey School District posts a SWSD Navigator Newsletter on ParentSquare providing notice of School Board Meetings, what is happening in the District and updates in the schools. Click here to receive future issues. Ed. Note: We excerpt those portions of the SWSD Navigator pertinent to the activities of the school board. For the full contents of the current edition of the newsletter, click this link.
Message from Superintendent Moccia
Dear South Whidbey Staff, Families, Students and Community,
South Whidbey School District takes student and staff safety seriously. Our hearts go out to the staff, students and families at Apalachee High School in Georgia. It is important that our community continues to be diligent in supporting and reporting safety concerns. We continue to take every precaution to keep our students and staff safe. One of our precautions includes keeping our doors locked during the school day. Please remind your student to never prop a door open and to close any outer door if they see it propped open.
We follow our district policy 3225 and procedure 3225P regarding threats of harm, follow our safety protocols (linked here), regularly conduct emergency preparedness drills, work with law enforcement directly, and continue personnel training. We take all threats seriously including those made by individuals inside and outside of our school family.
Please continue to help keep our schools safe by reporting any perceived threat to law enforcement and to our district. We have a safety tip line and all of our safety and contact information is available on our website. Please continue to speak with your students about their choice of words and speaking up when they find a concern. Any of our staff members can assist a student’s concern and direct them to the appropriate person. Together we make a difference to keep our schools safe.
Sincerely,
Open House/Curriculum Nights
Grades Tk-5 Thursday, September 12
Grades 6-12: Thursday, September 19
Curriculum Nights are a chance for guardians to learn more about their student(s)’s classes, the teacher’s expectations, ask questions, and see some of the work your student has thun thus far. Please attend your school’s 24-25 curriculum night.
New Cell Phone Policy
On August 28th, OSPI Superintendent Reykdal published guidance for schools to limit cell phones during instructional time. See OSPI Guidance: Cell Phone and Smart Device Use in Schools (August 28, 2024). The recommendation to limit cell phone use during school is a nationwide movement in support of student learning and mental health. “We know that students succeed when they can focus on learning,” said Larry Delaney, President of the Washington Education Association. Our aim is for students to be engaged and attentive in the classroom, and we recognize the significant distraction that cell phones can pose,” said Joel Aune, Executive Director of the Washington Association of School Administrators. Reducing the use of cell phones in class improves concentration and learning, improves mental and physical health, and reduces pressures caused by social media,” said State Superintendent Chris Reykdal in the guidance document. Parent/Guardian/Staff/Student support is greatly appreciated.
HYA will be meeting with the various stakeholder groups (unions, ptas, boosters, student groups, community etc) on September 18th and 19th. Find them at the HS/MS Curriculum Night and the Community Forum
Save the Date: Community Forum for Superintendent Search on Wednesday, September 18th at 6:30pm in the SWES Community Board Room. All are welcomed to attend.
Board Corner
At our last meeting, the South Whidbey School Board discussed the practice of having a land acknowledgement at the start of our board meetings. We heard from district administrators about a powerful visit from members of the Tulalip tribes, and requested of Dr. Moccia that she continue to strengthen that relationship so that we can appropriately acknowledge, honor, and learn from those who have such a long and enduring relationship with this area. We also approved a relatively minor budget extension for this past school year, approved contracts with the district’s classified unions, and approved the purchase of another electric school bus.
Our next meeting is a board workshop, where we look forward to hearing from the Port of South Whidbey and WICA about the use of land around the Community Center in Langley, and discuss more details about the ongoing superintendent search (which you can find out more about at: https://www.sw.wednet.edu/our-district/superintendent/superintendent-search-24-25).
On Wednesday, September 11, 2024 the South Whidbey School Board will hold a workshop starting at 6:30pm via ZOOM WEBINAR and IN PERSON at the South Whidbey Elementary School Dr. Julie Hadden Community Board Room at 5380 Maxwelton Road, Langley. The agenda is linked HERE. Please click THIS LINK to join the webinar. Passcode: 234129 Webinar ID: 881 5979 3362
- September 25: Business Meeting
- October 2: Community Forum
- October 9: Workshop
- October 23: Business Meeting
—– Brook Willeford, Board President
