Weekly Update from the Superintendent

Dear students, staff, families and community,

Spring Testing Week for all students at Mount Baker Junior / Senior High will be held next week, April 24-28. Students in 7th and 10th grade will take the Smarter Balanced tests in math and English language arts. Students in 11th grade will take the Washington Comprehensive Assessment of Science (WCAS). Students in 8th grade will take all three assessments. The results from these tests will give a more accurate picture of whether students are on track to be ready for high school and beyond. Testing will occur on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday of next week. Students will arrive at school at the normal time and attend their Period 1 class. They will then go to Base Camp which will be two hours in length to accommodate testing. There will be no testing on Wednesday and the secondary campus will follow its normal early release schedule.

During this week, 9th-grade students will take part in the Snow Goose field trip and complete coursework in order to stay on track to pass their spring classes. After they complete the WCAS on Monday, 11th-grade students will participate in state-required sexual education modules. 12th-grade students will use this week to focus on their PRIDE presentations and attend post-graduation seminars. Any questions about the week can be directed to the MBJH/HS assistant principal, Andy Remien.

April is School Library Month.  A big thank you to our librarians, Melissa Menti and Anne Skelton, for promoting reading in our schools.  Research shows that reading is linked to student achievement and academic success.  Just today a  junior high student shared with me how proud he is about the number of books he has read this year.  

Harmony Elementary PTO brought Missoula Children’s Theatre to Harmony Elementary this week.  The 38 students participating in this program are rehearsing after school all week long.  They will present Hansel and Gretel this Saturday, April 22nd at  the Mount Baker High School Auditorium at 2:00 p.m. and 4:30 p.m.

The MBJH Music Department is proud to share that ten choir students and four band students will have the honor of representing Mount Baker in a regional honor event. Saturday May 6th they will travel to Mount Vernon to join with other honored students from Whatcom, Skagit and Island Counties to prepare music and present a concert.

Mount Baker FFA Agricultural Technology and Mechanics Team placed first in Washington State! Drake Pinkey placed 2nd and earned a $1000 scholarship, and Case Heutink placed 12th.  Kelsi Anderson, Merrick Kelley, and Wyatt Freeman all placed in the top third of participants.  The team will represent Washington State in Indianapolis in November.  This is the third year in a row and fourth time in six years Mt. Baker has won the state title. Congratulations Mt. Baker FFA!

Go Baker!

Sincerely,

Mary Sewright, Superintendent
msewright@mtbaker.wednet.edu
(360) 617-4600