Family newsletter - Family survey, Lighthouse Award winners, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day and more!

Posted Date: 1/18/25 (1:30 AM)

Three photos of students in various classrooms, elementary, middle and high school

In this issue:

Calendar reminders
Family survey reminder
Staff Lighthouse Award winners
Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
Preparing for weather impacts
Pathfinder kindergarten artists

Calendar reminders

Jan. 20: No school, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
Jan. 31: No school, staff work day
Feb. 17: No school, Presidents Day
Feb. 18-21: No school, Mid-Winter Break

Family and student surveys

Thanks to those of you who already completed the family survey. As a reminder, we are inviting staff, students (grades 2-12) and families to participate in an annual survey through Feb. 7. It asks questions about your experiences with schools and the district. The survey should only take 10 to 15 minutes to complete and is available in 17 languages.

It’s easy!

Choose your language preference on the opening page of the survey.
Select your student’s school. If you have children in multiple schools, please complete one survey per child.
Complete the survey and click submit.

Thank you for helping us get a sense of how people are doing and how we can better support students and families. Your responses are extremely important and help guide our work each year.

Complete the family survey

Lighthouse Award winners!

On the darkest, dreariest day of the week, Superintendent Brynelson set out to bring sunshine to a few staff. We visited two schools to surprise the winners of the Lighthouse Award, a recognition given each semester to a certificated and classified employee! We captured the moments in the three-minute video reveal below. Congratulations to all the amazing staff nominees who will be recognized during the January 28 board meeting:

Carol Collison, paraeducator at Mukilteo Elementary
Jon Melby, teacher at Columbia Elementary
Paul Minnich, teacher at Challenger Elementary
Nicholas Taylor, paraeducator at Horizon Elementary

Honoring Dr. King's legacy

Photo of MLK Jr's memorial with cherry blossom graphics with text Schools closed Monday, Jan. 20, in honor of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day

In honor of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day on Jan. 20, many schools are holding powerful student assemblies. Many include speeches, performances and other activities to celebrate the rich diversity in our schools in addition to honoring Dr. King’s legacy.

At Mariner High School's assembly, students celebrated themes of finding strength, purpose, and having resilience in times when hope feels lost. They enjoyed spoken word performances from Black and Pacific Islander students, a video from the Black Student Union, dances from the Mariner Step and University of Washington Step teams, a student duo musical performance, and the Mariner Choir led by Principal Marcus Pimpleton.

Don't forget that schools are closed on Monday, Jan. 20, in honor of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.

Preparing for weather impacts

Snowy scene with school bus and the text, Prepare for weather impacts

Sometimes weather this time of year can cause school to be delayed or cancelled. Bus routes can also be affected by unsafe travel conditions. The announcement of a school closure or delay is usually made early in the morning. All authorized parents and guardians will receive a ParentSquare message if school is closed or delayed. If you have a mobile phone number on file with your child's school, you should also receive a text message.

Updated school closure and delay information will also be posted on the school district’s website, on the FlashAlert website, and the district Facebook page and Instagram page. The district will let families know if bus routes are limited, but please review your child’s alternate route before then so you can plan accordingly. The alternate bus routes are listed on the transportation website.

If school is canceled, the school day will be made up later in the year.

KindergARTners 🎨😀

Artist (noun): Def.: A person who creates art …

The district office is grateful to have a beautiful display from student artists at Pathfinder Kindergarten Center. The winter scenes are mixed media including chalk, bleeding tissue paper, pen, crayon, saltwater solution, and glitter! Each piece was inspired by lessons from the book The Three Snow Bears and a lesson on winter trees at night. Keep creating, kindergARTners!

Animated graphic with falling snow outside a window framing the kindergartners' art pieces

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 Simone Neal (425-356-1244), nealsr@mukilteo.wednet.edu, Section 504 Coordinator Becca Anderson (425-356-1277), andersonra@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 Wes Allen, Director (425-348-2220) allenwr@mukilteo.wednet.edu. Address: 9001 Airport Road in Everett, WA 98204.