Please click the link below to view updated information for West Sound Tech Students

https://www.smore.com/qshzd

Superintendent Update 4/03/2020 (Downloadable PDF)

Notice: The board work study that was scheduled for April 8th has been cancelled.

This week’s employee of the week is an unsung hero who works quietly, efficiently, and with great ability behind the scenes to make what we all do possible. Steve Haveron keeps our network running smoothly, responds to tech requests, manages the tech committee, the tech budget, installs instructional technology in classrooms, and learns what he needs to in order to be an effective leader in technology to support student learning. In addition, Steve also is a mentor for students whose passion is around technology. When we ask for tech support, Steve not only delivers solutions, he also recommends other and often more effective ways to answer our tech questions.

Dear Ranger Families,

As we enter into Spring Break, our staff has been busy working to design what education will look like for students come April 6^th. For this, we have had numerous meetings and both our elementary and secondary teachers have stepped up in amazing ways to think about education through an entirely different perspective to design educational opportunities that will engage all students.

Grades K-5

• • All primary teachers are currently working to update their classroom pages on our district website to include extended daily lessons as well as abbreviated daily lessons. Our goal through providing multiple options for student learning is to ensure all kids will be given opportunities for engagement.

• • Classroom teachers will continue to have weekly video or tele conferences with each student.

Grades 6-12

• As the state has shifted course and asked that all districts go beyond simply providing optional opportunities for engagement to instead provide education that allows for course credits, our secondary staff has collaborated on how to do this while also being understanding of the challenges that come with what we’re facing as a community and nation.

• While our teachers have quickly proven their abilities to transition each class into an “online” learning model, we came to the realization that having six different independent subjects which each have independent workloads may not be a realistic expectation for our students at this time. Meanwhile, we also came to the realization that meaningful, engaging, relevant learning must be the standard.

• Through this process, we have decided to provide engagement for all students in grades 6-12 through Project-Based Learning, an approach that allows students to complete several tasks within one project over a period of two weeks to earn credit across different classes. Through completing this bi-weekly project (which will have a multitude of choices to ensure all students find the work to be fun and relevant), participating in provided math exercises, and maintaining an exercise log, students will be able to stay on track in earning all credits for the semester.

• Project-Based Learning at a Glance

  For this approach, all classes (with a few specific exceptions) will be changed from letter grades to Pass or Fail courses, and each student’s conferencing advisor will work with the student throughout the process, as well as assess the project at the end of the two weeks.

• To help families fully understand Project-Based Learning, we will be having two virtual “open houses” over the next week. To join either of these meetings, first go to www.zoom.com and then click on “join a meeting” in the upper right hand side. Next, enter the Meeting ID shown below. Finally enter the Meeting Password, also shown below. Additionally, please visit the following URL for a short video explaining the basics of zoom meetings: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nSkPj6J7IC8&feature=youtu.be Alternatively, if you are unable to join over the internet, you may join audio-only using the phone numbers below.
• • Tuesday, March 31^st at 6:00 pm
    • Meeting ID: 997-922-181
    • Meeting Password: 012161
    • (253) 215-8782

• • Thursday, April 2^nd at 6:00 pm
    • Meeting ID: 196-092-871
    • Meeting Password: 406269
    • (253) 215-8782

Food Service Delivery & Material/Supply Delivery

• Beginning next week some changes will be coming to our food service delivery program to help reduce the potential for people to get sick. While we will still be providing the same total number of meals for any person 18 and under, we will only be delivering meals on Mondays and Wednesday. For this, Monday’s delivery will also include meals for Tuesday and Wednesday’s delivery will also include meals for Thursday and Friday. Today’s delivery included meals for both today and Monday and Tuesday’s delivery will include meals just for that day.

• We will continue to deliver materials and supplies to families after Spring Break; however, we will be available to work with families throughout next week on individual deliveries of items. For this, please call the office during our office hours.

            Office Hours During Spring Break

• The school office will be open from 9:00 am -1:00 pm Monday-Friday of next week. We will then resume normal hours of 8:30 am – 3:00 pm beginning on April 6^th.

Lastly, please don’t hesitate to contact me directly at any time through my cell phone, (360) 302-1294.

Thank you,

Sean Moss, Principal

Please follow the link below to a Youtube video that contains a primer on how to connect to a Zoom Meeting. Enjoy!

https://youtu.be/nSkPj6J7IC8

Employee of the Week: Crystal Manly

From the beginning of this crisis, Crystal has been on the front line, creating, problem solving, collaborating, and leading to ensure that there was no break between the excellent food service program while students were in school and a region-leading food service distribution system now that students cannot come to school. She has been tireless in her efforts to create the menus, order the food, work with the paras who have been staffing the kitchen with her to create and package the meals for delivery by our transportation team. So many folks involved in the process, but Crystal has led this incredible effort.

Thank you, Crystal!

Dear Rangers,

We once again find ourselves in new waters, with new directives from the state to stay at home, continue to provide food to students, daycare for healthcare workers and emergency responders, and to provide an education to our students while most folks are at home. That last point is where I will spend most of this note with you today – what education looks like at this point in the shutdown.

I first want to acknowledge that what is being asked of parents is unprecedented, difficult, and ambiguous. I am sorry about that, and hope that you know that we are here in this together, and our teachers, paras, food service, custodial, transportation, and administration staff are all working on supporting you and your children while we are working through the crisis as a community.

Know that we will be asking for more engagement, more time spent in academic work, and continued contact with their teacher or advisor. In-person, face-to-face education has been banned through the 24^th of April, and it is not outside the realm of possibility that the school buildings will not be available for a longer period, so we are hoping for a return to school on the 27^th, but planning for the eventuality that we do not return this school year.

This week, our teachers will be contacting your children to talk about their engagement as well as how they have been doing. Next week is our Spring Break, and while our food service and daycare services will be running, our learning and teaching staff will not be reaching out to students. We will start with a stronger learning and accountability focus starting Monday, April 6^th.

Last night State Superintendent Reykdal sent guidance to all school districts in the state. The highlights from that memo are:

• Education must continue, teachers will continue to teach
  • We started with providing opportunities for students to engage in learning – now we are shifting to ensuring that all students are making progress toward learning targets, earning credit, and building academic skills.
  • There is much that our amazing staff still needs to develop; this shift in expectations for students will happen after spring break (March 21^st to 29^th). In the coming days you, and for 6-12^th graders, your children, will hear from their teachers with more on what this looks like.
• We will design learning for equity and access
  • Learning goals will be based on Washington state standards
  • Instruction will be flexible
    • Some materials will be delivered through our existing food delivery system, most will be on-line through tools such as Google Classroom.
    • We will be supporting you by sending engagement strategies and ideas, schedules, and other ways to help you to keep your children plugged in to learning.
  • Teachers will be assessing learning
    • To help minimize the chance of spreading the virus, almost all of the work that students do to record and demonstrate their learning will be electronic. Similarly, we are working to reduce the number of things that we are physically sending home.
    • We will need your help in gathering and assessing your children’s’ work. Throughout, your child’s teacher or advisor will stay in touch with you.
  • Special Education staff will be supporting students who have specially designed instruction written into their IEP’s.
    • Special Education teachers and paraeducators will coordinate with General Education teachers to help with accommodations and modifications
    • Supports for students with IEP’s will be delivered to those students by the Special Education Staff as well as the General Education staff, so that we are delivering services to the greatest extent possible.

This is a lot, I recognize that. We are adjusting how we communicate with you, so that you are not overwhelmed, but are supported and get what you need from us.

• Parents of Kindergarten through 5^th grade students will have a more direct role in working with your children to engage in learning.
  • Know that the teachers will be giving you not only what your students need to learn, but also how to help them in that learning.
• Parents of 6^th through 12^th grade students can be copied on messages sent to their students, please let their advisor know if you do want to get emails and notifications. The onus of working on projects and completing work should be on the students themselves
  • I encourage you to stay informed about the projects that your kids are working on; I am sure you will be as interested as the students will be in learning.
  • For many students, staying focused on completing assigned tasks will be easy, for others we will need your help in reminding students that school is still in session, even though it feels very different.

Throughout the crisis of the coronavirus, we still need to rely on each other – and the continued education of our children is no exception. Our expert educators and support staff deeply and dearly miss working with your children, seeing their faces every day, and celebrating their learning and successes with them. We still want to provide service to you and your children and we are working every day to find more effective ways to do that even while we cannot see them in person.

At any time if you have questions, need help, or just want to talk about how we are doing, please do not hesitate to talk to you child’s teacher, Mr. Moss, Mr. Davis, or me. We are all here for you – now just a bit more distant!

Frank Redmon

Superintendent

Supply & Distribution Update Letter 3/20/20 (PDF)

The school office will be open Monday - Friday from 8:00 am - 3:00 pm

If we can help you over the phone or through email that is best. If you visit our office, please remember that we will be practicing social distancing.