Mary M. Knight

Mission (our purpose):
Our Mission is to ensure that all students have the knowledge, skills, motivation, and confidence to be successful citizens.

Vision (who we must become):
We are a community of learners and leaders united to enrich the lives of all our students.

Dear MMK Families and Community,

What an inspiring sight it was to gather our entire school community for our November Awards Assembly this month. As I watched our students celebrate one another—cheering for their peers, beaming with pride, and demonstrating genuine joy in each other's success—I was reminded of something truly special about Mary M. Knight School. We don't just celebrate individual achievement; we celebrate what we do together.

This November, our focus has been on GRIT: Willingness with Resilience, Embracing Challenges with Purpose. And what I've witnessed is remarkable. I've seen our youngest learners in PreK demand more of themselves and realize they can learn. I've watched first graders teach their classmates to cross the monkey bars. I've observed second graders seeking out books that challenge them and never giving up on hard math problems. I've seen middle schoolers conquer their nerves to present in front of their peers. And I've watched our seniors persist through real-world construction challenges with teamwork and determination.

But here's what matters most: achievement at MMK isn't just about scores. It's about the grit, determination, and kindness our students show every single day.

Andrew Ushman made history this month by winning both our Reading AND Math i-Ready championships—completing 18 reading lessons with a perfect 100% pass rate and investing over 5 hours of dedicated learning time. That's extraordinary. But equally extraordinary is watching Aaliyah help her classmates master math and reading, seeing Meika teach her friends the monkey bars, and observing David be a wonderful partner to everybody. Our students understand that true strength comes from lifting each other up.

This magic doesn't happen by accident. It happens because families support learning at home. It happens because teachers inspire daily. It happens because staff members like Mrs. Tiara McCartney show up every single day to care for our students in big ways and small. And it happens because we have a community that celebrates each child's growth.

This week, our K-3 students also had the incredible opportunity to visit the Hands On Children's Museum in Olympia. One of the greatest gifts we can give our 185 students here in rural Mason County is the chance to experience the world beyond our small community. Every field trip, every assembly, every moment of peer support—these are investments in their futures and their possibilities.

As we head into Thanksgiving break and transition toward December, I want to express our deepest gratitude. Thank you for being part of this wonderful learning community. Thank you for supporting your child's growth. Thank you for celebrating their GRIT. And thank you for believing in what we're building together.

The Owls are soaring.

With gratitude and admiration,

Monday 11/24

• MS basketball vs. Wishkah 5:30 pm
• November school board meeting 6:00 pm

Tuesday 11/25

• Art club 3:00 - 4:30pm - Ms. Barratt's room
• MS basketball @ Lake Quinault 5:30 pm

Wednesday 11/26

• No school - Thanksgiving Break

Thursday 11/27

• No school - Thanksgiving Break

Friday 11/28

• No school - Thanksgiving Break

What an inspiring sight it was to gather our entire school community for our November Awards Assembly! It's moments like these when we truly see the heart of Mary M. Knight School shining through—students, families, and staff united in celebrating hard work, determination, and growth.

November's GRIT Theme: Willingness with Resilience

Embracing Challenges with Purpose

This month, we focused on how our students approach difficulties with determination, engage in productive struggle, and persist through challenging learning. We challenged our school community to ask: How do we tackle tough tasks with courage and a positive spirit?

The answer came through in every single student.

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🏆 OUR NOVEMBER GRIT STUDENTS OF THE MONTH 🏆

These extraordinary students exemplified our November GRIT theme through their willingness to embrace challenges and their remarkable resilience:

• PreK: Carmyn McCartney
• Kindergarten: Leo Larson
• 1st Grade: Jasper Garner
• 2nd Grade: The Entire 2nd Grade Class & Haiden Franco (PE & Music)
• 3rd Grade: Goldie Krumland
• 4th Grade: Luna Jones
• 5th Grade: Jackson Stevenson
• 6th Grade: Avery Lohman

Each of these students demonstrates what it means to approach learning with purpose, bounce back from setbacks, and never give up—even when the work gets tough. They are the heartbeat of our learning community.

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🌟 ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE: Our i-READY CHAMPIONS 🌟

We're thrilled to announce our November i-Ready Leaders, who have shown exceptional dedication to their academic growth through sustained effort, engagement, and mastery:

🏆 DOUBLE CHAMPION: Andrew Ushman (3rd Grade) 🏆

Andrew made history this November by winning both our Reading AND Math i-Ready championships!

November Reading Achievement:

• Completed 18 reading lessons—more than any other student in our entire school!
• Achieved a perfect 100% pass rate on every single lesson
• Invested 5 hours and 22 minutes of dedicated learning time
• Year-to-Date Success: 95% (54 of 57 lessons passed)

This extraordinary combination of high productivity, flawless performance, and sustained effort represents the pinnacle of reading achievement. Andrew, we are incredibly proud of you!

Grade-Level Champions:

Grade 2 Math Champion — Demonstrating the highest average lesson time-on-task in the school (2 hours 30 minutes per student) and the highest pass rate at 97%, with perfect student participation. Every single student achieved strong success!

Grade 3 Reading Champion — Achieving the highest reading pass rate in the school at 94% while maintaining excellent engagement. All 15 third graders participated fully and succeeded!

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A GRATEFUL HEART

What we witnessed this month is the true magic of Mary M. Knight School: students who are willing to struggle, families who support learning at home, teachers who inspire daily, and a community that celebrates each child's growth.

As we head into December, we're reminded that achievement isn't just about scores—it's about the grit, determination, and kindness our students show every single day.

Thank you for being part of this wonderful learning community.

MRS. TIARA McCARTNEY

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There are moments in a school day that happen quietly—when a student needs help finding the right bus, when a child needs supplies or extra clothes, when a scraped knee needs an ice pack and a kind word. These moments matter. And at Mary M. Knight School, they don't go unnoticed.

Our elementary students voted, and they chose someone they see every single day making a real difference: Mrs. Tiara McCartney.

Why Our Students Chose Mrs. McCartney

Our students see everything. They notice who shows up. They remember who cares. And they recognize that Mrs. McCartney is there—always there—when they need her most.

Mrs. McCartney, you are our school superhero. You handle every situation with grace and care, whether it's solving a logistical problem, supporting a student in distress, or simply being present in the moments when kids need someone to believe in them. You do whatever it takes, every single day.

Your compassion isn't just something you talk about—it's something you live. Your dedication to our students and our school community is extraordinary. And your willingness to help, in big ways and small, makes Mary M. Knight School a warmer, more caring place for everyone.

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Thank You, Mrs. McCartney

This award comes straight from the hearts of our elementary students. When they think of someone who makes our school better, they think of you.

We are so incredibly thankful for you.

🏆 Congratulations on being our November Elementary Staff Member of the Month! 🏆

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A special thank you to all our staff members who show up every day to care for our students. You are the heart of Mary M. Knight School.

What an incredible week for our youngest Owls! Our K-3 students had the opportunity to visit the Hands On Children's Museum in Olympia this past week, and it was a day filled with discovery, creativity, and hands-on learning.

Bringing the World to Our Students

One of the greatest gifts we can give our students here in rural Mason County is the chance to experience the world beyond our small community. With just 185 students in our entire K-12 district, every field trip is special, and this visit to the Hands On Children's Museum was no exception. The Hands On Children's Museum isn't just a fun outing—it's a nationally recognized, award-winning learning destination that has been voted "Best Museum" and "Best Family Attraction" in The Olympian's Best of South Sound.

What Our Students Experienced

Throughout their visit, our primary students:

• Explored interactive exhibits that brought learning to life in ways that sparked curiosity and wonder
• Participated in hands-on workshops focused on science, technology, engineering, art, and math (STEAM)
• Engaged in Gallery Interaction Workshops that support Washington State Learning Standards in science, language arts, math, and visual arts
• Created unique artwork in the Arts & Parts Studio that they brought home to share with you

The MMK Difference

As a small, close-knit school community, we have the privilege of knowing each and every one of our students. Watching our K-3 learners—many of whom have older siblings right down the hall—explore, create, and discover together reminds us why experiential learning matters so much. These aren't just field trips; they're opportunities for our rural students to see possibilities, engage with new ideas, and learn through doing in ways that complement the strong foundation we're building in our classrooms every day.

6-Man Football All-League Honors! Join us in congratulating our fantastic MMK athletes for earning All-League recognition this season! Their hard work, leadership, and dedication made a major impact on the field.

Co-Defensive MVP

• Jordan Wood

Offensive Linemen

• Deakyn Bullington

• Chase Tupper

Running Back

• Ryder Lake

Linebacker

• Gabe Walters

Defensive End

• Hunter Hulford

Sportsmanship Award

• MMK

We are incredibly proud of each of you—great job, Owls!

#MMK #GoOwls #AllLeague #6ManFootball

We're excited to announce a wonderful new opportunity for our students! Starting this month, Ms. Barratt will be offering Art Club as an after-school enrichment activity for students who love to create and explore their artistic talents.

Elementary Art Club (Grades 4-6)

• When: 1st and 3rd Tuesdays of each month
• First Session: Tuesday, November 18
• Time: 3:00 - 4:30 PM

Secondary Art Club (Grades 7-12)

• When: 2nd and 4th Tuesdays of each month
• First Session: Tuesday, November 25
• Time: 3:00 - 4:30 PM

Important Details:

• Parents/guardians must provide transportation home at 4:30 PM
• This is a FREE after-school opportunity
• Great for students interested in developing their artistic skills

This is a fantastic chance for our students to explore their creativity, learn new techniques, and express themselves through art in a fun, supportive environment. We're grateful to Ms. Barratt for offering her time and talents to make this experience possible for our MMK students!

If you have questions about Art Club, please contact Ms. Barratt or the office. We hope to see many aspiring artists there!

If you or someone you know is in need of support, Washington 211 is an incredible statewide resource that connects individuals and families with essential services. From housing and utility assistance to food, transportation, healthcare, and more, 211 helps people navigate community programs quickly and confidentially.

Washington 211 is available 24/7, offering assistance by phone, text, or online search. Their mission is to ensure every Washington resident has access to the help they need—when they need it.

Explore available resources here: https://search.wa211.org/

Please feel free to share this link to help support our community!

Dear Mary M. Knight Community,

This week's GRIT nominations showcase the remarkable determination and growth happening across all grade levels at Mary M. Knight! From our PreK learners mastering new challenges to our seniors demonstrating perseverance in construction class, our Owl community continues to inspire with their resilience, kindness, and unwavering commitment to excellence.

Our Youngest Learners: Building Foundations with Determination

Our PreK students have shown incredible growth this month! Rosalynn Austin works through frustration by continuing to attempt challenging problems and demands more of herself constantly. She loves checking the Job Poster to know her responsibilities and supports her peers by explaining concepts like how to count, write teens, and jump with bravery!

Cody Atwood and Henry Backhaus have both demonstrated remarkable perseverance—Cody by working through challenging problems and supporting struggling peers with encouragement, and Henry by rising to the challenge of learning his letters' names and sounds, taking breaks to do his "Spiderman moves" to refocus, then returning energized to his work!

Carmyn McCartney has matured tremendously this month, demanding more of herself and realizing she CAN learn the names of letters and identify teens. She now asks specific questions and is willing to review and redo incorrect work. Super progress, Carmyn!

In Kindergarten, Remi Rivard shows willingness to follow directions, stays on task with a smile, and is willing to try new things. David Finch is a wonderful partner to everybody, showing outstanding collaboration by working and helping others with expectations. Keep up the great work!

Primary Grades: Perseverance and Kindness in Action

Meika Garcia (1st Grade) has been teaching and helping others learn to cross the monkey bars all by themselves—what a great example of peer support and GRIT!

Our 2nd graders have truly shined this week! Aaliyah McCartney demonstrates GRIT by always helping her classmates when needed, doing what she needs to do to be successful, seeking out books that challenge her reading, and being there to help others with their Math and Reading. Haiden Franco shows perseverance when working through hard problems, maintains a positive attitude, and always responds with "thank you" when asking for help. Eden Johnson never gives up in Math—even when it gets really, really hard, she keeps trying until she gets it right!

Raegyn Ayres is always willing to help other students, jumping right in to help clean up even when it's not her area. Jasper Severson shows GRIT by respecting the teacher and redoing his work without getting frustrated, following directions even when it's not something he wants to do, and bouncing back when redirected. Kenna Gillham-Hall has been working really hard in class, focusing on her Math and Reading, and is always on task with a smile on her face!

Charlette Hammond (3rd Grade) is a very hard worker who takes each assignment and does it to the best of her ability. She doesn't complain or get down when she has to correct an assignment—she just listens to feedback, says "ok," and fixes her mistakes. She is always a positive light in our classroom!

Wyatt Bartell (3rd Grade) is very helpful in the library, shows great problem-solving skills when working on a task, and is always looking for ways to be helpful. Keep up the good job, Wyatt!

Intermediate and Upper Grades: Rising to Academic Challenges

Becky Fischer (4th Grade) showed exceptional GRIT during after-school tutoring by asking other members of the group to stop messing around so she could focus on her learning. She finished her work before anyone else, proving that when you focus and try your best, you can do hard things!

Jaxx Coleman (5th Grade) has shown great growth over the last couple of weeks, working hard to complete tasks, helping others when he can, and being a team player at recess. Way to go, Jaxx!

Jackson Stevenson (5th Grade) shows GRIT by being a good student who follows directions and listens to his teacher. He is also really fun and a great big brother!

Middle School Excellence: Overcoming Challenges with Courage

Our 6th graders have demonstrated extraordinary courage this week! Bodhi Thomas worked super hard on his second book report. Despite some frustration, and through a lot of editing and reworking, it turned out excellent! Renna Coleman completed and presented her first book report—it took some time and she was nervous about presenting, but she did it and was successful! Ava Nutter was really nervous about standing and speaking in front of class for her book report presentation, but she conquered her fears and did it!

James Koonrad has been making great strides in his reading. His participation in the Veterans Day assembly showed real GRIT by getting up in front of a crowd and reading his portion of the program to K-12th grades. True GRIT is also shown on the basketball court with determination and collaboration with your team! Keep up the good work, James!

Jadynn Smith has been working so hard on her academics, showing True GRIT as well as kindness to others. She brings a smile to everyone's face and is a true joy to be around. Way to go, Jadynn!

Senior Leadership: Persistence in Career and Technical Education

Chase Tupper (12th Grade) has shown GRIT in his Culture of Work during construction, especially during blueprint reading challenges. Chase was persistent, refusing to give up when frustrated, and was able to reset by trying a new approach, being open to teamwork, and successfully completing the challenge. Excellent work, Chase!

Reflections on GRIT

This week's nominations beautifully illustrate that GRIT looks different at every age and stage of learning. It's our PreK students like Rosalynn demanding more of themselves and realizing they CAN learn challenging concepts. It's our primary students like Eden never giving up on hard math problems and Aaliyah seeking out books that challenge her. It's our middle schoolers like Bodhi, Renna, Ava, and James conquering their nerves to present in front of their peers. It's Becky refusing to let distractions take away from her learning, and Chase persisting through construction challenges with teamwork and determination.

Most importantly, GRIT at Mary M. Knight isn't just about individual achievement—it's about how our students support one another. From Meika teaching friends the monkey bars, to Aaliyah helping classmates with Math and Reading, to David being a wonderful partner to everyone, our students understand that true strength comes from lifting each other up.

Thank you to all our students, families, and staff for fostering a community where perseverance, kindness, and determination are celebrated daily. We are incredibly proud of each and every one of these outstanding Owls!

Keep soaring, Owls! 🦉

🍽️ This Week's Lunch Meno

• Monday: Ham & cheese sandwich
• Tuesday: Cheese filled breadsticks
• Wednesday:
• Thursday:
• Friday:

🏃‍♂️ Athletics This Week

• Monday: MS basketball vs. Wishkah 5:30 pm
• Tuesday: MS basketball @ Lake Quinault 5:30 pm
• Wednesday:
• Thursday:
• Friday:
• Saturday:

📋 Important Reminders

🔗 District Website: Access to district website

🔗 Skyward Family Access: Access grades and attendance

🔗 Athletic Schedules: MMK Sports Hub

🔗 Character Strong Resources: Available on district website

📧 Questions? Contact us at (360) 426-6767 or visit marymknight.com

Email: jstoney@mmk.wednet.edu
Website: https://www.marymknight.com/
Location: 2987 Matlock-Brady Road, Elma, WA, USA
Phone: (360) 426-6767
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MMKOwls