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.

Welcome back, Knights families! I hope your winter break was restful and filled with time well-spent with loved ones. As we settle back into our routines, I want to share a few thoughts to help us all work together toward a strong finish to the school year.

A Critical Milestone Ahead

This semester, we have an important deadline coming on January 22—the end of our first grading period. For our secondary students, this represents a crucial milestone as it counts toward on-time graduation credit. If your student is currently struggling in any class, this is the perfect time to reach out to that teacher. Our staff is ready to support your child's success, and early communication makes all the difference. Please check Skyward regularly and don't hesitate to connect with us if you have questions.

Building Responsibility Together

You'll also see in this week's newsletter that we're reinforcing clear expectations around bathroom use in our secondary building. With only 50 secondary students, we have a unique opportunity to address this as a true community. We're asking students to use these spaces respectfully and functionally, and we'd love your partnership in supporting this at home. This is about teaching responsibility and respect—not punishment—and we know our families value that.

Our Commitment

At Mary M. Knight, we're committed to creating a safe, supportive environment where every student can thrive. That commitment is only possible when we work together. Thank you for partnering with us.

Let's make this a great finish to the year!

Monday 1/5

• HS Basketball @ Crescent 4:00 pm

Tuesday 1/6

• Art club 3:00 pm
• Girls HS basketball @ Wishkah 5:30 pm

Wednesday 1/7

• Late Start
• Board game club 3:00 pm
• PTO Meeting 3:30 pm
• MS Basketball @ Naselle 4:00 pm

Thursday 1/8

• HS Wrestling @ North Beach 4:00 pm

Friday 1/9

• Girls HS basketball vs. Rochester 5:30 pm
• Boys HS basketball vs. Cornerstone Christian 7:00 pm

Saturday 1/10

• HS Basketball vs. Three Rivers Christian 2:00 pm

Dear Mary M. Knight Families,

As we settle back into our routines following winter break, I want to bring an important deadline to your attention. The end of our first grading semester is January 22, 2025 — just weeks away. For our secondary students, this is a critical milestone, as this semester represents the first grading period counting toward on-time graduation credit.

Here's what you need to know:

This is the time to take an honest look at your student's progress and performance. I encourage all parents and guardians to regularly check Skyward to review your child's current grades and outstanding assignments. If you notice your student is struggling in any subject, please don't hesitate to reach out directly to that teacher. Our staff is here to support your student's success, and early communication often makes all the difference.

A word of caution: The farther behind a student falls by the end of the semester, the steeper the climb to recovery. A student working to improve their grade from a failing mark to passing in the second semester faces a much more challenging task than one who stays on track from the beginning. This is especially true for secondary students working toward on-time graduation.

If you have questions about your child's progress, missing work, or how to support them at home, please contact the appropriate teacher or our office. We're here to partner with you.

Let's work together to ensure every student at Mary M. Knight finishes strong.

Dear Mary M. Knight Families and Students,

Welcome back from winter break! I hope you enjoyed time with family and are ready for a strong finish to the school year. As we settle back in, I want to share an important update about bathroom expectations for our secondary students (grades 7-12).

Why We're Talking About This

This year, we extended our passing periods to 5 minutes to give students more time to transition between classes. However, we've noticed that our multi-stall bathrooms have become social gathering spaces rather than being used for their intended purpose. This has created some challenges:

• Students who genuinely need to use the bathroom are unable to access them comfortably
• It creates an environment that doesn't reflect our school values of respect and responsibility
• It pulls our attention away from what matters most: supporting student learning and growth

With only 50 secondary students, we have a real opportunity to address this together as a community.

Our Shared Expectations

Starting the first week back, we're reinforcing clear, consistent expectations. Your student discussed these in advisory:

• Use the bathroom for its intended purpose — in and out within 3 minutes
• No loitering or socializing in bathroom areas
• Respectful behavior at all times — creating a safe space for everyone

Students can expect staff presence in these areas during passing periods and lunch to help redirect students and keep things on track.

How We're Supporting This

We're giving our students the opportunity to demonstrate responsibility. We know they can do this. However, if bathroom misuse continues, we will implement a single-occupancy, sign-out system that would mean longer wait times and less convenience for everyone. We're hoping it doesn't come to that.

How You Can Partner With Us

Please take a few moments at home to:

• Have a conversation with your student about these expectations
• Reinforce that bathrooms are functional spaces, not social spaces
• Help them understand that being part of our school community means respecting shared spaces
• Support us in holding them accountable—this builds character and responsibility

Our Commitment to You

We're committed to maintaining a safe, respectful environment where all students can learn and thrive. This is about teaching responsibility and respect, not punishment. We truly value working with families to support each student's success.

If you have questions or would like to discuss this further, please don't hesitate to reach out. I'm always happy to connect.

Thank you for your partnership.

🍽️ This Week's Lunch Menu

• Monday: Hot Pocket
• Tuesday: Bean & Cheese Chalupa
• Wednesday: Soup of the Day
• Thursday: Chicken & Waffles
• Friday: Beef Nachos

🏃‍♂️ Athletics This Week

• Monday: HS basketball vs Crescent 4:00 pm
• Tuesday: HS basketball @ Wishkah 5:30 pm
• Wednesday: HS basketball @ Naselle 4:00 pm
• Thursday: HS Wrestling @ North Beach 4:00 pm
• Friday: HS basketball (girls) vs Rochester 5:30 pm; HS basketball (boys) vs. Cornerstone Christian 7:00 pm
• Saturday: HS Basketball vs Three Rivers 2:00 pm

📋 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