Mary M. Knight Family Newsletter

Dear Mary M. Knight Families,

We are just over two weeks from the end of the first quarter. The quarter ends on Tuesday, October 27, and Fall Conferences are October 28–29, with half-day dismissals October 28–30. Last week I asked families to check Skyward together and help students name one thing to finish or fix. Thank you to everyone who had that conversation. Keep having it.

This week I want to talk plainly about something that affects every grade and every assignment: attendance.

Students can't learn what they aren't here for. That is true whether an absence is excused or unexcused. Kids get sick and families have real needs, and we understand that. But the learning that happens in a classroom, the discussion, the practice, the questions, is hard to replace with a make-up packet.

The numbers add up faster than most of us realize. Missing just two days a month comes to 18 days by the end of the year, which is 10% of the school year and the point where the state considers a student chronically absent. Arriving 10 minutes late each day adds up to 30 hours of instruction over a year, more than four full school days.

Here's what families can do:

• Make every day the plan. Schedule appointments and trips outside of school hours when you can.
• Be on time. The first minutes of the day and of each class set up everything that follows.
• Check attendance in Skyward along with grades, and ask your student about any day or period that surprises you.
• Call us early. If something is making it hard for your student to get to school, we want to help solve it with you: 360-426-6767.

I also want to recognize three groups of people this week.

Our student-athletes have reached the halfway point of the fall season. Being a student-athlete means long days: a full day of classes, then practice, games, and bus rides, with homework still waiting at the end. We are proud of the work and dedication they are showing in competition and in the classroom.

Our GRIT students remind us every week that Growth, Resilience, Intensity, and Tenacity are alive in our classrooms. Week in and week out, staff have more students to nominate than we have room to feature. You'll find this week's recognitions below.

And last week we celebrated our custodial and maintenance team: Ron Larson, Scott Dewey, and Ron Schmitz. Their work keeps this school running, and you can read more about them below.

Two weeks to go. Let's finish the quarter here, on time, and ready to learn.

With OWL Pride,
Mr. Stoney
K–12 Principal

What's one assignment, grade, or habit you want to own before the quarter ends on October 27, and what's your first step this week?"

At the end of the week, follow up: Did you take that step? What's next? Small, steady follow-through over the next three weeks makes a big difference by conference time.

Monday, October 12

• Middle School Volleyball @ Oakville, 5:30 p.m.

Tuesday, October 13

• High School Volleyball @ Ocosta, 6:00 p.m.

Wednesday, October 14

• Late Start: school begins at 9:00 a.m.
• Board Game Club, 3:00 p.m.
• Middle School Flag Football vs. Ocosta, 4:30 p.m.
• 8th Grade Volleyball (Fly-Up) vs. Taholah, 5:30 p.m.

Thursday, October 15

• High School Volleyball @ Lake Quinault, 6:00 p.m.

Friday, October 16

• High School Football @ Clallam Bay, 6:00 p.m.

Calling all 8th–12th grade students! SkillsUSA meets monthly on the 1st and 3rd Tuesdays from 3:00–4:30 PM in Mr. Johannes’s room!

SkillsUSA is a great opportunity to build leadership, technical, and workplace skills through hands-on learning, competitions, and career preparation.

• Meetings: 1st & 3rd Tuesday of each month
• Time: 3:00–4:30 PM
• Location: Mr. Johannes’s Room

Questions? gjohannes@mmk.widnet.edu

Come check it out and see what SkillsUSA is all about!

Our custodial and maintenance team plays an essential role in making Mary M. Knight a safe, welcoming place for students and staff every day.

This past week we recognized Ron Larson, Scott Dewey, and Ron Schmitz for everything they do for our OWLS. They keep our buildings clean and our grounds and facilities working, and they respond to the countless needs that come up each day.

Just as importantly, they are part of the relationships that make MMK special. They know our kids, support our staff, and step in wherever they are needed.

Thank you, Ron, Scott, and Ron, for the pride, care, and commitment you bring to Mary M. Knight.

The first quarter is entering its final stretch. Here are the dates to plan around:

• Tuesday, October 27: Last day of the first quarter
• Wednesday–Thursday, October 28–29: Fall Conferences
• Wednesday–Friday, October 28–30: Half-day dismissal at 12:25 p.m.

Conferences are one of the most valuable conversations we have all year. They're a chance for families, students, and teachers to sit down together, look at growth, and set goals for the rest of the year.

Scheduling information will be shared in the coming weeks, so watch for details in future newsletters.

Two things you can do now:

• Plan ahead for the half days. If your family needs to arrange pickup or childcare for October 28–30, now is a good time to start.
• Get ahead of conferences. Checking Skyward with your student over the next three weeks means you'll walk into conferences already knowing where things stand. That leaves more time for the conversation that matters most: what's next.

As we prepare for Veterans Day in November, we would like to create a special hallway display in our high school lunchroom to honor the veterans and currently serving service members who are part of our school community.

We would love to recognize military members connected to our students, families, staff, and alumni.

Please complete this form by Friday, October 23. Submitted information and photos may be printed and displayed as part of our school’s Veterans Day recognition.

Thank you for helping us honor the men and women who have served and continue to serve our country.

We are excited to launch a new tradition at Mary M. Knight: our MMK Senior Spotlight!

Throughout the school year, we will feature one of our senior OWLS each month, giving our community the opportunity to learn more about the students who make MMK such a special place.

Our first Senior Spotlight features Bella Buck, Class of 2027, sharing about her volleyball experience, what motivates her as a senior, the importance of supporting her teammates, and the advice she would give to younger athletes.

This project is also an exciting part of the work being done through our Yearbook and Journalism class with Ms. Cole. Students are helping conduct the interviews, develop the stories, and celebrate the experiences of their fellow OWLS. A special thank you to Layla Thomas and Toni Koonrad for conducting Bella’s interview.

We look forward to sharing more of our seniors’ stories throughout the year and celebrating the people, experiences, and memories that make up the Class of 2027.

Congratulations, Bella, on being featured in our first MMK Senior Spotlight!

#MMKOwls #SeniorSpotlight #ClassOf2027 #MMKGRIT #OnceAnOwlAlwaysAnOwl

Our October CharacterStrong trait is Responsibility: taking action and understanding the impact of our choices. In week one we defined it. Last week we focused on following through. This week, we're looking at the second half of that definition: understanding the impact of our choices.

Following through matters for our own goals. But most of what we do also reaches someone else. When a student shows up on time and prepared, the whole class gets started sooner. When a student does their part of a group project, their partners can do theirs. When a teammate is at practice, the team gets better. The opposite is true too. Responsibility grows when students start to notice that other people are counting on them.

What this looks like at MMK:

• Being here and on time, because classmates, teammates, and teachers are counting on you
• Doing your share of group work so no one has to carry it for you
• Noticing when a choice made someone's day harder, and making it right
• Cleaning up your space so it's ready for the next person
• Asking, "Who does this affect?" before making a decision

Conversation Starters for Home:

• Who was counting on you this week? How did you come through for them?
• Can you think of a time someone else's choice made your day better? What did they do?
• When you miss a class or a practice, who else does that affect?

Try This Together as a Family: The Ripple Effect

Pick one evening this week and have each family member share one choice they made that day and who it affected, good or hard. Adults, go first. The goal is to help students see that their choices matter to the people around them.

Our October focus is Taking Responsibility for Excellence, and this week’s GRIT students show what that looks like: owning their learning, sticking with hard things, and making school better for the people around them.

Elementary

Justin Ushman | PreK
Justin grew from knowing zero letter sounds to 15 during the month of September. He also practiced reading his classmates’ names for ten days to get ready for his turn as Rope Reader. That’s Intentional Effort and Success with Tenacity.

Elowen Weaver | PreK
Elowen listened carefully, practiced her letter sounds, and grew from zero to 14 during September. She also took her handwriting lesson seriously, and in just one day she was writing her uppercase letters and her name neatly between the lines. That’s Ownership with Growth and Intentional Effort.

Cody Atwood | Kindergarten
Schedule changes and surprises don’t rattle Cody. He brings steady, calm energy every day and adapts to whatever comes his way, which makes him a reassuring teammate. That’s Willingness with Resilience.

Remi Rivard | 1st Grade
Remi has put real effort into reading and actively looks for ways to improve: asking questions, trying new strategies, and working through the parts that feel challenging. That’s Ownership with Growth, Success with Tenacity, and Intentional Effort.

Yahell Silvan Cruz | 2nd Grade
Yahell took responsibility for traveling between classrooms independently and safely. He showed personal growth, ownership of his behavior, and real maturity. That’s Ownership with Growth.

Yahell asumió la responsabilidad de desplazarse entre las aulas de manera independiente y segura. Demostró crecimiento personal, responsabilidad sobre su comportamiento y verdadera madurez.

Barrett Frostad | 3rd Grade
Barrett makes his schoolwork a priority and completes his assignments on time. When he makes a mistake, he owns it and learns from it. He is also a kind classmate whose curiosity shows every time he asks to look something up just because he wants to know more. That’s Ownership with Growth, Willingness with Resilience, and Intentional Effort.

Jayce Lingnau | 4th Grade
Jayce owns his learning by jumping into routines without being asked. He comes in from every transition and starts the activity or assignment right away. That’s Ownership with Growth and Intentional Effort.

Andrew Ushman | 5th Grade
Since moving up to 5th grade, Andrew has tackled every assignment with eagerness to learn. He holds himself to high standards, is growing in asking for help when he needs it, and encourages his classmates and even his teacher. That’s Willingness with Resilience, Success with Tenacity, and Intentional Excellence.

Lyla McCracken | 6th Grade
Lyla takes her learning seriously. When distractions get in the way, she speaks up in an appropriate way to help the class get back on track. She is also sticking with math, even though it isn’t her favorite subject yet. That’s Ownership with Growth and Leadership with Intensity.

Secondary

Katelynn Blanchard | 9th Grade
Katelynn produces excellent, creative work in Digital Media class and keeps challenging herself as an artist. She also speaks up for herself and her classmates in a respectful, productive way that has made the class better. That’s Ownership with Growth.

Aubrey Lake | 10th Grade
When Aubrey knows she will be absent, she talks with her teachers ahead of time and gets her assignments so she can stay on track. When she misses school unexpectedly, she finds and completes the work on her own. Her growth in keeping her grades up has been tremendous. That’s Ownership with Growth and Intentional Effort.

Brielle Mirka | 11th Grade
Brielle supports her classmates, is a positive role model for younger students, and often helps out during lunch. Much of her kindness happens behind the scenes, and it makes a difference in our school every day. That’s Ownership with Growth.

Keep noticing the good, OWLS.

Monday, October 12: Middle School Volleyball @ Oakville, 5:30 p.m.

Tuesday, October 13: High School Volleyball @ Ocosta, 6:00 p.m.

Wednesday, October 14: Middle School Flag Football vs. Ocosta, 4:30 p.m.; 8th Grade Volleyball (Fly-Up) vs. Taholah, 5:30 p.m.

Thursday, October 15: High School Volleyball @ Lake Quinault, 6:00 p.m.

Friday, October 16: High School Football @ Clallam Bay, 6:00 p.m.

Our fall teams have reached the halfway point of the season. Come out, cheer on our student-athletes, and help create a positive, respectful environment that represents MMK with pride. GO OWLS!