April 17, 2026

Experiencing Monet at the National Gallery of Art in Washington DC!

Where did you go?

What did you do?

What did you learn or experience?

So far I've heard that PGS was represented in Washington DC, Ireland, Utah, New York, California & at many local Puget Sound area adventures!

With our yearbook plannng underway, send a few pics from your home learning & special outings to mslaker@everettsd.org

Exploring a garden maze in Ireland!

🌷APRIL🌷

April 22 - Vision, hearing and dental screenings.

April 22 - PTSA Meeting - 9:30

April 22 - New Parent Orientation 12:15 -1:15

April 28, 29, 30 - Grade 3-8 Smarter Balance Assessment - No classes today

🌺MAY🌺

May 1 - Progress Due on ALE

May 4 - Getting Ready for Kindergarten for New Kinder Parents 9:30

May 5 - Progress recieved after noon today will be marked Overall Unsat

May 7 - WCAS Testing for Grades 5 & 8

May 8 - 5th Grade Field Trip

May 13 - PTSA Variety Show 6 pm

May 14 - PGS Open House 4:30 - 6:30 pm

May 15 - Overall Progress Evaluations - No classes today

May 18-20 - Oral Reading Fluency/i-Read for Grades K-2 - No Johnson or Hinds classes these dates.

May 25 - Memorial Day - No School Today

On the last three days of April, our PGS students in grades 3-8 will be taking the Smarter Balanced Assessment (SBA) in the mornings. Please do not schedule trips or absences during these three days. The SBA is aligned to Washington state standards in ELA and Mathematics for grades 3-8. That means this assessment is measuring the very same grade level learning goals that you have already been working towards with your student all year.

Here is a link with instructions on how to use the Practice and Training Tests:

2026 Accessing SBA Practice at Home.pdf​

You can use these practice tests as many times as you like. None of the scores are saved. These are strictly for practice and gaining familiarity with the SBA. Even though the assessment covers familiar grade level material, the format may be new to some of our students. PGS highly recommends going online and using the Practice Test and Training Test for ELA and Math to learn how to navigate the test features, see some sample questions, and explore what is expected of students.

• Smarter Balanced Practice Tests (brown button) This has questions similar to the ones students might see for their specific grade, so it is truly relevant practice!
• Smarter Balanced Training Tests (blue button) This shortened version of the test helps students become familiar with the format of the SBA through practice using the online tools for a grade band such as grades 3-5 or 6-8.
• WCAS Training Tests (pink button) has items to practice just for grades 5 and 8 to prepare for the Science test in May.

Questions? Contact your Student Learning Plan Advisor.

There WILL BE NO classes onsite on Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursday. This includes Lively classes.

There WILL be classes as usual on Monday and Friday of that week.

Below are some details for the parents and students who are testing.

Arrive between 9:00-9:10am each morning. All students should bring:

• water bottle

• book

• 6-8 grade students should bring their own devices to use.

• Headphones will be provided.

Pick up time varies by grade level (see schedule below): SBA is an untimed test; therefore, the end times are our best guesses of when they will be finished. Parents, please come to the Gym for pick up at the following times:

• Tuesday at 11:15 am for all students

• Wednesday at 11:15 am for Elementary, and 12:30 pm for MS students.

• Thursday at 10:45 for grade 3, 11:30 for grades 4-5, and 11:45 for MS.

Unless you get a phone call stating otherwise, please pick up your student at the end time posted above. Students who are not finished by posted end times will be offered a lunch break. You can provide lunch, or we will have a grab-n-go lunch provided in the Gym.

Please note:

• Due to testing, access to the building after 9:15 is limited only to students who are testing.
• The courtyard will be closed during lunch time if students are still testing.
• Pre-ordered grab n go lunches will be available in the gym for students after testing.
• Students that are waiting for a sib to complete a test may sit quietly on the gym bleachers to eat lunch.

Grab-n-Go lunches will be available for pick up in the gym on Tues, Wed & Thurs, April 28-30th

🥪Friday, April 24 - Grab n Go🥪

Thursday mornings at Lively? - see link below to order ahead.

Click Here to Order or Update Lively Lunches by Noon on Mondays

📄 For more details, refer to the Cafeteria & Lunch Info 2025–2026 document below.

On Wednesday, April 22nd , there will be vision, hearing and dental

screenings for Port Gardner students.

Vision and Hearing Screenings: Please join us Wednesday, April 22nd from 10 to 11:30 am. or 12:15 to 1:15 pm. for a routine vision screening and hearing screening. Students in grades K–3, 5 and 7 are the primary groups scheduled for these screenings; however, all ages are welcome. Any student who is in class that day will participate in the Vision & Hearing screenings. If your student is not on campus that day, drop‑ins are welcome during the times listed above.

Dental Screenings: Dental screenings are available also on Wednesday, April 22nd for all grade levels. A completed consent form is required ahead of time. Click the button below or scan the QR code to complete the consent form—please fill it out before Tuesday, April 21.

Appointment times TBA.

Instructions for Accessing Everett Public Schools Student Digital Tools

1. Go to the new Everett School District website. www.everettsd.or
2. Click Schools, then select Port Gardner from the list.
3. Open the Students section in the top right,
4. Scroll down to Student Digital Tools page.
5. Click the text “Learn More” on that tile.Tip: Bookmark this page for quicker access next time.
6. Log in if prompted. Your student may need to sign in to the program they’re trying to use.

Instructions for Accessing Port Gardner Student Digital Tools

1. To find Accelerated Reader or Studies Weekly follow steps 1-3 above
2. On the Student Digital Tools page, click “Port Gardner Specific Student Tools.” Your student may need to sign in to the program they’re trying to use.

Did you...

1. Arrange in numerical order?
2. Verify all reader books are there? (Full list on the inside of the box.)
3. Confirm the Teacher Guide and Discussion Guide paper folders are there?
4. Once steps 1 - 3 are completed please return to the Library cart in the gym.
5. Check the mailroom top shelf for your next Reach box. Not there? See Mrs. Johnson immediately after class to check one out.

Thank you for your help!

Look for it on top of the mail boxes.

Mrs. Hinds' science students discover an owl in a tree at Lively!

Can you find the owl in the above picture?

Mrs. Hinds' science students experimented with Lego size earthquakes to see if the sandwiches stuck with soil, sand and clay all alone. They worked together figuring out new combinations of soil, sand and clay that will hold.

Out on the trail they discovered a felled tree. Everett counted and found that the tree was 109 years old!!

Kindergartners in Mrs. Johnson's Off & Running class have so many ways to learn and practice their high frequency words!

Mrs. Bailey's PE students learn pickleball!

🥒Sweet or dill pickle huddle🥒

Thank you to the amazing PGS dads and grandparents who set up booths from Boeing, Washington State Ferries, Lake Stevens Park & Rec, and even a video game artist.

Thank you to our fearless PTSA Leaders for such a wonderful Career Fair!

Want to join the fun and perform?

Click the link below or scan the QR code above.

PGS Variety Show Sign Up Link

Show will start at 6 pm on Wednesday, March 13 at the Everett High Little Theater.

Performers arrive at 5 pm.

PTSA Earth Day Plastics Drive!

• It’s time to bring in your soft plastic film for our PTSA Earth Day initiative!
• Let’s see how much plastic Port Gardner can keep out of the landfill this month. Our plastics will be recycled in to Trex decking, isn’t that cool?
• Join us for an ice cream celebration on May 5th if we reach our goal!

Our yearbook team is gearing up to create something truly special this year—but we can’t do it alone. We’re looking for a few creative volunteers to help us capture the school year by taking photos at events and sorting images for the yearbook.

If you’re interested or curious, I'd love to hear from you. Come help us make something our students will treasure for years to come! Contact me at mslaker@everettsd.org or stop by the PGS Office.

More Spring Break pics!

US History in DC!

Science in Ireland!

Want to start reading with Accelerated Reader?

Click on the banner above or go to the PGS Student Tools page on the Port Gardner EPS website.

https://www.everettsd.org/domain/4527

Your student's User Name and Password are as follows:

UN = student's school ID number

PW= student's birth month, hyphen, day. For example, a birthday of July 8th, the pw would be 07-08.

Need to find a AR level?

Here is the Book Finder: https://www.arbookfind.com/UserType.aspx?RedirectURL=%2fdefault.aspx

Attendance Email: pgsattendance@everettsd.org

Click on the banner above for details on Lunch & Breakfast

Breakfast served from 9 - 9:10 am

Lunch 11:20-11:50 am

All students need active supervision for breakfast & lunch.

Lunch food service ends at 11:40 am and cafeteria closes at 11:50am

No cost lunch for enrolled students

In the event of severe weather, power outages, or other emergencies, Everett Public Schools may adjust schedules to ensure the safety of students and staff. Using multiple communication methods, we aim to inform families and staff about schedule changes by 5:30 a.m. We will post any school closure or delay decision on the district website as soon as it is made.

School closure and late start information

Jack Roy, Principal: jroy@everettsd.org 425-385-5190

Autumn Slater, School Counselor: aslater@everettsd.org 425-385-5110

Megan Slaker, Secretary: mslaker@everettsd.org 425-385-5150

Mandy Trimble, Para Educator: atrimble@everettsd.org 425-385-5180

Audra Van Volkenburg, Health Room Nurse: avanvolkenburg@everettsd.org 425-385-5158

Allison Hinds, Primary Teacher: ahinds@everettsd.org 425-385-5183

Celeste Johnson, Primary Teacher: cjohnson@everettsd.org 425-385-5183

Jocelyn Sievers-Bailey, Intermediate Teacher: Jsievers-bailey@everettsd.org 425-385-5186

Laura Wight, High School Teacher: lwight@everettsd.org 425-385-5141

Mark Ryder, High School Teacher: mryder@everettsd.org 425-385-5142

Sherm Iversen, Online Instructor: siversen@everettsd.org 425-385-5144

Thank you for your time and attention in reading through the Port Gardner Newsletter.

Questions? Contact Megan Slaker at mslaker@everettsd.org

Phone: 425-385-5150