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 Mary M. Knight Families and Community,

Spring is in full bloom at MMK, and so is the incredible spirit of our students and staff! This week promises to be action-packed, with numerous sporting events, our Wednesday late start, and the Running Start Information Session on Thursday evening. If you have a 9th-11th grader interested in earning college credits while completing high school, I encourage you to join us at 5:30 PM in Bingham's classroom.

We recently celebrated our amazing staff during our superhero-themed Staff Appreciation Week! The friendly competition between Team Marvel (Secondary) and Team DC (Elementary) culminated in Friday's exciting assembly where staff showcased their hidden "superpowers" through various challenges. The real superheroes at MMK are our dedicated educators who make a difference in our students' lives every day.

I'm thrilled to share some outstanding news from our SkillsUSA program. Our Entrepreneurship team earned an impressive 2nd place at state, while our American Spirit team secured 1st place and is advancing to nationals in Atlanta this June! These seven remarkable students represented our school with exceptional dedication and determination.

This month, our Character Strong focus is "Courage." Our GRIT program (Growth, Resilience, Intensity, and Tenacity) continues to recognize students who demonstrate these important qualities. Congratulations to our elementary GRIT award recipients: Meika Garcia, Jasper Garner, Braden Thomas, and Chloe Finch!

Don't forget about the PTO's blanket sale and World's Finest Chocolate fundraisers currently underway. These initiatives help provide valuable resources and opportunities for our students. Also, mark your calendars for the 6th Annual Easter Egg Hunt at Panhandle Lake on Saturday, April 19th, which our PTO is partnering with.

Thank you for your continued support of our school community as we work together to ensure all students develop the knowledge, skills, motivation, and confidence to be successful citizens.

With Owl Pride,

Josh stoney Principal

Monday 4/14

• Baseball @ Hoquiam 5:00 PM

Tuesday 4/15

• Baseball vs. Lake Quinault 4:00 PM

Wednesday 4/16

• Late start
• MS track @ Ocosta 3:30 PM
• HS Golf @ Rainier 3:30 PM

Thursday 4/17

• Running Start parent informational meeting

Friday 4/18

• HS golf @ Tumwater 3:30 PM
• HS track @ Chehalis 4:00 PM
• Baseball vs. Taholah 4:00 PM

Running Start Information Session

We are pleased to announce that Grays Harbor College will be presenting a Running Start Information Session on April 17, 2025.

Location: Bingham's Classroom

Time: 5:30 PM

Who Should Attend? Interested 9th-11th grade students and their families

This session will provide valuable information about the Running Start program, which offers eligible high school students the opportunity to earn college credits while completing their high school education.

We encourage all interested students and families to attend and learn more about this excellent academic opportunity.

For any questions, please contact Alex Fisher. We look forward to seeing you there!

This week, Mary M. Knight celebrated our incredible staff with an action-packed superhero-themed Staff Appreciation Week! Our buildings transformed into superhero headquarters as Team Marvel (Secondary) and Team DC (Elementary) engaged in friendly competition throughout the week.

Each day highlighted different staff groups: our Classroom Crusaders (teachers), Support Squad (para-educators), Command Center Heroes (office, administrative, and maintenance staff), and Nourishment & Navigation Squad (food service and transportation). Staff enjoyed themed treats, student-created thank you notes, and special recognition activities.

The week culminated in Friday's exciting Marvel vs. DC Assembly where staff competed in superhero-inspired "Minute to Win It" challenges including the Infinity Gauntlet Grab, Flash Dash, and Captain America's Shield Toss. Students cheered enthusiastically as their favorite staff members showcased hidden superpowers!

We extend our heartfelt thanks to our parent volunteers who provided special treats throughout the week and to our students who created thoughtful messages of appreciation. Most importantly, we thank our exceptional MMK staff who truly are everyday heroes, making a difference in students' lives each day.

The real superpower at Mary M. Knight? The dedication, compassion, and commitment of our amazing staff!

Huge congratulations to our incredible MMK SkillsUSA competitors!

Our Entrepreneurship team crushed it, earning 2nd place in state, and our American Spirit team dominated with a 1st place state victory—which means they’re heading to NATIONALS in Atlanta this June!

These 7 outstanding students represented MMK with pride, passion, and determination at the SkillsUSA State Competition, and we couldn't be prouder! Let’s cheer them on as they prepare to take on the nation!

Don't forget that Mary M. Knight PTO is still selling the World's Finest Chocolate Bars. If you are interested in buying some or taking a box to sell to help the PTO, please contact the school. Thank you.

Did you know that as a parent or guardian you have access to Skyward to see your child's grades, attendance, discipline, and much more?

As parent of a child at Mary M. Knight, families have access to a parent portal of skyward where you can log on. From there you can access to see what your child's most updated grades are, their attendance as well as excuse them through family access, and much mor information. This is a great communication tool to help families stay on to of their child's progress at MMK. You can access the Skyward family access link at the district website or click on the link bellow. We have also included a short video on logging in and the information you can find.

For any question regarding your family access account, please contact Shantel Freeman at (360)426-6767 or sfreeman@mmk.wednet.edu

Referrals for our Highly Capable Program are now being accepted through April 15, 2025. This program provides accelerated learning opportunities for students with exceptional academic abilities that qualify. Parents, teachers, or community members can refer students from downloading it from our website and returning it. Parent permission is required before assessment.

Questions? Contact Barb Lohman at [phone/email].

For April, our Character Strong character trait that we will be studying is courage. See the newsletters bellow for more information as we strengthen our social-emotional skills this month.

For any questions, please contact Athletic Director, Tom Kerr at (360)426-6767 or tkerr@mmk.wednet.edu

Find updates at the Mary M. Knight Athletic Web-Page

Last year, we had a theme of Above-The-Line and recognized student that were that demonstrated characteristics or actions of being Above-The-Line. This year we will continue our student recognition program as part of our PBIS (Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports) program with our positive referrals and weekly GRIT awards.

GRIT Awards - In the 2024-25 academic year, we're all about embracing 'Nurturing Resilience, Inspiring Excellence' as our guiding principle. We believe that having GRIT – Growth, Resilience, Intensity, and Tenacity – is key to creating a culture where challenges are seen as stepping stones to greatness. We want to foster a growth mindset in our students and ourselves, understanding that hard work and dedication can help us develop our abilities and intelligence. Student will be nominated weekly if they are demonstrating characteristics of GRIT. Student will receive a certificate and shared out.

Elementary: Meika Garcia, Jasper Garner, Braden Thomas, Chloe Finch

Secondary:

If you are interested in helping us with the Mary M. Knight PTO, don't hesitate to get in touch with pto@mmk.wednet.edu or Josh Stoney at jstoney@mmk.wednet.edu

PTO updates and information will be posted on the district website at https://www.marymknight.com/domain/25

• Next Meeting: May 14, 2025 at 3:30 pm in the elementary library

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