Mountaineer Moments

Nov. 11- No School - Veteran's Day

Nov. 7, 8, 14, 15, 16 - High School Musical Performances

Nov. 19 - JH/HS Band and Choir Concert

Nov. 21 - No School - end of 1st Trimester, Non-Contract day for teachers to prepare grades

Nov. 26 - Early Release for at 1:00 p.m. for JH/HS and 2:00 p.m. for Elementary (no PM preschool)

Nov. 27- 28 - No School for Thanksgiving Break

We’re calling November Chromebook Care Month to highlight new resources for students and families. Chromebooks have become an essential part of student learning, and we’re proud to be investing in 200 new devices this year through our Capital Levy. These replacements will help ensure that every student has a reliable Chromebook each day. Because we’re using public funds, we also want to do our part to keep these tools in great condition for years to come.

Over the next few weeks, students will receive updated information about how to care for and protect their Chromebooks. For students in grades 7–12 who take devices home, we’ll also be introducing a new Assurance Program—an optional $10 fee that helps reduce fines if a device is accidentally damaged. All students will receive reminders and support on how to use their Chromebooks and the Internet safely, responsibly, and for learning. Thank you for helping us protect and care for this important learning tool! Together, we can keep our Chromebooks working well for every Mountaineer.

Mount Baker School District is seeking a donation of a dependable truck or van in good working condition for use in our Maintenance Department (staff use only; not for student transportation). If you have a vehicle that is no longer needed before year-end, your gift may be tax-deductible—please consult your tax advisor. Please contact Transportation Director Suzanne Woodin at 360-383-2060 for more information.

I am excited to share the details for the first meet and greet event that I am calling "Superintendent Trail Talks." These are informal opportunities for anyone to come and talk with me about questions, comments, or concerns about the district. This first Trail Talk will be on Friday, Nov. 7 from 5:30 - 6:30 p.m. at Grant's Burgers in Deming. This is also the opening night for the high school musical performance Twelfth Night that starts at 7:00 p.m. It would be great to see community members come meet with me, grab dinner at Grant's, and then go to the performance.

Also, in last month's newsletter I shared that we are looking closely at our budget because of lower than expected enrollment. Because the fiscal year for school districts ends in August, we are still working on closing out the 2024-25 budget and determining financial impact of that enrollment loss. We are projecting an ending fund balance of about $1.7 million, which meets the requirements of our Binding Conditions and gets us close to the board policy of having 5% in reserves. A fund balance is like a savings account, and we must maintain enough money to pay salaries and bills each month. Moving forward, we are committed to continuing to build our fund balance to establish a strong future for our district. We are also still being very careful with all expenditures and creating systems to maximize revenues through grants. As we work through the Strategic Planning process, we will be seeking staff, student, and community input on how to prioritize spending in future budgets. All of our financial documents are available for public review at on the district website and on the BoardDocs website.

-- Superintendent Jessica Schenck

Our elementary schools have specific goals about improving math and reading scores this year. The pictures are a peek at how teachers are using small groups, online tools, and classroom discussion to help students develop their skills.

Mountaineer Moments is the online community newsletter of the Mount Baker School District. New editions will be emailed each month to all district staff and families. Community members can also request to be added to the mailing list by completing this form: https://tinyurl.com/5a7eb4zk

Find past issues here:

• October 2025