SHS/PGS Principal's Newsletter

Welcome Back & Happy New Year!

We’re excited to welcome our students and families back as we begin a fresh new year together. The start of January is a great time to reflect on how far we’ve come so far this year and to set new intentions for the months ahead.

At Sequoia High School, Port Gardner, and High School Online Options, we value growth at every pace and in every form — whether it’s exploring new goals, reconnecting with learning, or building supportive relationships within our community.

We’re here to encourage students to discover their strengths, try new things, and continue shaping their unique paths forward. Here’s to a year filled with possibility, resilience, and success!

With gratitude,

Jack L. Roy

Principal

Sequoia/HS Online Options/PGS Partnership

Wednesday-Thursday, January 7 & 8 - Sno-Isle Interviews, 10:25-2:05, see Liz Lahti for more info.

Wednesday, January 14 - Drop-in Interested Families Information Meeting at SHS, 2:00-3:00

Monday, January 19 - MLK Day, NO SCHOOL

Tuesday, January 20 - PTSA Meeting, 9:30 in PGS Family Room

Thursday, January 22 - End of Term 4

Friday, January 23 - Teacher Work Day, NO SCHOOL

Monday, January 26 & Tuesday, January 27 - Appointment Day & Start of Term 5

Wednesday, January 28 - ASVAB Testing at SHS & Drop-in Interested Families Information Meeting at SHS, 2:00-3:00

Monday, January 5 - Progress Due

Friday, January 9 - Progress Received after noon marked Overall Unsatisfactory

Tuesday, January 13 - Returning Families Sign-up for SLP Appointments

Thursday, January 15 - 2nd Semester Class Sign-ups Begin, 10:00

Friday, January 16 - Overall Progress Evals, NO CLASSES

Monday, January 19 - MLK Day, NO SCHOOL

Friday, January 23 - Student Learning Plan Appointments, New Families

Monday, January 26 - HS Level Classes Begin

Monday-Thursday, January 26-29 - Student Learning Plan Appointments, Current Families

Friday, January 30 - Teacher Work Day, NO CLASSES

Do you get too many notifications from ParentSquare? All ParentSquare users can adjust their notification preferences to customize what they receive from ParentSquare and when. Follow the directions here to modify yours. You must be signed into ParentSquare to view these.

Preparing for Winter Weather: What to Know About Emergency Closures and Late Starts

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. We aim to inform families and staff about any schedule changes by 5:30 a.m. using multiple communication methods. Make sure your contact information is up to date with your student’s school.

How we notify families and staff

• Email
• Text
• Voice message (if no text message is received)
• Push notification (if you have the ParentSquare app)
• District social media: Facebook, Instagram, X (Twitter)
• District and school websites
• Local radio and TV news

• FlashAlert.net: Subscribe for direct notifications or check for regional school information.
• Everett Public Schools website
• ParentSquare app: Calls to families begin at 5:30 a.m. (please keep your contact information up to date)
• Social media: Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, X (Twitter)

School programs impacted during delays or closures

• Program Impact Chart: Shows how school programs and activities are affected during emergencies.
• School Bus Snow Routes: Information on 2-hour delay and regular start snow routes for buses is available. Drop-off and pick-up locations may change in emergencies; familiarize yourself with snow route details.

In rare cases, emergency conditions may require an early dismissal. Families will be notified via the same methods listed above. Authorized individuals (listed on the school emergency form) may pick up students if needed. School staff will stay on site until all students are safely picked up.

SHS Student Handbook & SHS Website

PGS Student Handbook & PGS Website

Christmas gift backpacks made by Everett Community Transit were dropped off before Winter Break for our unhoused youth, KIT (Kids in Transition) students. They were filled with gifts that they requested and gift cards. What a lovely holiday tradition from the Community Transit!

Special thanks to our Kids in Transition (KIT) student Success Coordinator & Giving Grove facilitator, Heather Reid, for being the lead on this huge holiday project for our students! And special thanks to teacher, Crystal Cameron; instructional para for Guided Study, Sydney Campbell; counselor, Liz Lahti; campus security, Lina De Folo, and Health Room Assistant, John Ruiz for shopping for, wrapping, delivering, and/or organizing many of the gifts and gift cards. Plus many other staff who volunteered to help out.

Also, thank you to the Leadership class teacher, Maryke Haynes, and her student elves for organizing a school wide "Winter Wishes" campaign for students who wished to participate at both PGS & SHS. And to so many of our staff who donated those gifts!

Huge accolades for the No Name Motorcycle Club of Everett who "adopted" SHS for their holiday giving this year. They donated $1700 in gift cards which were both used to buy gifts for students and the balance given directly to them for their own use.

Term 4 ends Thursday, January 22nd, and Friday, January 23rd is a teacher work day (no students) so Appointment Day to schedule classes for Term 5 is taking place on Monday, January 26th. There will be a special Appointment Day Schedule that day, and release time is dependent on a student's status on their Term 4 classes. Term 5 begins Tuesday, January 27th.

Students are scheduled and dismissed according to this rubric:

1. Met Progress - students passed at least 3 scheduled classes.
2. Limited Progress - students have incompletes on some assignments and have only passed 2 classes. Must stay later to work on those assignments.
3. Unsatisfactory Progress - students have passed fewer than 2 classes in a term. Must stay to work on assignments and complete an intervention plan with their advisor.

Please note: Term 5 Master Schedule of classes is still not in final draft form. A copy of the master schedule will be available by the week of January 19th.

If you haven't joined the PTSA yet, they would love to have you. Please join at this link.

This year's PTSA Team 2025/26

Abby Green - Co-President, Mary Fischer, Katie Peavey, Emily Yaw,

Angela Wiseman - Co-President, Rebecca Mbwilo

Thank you!

Our PTSA is just the best!

Everett School District master calendar has a teacher work day (no classes) scheduled for Friday, January 23rd, but due to the PGS program scheduling, PGS teachers have chosen to take their teacher work day the following Friday, January 30th. Friday, January 23rd will still be the last day of PGS 1st semester classes and there will still be SLP meetings for new students with teachers. And, as previously scheduled, no classes Friday, January 30th due to SLP conference week.

SHS staff will be taking the teacher work day on January 23rd with the rest of the district.

Congratulations to our High School Online Options December 2025 Student of the Month, Cascade High School Senior, Tatiana Taylor! Tatiana stands out in her Online Myth & Legends class. Her quality work shows deep thought and curiosity. She manages her time well, submits work consistently and stays in contact with her instructor. This is the first online course she has taken! She plans to take Cinema Visions second semester and wishes she had taken more online classes in high school.

When asked the following questions, Tatiana answered:

Why did you take online Myth & Legends?

I took online Myths & Legends because I usually work better independently than in a group, so I wanted to see if I could handle the challenges that come with being in an online course where you must be self-sufficient.

What do you like about taking an online class?

I have enjoyed being in an online class because it has been helpful knowing which assignments I'll have for each week ahead of time so that I can plan how I want to spread out my workload. I also like that I can work on my own and start assignments as early as I want, so that I have enough time and am satisfied with my work.

Are you involved in any clubs/activities/sports or anything else? Hobbies?

I am the treasurer for AVID 12, I am in the National Honor Society. I enjoy painting, listening to music, and cooking in my free time.

What are your plans for your future?

I plan to go to a 4-year university to study science and public health so that I can ultimately enter a career that allows me to explore disease spread and strategize how to prevent infections and illness.

Congratulations Tatiana for being HS Online Options December Student of the Month!

Course Descriptions:

In Walk FITT 1, students will experience an increase in cardiorespiratory endurance, core strength, and stamina. These life-changing results will occur over a 12-week period of logging daily steps based on a personalized fitness plan which includes body weight movements to help facilitate a comprehensive approach to walking/step fitness along with a weekly increase in steps. Each student will be expected to track steps using their iPhone or Android step app of choice. Weekly log submissions along with Canvas module assignments are required.

In Walk FITT 2, students will develop a personalized fitness plan based on the number of steps they take a day, focused on their personal goals and log activity for 12 weeks. But before they do that, students will dive into the mechanics of muscles and flexibility. Additionally, students will work together with a group online to complete an ongoing project. This course will challenge students to improve their walk fitness. Tracking steps with a pedometer, weekly and consistent logging is required.

Overview for Students/Parents: HS Online Options

Course Catalog