Panther Update

I’m excited to announce that Jeanette Morse will join our Panther Family at Bonney Lake High School as one of our three assistant principals for the 2023-24 school year.

Mrs. Morse is a dynamic educator and leader who currently serves as an assistant principal at Auburn High School, where she spent the last three years leading many aspects of teaching, learning and staff professional development, with a focus on multilingual education, Advanced Placement, freshman teaming, academic interventions, and school wide positive behavior recognition systems. Another leadership highlight is her work to help Auburn High School become a Capture Kids’ Hearts showcase school, which has evolved into a student-led leadership program.

No stranger to the Sumner-Bonney Lake School District, Mrs. Morse is well-rooted with experience as both a student and staff member. She is a proud BLHS Alumni which gives her a unique perspective and passion for our school and our community. Prior to her work in Auburn, she was an English teacher and administrative intern at Sumner High School.

“As a former graduate of Bonney Lake High School, I'm most looking forward to seeing my old school through new eyes,” said Jeanette. “I can't wait to reconnect with some of the educators I've known, the new staff I don't know yet, and most of all, the students who I'll get to serve.”

A Husky, Mrs. Morse completed all of her post-secondary education at the University of Washington. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in English Language and Literature and a minor in Education, a Masters in Teaching with endorsements in English Language Arts and English Language Learners, and an Educational Administration Certification.

Mrs. Morse and her husband are parents to their 18-month-old son. He joins their pet boxer named Lyla. Lately, their hobbies have included lots of family walks, trips to the Point Defiance Zoo, playing on their new swing set, and traveling to meet family.

Mrs. Morse cannot wait to meet each of you in person. As she begins the next chapter in her journey as a Panther. You will start seeing her at events over the summer and into next school year. When you do meet her in person, I am sure you will see how lucky BLHS is to have her back as a student centered student leader.

Please help me welcome Mrs. Morse back to the Panther Family!

In the continued effort to increase safety across the district, all buildings now have their intercom entry systems fully installed. We now have the ability to buzz visitors into the building.

We ask that when you arrive to have your picture ID ready. The main office staff will ask for your name, the purpose of your visit and photo ID.

For Early Release or late Arrival: You can always send in a note with your student in the morning, or give us a call at 253-891-5700. We will have them ready for your arrival or get them right into class.

To the right is a picture of our front office doors and location of the intercom system.

Thank you for your support in helping to keep our campus safe!

• AP Testing 5/1 - 5/12

• 5/1 - 8:00am - United States Government and Politics

• 5/1 - 12:00pm - Chemistry

• 5/2 - 8:00am - Environmental Science

• 5/2 - 12:00pm - Psychology

• 5/3 - 8:00am - English Literature and Composition

• 5/3 - 12:00pm - Comparative Government and Politics / Computer Science A

• 5/4 - 8:00am - Human Geography

• 5/4 - 12:00pm - Seminar / Statistics

• 5/5 - 8:00am - United States History

• 5/5 - 12:00pm - Art History

• 5/8 - 8:00am - Calculus AB / Calculus BC

• 5/8 - 12:00pm - Computer Science Principles

• 5/9 - 8:00am - English Language and Composition

• 5/9 - 12:00pm - Physics Mechanics

• 5/9 - 2:00pm - Physics ELectricity and Magnetism

• 5/10 - 12:00pm - Biology

• 5/11 - 8:00am - Modern World History

• 5/11 - 12:00pm - Physics 1 Algebra Based

• 5/12 - 8:00am - Music Theory

• 5/12 - 12:00pm - Physics 2 Algebra Based

• Testing will be from 7:25 - 9:55 am

• 9th Grade Students and 12th grade students (not scheduled to test) who are failing classes must attend during testing.

• May 23th Math PT/CAT (10th and 11th Graders)

• May 24th ELA CAT (10th and 11th Graders)

• May 25th ELA PT (10th and 11th Graders)

• May 26th WCAS (11th Grade Only) - ELA/Math 10th make ups

• Make ups

• May 31st PAC ALL DAY

• June 1st PAC ALL DAY

• Scholarship Notifications 5/1/2023- 5/26/2023
• Notify the Counseling office of all scholarships received – These will be shared on Senior Awards night.

• Senior Showcase 5/11/2023 6:00pm BLHS PAC
  
• Selected seniors will be highlighted at the school board meeting.

• Order your Cap & Gown, Custom Announcements, Class Rings, Senior Memorabilia, School Apparel.
  

The BLHS PPP is hosting a Safe and Sober Graduation night. Every year, students come back talking about how amazing this last night together was. Don't let your student miss out! Here is the registration link PPP Booster Safe and Sober Graduation Night

Thank you to everyone who has helped to address Social Media use at home and to report sites / posts that are inappropriate. In case you didn't see it in my previous family letter, a small number of students are creating Instagram pages where people can anonymously make statements that are disparaging about others. This was a trend with our freshmen when they were in Middle School last year and it primarily involves the same cohort of freshman students now. We are not alone in this trend. When I speak with Principals across the state, they are all experiencing similar issues. Thank you again for working together as a community to help our students feel safe.

Thank you for checking your student’s grades on Skyward. Students' grades are already improving. . As I said above, the first rounds of projects and assessments were added and it doesn’t take much to drastically affect grades for better or for worse. I have added directions for how to access “Family Access” in Skyward below. Also please continue to keep an eye on your student mental health. I have linked additional resources below.

• To Login: At the login screen, enter your login and password. If you do not receive a password, please call the Main Office (253)891-5700
• To Update your Information: When you login, you will be prompted to add your email address if the district does not have one on file. You may also change your password from this screen
• Student Information: All information can be accessed by clicking on the links on the left hand side of the screen
• Grade: If Family Access isn't showing your child's grades, click on the school drop down menu and choose the correct school

• See Clubs and Activities Meeting Schedules - In the process of being updated.

• See Sports Schedules

• April 26th - April 28th / Pantherettes Dance & Drill Try Outs 5pm-7pm / BLHS Gym A
  

• April 26th

Washington State law requires that every student receives HIV/AIDs prevention education in grades 5 through 12. Because this unit covers sensitive topics, Washington State law and SBLSD board policy require that parents/families are provided the opportunity to preview these lessons.

The Sumner-Bonney Lake School District (SBLSD) is hosting a curriculum night for families to preview the HIV/AIDS prevention curriculum for students enrolled in the following:

• 6th and 7th grade students (HIV/AIDS),

• 2nd semester 8th grade Skills for Life (HIV/AIDS) and

• 9th grade Health classes (Health content), and

• Applicable 10th through 12th grade classes (HIV/AIDS).

Curriculum will be available for preview. This is an opportunity for parents and guardians to understand the health content for grades 6-12, preview teaching materials and ask questions about the resources used in the classroom.

Family Preview for Health Curriculum Spring 2023

May 3, 2023 4:30pm to 6:00pm

Central Office Board Room

1202 Wood Ave, Sumner, WA 98390

Parents/families wishing to exclude their child from the HIV/AIDS curriculum required by our state must preview this curriculum and sign the exclusion form.

• Lockdowns and Reasons for them.

• Lockdowns involve the school doing exactly that, locking down or securing the building.

• There are a number of reasons why our school might go into lockdown, only one of them is an active shooter situation.

• In a real lockdown, our primary objective is safety. It may not be possible to coordinate getting students for pick-up due to the reason for the lock down.

• The school and district will share information as soon as we are able to.The primary goal is to keep our students and staff members safe. I want each of you to know that the drill is coming and it is a good opportunity to talk with your students.

• Our Parking Lots
• Be prepared for long lines for pick-up and drop off. Traffic can be tough so please plan ahead in your transportation plans.
• Please avoid parking in parking stalls when dropping your student off in the morning. Often the parking stalls are assigned to students. When someone is in their parking space they often get confused and park in another student’s space. It quickly becomes an issue. Thank you for understanding.
• As always please remember, if you “See Something, Say Something.” This mindset has already helped to keep our school safe and has helped to get support to students in need. To report, anonymously or otherwise, you can use the district’s Report It link. Another way to report concerns is through the BLHS’s Incident Report link found in every teacher’s Google Classroom. Also, you can always call the school if you have any questions.
  

Find links to the many services that our amazing Counselors provide.

• Please keep your eyes open and take care of eachother. Below are some resources that may be helpful during this season.

• SBLSD Mental Health & Wellness Resources Page.

• SBLSD Suicide Prevention Page

• Youth Suicide Prevention Lifeline 1-800-273-TALK OR 1-800-273-8255

• GLBTQ hotline -1-866-4TREVOR OR 1-866-488- 7386

• 24 hour Crisis Line -1-866-4CRISIS OR 1-866-427-4747

• BLHS Counseling Page and Resources

• Community Resources

• Northeast Pierce Resource Guide

• Bonney Lake High School Web Page : Daily Announcements, Clubs & Activities, Sports, Parking, Upcoming events, etc.

• All of our previous Panther Updates are also available online

• Please see the Connect with Us Page for links to the BLHS Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Youtube, and Remind 101 Links.

• Remind Codes

• Class of 2023:

• Text @blhs2023 to 81010

• Class of 2024:

• Text @blhs2024 to 81010

• Class or 2025:

• Text @blhs2025 to 81010

• Class of 2026:

• Text @blhs2026 to 81010

• Teachers will have other information about their Google Classroom Information.

• Get your Family Access Skyward Information to check grades, make payments, see student specific information, etc.

• Get Students Connected

• Clubs and Activities

• See clubs, their meeting times, and advisors.

• Panther Athletics

• If you and your family are up for it, let’s try to fill the stands with staff members this year.

• School / Parent Communication:

• Roughly 95% of our communication home is electronic.

• Please make sure your email address is correct in our system (Skyward) so you receive the communications we send out!

• If you need to update your contact information, please contact the BLHS Main Office at 253-891-5700 to be connected to someone who can help you.

• Letters we send out will also be available on the BLHS home page.

• I plan to continue sending out regular “Panther Update” emails to families. These emails will contain upcoming events and important information.

• Student attendance is a major factor in student learning and success in school.

• Students who miss 10% (or more) of school are at high risk of failing courses and research shows they have a significantly decreased chance of graduating.

• Please help your students by getting them to school every day!

• If your student is going to miss school please contact our attendance office at 253-891-5860 within 48 hours of the absence. Late Arrivals must be cleared the same day.

• Attending a medical appointment (Dr., Dentist, Orthodontist, Ect.) during school hours? Ask them to provide you with a note and your student can turn that in to clear their attendance and to check back in school

• Please see the following link for SBLSD Bus Transportation Information

• Find your school and bus stop: Use this tool to find your specific bus route information.

• Please have your child at the bus stop 5 minutes before the scheduled bus arrival time.

• Waivers: While a condition of waivers is that District transportation is not provided, we have made exceptions in the past if a bus is not full. This year, however, our buses will be full and we are unable to accommodate students on waivers. Families will need to provide their own transportation to and from school.

• Bus passes: We are unable to allow students to ride a different bus when wanting to, for example, go home with a friend or be dropped off at a grandparent's house.

• If you need assistance with the online bus stop search tool or have other transportation-related questions, please call the Transportation Department at (253) 891-6400.
  

• Lunch / Food Service

• Please see the Child Nutrition Link to see; the price of meals, the monthly menus, add money to your student’s account, and to sign-up for free and reduced lunches if needed.

I hope you have found this information helpful.

Take Care of eachother Panthers

In Servitude,

Anthony Clarke

Principal - Bonney Lake High School

253-891-5727

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