SBLSD News
October 5, 2023
SBLSD's Chief Financial Officer Bang Parkinson is featured as a BIPOC Trailblazer of East Pierce County, a News Tribune series showcasing agents of change. With students in mind, Bang was instrumental in developing the district's strong financial position. This past spring, she also received a state distinguished school business official award. Read this News Tribune article to learn more about Bang professionally and personally.
Boeing recently celebrated hiring more than a thousand Washington high school graduates from the Core Plus Aerospace program. We’re proud that SBLSD has contributed to those hires through our Core Plus offering at both Bonney Lake and Sumner high schools. In fact, an impressive 13 of our 2023 graduates now work at Boeing, including Brayden Terry, who is pictured in this Seattle Times news article. We’re also excited for Kohl Williams, who will be hired once he turns 18.
Look back at previous coverage of the successful Core Plus Aerospace program in our district:
Pierce County teenagers are graduating high school with jobs at Boeing. Here’s how. (The News Tribune, May 2023)
- New aerospace class at Sumner HS prepares students for high-demand jobs (SBLSD Stories, May 2022)
There are a few seats available for a free parent and caregiver training about responding to challenging behaviors in the home and community. In partnership with Behavior Bridges, the three-hour event is from 5-8 p.m. on Oct. 12 at the district’s Central Office Board Room, 1202 Wood Ave. in Sumner.
Please register here for the event.
Did you know?
Starting in kindergarten, too many absences (excused and unexcused) can cause children to fall behind in school.
Missing 10 percent of the school year is considered chronically absent. That’s only two days a month or 18 days in a school year.
Being late to school may lead to poor attendance.
Setting a regular bedtime and morning routines can reduce tardiness and absences.
By 6th grade, absenteeism is one of three signs that a student may drop out of high school.
Absences can be a sign that a student is losing interest in school, struggling with school work, dealing with a bully or facing some other potentially serious difficulty.
How can you help your child to have strong attendance?
Schedule non-urgent appointments to occur after school.
Only let your student stay home if they are truly sick.
Develop a back-up plan for getting to school in case of the unexpected.
Talk to your student about the importance of attendance.
Talk to your student’s teachers if you notice sudden changes in behavior. These could be signs of an underlying issue.
Update your student’s information at school as your address and/or phone number(s) change.
If your student is going to be absent, please contact your school. If prior notice is not possible and you are notified that your child was absent through ParentSquare, please reply to the attendance notice, call or email your school, or send a written note upon the student’s return to school.
The district is committed to work with families to help ensure regular student attendance. Washington state law requires children who are between the ages of 8 and 17 to attend a public school, private school or a district-approved home school program.
Also by law, we notify parents/guardians when their student is absent. If a student reaches a certain number of unexcused absences, the school will contact parents/guardians to create a plan to support good attendance.
Find information about excused and unexcused absences, tardies and attendance procedures in SBLSD’s Student & Family Information Guide and Policy 3122 Excused and Unexcused Absences.
