...
Happy New Year and best wishes to you and your loved ones across the coming twelve months. As we dive into this new year together, January greets us with numerous opportunities including the conclusion of our fall/first semester on January 22nd, and the beginning of our spring/second semester on January 26th.
To help navigate the month ahead, please take a moment to read through this edition of our North News. Should you have any questions, please reach out to our North Office and/or view our website.
Thank you again for your time and partnership - New Year's Wishes and goNorth!
With Gratitude,
Holly, Drew, & Tyler
North Middle School
HSullivan@everettsd.org - ABaeWilliams@everettsd.org - TReam@everettsd.org
Phone: 425-385-4800
In just over one month, our Everett community will be asked to consider two important decisions related to our Everett students and schools. Mail-in ballots for registered voters will arrive shortly to your home with election day (ballot deadline) on February 10, 2026. As part of this important ballot, voters will consider two critical measures: Proposition 1, the School Construction Bond and Proposition 2, the Education Levy.
How the School Construction Bond Proposal Was Built: A Community-Led Process
Before placing Proposition 1, the School Construction Bond, on the February 10 ballot, Everett Public Schools convened a Capital Bond Planning Committee made up of families, students, community members, and staff. From February through May 2025, the group studied facility needs, toured schools, and reviewed data before making a formal recommendation to the School Board.
Their recommended projects include a new elementary school, additional permanent classrooms, replacement of Lowell Elementary, improvements at Cascade and Everett High Schools, and districtwide safety and building system upgrades. A huge thank you to this volunteer committee for helping shape a proposal that meets our highest construction needs.
Also on the ballot is Proposition 2, the Education Levy. This is a renewal of an existing levy - not a new tax - and continues funding for staff, programs, and daily operations not fully funded by the state. Levy dollars represent about 15% of the district’s annual budget.
Please Join Us! Please know that you are invited to any/all of our upcoming Let's Connect events including the our community meeting at Everett High School (January 21st at 6:00pm). Below is information for all three of these scheduled community events.
- January 20: Cascade High School cafeteria, 6-7:30 p.m.
January 21: Everett High School cafeteria, 6-7:30 p.m.
January 28: Heatherwood Middle School cafeteria, 6-7:30 p.m.
Thank you again for your time and consideration of these important measures. As you consider your ballot ahead of February 10th, please access our additional information at: www.everettsd.org/bond-levy-2026
In early December, our STARs took part in the second of three scheduled diagnostic exams. These diagnostics, in both reading and math, provide us with important insight as to how our students are growing, including areas of strength and need. As students completed both their Reading and math diagnostic exams, they were provided an overview of how they did, in comparison to their fall diagnostics from early September (second week of school).
So, how did we do? Our students participated in the recent, winter diagnostics at roughly 40% to 45% of the way through our school year. As such, average/predicted growth should fall within those ranges. Growth below 40% is below pace and reflects a need for urgent attention. Growth rates that are higher that 45% reflect growth that is above pace. These rates are cause for midyear celebration as we aim to grow our STARs as part of our North mission, priorities, and goals.
In reading, our STARs grew at an average rate of 55%, trending above the expected pace. This growth was led by our eighth graders, followed by our seventh and sixth graders respectively. In math, our STARs grew at an average rate of 46%, trending just at the expected pace. Student growth rates were again led by our eighth graders with an average growth rate of 56%, from our fall exams to the recent winter exams.
Please reach out with any questions that you have about your child's midyear diagnostics results and progress. Additionally, our students can provide their families with an overview of how they have progressed, including diagnostic results and related iReady content that they are working through as part of our comprehensive program.
What's next? Just before the break, our teaching team began digging into student data as we seek to address identified needs/gaps in learning. This data, both student-specific and grade-specific, will inform our planning as we progress into the second/spring semester. Our STARs will take their third/final diagnostics in late March and early April, just ahead of our Spring Break. Results on these spring exams will help better inform our planning as we prepare for state exams, beginning in late April.
This month, our schoolwide focus on the study of Integrity culminates in our celebration of the life, legacy, and impact of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. This study specifically seeks to examine the integrity of Civil Rights leaders, past and present, as a key ingredient to their leadership.
As defined, integrity is the unwavering, principled commitment to nonviolence, justice, and moral truth, even in the face of brutal opposition. Our schoolwide study leads into our presentation of Good Trouble: Integrity & the Life, Leadership and Impact of MLK + Civil Rights Leaders, Past & Present, on Friday, January 16th. This student-voice event amplifies the leadership and lasting impact of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Congressman John Lewis, and others as we collectively consider our integrity in doing what is right regardless of fear and opposition.
Please note that this month of January includes two non-student (no school) dates, both occurring the same week, in mid-January. First, our students are off and our North campus is closed on Monday, January 19th in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Our first/fall semester ends later that week and on Friday, January 23rd, our students are off for a non-student, scheduled grading day. Other than these two days in mid-January, we are on a normal schedule for all other days/weeks.
Looking Forward: Please note that in February, students are off for the week of February 16th through February 20th for our Mid-Winter Break. Please note that this February break is new this year, made possible through our earlier start to the school year this past August.
Each year, middle schools work with their students to introduce and learn important, age-specific content related to the topic of suicide. For many of our students, this is part of the curriculum of their health classes. However, eighth graders do not engage in Health as part of their required curriculum, so we reserve time in their History classes to engage in this learning.
Below are grade-specific letters that introduce the content of these forthcoming classes. Included in this information are the dates/classes that we plan to begin to engage in these important suicide prevention discussions. As noted, this is sensitive and often emotional content. Included in these grade-specific letters is information for how you can ask questions, preview, and opt your child out of these lessons. The below letters include dropdown menu options for translation into a variety of languages.
6th Grade Letter: For students who are taking Health during this first/fall semester. Suicide prevention content is expected to begin during the week of January 20th. Student with Health in the spring semester will be engaging in this content during the week of April 13th.
7th Grade Letter: For students who are taking Health during this first/fall semester. Suicide prevention content is expected to begin during the week of January 20th. Student with Health in the spring semester will be engaging in this content during the week of April 13th.
8th Grade Letter: Suicide prevention content is expected to begin during the week of January 12th. All eighth graders take part =in this learning as part of their scheduled History classes, as eighth graders do not have Health classes.
North Families: We need your help. Across the last few months, we have experienced a rise in students who are arriving at school with high caffeine energy drinks. Energy drinks are not restricted by policy but students are not allowed to consume them during class or in classrooms.
As you know, these drinks often contain caffeine levels well in excess of medical guidelines and are the source of warnings especially with regards to middle school age teenagers. Some students arrive on campus with multiple drinks, totaling over 600 mgs of caffeine, six times the safe/recommended amount.
We are reaching out to ask that families restrict energy drinks, especially in relation to students bringing these drinks to school. We believe that these drinks are detrimental to the health of our students and cause both dependency and detrimental fluctuations in energy levels across the seven hours of our school day. As a school, we will continue to monitor and intervene as necessary. We respectfully ask for your assistance in discussing your expectations with your child and monitoring their use of high caffeine energy drinks.
Just prior to our recent, winter break, over 350 students were invited to participate in our December STAR Party. This in-school celebration recognized students with current grades of As, Bs, and Cs and few incidents of being tardy or cell/personal technology violations. Additionally, invited students needed to have met weekly iReady participation rates.
These STAR celebrations are monthly occasions with the next opportunity schedule for late January, in honor of student efforts across this first/fall semester. A hearty congratulations to all of our STARs who were invited this past December as their habits and efforts have resulted in achievements that are well deserving of celebration.
As a school, and in partnership with our Transportation team, we are asking families to remain mindful of our ask that you do not drop-off your child in our west parking lot. In the mornings, this lot is busy with arriving buses, students, and staff.
Specifically, this lot is reserved for bus drop-off in the morning, including the reserved bus lanes. Recently, a rise in cars using this lot for drop-off has let to increased traffic and students walking through the lot amidst exiting buses and cars. This creates an unsafe situation and we are requesting your help.
Our east entrance is open every morning and includes easy-to-access student drop-off along Rainier Ave. This is monitored by our North staff and is a far safer option for individual student drop-off. We are asking that families use Rainier Ave. for student drop-off in the morning as this is a safer option and will help alleviate the the congestion of our west parking lot. Should you have any questions or needs in this regard, please reach out. Otherwise, we thank you for your partnership in keeping our students safe across our morning arrival.
With the beginning of our second/spring semester comes the start of two new athletics seasons, Girls Basketball and Wrestling. As before, Girls Basketball will be limited to two teams, a seventh grade team and an eighth grade team. Wrestling is open to all students and grades with sixth graders participating in wrestling as a practice-only sport. Seventh and eighth grade wrestlers do participate in meets. Sixth graders cannot compete against other schools but this practice-only season provides a great opportunity to learn and grow in the sport.
Should you have any questions about these upcoming seasons, please see our North Athletics site or contact our North Office during regular business hours. Student-athletes must have full clearance to participate in practices, beginning later this month.
Beginning in late February, all Everett middle schools will begin implementing required seating charts/locations for our students that ride buses to/from school each day. In concert with our district Transportation team, these seating charts are needed to better ensure student safety including bus behavior and will be implemented in late February, specifically on Monday, February 23, 2026.
Across this month of January, we will prepare our students for this forthcoming change. Understandably, students may not agree with this decision but sitting in an assigned seat will become a requirement for riding a bus to/from school. Prior to implementing assigned seats, students will have the opportunity to select a seat assignment where they feel most comfortable. This approach supports a welcoming and inclusive environment for all students. By knowing their daily assigned seat and seat partner, students can experience a greater sense of safety, belonging and reduced anxiety in what can often feel like a confined space. Knowing they have a reserved seat significantly reduces conflicts on the bus resulting from arguing over a particular seat and reduces anxiety about having to sit by (or away from) other students. Assigned seating will also help increase the efficiency of bus loading and unloading, both at our school and at bus stops, by allowing students to become familiar with their regular seating arrangements.
Should you have any questions about this forthcoming shift to required seats on the bus, please reach out as we would value the opportunity to discuss this shift ahead of our late February implementation date. Thank you again for your time and partnership as we seek to better meet the needs of our STARs.
Families of Eighth Graders - With the start of our second/spring semester later this month comes the beginning of our efforts to successfully transition our eighth graders to high school. This process, including class/course registration begins in February and continues across the coming months.
An important opportunity in that regard includes the Seagull Showcase, scheduled for the evening of Tuesday, March 3rd at Everett High School. This event is specific to rising ninth graders and provides an overview of all-things-EHS. Below is an overview of this important event + attached below are our event fliers in English and Spanish.
What: Seagull Showcase for Future Ninth Graders
When: Tuesday March 3rd
Where: Everett High School
Schedule: 5:30pm: 9th Grade Opportunities Fair - 6:00pm: School Presentation - 6:35pm Connect with EHS Faculty
Historically, January is our coldest month with the highest chance for problematic winter weather. Across this month, please know that any delays and/or closures will be posted on our school and district websites.
For more information related to emergency closures and late starts, please CLICK HERE. Thank you, stay safe, and stay warm!
As needs arise, please consider our team at North as a resource for you and your family. We can help with resources including everyday food/meals and anticipated needs across these winter months. In addition, please click on the below button/link to access a resource guide that we have curated, full of information related to local, partner organizations.
The January edition of our district's newsletter is avaliable and full of needed information ahead of this new month. Please CLICK HERE to access this month's district news.
