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February greetings to you and your families. While short in terms of the number of days, February is a busy month and includes a variety of new beginnings, benchmarks, and celebrations. With the second semester now underway, we are actively reviewing and responding to our midyear outcomes, including our first semester grades/progress.
One of the strongest predictors of success continues to be consistent, daily attendance. A recent study specific to North students, past and present, showed that daily attendance was the most telling of all indicators. Students with attendance rates above 90% (one or less absences in a two week timeframe) performed significantly better than their peers in terms of class grades and course outcomes. This pattern held through high school as those with the highest rates of attendance also passes their classes at the highest rates.
As you set your sights on this second semester as a frame for the remainder of this school year, please continue to stress regular, everyday attendance as a critical habit for present and future success. Developing and upholding this practice in middle school is highly predictive of success in high school and beyond.
Below you will find key February dates and updates including a reminder about our February 10th, special election for the 2026 School Bond and Levy Renewal. Thank you for taking your time to review this information.
With Gratitude,
Holly, Drew, & Tyler
North Middle School
HSullivan@everettsd.org - ABaeWilliams@everettsd.org - TReam@everettsd.org
Phone: 425-385-4800
Election Day for the 2026 School Construction Bond and Education Levy is Tuesday, February 10th. Ballots must be returned to a ballot drop box by 8:00pm or mailed with a postmark of February 10th.
Proposition 1, the School Construction Bond, would fund a new elementary school, 12 permanent classrooms, a new Lowell Elementary School, improvements at Cascade and Everett High Schools, and district-wide safety, roofing, heating and cooling, and playground upgrades.
Proposition 2, the Education Levy, is a renewal of the existing levy, not a new tax, and continues
funding for staff, programs, student services, and day-to-day operations that the state does not
fully fund.
Please remember to vote. Ballots are due by 8:00pm on Tuesday, February 10.
Please CLICK HERE for more information on our School Bond and Levy Renewal - Thank you!
This week, our students, staff, and community proudly celebrate our North Counseling team as part of National School Counseling Week. In relation to our collective gratitude, we want to take a moment to publicly recognize and thank Jenny Steele (6th grade), Shannon Fraser (7th grade), Jen Byrne (7th grade), and Suzy Smothers (8th grade) for the incredible work they do each day on behalf of our students, families, and school community. In addition, we want to honor North team member Yasmin Carmona as she is currently serving as a counselor intern here at North. In a short time, Yasmin will also be a school counselor and continue the positive impact that she has on the lives of our STARs.
As you know, much of the support that our North counselors provide takes place behind the scenes, often unseen, as they work closely with individual students. Yet the impact of their dedication is unmistakable, deeply felt by every student and family that they work to support. While we value our North team every day, this national week of recognition gives us a special opportunity to express our heartfelt appreciation.
Thank you to our North Counseling team for your unwavering commitment and the positive difference you make across our campus.
Black History Month 2026 marks the centennial year since historian Carter G. Woodson first proposed a week dedicated to teaching and honoring Black History. This year’s theme, “A Century of Black History Commemorations,” encourages reflection as we collectively consider how Black history has shaped cultural identity and understanding across our communities and country.
Throughout this month, our STARs will engage in meaningful, collective opportunities to honor the profound contributions of Black Americans, past, present, and future. As we did in relation to our recent schoolwide assembly, this collective celebration purposefully includes recognizing the young leaders of today and tomorrow who continue to shape and reshape our world for the better.
The timing of February remains significant as this month was originally selected a century ago due to the alignment with birthdays of Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass. While our February this month is a week shorter than it has been in the past (due to the mid-winter break), it still provides us with needed time for deep learning, reflection, and connection. Over the next four weeks, our community will learn, celebrate, and stand together in solidarity. We invite you to join us in ensuring this month is approached with intention, sincerity, and a commitment as we honor Black History Month.
It’s hard to believe, but registration for the forthcoming 2026/27 school year is just around the corner. As with previous years, registration begins with understanding what classes will be offered and how to select specific courses. Course catalogs have been updated for both middle and high school, and all students will register through the Synergy platform this spring.
Below are several key dates in our registration timeline including our eighth graders opening orientation with Everett High School this coming Thursday. Across the next two months, please know that additional details will be communicated as we proceed through the below dates and benchmarks.
Key Registration Dates
- 2/5: Opening Orientation with Everett High (eighth graders, during STAR block)
- 2/5: Incoming 6th Grade Family Night (6:00pm, North Commons)
- 2/23 - 2/27: Class Selection Information Shared with 6th & 7th Graders
- 3/2 - 3/6: 9th Grade Class Selection Information Shared with 8th Graders
- 3/3: EHS Seagull Showcase for Incoming 9th Graders (please see below information)
- 3/6: 6th & 7th Graders Submit Class Requests
- 3/18: EHS Transition Day at North (high school class requests are submitted)
As noted above, an important opportunity related to our eighth graders and their transition to high school is the upcoming 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
In an effort to gain valuable insights related to how students, families, and staff view our school, North takes part in our district's Annual Stakeholder series each spring. Feedback from these surveys helps our team better understand what's going well, what's improving, and what we need to fix. In addition to this survey data, we utilize student achievement outcomes, attendance rates, behavior/discipline rates, and program data to evaluate and revise our school's School Improvement Plan and goals.
For these annual surveys, we utilize an online platform through Panorama Education that provides quick, easy, confidential user access. Many of these questions are purposefully repetitive in nature and provide us with an understanding of whether needs are trending up or down. Additionally, some of the student survey questions are related to social-emotional health. As we shared prior to the fall administration in this regard, student level data related to social-emotional health provides us with a needed tool for understanding how our students are feeling.
Please know that feedback gained from these surveys is only shared with pre-approved professionals who work closely with our STARs here at North. Relevant social-emotional health data, alongside academic and attendance information, provides our team with the snapshot of needs required to improve and align our supports.
Please also know that the questions/responses related to our annual student survey are anonymous. Reported data is composite in nature, and protects individual responses. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact our North Office. Our students are scheduled to participate in their spring surveys beginning Monday, February 23rd. Make-ups and continuations will occur across the following week as we work to ensure that over 95% of our STARs submit responses to this survey. If you do not want your child/children to participate in this survey, please call our North Office or contact us via email.
Many of our students will begin participating in the World-Class Instructional Design and Assessment (WIDA) exams this week and will continue across the coming weeks of February. WIDA is an annual English language proficiency assessment for students in Washington state who are enrolled in English language development classes, programs, or services. Students engage in these language-specific assessments on an annual basis, typically in late winter.
Over 120 of our STARs will be engaging in these WIDA assessments. Time spent engaging with these assessments will be limited and students will not miss significant class/learning time. For additional information, please see our district website, the State's webpage, and/or the WIDA Consortium.
Our North student leaders are working to plan for our school's first Winter Dance in many years. All students are invited but this dance will be unique from other, forthcoming dances as it occurs in the evening, starting at 5:00pm on Friday, February 27th. Tickets for this winter themed student event will go on sale shortly - Please see the below notes for additional information.
North Winter Dance: Friday, February 27th, from 5:00pm to 7:00pm
- The dance will take place in our North gyms with games, activities, and food/concessions in our Commons.
- Ticket Prices: $3 for students with an ASB card - $5 for students who do not have an ASB card.
- Students may purchase tickets during lunches on February 24th, 25th, and 26th.
- All students are invited, sixth, seventh, and eighth grades - No non-North students.
- Attire is comfortable to semi-formal. Basic school dress code rules related to graphics will still be expected/enforced.
- Concessions will be sold at the dance including pizza, snacks, and drinks.
Volunteer with PTA? Please CLICK HERE if you are interested and avaliable to volunteer with our PTA as they sell concessions during our dance.
Get ready for an electrifying evening filled with community spirit, celebration, and friendly competition. This community extravaganza unites students, staff, and families from all 27 Everett school for a night of fun, food, and philanthropy.
You are invited to attend, learn more about the work of educators and students from across our district, and cheer on our North team as we battle it out in a high-energy game show at Everett High School. The eventual champion will take home the coveted Everett Cup, including school-wide bragging rights, and an exciting prize!
RSVP today for our March 18th Benefit Event, The Big Give Showdown at Everett High. Please CLICK HERE to learn more. We hope to see you there!
Do you know a business who would like to sponsor a school team?
Our 27 schools are seeking business sponsors to represent them in this spirited competition. Each team is aiming to secure $1,000 in sponsorships. Sponsors will be recognized in the event program and featured on their school team’s t-shirts. If you're interested in learning more, please reach out to Michelle Nims at mnims@everettsd.org.
Students practice safe riding skills and fixing bikes while building confidence and making friends - and they earn a free bike, helmet, lights and lock when they complete the program.
Register now for the option that fits your family's schedule - space is very limited:
- Spring session meets after school on Tuesdays for 8 weeks, April 21-June 12.
- Summer session meets for June 23-26, 10-3pm (estimated).
- North partners with Sharing Wheels Community Bike Shop to offer this Club off-site.
Please register online at https://sharingwheels.org/youthbikeclub/ or stop in to the front office for more info. Girls are encouraged to apply.
Well, we've made it to February without much in terms of winter weather but spring is still several weeks away. Until the weather warms (and stays warm), please keep in mind 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.
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 this month. 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 February 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.
