August 28, 2026 - Welcome Back!
Port Gardner Newsletter
Welcome to the 2026-27 School Year!
Meet Our New Principal, Pachomius Schmidt
Hello Port Gardner Families – Happy beginning of the school year!
I’m excited to work with the students, families and staff at Port Gardner this year to provide an enriching experience for all students. The unique relationships that Port Gardner provides as a bridge between the school and family is one that I hear about while talking with people all over the Everett School District – this school is held in high-regard.
I’m proud to serve as the principal of this program! I started my journey in education nearly 25 years ago as an English and math teacher at schools in Seoul, South Korea and Shanghai, China. I frequently think back on those years and the great experiences I had while living abroad. After returning to the Pacific Northwest (where I was raised), I began teaching math in public schools and 6 years ago became an administrator. I feel lucky to be able to call myself an educator – being a small part in developing and growing our students in pursuing their future.
I look forward to working with you, your student, and the amazing staff at Port Gardner!
Best,
Pachomius Schmidt
Opening Day is Coming Sept 2nd!
An important message from our PGS teachers...
Hello Port Gardner Families!
We hope your summer was filled with fun and relaxation! As we gear up for an exciting new school year, we’re thrilled to partner with you on this educational journey at Port Gardner.
📅 Opening Day is Wednesday, September 2nd
This is a mandatory event for all families, and we can’t wait to kick things off together!
🖥️ Morning Zoom Kickoff – 10:00 a.m.
Join us for a brief Zoom session to start the day. We’d love for students to hop on for the first 5 minutes so we can see their smiling faces!
🎒 Afternoon Curriculum & Device Pick-Up - See times listed below by last name.
Come by at your family’s designated time to collect materials and devices. Be sure to bring your student(s) and something to wheel or carry your curriculum to your vehicle.
📸 Photo Booth Fun
Celebrate the first day with a family photo at our Opening Day photo booth. Capture the moment and make some memories!
🍧PTSA Info Booth & Treats
Stop by the PTSA table, our amazing PTSA has a special treat for you!
All the key details are listed below. We’re looking forward to seeing you on Wednesday and kicking off a fantastic school year together!
Your Port Gardner Staff
Capture Your First Day of School Smiles on Opening Day!
Opening Day Details
Wednesday, September, MORNING:
ZOOM: *Mandatory for ALL FAMILIES -- Opening Day for Port Gardner!
Topic: Port Gardner Opening Day Zoom!
Time: Sept 2, 10:00 - 10:45 AM
A Zoom link will be sent by Tuesday, Sept 1.
Wednesday, September 2, AFTERNOON:
*Mandatory for ALL FAMILIES -- Come in person to campus: Pick up your student’s device, curriculum, sign paperwork and get your First Day of School photo booth pictures!
- Pull into the PGS/Sequoia parking lot off of 36th St and find parking. Please be aware of small children and teenage drivers could be in the parking lot (speed limit 5 mph).
- Start by going to the PGS Meet & Greet table.
- If you haven't already, complete the Food Services application: https://www.myschoolapps.com/Application
- Health Room staff will be here to accept any paperwork you may have related to student health needs.
Arrival times:
- Students with last names A – F come from 12:45 -1:15 pm
- Students with last names G – P come from 1:15 -1:45 pm
- Students with last names R – Z come from 1:45 - 2:15 pm
Thursday, September 3, times TBA:
*Mandatory for NEW FAMILIES ONLY-- In addition to coming Wednesday, you will come to campus for the New Family Grade Level Curriculum Training and pick up your curriculum at this meeting. This is a mandatory meeting which will cover curriculum and planning for your student’s grade level. Your children are welcome to attend; however, please note that this session is primarily designed for parent-teachers.
🔽 Action Items Below! 🔽
Complete Information Update in ParentVUE
What you need to do:
1. Log in to the ParentVUE portal.
2. On a computer browser, click “Online Registration” in the top-right corner. In the app, tap the “Online Registration” icon twice to open it in a new window.
3. Select Information Update and review student record(s).
4. Make any necessary changes and click Submit.
If you have problems logging in to ParentVUE, please open a Help Desk ticket for support.
Log in or Activate your ALE Account
Port Gardner's individual Student Learning Plan website is ALE.
ALE website https://pgs.schooldata.net/v2/ale-sis/#/
New Parents Activate Your Account:
ALE is where your student's learning plan resides. Click the link or banner below for instructions to log into ALE. Your learning plan will be reviewed and finalized when you meeting one-on-one with your advisor for an SLP appointment. You will get training on ALE in the Welcome to Port Gardner classes.
New Parent Log in Instructions for ALE
Returning Parents Log onto ALE:
Review your student's learning plan before meeting with your advisor in September.:
Student Learning Plan Appointments Coming
- *Starting September 4 - All families attend an in-person one-on one individual Student Learning Plan meeting (one per student) with your student’s advisor. Exact dates and times TBA.
Port Gardner Calendar & Upcoming Dates
🍎SEPTEMBER🍎
- *Sept 2 - Opening Day AM All families join Zoom from 10 – 10:45 AM
- *Sept 2 - Opening Day PM, All families come in person to campus, sign paperwork and pick up curriculum 12:45 - 2:15 PM :
- Student last name A-F come from 12:45-1:15 pm
- Student last name G-P come from 1:15-1:45 pm
- Student last name R-Z come from 1:45-2:15 pm
- *September 3 - New families attend an in-person Grade Level Curriculum Training & Pick Up your student’s curriculum. - Times TBA
- *Starting on September 4 - All families attend an in-person one-on one individual Student Learning Plan meeting (one per student) with your student’s advisor. Exact Dates TBA
- *Sept and Oct, Six Mondays from 12:15 - 1:15: New families attend all Welcome to Port Gardner Classes (most in person, some may be on Zoom) Exact Dates TBA
- Sept 17 – Picture Day for All
*Dates/meetings marked with an asterisk are mandatory.
Port Gardner Fall School Supply List
You can bring your school supplies to your SLP meeting or the week after.
Here's a few pics from our PTSA Sponsored Events...
Volunteering at Port Gardner
The success of the PGS relies on dedicated and committed parent educators. To assist in facilitating this success, all families enrolled are encouraged to volunteer. The online application is on the Everett School District’s main website: https://www.everettsd.org/families/volunteer
When selecting which position in the application process choose “School Day Volunteers” Club leaders and PTSA Board members please choose “Extended Day Volunteer.” Once you have completed the application and been approved (this takes about 2-3 weeks) you will be eligible to be on campus and volunteer.
ALE How To's Below
This includes the Description of each class (onsite and at home), Materials Used, Learning Activities, Methods of Evaluation, and the Learning Goals for your student for this year.
Contact Us:
Pachomius Schmidt, Principal: PSchmidt2@everettsd.org 425-385-5190
Autumn Slater, School Counselor: aslater@everettsd.org 425-385-5110
Megan Slaker, Secretary: mslaker@everettsd.org 425-385-5150
Bethy Fleshman, Para Educator: efleshman@everettsd.org425-385-5180
Audra Van Volkenburg, Health Room Nurse: avanvolkenburg@everettsd.org 425-385-5158
Allison Hinds, Primary Teacher: ahinds@everettsd.org 425-385-5183
Celeste Johnson, Primary Teacher: cjohnson@everettsd.org 425-385-5183
Jocelyn Sievers-Bailey, Intermediate Teacher: Jsievers-bailey@everettsd.org 425-385-5186
Laura Wight, High School Teacher: lwight@everettsd.org 425-385-5141
Mark Ryder, High School Teacher: mryder@everettsd.org 425-385-5142
Sherm Iversen, Online Instructor: siversen@everettsd.org 425-385-5144
Archived Important Articles Below
Thank you for your time and attention in reading through the Port Gardner Newsletter.
Questions? Contact Megan Slaker at mslaker@everettsd.org
Phone: 425-385-5150