Hawks

Happy New Year to our Heatherwood Middle School community! We hope everyone enjoyed a restful and rejuvenating holiday break.

January is an important time for students to refocus, set goals, and build strong habits especially as we approach the end of Semester One. We encourage families to sit down with students to review current grades, missing or upcoming assignments, and project deadlines. Your support at home makes a meaningful difference in helping students finish the semester strong.

Semester One ends on Thursday, January 22 and Semester Two begins on Monday, January 26. A new semester offers a fresh start and a great opportunity for students to reengage with learning, organization, and personal responsibility.

We would also like to outline a few friendly reminders for students and families:

• Please remind students to be kind, respectful, and responsible — both in person and on social media.
  
  
• Per district policy, students are not allowed to use their cell phones during the school day. We ask families to please refrain from texting or calling students during school hours. If a student needs to contact a parent or guardian, they are welcome to come to the front office to use the office phone or request permission to use their cell phone when appropriate.
  
  
• We ask that students not loiter unsupervised at the Town Center after school. We encourage our students to be respectful and responsible members at our local establishments and within our community.
  
  
• For safety, students must use crosswalks when crossing streets in surrounding neighborhoods. When using crossing lights, students should wait for the signal and allow enough time to cross safely.
  
  
• Students are not permitted to sell snack items on campus.
  
  

Thank you for your continued partnership and support. We look forward to a positive, focused, and successful 2026 for our students and school community.

Sincerely,

Heatherwood Middle School Administration

Dr. Laura Wellington, Principal and Mr. Chris Doll, Assistant Principal

LWellington@everettsd.org

CDoll2@everettsd.org

January 8 - Martin Luther King Jr. Assembly @ 9:55am

January 9 – LIF Day 1:35pm release

January 14 – PTSA Reflections Celebration at the CRC – 6:8pm

January 15 - PTA General Meeting via Zoom @ 7:00pm

January 16 – LIF Day 1:35pm release

January 19 – Martin Luther King Jr. Day – No School

January 23 – No School – Teacher Work Day

January 26 – Second Semester Begins

January 28 – Let’s Connect RE: Bond & Levy at Heatherwood 6 – 7:30pm

January 30 – LIF Day 1:35pm release

ASB hosted a Martin Luther King Jr. assembly on Thursday, January 8th, with guest speaker Senator John Lovick. We are thankful that Senator Lovick was here to help our students learn and appreciate King's message and courage.

Don't forget to log into Final Forms and sign your student up for one of the two Winter 2 sports.

• Girls Basketball (Cut Sport) starts Tuesday, January 20.
• Co-ed Wrestling starts Monday, February 23.
  
  

If you have any questions, please reach out to Courtney Holden at CHolden@everettsd.org

Happy New Year, Heatherwood Hawk Families! We hope you all had a wonderful winter break! Here are some important updates and reminders from the counseling team:

Academic Success: As the semester comes to a close, please keep in mind the following if your student needs help in classes:

· Success Time on Mondays through Thursdays. If you are unable to pick students up by 4 PM, there is an activity bus available.

· Check-in with teachers about availability and office hours for extra help.

Second Semester Schedules: Semester 1 ends Thursday, January 22 (no school for students on Friday, January 23). Please check Synergy on Friday, January 23rd after 5 PM for updated schedules. Second semester begins Monday, January 26.

Naviance Goal-Setting: All students will complete a Naviance goal-setting lesson during Hawk Time on January 9. Naviance is a college and career readiness platform that helps students explore their interests, set goals, and plan for the future. Families can access Naviance through student Clever accounts and are encouraged to explore it together.

High School Transition (for current 8th grade students): High School Transition Activities will be ramping up. Please remember to save the date of March 19th so you are able to come to Heatherwood during the school day and attend your 15 minute conference with a Jackson HS staff member and your student. Watch for upcoming details on high school registration and transition activities in February. More information will be shared soon throughout the upcoming months via Parent Square.

Heatherwood School Counseling Team

Ms. Jana Freeman, 6th grade School Counselor: jfreeman@everettsd.org; 425-385-6310

Ms. Myra Flor Arpin, 7th grade School Counselor: marpin@everettsd.org; 425-385-6314

Ms. Jocelyn Smith, 8th grade School Counselor: jsmith1@everettsd.org, 425-385-6313

Families often ask why so many schools rely on portable classrooms. Today, Everett Public Schools uses 103 portables across our elementary schools, which is equivalent to the size of two and a half elementary schools. These portable classrooms were needed to help our district keep up with growth, but were never meant to be a permanent solution for our students. On February 10, 2026, voters will consider two measures that address this ongoing space challenge.

Proposition 1, the School Construction Bond, would fund a new elementary school and add permanent classrooms at existing schools, helping reduce the reliance on portable classrooms. The proposal also includes rebuilding Lowell Elementary, improving learning spaces at Cascade and Everett High schools, and updating roofs, heating and cooling systems, playgrounds, and safety features districtwide.

Proposition 2, the Education Levy, is a renewal measure. It is not a new tax. The levy continues funding for staffing, academic programs, student services, and day-to-day school operations that are not fully covered 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