North Mason School District

📢 GATES Scholarship applications due September 15, 2024 @ 2:00 PM PT ! Visit the website to apply: https://www.thegatesscholarship.org/scholarship 🔴 About The Gates Scholarship The Gates Scholarship (TGS) is a highly selective, last-dollar scholarship for outstanding, minority, high school seniors from low-income households. Each year, the scholarship is awarded to exceptional student leaders, with the intent of helping them realize their maximum potential. Selected Scholars will receive funding for the full cost of attendance to earn a bachelor’s degree, that is not already covered by other financial aid and the Student Aid Index, as determined by the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), or the methodology used by a Scholar’s college or university. Costs covered include tuition, fees, books, and food and housing, and may include additional personal costs.

4-H Starts October 1st! Open to youth ages 5-18. Contact Pam Pettingill to join. nanaladyof2@gmail.com

🔴 Bear Creek Dewatto Road Closure Extended 🔴 We received an update from Mason County that the closure at the Bear Creek Dewatto twin culvert replacement project has been extended due to an equipment breakdown. The road is now scheduled to reopen at 4:00 p.m. on Wednesday, September 11, 2024. For more information and detour maps, please visit the Mason County website https://masoncountywa.gov/public-works/road-closures.php. We will continue to pick up and drop off students at the alternate stop until the road opens. Thank you for your understanding and cooperation.

🍏🥙🥞CNEEB Form Due September 6th! The CNEEB form was sent home on the first day of school with your student. Please fill this out and return to your school no later than September 6th. The information you provide helps qualify the district for free and reduced meal benefits. Thank you for your attention to this matter!

📢Your Voice Matters!📢 We are still accepting community members for the Replacement Levy Committee. Please consider being part of this important discussion about the future needs of our district. 🔴 Apply here https://forms.office.com/r/KF7HtvU0c0 🔴 Next scheduled meetings: September 4th and 18th @ 6:00 pm in the district board room. Light refreshments will be served and the meeting will begin at 6:30 pm.

🖐️Welcome to Kindergarten/Bienvenidos a Kinder🖐️ Today we welcome our Kindergarten students! Please drive safely and watch for our students and buses. Thank you for helping us keep our students safe!

Dear Parents and Guardians, The Child Nutrition Eligibility & Education Benefit (CNEEB) form was sent home on the first day of school with your student. Please fill this out and return to your school no later than September 6th. The information you provide helps qualify the district for free and reduced meal benefits. Currently, all North Mason students are eligible for free meals. For more information about CNEEB, visit the OSPI website https://ospi.k12.wa.us/policy-funding/child-nutrition/school-meals/washington-school-meals-application-finder or see below: Child Nutrition Eligibility and Education Benefit Application The Child Nutrition Eligibility and Education Benefit (CNEEB) Application merges the free and reduced-price meal application and the Family Income Survey. Through submission of the CNEEB Application, households may qualify for: Free and reduced-price meal benefits, Summer EBT benefits (if enrolled in an NSLP/SBP school), Reduced fees for other programs and activities, and/or Help secure other educational funding for the Local Education Agency.

Welcome back! We are excited to see our students back on campus. Please remember to drive with caution in school parking lots and school zones. We are committed to student safety and appreciate your cooperation. Please see the attached map for drop off/pick up instructions for Hawkins Middle School. There is no student drop-off or pick-up in the middle school’s upper campus parking lot. Students who do not ride the bus need to be dropped off and picked up in the Stadium lower parking lot off of the Victor Cutoff/Hwy 302. There is a safe walking path for students to reach North Mason High School and Hawkins Middle School. Please refer to the map attached. The green arrows highlight the driving directions for student drop-off/pick-up. The green star is where parents can drop-off/pick-up students. The yellow highlighted area is the walking path for students. Student drop-off/pick-up is not permitted where there are red X’s. We appreciate your cooperation as we work together on keeping our kids safe.

Our teachers have been busy preparing for our students' return and last week engaged in two days of intentional professional development designed to enhance their teaching practices. The day started with long-service awards presented by Superintendent Rosenbach after which she introduced the keynote speaker, Blaire Penry, Washington State's 2024 Teacher of the Year AND a North Mason alumni. "Passionate about empowering students, she uses her lived experiences and activism work to boldly shape the culture of the learning community. She understands that every student comes in with a wealth of knowledge and life experiences and she makes it a priority to encompass their stories and passions into the curriculum." In her keynote speech, Blaire spoke very personally to our teachers, through her lens as an educator but also, most powerfully, as an alumni. She highlighted the importance of equity for students, how it is imperative that they are truly being seen, and how these efforts elevate students' positive sense of self so they are prepared for the future that they choose. Thank you, Blaire, for coming back to share your journey with our staff and administration! To learn more about Blaire's accomplishments, please visit https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/WAOSPI/bulletins/3737074 We look forward to having our students return to campus, Wednesday, August 28th. Please note, there will be no early release the first day back.

🚌 Fill the Bus was a HUGE success with nearly $3,000 raised (and climbing!) in cash donations, along with boxes and boxes of school supplies. Thank you to everyone in our community who supported this fundraiser. What a tremendous show of support! This is our bus drivers' biggest fundraiser of the year, their labor of love, and it completely benefits North Mason students. Thank you, bus drivers! (If you, or someone you know, needs assistance getting school supplies for the upcoming school year, please contact Laura Pugh, Family Community Intervention Liaison, LPugh@northmasonschools.org , 360-277-2241)

Incoming Freshmen & New Student Orientation When: August 27, 2024 from 9 am - noon Where: North Mason High School gymnasium Please note: this orientation is for students only. Parents should direct any questions to Dannette Hull at (360) 277-3003

🚌 It's happening! 🚌 Come on down and support our students! Bus drivers are set up in the QFC parking lot until 1 pm for their biggest fundraiser of the year. Any school supplies and cash donations will be gratefully accepted! Thank you for your support!

It's almost time! Return to School is August 28th for 1st-12th grade and September 3rd for Kindergarten. We can't wait to see our students! Save this link to the calendar for the 24/25 school year https://www.northmasonschools.org/documents/parents%2Fcommunity/calendars/454993

One week away! The PICNIC & Transportation Round Up is a great event with food, music, community partner resources, and some amazing drawings thanks to local businesses. All are welcome as we celebrate the launch of the 24/25 school year! August 21, 4-7 pm, 250 E. Campus Drive.

Space is Limited! Transition to Kindergarten Pre-Registration T2K is a program for children under 5 who would benefit from additional preparation in order to be successful in kindergarten the following year. Screening is required to determine eligibility and will be conducted by the school district. If interested, please fill out the T2K pre-application https://forms.office.com/r/4uGgjGHEjK and you will be contacted over the next couple of weeks to set up an appointment for screening. Families will be notified of placement decisions no later than the last week of August. Transition to Kinder classes start September 11th.

🚌 FILL THE BUS EVENT 🚌 Saturday, August 17th from 8:00 am-1:00 pm in the QFC parking lot. This is our bus drivers' big volunteer project: collecting school supplies/donations for students. Let's help them set a record for the 24/25 school year! Thank you, QFC, for hosting!

Re-sharing message and the links to the Community Bond Advisory Committee and Replacement Levy Advisory Committee (below) . Please consider being part of this process. We want all voices represented! North Mason School District needs your help. It is our belief that we must do everything possible to prepare our students and ensure their future success. As a part of this important step, we are forming a committee of our stakeholders, which includes educators, parents, students, and community members, to help us prioritize our needs, and make recommendations to the board. Our hope is that you will consider being part of this very important work, by joining the teams being formed for the Bond Proposition and the Replacement Levy. You can apply to join one or both teams below. Replacement Levy Advisory Committee (Application) https://forms.office.com/r/KF7HtvU0c0 Community Bond Advisory Committee (Application) https://forms.office.com/r/2mKK030qCt

Are you passionate about sports and looking to make a positive impact in our community? Our school district is hiring dedicated and enthusiastic paid coaches for various sports! More information can be found on our website: https://www.northmasonschools.org/page/job-openings Please contact Haven Hermsen in Human Resources with any questions: (360) 277-2351.

ONE MONTH AWAY! Please join us for the 3rd Annual PICNIC on Wednesday, August 21, 2024 from 4:00-7:00 pm. featuring music, food, fun, and community resources. Also, the ever-popular Transportation Round-up will be back giving students an opportunity to meet their drivers and go for a ride. We look forward to celebrating with our community when we launch the 2024-2025 school year. ALL ARE WELCOME! P.I.C.N.I.C. Purposefully * Integrating * Culture * Nurturing * Inclusive * Community

🚍 Now Hiring: Substitute Bus Drivers! Are you looking for a rewarding job that fits your schedule? Join our team to help transport our students safely! Paid training starting in early October. Apply today! More information including salary, benefits, and job description can be found on our website: https://www.northmasonschools.org/page/job-openings Please contact Haven Hermsen in Human Resources with any questions: (360) 277-2351.