Family Newsletter

Active-duty, veteran, reserve, and National Guard spouses and partners are invited to an NTPS Military Connect Coffee Chat from 9:30–10:30 am on Tuesday, September 24, in the District Office Boardroom (305 College Street NE). Meet other military-connected families in our community and enjoy light refreshments. Children are welcome (childcare is not provided).

RSVP

Stop by our annual Stuff the Bus event from 9:00 am–2:00 pm on Saturday, September 28, at the Hawks Prairie Walmart (1401 Galaxy Drive NE) to help support NTPS families in need! Win prizes while donating school supplies, backpacks, children's books, canned and packaged food, toiletries, and household cleaning supplies. Learn more about Stuff the Bus.

Join us at Lacey Children’s Day from 11:00 am–2:00 pm on Saturday, October 5, at Huntamer Park (618 Woodland Square Loop SE). This year’s theme is Under the Big Top! Stop by the NTPS booth to enjoy a circus-themed activity. Rain or shine, we will be there!

We have Off and Away, All Day mobile device expectations at our schools:

• Cell phones and headphones are put away in backpacks or left at home.
• Smartwatches are set to airplane mode or put away or left home.

With these expectations, we strive for a higher level of school engagement and learning, a reduced level of anxiety and distraction for students, and more positive face-to-face interactions with peers and staff!

Students may use their devices before and after the regular school day. Parents may call the school office to reach their students. Students may also get permission to go to the office to contact a parent. All students have an assigned Chromebook for school-related technology usage. In addition, schools have family-wide communication methods in an emergency. 

Research has found that mobile devices distract students from learning, contribute to peer conflict and bullying, and enable some students to engage in dangerous, high-risk interactions online. 

• In 2023, the U.S. Surgeon General issued a public health advisory on the growing concerns about the effects of social media on youth mental health. 
• Supporting students in “unplugging” from social media during the school day can benefit students’ mental health. 
• Studies show that student use of cell phones and other mobile devices, such as smartwatches, during school is distracting and is linked with lower grades and test scores. 

Please support these expectations by having a conversation with your student. Thank you for your partnership!  

At the August 14 NTPS School Board meeting, the Board interviewed candidates for the open position for Director District 3, and selected Sarah Tracy. Tracy replaces Dr. Jennifer Thomas, who announced her resignation effective July 31, 2024.

“We are grateful to Sarah for her willingness to serve the community in this important role,” said NTPS Board President Gretchen Maliska. “We look forward to working with her on behalf of NTPS students and staff very much.”

The Board accepted applications and nominations for this appointment from July 17 through August 7. Tracy will fill the role through the next election in November 2025. 

Tracy holds a bachelor’s degree in pharmacy and a Doctor of Pharmacy, as well as a certificate from the Parenting Coaching Institute at Seattle Pacific University. Her volunteer experience includes serving on the board of directors of Olympia Community School, as a volunteer and PTA president at Olympic View Elementary, and on the family advisory board at Salish Middle School. Tracy is a graduate of Timberline High School. Her two children graduated from River Ridge High School.

“I’ve had a connection with North Thurston Public Schools for almost 45 years,” Tracy said. “Being involved in the schools is a part of who I am. I want to work to ensure success for all of our students. I’m really proud of our district and there’s more work to do. I want to see the district continue to grow and I look forward to participating in pushing that growth.” 

After several years of preparation, we are moving to improved secondary grading practices at all middle and high schools this school year to ensure they are equitable:

• Replacing the current 100-point scale with a 4-point scale. This simplifies grades and makes assessing student performance more straightforward, reducing subjectivity. Letter grades will not go away: the 4-point scale will translate to a letter grade.
• Giving students multiple avenues to show what they know and can do, including various assessment methods (e.g., portfolios, presentations, essays, classroom activities, and projects).
• Creating a consistent policy to allow for and accept late work.
• Setting a limit on extra credit options, which can disproportionately help students who have additional resources and support.

All families should complete the Child Nutrition Application this school year, even if your school provides free breakfasts and lunches. Download the form from our website, or get a paper application from your school and return it to the office!

Completed applications from all families support important funding for all NTPS schools. Families that complete the application may also qualify for additional benefits like waived school fees and summer food assistance. Family eligibility notifications will be posted in Skyward Family Access under the Portfolio tile.

When your student misses school, it’s important that a parent/guardian contact the school to excuse the absence so that students can make up work from those days. Absences can be reported for up to five days by calling the school or using the Attendance tile in Skyward Family Access.

• Good school attendance helps students thrive:   
• Preschoolers learn the good habit of showing up on time.   
• Elementary students read well by the end of 3rd grade.   
• Middle schoolers pass important courses.   
• High schoolers stay on track for graduation.   

You can support good attendance by:   

• Making attendance the expectation.   
• Using early release or days off to schedule appointments when possible.   
• Setting a regular bedtime and morning routine and schedule.  
• Preparing for school the night before.  

We want to be sure our students, drivers, and community members are safe in and around school buses. Everyone plays a part!

• Families: Watch this short video about NTPS bus expectations featuring some NTPS students and review the student rider expectations in the Student Rights & Responsibilities Handbook. 
• Those who drive in our community: Refresh your knowledge of when to stop for school buses.
  • 2-lane roadway: both directions stop when the bus's red lights are flashing.
  • 3+ lanes: stop if traveling same direction as bus.
  • Turning lane: stop if traveling same direction as bus.
  • Median: Stop if traveling same direction as bus.

If your family previously set up automatic payments for school meals via the NTPS payment portal, you must set up new automatic payments for the 2024-25 school year. This applies only to families at schools with paid meal service (Aspire Performing Arts Academy, Salish Middle School, North Thurston High School, River Ridge High School, and Timberline High School).

Jarvis meets with his lunch buddy Elijah each week during the school year. They talk, eat lunch, and play games together. Jarvis is teaching Elijah chess, but their favorite game to play together is Uno. (Elijah usually wins, although they sometimes disagree on the rules.)

Thank you to the Chinook Middle School staff, families, and community members who pitched in on a campus beautification day before the start of the school year! It was a fun team effort. Great job, Orcas!

Visit our district’s Facebook and Instagram pages for more examples of learning and fun in our schools!

The NTPS School Board approved the 2024-25 school year budget at the August 14, 2024, meeting. The budget includes funding for employees, equipment, and supplies, while maintaining a 6% fund balance to ensure continued financial stability.

IT Professionals Day is September 17. We begin the school year by recognizing the hard work of our district technology team. We appreciate their dedication to keeping us all connected and our systems running smoothly. Thank someone in tech today!