A diverse community of lifelong learners in Lacey, Washington
In This Section
May 2025
Every month, we send an email newsletter to our families, staff, and students highlighting the upcoming events, news, and more! Read the latest issue below, or check out past issues from this school year.
Earlier this school year, I had the opportunity to emcee the Zone 2 strings concert at River Ridge High School. It was an amazing night, enjoying music from students around the district. I encourage you to check your school’s calendar and attend a concert! We have talented staff and students who enjoy sharing their love of music with the community.
We offer music education in each elementary school, and students can continue their musical journey in middle and high school. Music allows students to express themselves and cultivate a lifelong love of the arts.
This month’s Joy of Learning video features our NTPS Preschool program. Enrollment for the 2025-26 school year is now open for our high-quality program that focuses on kindergarten readiness. In NTPS Preschool classrooms, 3- and 4-year-old students with special needs and typically developing students play and learn side by side. Learn more and apply!
Is your student interested in attending Envision Career Academy, the NTPS career and technical education (CTE)-focused choice high school? Join us for a family information night at 5:30 pm on Thursday, May 15, at Envision Career Academy (411 College Street NE). You can learn about the school, ask questions, tour the building, and more.
Summit Virtual Academy is our free, fully online K-12 school. Summit provides a rigorous online learning environment with highly qualified teachers, curriculum, materials, and technology! Students experience daily interactive class sessions, weekly teacher help sessions, optional clubs, and in-person outings.
Join us from 6:00–7:00 pm on Thursday, May 15, at the NTPS District Office (305 College Street NE) for an information night to learn more and see if Summit Virtual Academy is right for you!
Check out the Lacey Spring Fun Fair this Saturday and Sunday, May 17-18, at Saint Martin’s University. Free family activities, entertainment, exciting rides, live performances, vendors, and food concessions! Stop by the NTPS booth in Kids’ World and say hello!
Please join us during Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month to share your ideas on how we can continue to grow the culture of inclusion and equity within NTPS. Our next Community Café will focus on Asian American and Pacific Islander students and families, and will be from 5:30–8:00 pm on Monday, May 19, at Timberline High School (6120 Mullen Road SE).
What to expect:
Dinner
Adults and students ages 14+ will participate in the adult Café
Students ages 5-13 will participate in the youth Café
Multicultural entertainment
The Community Café approach provides a safe, welcoming space for families, students, staff, and community partners to participate as equals in conversations that value reciprocity and honor everyone’s contributions. All are welcome! Interpreters can be requested using the RSVP form.
The Multicultural Action Committee (MAC) awarded 21 mini grants this year to help build a compassionate community in our schools through multicultural education, awareness, and advocacy. Join us from 5:30–7:00 pm on Thursday, May 22, in the District Office Boardroom to see project presentations from the 2025 award recipients.
NTPS invites all active, veterans, reserves, and National Guard spouses/partners to our Military Connect Coffee Circle. Come join us for an opportunity to connect with others from 9:30–10:30 am on Tuesday, May 27, in the NTPS District Office Boardroom (305 College Street NE). Please RSVP so we can provide enough light breakfast items. Children are welcome, but childcare is not provided.
Day of Champions is a free, volunteer-run, inclusive event that features modified track and field events for NTPS K-12 students with special needs. The event includes the Parade of Champions, live band music, games, and fun for everyone! Wednesday, May 28, from 10:00 am–1:00 pm.
The Highly Capable Program is available to identified students in kindergarten through 8th grade who require advanced learning and enriched instruction. High school students can choose more challenging classes through their counselor. The services offered depend on the grade and need, and students must meet certain standards in testing and academic performance to qualify. Families can submit applications for the program June 1–July 31. Learn more about the Highly Capable program and application process.
Olympia Orthopaedic Associates is offering free sports physicals to student athletes from 9:00 am–3:00 pm on Saturday, June 7, in the Capital High School Gym (2707 Conger Avenue NW). You must have a completed form with you, which you can find on your school’s website. Students can then upload the completed physical to Final Forms and complete their NTPS athletics registration! Mark your calendar.
At its April 22 meeting, the NTPS Board of Directors approved a recommendation to move to weekly Academic Collaboration Time (ACT) days for the 2025-26 school year. ACT days will be a 50-minute early release every Wednesday from October through April.
Academic Collaboration Time ensures NTPS staff can plan and work together to deliver high-quality teaching. The change for next school year results in the same amount of instructional time for students over the school year, while increasing staff collaboration frequency and providing more consistency for family scheduling.
Thank you to the staff and family members who responded to our recent ACT Day survey. The NTPS Calendar Committee (staff from around the district) reviewed the results and made the recommendation to the Board.
Beginning in 2025-26, teachers, schools, and the district will be using a new tool called ParentSquare as a central place for school-to-home communications.
Later this month, be on the lookout for an email from “North Thurston Public Schools via ParentSquare,” which will include a link to confirm your contact information and register your ParentSquare account. Please register your account when you receive this email so that you don’t miss important back-to-school information from your child’s school and teachers this summer!
NTPS provides free drop-in breakfasts, lunches, and snacks at several locations over the summer months. All kids 18 and under eat free on-site – no registration required!
Kindergarten registration for the 2025-26 school year is now open! NTPS offers full-day kindergarten at each of our elementary schools.
Online registration makes the process easy. Families can fill out all the forms in Skyward Family Access (our student data system) then upload the required documents or bring physical copies to their neighborhood school office.
In addition, families of children who will enter kindergarten in fall 2026 may now apply for Future-Ready Kindergarten. Future-Ready Kindergarten (FRK) is a free, transitional pre-kindergarten program to help ensure students are ready to thrive in kindergarten and beyond! Classes will focus on social-emotional and early learning skills needed for school.
Students in our Dual Language Program develop skills in English and Spanish to serve them throughout their lives! NTPS students entering kindergarten through 5th grade in fall 2025 are eligible to apply:
Help all NTPS seniors graduate with pride! Through the North Thurston Education Foundation, you can support an NTPS senior who needs help paying for a cap and gown, class yearbook, and more. In 2024, NTEF helped 83 seniors with graduation costs.
Are you leaving NTPS? Let us know so we can process your student's withdrawal. Please get in touch with your school before the school year ends, so your records are in order before you move. Thanks for being a part of the NTPS community!
At the March 18 Community Conversation Local to Global: The Power of World Languages, the School Board and community members discussed world language course options in NTPS schools, the Seal of Biliteracy, support for English learners, and the Dual Language Program. As a result of this conversation, the Board has directed the district to gradually build out the Dual Language Program (currently offered at Lydia Hawk, Mountain View, and Pleasant Glade Elementary Schools) to include middle and high school students.
NTPS continues building our proposed 2025-26 school year budget, which the School Board will consider for adoption this summer. Several budget updates:
The Legislature has completed its 2025 session, including passing a 2025-2027 state operating budget. The state budget invests additional funding in special education and in materials, supplies and operating costs (MSOCs). In addition, the Legislature raised the lid on local levy collection, which allows districts to collect the full levy amount approved by voters in the most recent levy election, beginning in 2026.
These resources will allow us to continue our current programs and services. We do not anticipate a significant increase or decrease in student numbers over the coming years. Enrollment is an important consideration as we build our budget and plan for school staffing.
Over the summer, we will continue making improvements using funding from Capital Levy for Safety, Technology, and Facilities Improvement, which voters approved in February 2024.
Our district recently completed its annual accountability and financial and federal audits with the Washington State Auditor’s Office (SAO). SAO reviewed NTPS’s use of public resources from 9/1/2023 through 8/31/2024. It was what is called a clean audit: SAO found no misstatements, deficiencies in the design or operation of internal controls over financial reporting, or instances of noncompliance. These results reflect our efficient and accountable use of public funding!
Be on the lookout for the spring 2025 Community Connections newsletter, which was recently sent to all households in NTPS boundaries. This publication shares many of the great things happening in NTPS: strong community partnerships, student opportunities in visual and performing arts, updates on construction around the district, and more.
Elementary students from around the district recently participated in the annual “Battle of the Books” trivia challenge, a friendly competition between schools that helps to create joy in reading. Congratulations to Meadows Elementary School on their literary victory, and great job to ALL students who read, prepared, and competed in this year’s contest! Thank you to our teacher-librarians and volunteers for making this event a success! Check out our Facebook and Instagram pages to see photos from this event and other exciting things happening in our schools!
Our School Board meetings are an excellent place to hear the latest news around the district. Be sure to review our Board meeting highlights from the April 22 meeting, including:
The Board recognized three state champions, all from River Ridge High School:
River Ridge Cheer Team Game Day
Samantha Ellis, gymnastics vault
Haziel Soto, wrestling
The Board recognized Month of the Military Child and NTPS’s status as a Purple Star District. The Board thanked A Hero’s Promise, a local organization that supports our programs serving military students and families, such as purchasing cords for students entering the military to wear at graduation.
The Board approved the 2025-26 school year calendar, including a change in Academic Collaboration Time (ACT) to 50-minute early release every Wednesday from October through April. This maintains the same amount of student instructional time while allowing for more frequent staff professional development time and predictability for families. Thank you to all the staff and students who took our ACT survey earlier this year.
The Board approved the adoption of a new English language arts and social studies curriculum. The NTPS curriculum adoption committee used a rigorous two-year research and piloting process to inform the selection of the curricula: CKLA (comprehensive English language arts) and ECRI (foundational literacy skills); and Inquiry Journeys and The State We’re In: Washington (4th grade) for social studies.
Congratulations to our newest National Board-Certified Teachers! These teachers have earned the profession’s highest mark of achievement through a rigorous process:
Rebecca Carr, 5th-grade teacher, Lydia Hawk Elementary School
Tereza Hemstad, 5th-grade teacher, Chambers Prairie Elementary School
Jennifer Mayes, kindergarten teacher, Woodland Elementary School
We now have 131 National Board-Certified Teachers in NTPS!
Teacher Appreciation Week is May 5-9. We are grateful for all the incredible NTPS teachers who help ensure our students are empowered and future-ready every day!
School Lunch Hero Day is May 2. Our school nutrition team prepares healthy and tasty meals daily, helping students be well-nourished and ready to learn!
National School Interpreter Day is May 7. Interpreters are essential to reducing language barriers for students and families. Thank you to the knowledgeable and supportive interpreters who work at NTPS!
National School Nurse Day is May 7. School nurses support students’ physical and mental health needs, working as a critical link in the school and community!
National Speech Pathologist Day is May 18. Thank you to our speech pathologists, who help students communicate clearly and confidently. Your dedication and encouragement are key to their success!
Thank you to all these amazing professionals who help make NTPS a place where we support student success.
Beginning next school year (2025-26), NTPS will use a new family communication tool called ParentSquare. ParentSquare will be the place you receive district-wide emergency alerts and newsletters, school and classroom newsletters, and direct messages with school staff. ParentSquare will replace tools like Remind, School Messenger, Skyward Message Center, and other apps currently used for family communication. Learn more about what this change means for you!
Each month this year, we will feature a staff member who embodies our 2024-25 district theme, Joy of Learning! This month’s Joy of Learning Staff Spotlight is Oksana Skillings, math teacher at River Ridge High School.
“In the classroom, Oksana makes learning a social event," said River Ridge Principal Brent Whitemarsh. “Students work with classmates in partners and in small group settings to conquer difficult math problems. Her classroom is high energy - she is intentional about making sure everyone is engaged. Outside of the classroom, Oksana has made it her mission to recognize and celebrate the diversity of our RRHS community. As the multicultural club advisor, she organizes our annual assembly and introduced our first multicultural night earlier this year. She makes RRHS a great place to learn and celebrate what makes each of our students unique.”
Tell us a little about yourself.
I am originally from Ukraine and this is my 11th year of teaching in the United States. For the past 10 years I have been teaching math at River Ridge High School where I am also an advisor of the Multicultural Club. I love reading books and teaching math - there is something really rewarding about helping students build confidence in a subject that can be so challenging. When I’m not at school, you can usually find me outdoors. I enjoy spending time in the garden - it’s my little escape and a great way to unwind. I love my family, and I cherish every day we spend together.
What do you like best about your job?
For me, the best part about being a teacher is the dynamic exchange of knowledge. It is not just about teaching, but also about learning. I enjoy sharing the logic of mathematics with my students, and their questions and curiosity often inspire me to see things in new ways. I am also fortunate to work in the truly creative and collaborative Math department where new ideas are constantly flowing. Working with such passionate and supportive colleagues makes a big difference. Additionally, I’ve been the advisor for the multicultural club for the past five years, and that has been such a rewarding experience. I’ve had the privilege of learning from my students about their diverse cultural backgrounds, languages, traditions, and dances - it’s broadened my own perspective and deepened my connection with them.
What does the Joy of Learning mean to you?
To me, the Joy of Learning is that feeling of genuine excitement when something clicks. It’s about that moment when curiosity turns into understanding, and my math students are having the Aha! moment. It’s also about being okay with not knowing everything. I feel satisfied when students find joy in exploring something unfamiliar and following a rabbit hole just because it’s interesting, and not because they have to.
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