A diverse community of lifelong learners in Lacey, Washington
In This Section
October 2024
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.
Joyful learning often means hands-on learning. In our schools, we offer classes and clubs that give students the opportunity to practice what they have learned. This brings learning to life, sparking curiosity and further exploration.
For example, middle school students in our Health Occupation Student Association (HOSA) clubs engage in hands-on activities to learn about health science and explore careers in health care. They also participate in competitive national events and have opportunities to build their leadership skills. At a recent Komachin Middle School HOSA meeting, students assembled 100 first aid kits to pass out to families at Lacey Children’s Day.
Thank you to everyone in the community who has attended one of the Meet the Superintendent meetings so far and provided feedback on what you’re proud of and where we can improve. We will hold another meeting later this month, from 6:00–7:00 pm on Friday, October 25, at Timberline High School. Please join me!
This month’s Joy of Learning video is about the Lydia Hawk Elementary School Bilingual Reading Buddies program. Students arrive at school early because they are excited to read with their peers and have a snack. It’s one example of how we work every day to spark a joy of learning for all 15,000 NTPS students!
On Indigenous Peoples’ Day, Monday, October 14, we honor the past, present, and future of Native peoples throughout the United States. The NTPS School Board and the Nisqually Tribal Council meet twice a year to grow our partnership, including:
Enhancing cultural and academic opportunities for Native American students, such as the Native Student Program.
Implementing the Since Time Immemorial curriculum for all NTPS students.
Providing staff professional development on tribal sovereignty, Since Time Immemorial, and more.
Our next Community Conversation will focus on Accelerating the Future: Exploring increased student participation and proficiency in specialized course options such as Advanced Placement, honors, and dual credit. Join other community members from 6:00–8:00 pm on Tuesday, October 15, in the NTPS District Office Boardroom (305 College Street NE). Please register to attend by October 10.
This conversation aligns with NTPS Strategic Plan Goal 4: Continuous Growth – All Students, All Subjects.
The NTPS School Board hosts Community Conversations to help inform future Board determinations and keep our district focused on our commitments to our students and families.
We could be anywhere when an earthquake strikes: home, school, work, even at the grocery store. The Great Washington ShakeOut is an annual event to practice earthquake safety. This year’s ShakeOut will be at 10:17 am on Thursday, October 17. Nearly 1 million people around the state participate each year by holding Drop, Cover, and Hold On drills and thinking about how to be better prepared. Learn how you can participate in the ShakeOut.
Active-duty military and federally employed families: Please return your Federal Impact Aid surveys to your child's school by Friday, October 18. Survey responses are confidential and provide our district with federal funding for military support staff, school events, and more. Download the form on our Military Support page.
Military families (active duty, veterans, reserves, and national guard): Join us for a night of food, laughter, and games! The fun will take place from 5:30–7:30 pm on Tuesday, October 22, in the Timberline High School Commons (6120 Mullen Rd SE). Please RSVP for the event so we can provide enough pizza! Children are welcome (childcare is not provided). Questions? Email militarysupport@nthurston.k12.wa.us.
Families of students in grades 5–12 are invited to a Human Development & HIV/AIDS Parent Education Night from 6:00-8:00 pm on Wednesday, October 23, in the NTPS District Office Boardroom (305 College Street NE). Families can learn more about the health-related education provided at our schools, review the curriculum, and speak to a school nurse.
Please join us for a virtual presentation titled “Coping with Deployment” from 5:30 pm–7:00 pm on Thursday, October 24. American Red Cross facilitators will share resources for military-connected family members on effective ways to cope with the deployment cycle. Please RSVP for the presentation, and you will receive a Zoom link via email. Questions? Email militarysupport@nthurston.k12.wa.us.
Meet Superintendent Troy Oliver from 6:00–7:00 pm on Friday, October 25, at Timberline High School. This community meeting is an opportunity to provide feedback on what you’re proud of in NTPS and where we can improve. Please join us! RSVP: email communications@nthurston.k12.wa.us and tell us you're coming!
Each year, NTPS partners with the City of Lacey and the Lacey South Sound Chamber on a Compassionate Community project to recognize the importance of treating each other with kindness, respecting differences, and making our district a place where everyone belongs and feels safe.
Our 2024-25 Compassionate Community project is helping ensure hunger never gets in the way of student success. We are partnering with All Kids Win, a local nonprofit that provides weekend food to Thurston County students!
Our high school restorative centers help build school communities that invest in the power of relationships. Students manage conflict by repairing harm and restoring relationships, creating a culture of empathy, accountability, and belonging. A staff facilitator and trained student advocates use the restorative framework at each center.
We love our volunteers! Volunteering is a great way to support NTPS schools, and there are many opportunities throughout the year to make a difference. New volunteers must submit an application, which includes a background check. For returning volunteers, we process renewals automatically every two years and volunteer applications are approved district wide. Find out more about volunteering and apply today!
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 now through December 15. Learn more about the program and application process.
Families now have access to a virtual Safety Study Hall, a library of information and resources on health and safety topics including opioid overdose prevention, secure storage of firearms and ammunition, and secure storage of prescription and over-the-counter drugs. The Safety Study Hall was created by the state Department of Health in partnership with the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction.
Seven Oaks Elementary School staff and families celebrated the opening of their new traffic garden! Traffic gardens are miniature streetscapes that give kids a realistic and fun place to learn and practice bicycle and pedestrian safety skills. Visit our district’s Facebook and Instagram pages for more examples of learning and fun in our schools!
Our School Board meetings are an excellent place to hear the latest news from around the district. Be sure to review our Board meeting highlights to learn about:
The September 3 meeting, which included updates on the NTPS Summer Scholars program, student attendance, and opportunities for student voice.
The September 17 meeting, which included updates on special education funding and student academic proficiency.
October is National Principals Month. NTPS is grateful for our outstanding principals and assistant principals for all they do for our students, staff, and communities.
October 2 is National Custodian Appreciation Day. Thank you to our incredible custodians for working hard to keep our schools and buildings safe and clean!
Each month this year, we will feature a staff member who embodies our 2024-25 district theme, Joy of Learning! Ken Tanner is the longtime physical education teacher at Evergreen Forest Elementary School and is known as an enthusiastic, kind, and creative teacher.
“It is amazing to watch generations of our community members—adults and children—chat with Mr. Tanner, recalling favorite activities like 5th-grade track and field or riding scooters,” said Evergreen Forest Principal Heather McCarthy. “For decades, he has embodied the joy of learning for students at our school.”
Tell us a little bit about yourself.
I've taught in North Thurston Public Schools at Evergreen Forest since 1991. My favorite things are being in the mountains, seeing live music, coaching 5th-grade track & field, and driving to Bend with Colleen to visit our son Samuel and his partner Tess. Colleen and I met while working for the U.S. Geological Survey during the exciting days after Mount St. Helens erupted. My claim to semi-fame was mapping the many newly created or wildly affected lakes near the volcano.
What do you like best about your job?
Long-term relationships with many Evergreen Forest families have always been the best part of my job. I regularly have the honor of teaching siblings for 10 years, even 20, as they move through their elementary school years...and then I often get to teach their children too.
What does the Joy of Learning mean to you?
An elementary PE teacher gets to see the joy of learning every day. For me, the Joy of Learning is best described in a few short stories:
Once, I handed a jump rope to a kindergartener and gave them one tip. They almost immediately mastered it and were wide-eyed and a bit disbelieving. I always claimed to have taught them how to jump rope, and we laughed about it for years.
Another Bobcat, one of our just-graduated 5th graders, used to wiggle almost uncontrollably as he patiently waited to be active and practice and learn.
Last year's 2nd graders spent a lot of time with me practicing shoe tying on lacing boards. One little friend would regularly run up to me, bend down and untie their shoelaces, retie them perfectly, and crack a giant grin.
And my favorite... When I was in the classroom many years ago, a math-sharp 1st grader would come in for lessons with my 2nd graders. In June, her mom asked who she would like to have as a 2nd-grade teacher. "Well, not Mr. Tanner," she said. "He taught me everything he knows." She went on to the University of Washington and a Ph.D.
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