Mill Creek Middle School

Mill Creek Middle School
620 Central Avenue North, Kent, WA. 98032
February 2015
Main Office ................................. 253-373-7446
Attendance Office ....................... 253-373-7464
Cashier ....................................... 253-373-6135
Kent School District No. 415
Principal ..................................... Sherilyn Ulland
Assistant Principal ...................... Regina Hauptmann
Assistant Principal ...................... David Jones
Si desea hablar con alguien que hable español, por favor comuniquese con Lucy Ramos (253) 373-6151.
Principal’s Message
Common Core and Smarter Balanced
Dear Parents/Guardians:
Starting this school year, our state’s learning standards are now aligned to the Common
Core State Standards in math and English language arts. Kent School District began the
transition to Common Core State Standards shortly after our State Superintendent Randy
Dorn adopted the new standards in 2011.
New state standards mean new state tests. Washington is participating in the Smarter
Balanced Assessment Consortium, along with 23 other states. It is a state-led consortium
working to develop next-generation assessments that accurately measure student progress toward college- and career-readiness.
This spring your child will take the new Smarter Balanced tests in math and English language arts. Last year the Kent School District piloted the Smarter Balanced tests in reading and math. These new tests will replace the Measurements of Student Progress (MSP)
in math, writing and reading. However, 5th and 8th graders will continue to take the MSP
in science.
The new learning standards are more challenging than the standards they replaced.
Some students who were considered proficient using the old standards will have a more
difficult time reaching proficiency using the new standards. The results from these new
tests will give a more accurate picture of whether students are on track to be college or
career ready after high school.
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Students will take the tests online. Our school is scheduled to take the tests May 13 June 2nd.
For more information about the Smarter Balanced tests and to try out a practice test
yourself, please visit www.k12.wa.us/smarter. More information about the Common
Core may be found at www.k12.wa.us/corestandards.
Thank you for continuing to work with us to make sure your child is successful. Please let
us know if there is anything we can do to better support your child. We want your child
to leave us with a solid foundation of skills and a future full of opportunities.
Sherilyn Ulland, Principal
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April 30 KSD TechExpo
ShoWare Center
May 4:
May 13:
May 14:
May 25
June 1:
June 3:
June 15:
PTSA Meeting
6:00pm, Library
Late Start (10:35am)
Incoming 7th
Grade BBQ
No School/Memorial
PTSA Meeting
6:00pm, Library
Late Start (10:35am)
Moving Up Day
MARK THESE DATES
Students should be in school the
following weeks for SBAC/MSP/
i-Ready Testing
May 13-14—Math SBAC
May 20-21—ELA SBAC
May 27-28 - iReady—Math/
ELA
June 1-2 Science MSP
Estándares estatales Básicos Comunes/Evaluación Smarter Balanced
Estimados padres/tutores:
En el comienzo de este ciclo lectivo, los estandares de aprendizaje de nuestro estado ya estan alineados con los Estandares Estatales Basicos Comunes en matematicas y en lengua y literatura inglesa. Esta transicion comenzo cuando, en el ano
2011, el Superintendente estatal, Randy Dorn, adopto los nuevos estandares. Cada distrito escolar ha estado realizando la
transicion en funcion de lo que resulta mas conveniente para maestros y alumnos.
Los nuevos estandares estatales implican nuevas pruebas. Washington participa del consorcio de examenes Smarter Balanced junto con otros 23 estados. Se trata de un consorcio dirigido por estados que trabajan para desarrollar examenes
de la proxima generacion, los cuales miden, de manera precisa, el progreso de los alumnos hacia una preparacion para la
vida universitaria y profesional.
Esta primavera, su hijo realizara las nuevas pruebas Smarter Balanced en matematicas, y lengua y literatura inglesa. Estas nuevas pruebas reemplazaran las Medidas de Progreso Estudiantil (Measurements of Student Progress, MSP) en matematicas, redaccion y lectura. No obstante, los alumnos de 5.° y 8.° ano continuaran realizando las MSP en ciencias.
Los nuevos estandares de aprendizaje son mas desafiantes que aquellos a los cuales reemplazan. Algunos alumnos considerados competentes segun los estandares anteriores deberan sortear instancias mas difíciles para alcanzar la competencia con los nuevos estandares. Los resultados de estos nuevos examenes ofreceran un panorama mas preciso acerca de si
los alumnos estan en el camino correcto hacia la preparacion para la vida universitaria o profesional luego de finalizar la
escuela secundaria.
Los estudiantes realizaran estos examenes en línea. Nuestra escuela tiene los examenes programados para el May 13June 2, 2015.
Para obtener mas informacion sobre los examenes Smarter Balanced y realizar un examen practico de prueba, visite
www.k12.wa.us/smarter. Podra encontrar mas informacion sobre el estandar Basico Comun en www.k12.wa.us/
corestandards.
Gracias por seguir trabajando con nosotros para asegurar el exito de su hijo/a. Haganos saber si hay algo que podamos
hacer para ayudar mejor a su hijo/a. Queremos que su hijo/a deje nuestra institucion con una solida base de conocimientos y un futuro lleno de oportunidades.
Atentamente.
Sherilyn Ulland
LaDirectora
E-MAIL COMMUNICATION
If you would like to receive Mill Creek newsletters, bulletins and other information via your
E-MAIL ADDRESS, feel free to give us a call at either number below or stop by the office to
give us your e-mail address.
Thank you.
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(253) 373-7464 Main Office
(253) 373-6131 Counseling
SmileMobile
Kent Elementary
Does your child need dental care? Do you know a family
with children that need dental care?
The SmileMobile dental clinic is coming to Kent Elementary May 4th-May 14th!! SmileMobile services are open to
all children in the community birth through high school.
They accept Medicaid (Apple Health), and offer a sliding
fee scale. Services can include dental screenings, fillings,
emergent care and some other dental work. They also
help provide referrals for continued care. This is a mobile
unit operated by Washington Dental Services Foundation
in partnership with Seattle Children’s Hospital.
To schedule an appointment or ask questions, call 1-888286-9105. Translator services are available, if needed.
MARK THESE DATES:
Students should be in school the
following weeks for SBAC/MSP/i-Ready
Testing
May 13-14—Math SBAC
May 20-21—ELA SBAC
May 27-28 - iReady—Math/ELA
June 1-2 Science MSP
Shirley McGarry
Nurse
Yearbooks are still on sale!
We still have a limited supply of yearbooks available for pre-order. The remaining will be sold first-come, firstserved. The cost is $20 (cash only
after June 1). Yearbooks will be
handed out during the last week of
school.
Kent School District does not discriminate in programs, activities, admissions, access, treatment, or employment on the
basis of sex, race, creed, religion, color, national origin, age, veteran or military status, sexual orientation, gender expression or identity, disability, or the use of a trained dog guide or service animal by a person with a disability, and provides
equal access to the Boy Scouts and other designated youth groups. Title IX and State Law Compliance Coordinator, Chief
Accountability Officer, 253-373-7134; Section 504/ADA Coordinator, Executive Director, Student and Family Support Services, 253-373-7010. Kent School District will also take steps to assure that national origin persons who lack English language skills can participate in all education programs, services and activities. For information regarding translation services
or bilingual education, contact the Director of Multilingual Education at 253-373-7269.
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April 23, 2015
Parents and Guardians:
On behalf of Dr. Tony Apostle, interim superintendent, and our Board of Directors, I want to share with you an important update regarding the leadership at Mill Creek Middle School for the 2015-16 school year, effective July 1,
2015.
At the regular meeting of the Board of Directors last night, the Board took action to approve Dr. Apostle’s recommendation to assign Sherilyn Ulland as the new principal of Northwood Middle School and assign Tammy Unruh as
the next principal at Mill Creek Middle School. For the past five years, Ms. Unruh has led the ongoing transformation at Mattson Middle School. Prior to this leadership experience, Ms. Unruh successfully served as the assistant principal at Kent-Meridian High School. We are confident that her collaborative style of leadership, engaging
staff and parents in the critical work of the school, will serve very well the Mill Creek Middle School community.
The Board also took action to approve Dr. Apostle’s recommendation to add a third assistant principal to Mill Creek
Middle School for the 2015-16 school year. Judy Beliveau, current assistant principal at Mattson Middle School, will
join Ms. Unruh and current Mill Creek assistant principals David Jones and Regina Hauptmann.
As we progress through the final quarter of the current school year, there will be many opportunities for you to
communicate with Mrs. Ulland to help ensure that your child finishes the year on a high note. There will also be
opportunities in the future for you to meet, get to know, and work with Ms. Unruh. The team of committed adults
at Mill Creek Middle School will continue its work to ensure an exciting teaching and learning environment exists to
the benefit of all students.
Mill Creek Middle School is an excellent school; your engagement and support has ensured its success.
Thank you!
Sincerely,
Louanne Decker
Chief Academic & Innovation Officer
INCOMING 7TH GRADE FAMILIES
PLEASE JOIN THE MILL CREEK STAFF FOR OUR
ANNUAL BARBECUE ON THURSDAY, MAY 14.
You will have the opportunity to meet our staff
and learn about the many activities available for
students at Mill Creek Middle School
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