OV Family Newsletter 12/15

Posted Date: 12/16/25 (12:03 PM)

December 15, 2025

A cheerful snowman with a scarf and star decoration, wishing 'Enjoy Your Winter Break!'

Hello, OV Families!

We're excited to share the latest happenings and updates from our school community to keep you informed and engaged.

If you have any questions, please reach out to our office manager, Jamie Wright. You can reach her at WrightJL@mukilteo.wednet.edu.

Reminder: OV students are dismissed at noon this Friday, December 19th. Winter Break runs from December 22nd through January 2nd. Enjoy your break with your friends and family!

A winter-themed graphic with the text 'Important Dates'.

12/15 - 12/19: Winter Sweater Week
12/17: Home Basketball Game @ 3:45pm
12/19: Early Dismissal Day (students released at noon with free Grab ‘n Go lunches available at dismissal)
12/22/25 – 1/2/26: Winter Break—No School
1/5: Happy New Year--Back to School!
1/7: Home Volleyball Game @ 3:45pm
1/12 - 1/16: S.O.S. Presentations in social studies classes (see more details below)
1/12: Home Basketball Game @ 3:45pm
1/13: Learning Labs Family Meeting @ 6:30pm in library (6th grade families)
1/15: MLK Assembly @ 8:49am
1/19: MLK Day--No School

A school calendar for the 2025-2026 academic year, with dates and key events.

SCHOOL INFO

OFFICE HOURS:

During the school year, our office is open from 7:30am-4pm on weekdays.

SCHOOL SCHEDULE:

Mondays-Thursdays: 8:05am-2:45pm

Fridays: 8:05am-1:30pm

ATTENDANCE:

Need to report an absence for your student? Please message our attendance clerk, Alex Maldonado, in ParentSquare or email him at OVAttendance@mukilteo.wednet.edu. You can also call the attendance line at (425) 366-5205.

MEALS:

Breakfast and lunch are free for all students this year. Our cafeteria opens at 7:35am for breakfast. CLICK HERE for the bell schedule to see the lunch times (separated by grade levels).

WEBSITE:

Please check out OV's homepage throughout the year for important information including our staff directory.

STAFF DIRECTORY:

Need to contact a teacher or other staff member? Go to "Our School" and click on "Olympic View Middle School: Staff Directory." Families can also message staff through ParentSquare.

ACTIVITY BUS:

Students in a supervised club or activity can ride the activity bus home. The bus leaves OV at 4:10pm on Mondays - Thursdays and has limited stops. CLICK HERE to see the bus stops and estimated drop-off times.

WINTER SWEATER WEEK

OV students and staff are encouraged to show off their school spirit next week. Wear a festive, cozy or ugly sweater this week. Save your favorite one for Friday, December 19th!

A red mailbox receives a report card delivered by a paper airplane from a school building.

REPORT CARDS

Report cards are mailed home. Families can expect to receive students' first trimester report cards within the next two weeks. Check your mailbox!

The letters SOS are displayed with a life preserver, with the text 'Signs of Suicide' below.

SOS PRESENTATIONS

School staff are working to teach students about mental health and how to seek help if they are worried about themselves or a friend. We are using a program called SOS Signs of Suicide. The program teaches students about this difficult topic and encourages them to seek help.

Through the program, students learn:

That depression is treatable, so they are encouraged to seek help
How to identify depression and potential suicide risk in themselves or a friend
To ACT (Acknowledge, Care and Tell a trusted adult) if concerned about themselves or a friend
Who they can turn to at school for help

For information on warning signs for youth suicide, useful resources and some of the key messages students will learn, we encourage parents/guaradians to visit: https://mindwise.org/parents/

Presentations will be school-wide during the week of January 12th and will be taught through social studies classes.

If you have questions or concerns, please contact your student’s school counselor:

6th grade: Lisa Morris
7th grade: Wendy Smith
8th grade: Alex Hernandez

For more information, please see the attached flyer.

Informational poster about youth suicide prevention, with text and graphics.

ENERGY DRINKS

Energy drinks are not allowed at school. These beverages often contain high amounts of caffeine, sugar, and other stimulants that can be unhealthy and even dangerous, especially for growing students. Drinking them can cause headaches, rapid heartbeat, or trouble focusing in class. To keep everyone safe and ready to learn, please choose water, milk, or juice instead.

A graphic displays various popular energy drink cans with text about their contents and effects.

The words "LIBRARY NEWS" are displayed in large black text over a blurred background of bookshelves.

Studies have shown that students who read during school breaks are more likely to read later in life. Some students have been assigned a classic to read this trimester. Some students are trying to read more pages than other classes. Some students need to read at least 4 books this trimester. At 10 minutes of reading/day, your OV student would be able to complete over 2 hours of reading over the Winter Break!

A variety of non-perishable food items are collected for a food drive.

OV FOOD DRIVE--LAST WEEK!

Thank you to all of the families who have already donated to our OV Food Drive. Your generosity is much appreciated!

The food drive continues through Friday, December 19th. Our goal is to collect quick and easy dinner items that students can prepare at home.

We are asking for shelf stable, kid-friendly foods that don’t require extra ingredients like milk, butter or eggs. “Heat and eat” or “just add water” items are especially helpful.

Grains & Bases

Instant rice cups (microwavable) or jasmine rice bags
Pasta (regular or microwave-ready pouches)
Mac & cheese cups
Ramen or noodle bowls (lower sodium if possible)
Instant mashed potatoes
Velveeta mac and cheese (no milk or butter needed)
Crackers
Tortilla Chips

Proteins

Canned chicken or tuna
Canned chili or stew
Canned beans (black, pinto, or refried)
Peanut butter
Lentil or bean soup cups

Sauces & Add-Ons

Pasta sauce
Salsa
Shelf-stable cheese sauce pouches
Teriyaki or stir-fry sauce packets

Ready-to-Eat or Low-Prep Meals

Chef Boyardee or Annie’s pasta cups
Instant noodle or rice bowls with veggies/protein
Microwave soups
Boxed shelf-stable meal kits (Hormel Compleats, Annie’s)

Donations can be sent to school with your student or dropped off in the main office. Any contribution—big or small—helps support a family in our community.

Thank you for your continued care and generosity. Our Pirate community truly takes care of one another!

A box filled with food items, including fruits, vegetables, and canned goods.

FOOD ASSISTANCE

Some families are worried because help from SNAP (food benefits) has been impacted by the recent government shutdown. If your family needs extra food support, talk to your school counselor or Student Support Advocate—they can help assist you find additional resources.

Here are a couple of options to get started.

Check out the attached list of local food banks and when they’re open.
CLICK HERE to do an online search for local food resources.

If you or your family need more help, see or call our Student Support Advocate, Patty Nogueda, in the main office. She can be reached at 425-366-5224.

An open book with various school-related icons, including a lightbulb and calculator, on a wood-grain background.

AFTER-SCHOOL HOMEWORK HELP

LEARNING LABS is open after school from 2:45-4pm in C143 (PE Health classroom) on Mondays through Thursdays.

Learning Labs is for 6th graders only!
Kim Phillips, our LEARNING LAB coordinator for this school year, can help students stay on top of work, strengthen your student's skills, and make sure they are starting the year off right. Let’s kick off the school year strong and stay on track for academic success.

ELECT TO LEARN is open after school from 2:45-4pm in A214 on Mondays through Thursdays.

It is open to all grades.
It is staffed by Ms. Laura, Ms. Karina & Ms. Katie.

Both of these options are quiet study places to get help with homework or to read a book. No cell phones or computer gaming is allowed.

ACTIVITY BUS: Students attending these supervised activities can ride the activity bus home as long as they live in our bus boundaries. CLICK HERE for the bus stops and estimated time of drop-off.

Colorful pencils frame the text 'PARENT MEETING' on a white background.

LEARNING LABS--FAMILY MEETINGS IN JANUARY

Upcoming Parent Nights — Join the Conversation!

We’re excited to offer two engaging Parent Information Nights this January, designed to strengthen the partnership between home and school and help every student thrive.

These meetings are for our 6th grade families--students should attend with their parents/guardians.
Meetings are in the OV library.

Tuesday, January 13 · 6:30–8:00 PM

Topics include:

What is continuous monitoring, and why is it essential to student success?
Building your child’s support team — Student, Parent, and School working together
Parents as partners: navigating middle school challenges and how to best support your child

Tuesday, January 27 · 6:30–8:00 PM

Topics include:

Understanding the state assessment tool — what it is, why it matters, and how to help your student prepare
Fostering hope, resiliency, and self-advocacy — key ingredients in school success

These sessions are open to all 6th grade families and will be held in the school library. We look forward to seeing you and exploring ways to support our students together!

Graphic with pirate hat, waves, and text: 'OV PTO News'.

Join OV's PTO

What is OV PTO? Olympic View Middle School PTO (Parent Teacher Organization) has a simple mission to assist students, staff, and families at Olympic View. Let us know if you'd like to volunteer in any way!

JOIN PTO:

Become a PTO member HERE - (suggested $15 but can put $0 - we just want you to join!)

CALENDAR OF EVENTS:

OV PTO sponsors many events throughout the school year. CLICK HERE to see all of our planned events.

UPCOMING PTO EVENTS

January 12: Zoom General Meeting

Mukilteo School District representatives will share information on the items that will be on the ballot in February 2026. The presentation will be 30 minutes at the beginning of the meeting. Please join if you can to learn the items that involve OV.

In addition, we will need at least 3 people willing to be part of the Nominating Committee. The Nominating Committee helps recruit qualified individuals to part of the 2026-27 OV PTO Board. We will vote on the Nominating Committee as well during the meeting.

We also raffle off two sets of $5 Snacks Ahoy bucks for your student to use (must be a PTO member to win).

Topic: OV PTO's Personal Meeting Room

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us06web.zoom.us/j/8967508001?pwd=BbSvzDfKUVwohuA7kbgQL45rh8B2Nb.1

Meeting ID: 896 750 8001

Passcode: Pirates

January 15: Fun & Games: STEAM & Ice Cream Social

Join us for an afternoon of hands-on STEAM fun! Students can explore activities like ping pong shooters, a marshmallow catapult, a square puzzle, and tile painting—plus enjoy a FREE ice cream sundae.

We’ll also be holding a gift card raffle featuring prizes from Crumbl Cookies, Dairy Queen, Jersey Mike’s Subs, Emerald City Smoothies, and Chick-fil-A (Everett Mall). Additional snacks will be available for $1–$2.

Please note: no activity bus is available—plan to arrange student pick-up at 4:15 PM.

Volunteers Needed:

We still need three adult volunteers from 1:45–4:30 PM to help run activity stations. District volunteer clearance is required. Without enough adult help, we’ll have to cancel this popular event. Sign up to volunteer HERE.

Volunteers will receive $2 in “Snacks Ahoy” bucks to give to their student as a thank-you!