OV Family Newsletter 1/5

Posted Date: 01/05/26 (01:19 PM)

January 5, 2026

Happy New Year 2026 text with colorful dots and lines.

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.

Winter scene with the text 'Important Dates' in large, decorative font.

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
1/12: PTO General Meeting on Zoom @ 7pm
1/13: Learning Labs Family Meeting @ 6:30pm in library (6th grade families)
1/15: MLK Assembly @ 8:49am
1/15: PTO Fun & Games (STEAM Activities & Ice Cream Social) in cafeteria from 2:45-4:15pm
1/19: MLK Day--No School
1/20 - 1/22: Girls Basketball Tryouts
1/27: Learning Labs Family Meeting @ 6:30pm in library (6th grade families)

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.

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.

A black Canon EOS Rebel T6 DSLR camera with a Canon EF-S 18-55mm lens.

PHOTOGRAPHY CLUB STARTS THIS WEDNESDAY

We’re excited to announce that our school’s Photography Club begins this Wednesday! The club will meet every week after school in A213 with Mr. Smith. Students of all experience levels are welcome to learn photography basics, practice creative techniques, and capture amazing moments around campus.

WINTER SPORTS SEASON #2 STARTS SOON

Two female basketball players in uniform compete for the ball on a court, with spectators in the background.

GIRLS BASKETBALL TRYOUTS

Girls basketball tryouts are coming soon. Tryouts run from January 20th - January 22nd. Interested 7th and 8th grade girls must have their Final Forms online paperwork completed and have a copy of a current sports phycial on file with Mr. Reinecke before tryouts begin.zz

Two wrestlers in red and green singlets grapple intensely on a mat.

WRESTLING BEGINS IN FEBRUARY

Wrestling begins on February 12th. It's open to boys and girls in all grades. (Our 6th graders can practice with the team but cannot compete in meets.) It is a no-cut sport, but all athletes must complete Final Forms online registration and have a current physical on file.

Check out these links for more sports information: OV SPORTS INFO and FINAL FORMS ONLINE REGISTRATION.

A blue circle with a light blue checkmark and the words 'TECH CHECK' in white text.

STUDENT TECHNOLOGY CENTER

Before coming to the Student Tech Center (A110), students should do a Tech Pre-Check:

Plug in laptop. Make sure it’s charging.
Shut it down (not restart--power it off/all the way shut down).
Power it back on.
Reconnect to WiFi if necessary.
Log in.
Open Chrome.
Check to make sure your Google account is synced.
Open Schoology, Clever, etc.
Try the thing that wasn’t working before.

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 @ 7pm – PTO General Meeting on Zoom

Mukilteo School District representatives will share a 30-minute overview of the February 2026 ballot items that impact OV. The presentation will take place at the start of the meeting, so please join us if you’re able.

Additional meeting items:

We are looking for three volunteers to serve on the Nominating Committee, which helps recruit candidates for the 2026–2027 OV PTO Board.
A vote on the Nominating Committee will take place during the meeting.
We will raffle two sets of $5 Snacks Ahoy bucks for students (must be a PTO member to win).

Zoom Information:

Topic: OV PTO Personal Meeting Room

Meeting ID: 896 750 8001

Passcode: Pirates

Zoom link available on PTO communications.

January 15 – Fun & Games: STEAM & Ice Cream Social in cafeteria from 2:45-4:15pm

Students are invited to an afternoon of hands-on STEAM activities and sweet treats! Activities include ping pong cannons, marshmallow catapults, square puzzle challenge, tile painting and more. Students also get a FREE ice cream sundae!

Volunteers Needed:

We still need 2 adult volunteers from 1:45–4:30 PM to help run activity stations.

District volunteer clearance is required
Without enough volunteers, this popular event may be canceled
Volunteers will receive $2 in Snacks Ahoy bucks for their student as a thank-you

Extras:

Gift card raffle featuring Crumbl Cookies, Dairy Queen, Jersey Mike’s Subs, Emerald City Smoothies, and Chick-fil-A (Everett Mall)
Additional snacks available for $1–$2

IMPORTANT!

There is no activity bus available. Students must arrange their own transportation and pick-up is required at 4:15 PM.