September 15, 2021
Dear students, staff, families and community,
Now that we are two weeks into the school year things are settling down. We are pleased to add some additional teachers and staff to our school community to ensure optimal learning conditions for students. Lower class sizes promote strong relationships between students and teachers which has a positive impact on student learning. Less students in classrooms also helps us mitigate the transmission of COVID-19 by providing adequate spacing so there are fewer close contacts that have to quarantine when there is a positive case. Hiring extra teachers is one way the District is utilizing additional funds provided to us by the state and federal government to address learning loss due to the pandemic.
Among my favorite things to do is attend Mount Baker athletic events and watch our student athletes perform and compete, demonstrating outstanding character and sportsmanship. Concerns have risen throughout the county regarding spectators following the mask wearing guidelines at indoor events. We want our students to continue to have opportunities to compete with a full fan base in attendance to cheer them on. Thank you for staying diligent about the guidelines and setting a good example for other districts whether we are the home or visiting team. Outdoor guidelines did change requiring mask wearing at activities with 500 or more people in attendance. This means that in-person spectators should be prepared to wear masks at varsity football games or watch games from home using the NFHS Network.
I appreciate the communication I have received from students, staff, and parents. If you have questions or concerns, I will address them as soon as possible or have an administrator who may be more familiar with the issue respond. Both positive and critical feedback are valuable as we always aim to improve on our practices district-wide. Thanks for all you do for students and one another. Community is important!
Go Baker!
Sincerely,
Mary Sewright, Superintendent | msewright@mtbaker.wednet.edu | (360) 617-4600