January 2026

Interested in checking out the newly opened River Ridge High School library? Drop by between 4:00 and 5:30 pm tonight before the School Board meeting. Open to all interested community members. 

Learn more about the River Ridge High School modernization, thanks to voter support. 

River Ridge Modernization

There will be no school on Monday, January 19, in observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day. This National Day of Service encourages all Americans to volunteer to serve others and improve their communities in honor of Dr. King's legacy.  

The SmileMobile will be at the Raj Manhas Activity Center (200 Sleater-Kinney Rd NE) from January 20-23 and 26-30. The dental team will see babies (first tooth) through high school students, as well as pregnant/postpartum adults. The appointment may include an examination, oral health education, fluoride varnish, sealants, simple extractions, fillings, and x-rays.

The SmileMobile accepts Apple Health (Medicaid) and those with no insurance coverage.

Call 888-286-9105 to schedule your appointment.

It’s time to Read Around Lacey! From January 26–February 6, elementary students can visit participating local businesses and read aloud a short writing sample or book excerpt. A business representative will listen and then share the importance of reading and writing in their work. Learn more about Read Around Lacey and the Lacey Loves to Read program.

Please join us to celebrate the newly modernized Raj Manhas Activity Center (RMAC) South building! After a short ribbon-cutting ceremony, the community is welcome to take a self-guided tour of the space from 5:00–5:45 pm on Tuesday, February 3. Thanks to voter support, the facility is now home to: 

• Ignite Family Academy 
• The NTPS Family & Youth Resource Center 
• NTPS Student Records and Archives 
• The South Sound Reading Foundation 

Learn more about this and other projects around the district. 

Join the NTPS School Board from 6:00–7:45 pm on Tuesday, February 3, at the District Office for a Community Conversation on early learning: What our district is doing and can do to support our youngest learners. Learn more about Community Conversations.

RSVP to Attend

Join the community-wide Lacey Loves to Read celebration! New York Times best-selling author Renée Watson will speak and sign books from 6:00–8:00 pm on Thursday, February 12, at the Koval Center for the Performing Arts (4155 6th Avenue NE).  

Learn more about Lacey Loves to Read and this year’s author.

You’re invited to a Community Café to share ideas on how NTPS can continue to grow a culture of inclusion, with a focus on our Native American students and families. The Café will be held from 5:30–8:00 pm on Thursday, February 19, at River Ridge High School and will include a meal and group discussions for both adults and youth. 

The Community Café approach provides a safe, welcoming space for families, students, staff, and community partners to participate as equals in conversations that value reciprocity and honor everyone’s contributions. All interested individuals, of any age, are welcome! 

Please join us! Learn more and register to attend the Café. 

The new year brings new locations for some of our schools, programs, and department staff!

• The Family and Youth Resource (FYR) Center, Student Records, and Archives staff have moved into the 1st floor of the newly renovated RMAC South on the corner of Sleater-Kinney Road and Martin Way.
• Ignite Family Academy has moved into the 2nd floor of the RMAC South.
• Summit Virtual Academy and the VOICE program have moved into the Bower Learning Center (BLC) on the corner of Sleater-Kinney Road and 6th Avenue.

As winter weather and seasonal illnesses arrive, getting students to school can sometimes feel more challenging. Regular attendance is important for students to continue learning and to feel connected to their school community. We have tips to help plan for weather, keep students healthy, and stay engaged in learning when in-person attendance isn’t possible. Visit ntps.org/attendance!

Do you know a language other than English, and would like to earn credit for it? Take a test to demonstrate your world language proficiency! You can earn high school credits for a language you already know, and also earn the Washington State Seal of Biliteracy on your diploma. Questions? See a world languages teacher or your school counselor for more information. Learn more about our world language options.

Help celebrate National Mentoring Month by becoming an NTPS Lunch Buddy! Lunch Buddies dedicate 30 minutes to one hour each week at a local school during lunch or recess to play games, talk, and have fun! Mentors listen, encourage, and empower their mentees.   

Learn more about how you can become an NTPS mentor.

The 2026 legislative session begins on January 12. The NTPS School Board has approved the district’s legislative priorities, which focus on equitable access to learning opportunities, quality programs, and future success. Read our 2026 legislative priorities.

Watch for the winter 2026 Community Connections newsletter, hitting mailboxes soon. This quarterly publication shares information with our community about many of the great things happening in NTPS, including a look at what happens during our weekly Academic Collaboration (ACT) Days, construction updates, and more. Read the latest issue!

In December, 275 Salish Middle School students chose a cookbook as part of the school's second annual Cook 2 Connect project. Students cooked at least one meal with their friends or family and wrote a reflection about what the experience meant to them. After the project, students got to keep their cookbook!

Thanks to a grant from the North Thurston Education Foundation and 1st Security Bank (Lacey Branch), each student also received a $20 gift card to go toward grocery costs for their meal.

Check out our Facebook and Instagram pages to see photos from this event and other exciting things happening in our schools!

 

 

 

 

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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, including the December 9 meeting:   

• The Board recognized the North Thurston High School girls volleyball team, who won the state championship!
• Olympic View Elementary School students reflected on the new English language arts curriculum.
• Superintendent Troy Oliver swore in Board Director Sarah Tracy.

Thank you to Olympia Federal Savings, which featured North Thurston Public Schools as their December 2-cent campaign beneficiary! For every debit card transaction, they donated 2 cents to NTPS. We appreciate your partnership and support of NTPS students!