Turk Talk | Safety scare spurs discussion

There has been much commotion at Sultan High School (SHS) recently.-á On Tuesday, April 28, questions were raised about our safety. An unnamed student had been heard making concerning comments. The school administration started an investigation. The next day, students seemed on edge because news of the incident had spread. Many parents expressed anger and frustration toward the school, due to the fact that it had communicated about the issue a day after the incident.

On April 29, Sultan School District Superintendent Dan Chaplik, addressed the concern with a letter: "We want to provide some follow-up information given the volume of rumors surrounding Sultan High School GǪ What occurred yesterday was a remark from one student to another, which warranted further investigation.-á Per our standard protocol, the student has been removed from campus pending the outcome of the investigation. The student will not return until there are assurances of school and student safety GǪ The reason information was not sent yesterday was that there was not an "active incident.' There was never a need to go into a lockdown nor was any sort of weapon part of the discussion. Students and staff were not in danger at any time.GÇ¥-á

He continued with some precautions for families to take in case of emergencies.

The administration has set up a parent/student meeting with a School Safety Forum on Wednesday, May 13, at 6:30 p.m. in the commons. It will cover what happens when administrators receive the report of a concern, what the investigation/discipline process look like, how the building responds, what parents can expect in the event of an emergency and what the safety features and concerns are on our campus. It will include ideas of how the school and parents can better work together.

On a lighter note, softball and track were all at home on Thursday, April 30. At the track meet, Austin Baylor and Taylor Boucher were able to set new personal records by a foot in pole vault, and cleared 9 feet. The girls softball team defeated Cedar Park Christian 11 - 0, and Shelby Jeffries hit a grand slam!

The boys baseball and soccer had senior night on Friday, May 1. The baseball team shut down Cedar Park Christian 8 - 0. The boys soccer team, on the other hand, had quite the loss against South Whidbey, with a final score of 0 - 14.-á

Upcoming events

If you are interested in running for ASB or a class officer position next year, please sign up in the main office on Friday by 3 p.m. Remember to sign up on the Declaration of Interest form in the main office today, May 5. There will be a meeting on Tuesday morning, May 5, at 7:30 a.m. in the library for all ASB and class officer candidates.

Interested in attending Duke? Georgetown? Harvard? Penn State? Or Stanford? All will be together the week of May 10 in Seattle and Bellevue for information sessions. If you are interested, please check the SHS Counseling website for time and address information.

May 15 will be the last day the school will take checks from seniors. Remember all fees and fines will need to be paid by graduation, to receive your diploma.

Need help getting started in the job market? Go to the Sultan Library's Drop-in Job Club to gain in-person expert advice from a specialist that will help you enhance your resume. It will meet every Thursday starting May 14 from 3 to 4 p.m. at the Sultan Sno Isle Library (319 Main St. No. 100).