FYI: Your Schools
Published 10:53 pm Monday, January 14, 2008
The word from: Lakewood High School
“We have a pep assembly Friday (last week). It’s our winter sports pep assembly for the wrestling team and for boys’ basketball and girls’ basketball. We had a dodgeball tournament. The team that won is going to play against a team of teachers. The teachers are the Lakewood Gladiators. (This week), we’ll have a Martin Luther King Day assembly.”
— Akaash Saini, junior
Stanwood offers math, science events on holiday
The Stanwood High School Technology Student Association is inviting the school district’s third- through fifth-graders to explore math and science through hands-on projects at a Technology and Engineering Day from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday in the high school library.
The event will be on Martin Luther King Day, a school holiday.
The students will get to work with high school students on projects that focus on structural design, vehicle design and problem-solving skills.
Cost is $25 and includes lunch, learning activities and all materials for the day.
Registration forms are available online at www.stanwood.wednet.edu under the “News and Events” and “Upcoming Events” links or by contacting Ross Short at 360-629-1300, ext. 5610, or rshort@Âstanwood.wednet.edu.
Superintendent hopefuls to visit Granite Falls
The Granite Falls School Board is inviting parents, business leaders, alumni and local residents to meet the superintendent candidate finalists.
Dates for the community forums are Jan. 29, 30 and 31, one night for each candidate.
The school board is expected to narrow its candidate pool to three candidates on Jan. 26.
All meetings will be from 6 to 7 p.m. in the Granite Falls Middle School commons, 205 N. Alder Ave.
The forums offer a chance to ask questions and review qualifications of each candidate. Afterward, participants can complete a response form to provide input on each candidate, which will be forwarded to the board before the final selection.
Seminar helps to tap into scholarship money
Students and their families can learn how to get free money for college at a student aid workshop Jan. 27.
Everett Community College is hosting College Goal Sunday, a free program that helps families fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, also known as FAFSA.
Volunteers from EvCC, the Northwest Education Loan Association and other professionals will be available to help students and their families complete the FAFSA.
The FAFSA form is the first step in obtaining financial help from the government.
Pre-registration is not required, but there is an online sign-up to reserve a time. The event begins at 2 p.m. Jan. 27.
Students and parents are encouraged to attend the event together. Bring recent tax forms, pay stubs, the student’s Social Security number and a driver’s license if they have one. Financial records are not mandatory to attend the workshop.
For more details, visit www.collegegoalsundaywa.org or call 888-758-2253.
Information is also available at EvCC’s Web site, www.Âeverettcc.edu/collegegoal.
Lake Stevens begins boundary review process
Twenty-seven local residents, Lake Stevens School District administrators and school board members will begin a boundary review process at 6:30 tonight at the district’s educational service center, 12309 22nd St. NE.
The district plans to adjust student attendance area boundaries for the start of the 2008-2009 school year.
The committee will be asked to study the boundaries for Hillcrest, Sunnycrest, Highland and Mount Pilchuck schools and to recommend a proposal that would balance the elementary student populations at those schools.
Guidelines for the panel’s work include maintaining neighborhoods, keeping siblings in the same elementary school and relationships with a middle school and or high school attendance area. Other criteria are adjusting class loads to available space and coordinating transportation routes with attendance areas.
The first meeting will include review of parameters and guiding principles, timelines and decision-making procedures. It is expected that the committee will have a recommendation for the school board in April.
Cascadia, Northshore work to improve math
Math teachers from the Northshore School District are teaming up with Cascadia Community College faculty to tackle the tough problem of ensuring a smooth math transition from high school to college.
Roughly half of the state’s high school students entering community college are not ready to take college-level math after graduation.
Teachers from the area’s high schools and junior highs recently attended a Northshore math symposium, organized by Cascadia math instructor David Whittaker. The symposium provided a chance for the teachers and college faculty to discuss their common goal of improved student learning.
The symposium looked at many other issues involved in improving student success in math.
The symposium was funded through a grant by the Transition Mathematics Project, which receives support from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. For more information on the TMP, visit http://transitionmathproject.org.
Reception set for superintendent of year
An open house and reception to honor Arlington School District Superintendent Linda Byrnes is set for 5:30 to 7 p.m. Jan. 24 at Skagit State Bank, 20313 77th Ave. NE, Arlington.
Byrnes was recently named Washington state superintendent of the year.
The event is part of an Arlington and Smokey Point Chamber of Commerce event and the public is welcome.
The reception is being sponsored by Skagit State Bank and the Arlington Education Foundation.
Granite Falls to dedicate new high school Saturday
An open house for the new Granite Falls High School is scheduled 1 p.m. Saturday at the new campus, 1401 100th St. NE, Granite Falls.
Four former superintendents will be on hand and U.S. Rep. Rick Larsen, D-Wash., will speak at the dedication. Granite Falls alumni dating back to the 1920s are expected to attend at the ceremony.
Visitors can get a tour of the new school following the program.
What’s up at your school? Call us at 425-339-3036 or e-mail schoolfyi@heraldnet.com.
