FYI: Your schools
Published 10:14 pm Monday, May 26, 2008
The word from:
Everett High School
“The senior projects are coming up (this) week and there’s a jazz night for the band coming up in June. There’s a lot to do.”
Veronica Onyszko, freshman
Arlington schools set gathering for retirees
Arlington Public Schools will honor its retirees from 3:30 to 5 p.m. June 4 in the Arlington High School commons, 18821 Crown Blvd.
Those retiring are Linda Andrews, Linda Byrnes, Shirley Case, Judy Donoghue, Ruth Duffy, Sharon Glasson, Allen Jefferson, Lynn Johnson, Dorothy Larsen, Anita Maguire, Dory Maubach, Judi Merz, Karen Timken and Teresa Trivett.
Horizon Elementary to add all-day kindergarten
Students who attend kindergarten at Horizon Elementary School next year will have full-day sessions rather than the half-day kindergarten classes normally offered.
The change was made possible because Horizon has become eligible to receive funding through a state program that provides free full-day kindergarten classes to students in schools with the highest poverty levels.
Under the program, all kindergarten students going to Horizon will have a chance to attend a full day of classes at no additional charge. Parents also can choose to send their child to the regular half-day classes if that is their preference.
Other Mukilteo School District elementary schools offer all-day kindergarten classes, but those classes are available to parents who pay a tuition that covers the added cost of full-day sessions.
The program paying for full-day kindergarten was approved by the Legislature in 2007. Horizon is one of 119 elementary schools throughout the state that have become eligible to offer the free full-day kindergarten program during the 2008-09 school year.
Cascadia to add new campus building
Cascadia Community College in Bothell recently commemorated the beginning of construction for its first campus expansion project.
The new building is the $35 million, 54,000-square-foot Center for Global Learning and the Arts.
The center will include state-of-the-art classrooms, faculty offices, a performing arts theater and two art studios. The new building will allow Cascadia to expand by an additional 800 students.
“This is a monumental step in the history of Cascadia Community College,” said Cascadia President Bill Christopher.
The Center for Global Learning and the Arts is scheduled for completion in December of 2009, with an opening to students and faculty projected for winter quarter 2010.
The center was designed by The Miller Hull Partnership and the project contractor is Hoffman Construction. Funding for the project is provided by the Legislature, through the State Board of Community and Technical Colleges.
Completion of the Center for Global Learning and the Arts is the second phase of the master plan for development of the Cascadia portion of the campus. The master plan calls for one additional Cascadia building with classroom space by 2025.
Open house for retiring Granite Falls principal
An open house for Granite Falls Middle School Principal Dick Panagos, who is retiring at the end of the this school year, is set for 2:30 to 4 p.m. Friday in the Granite Falls Middle School commons, 205 N. Alder Ave.
Parents and local residents are invited to stop by to celebrate his 43 years in public education. He has spent the past 12 years in the Granite Falls district.
Panagos began his career in Illinois in 1965 as a high school teacher. He then spent nine years as an assistant principal and principal in Arizona before moving to Lynden in Whatcom County to teach and coach.
Panagos joined the Granite Falls School District in 1996 as the middle school principal.
Panagos taught English, speech, drama, media, language arts, social studies, and humanities and coached baseball, tennis and golf.
Penny Creek PTA plans carnival Saturday
Penny Creek Elementary holds its annual PTA carnival from 1 to 5 p.m. Saturday at the school, 4117 132nd St. SE, Everett.
Admission is free.
Event tickets are 40 for $10 at the door
The carnival will include games, inflatable bouncy houses, a slide, obstacle course, prizes and food.
St. Pius X plans 21st annual fantasy fest
St. Pius X School holds its 21st annual Fantasy Fest from Friday to Sunday on the school playground, 22105 58th Ave. W., Mountlake Terrace.
It is a three-day carnival with rides, games, arts, food booths, live entertainment and a pub for the parents. Admission is free.
Times are 5 p.m. to midnight on Friday, 11 a.m. to midnight on Saturday and noon to 4 on Sunday.
For more information, call the school office at 425-778-9861.
Audit finds problem in Sultan School District
The Washington State Auditor’s Office issued the Sultan School District a finding last week for the way it handled federal funding for its special education program.
In 2007, the district didn’t check to see if other school districts it uses federal money to contract with were barred from doing business with the federal government. The auditor’s investigation revealed that both the districts Sultan contracted with were allowed to work with the government; so Sultan wasn’t asked to return any money.
The auditor’s office did, however, ask Sultan to always check contractors’ status before working with them.
In their response, district officials said they have complied and now always check vendors’ status before finalizing a contract.
The audit report is online at www.sao.wa.gov.
Lakewood schools names new director
Joyce Scott will take over as the new director of learning support services at the Lakewood school district on July 1. She currently coordinates Lakewood High School’s career and technical education and student success programs. Scott was a counselor at the school from 2000 to 2007.
She has also worked as an instructional assistant at Snohomish High School and as a substitute teacher in Arizona.
Scott earned a master’s degree in guidance and counseling in 2000 from City University of Seattle. She received a vocational counselor certificate in 2005 and is completing her Washington career and technical education director certification.
Seminar centers on teen suicide prevention
A seminar about teen suicide prevention is 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. June 3 in the Stanwood Middle School cafeteria, 9405 271st St. NW.
The public forum will feature Renee Arcement, lead health educator for the state’s Youth Suicide Prevention Program.
Discussions will center around the symptoms and warning signs of suicide.
The event is sponsored by the Stanwood Camano Community Resource Center, the Healthy Choices Coalition and the Island County Community Mobilization Against Substance Abuse and Violence.
