North County Update
Published 12:01 am Friday, October 21, 2011
Arlington: High school honored
Arlington High School has been recognized as a 2011 Washington School of Distinction. The title was awarded to 99 schools in the state, the top 5 percent, for outstanding improvement in student achievement.
Mariner High School was the only other Snohomish County high school named to the list.
Middle schools honored are Eisenhower and Gateway in Everett, North Lake in Lake Stevens and Valley View in Snohomish.
Elementary schools honored are Brier Elementary, Cedar Wood and Silver Lake in Everett, Mukilteo Elementary and Olivia Park in Mukilteo and Sultan Elementary.
The Center for Education Effectiveness at the Northwest Education Service District plans an award ceremony from 1 to 3 p.m. Nov. 9 at 1601 R Ave., Anacortes.
Darrington: Appeal hearing scheduled
An appeal hearing regarding the firing of school superintendent Larry Johnson is now set for Nov. 17, 18, 21 and 22 in Arlington. The closed-door hearing was postponed in August by the state hearings officer after Johnson asked for more time for formal interviews of witnesses, said Darrington School Board President Julie Kuntz.
Johnson continues to collect a paycheck while the Darrington School Board, which fired him in February, waits for Johnson’s appeal hearing. Johnson’s annual salary is about $117,000. He remains on paid administrative leave during the appeal process. School board members voted to terminate Johnson’s contract because the majority believed Johnson had a “less-than-professional” relationship with an employee, and the alleged conduct “ultimately harmed the school district.”
It has been a year since the school district’s finance director died after a drug overdose at Johnson’s home in Darrington. An investigation by the district turned up evidence that Johnson apparently treated the co-worker more as a close friend than an employee. Sheriff’s investigators said they found no evidence of foul play or of a crime in the woman’s death.
Stanwood: Students entertain in 2 venues
Stanwood High School student Selena Tibert, 16, is a member of the cast of the musical “Rent,” playing now at the Lincoln Theater in Mount Vernon.
Selena also is a student at Skagit Valley College and is a singer and songwriter.
The musical, produced by the Theater Arts Guild, continues through Saturday evening.
More info: www.lincoln theatre.org/performance/ rent-presented-theater-arts-guild-tag.
Stanwood High School student Savanna Woods is scheduled to represent Washington state when she performs this week in Indianapolis at the national convention of the FFA, formerly known as Future Farmers of America.
Savanna, a member of the Stanwood FFA chapter, is an instrumentalist and singer who is among a group of 50 young people from around the country set to perform at the event. She was chosen to sing by judges who reviewed hundreds of recorded auditions. More than 50,000 FFA members are scheduled to take part in the 84th annual National FFA Convention, which focuses on the science, business and technology of agriculture.
