In Feb. 2006 district voters approved a capital bond to build new schools, make major school renovations and buy land to build future schools.
“Over the next two decades, population forecasts by the Washington state Office of Financial Management (OFM) projects population increases for this region of between 15 and 20 percent,” said Everett School District’s Facilities and Planning Director Mike Gunn in a press release. “That translates into a need for three new elementary schools and more middle and high school classrooms over the next 20 years. Clearly, we will need more classroom space for students living and learning in this district.”
In January, the Everett School District will be moving ahead with a land search process to honor its promise to voters.
“Previous district leaders had the foresight to buy land for the future,” said Superintendent Carol Whitehead. “Their planning made it possible for us to build H.M. Jackson High School, Gateway Middle School, Penny Creek Elementary and Forest View Elementary on land purchased years ago. It is important that we make similar provisions for schools for tomorrow’s students by securing land today for their schools.”
UW searches for gifted students
The University of Washington’s Halbert and Nancy Robinson Center for Young Scholars is conducting the 2008 Washington Search for Young Scholars (WSYS) to identify the top 3 percent of the state’s students.
The deadline for students to register is Jan. 25.
The program is designed to work with the students, their families and schools to improve opportunities for gifted youth.
By participating students receive certificates of achievement from the university and are invited, with their families, to a recognition ceremony on the UW campus.
They can also take online courses from Duke and Northwestern universities designed specifically for young scholars, among other honors.
The program is free.
It seeks seventh- and eighth-grade students who have taken either the ACT or SAT I.
Fifth- and sixth-grade students also can apply. They can qualify if they scored in the top 3 percent in reading/verbal or math/quantitative sections on a recent standardized achievement or aptitude test that compared them to students in Washington or nationally by grade level. These tests include the Cognitive Abilities Test, Educational Records Bureau, Iowa Tests of Basic Skills, School and College Ability Test and Stanford Achievement Test.
High scores on the Washington Achievement of Student Learning, or WASL, of 440 in reading or 458 in math in the fourth grade and 452 in reading and 476 in math in the fifth grade also will qualify a fifth- or sixth-grade student. Students must submit new test results to be recognized in consecutive WSYS talent searchers.
Applicants also must provide the Robinson Center with photocopies of test results or written verification by a school official.
For information, see depts.washington.edu/cscy/programs/wsys/requirements/.
Lake WA Tech College starts
Lake Washington Technical College’s winter quarter begins Jan. 8. The college is located in Kirkland.
It offers professional and technical training in 38 programs, with more than 100 degree and certificate options in information technology, business and service, health and fitness; manufacturing and transportation technologies and arts, language and science.
The college’s main campus is located in Kirkland with a branch campus located in Redmond.
For information, see www.lwtc.edu, or call 425-739-8100.
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