Ellensburg School News - Ellensburg School District

Ellensburg School News
2011-2012 SPRING NEWSLETTER
Superintendent’s Corner
Lincoln
The Ellensburg School District vision is that all students will
graduate prepared for life’s opportunities. Our mission is to
provide a quality education that empowers and inspires all students to be creative, confident, contributing and respectful citizens. The Ellensburg School district staff has created a caring
environment for teaching, learning and working that makes
decisions based on the best interest of the students and the
community they serve.
This time of year is probably the busiest time for students,
staff, and parents. The end of the school year certainly has it
challenges. Statewide testing, teachers working hard with students before they head home for summer, administrators planning for end of the year activities, and parents who are involved with their children and their activities such as little
league, softball, soccer, music lessons and 4-H. It certainly can
become a very hectic time especially with graduation for our
seniors just around the corner. Therefore, I want to thank all of
you who have made this a tremendous year.
Paul Farris
Superintendent
On April 12th from 5:30-7:00 pm Lincoln had its first Science Night. Volunteers from CWU managed 10 classrooms
that focused on various science content. Approximately 300
people walked through to enjoy the different science activities
that included the following: reptiles, butterflies, bubbles, beavers, explosions, human air hockey, astronomy, insects, volcanoes, and mammal pelts. From the WATERS grant from
CWU, Mrs. Affholter’s fellow, Jonathan Hegna, did all of the
organization. The students that went had a great experience!!
Career and Technical Education
Students in various Career & Technical Education courses in
the district are gaining valuable skills while engaged in their
courses. CTE courses prepare students for any post-secondary
educational option by providing relevant learning experiences.
In addition to career-specific skills, students also develop employability & leadership skills to prepare them for their future.
Students in the
horticulture class are
seen pinching flowers in
hanging baskets for the
upcoming plant sale in
May.
The Kid’s Care class at EHS allows high school students to interact with Valley
View Elementary students as “buddies.” These older students get to assist with
classroom instruction once per week during their semester.
Special Services
The Special Education Department is forming a Parent Advisory Council. Interested parents of students with special needs
are asked to apply. Please send a letter outlining your qualifications by June 1st to: Bill Meehan, Director of Special
Services at 1300 East Third Avenue—Ellensburg, WA 98926
1300
EAST
THIRD
AVEN UE.
ELLENSBURG,
WA.
509-925-8000
Mt. Stuart
The play, Oliver Twist, was presented by a cast of
36 Mount Stuart students and their director, Fifth
Grade Teacher, Erika Hanson, March 14-16. They
began practicing in January. The performances
were well attended with many people having to
stand. Comments from the community confirmed
that the play was exceptionally done!
“Oliver”
Valley View
Maddie Lueders
Returning soon to
Valley View
Maddie’s class!
Mrs. Wallace’s second
grade students are
anxious for her return.
Valley View is excited to welcome back second grade
student Maddie Lueders who has been out most of the
year for cancer treatment.
Guest Author
Students are working hard to cap off a year of great learning
at our school. There are many exciting events happening this
spring as well; the Central Washington Dance Company
performed a sample of their Beauty and the Beast Ballet last
week, this week we have an assembly that will expose students to a variety of alternative sports activities and our first
and second graders have been taking swimming lessons at
the city pool. The Valley View Choir, under the direction of
Washington State Music Education Teachers Association
Teacher of the Year Leslie Schneider, continues to dazzleperforming in a variety of locations, most recently at Central
for the CWU music students. In addition to their part in
those activities, teachers are collaborating more than ever as
our Tuesday morning’s are spent together in grade level and
job-alike groups. Time there is spent working to identify
areas of learning that may need additional attention and then
planning that help together. These Professional Learning
Communities as we call them have brought us together as a
staff and have allowed us to unite our efforts for the good of
all of the kids in our school. What a privilege it is to work
with the kids and families that we do.
Mount Stuart had an author visit
on March 7th. Matthew Holm,
illustrator and creator of the
Baby Mouse series, spent the day
with our students and the evening
with their families. He instructed
students in how to create and illustrate stories.
Much was learned by all. There is no doubt that
there are budding authors at Mount Stuart.
Now that we had a chance to meet Baby Mouse
creator Matthew Holm in person, get to know him
better by visiting his website at
www.matthewholm.net
The Valley View Choir at CWU
Teacher Leslie Schneider plays the guitar
PAGE
2
Middle School News
Regional Math Competition
Held at Morgan
Art Competition
Each year, middle schools from the
valley come together to compete in
a math competition for all three
grade levels. This year Morgan
hosted the event and it was a hit.
Morgan Mathletes earned third
place at each grade level and represented our math department very
Regional Art Competition
6th Grade Math Team
The Mid-Valley Art competition was held
last month in Naches. Wecho Barnes,
Miranda Bentley, Lucero Galvan, Matthew Gatley, Isabel Walter, and Ashley
Wragge represented Morgan in the competition and won “Best Use of Texture”
overall. In addition, students submit individual entries. Matthew Gatley won third
place for his pencil drawing, Wecho Barnes won third place for her painting, and
Ashley Wragge won first place for her
pen and ink drawing. Congratulations to
our artists!
Quentin Gasper
Spelling Bee — Big Win!
History Day
The Regional Spelling Bee was held
at Morgan Middle School in March.
Morgan spellers did exceptionally
well and represented the Ellensburg
School District with pride. An alternate bee was held for students who
were ready to go in case of an absence and sixth grade student, Uhuru
Hashimoto, won 1st place in the alternate bee. Connor Wing and Fernando
Corona competed for the sixth grade
title. Connor earned 3rd place and
Fernando earned 1st place in their
grade level. Fernando went on to earn
the 3rd place in the all-grade level
competition. Seventh grade spellers,
Jack Sherrill and Shine Sun, had a
strong showing at their grade level,
but were just short of placing.
Students Earn Trip to State History Day
The eighth grade competition was
a showdown! Morgan students,
Quentin Gasper and Kimberly
Lonowski, were two of the three
finalists who “out-spelled” the list.
7th Grade Math Team
8th Grade Math Team
Kimberly Lonowski
Six Morgan Middle School students
earned a trip to the State History Day
competition in Bellevue on May 5th.
Students created projects and presented
them at a regional competition in
March. The six students (left to right in
the picture), Marcus Michel, Christopher Martin, Charlie Donahue, Nathan
Fitzpatrick, Hannah Jensvold, and
Dylann Loverro, will represent Morgan
Middle School at the state level with
the hope of going on to Nationals!
The competition went on with additional words and then it came down
to the Morgan eight graders. Quentin
earned his 2nd place finish and Kimberly earned 1st place. Kimberly
went on to win the 1st place award
for the all-grade level competition.
PAGE
3
Academic Opportunities Abound!
Of the 204 seniors expected to pick up diplomas in June, 24
are in the Top 10 Percent, a group in which the lowest grade point
average is 3.89 out of 4.0. Although, not all students made the
Top 10%, the Class of 2012 at Ellensburg High is particularly
high achieving. Katy Crawford, a 17-year-old Ellensburg High
senior with a near-perfect 3.992 grade point average marred only
by an A-minus in AP (Advanced Placement) Biology in her
sophomore year, wants to become a medical geneticist working at
a research hospital. Last fall, Katy applied for early admission to
her top college choice – Cornell University, an elite Ivy League
school. In December, she learned she'd been admitted.
as well as AP U.S. History and AP Calculus. (AP Biology is not
currently offered because there were not enough students signed
up). Lambert, whose AP U.S. History students go through the
equivalent of three textbooks in a year, sees multiple benefits to
the AP program. Students are applying to more prestigious
schools than in the past, he says, “and we have kids who take so
many AP classes they actually go into college as sophomores.”
Senior Autumn Grassel, who turned heads by scoring 34 out of
36 on the American College Test (ACT), plans to double major in
math and biology at the University of Washington where she's
been awarded a Mary Gates Scholarship to the UW Honors Program. The award covers tuition and the cost of books for two
years. “I don't think there's any way I would have gotten this
scholarship without being involved in AP classes,” she says. “The
key is work ethic. You don't have to be the brightest student to do
AP courses. But you do have to be very hard working.”
Academically challenging, AP classes are considered equivalent to undergraduate college courses. Katy believes the ones she
took at Ellensburg High were key to gaining admission to Cornell. They also did something else. “They challenged me and I
learned to study,” she says. “That's going to help me in college.”
AP students who pass tests administered each spring may receive
college credit for the courses they've taken. Given her potential
Principal Jeff Ellersick says 60 percent of the school's graduAP credits, “It's possible I could go for three and a half years ates go on to four year schools. “We want our high achieving kids
rather than four Katy says.
to be competitive with other kids who are high achieving,” he
says. “If they went to go to top ranked schools we want them to
Lizzy Vick, another EHS senior, is headed to Central Wash- be competitive in getting in and well prepared.” Scholarship
ington University's Douglas Honors College armed with a 3.93 money reflects the strong academic focus. “The last two years
grade point average. AP classes, she says, “teach you how to we've topped $1 million in scholarship money,” Ellersick says. Of
manage your time and work load. I discovered I was capable of a that figure, “athletic scholarships are minimal.”
lot more than I thought I was capable of.” Even so, she almost
dropped out of her first AP course – U.S. History taught by Larry
In addition to added AP offerings, the district took other steps
Lambert. “After the first few weeks I was overwhelmed with the to increase academic rigor. Eight years ago, Debbie Rowden, who
work load and the tests were harder than anything I'd experi- will retire this June after 37 years at EHS, was drafted to teach
enced,” she says. “I almost quit. But at some point I realized I Sophomore Honors English. She was a reluctant recruit, concould do it. Mr. Lambert is one of those teachers you don't want vinced that bright students as well as those who struggled acato disappoint.”
demically benefited from a shared experience. Her opinion has
since changed. “Teaching Sophomore Honors English has been
Lambert, who came to EHS a dozen years ago when there was the most rewarding experience of my life,” she says. “Kids come
just one AP offering – Calculus – said the focus on rigorous aca- to class focused, motivated and with their homework done. I've
demic offerings is no accident. “Basically some parents had gone come to realize it isn't up to the brightest kids to enrich the experito the west side with their kids to gather information about Stan- ence of those who struggle.”
ford and MIT and places like that and found their students weren't
as competitive as they could be because of a lack of AP classes,”
Rowden's intensive, fast-paced curriculum has become an imLambert recalls. Ten years ago, he began teaching AP U.S. His- portant stepping stone for high achieving students aiming at AP
tory. Since then, the course list has swelled to include AP World and college success. “The top third of our students are looking for
History, AP Comparative Government, AP U.S. Government, AP opportunities to work harder,” she says. “They know it makes a
Junior English, AP Senior English and AP Environmental Science difference in college, not just in getting in to college but how well
they do once they get there.”
Ellensburg School District #401
1300 E Third Avenue
Ellensburg, WA 98926
Non-Profit Organization
Postage Paid, Permit No. 146
Ellensburg, WA 98926
ECRWSS
RESIDENTIAL CUSTOMER
ELLENSBURG
SCHOOL
NE WS
WWW.EBURG.WEDNET.EDU