April 2016 Employee Newsletter

Sequim School District No. 323
503 N. Sequim Avenue
Sequim, WA 98382
www.sequim.k12.wa.us
Phone (360)582-3260
Fax (360)683-6303
“Like” us on Facebook!
Gary Neal, Superintendent
“Inspire and Achieve”
April 29, 2016
A trip to Peninsula College fueled
vision for the
future for this
group of 8th
graders. SMS
counselor Cathy
Shea gathered
feedback on the
experience (read
online on the
district website).
From Superintendent Neal: Dear Colleague:
Our Mission:
On behalf of the
Sequim Community,
the School District
shall inspire and
achieve excellence in
the academic, creative,
and physical potential
of each student.
Inside this issue:
April School Board
Activity
p. 2
Ann Renker/End-ofthe Year
p. 3
Brian Lewis/
Enrollment
P. 4
Calendar of Events/
Enrollment by Building
p. 5
Scene Around:
SEF Student
Film Festival
p. 6
Teachers
Appreciated
P. 7, 8, 9, 10, 11
Last week when Marilyn was going over my itinerary for
the week she mentioned we were only two weeks away
from May. You could have sold me on the idea that the
world was flat (no reference to Thomas Friedman) before
I thought that May was already upon us!
Two topics I have had on my mind to talk about are Chain
of Communication and District Safety and Security.
Chain of Communication
After reviewing the Comprehensive Needs Assessment
The 11th annual SEF Student Film Festival was held
(CNA) that went out earlier this year coupled with input
April 22 in the SHS auditorium, with SEF Director
from the community during and after the last bond
Elna Kawal (far left), Supt. Neal, and Irrigation Festicampaign it became apparent to me that we needed a more val Queen Victoria Hall presenting first place to Nicholas D’Amico. More on this event on page 10.
user-friendly organizational chart of the district office.
(photos by Patsene Dashiell)
Since then, I have revised the district office organizational
chart to better meet the internal needs of the district and external needs of the community. After
reviewing my concerns with the Board Directors I worked with Dr. Renker to design a chart that
allows for: clear roles, effective and efficient processes and systems, and capacity to change. Once we
have a complete yet organic product, we will slowly start to break-in the new model with full
implementation scheduled by September 2016.
Besides the aforementioned reasons for a new organizational chart I believe we need a system in place
that better conforms to reauthorization of No Child Left Behind (NCLB) and it's past burdensome
requirements, to that of a new vision for increased flexibility through the Every Student Succeeds Act
(ESSA).
District Safety and Security
Through my involvement on the Superintendent Advisory Council I have been able to meet and work
with agencies throughout our region in designing a regional Crisis Management Plan. The need for the
plan was initiated by local and regional agencies when the realization of collective interagency efforts
appeared outdated. Since then we have been able to access Federal and State agencies to help assist us
in our efforts to design and implement a 21st Century Crisis Plan. I have been keeping our district
safety team apprised of the work as we continue to work on our existing district safety plans.
As always, know that you are appreciated and that your work toward improving student achievement
is visible.
Respectfully, Gary
Sequim School District does not discriminate in any programs or activities on the basis of sex, race, creed, religion, color, national origin, age, veteran or military status, sexual orientation, gender expression or identity, disability, or the use of a trained dog guide or service animal and provides
equal access to the Boy Scouts and other designated youth groups. The following employees have been designated to handle questions and complaints of alleged discrimination: Title IX Coordinators, Civil Rights Compliance Coordinators: Randy Hill, 601 N. Sequim Ave., Sequim, WA 98382,
360-582-3609, [email protected] or Karen Sande, 503 N. Sequim Ave., Sequim, WA 98382, 360-582-3261, [email protected] and
for Section 504/ADA Coordinator, Matt Duchow, 503 N. Sequim Ave., Sequim, WA 98382, 360-582-3401, [email protected]
April 29, 2016
SSD Employee Newsletter
Page 2
April School Board Activity:
The Board of Directors met on April 18,
2016, at which the following business was
conducted:
Personnel:
Granted Leave of Absence Request from
Melisa Edge, Bus Aide, for the
remainder of the 2015-16 school year.
Accepted Letter of Resignation from
Marcia Anderson, HHE Para educator,
effective April 16, 2016.
Accepted Letter of Resignation from
Terilee Allsop-Howat, Speech/Language
Pathologist, effective June 15, 2016 for
the purpose of retirement.
Accepted Letter of Resignation from
Heather Titterness, SMS Living Skills
Para educator, effective April 22, 2016.
Accepted Leave of Absence Request from
Harold Huff, SHS cross country coach,
for the 2016-17 school year.
Accepted Letter of Resignation from
Mike Lovejoy, Para educator, effective
immediately.
Accepted Letter of Resignation from
Brian Berg, Teacher and Professional
Development Coordinator, effective June
15, 2016.
Accepted Letter of Resignation from
Debra Beckett, SMS Science teacher,
effective July 1, 2016 for the purpose of
retirement.
Accepted Letter of Resignation from
Elisha Howard, HHE first grade teacher,
effective June 18, 2016.
Accepted Letter of Resignation from
Bryan Bissell, SMS Language Arts
teacher, effective at the end of the 201516 school year.
Offered Classified Reading Para educator
position to Fani Hernandez, for the
2015-16 school year, effective March 31,
2016.
Accepted Letter of Resignation from
Larry Hill, SHS math teacher, effective
June 30, 2016.
Offered Classified School Bus Driving
position to Larry Morales, effective April
12, 2016.
Accepted Letter of Resignation from
Donna Olson, OPA teacher, effective
August 31, 2016.
Accepted Letter of Resignation from
Jennifer Clevenger, HHE Living Skills
Para educator, effective at the end of the
2015-16 school year.
Contracts of Service:
Approved Contract for Services between
SSD #323 and Tres West Engineers, Inc. to
provide engineering services for the
replacement of HVAC units at SHS over
the Summer of 2016 and the Summer of
2017, paid for from Educational Program
and Operations (EP&O) levy funds.
Approved Contract for Services between
SSD #323 and Lifetouch School
Portraits to provide photography services to
SSD student families and the district for the
2016-17 school year.
Approved Contract for Services between
SSD #323 and Family Healing Center
Corporation to provide an additional 12
sessions to HHE Title 1 Parent Program
from January through June 2016.
Approved Contract for Services between
SSD #323 and Acadamia.net, Inc. to
provide tutoring services to a SSD student
for the 2015-2016 school year.
Approved Contract for Services between
SSD #323 and InTouch Receipting Suite to
provide software programming services to
integrate online debit and credit card
payments. This program allows the district
to collect payments by debit and/or credit
card both online and at the high school and
middle school offices.
Approved Contract for Services between
SSD #323 and Great Floors to remove
carpet and install vinyl tile replacement in 20
classrooms at HHE, to be paid for using
Educational Program and Operations
(EP&O) levy funds.
Approved Contract for Services between
SSD #323 and CFW Services to conduct a
random sample telephone opinion survey of
district voters for proposed capital
improvement projects and method of
funding.
Photo at right: SHS choir solo
and ensemble students. The
following soloists will travel to
Ellensburg April 29 and 30 for
state competition: Silas
Baird (Bass soloist), Colleen
Carpenter (Soprano soloist),
Eric Hermosada (Tenor
soloist), and Ian Houghton
(Baritone soloist). The choir is
directed by John Lorentzen.
Laurie Campen,
Director of Food
Service, gave a
report at the April
18 meeting.
(photos by Patsene
Dashiell)
Overnight Travel:
Approved overnight travel for SHS
Future Business Leaders of America
(FBLA) to attend the State FBLA
Conference in Spokane, WA April 2023 with Mark Knudson, SHS teacher
and FBLA advisor.
Approved overnight travel for four
high school choir student soloists to
compete in the State Solo and
Ensemble State Solo and Ensemble
Festival in Ellensburg, WA on April
29-30, 2016.
Reports:
Laurie Campen, Food Service
Director annual report on food
service.
Other New Business Items:
There will be a search for a new Junior
Student Board Representative for the
2016-17 school year. A date will be
designated for applications to be
submitted.
Community Listening Survey
results/comments are currently posted
on the district website under Our
District, then Superintendent.
Minutes are recorded by Marilyn
Walsh, administrative assistant to
Supt. Gary Neal.
Complete minutes are online at
www.sequim.k12.wa.us.
April 29, 2016
SSD Employee Newsletter
Page 3
It’s Nearly the End-of-the-Year!
Dr. Ann Renker, Assistant Superintendent of Teaching and Learning
April is a very interesting month for those of us who work for a public school district. By this point in our
school year, most of us are involved in some process of planning for next year! Whether we are looking at
developing plans and budgets for departments, buildings, or the district, the most effective plans and budgets
are those that involve feedback from employees, students, families, and community. So far this year, our 2016
Comprehensive Needs Assessment (CNA) and our Superintendent’s 2016 Listening Sessions have provided us
with a strong community and family voice; the current SBA summative provides an important point in the data profile we construct for
each student. We also need to provide a similar opportunity for the staff voice to inform our district and building plans for next year.
That opportunity will be on the morning of May 13, the Tri-Day for the district. Thanks to Brian Lewis, we will be able to compensate
all our employees who, along with teachers required to attend, voluntarily attend a professional development session which doubles as a
chance to gather staff opinions about district operations. All K-12 building staff, department, and district office staff will be together
from 8:00—11:30 a.m. Working in groups that cross job and department lines, the staff will be able to provide the district with feedback
about its operations during the 2015-16 school year. Staff will also be able to learn about other aspects of district operations by talking to
people who work in components other than the one which is the focus for that employee.
At the Tri-Day session itself, we will be able to do two things:
1. Give all staff the opportunity to help develop a mission and vision statement, and
2. Provide all staff with an opportunity to talk to each other across job/department lines.
Once we have the staff opinions about what worked well for the district in 2015-16 and what needs improvement in the district for the
same period of time, we will compile the results so our internal stakeholders, the staff, has an opportunity to see the aggregated data
which represents staff voice. This data will help the district as we continue to develop and refine plans and budgets for our operations.
In addition to this data, we will continue to gather data about internal services like professional development and technology upgrades, as
well as additional student perspectives as we close up the year’s assessment practices for 2015-16.
Speaking of 2014-15 assessments, the State Achievement Index ratings for 2014-15 were updated after spring break. All of our schools
had an Index Score above the state’s threshold for risk, and Greywolf Elementary School’s scores earned that school a Washington
Achievement Award for 2014-15 for High Progress. Congratulations to all of the Greywolf staff and the families they serve for
earning both a School of Distinction and Washington Achievement Award this year!
Back to School Fair
Annual Back to School Fair is Saturday, August 27,
2016 @ 10 a.m.—2 p.m. at the Sequim Boys &
Girls Club. Lots of free activities and services including: books for kids, school supplies, food, hair cuts,
vision screening, games, face painting, sports physicals, immunization information and more. Contact
Patsene Dashiell at [email protected] to
volunteer for this event. We’ll need lots of help!
Above, SHS art student Blynn Hughes’ piece titled “BlueHaired Girl” won Best in Show/People’s Choice in the Sequim
Education Foundation (SEF) Art Show. The Art Show was a
new component of the annual Student Film Festival held April 22
in the SHS auditorium.
April 29, 2016
SSD Employee Newsletter
Page 4
Sequim Schools Anticipate Steady Student Enrollment Growth
Brian Lewis, Finance and Operations
We annually update enrollment forecasts
for a number of reasons, including:
·Plan for future staffing requirements
(teachers, classroom aides, principals,
and custodial staff funding are all influenced by student
enrollment).
·
Anticipate school building requirements to provide
appropriate facilities for future student populations.
Current enrollment projections indicate gradual growth in student
population through 2020, with a period of relative stability
through 2025 and renewed gradual growth through 2030. In
2015-2016, annual average full time enrollment (the average
number of students enrolled from September through June of the
year) is 2,742 students. Projected enrollment is expected to reach
2,992 by 2029.
the two Clallam County zip codes covered by Sequim School
District. The Washington State Department of Health maintains
records of those birth numbers. As births rise or fall,
Kindergarten enrollments respond five to six years later. Births
have gradually increased in this area since 2007. (See graph at
bottom of page.)
Our current enrollment forecast shows elementary enrollments
growing from current 1,150 students to over 1,300 students by
2019. Elementary school facilities are at full capacity and lack of
elementary building space will continue to be an area of great
concern for us in the long term.
Enrollment projections tell us that the current middle school
building has sufficient capacity for upcoming middle school
student populations. The high school has adequate space as well,
but building problems there are more centered on the ability of
the existing space to support the educational program (enough
available electricity, deficient security, inability to support
technology and science education).
We will continue to update enrollment forecasts for future
planning. Please contact me if you have any questions about
enrollment. You can reach me at (360)582-3266 or
[email protected]. Thank you!
The most immediate area of concern is elementary enrollment
(grades K-5), which are expected to continue to grow as births
within our district climb. The strongest predictive factor in
estimating our future school district enrollments is births within
Sequim’s new school building in 1911 was described as “the
finest on the Peninsula” when it opened. With consolidation of
small districts into Sequim and organization of a high school,
students quickly crowded out the building. This eight room,
two-story building was demolished in 1952.
April 29, 2016
SSD Employee Newsletter
Page 5
MAY/JUNE 2016 Events:
May 2 - 6 – Nat’l Teacher Appreciation Week
May 2—Kindergarten Registration: GWE 4—5:30 p.m.
in library, HHE 4—6:30 p.m. in library
May 6 – SHS Operetta Cinderella @ 7 p.m. in aud.
May 7—SAT test @ 7:45 a.m. in HS cafeteria, SHS
Operetta Cinderella @ 2 p.m. matinee & 7 p.m. in
aud.
May 9 – HHE PTO mtg. @ 6 p.m. in library
Floral design (left) by SHS student
Eric Haynes and collage (above) by
SMS student Ava Rich were both
featured in the SEF Student Art Show.
May 12 – SHS Operetta Cinderella @ 7 p.m. in aud.
May 13—No School, D-TRI, SHS Operetta Cinderella @
7 p.m. in aud.
May 14—SHS Operetta Cinderella @ 7 p.m. in aud.
May 15—Golf for Grads Cedars/Dungeness @ 10 a.m.
We live in a world in which we need to
share responsibility. It’s easy to say, ‘It’s
not my child, not my community, not my
world, not my problem.’ Then there are
those who see the need and
respond. I consider those
people my heroes.
Fred Rogers
May 16 - School Board workshop @ 5:30 p.m., regular
mtg. @ 6:30 p.m. in board room
May 19—GWE Drama Club presentation @ 6 p.m. in
gym, SHS Operetta Cinderella @ 7 p.m. in aud.
May 20—SMS Spring Fling from 3—5 p.m., GWE Drama
Club presentation @ 6 p.m. in gym, SHS
Operetta Cinderella @ 7 p.m. in aud.
May 21—SHS Operetta Cinderella @ 7 p.m. in aud.
May 25—SHS Honor Society Blood Drive 8 a.m.—2 p.m.
in aux. gym, HHE Volunteer Reception 3—5:30 p.m.
in library
May 27—No School (Snow Make-up Day if needed)
May 30 – Memorial Day (No School, DO closed)
May 31—Pay Day
The Retirees’ Reception will be held in the SHS library
on Monday, June 13, 2016 from 4—5:30 p.m.
Please plan to attend and let our retiring staff members know how much their service has been
appreciated and how much they
will be missed!
Retiring staff members from the
2015-16 school year will be
featured in a future newsletter.
June 1—SHS Scholarship Awards Ceremony @ 6 p.m.
in aud.
June 3—SMS Wild Waves trip, SHS Campus Day, SHS
Senior Recognition assembly 11:15 a.m.—12:45 p.m.
in gym
June 4—SAT test @ 7:45 a.m. in HS cafeteria, SHS
Senior Ball at Kitsap Convention Center
June 6—School Board mtg. @ 6:30 p.m. in board room,
SMS Choir Concert @ 7 p.m. in gym
June 7—SHS Band Concert @ 7 p.m. in aud.
June 8—SHS Seniors Finals periods 4, 5 and 6, SHS
Choir Concert @ 7 p.m. in aud.
June 9—SHS Seniors Finals periods 1, 2 and 3, SHS
Seniors to Graduation rehearsal @ 12 noon in
stadium, SMS Band Concert @ 7 p.m. in gym
Enrollment
(in FTE’s)
April 2015
Sept. 2015
April 2016
GWE
HHE
486
540
501
612
500
617
June 10—SMS Fear Factor assembly @ 1:35 p.m. in
gym, Seniors graduation rehearsal @ 9 a.m. in
stadium, Graduation @ 6 p.m. in stadium, Senior
Grad Party (not school-sponsored) 9 p.m.—4 a.m.
SMS
598
613
620
June 11—ACT test @ 7:45 a.m. in HS cafeteria
SHS
834
825
788
June 13—Retiree Reception 4—5:30 p.m. in HS library
OPA
86
89
82
S. Options
26
15
30
Running Start
72
0
103
Totals
2,642
2,655
2,740
June 14—SMS Movin’ On Ceremony @ 6 p.m. in gym,
SHS Finals periods 3, 4, 5 and 6
June 15—HHE 5th Grade Graduation @ 9 a.m. at
Comm. School gym, SMS assembly @ 9:30 a.m. in
gym, SHS Finals periods 1, 2, Last Day of School,
Early Release
June 16 & 17—Snow Make-up Days (if needed)
June 27—SHS diplomas in counseling office for pick-up
June 30—Pay Day
April 29, 2016
SSD Employee Newsletter
Page 6
Scene Around: 11th Annual SEF Student Film Festival & Art Show
Nine original student films were shown on the big screen at the Sequim Education Foundation Film Festival in the Sequim High School auditorium on April
22. Emcees were Nikole McElhose and Seth Mitchell. A framed print of the
winning poster by Nikole McElhose was auctioned off during the evening.
Winning films were:
Service Award (sponsored by Sunrise Rotary Club) - Soroptimist by Kelly Anders
and Hannah Patterson
Club Spirit Award (sponsored by Sequim Education Foundation) - Spanish at
SHS by Jonathan Ellison, Taylor Bullock, Madison Morris, Kyla Rigg, Megan O'Mera, Alec Holland, Stone Diggs and Anthony Creasey
Special Effects - Once Upon a Death by Maddy Dietzman and Amanda Weller
Best Actress - Kalli Wiker in Ways to Celebrate a 3-Pointer
Best Actor - Nicholas D'Amico in Knock, Knock, Knock
Third Place - Once Upon A Death by Maddy Dietzman and Amanda Weller
Second Place - Ways to Celebrate a 3-Pointer by Kallie Wiker, McKenna Hastings
and Chloe Clemons
First Place - Knock, Knock, Knock by Nicholas D'Amico
People's Choice "Elkie" Award - Ways to Celebrate a 3 - Pointer by Kallie Wiker,
McKenna Hastings and Chloe Clemons
Art Show Results:
Best in Show/People’s Choice - Blynn Hughes for “Blue-Haired Girl”
Drawing - Kaylen Barber
3-D Sculpture - Shayli Schuman
Painting - Emma Gallaher
Glassware - Charlie Prosser
Floral Design - Eric Haynes
Photography - Aubree Young
Middle School Art - Eva Lofstrom
A huge thanks to SHS Art Teacher Jake Reichner and his students for doing a
splendid job of setting up the art show!
(photos by Patsene Dashiell)
April 29, 2016
SSD Employee Newsletter
Page 7
Teacher Appreciation Week is May 2—6, 2016
Tell me
and I forget.
Teach me and
I may remember.
Involve me
and I learn.
Benjamin Franklin
April 29, 2016
SSD Employee Newsletter
Teacher Appreciation Week is May 2—6, 2016
The kids who need the
most love may ask for it
in the most unloving
of ways.
Unknown
Page 8
April 29, 2016
SSD Employee Newsletter
Page 9
Teacher Appreciation Day is Tuesday, May 3, 2016
The important
thing is not to
stop questioning;
curiosity has its
own reason for
existing.”
-Albert Einstein
April 29, 2016
SSD Employee Newsletter
Page 10
Teacher Appreciation Week May 2—6, 2016
Bumper sticker:
If you can read this, thank a Teacher!
April 29, 2016
SSD Employee Newsletter
Page 11
Teacher Appreciation Week May 2—6, 2016
Photos by
Jim Heintz, Mike Dashiell, Chris
McDaniel, Matt Nash
and Patsene Dashiell.
It takes a
big heart to
help shape
little
minds.