Walla Walla Public Schools
Week in Review - March 31, 2006

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Spring Break - April 3-7
Have a safe and happy spring break. Classes resume Monday, April 10.

District students expected to participate in Immigration issues community rally
District students are expected to participate in a community march/rally at Tietan Park today to raise awareness about Immigration legislation.

School administrators made announcements on Thursday to students reminding them about the truancy/attendance rules and encouraged them to get a parent permission slip if they planned on attending to keep them from facing school discipline consequences.

Regular attendance/absence discipline rules for truancy will apply for this activity. This is not a school sponsored activity, although the district recognizes many students will be participating.


Bond Frequently Asked Question — Why don’t we just build a second high school?
• Where would we build the school?

• We would need 40 to 50 acres for a second high school to support 500-800 students — costly.

• Cost concerns: $30 to $50 million required to build a second high school.

• District would still have to repair Wa-Hi (Cost estimates: $30 to $50 million)

• Bonding capacity: Once the district improves its current schools — including Wa-Hi — the district approaches its bonding capacity lid. The district’s bonding capacity is approximately $75 million. This represents the maximum the district can seek from the community through bonds to improve schools.

• Expensive to offer comparable programs at both schools (academics, extracurricular, staffing, administration).

• Additional maintenance, transportation, support services costs to support a second high school.


Team from Assumption wins Walla Walla Valley Mathematics Contest
The 25th Annual Walla Walla Valley Elementary Mathematics Contest was held at Berney School Saturday, March 25. Nineteen teams of fourth and fifth grade students, representing 13 schools throughout the valley, worked through tests in Addition/Subtraction, Multiplication/Division, Spacial Perception and Patterns, plus a team problem solving section. The event, co-sponsored by the Walla Walla Public School District and the Explorer Parents Organization, drew over 200 students.

The 8-member team from Assumption took top honors for the third straight year edging out Sharpstein and Prospect Point for the overall Team High Score. A 4th place tie between Edison and Milton-Freewater plus Berney and Columbia­Burbank rounded out the coveted top 6 team places.

Top Individual overall scorers were Leo Chaidarun (Assumption), Robert Miller (Sharpstein), Reilly Roach (Assumption), Rachel Schueller (Edison) Mattie Smyth (Assumption), Scott Bettencourt (Berney), Michelle Ruzicka (Sharpstein). The Team Problem Solving awards were won by Sharpstein, Columbia and Assumption. The top 4th grade scorers were Kierra Ryan(Clarkston), Nathaniel Rice (Prospect Point), Ashlyn Lyons (Assumption).

Holly Howard and Marla Miklancic worked with Whitman College Mathematics Professors Russ Gordon, David Guichard, Albert and Laura Schueller to coordinate the contest. School Board Member Cindy Meyer presented ribbons and plaques amid much cheering and applause from parents, teammates and coaches.

Special thanks to Holly Howard forcoordinating efforts to help make this year’s event a tremendous success.


Fort Walla Walla Kids Camp Director needed
The Fort Walla Walla Museum staff are looking for someone to be the director of our two summer Kids Camps. Each camp is a day camp and the director is a paid position.

The two camps are tentatively scheduled for:
• June 20 or a similar date - Lewis & Clark Kids camp
• July 18 or a similar date - Pioneer Kids Camp

“We will work with the camp director to choose whatever dates are compatible with the director and the Museum,” Don Locati said.

Anyone who is interested in this position should contact Locati at 525-7703 (office) or 529-3043 (home after 7 p.m.).


Wa-Hi Football players seek work to pay for camp by Coach Marc Yonts
“Blue Devil Football players are once again offering up their services to do any yard work and spring cleaning you need done around the house. We have several young men who are interested in working hard to earn money towards team football camp.

“Here’s how it works: If you need some work done, contact me by responding to this email. Be sure to tell me how many kids you need and give me phone numbers where you can be reached. I will assign the appropriate number of players to the job and have them contact you within 1 or 2 days to arrange the work.

"When the job is done, pay the kids whatever you think is deserved. If you write the check to “University of Idaho,” we can deposit the money in their account for them, and you can get a tax deduction. Please be sure to pay each player separately.

“Please contact me if you have any questions or would like to hire some of these players.”

Marc Yonts (526-8624).


School retirees association awards Spring Mini-Grants
The Walla Walla/Columbia School Retirees Association awarded Spring Mini-Grants of $100.00 each to four of its active members, three of whom are Walla Walla School District educators. The mini-grants are given out two times a year. Only active members of the School Retirees Association may apply for the mini-grants which are used to purchase supplies for the winner’s classroom or a school related program.

The three Walla Walla School District spring mini-grant winners are:
• Glen Mitchell, Garrison music teacher and Walla Walla School District music supervisor, will use the mini-grant to purchase rhythm instruments for the Garrison Choir program when they perform songs that are enhanced by these rhythm instruments.

• Georgie Germain, Edison Elementary Library Media-Specialist, plans to use the mini-grant to purchase new Accelerated Reader tests for books as they are added to the Edison Library.

• Michele Briones, Prospect Point third grade teacher, indicates that she will use the mini-grant to reward students who earn 50 Accelerated Reader points with a new book of their choice.

“This completes the awarding of mini-grants for the 2005-2006 school year,” Mini-Grant Chair Joyce Oakley said. “It gratifies us to see the many innovative ways that active school employees enrich the lives of their students.”


High School Job Expo scheduled
The Career Center is organizing a Job Expo with area businesses. This is an opportunity for high school students who need employment, whether it be for summer or long term, to meet with local employers. Interviewing skills, application/ resume writing and personal “job getting” advice will also be provided.

The Expo will be held on April 20th from 8:30 to 10:30 a.m. in the Wa-Hi Commons. This is a ‘WASL day’ so there are no classes until 1 0:45. This is strictly a ‘volunteer attendance’ affair! Last year 60 local employers and between 500 to 600 students attended.

We are hoping this year’s expo will be bigger and better. If you hire students for summer, volunteer or long term employment, have career opportunities for high school or college students, or if you just want to share your field with our students, plan now to attend the Walla Walla High School Job Expo.

Fact Sheet:
Date: April 20, 2006
Time: 8:30 - 10:30 a.m.
Where: WaHi Commons

For more information, contact Pat Hanford in the Career Center 527-3020 x4602 or e-mail phanford@wwps.org.


Spring Music Concerts mark the end of Music in our Schools month
Thanks to all the district music teachers, especially Music Director Glen Mitchell who will be retiring at the end of the school year and who was honored this week for his achievements, for the first-rate Spring Concerts this week in celebration of Music in our Schools month.

Music staff and students represented the district with class during every performance and are to be congratulated on a job well done.