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Public invited to boundary review meeting Wednesday
The Boundary Review Committee is ready to go back out and meet with the community this fall to share its most recent revised boundary scenario. Please see the public meeting schedule below.
Committee members will also discuss recommendations they developed this summer. Community input and suggestions were used to develop this scenario and these recommendations. You can access this scenario online at www.wwps.org (A to Z section - Boundary Study).
The scenario to be discussed and the recommendations listed below have not been approved, but committee members believe they meet the district’s goals and are sensitive to the feedback they heard. We look forward to meeting with the community to further discuss this issue.
Boundary Review Committee Recommendations
• New recommendation based on feedback
• Investigate possibility of new home for preschool programs
• Grandfather option for 2009 — 4th and 5th grade students
• Open enrollment priority for 2009 — 1st to 3rd grade students
• Consider revising middle school boundaries
Fall 2008 Public Meetings
• Wednesday, Sept. 10, 7 p.m. — Green Park Elementary
• Wednesday, Oct. 1, 7 p.m. — Blue Ridge Elementary
• Wednesday, Oct. 29, 7 p.m. — Prospect Point Elementary
Boundary Review Committee Members
Dana Jones, Co-Chair
Chris Gardea, Co-Chair
Roger Bairstow
Dondi Cortinas
Anne Golden
Kurt Hoffman
Mike Lambert
Katrina Manning
Tim McCarthy
Steve Olson
Donna Painter
James Payne
Laure Quaresma
Julie Sievertson
Peter Swant
Staci Wanichek
Nancy Withycombe
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Enrollment down at Walla Walla High School
With the first official enrollment count of 2008-2009 due today, Deputy Superintendent Dr. Bill Jordan reported to school board members Tuesday night preliminary enrollment figures reveal “head count” numbers are down more than 100 students at Walla Walla High School. Elementary “head counts” are up slightly from last year and middle school figures are about the same.
As of Tuesday, “head count” numbers were 5910 compared to 5934 at this time last year. These figures do not include Alternative Education Program and Running Start student counts.
Jordan said the district’s 2008-09 budget was based on 5700 Full-time Equivalent (FTE) students. This is the same figure used to develop the district’s 2007-08 general fund budget. Jordan said the district will continue to monitor enrollment closely in the coming weeks and work with counselors to track students who have not come to school.
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Board gives ok to Lincoln health clinic
With a clear understanding Walla Walla Public Schools will not fund or manage a school-based health center at Lincoln Alternative High School, board members Tuesday night voted to approve the concept of having an outside agency provide comprehensive primary and behavioral health services for Lincoln students.
Local physician Alison Kirby, MD brought the idea of having a privately funded health center at Lincoln to the school board last school year. Since that visit a feasibility study was completed revealing these services are needed at Lincoln. Walla Walla County Health Department coordinated study under the direction of Harvey Crowder, MD and Holly Howard.
The advisory group working to bring the school-based health center to Lincoln proposes offering comprehensive age appropriate physical, mental and dental health services beginning in the 2009-2010 academic year. The center will be housed in close proximity to the current Lincoln Alternative High School campus. The group is now focused on raising funds and developing an operational plan for the center.
School-Based Health Center -- Proposed Scope of Services
• Age appropriate screening and counseling
• Primary and acute health care assessment, diagnosis, treatment and referral
• Age appropriate reproductive health care
• Age appropriate family planning and counseling
• Mental health screening, counseling, case management, and referral
• Care coordination and referral for drug/alcohol services
• Dental care
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Volunteers help make Fair Education Building a success
Hundreds of student projects were on display at the Education Building during last week’s Walla Walla Fair and Frontier Days. Volunteers served as judges, supervisors and activities coordinators to help make this year's fair a tremendous success.
Special thanks to:
Amy Reed - Education Building Superintendent
Volunteer Judges
James Payne: Fort Walla Walla
Mike Dedman: Whitman Mission
Squire Broel: Broel Studio
Jim Bluhm: Corps of Engineers
Jim & Ruth Russo: Whitman College
J. R. Van Slyke: WWCC
Volunteer Technology Judges
Terri Gilbert
Shannon Ahrens
William Calhoun
Dennis Bennett
Raffle Prize Donations
Bike Barn
Book & Game
Hot Poop
Inland Octopus
Bi-Mart
Wal-Mart
Special thanks to POCKETINET COMMUNICATIONS for collaborating with the district’s Technology Department to provide wireless internet to the Education Building and Fair Pavilion.
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Big Nine football kicks off tonight
Don’t miss an exciting down of Blue Devil football this season on KTEL 1490 AM. The first game of the season is Friday, September 5 in Hermiston at 7 p.m.
This year Wa-Hi teacher Scott Reardon will be calling all the play-by-play action. The Big Nine Conference is returning after a two year stint as the Columbia Basin League. The 4A conference will be split into two divisions and consist of 12 teams. Three 3A schools (Hanford, West Valley, Sunnyside) were allowed to join for scheduling purposes, but will compete in 3A post season tournaments.
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League changes bring back Big Nine Conference
The Big Nine Conference is returning after a two year stint as the Columbia Basin League. The 4A conference will be split into two divisions (see below) and consist of 12 teams. Three 3A schools (Hanford, West Valley, Sunnyside) were allowed to join for scheduling purposes, but will compete in 3A post season tournaments.
Three 3A teams (Kamiakin, Kennewick, Southridge) have opted to “play up” and will compete as 4A equal members. District Athletic Director Don Wilkins says the newly formed league will cut down travel time, allow student-athletes more time in class and maintain traditional rivalries.
“It was a long process, but we have schedules for the next two years, Wilkins said. “These are positive changes.”
Cascade Division
Eastmont
Eisenhower
Hanford (3A)
Kamiakin (3A - Opt up)
Richland
Walla Walla
West Valley (3A)
Chiawana (opens 2009)
Columbia Division
Davis
Kennewick (3A - Opt up)
Moses Lake
Pasco
Southridge (3A - Opt up)
Sunnyside (3A)
Wenatchee
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Personnel Report (from the Sept. 2, 2008 school board meeting)
• New Hires
(Certificated) Patrick Kofler, Tier II Academic Specialist, Lincoln Alt. H.S.
(Classified) Menell Mina-Nelson, Para-Educator, Berney
Lorelie Moothart, Health Clinician, Edison Elementary
Samantha Morales, Secretary to the Director of Preschool Programs, Blue Ridge
Martha Reyes, Para-Educator, Blue Ridge
Veronica Rosales, Intervention Specialist, Blue Ridge
Betty Jo Vercio, Health Clinician, Green Park
• Leave of Absences
(Classified) Tom Rassley, Head Custodian, Prospect Point, 22 years
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Latino Club helps get grounds ready for fair
The Walla Walla High School Latino Club was busy preparing for this year’s fair. Besides earning 2nd place for their parade entry in the Community Service Group Division, the club had 45 club members and adults provide more than 500 hours of service at the fairgrounds getting the grounds ready for the fair.
The two Saturdays before the Walla Walla County Frontier Days Fair and Rodeo were work days for the Walla Walla High School Latino Club. In preparation for the fair, club members performed the initial cleaning of the pavilion area by sweeping floors, cleaning the glass cabinets, hauling unused items down the stairs and cleaning bathrooms.
This year, due to the improvements to the pavilion, extra work was needed to get the building ready for the fair’s opening and dedication. During the recent remodel, dirt and debris was created in the west end of the building and had settled in the floors and cabinets of the domed part of the pavilion.
Besides the two Saturdays, the club also worked four additional days helping set up the exhibition areas of the pavilion. Club members cleaned and helped check in exhibits, set up some of the areas for projects to be shown, and clerked for some of the judges.
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St. Mary Medical Center donates school supplies
Thanks to St. Mary Medical Center employees for collecting school supplies and delivering them to Blue Ridge, Edison, Prospect Point and Sharpstein elementary schools last week. Thanks very much to the employees for their contributions and interest in the welfare of Walla Walla students. And a special thank you to Kathy Oreb for coordinating the effort and personally delivering the supplies to each school.
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Pioneer and Garrison to receive funds helping students plan for the future
Under the leadership of Pioneer Middle School Principal Dana Jones, Pioneer and Garrison Middle Schools will receive $21,922 to implement Washington Navigation 101 for the current school year.
Navigation 101 is a comprehensive guidance and planning program that has helped many students around the state make clear and careful plans for life after high school. This program has five key elements and the success of the program depends on their interconnectedness.
The schools committed to planning implementation of these five key elements:
1. curriculum-delivered advisories
2. student portfolios
3. student-led conferences
4. student-driven scheduling, and
5. data collection
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