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Granddaughter of Cesar Chavez visits district schools
Thursday afternoon, Christine Chavez, granddaughter of Cesar Chavez, visited Green Park 5th grade students to talk about her grandfather. Chavez also visited Walla Walla High School and talked to about 45 students during the Latino Club’s regular weekly meeting. She mentioned her grandfather’s heroes were Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King. Their use of non-violence and civil disobedience was the same model used by Cesar Chavez to improve working conditions for migrant farm workers.
“On the car ride over to Green Park Elementary, I was interested to see how much they knew about my grandfather,” Chavez said. “I was utterly amazed how they knew everything. Just because my grandfather is gone, there is still a lot of work to do for the poor and farm workers. I hope as the students become adults they will remember my grandfather’s values of non-violence and community service and give back to their communities like he did.”
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District receives grant funding to enrich educational opportunities
Walla Walla Public Schools’ students will have more opportunities to enrich their educational opportunities, thanks to the recent announcement the district is a recipient of the highly competitive federal grant referred to as 21st Century Community Learning Centers. Walla Walla Public Schools will receive $415,708 for the 2008/09 school year and be eligible to apply for continuing funding in the coming years.
The grant is awarded for up to five years, contingent upon annual renewal based on continued federal resources and grant performance. Funding provides academic, artistic, and cultural enrichment opportunities for students and their families during non-school hours or periods when school is not in session, such as weekends, holidays, or summer break.
The primary focus is students’ academic achievement, with emphasis on math and science. This approved program is referred to as 3(R)=Relationship, Relevance, Rigor.
The amount of services this award will bring to each building, including the cost of their site director, is as follows:
- Blue Ridge Elementary: $77,313
- Garrison Middle School: $91,064
- Pioneer Middle School: $80,664
- Lincoln Alternative High School: $79,889
Services for all four buildings will include: a site director, content tutors, enrichment tutors, WASL prep tutors, daily activity supplies, and Fulcrum Math games & manipulatives. Blue Ridge will have funding to help get students home following the after-school program.
Garrison’s funds include $6,500 for childcare during Garrison Night School. This amount is up from $4,700 last year. Lincoln’s funding includes start up costs such, as a laptop and printer, for the site director. There is an additional component for $5,000 in software upgrades for the Wa-Hi Video Club to provide on-line lessons.
For more information on the district’s 21st Century Community Learning Centers, contact Assistant Superintendent Linda Boggs at 509.527.3000 or by e-mail: lboggs@wwps.org.
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Boundary review meetings continue next week
Remaining Public Meetings
- Wednesday, Oct. 1 - 7 p.m.
Blue Ridge Elementary
- Wednesday, Oct. 15 - 7 p.m.
Prospect Point Elementary
Learn more about the Boundary Review study process and the committee’s recommendations online at www.wwps.org (A to Z section - Boundary Study).
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County Health Department plans annual flu roundup at fairgrounds
Walla Walla County’s 4th Annual Flu Shot Roundup will be held Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, October 21-23 at the Walla Walla County Fairgrounds’ Community Building from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Highlights of this year’s extravaganza include in-vehicle immunizations for residents with limited mobility and separate tables for families with children.
Influenza vaccine will be available to the community for $30 for adults, $10 for children; pneumococcus vaccine will be available for $45 for adults, $10 for children. Cash, checks, VISA and MasterCard will be accepted; Medicare and Washington Medicaid billing will be provided.
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Safe and Civil Schools Committee to focus on civility and respect
Next week, the district’s Safe and Civil Schools committee meets. This year’s focus will be civility and respect. Preventing, managing and recovering from a crisis continues to be a community-wide effort, thanks to the support of area experts on the district’s Safe and Civil Schools Committee.
District schools are establishing core values emphasizing the need for civility in schools and the link between feeling safe and learning. Administrators have pledged to support this effort and are working with teachers to develop strategies for intervening when students demonstrate poor behavior.
Students are being empowered and trained through this process to be leaders and peer mentors to help curb abusive behavior and bullying. The committee is also working to ensure all required emergency drills are completed, emergency plans are updated, staff and student training occurs and grief counselors are in place to lend support should a crisis strike.
Safe and Civil Schools Meeting Agenda - Sept. 30
- Respectful Schools (core beliefs writing exercise) - Mark Thompson
- Crisis Prevention Update (impromptu / role playing) - Kirk Jameson/Gay Ernst
- Student Safety Assessment Team (scenario discussion) - Liz Campeau
- Rapid Responder (District review – school-by-school) - Scott Brashear
- Griefbusters update - Matt Bona Safe Schools Leadership Team
Mark Higgins, Chair
Scott Brashear and Matt Wood, Law Enforcement Specialists
Mark Thompson, Crisis Prevention Specialist
Kirk Jameson, Crisis Management Specialist
Matt Bona, Post-Crisis Recovery Specialist
Liz Campeau, Student Safety Assessment Team Chair
Safe and Civil Schools Committee members
Max Carrera, School Board
Gay Ernst, Emergency Management
Keri Abernathy, Parent Volunteer
Harvey Crowder, County Health Department
Susie Morris – GriefBusters/Health Services
Al Escalera, Washington State Patrol
Terry Heisey, Walla Walla City Police
Brad Morris, Walla Walla City Fire
Rocky Eastman, Fire District 4
Peggy Needham, Parent Involvement Specialist
Patty Courson, Emergency Medical Services
George Wiese, Juvenile Justice Center
Steve Echevaria, School Resource Officer
Luke Waggoner, WW County Health Dept.
Norrie Gregoire, Juvenile Justice Center
(*NOTE: All district principals and directors are also members of the Safe and Civil Schools Committee)
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Classroom Close-Up features Pioneer teacher Charlene Maib
This week Pioneer Middle School teacher Charlene Maib is featured as part of the district’s Classroom Close-Up series.
A fun, information filled newsletter will be posted on the district website next week -- (www.wwps.org). A radio spot featuring Maib is playing on regional stations this week.
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Big Nine football on KTEL 1490 AM tonight
The undefeated Walla Walla High School Blue Devil football team travels to Richland’s Fran Rish stadium tonight to play Hanford High School in a Big Nine match-up. Catch all the action on KTEL 1490 AM radio. Pregame begins at 7 p.m. with kick off at 7:30 p.m.
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Fall Choral concert date changed
Please note that the date for the Wa-Hi Fall Choral Concert has been changed from Thursday, October 23 to Wednesday, October 22. This concert begins at 7 p.m. in the Walla Walla High School Performing Arts Auditorium.
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