Walla Walla High School administrative changes in place for 2011-2012
Walla Walla Public Schools Board of Directors during a special board meeting August 4 approved several administrative changes for Walla Walla High School to begin the 2011-2012 school year.

Walla Walla High School administrative changes for 2011-2012:
• Mira Gobel, Associate Principal - Hired as new principal at Pioneer Middle School
• Don Wilkins, Assistant Principal - Transferring to the Walla Walla High School Athletic Department in a non-administrative position to coordinate district athletics
• Kirk Jameson, Assistant Principal - Transferring to the Technology Department as the District Career and Technical Education Director/Director of Assessment and Technology and Skills Center Planning Director, District Office.
• Ron Higgins, Technology and Assessment Director - Transferring to Walla Walla High School as an Assistant Principal
• Stacy Estes - Hired as a new Assistant Principal at Walla Walla High School
• Mark Pickel - Hired as a new Assistant Principal at Walla Walla High School

2011-2012 Walla Walla High School Administrative Team:
Pete Peterson, Principal
Stacy Estes, Assistant Principal
Ron Higgins, Assistant Principal
Mindy Meyer, Assistant Principal
Mark Pickel, Assistant Principal

Stacy Estes served as an assistant principal at McLoughlin Middle School for the past nine years. He is also an Adjunct Professor at Washington State University Tri-Cities, former Special Education teacher and Marine Corps veteran.
Mark Pickel has been an assistant principal at Kamiakin High School since 2004. He was also a math teacher at Kennewick High School for 14 years prior to becoming an administrator.

Personnel Report (from August 4, 2011 Special School Board Meeting)
Employment
Administrative:
- Stacy Estes, Assistant Principal, Walla Walla High School
- Ron Higgins, Assistant Princpal, Walla Walla High School
- Kirk Jameson, District Career and Technical Education Director/Director of Assessment and Technology and Skills Center Planning Director, District Office
- Mark Pickel, Assistant Principal, Walla Walla High School

Certificated:
- Shelly Franklin, Language Arts/Music, Pioneer Middle School
- Jessica Johnson, Agriculture/Floriculture .4 FTE (temporary), Walla Walla High School
- Patricia Jones, Special Education (temporary), Walla Walla High School
- Kristen Thompson-Graber, Counselor, Garrison Middle School
- Kim Wegner-McCauley, School Psychologist (temporary), Special Programs

Classified: - Molly McKinney, Bilingual Para-Educator, Blue Ridge Community Preschool

Resignation/Retirement
Certificated: - Alicia Brock, Language Arts/Music, Pioneer Middle School, (did not begin year)
Classified: - Paula Merson, Food Service Assistant, Pioneer Middle School, 2 years

Walla Walla High School plans Freshmen Orientation Monday, August 22
Blue Devil Orientation - Brought to you by Link Crew
August 22, 2011
Wa-Hi Large Gym

Schedule
- Orientation: 12 noon to 4 p.m.
- Parent Information Meeting: 4:30 p.m.
- Club Fair & Campus Tours: 4 to 5 p.m.
- Family BBQ: 5 p.m.

For more information, contact Walla Walla High School Assistant Principal Mindy Meyer at (509) 527-3020 ext. 8662 or by email at: mmeyer@wwps.org.

Reser Road construction project underway
Project to widen road and add sidewalks for improved safety

Walla Walla County Commissioners recently voted to name Culbert Construction Inc. of Pasco, WA as the contractor for the Reser Road project to improve Reser Road from Howard to Fern Street. Construction began Tuesday, August 9.

The Reser Road project will widen the road to 40 feet and feature sidewalk, sign, bridge, fencing and bike lane improvements. Walla Walla County expects work to continue on the project through November 2011 and then resume next summer to complete the Yellowhawk Bridge phase.

Unfortunately, schedule delays linked to finalizing mitigation with the federal government for impacts to bull trout resulting from construction of the new Yellowhawk Creek bridge have pushed the projected completion date to fall 2012.

The project will not impact the playground at Prospect Point. No district funds are being used to pay for the Reser Road project.Walla Walla County officials say traffic flow will be impacted by the project, but report they have measures in the contract to minimize delays.

Walla Walla County received $330,000 from the Washington State Department of Transportation Safe Routes to Schools grant program and $200,000 from the Transportation Improvement Board (TIB) to help fund the $2.2 million project Reser Road provides access to Prospect Point Elementary and Walla Walla High School and is heavily used by students and families.

To learn more about the project and to receive project updates, visit the Walla Walla County website at: http://www.co.walla-walla.wa.us/departments/pwd/reser.html

Starbucks and Walla Walla Public Schools team for school supplies drive
Walla Walla Public Schools and Walla Walla Starbucks coffee stores have teamed for a Back-To School Supplies Drive throughout the month of August. School supplies will be collected at both the downtown and Plaza Way stores to help families in need of school supplies this school year.

Plaza Way Store Manager Michelle Westlund and Downtown Store Manager Dustin Funderburg say the partnership is aligned with Starbucks’ mission of supporting education and community needs.

“We need to be a positive presence in our community,” Westlund said. “It is our responsibility to give as much as we can.”

Funderburg says Starbucks continues to move in this direction.

“It’s a huge focus of Starbucks,” Funderburg said. “We need to be involved in our community and have a positive impact. We are excited to partner with the schools and help support families in need of school supplies.”

Inland Cellular’s Family Movie Night for August Announced
Inland Cellular and the Downtown Walla Walla Foundation, in cooperation with the City of Walla Walla Parks & Recreation Department, the Walla Walla Public Library and the Walla Walla Sweets, invite you to join us for the final installment of Inland Cellular’s Family Movie Night at Borleske Stadium on Saturday, August 20th, 2011.

This summer marks the third year of this collaborative family event and ushers in some progressive changes to the program. The first major change to this year’s program is the move from Heritage Park to Borleske Stadium. “The success of this program over the past two years has led us to outgrow Heritage Park and forced us to look at other venues. We are excited to have partnered with the Walla Walla Sweets and the Borleske Stadium Association to be able to use their stadium as the venue to show the films this summer.” said Michael Mettler, consultant for Inland Cellular. “The new location has allowed us to accommodate significantly more guests as well provide comprehensive concessions and easier access to restroom facilities.”

The other change is a partnership with the Walla Walla Public Library. All of the movies shown this summer have been featured in the library’s Summer Reading Program series ‘Read the Book, See the Movie.’

“Youth have had the opportunity to check out the books that each film being shown is based on, and upon finishing the book, receive a certificate for free popcorn at the movie nights,” said Liz George, Children’s Librarian at the Walla Walla Public Library. “We have seen interest in the summer reading program this summer spike due to the support of the DWWF, Inland Cellular and the Sweets to help get this program off the ground.”

This coming weekend ‘Charlie and the Chocolate Factory’ based upon the classic children’s book by Roald Dahl is being shown. The movie will begin at dusk, which should be around 8:30 p.m. this month.

“Inland Cellular is strongly committed to being a positive and cooperative force in the communities in which we live and work. Family Movie Night is a wonderful way for us to give back to the community and provide a safe and enjoyable outlet for summer fun,” said Michael Mettler, marketing consultant for Inland Cellular.

The event is free to families and children of all ages. Please plan on bringing lawn chairs and/or blankets for comfortable seating as the film will be shown in the outfield of Borleske Stadium. Concessions will be available at the stadium and participants are encouraged to procure their snacks and beverages on site. Please leave pets at home, unless you have a service animal. For more information about the summer movies please contact the Downtown
Foundation at 509/529-8755 or Inland Cellular at 509/629-2500.

For additional information on the Summer Reading Program at the public library, please visit the library or call Liz George at 509/527-4550. Borleske Stadium is located at 409 E. Rees Avenue in Walla Walla just below the Veteran’s Memorial Golf course adjacent to Memorial Park. Ample parking is available on site. For a reminder about the program a day before the event text the word MOVIE to 87940.