Walla Walla Public Schools
Week in Review - September 18, 2008

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Wa-Hi enrollment picture brightens
Districtwide student counts up slightly from last year
Students continued to trickle in at Walla Walla High School the first two weeks of school improving the enrollment outlook significantly by the time the district logged its first official count of the school year last Friday.

Two weeks ago the Deputy Superintendent Dr. Bill Jordan briefed school board members with preliminary enrollment figures that revealed student “head count” (hc) numbers were down 127 from this time last year at Walla Walla High School.

Tuesday night, Jordan’s report to the school board was brighter as he reported Walla Walla High School’s “head count” numbers are now at 1850, just 20 students below last year’s numbers.

“The kids just kept showing up,” Jordan said. “Our counselors and staff did a great job contacting families and locating students.”

Elementary enrollment numbers remain slightly higher than last year while middle school counts are about the same. Jordan noted the district’s 2008-09 general fund budget was based on 5700 Full-time Equivalent (FTE) students, which is the same number used to develop last year’s budget. The district’s FTE count currently rests at 5801.74.
Area superintendents meet to discuss Transportation Co-Op
Last week Superintendent Rich Carter met with regional school district superintendents to discuss options for joining a Walla Walla coordinated Transportation Cooperative for bus maintenance and service.

Carter said several superintendents expressed interest in the concept designed to save their districts thousands of dollars on bus repairs and upkeep. Carter organized a similar operation in his last school district in White Salmon, WA. In addition to lower costs for service and parts for Walla Walla buses, Carter said our community gets the added benefit of having state dollars pay for 90 percent of the facility and equipment needed to run the operation.

“This is a win-win situation for our community and the other districts in the cooperative,” Carter said. “We all save on maintenance and Walla Walla gets a quality facility without seeking additional taxpayer dollars.”

Carter said he will meet with each superintendent one-on-one in the coming days to solidify their support. He hopes to have a commitment by the end of the month. A complete proposal is due to the Office of the State Superintendent of Public Instruction in November.


School Board meeting dates (January-June 2009)
Tuesday, Jan. 20

Tuesday, February 3
Tuesday, February 17

Tuesday, March 3
Tuesday, March 17

Tuesday, April 21

Tuesday, May 5
Tuesday, May 19

Tuesday, June 2
Tuesday, June 16


Boundary review meetings continue
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).



Wa-Hi German language students organize yard sale
What: Wa-Hi students are organizing a yard sale to raise money for their trip to Germany this summer with GAPP (German American Partnership Program).

Date: Sept 19 and 20

Time: 8 a.m.-2 p.m. (both days)

Location: 63 Wolf Fork Place
(out Cottonwood Road in the Table Rock development, left at Thunder Ridge, left on Wolf Fork)



Personnel Report (from Sept. 16, 2008 School board meeting)
• New Hires
(Classified) Thomas Arland, Custodian, Wa-Hi
Trevor Nix, Para-Educator, Wa-Hi

• Resignation
(Certificated) Cindy Rosselle, Special Ed Teacher, Wa-Hi, 1 year


HIV/AIDS Parent Information Meeting
Who: Grades 5 through 12
Location: WWPS Administration Office/Board Room
Date: Wednesday, September 24, 2008
Time: 7:00 – 8:30 p.m.

MEETING AGENDA

7:00 p.m. - Welcome & Introduction (Linda Boggs, Assistant Superintendent)

7:05 – 7:25 p.m. - Richard Simon, Jr., M.D. (Physician of Internal Medicine St. Mary Medical Center / Kathryn Severyns Dement Sleep Disorder Center

7:25 – 7:45 p.m. - HIV/AIDS Requirements and Medical Content (Linda Boggs)

7:45 – 8:30 p.m. - Grade-Level Breakout Groups & Video Viewing:

Elementary Parents – Grade 5 (Board Room)
- Laure Quaresma, Principal, Sharpstein Elementary School
- Sean Reid, Grade 5 Instructor
- Katie Oliver, Grade 5 Instructor

Middle School Parents – Grades 6-8 (Blue Mountain Room)
- Carl Robanske, Health Instructor, Garrison Middle School
- Gina Yonts, Principal, Garrison Middle School

High School Parents – Grades 9-12 (Mill Creek Room)
- Gary Peasley, Walla Walla High School Representative
- Jim Sporleder, Principal, Lincoln High School

Spanish Interpreter – Mireya Vargas

HIV/AIDS Curriculum available for review.


No school Sept. 18-19 (Learning Improvement Days)
There is no school September 18 and 19. These are state required Learning Improvement Days. District teachers will be participating in various professional development activities during these two days. Classes resume Monday, Sept. 22.
Fall Choral concert date changed
Please note on your calendar 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.