February 11 RSD news update

Board Briefs
Richland School Board
Highlights of February 10, 2015, meeting
Board members discussed the scope, budget, and
timeline for the Jefferson Elementary School
renovation/replacement project….the final project
included in the 2013 bond issue. The two options were:
1. Replace only the 1953 wing – total project cost
of $4.8 million
2. Replace the entire school – total project cost of
$16.3 million
Board members agreed to move ahead with option
#2.
 Due to faster than expected enrollment growth, the
District now qualifies for more state matching funds.
 The additional state funding will allow construction
of a 50,000 square foot Jefferson and still keep all
nine bond projects within the $98 million approved
by voters.
 The new Jefferson is expected to open in 2018.
 More info is at this link and in this Tri-City Herald
article.
Other News:
Some Badger Mountain Elementary kindergarten
students recently wrote and illustrated stories about
gingerbread man books they had read. That was just the
beginning. After the students finished writing, teacher
Michelle Fickle recorded them reading their stories and
created QR codes that linked to the audio recordings.
With the QR codes affixed to the writing posters, parents
and students could read and listen to the students’
stories.
“It was an excellent project as we combined reading,
writing, and speaking skills with technology,” said
Fickle.
District staff presented an overview of the three
proactive strategies being used to support RSD students
and families: Partners for Early Learning, the National
Network of Partnership Schools, and Communities in
Schools. “Due to changing demographics and the
increased accountability associated with College and
Career Readiness, providing family support services is
more important than ever,” stated Assistant Erich Bolz.
Detailed info is at this link.
State regulations allow schools to use Learning
Assistance Program (LAP) money for behavior
interventions. Jason Lee Elementary is one school that
has successfully implemented a LAP Behavior
Program:
 Identified students receive 30 minutes/4 days a week
of direct instruction in social/friendship making
skills, learning skills, and emotion management.
 The school last year made zero referrals to BESST,
the District’s magnet behavioral program.
The Richland School Board has hired Marie Sullivan to
be the District’s legislative advocate in Olympia.
Sullivan’s focus this session will be on legislation
affecting school construction in Urban Growth Areas.
More details at this link.
A Badger Mountain kindergarten student listens to a classmate’s
story by scanning the QR code.
Fourteen students from Hanford and Richland High
Schools are getting an in depth look at what it’s like to
be a classroom teacher. Teachers Recruiting Future
Teachers matches high school interns with mentor
teachers.
“I signed up because I wanted to see what it’s like to
be a teacher,” says RHS student Jaydon Delucchi.
The interns are working closely with mentor teachers
at Badger Mountain, Jason Lee, Lewis & Clark, Marcus
Whitman, and Sacajawea Elementary Schools. The
interns spend six hours a week in the classroom learning
all aspects of teaching.
“In addition to their classroom experience time, the
students create a teaching portfolio,” explains Samantha
Board Briefs is published by the Richland School District Communications Office, 967-6008. www.rsd.edu
White, Careers in Education teacher. “With the
classroom hours and the portfolio, they are eligible to
earn college credit and early acceptance into college
teaching programs.”
Learn more in this Teachers Recruiting Future
Teachers video.
6:00 pm, at Hanford High School. Presenting
information and answering questions will be Richland
Police Officer Bonnie Meyer and HHS Principal Ken
Gosney.
“Tips for Kids' Social Media Safety” is one of many
important topics covered on the web resource Protect
Your Kids Online.
NASA experts will answer questions about STEM
disciplines during a forum called “Women in STEM:
STEM in the Global Science Community” on
Tuesday, February 17, 9:30 to 10:30 am, on
NASA TV and the NASA web site.
HHS and RHS students gain classroom teaching
experience
STEM education is taking off in the Richland School
District. The goal is for all students to be STEMcapable. At Sacajawea Elementary School's recent
Family Engineering Night, families explored STEM
concepts at a number of engaging stations (photo
gallery).
"We want students to experience first-hand what it
means to be an engineer as they utilize problem solving,
teamwork, and collaboration skills," says Erika Doyle,
Curriculum Coordinator.
The far side of the moon, always hidden from human
eyes, is less of a mystery now thanks to a “dark side
video” released last week by NASA. It was created
using mapping data gathered by the agency's Lunar
Reconnaissance Orbiter.
The Enterprise Middle School Advanced Orchestra
performed last weekend with the Mid-Columbia
Mastersingers and ACT in Benjamin Britten's Noyes
Fludde. “The music was extremely challenging, but
these middle school musicians rose to the challenge with
energy and enthusiasm,” said Maxine Townson, EMS
orchestra director.
EMS Advanced Orchestra at First Presbyterian Church in
Kennewick
A Sacajawea father and daughter learn about load....the
weight that a structure supports.
Community members are invited to learn more about
teens and sexting, protecting teens from abuse, the
dangers of texting and driving, and how to navigate
smartphones at a public forum Thursday, February 12,
The son of a former Richland High School staff member
wouldn’t be alive today without a stranger from the
United Kingdom. Leukemia had ravaged Mark Snyder’s
body and doctors told him that without a bone marrow
transplant, he wouldn’t survive. It was Snyder’s story
and others connected with Richland High that motivated
leadership students to arrange a bone marrow
registration drive last week. More details in this TriCity Herald article and KVEW-TV story.
The art creations of Enterprise Middle School
students are on display through February 15 at the
Board Briefs is published by the Richland School District Communications Office, 967-6008. www.rsd.edu
Richland Public Library. The exhibit includes drawings,
paintings, ceramics, and resin cast miniatures.
The winter issue of the District’s Focus on Schools
publication can be accessed at this link.
Four members of the Richland PTA Council traveled to
Olympia last month to lobby for top legislative
priorities. Kerrilynn Robinson, Connie Andrews, Karen
Albers, and Abby Stevens met with State Senator Sharon
Brown, State Representative Brad Klippert, and
Governor Jay Inslee.
The PTA’s top priorities for the legislative session
include:
1. Funding McCleary
2. Creating Positive School Climates Through Social
Emotional Learning
3. Increasing Capital Projects Funding
Congratulations to the RHS Cheer Squad
OSPI awarded Delta High School the 2015 Career
Guidance Award of Excellence for the outstanding
work the school is doing to help students become more
college and career ready.
“Delta students have multiple opportunities each year
to interact with industry professionals, learn about
potential careers, and build their professional skills.
Through these experiences, students graduate prepared
for college and career, ready to put their 21st century
skills to work,” said Principal Jenny Rodriquez.
State Senator Sharon Brown (third from right) meets with
Richland PTA Council.
Richland High School’s Gold Rush Dance Team will
hold a Dance Clinic for kindergarten through fifth grade
students on Monday, February 16, 9:30 to 11:30 am,
at the RHS Gym. Cost is $20 per child or $15 for kids
who attended the December clinic. For more info and to
pre-register, call 586-8006 or email:
Wendy@thedanceclass.com or tami.simundson@rsd.edu
Awards:
The Richland High School Cheer Squad are state
champions for the second year in a row. The 12-member
squad earned first place in the 4A small non-tumbling
division at the Washington State Cheer Championships
January 31 in Seattle – photo gallery link.
Board Briefs is published by the Richland School District Communications Office, 967-6008. www.rsd.edu