Archive for the ‘Newsletter’ Category
December-January Newsletter
December-January Newsletter
May/June Newsletter
News from Orcas Island Schools
May/June 2010
Dates
May 3-7
Teacher-Staff Appreciation Week!
May 3
School Board Budget Advisory Committee Public Workshop at 5 PM in the School Library
May 5
School Jazz Concert at 7:30 at the Orcas Center
May 7
Elementary Student Art Show, 3-5 at the Elementary School
Explore Testing for 8th & 9th
May 10
School Board Special Meeting on Bond at 5:00 PM
May 12
School Board Special Meeting on Bond at 5:30 PM
May 13
Preschool Dinner from 5-6:30 PM at the Orcas Senior Center
PTSA Meeting at 5:30 in the School Library
Middle School Class Pictures from 8:30-9:30 AM
May 14
Kindergarten Letterland Parade
May 12-19
MSP Testing at Elementary School
May 19
Senior Dinner at Orcas Center at 6:30 PM
May 18
Preschool visits to school
MS Parent Meeting at 6:30 PM
May 20
Elementary Music Concert from 6:30-7:30 PM in the Old Gym
May 21-22
PTSA 2-for-1 Scholastic Book Fair in the School Library
May 25
Oasis HS Senior Presentations
May 26/27
Elementary Dance Recitals at the Orcas Center
May 27
School Board Meeting at 10:00 AM on Waldron & 5:30 PM at
the school library
May 30
High School Prom
May 31
Memorial Day Holiday
June 5
Oasis High School Commencement Ceremony at 2:00 PM at the Episcopal Parish Hall
June 11
Noon Dismissal K-12
Celebration of Success at 10:00 AM in the High School Gym
Middle School Dance at 8:00 PM
Baccalaureate
June 12
Orcas High School Graduation 2:00 PM in the High School Gym
June 16
Field Day
June 17
Middle School Water Slides Trip
June 18 LAST DAY OF SCHOOL/NOON DISMISSAL
8th Grade Promotion Ceremony 11:00 AM in the school cafeteria
Superintendent/Principal Information
This has been another amazingly busy year and I am not sure where the time has gone but it has certainly gone quickly. Thank you all for the support and encouragement and advice that I have received this year from parents and community members.
There is a great deal of information in this newsletter about events and activities happening as we close out this school year. Please be aware that sometimes dates or times change. You may want to check with your student or the office about times or dates of events that you wish to attend. Please know that parents are welcome to attend all activities despite what you may hear from your student. If you want confirmation of that or more information, please call 376-2287.
Budget
We are continuing to work out the school budget for next year. There is the possibility of some Federal money to support teaching staff across the country; it is a bill to save teachers’ jobs. We are also working on a large Federal grant under the Innovation Grant program; we will know whether or not our grant was successful by the end of September. At this point, we need to check and double check to be certain of what funds we will receive from the state and federal government and check and double check to be certain that we have a clear picture of our actual expenses for next year. In other words, I am once again working with everyone to “hunt for money”.
In the meantime, we have the May 15th deadline to notify certificate (teaching) staff of any possible teaching staff cuts for next year. These cuts do not have to be made, but we are required to notify teachers if there is any possibility that they may be cut. Even when it is clear that the cuts will not allow us to provide the education our students need, we must notify the teachers of possible job loss and then move on to find the funding to be sure that we have the teachers that we need.
The Orcas Island School Board and the volunteer Budget Advisory Committee will be meeting over the next few months to determine the best possible budget for the next school year. The budget for the school year 2010-11 must be completed by July. We have a School Board Budget Workshop set for the evening of May 3rd at 5pm. This is our first budget workshop for this year and will be a very careful but also a very preliminary look at the budget. We will have other meetings on the budget and the public is always welcome to attend these meetings.
We will be assisted in the budget development process this year by our new part time business manager, Keith Whitaker. We will continue to use the ESD (Educational Service District) for budget support and guidance but at a reduced amount of time. Keith has been working with the Budget Advisory Committee (BAC) since its beginning three years ago and is very familiar with our budget and how it has changed over the last few years.
While we have a right to expect that education is “fully funded” by the state, we also know that this is just not going to happen this year. We, as a staff and a community, need to look at all of the possibilities and options for funding our schools and keeping our teaching staff. What we do here is teach; teachers are the most important staff members we have. Somehow through the continuing “hunt for money” and our creativity, we will figure out a way to keep what we need and what we want for our students.
Bond Update
The Orcas School Board is discussing the bond at two special meetings in May. On May 10th at 5PM, they will be meeting to determine the amount of the bond and on May 12th, the will be meeting to approve the resolution to the county to authorize a vote on the bond. This resolution must be filed with the county by May 25th.
Thank you to everyone who has contributed to the discussions about the bond. If you have more ideas to share or just wish to listen to the discussions, you are all welcome to attend the May special meetings on the bond.
We are in the process of creating a Capital Projects Advisory Committee. This committee will study and advise on capital projects. With an August vote on a new bond, we are hoping to start this committee as soon as possible so that the members can be involved in the design and planning stages for this bond. If you have questions or are interested in serving on this committee, please call me at 376-2284.
Also, please remember that in order to vote either way on the bond in August, you must be a registered voter. If you are not, or if you have changed your address since you last voted, please go to http://wei.secstate.wa.gov/SANJUAN/Pages/default.aspx
New School Board Member Sought
The Orcas Island School Board is looking for a new board member to fill the position left vacant by the resignation of Keith Whitaker. The person selected for this will complete the remainder of Keith’s term and can come from any part of the island or Waldron. For more information, please call me, or Cathy Ferran at, 376-2284.
Enjoy the rest of this year with your student. Please call if we can help in any way.
Notes from the K-8 Principals Desk
It is hard to believe that only a year ago this job was still a dream to me. Twelve months later I am still amazed to have the opportunity to be a part of this remarkable community and school system. The generosity and warmth that you all have shown in welcoming my family and me to Orcas Island is proof that this is a special place to call home. I am not sure that anything anyone told me or taught me could have completely prepared me for the challenges of this position, every day is a new adventure and I appreciate all of the support and patience that you have shown as I have learned the ropes.
One of my primary goals this year was to spend time evaluating our schools and trying to decide where we needed to focus our attention in the coming years. Although change is the only constant in education, I think that it is crucial that we make changes with purpose and focus. I have spent this year learning the ways of our unique island system, watching our amazing teachers work magic in their classrooms, meeting the wonderfully diverse students that are sent to us each day, evaluating the strengths of our schools, and trying to decide where we should focus our attention as we work to make our schools better. I have learned a lot and hope that you will support our schools as we continue to rise to the challenges we face in today’s educational world.
I want to commend the staff of the middle school, elementary school, and OASIS K-8 School for their tireless effort this year. They have all shown tremendous patience and flexibility in working with the “new guy” and have provided me with support, information, and lots of time as we begin the process of crafting the future of our educational system.
Thank you to everyone who took part in our school improvement survey. The information from these surveys is being used to focus our efforts in the coming years. Areas of strength identified in the survey included student safety, community connection, and openness to our community. Areas for focus in our school improvement plan include: communication, transmission of school vision, parent involvement and participation, consistent standards and curriculum, reaching all learners, professional/staff development and staff collaborative time. The OISD site council and our staff will be using this information to steer our school improvement efforts.
Where do we go from here? There is much work to be done in the coming years as we continue to push the Orcas Island School District to achieve our goals and succeed in our mission to enable all children to be lifelong learners, critical thinkers, and contributing members of society. We hope to implement a school improvement plan in the coming year that will take advantage of all that is great about our school system and that will also push our schools into the future and provide our students with the best education possible. I hope that everyone- staff, students, parents, and community members- will play an active role in the process of reshaping our schools.
Thank you for a wonderful school year and for all of your support of our students, staff, and school system.
Kyle Freeman
Counselor Information
There are still seven weeks of school left, but it is that time of year when all students should be considering the classes they hope to take next year and the requirements they have yet to meet in order to graduate. All students met in their advisories to plan their next year’s schedules and update their Five Year Plans. I will meet with students who have special concerns so they are ready to register once the schedule is finalized. If you have concerns about your student’s progress or overall plans, please make an appointment with me to discuss them.
I help eighth graders make a Five-Year Plan during Life Skills, and, at this point, half of the class has made one. The other half will work on this during May. If you have an eighth grader, I hope you review his/her preliminary five-year plan carefully. We plan to keep you well informed about the class choices available and possible recommendations, but it will be helpful for you to discuss some of these ideas with your son or daughter. Both students and parents often find the idea of high school overwhelming.
Students who took or retook parts of the State test (HSPE) this spring will have their results by the end of June. Students who have yet to pass any part of the test can retest in August. This is particularly important for juniors as they do not want to have to take the test in the spring of their senior year. If your student is interested in retaking any part of the HSPE, please have him or her check with me so I can sign them up. The test will be August 9 – 12.
Seniors should have the packet listing all the local scholarships as of this mailing. Most of these deadlines are in May. Please encourage your student to fill these out neatly, thoroughly, and accurately. Remind them of the deadlines. With the amount of people applying, applications will not be considered after the deadlines. Scholarship winners will be announced at Celebration of Success, a school assembly on June 11th.
Graduating seniors will have final transcripts sent to the institutions of their choice only if they leave us one of the forms indicating where they are to be sent. These forms are located in the boxes next to Georgia’s desk. Please remind your son or daughter to do this. Transcripts should be available by the end of June and will be sent at that time.
Finally, as this is the last newsletter, have a fine summer break. As always, encourage your students to read. There are recommended book lists in the office if you would like some guidelines. Also, if traveling, try to plan visits to the colleges/universities your son or daughter is considering attending. An actual visit really helps the decision process. You might encourage your soon-to-be senior son /daughter to start those college essays this summer. That certainly makes the fall less stressful as they begin their senior year.
With that in mind, remember that there will be a College Workshop this summer for seniors to work on college research, applications, and essays prior to the start of school.
I will send a flyer home with dates and times once these have been confirmed. It will probably be the week before school starts. Save the date.
Art Show at Orcas Center
Come to the Art Show Opening on Friday, May 7th. You will enjoy some fine music by our students and some amazing student art pieces.
If you cannot make the opening, come to the Orcas Center during the month of May to see the wonderful student art on display. Thank you and congratulations to middle and high school art teacher, Corey Wiscomb, who was the lead teacher on this project.
Congratulations to all of the student participants!
Advanced Placement Classes/Tests
Our high school students take Advanced Placement tests in May. These tests are scored on a 5 point scale with 5 being the highest grade. Students can earn college credit from most colleges with a score of 3 or better. Some colleges increase the number of credits as the score increases. Even students who do not do well enough on the tests to earn the college credit and have to take the class in college report that they feel better prepared because of their work in AP classes.
Students are taking tests in AP European History, AP English, AP US History, and AP Calculus. Good luck to those hard working students and to their teachers and parents who have suffered right along with them.
Math Olympiad
Congratulations and good luck to the Math Olympiad participants. Lori Oakes and Kyle Freeman are taking the students to competition on Bainbridge Island the first weekend of May.
The students participating are all 6th graders who have been working in their exploratory classes to prepare for the contests.
Good luck to: Anthony Kaskurs, Emily Nichols, Halle Thompson, Holden Griskey-Watson, Jo Gudgell, Juliana Rose, Kahana Pietch, Lilly Miller, Reid Ledgerwood, Wylie Kau and Zach Waage!!
Business Week
Business Week is an opportunity for students to stay at a college campus for a week while they practice running their own business. This is a great resume builder as well as a great experience. The members of the Orcas Island Chamber of Commerce are interested in sponsoring a student from Orcas to attend a Business Week program.
Please see the attached flyer for more information and/or go to: http://www.wbw.org/
Explore Tests For 8TH and 9TH
As we have announced earlier, we are adding tests to the 8th and 9th grades to provide information to our students, parents and staff about the performance of our students as compared to students across the US. We have chosen the Explore Test because it has good information about student performance in different subject areas and it contains a student interest inventory to help students “explore” possible career interests.
8th and 9th grade students will be taking the Explore tests on Friday, May 7th. The testing will begin at 8:30am and students will be finished by about noon. The Explore test is created by the same company that produces the PLAN test and the ACT college entrance exam. We offer our 10th graders the PLAN test which is the pre-ACT test and which gives our students good information about their possible career interests and their performance with students across the country.
For more information about the tests, please go to http://www.actstudent.org/explore/
Or call Barbara Kline or Nancy Wrightsman at 376-2287.
Orcas Island High School Upcoming
Senior Class Events
Senior Dinner
Wednesday, May 19th at 6:30 PM
Senior Project Presentations
Tuesday, June 8th
Senior Finals
Wednesday and Thursday June 9th and 10th (unless the student has taken these earlier)
First Graduation Practice
Friday, June 11th at 8:30 AM
Celebration of Success
Friday, June 11th at 10:00 AM
Baccalaureate
Friday, June 11th
Graduation Seat
Selection and Practice
Saturday, June 12th at 10:30 AM
Seniors will mark seats for their families beginning at 10:30 AM
Practice begins at 11AM and is over by 12:30 PM
Orcas Island HS Graduation
June 12th at 2 PM
Grad Night
At the Funhouse Saturday, June 12th
OASIS High School Senior Events
Senior Project Presentations Tuesday, May 25th
Commencement Ceremony Saturday, June 5th at 2 PM
Celebration of Success Friday, June 11th at 10
Local Scholarships
Senior parents should also be aware that the local scholarship book has been offered to all seniors and we have spent time in their advisory classes to review the contents and to help students identify the scholarships that they are most interested in. The scholarships have various due dates, so it is important to check the book and your senior to get all paperwork in on time. There are scholarships for students who are going to four year and two year colleges and vocational schools and training. If your senior needs money to further his/her education, be sure to take a look at the scholarship book.
The majority of these scholarships and other awards will be given to students on Friday, June 11th at the Celebration of Success at 10AM. Parents, friends and students are invited to this celebration for our students.
Senior Project Presentation
Panel Members Needed!
Orcas Island High School seniors will be presenting their senior projects to the student body and senior panels on Tuesday, June 8th. OASIS High School Seniors will be presenting their projects to students and a panel on Tuesday, May 25th. Senior panels are made up of community members and faculty.
Senior projects consist of a research paper, a project that requires students to apply knowledge in some tangible way, and a presentation before a panel of judges. All seniors must complete the Senior Project in order to graduate.
If you are interested in learning more about the project or would like to be considered as a member of the panel, please contact Val Hellar or Kathleen Collister at 376-2287. To volunteer for the OASIS High School panel, please call Marta Branch at 376-2287.
Parents and community members are welcome to attend their own or other student’s presentations. The schedule for presentation times and places will be available in the first week of June. If you are interested in attending, please ask your senior student or call the office during the first week in June to find out the exact time and place.
Celebration Of Success
The Celebration of Success will be held on Friday, June 11th at 10AM in the high school gym. At this assembly, we will recognize students who have earned special awards for outstanding achievement during this school year. All of the high school students will attend the Celebration of Success, although most of the awards will go to the graduating seniors. Members of the community will be present to give awards and scholarships to graduating seniors.
This ceremony provides an opportunity for all students to see the recognition, awards and community scholarships that may be available to them when they graduate. Parents and community members are all invited to attend this assembly. Seniors will be dressed in their graduation gowns and neck stoles but not their caps.
After the Celebration of Success, all attendees are invited to join the students and staff in the annual high school barbecue which takes place in the front of the high school.
Orcas Island High School Graduation
The graduation ceremony for Orcas Island High School will take place on Saturday, June 12th at 2PM in the high school gym. All are invited to this ceremony. While it sometimes gets both crowded and hot, there always seem to be spaces for everyone who wants to attend.
This is a good opportunity for younger students to see the culminating ceremony they are most likely to experience at the end of their high school years. Seniors who receive community scholarships at the Celebration of Success will be recognized at the graduation ceremony.
OASIS High School Commencement Ceremony
The Commencement Ceremony for students graduating from or completing a GED through OASIS High School will be held on Saturday, June 5th at 2PM in the Parish Hall of the Emmanuel Episcopal Church on the water in Eastsound.
This is a wonderful and very personal ceremony. All are invited to come celebrate with our students. After the ceremony, there is a social gathering and eating time to which all attendees are invited.
High School Class Registration
The class selection book has been given to students and all students should now have completed and returned their class selection form. 8th graders will complete and return their class selection form after creating their 5 year plans with Nancy Wrightsman.
The information from the class selection forms will be entered into the computer system. It is important that these forms are correct because that is the information that is used to create the schedule of classes.
The information that students provide on the class request forms will be used to create the best class schedule possible. That schedule will be completed as soon as possible but may not be completed until August or whenever final funding for teachers is settled. Once the schedule is created, we are hoping to have students register for classes online which they can do from any computer at home or at school or while traveling. We will send home information about the process during the summer. If the timeline becomes too short, there will not be time for students to register online. Instead students will receive a schedule with their assigned classes which they may change as they need to do so.
Current 8th graders( next year’s 9th graders) will complete their Class Request Form with the help of counselor, Nancy Wrightsman. These students will be assigned to classes based on their Class Selection Forms. Once their classes are assigned, 9th graders will be able to see their schedules online; they will also receive a schedule in the mail.
Before the end of the school year, all students must complete the Student Check Out Form which requires that all books be returned or paid for, all bills or fees paid and all detention served.
Middle School Year End Activities
Middle School students and parents are planning end of the year activities. These include the end of the year dance, the waterslides trip and the 8th grade promotion ceremony.
The Middle School Dance date is Friday, June 11th from 8:00PM to 10:30 PM. Middle school students will be preparing and planning for the event and, hopefully, not driving their parents too crazy about it.
If the dance appears to be taking too strong a hold on your student, please remind yourself that this is a dance for 7th and 8th graders who will have many years of dances ahead of them in high school. Be thinking about what you want to see in high school and, therefore, what you want to allow them to do in middle school.
Dress for the dance should be appropriate to students in middle school. Think about how you want your student to look at this age and please say no to strapless and other dresses that do not seem appropriate for a middle school age student. Remember, that they have four years of high school proms to attend and that you may have four more years of helping them to select an appropriate outfit. We recommend that the girls wear a nice dress and the boys a nice shirt and pants. To us, this means an outfit that could be worn to a special dinner with relatives or a dress up community event. Whatever is chosen should be appropriate to a middle school girl which translates as not too expensive, modest and acceptable to her parents.
This dance is also not about dating. Students are not encouraged to come as a couple to the dance. It is very age appropriate for students to come in groups. These are sometimes just girls or just boys and sometimes a mixed group of girls and boys. Our children grow up fast enough anyway. This dance is not supposed to put additional pressure on them to pair off as couples.
Parents are welcome at the dance and often come to take photos and watch for a while, especially during the final hour of the dance. If you can, you should come and enjoy this time with your student as it will never come again. Even if you only arrive a few minutes early to pick up your student so that you can watch the ending, you will be happy that you did.
The middle school end of the year reward trip is on Wednesday, June 17th. We will be going to the waterslides in Federal Way the day before the final day of school. This is a trip that students have earned through their attention to their class work during the school year. Therefore, only students who will be recommended for promotion to the next grade, whose behavior has been acceptable during the 4th quarter and who are passing all of their classes at 4th quarter can go on the end of the year trip.
In order to participate in the trip, all students must also have completed their Student Check Out Forms which require will that all books are returned or paid for, all bills or fees paid and any detention owed is served. Students usually receive the Student Check Out Forms a few days before the form is due.
The funds to pay for this trip comes from the money the students earned at the Middle School Spaghetti Dinner. Any student who did not participate in this fundraiser will need to pay for all or part of his/her trip to the waterslides.
Thanks to all of you who were able to attend the Middle School Spaghetti Dinner which enables the students to have this fun day at the end of the year!!
…And The 8TH Grade Promotion Ceremony
The 8th Grade Promotion Ceremony is set for the last day of school, Friday, June 18th at 11am in the school cafeteria. Moving from 8th grade into to high school signals the end of one era and the beginning of another in the life of a student.
With the help of the 8th graders, we try to create a ceremony that is serious but also grounded in the characteristics of a middle school student. It is therefore, like middle school, has moments that move quickly from serious to hilarious. It is, also like middle school, quite short and working parents often come to the ceremony on their lunch break. We begin at 11am and are done by noon.
Parents help by bringing food for the social time following the ceremony and by assisting with the set up. Students usually design the parent invitation which comes home early in June. Parents may need to look for the invitation since students usually want to hand carry it and then sometimes forget to hand it to the parent.
8TH Grade Parent Meeting
Welcome to High School
8th grade parents are invited to a Welcome to High School Meeting on Tuesday, May 18th at 6:30PM in the 8th grade social studies/language arts classroom. This meeting is planned to provide parents with information and answers to some of your questions about the transition to high school.
Five year plans and whatever scheduling information is available will be shared. Bring your questions about high school and this new phase of your student’s life and we will do our best to answer them.
Please Bring Back School Stuff
As households do spring organizing and cleanup after a long and wet winter, please look around for school items that may have migrated to your house. Such migrating items might include books or calculators or anything that a student may have borrowed to use at home and have forgotten to return. Particularly in this time of budget concerns, we would like to retrieve all of our materials so that we do not have replacement costs.
Yearbooks
The last chance to buy a yearbook for the school year 2009-10 is here. We have a limited number of books still available. Books are currently $75 and the price will rise as we get closer to the end of the year.
High School Officer Elections
Elections for high school ASB (Associated Student Body) officers will be held in May.
Students running for office will campaign the week of the elections by putting up posters and speaking to individual students in high school and in the 8th grade. The candidates will speak at an assembly that includes students in grades 8-11 and the voting will be held shortly after the assembly.
ASB officers include President, Vice President, Treasurer, Secretary and Public Relations Officer. All officers must be students who will be in grades 10-12 in the next school year. The President must be a 12th grader; all other offices are open to any student in 10-12. If your student is interested in running for ASB office, please have him/her pick up a form from Kathleen Collister, ASB advisor.
Elections for high school class officers will be held on the first Thursday in June at high school class meetings. Class offices for each class are President, Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer. Often students who are not elected to ASB offices become officers of their classes at the June elections.
Middle School Class Pictures
7th and 8th grade class pictures will be done on Thursday, May 13th between 8:30 & 9:30AM. Pictures packets will be sent home with students on May 3rd.
MSP Is the New WASL—Coming in May
It’s time again to plan for healthy test-day snacks, extra early bedtimes, and maybe a little extra patience with your children. The state has made some changes to the yearly assessment system and now calls the K-8 test the Measure of Student Progress (MSP) rather than WASL. The tests do not seem to have changed too much at this point. One major change is the reduction in the number of tests that students will take. The Reading and Math sections have been reduced to one test, although writing will still be a two-part test. The testing dates have also been moved to May in order to make it more of a “year end” test. We have scheduled testing to take place May 12th-19th. Please try to help your kids get enough rest on the nights before testing, ensure they have a good breakfast, and send in snacks if you can. We’ll take care of the rest!
Library News
May is here and that means thoughts of summer reading, stories about gardening, flowers, insects, and sunshine.
The school library is full of beautiful new sculptures, thanks to Corey Wiscomb’s Visual Arts class. The library is a place to showcase classes’ productivity so be sure to stop by if you want to see what our students are creating.
The library is also full of great new books, thanks to a generous donation this year. We are grateful for this community support. The students love reading new material. We will be participating in a few state-wide book contests next year and it will be a great opportunity for students to be reading and discussing books.
Its time to really dig for your library books that are overdue so they be sure to get back to the library before the end of the school year. Watch for yellow slips to come home with your student that have the overdue books listed. If the books are lost, we will ask the replacement cost be paid.
If you have any questions, please contact Maria Doss at 376-1565 or mdoss@orcas.k12.wa.us.
May is Arts Education Month!
but arts education is YEAR-ROUND!
A consortium of representatives from over 15 Orcas organizations are working to promote, provide and sustain arts education for our children. Our Vision for Arts Education on Orcas Island:
The community of Orcas Island believes
that arts education is a critical component of
the basic education of our children.
The young people of Orcas Island are enriched
by exposure to and participation in
the diversity of dance, music, theatre and the visual arts.
Governor Christine Gregoire and the Boards of the Music Advocacy Group, Orcas Center, the Orcas Island Chamber Music Festival, Orcas Open Arts and Orcas Island Schools’ PTSA have all proclaimed May 2010 as ARTS EDUCATION MONTH.
A number of events that demonstrate the arts learnings of Orcas K-12 students will take place around the island in May. Please support these highly-entertaining events. And please support arts education in our schools.
At Orcas Center:
Throughout May
Student Art Exhibit
Wednesday, May 5, 7:30 pm
The Jazz Experience with students of Willie Thomas
Wednesday, May 26
5:15 pm – Elementary School Dance Showcase (kindergarten and Ms. Harvey’s 3rd grade, Ms. Gaylord’s 4th grade, and Ms. Towne’s 6th-A grade)
6 pm – 5th Grade Theatre Showcase
Thursday, May 27
5:15 pm — Elementary School Dance Showcase (Mr. Chasanoff’s 1st grade, Ms. McGrath’s 2nd grade, Ms. Inch’s Montessori class, Ms. Storey’s 5th grade and Ms. Towne’s 6th-B grade)
6 pm – Ms. Towne’s 6th Grade A and B Theatre Showcase
Thursday, June 3, 7 pm
7th and 8th Grade Exploratory’s Theatre Performance – Where I Come From
Thursday, May 20, 6:30-7:30 pm
Student Music Concert featuring K-4th grade, the OASIS choir, the 5th/6th choir, early morning strings and the 5th/6th strings. Theme – the 70’s!
Saturday, May 22
10 am – 2 pm – Orcas Island Chamber Music Festival Music Lovers’ Seminar by George Shangrow. Open to all. Students attend Free! St. Mary’s Catholic Church.
Orcas Arts Education Consortium: The Funhouse, The Madrona Club, Music Advocacy Group, Orcas Center, Orcas Christian School, Orcas Island Chamber Music Festival, Orcas Island Community Foundation, Orcas Island Education Foundation, Orcas Island Historical Society, Orcas Lions Club, Orcas Oddfellows, Orcas Open Arts, Orcas Island Public School District and the Parent-Teacher-Students Association, Orcas Recreation Program and Salmonberry School.
It’s time for the F.E.A.S.T.!
F.E.A.S.T. stands for Farm Education and Sustainability for Teens, it is an experiential education program that dives into the many diverse aspects of sustainability. The program includes classes in organic gardening, Biodynamic farming, blacksmithing, permaculture, food preservation, beekeeping, woodcarving, botany, grafting, and more. F.E.A.S.T. engages the mind, body and the taste buds as we explore ways to help change the world. Did we mention that you can get high school credit!
Alumni students agree that that it was the most exciting, fun credit that they ever received. Need to work this summer? Students have found that participating in F.E.A.S.T. still allowed for a summer work schedule and plenty of time at the lake. To accommodate family vacations students can miss up to 6 classes and still receive credit for the program. Parents are you interested in learning some of these skills? This year we will open some adult spots in many of our classes, so if something peaks your interest let us know!
Dates and times: In the beginning of June we will have 4 evening orientation meetings. From June 21st through August 14th, F.E.A.S.T. will run from 9:30-2:30 on Mon., Tue., & Wed. each week. There are also 2-3 overnight classes on other islands, so gear up for an adventure!
Fee: There is a materials fee of $200 for the whole summer, partial scholarships are available.
If you already have an application, get it back to Kari Schuh’s room by May 15th!
For more information or for an application please contact:
Whitney Hartzell
F.E.A.S.T. Coordinator
(360) 472-1525
Music Notes
May Concerts Feature Jazz Experience/Band Ensemble on May 5th Elementary Choirs and Strings on May 20th
Mark your calendars now for Wednesday May 5th and Thursday May 20th. You’ll hear the results of one of the best school music programs around! Willie Thomas will lead the jazz stylings of the band and other students benefiting from his “Jazz Experience” classes and assistance with Lizz Hanks’ band classes. The all-elementary end-of-year concert, featuring student choirs, strings musicians and more, will feature the fabulous sounds of the 70s. Prepare to “shake your groove thing” on down to the concert Thursday, May 20th, beginning at 6:30 p.m. Music instructors Pamela Wright and Lizz Hanks have been working hard to ensure an end-of-year performance not to be missed!
PTSA News
The PTSA is closing the year by celebrating our wonderful teachers and staff during Teacher-Staff Appreciation Week, May 3-7. If you’re interested in helping celebrate our wonderful teachers and staff, contact Barb Skotte at 376-3930 for ways to get involved.
Since we’re closing in on the end of the school year, it’s also time to select the PTSA Board of Officers for 2010-2011. If you’re interested in helping our group provide recreational and educational opportunities for our children, and support for our teachers and staff, contact Barb Skotte at 376-3930, or come by our meeting on Thursday, May 13th. We’ll begin at 5:30 pm in the school library. Childcare is always provided.
PTSA 2 for 1 Scholastic Book Fair
The PTSA has one more big event planned for this school year—a two day Scholastic Book Fair on Friday and Saturday, May 21st and 22nd. We’ll run from 10:00-3:30 on Friday, and 10:00-2:00 on Saturday. Since this is our second book fair of the year, we are pleased to be able to offer a 2-for-1 Fair. All items will be 2-for-1, with the lower priced item free! As always, we can use help with set-up, tear-down and staffing our event. Contact Barb Skotte at 376-3930 if you can help.
Dance, Dance, Dance
The Orcas Arts Education Project is concluding its third successful year in our schools with end-of-year recitals at Orcas Center on Wednesday and Thursday, May 26th and 27th. The events showcase the fantastic work of Susan Babcock, Jean Henigson and the other wonderful dance instructors made available to our school through the Arts Education Project.
Field Day Coming June 16th
Practice your limbo and three-legged race skills now! Coach Drake is already plotting and scheming for this year’s Field Day, Wednesday, June 16th. As always, parent volunteers are needed to help this fun event succeed. Please contact the school office at 376-2286 if you would like to help.
Book Corner-Library News
May is here and that means thoughts of summer reading, stories about gardening, flowers, insects, and sunshine.
The school library is full of beautiful new sculptures, thanks to Corey Wiscomb’s Visual Arts class. The library is a place to showcase classes’ productivity so be sure to stop by if you want to see what our students are creating.
The library is also full of great new books, thanks to a generous donation this year. We are grateful for this community support. The students love reading new material. We will be participating in a few state-wide book contests next year and it will be a great opportunity for students to be reading and discussing books.
Its time to really dig for your library books that are overdue so they are sure to get back to the library before the end of the school year. Watch for yellow slips to come home with your student that have the overdue books listed. If the books are lost, we will ask the replacement cost be paid.
If you have any questions, please contact Maria Doss at 376-1565 or mdoss@orcas.k12.wa.usthe library before the end of the
Annual Letterland Parade May 14th
Don’t be too surprised if you spot Golden Girl, Annie Apple, Robber Red, Sammy Snake and others strolling through town on May 14th. That’s the date our Kindergarteners will take to the streets to celebrate their mastery of the alphabet. Come join in and bring your cameras. You won’t be able to resist taking a picture of Quarrelsome Queen, Kicking King and the others!
First Student Chef Competition a Winner!
The ten competing recipes in the First Ever Orcas Island School District Student Chef Competition were so good, the judges had their work cut out for them when the time for choosing the winners finally arrived. All ten entries fell within ten points of each other, but when all was said and done, the perfect ten went to Nile Reed who took Grand Prize overall with his smooth and creamy Maple Vanilla Panna Cotta with Blackberry Sauce. In his words, “It isn’t very labor intensive, it tastes delicious and is still fairly good for you.” According to one of the judges, Zach Holley, “I’m not a lover of sweets, but this (Panna Cotta) is a dessert I would go for.”
Winner in the Tier 1 Elementary Level was Arla Sutton cooking her delicious Orange-Almond Granola. The Tier II Middle Level winner was Kaya Osborn baking to perfection her Spiced Blackberry Zucchini Cake, and the Tier III Senior Level winner was Kelsey Whitaker with her impressive presentation of Orcas Melange.
However, there was not a loser in the room. Every participant took home ribbons, gifts and the memory of a day like no other that began in the morning with the Elementary competitors. The atmosphere was spirited and bustling. After a brief review of safety and cleanliness from Chef Christina Orchid, the Elementary participants washed their hands and took to the stoves with energy and enthusiasm. While they diligently prepared their recipes under the watchful eyes of a parent and Chef Christina, the judges, Barbara Kline, Mia Kartiganer, Kathy McDowell, Zach Holley and Mackie Cardinell meandered, observed and took notes. The event’s Master of Ceremonies, Kyle Freeman, did step-by-step commentary on how each chef was doing. When done, each presented their dish to the audience of applauding parents and supporters, then to the judges for tasting. Each judge gave feedback to the contestant on their presentation and had well-deserved raves about each one. Even members of the audience were treated to sampling each of the dishes and everyone took home a booklet of all ten recipes.
In the afternoon, the Middle and High School Student Chefs started their ovens. A more serious tone filled the Home Ec room but it was soon replaced with mouth-watering aromas from breads to burgers and everything in between. Before long, they, too, presented their recipes for tasting and critiques…then the judges left the room to make their final decisions.
Every student chef from the Kindergarteners to the High School, and every recipe from pasta to panna cotta was a winner. “It was a very close competition,” said judge Barbara Kline. “Each dish was impressive, and it was extremely hard to select the top four.” All judging was done on a “grid system” of points in the five categories of: recipe, presentation, taste, Mise en Place (everything in its place or orderliness while prepping and cooking) and cleanliness (before, during and after.) When the judges returned to the room, you could feel the anticipation. It was time to announce the winners.
Anticipation was replaced with applause, kudos for all of the contestants and happy faces on everyone, along with a promise to do it all again next year. All recipes will be prepared and served during this school year and next by the staff in the public school cafeteria so all students, parents and community will have the opportunity to taste for themselves.
The Orcas Island Farm to Cafeteria Program wishes to thank the sponsors; Outlook Inn, Roses Bakery Cafe, Doe Bay Cafe and Resort, Red Rabbit Farm, Westsound Cafe, Orcas Landing, Orcas Village Store, Mandy Randolph and Zach Holley for financially supporting this extremely successful event, as well as all those who tirelessly assisted in putting this First Ever Student Chef Competition together and everyone who came to cheer for our budding chefs.
OIEF News
The Orcas Island Education Foundation is now on Facebook! (Thank you board member Kim Freeman for setting us up.) Please be our friend.
This is the last year of the joint OIEF and OICF Education Initiative Campaign. Thank you to all donors who have given so generously! Because of those donations, school programming was saved in the face of massive state and federal funding reductions. The district again faces cuts this year as all I728 money has been eliminated and federal stimulus money is gone. If you have donated to the Education Initiative in the past, we still need your support. If you would like to be a new donor, we welcome your donation. To help support our schools, you can donate on line at: www.oief.org. Or you can mail a donation to: OIEF PO Box 782, Eastsound, WA 98245.
Finally, a big thank you to Michelle Reed who is stepping down as OIEF President. She now serves Chair of the Finance Committee. Janet Brownell replaces Michelle as President, Barb Skotte serves as Vice-President.
OIEF hopes you all have a great summer and we will see you in the fall.
Orcas Rec News
Are you looking for something fun to do this summer! Go to the Orcas Rec website to see a list of our summer programs www.orcasrec.org
We have great programs running this summer like the Young Artists, Scientists, and Writers weekend on Canoe Island, Sailing with Sail Orcas, and British Soccer Camp! Sign up now to reserve your spot!
Orcas Rec will only send out a short version of our all-island mailing this year, so it is very important to use our website to find out full information for this summer. We update our website frequently so check it often. Orcas Rec is now on Facebook. We hope to see you this summer!
Student Art Show
May 7, 2010
Come stroll our halls and see our creations. Enjoy the color, line and perspective of our school! Doors open from 3:00-5:00 pm.
Be Wise – Immunize
It’s tempting to believe that diseases like polio, diphtheria, and measles are a thing of the past. While it’s true that, due to effective vaccines, these illnesses are much rarer today, they still do occur. As this newsletter was being prepared, the San Juan County Health Dept. notified us that 44 cases of measles had been confirmed near Vancouver, BC. It’s believed that out-of-country visitors brought measles into Vancouver and that the people who came down with the disease had not been immunized (2 doses are needed for the vaccine to be 99% effective).
Measles is a highly contagious airborne disease that can result in severe complications. Although at this time there are no known cases of measles in San Juan County, health care providers have been encouraged to watch for signs of it in their patients. Measles vaccine (as part of the MMR), is one of the immunizations required for school attendance, and we know that many OISD students have not received this and many other of the required vaccines. While parents have the right to not immunize their children, it’s important to be aware of the risks. Additionally, if there were to be an outbreak of measles (or any other vaccine-preventable disease), unimmunized students likely would be excluded from school until the risk of exposure had passed (which could be as long as 3 weeks).
Now is a good time to check your child’s immunization record. The chart below lists which vaccines are required for schools. If it has been at least 5 years since your child had a tetanus shot, he/she needs a booster before returning to school in the fall. This often is given as a combination immunization that includes vaccine for diphtheria and pertussis (whooping cough) as well as tetanus. If your child has never received a varicella (chicken pox) vaccine, that also is required when entering 6th grade. Immunizations are available from all Orcas Island health care providers and San Juan County Health Dept. (378-4474). For more information about immunizations, check the internet at: http://www.doh.wa.gov/cfh/Immunize/immunization/childhood-faqs.htm.
If you do not want your child immunized, the school needs to have on file a signed exemption form. Contact the school nurse, Iris Graville, at 1592 or igraville@orcas.k12.wa.us for this form or if you have any questions about immunizations.
Immunizations for Graduating Seniors
At the end of the school year, graduating seniors will receive their immunization records. Keep it in a safe place with other important records—many employers, universities, community and technical colleges, as well as the military, require information about your immunizations. Meningococcal (“meningitis”) vaccine is recommended for college freshmen, especially those who will be living in dorms. This vaccine can protect against the bacteria which causes a type of meningitis (swelling of the covering of the brain and spinal cord). The vaccine is available from local health care providers at a much lower cost until the age of 19, so consider making an appointment for this immunization this summer.
Special Education
The Orcas Island School District’s DEPARTMENT OF SPECIAL EDUCATION serves people with disabilities from birth to age 21. If you suspect that you or your child may have a disability, please call the District Office at 376-2284.
Annual School Report Card
The Annual School Report Card for the Orcas Island School District and its individual schools as required by the Elementary and Secondary Education Act can be found at www.k12.wa.us <http://www.k12.wa.us> (Click on ESEA Report Card link, select Orcas Island School District, and click on ESEA Report Card for the district or an individual school.) If you do not have Internet access, copies of the Annual Report Card are available at the District Office.”
6th – 12th Grade Parents ~ Give Your Parenting a Boost!
Connect with other parents ~ find some answers & support
Active Parenting of Teens
At the Orcas Senior Center – Conference Room – 5:30 – 7:00pm
Monday May 17th & 24th & Thursday June 3rd & 10th
- Strengthen your communication and problem-solving skills
- Promote respect and cooperation with your child
- Use positive discipline techniques and encourage responsibility
- Support your child’s courage and self-esteem
“Active Parenting programs empower families by providing parents with the skills to help their children survive and thrive in our changing world.”
$25 donation requested for classes ~ all are welcome regardless of ability to donate
2 Easy ways to to REGISTER and help us to coordinate the numbers:
1) Call 376-1547 (you can leave a message) Use the form below as a guide line for information to leave with us.
~or~
2) Return the form below to the school office or to your child’s teacher.
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Names of participants:____________________________________________________
Address:___________________________________________Phone:______________
Names and ages of children needing childcare__________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
Spanish translation needed? Y or N
Sponsored by the Readiness to Learn Program and Orcas Island Prevention Partnership with help from a grant from the United Way of San Juan County.
YMCA Camp Orkila
Come visit our picturesque pool with your family! It’s Heated!
YMCA Camp Orkila offers swim lessons all summer. We also have community swim for an hour a day!
Check out the Day Camping program for
Grades 1-6.
There is a meeting for Spanish speaking families who are interested in the school library on May 11th at 6pm.
Call Camp Orkila at 376-2678 for more information.
