Show & Tell: Regional volunteer awards, Clover Park kindergarten registration, Puyallup student honors and new name for Tacoma charter school
School volunteers, staff get regional awards
The Washington Association of School Administrators honored regional community volunteers, school leaders and students at a ceremony held April 24.
Awards for community leadership went to: Tianna Gaulke,White River School District; Diane Hicks, Orting School District; Ken Charboneau, Sumner School District; Jim Ross, Franklin Pierce School District; Julia Garnett, Tacoma School District; Kevin Ringus and Butch Brooks, Fife School District; the Kiwanis Club of Clover Park, Clover Park School District; Dori Tate, Puyallup School District; Sam Scott, Steilacoom School District; Paulette Gilliardi, Eatonville School District; Sandy Seigel, Bethel School District.
Student scholarships went to Britt McCracken, Colton Shepard, Andrew Sweeting, Zachary Traufler and Kyra Weight. Carolyn Treleven of the Franklin Pierce School District was recognized for her efforts to help implement Common Core Standards.
Glenn Malone of the Puyallup School District and Brian Loffer of the Bethel School District were jointly recognized for their development of a group for Pierce County testing officials to assist with the new Smarter Balanced state tests.
Meeting for Orting superintendent post
The Orting School Board has scheduled a special meeting for 10 a.m. Monday May 4 at the school district office to discuss the recent resignation of Superintendent Michelle Curry.
Curry resigned April 30, citing new responsibility in caring for her father, who lives in Alaska. She had been on a temporary leave, but said in a letter to staff, students and families that she decided to quit to allow the school board to appoint a permanent superintendent to take her place.
Curry has been the superintendent in Orting since 2009. In the last four years, Orting High School has been recognized with four consecutive achievement awards and seven state academic awards, Curry’s letter stated. In 2012, Curry was one of six semifinalists for superintendent of the year for the National Association of School Superintendents.
Kindergarten sign-ups start at Clover Park
The Clover Park School District is accepting registration starting Monday (May 4) for new kindergartners. Each elementary school will also hold kindergarten orientation for students and families on the following days:
For more information on registration call 253-583-5160.
Puyallup students earn honors in arts contest
The Puyallup School District has announced two elementary students were among 27 students in the state to receive an Outstanding Interpretation Reflections award from the Washington State PTA Reflections arts contest. Ethan Barker of Edgerton Elementary, won the top honor for him film production entry and Cassidy Benton, who attended Maplewood Elementary until February this year, won in the music composition.
Charter school gets new name for opening
The charter middle school opening in Tacoma this fall has a new name: Destiny Charter Middle School.
So far, 200 students have enrolled in the new school, which will begin with sixth graders only and roll up to a full sixth-through-eighth-grade middle school over the next three years.
The school is operated by Green Dot, a California-based non-profit organization that operates charter schools in Los Angeles and Tennessee.
Tacoma-area families, students and community members chose the name to reflect the history of Tacoma as the City of Destiny.
Destiny Charter Middle School Principal Genny Cadena said in a news release that members of the school’s advisory committee, including families and community members, have been helping to plan the opening of the school, which happens Aug. 24 on Tacoma’s Eastside.
Compiled by Mary Anderson and Debbie Cafazzo, staff writers
This story was originally published May 4, 2015 at 6:00 AM with the headline "Show & Tell: Regional volunteer awards, Clover Park kindergarten registration, Puyallup student honors and new name for Tacoma charter school."