Fall 2013

Student rep joins school board, pg. 2

New website offers new tools, pg. 3

AP test scores ahead of state and nation, pg. 3

Girls “kick it” in Cambodia, pg. 4

School Resource Officer honored, pg. 5

Planning for the future, pgs. 6-7

Gear Up & Go!, pg. 8

Semifinalists in National Merit Scholarship Program, pg. 9

Property taxes 101 quiz, pg. 10

What is Common Core?, pg. 11

Looking for us?, pg. 12

Everett High School goes international, pg. 2

Our students will lead and shape the future.

2

Everett High School hosts guest teacher from ChinaEverett High School first in district to offer Chinese language in 2013-14

Han Jing (Crystal) is one of 187 Chinese guest teachers, including 129 new arrivals, who are teaching at schools across 30 states this year.

Crystal is from Qingdao, a seaside city in the east of China. She graduated from Ocean University of China, majoring in English. She has been teaching college English for non-English majors at Qingdao University for ten years. Crystal, her husband and their three-year old child are looking forward to spending time in the United States.

Everett High School welcomed Crystal this summer, and she is now teaching students to speak, understand, read and write Chinese. Upon successfully completing this course, students will be able to communicate in Chinese about the alphabet, numbers, colors, the calendar, themselves and their lives. Students will also learn about cultures and customs through readings, videos, and supplementary exercises.

“Crystal is already proving to be a great addition to Everett High School,” said Principal Sally Lancaster. “She is energetic, friendly and excited about teaching Everett students.”

Everett High School was selected to host a native Mandarin-speaking teacher from China for the 2013-14 school year as part of the Chinese Guest Teacher Program, a collaboration of the College Board and China’s Confucius Institute Headquarters/Hanban.

The program places visiting teachers from China in U.S. elementary, middle and high schools for one to three years to jump-start or expand school Chinese language and culture programs.

Welcome a-board!Starsha Garcia joins Everett Public Schools Board of Directors as a student representative this year.

Starsha is a junior at Sequoia and involved in school leadership and ASB Executive Council. Starsha volunteers at community events such as the YMCA Healthy Kids Day. She co-lead establishing and maintaining a food closet to meet the needs of Sequoia students on weekends and school breaks. Starsha will serve a two-year term as a school board student representative.

3

New website offers new tools

The new website is more than just a website; it is a content management system. It includes the website, and it has other built-in tools that work hand-in-hand with the website.

Planner This integrated calendar makes it easy for busy families to keep track of school events and activities all in one place. Users can select the categories of events they want to see from multiple calendars on the website and export the events to a personal calendar.

Find WHAT you’re looking for The new content management system increases consistency between schools, departments and programs so that you can more easily find items. Teachers can also more easily share online resources with each other, adding to the consistency for students and their families.

Find WHO you’re looking for The new content management system includes a searchable directory for every employee in Everett Public Schools. The directory includes links to email addresses and employee websites.

What are you waiting for? Check out the new website at www.everettsd.org.

Integrated calendars, customized views and more online tools for families

More students taking AP classes, doing better on tests

In May, 611 high school students took 832 Advanced Placement (AP) tests – nearly 150 more than in 2010. AP “qualifying” scores are either 3, 4 or 5. The number of students earning a 3 in 2010 was 61%; this year it is 70%. 2013 mean scores of district students are higher than the mean scores in the state, the nation and of students who took these tests in other parts of the world.

Why is this important?

1. AP classes prepare students to succeed in college. AP classes are designed by a committee of college faculty and AP teachers. Classes are audited for consistency and high standards. Each AP test focuses upon a student’s ability to perform at a college level in that subject.

2. Students who earn a 3 or above are often able to get college credit for these high school classes. This saves students and families time and money toward a college degree.

This success can be “money in the bank” for families

The website was made possible by the voter-approved 2010 technology levy.

4

Girls help “kick” human-trafficking in Cambodia

Olivia Carter, an 11th-grader at Henry M. Jackson High School, and two other local Wesco League soccer players traveled to Cambodia to share their soccer skills and compassion with girls who have been rescued from human-trafficking, living in orphanages and on the streets. The girls came together from competing soccer teams from Henry M. Jackson, Monroe, and Edmonds-Woodway high schools.

Just a few years ago, Cambodian girls were not allowed to play soccer in their country. Today, through the work of SALT Academy and Cambodia Soccer, Cambodia now has an official girls’ soccer program. The Wesco league girls joined with SALT to teach advanced soccer skills to the Cambodian girls and to play in a women’s soccer tournament.

Players teach English and soccer to girls rescued from human-trafficking

In addition to the daily soccer clinics, the team also visited children in a local orphanage, spent time with girls in one of the human-trafficking safe houses and taught computer skills, English and other classes at a local school. They also brought new and gently used soccer equipment to share with the children in Cambodia.

“It was an amazing feeling to go to Cambodia this summer and to participate in a women’s soccer tournament,” said Olivia’s mom, Kari Carter. “When we first started going to Cambodia eight years ago, girls couldn’t even play soccer. The work we have done over the past eight years has really made an impact in the lives of so many girls. We couldn’t do it without the support of the local soccer clubs, players, families and local community.

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5

Rory Mundwiler School Resource Officer of the Year

Officer Mundwiler was named School Resource Officer of the Year by The Washington School Safety Organization (WSSO). WSSO is an organization of school administrators, school security officers, DARE officers, and school resource officers representing Washington state.

School Resource Officers (SROs) are sworn police officers responsible for promoting safety, security and a positive learning environment in local schools. In every effort to uphold this standard, the SRO works closely with parents, teachers, administrators, students, members of the community and, of course, police staff.

The City of Mill Creek and Everett Public Schools have provided school resource officer services to Henry M. Jackson High school and Heatherwood Middle School since 1996 through a cooperative agreement.

“Rory is a critical member of the Jackson team. He makes a point to be very visible and develop positive relationships with our students. He is always willing to help and wants to do what is best for our students. Rory has been a big help to me in many situations, and I can always rely on him to use good judgment. We are lucky to have him at Jackson!” said Kevin Rohrich, assistant principal at Henry M. Jackson High School.

Serving Henry M. Jackson High School and Heatherwood Middle School

Everett Public Schools recognized Rory Mundwiler’s achievement as School Resource Officer of the Year at the September 10 school board meeting.

Thank you!Thank you to everyone who donated or helped with our “Stuff the Bus for Kids” effort this fall. Everett Public Schools Foundation coordinated this communitywide effort that filled 1,675 backpacks with school supplies for students in need. Partners in this effort include:

• Boeing• Durham School Services• Everett Association of Paraeducators• Everett Aquasox• Fred Meyer• Molina Healthcare• Northwest Plus Credit Union • World Vision

With everyone’s help, more students started off the year ready to learn.

6

How does a district prepare for building new schools? Using growth projections; considering how education may change

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Sixty year history of building schools for students thanks to voter approval of bonds

Capital Facilities Advisory Council (CFAC) includes parents, staff, students and citizens who consider:

• School size and capacity — How many schools are there; what spaces do they have? CFAC factors in unique uses such as special education, band, music, gyms, cafeterias and libraries.

• Enrollment and capacity — How many kids are coming, how fast, from what areas? The district uses professional demographers, its own staff and OSPI enrollment projections in combination to make this determination.

• Potential program changes — State funding of full day kindergarten and money for smaller K - 3 class sizes is good news. That welcome funding drives a need for more K - 3 classrooms.

• District curriculum and technology plan — the CFAC reviews what educational technology will be needed in the future.

• Property — What other land does the district own, where is it, and what is its potential future use?

• School seismic conditions – How well might each school withstand an earthquake?

• Roofing, flooring and finishes — What is needed to maintain a school’s useful life, safety standards and serve educational and community needs?

• Compliance with federal Adults with Disabilities Act

• Athletic facilities and fields — What are their conditions?

• Reasonable tax rate — Avoiding dips and spikes for property owners.

This and other data is used to prepare information for public meetings like the one pictured below. Citizens share their thoughts and comments, which are used to develop a bond recommendation to the school board.

The school board will review CFAC information on Oct. 9 and 22 and Nov. 26 to make a decision about a February 2014 bond.

7

Using growth projections; considering how education may change

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Sixty year history of building schools for students thanks to voter approval of bonds

How does it safeguard community investment? Schools are carefully maintained and renovated on a long-range cycle

Facility First build date

When renovated

Eisenhower MS 1971 2006

Evergreen MS 1958 1999

Emerson ES 1957 2006

Cascade HS 1961 2000 - partial

Forest View ES 2007

Facility First build date

When renovated

Garfield ES 1946 1969 & 2009

Jefferson ES 1964 2011

Monroe ES 1969 2012

Silver Lake ES 1959 2009

View Ridge ES 1954 2013

Whittier ES 1949 2011

Everett HS theater 1924 2009

Everett HS gym 1969 underway

Bond history

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Under some circumstances, the district qualifies for State School Construction Assistance funds to add to local construction projects. Since 2006, the district has used these state funds for:

$1.3 million

Science classroom upgrades at North, Eisenhower, Heatherwood and Gateway; Henry M. Jackson and Sequoia

$1.4 million

Synthetic tracks at Cascade and Henry M. Jackson

$4.2 million

Henry M. Jackson High School annex

$545K Penny Creek Elementary safety guard rails; Heatherwood Middle play shed roof; portable classroom relocations; Everett High HVAC damper replacement; Gateway Middle and Everett High schools courtyard improvements; Mill Creek Elementary student walkway improvements; parking lot safety improvements

$18.6 million

Community Resource Center to consolidate support services into building with 75-year life, provide one-stop shopping for patrons, improve efficiency, free up other school property.

*The projects listed left are just some of the major projects funded by recent bonds.

8

On Saturday Oct. 26, thousands of fifth-graders and families will converge

at Stocker Field in Snohomish to kick off Gear Up & Go! – a countywide program to motivate students to move more and build lifelong healthy lifestyle habits and contribute to their communities.

Why in schools? A healthy and active lifestyle at home and school is important to lifelong health and wellness. Research has shown that activity directly impacts classroom success: the more active a child, the better that child’s academic success. And, classroom success is a significant marker of career success and financial well-being in adulthood. Gear Up & Go! intends to increase activity levels throughout the county to improve academic success and ultimately enhance the economic prosperity of Snohomish County.

How? Each fifth-grader gets a Sqord PowerPod (www.Sqord.com) – a durable wristband that converts activity into points. Any activity, from walking home from school to folding laundry, earns points! Students register and track their points online and earn virtual badges for their accomplishments. Students can also interact with each other on the website with predetermined virtual High Fives and Squawk messages to give their classmates encouragement and support.

Who started this? This initiative was created by the Snohomish

What is it?

County Health Leadership Coalition in concert with school district superintendents, district teachers, health and physical education professionals.

“Our hope is that today’s fifth-graders will score higher on the Healthy Youth Survey given in sixth grade,” explained Superintendent Gary Cohn. “Historically, this survey has shown a steep decline in activity between sixth- and twelfth-grade. If students establish healthy habits and lifestyle activities in fifth-grade, those habits will likely last into their teens and beyond.” For more information please visit www.SnoCoHealthLeadership.com.

Youth obesity in Snohomish County is up by about 20 percent in the past decade. More than one out of every four adults in Snohomish County is obese - 28 percent.

Devon Mercer (Everett High School) and Saidutt Nimmagadda (Henry M. Jackson High School) are among approximately 16,000 semifinalists in the 59th annual National Merit Scholarship Program. Each has an opportunity to continue in the competition for one of the

8,000 National Merit Scholarships, worth about $35 million total, to be offered in the spring.

“Devon is a diligent student who is inquisitive, hardworking and persistent,” said Sally Lancaster, Everett High School principal. “She has excelled in her classes at Everett High and in Running Start through Everett Community College.”

“Sai has a 3.98 GPA while taking the most rigorous coursework that we offer,” added Dave Peters, Henry M. Jackson principal. “His

leadership ability is on display in a variety

Seniors semifinalists in Merit Scholarship Programof clubs and activities around Jackson, including his work with the Technology Student Association (TSA). For the first time in history, the National TSA board elected two national officers from Washington state, and one of them is Sai.”

About 1.5 million juniors entered the 2014 National Merit Scholarship Program by taking the 2012 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT®). The nationwide pool of semifinalists, representing less than one percent of U.S. high school seniors, includes the highest scoring entrants in each state.

To become a finalist, each semifinalist and high school must submit a detailed scholarship application, in which they provide information about the semifinalist’s academic record, participation in school and community activities, demonstrated leadership abilities, employment, and honors and awards received. A semifinalist must have an outstanding academic record throughout high school, be endorsed and recommended by a high school official, write an essay and earn SAT scores that confirm the student’s earlier performance on the qualifying test.

This year, cafeterias in Everett Public Schools 17 elementary schools began slicing and dicing veggies in new ways and peeling away the mystery of leafy greens and anti-oxidant rich, colorful, crunchy, good-for-you-and-fun-too vegetables. That’s right, vegetables! “In our cafeterias students are engaged and excited about nutrition – and about learning ways to eat healthy foods and like them too,” said Food and Nutrition Services Manager Joanna Peeler.

The new cafeteria focus on healthy veggies is in sync with the district’s efforts to infuse Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) into every grade and all aspects of schools. Each month a new veggie is presented at each school and served as a routine part of the menu. Students study that month’s starring veggie display with its nutrition facts and information about how and where it grows. Students and families enjoy

Veggies rock!a veggie newsletter that features fun veggie facts, a veggie-themed reading list – even a kid-friendly recipe to try at home.

Star lineup:September - Tomato October - Pumpkin November - Squash December - Potato January - Beans

February - Carrots March - Broccoli April - Peppers May - Leafy Greens June - Corn

10

School quiz - true or false?

SAMPLE SCHOOL DISTRICT has four houses, each assessed at $100,000. The district’s voters approve a $1,000 bond or levy. Because property values are the same, each pays the same amount to reach the total approved amount of $1,000.

SAMPLE SCHOOL DISTRICT still has four houses, but assessed valuation (AV) has gone up. Each now pays a different amount to reach $1,000. The district collects only the total voters approve, no matter how property values change.

Property taxes 101

$250

$250

$250

Voters approve bond or levy of

$1,000

$250

$250

$100,000

$100,000

$100,000

$200,000

$150,000

$187.50

$200,000

$250

$250,000

$312.50

Answers:

1. False – Voters approve a total cost of a bond or levy, a total dollar amount, not a “tax rate.”

2. False – School districts collect only the amount the voters approve. The tax rate may vary, but the total dollar amount collected does not increase when property values go up.

3. False – School districts collect only the amount approved by voters. The tax rate may vary, but the total dollar amount collected does not decrease when property values go down.

4. True – Construction bond dollars must be used for capital projects and cannot pay to lower class size or for school bus transportation.

5. False – More property in a school district means more owners are paying a share of the bond or levy. The total bond or levy amount divided among more property owners means each property owner pays less, not more.

How changes in property values affect your taxes

Voters approve bond or levy of

$1,000

Sample District AV = $400,000 Sample District AV = $800,000

$100,000

1. True or False? – When voters approve a school levy or bond issue, they approve a tax rate.

2. True or False? – When property values go up, the school district gets more money for schools.

3. True or False? – When property values go down, the school district gets less money for schools.

4. True or False? – Construction bond dollars cannot pay for teaching staff or the cost of day-to-day operations or transportation.

5. True or False – More houses built in your neighborhood mean the district collects more money. To learn more, visit the Snohomish County Assessor’s website.

Check what you know about property taxes for bonds and levies

11

Common Core

What are educational standards? Are they a “good thing?” Educational standards are clear goals for student learning. They help teachers ensure their students have the skills and knowledge they need to be successful, both in the next grade level and in life.

Will standards tell teachers how to teach? NO. Standards help teachers focus on knowledge and skills their students should have at each grade level. With these clear targets, teachers can build the best classroom lessons and environments.

Standards also help students and parents by setting clear and realistic goals for success. Standards are a first step – a key building block – in providing young people with a high-quality education that prepares them for success in today’s college and work settings.

What will Common Core State Standards mean for students? Expectations have risen for the academic skills and knowledge students must possess to enter, and succeed in, college and careers. Simultaneously, much of the U.S. education system has not changed, leaving some students unprepared for the global economy they will enter once they graduate. Common Core State Standards ensure students have the skills and knowledge needed to be successful in college and career.

The standards provide more clarity and consistency about expectations. Until now, every state has had its own set of academic standards, meaning public education students at the same grade level in different states have been expected to achieve at different levels. The Common Core State Standards Initiative allows states to share information and helps provide all students with an equal opportunity for an education that will prepare them to go to college or enter the workforce, regardless of where they live.

To learn more and watch a three-minute video explaining Common Core State Standards, visit www.k12.wa.us/Corestandards.

Frequently asked questions

Did you know?• Eight out of 10 jobs today are

considered “middle and high” skilled, requiring education beyond high school.

• Simply taking advanced math has a direct impact on future earnings. Students who take advanced high school math have higher incomes 10 years after graduating, regardless of family background, grades and college degrees.

• High school students who take advanced math nearly double their chances of earning a postsecondary degree. The numbers are even higher for minority students.

• Students who major in engineering or computer science in college have the highest wages upon entering the workforce. Still, many jobs go begging to be filled because too few students are interested in them.

• The New York Times recently noted that “more jobs demand much higher math and reading proficiency than in the past.” A Pioneer Institute study found that

manuals for auto-mechanics, plumbers

and those that repair appliances are written “up

to a grade- 14 reading level.”

12

PO BOX 2098EVERETT, WA 98213

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Carol Andrews

Pam LeSesne

Jessica Olson

Ed Petersen

Jeff Russell

SUPERINTENDENT

Dr. Gary Cohn

COMMUNICATIONS

Mary Waggoner, Director, writer, photographer

Diane Bradford, Executive Staff Assistant, designer, writer

Linda Carbajal, Administrative Assistant, writer, volunteers

Everett Public Schools does not discriminate on the basis of sex, race, creed, religion, color, national origin, age, honorably discharged veteran or military status, sexual orientation including gender expression or identity, the presence of any sensory, mental, or physical disability, or the use of a trained dog guide or service animal by a person with a disability in its programs and activities and provides equal access to the Boy Scouts and other designated youth groups. Designated to handle inquiries about nondiscrimination policies are:

Affirmative Action Office – Carol Stolz, cstolz@everettsd.org, 425-385-4106

Title IX Officer – Randi Seaberg, rseaberg@everettsd.org, 425-385-4104

504 Coordinator – Becky Ballbach, rballbach@everettsd.org, 425-385-4063

ADA Coordinator – Kristine McDowell, kmcdowell@everettsd.org, 425-385-5250

Address: PO Box 2098, Everett, WA 98213

ECRWSSPostal Customer

NONPROFIT ORG.US POSTAGE PAID

EVERETT, WAPERMIT NO. 432

Past newsletters are available at http://bit.ly/EPS_newsletters.

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Links to the following are at www.everettsd.org:

Looking for services?Beginning in November, the three administrative support centers will merge into one Community Resource Center. The move will happen in stages and will take several weeks. If you are looking for a department or program in November, calling 425-385-4000 before your visit to confirm their location may save you time. Thank you for your patience as we work to move support services into one location.

The Community Resource Center address will be: 3900 Broadway, Everett, WA 98201

Important dates Nov. 11: Veterans Day; no school Nov. 28-29: Thanksgiving Break Dec. 23- Jan. 3: Winter Break Students return to school after Winter Break Jan. 6.