Chalk Talk – May 13, 2015

Published 11:50 am Wednesday, May 13, 2015

GREYWOLF ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

Math Olympiad students have been practicing their math skills for competition since January. There were many schools from the Olympic Peninsula represented at the event on Saturday, April 25. Robert Withrow, teacher and Math Olympiad advisor, breaks down scoring results for the two Greywolf teams in the competition:

Team 5A received an Excellent rating for Number Sense, Measurement, Geometric Sense and Probability/Stats. They received a Superior rating for Algebraic Sense and Problem Solving (aka the Long Problem), and received double medals.

Team 5B received an Excellent rating for Number Sense and Algebraic Sense. They received a Very Good rating for Measurement, Geometric Sense, Probability and Problem Solving.

Congratulations to Math Olympiads Christian Gonzales, Henry Hughes, Corbin Glass, Ryan Schmitt, Hannah O’Neil, Jayda Lewis, Cassidy Crecelius and Pippa Dressel.

Teacher Jennifer Lopez and others arranged for Lindsay Rieker of Lotus Rose Massage Therapy to give chair massages in the staff lounge to the food service staff members Dixie Parker, Hallie Walsh and Teri Cummings after lunch was served. This was a special treat in recognition of National Lunch Lady Day on May 1.

Parker said, “The students had made huge signs for us. One class made a huge paper apron that said Thank You. It was so wonderful. We felt pretty special!”

HELEN HALLER ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

In honor of Mother’s Day, the students in Jaysa Hill’s classroom have written a collection of notes that highlight the special qualities of people they care about. Namely, the wonderful women in their lives, including mothers, sisters, grandmothers, aunts, cousins, and more.

This is a very special group of fourth-graders due in a large part to the wonderful women in their lives that support and encourage them outside of school on a daily basis.

Thanks to each of you for the time and effort you put into helping our students succeed! Have a lovely Mother’s Day weekend.

My mother is the very best because she helps with my assorted homework! She helps with my aching pains and sickness. My mom clings to me when I need a hug. My mother helps when I get in trouble. She helps when I need support when I am bugged by something. So what I am trying to say is, I love you Mom! Deakon Budnek

My mom is fantastic to me. Moms are always there. She is always there for everybody. We have painted pictures. My mom and I play games. We go on trips to Seattle. Wyatt Hart

Mikyala is my sister. She is in sixth grade and is 12 years young. She has two brothers and two sisters. My sister makes the best milkshakes in the world. I love the way she does soccer. Mikyala is one of a kind because she is the one and only Mikyala Haladay! Kori Miller

Dear Mom, What I love about you is EVERYTHING! You make the best food! I love the way you make my wishes come true! My mom is sweet like a cupcake! My mom helps me by being full of love! I would like to compliment my mom on being the best loving mom! Sincerely, Anna Gowdy

My mom makes the best foods. She always helps me when I need it most. I would like to compliment my mom on always doing her best. My mom is one of a kind because she supports me at all of my events and sports that my brother and I do. She is the best mom in the world. She is also very kind and smart. Alliyah Weber

An important person in my life is my mommy. I love your hair! You smell minty and sugary. When you feel like going out you are spiced. When I snuggle with you I feel safe and cozy. Maddison Marler

My mom is as sweet as sugar! I love the way she is always there when I need her. A little story is that when I was in kindergarten I was riding a scooter on a basketball court outside. There was a small hill that had rocks on it. I was riding and then suddenly fell off the scooter and hit my elbow and broke my arm. There she was, right by my side. Then she rushed me to the hospital to get my arm checked out. Angel Wagner

My mom is as sweet as a cupcake. Her jokes and advice hastily bring warmth and knowledge to me. She is a fit and sweet woman who likes to read. She inspires me to effortlessly avoid voluminous problems in my life. She works well with others and appreciates pets and people. She helps bring people together and helps with all problems. My mom is a nice lady who makes the best and most out of life. She can be strict, but sweet too. She is warm-hearted and nice. She shares interests and ideas with all. This goes out to my mom — I love her! Kalem Powell

Here we grow! The teachers in the yellow pod classrooms (Patrick Caron, Teresa Thorson, Susan Dufner, Kaylee Kinsey and Renee Mullikin) have been hard at work, transforming old wooden box risers into planter boxes. The risers served as seating for students in a Helen Haller classroom for many years.

Teachers sanded down the wood surfaces, then students applied yellow paint and hand-printed flowers to the boxes including sunflowers, tulips, daisies and blossoming trees. The next step is to add soil and then plant vegetable and flower seeds.

Each classroom will care for two boxes that are located along the front of the yellow pod building, which will be visible from Fir Street. Plants and life cycles are a part of the second-grade curriculum and these will become a classroom laboratory and a great place to grow some healthy food!

OLYMPIC PENINSULA ACADEMY

Students have been rehearsing for this year’s drama productions under the direction of Dee Nielson, OPA enrichment coach. Older students will be performing “Don’t Stop Believin’,” written by Craig Sodaro, with music and lyrics by Bill Francoeur.

The younger children will perform “Snow White and the Seven Kachus” by D.M. Larson. Performances will be at 7 p.m. Friday, June 5, and 1:30 p.m. and 7 p.m. Saturday, June 6.

All performances take place in the Sequim High School auditorium. Admission is by donation.

For more information, call the OPA office at 582-3403.

SEQUIM HIGH SCHOOL

This is the last weekend for the Operetta Club’s production of “Fiddler on the Roof!” Performances are 6 p.m. May 14 and 7 p.m. May 15-16 in the auditorium. Tickets are available in the school office or online at www.showtix4U.com.

The Digitools Bypass test will be administered from 3-4:30 p.m. May 14 in Room A-3.

Golf for Grads at Sunland is at 9:30 a.m. May 16.

Cheerleading try-outs are from 3:30-5:30 p.m. May 18-22 in the auxiliary gym.

Graduation party tickets will be on sale May 26 and June 1 during lunch periods. Tickets also will be sold during graduation rehearsal on June 11 and June 12. The cost is $25. No tickets will be sold at the door (Sequim Community Church). The graduation party is not an official Sequim School District event.

William Seabolt accompanied some of his engineering technology students to the SkillsUSA state competition held in Tacoma on April 2-4. They first had to compete and place in the regional competitions held in Aberdeen to qualify for state competitions. Juniors Jonathan Ellison, Cody Taylor, and Matthew Golbeck competed in the Electrical Wiring competition.

This was a very rigorous competition which consisted of wiring various circuits, bending conduit, knowing electrical codes, electrical math and other information. Ellison came in a very close second, just 14 points under the first-place contender, which qualified him for national competitions, while Taylor took sixth place and Golbeck followed with ninth in the state.

All of the students have electrical as part of their engineering technology class.

DISTRICT

There is no school on Monday, May 18, due to a one-day teacher work stoppage. After school extra-curricular activities still will take place. For more information, phone the district office at 582-3260.

There is a board meeting at 6 p.m. Monday, May 18, in the boardroom. The agenda is available on the district website at www. sequim. k12.wa.us.

Board meetings are open to the public and there is time set aside for public comment.

These educators are among those receiving spring grants from Beta Nu: Caleb Gentry (Sequim Middle School teacher), Dana Minard (Sequim High School teacher), Leah Vaara (Haller Elementary para-educator), Teresa Thorson (Haller Elementary teacher), Kaylee Kinsey (Haller Elementary teacher), Elisha Howard (Haller Elementary teacher), Susan Dufner (Haller Elementary teacher), Renee Mullikin (Haller Elementary teacher) and Karla Wiker (Greywolf Elementary para-educator). The grant program is designed to assist educators in seeking professional development.