Chalk Talk — Sequim Gazette, Oct. 12, 2016

Published 1:32 am Wednesday, October 12, 2016

DISTRICT

For the most up-to-date information on school events, go to the district website at www.sequim.k12.wa.us and click on the Calendar button.

The next school board meeting is at 6:30 p.m. Monday, Oct. 17, in the boardroom of the auditorium building at 503 N. Sequim Ave. To view the agenda for this meeting, go to www.sequim.k12.wa.us and click on “Board of Directors.” There is time set aside at every board meeting for public comments.

GREYWOLF ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

Early Bird Readers meet from 8:05-8:20 a.m., Tuesday-Friday, in the library. Students who arrive early to school can join paraeducator KatieSalmonNewton for reading for a great start to their day.

Each student finds their favorite book and takes advantage of the time to exercise their imagination or learn some new facts.

A “shout out” to our Early Bird Reader “Frequent Flyers” Ella McFarland, Emma Simpson, Caleb Taylor, Cody Jilg, Julia Ashbaugh, Jaycob Rector, JonahMcFarland and Ethan Booth, who come often to start their day with a good book.

Kindergarten, first-grade and second-grade students are learning about and practicing filling buckets. Filling buckets means doing kind things for others to help spread kindness throughout the whole school. Each one of PattySullivan’s kindergartners filled out a slip saying how they filled someone’s bucket. Their names have been added to the bulletin board which displays all the students who have filled buckets with kindness for others. School counselor CherylMcAliley says, “Thanks for helping to spread kindness in our school!”

Parents, please note that our Picture Day has changed from Monday, Oct. 24, to Tuesday, Oct. 25. For more information about school photos, go to Mylifetouch.com.

Greywolf PTA will meet at 4 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 19, in the school library.

HELEN HALLER ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

Our library started the year with brand new bean bag chairs for students to enjoy while they read in the library. The bean bags were purchased through Donorschoose.org, a fundraising website for teachers and schools. Teacher/librarian SheriKruckeberg and the students wish to thank those who generously donated.

The annual Jog-a-thon event has been rescheduled for Nov. 23.

The Helen Haller PTO McTakeover is 5-7 p.m. on Oct. 19 at the Sequim McDonald’s.

SEQUIM MIDDLE SCHOOL

The Sequim Education Foundation is accepting applications for student representative positions from the middle school and high school. Foundation board meetings are at 7 p.m. on the third Thursday of the month in the district’s boardroom. The first meeting for student reps will be Oct. 20. Applications can be found in the main office or on the SEF website at sequimeducationfoundation@gmail.com.

Completed applications may be e-mailed to sequimeducationfoundation@gmail.com or mailed to P.O. Box 3065, Sequim, WA 98382.

SEQUIM OPTIONS SCHOOL

Teacher MichelleMahitka started a mentoring program using some of her SOS students, pairing them with students in the Hope Academy program.

Hope Academy is an alternative pathway for students to navigate ninth and tenth grades. These groups pair up twice weekly to work through school assignments and any other things that need to be addressed. The student mentors also provide an ear for when the younger students need to talk. This is the third week of the mentoring program and additional mentors are signing on each week.

For more information about The Hope Academy, contact SeanO’Mera at somera@sequim.k12.wa.us or BridgetShingleton at bshingleton@sequim.k12.wa.us.

For more information about SOS, contact Mahitka at mmahitka@sequim.k12.wa.us.

SEQUIM HIGH SCHOOL

The horticulture class is improving landscaping on the Haller Elementary campus during their afternoon class period. They cleared away and cleaned out old beds and refreshed them with new plantings and bark. Says Steve Mahitka, agricultural sciences teacher and Career and Technology Education director, “From this exercise, the students gain invaluable experience and the school gains a refreshed exterior! The goal of the CTE program is to train students in skills where they can be career ready.”

Principal Shawn Langston says, “Super congratulations to our two Commended Students in the 2017 National Merit Program – CathyDao and Chris Heintz! We are proud of them!” These outstanding students are recognized for their exceptional academic promise. Kathy and Chris placed among the top 5 percent of more than 1.6 million students who entered the 2017 competition by taking the 2015 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test.

This year, two classrooms are the benefactors of the hard work of last year’s Engineering Technology students. Last year, BillSeabolt’s Engineering Technology students were tasked with building 20 metal classroom desks in just the last eight days of the school year.

Steve Mahitka, FFA instructor and Career & Technology Education director, and Seabolt had discussed the need for new, sturdy desks for both classrooms. It was determined that the students could make the desks for a third of the purchase price. The students were taught how to produce a quality product using an assembly line process with a minimum timeline.

After construction, the tables were taken to Dog House Powder Coating and were sandblasted and clear coated, with a final cost of $110 per desk. Students involved with the project were Adrian Klarich, Bailey Cauffman, Porter Funston, Benjamin Logan, Jacob Myers, Kasey Spencer and Michelle Wilson.

Members of the Class of 2018 raised $420 with a dog wash and bake sale on Sept. 30, reports Annie Armstrong, junior and ASB publicity chair. “We had a Chihuahua puppy who used one of our freshman volunteers as an escape route toward the sky!” Armstrong said. “The puppy had never had a bath and we almost had our own personal KING KING episode!”

The next dog wash will be in the spring, but expect more bake sales throughout the next few months. Special thanks to Kathy Wright, who provided homemade dog treats for the students to sell.

During the morning on Oct. 14, Lifetouch National School Studios will set up at the high school to offer re-take student pictures.

Any students not happy with their picture packet may return the packet and have their picture retaken.

For students who have not had their picture taken at all, this will be their last chance to have it done.

Reminder that on Oct. 19, students who pre-registered will take the PSAT.