DISTRICT

We invite all stakeholders to take our online survey regarding our school buildings at www.surveymonkey.com/r/FacilitiesSpring2015. Thank you for your input!

Fifth-graders from Helen Haller and Greywolf elementary schools participated in the sixth-annual Kids’ Cooking Contest on May 8 in the high school cafeteria. This year, dubbed “Kids Chopped” (after a popular cooking TV show), each student was presented with a box of ingredients containing a protein, a vegetable and a surprise, which turned out to be a can of Spam. They had free rein of the high school kitchen to prepare a meal in under 45 minutes.

Most did not know what Spam was, but they were resourceful in creating delicious entrees out of what was provided to them. There was fettuccine with prawns, chicken Alfredo, prawn-fried rice, fish tacos and chicken stir-fry. Prizes were awarded in different categories and each student walked away with a goody bag containing a cookbook, sauté pan, food processor and other small kitchen utensils. Some of the bigger prizes included a Panini grill, wok, blender, slow cooker and a deluxe hand blender.

Director of Food Services Laurie Campen said, “It was a great day to bring the students into the kitchen and just let them loose to cook whatever they wanted. We might have to include a second competition because there were so many kids interested in participating in this event!”

OLYMPIC PENINSULA ACADEMY

Students have been rehearsing for this year’s drama productions under the direction of Dee Nielson, OPA enrichment coach.

A cast of 29 students in grades 5-12 will be performing “Don’t Stop Believin’”, written by Craig Sodaro, with music and lyrics by Bill Francoeur. It is about inner city kids from different backgrounds who end up coming together to save the Ethel Lampert Community Center. City officials want to tear the dilapidated community center and replace it with a shopping center and parking garage. When the kids have an opportunity to appear on “America’s Got Talent” the kids rally, some reluctantly, to audition to get on the show and try to win $100,000 to save the center. It shows how people from different backgrounds and different interests still can come together to work for a mutual cause. There is a lot of comedy, drama, music and dancing!

Along with that performance, 17 students in grades K-4 perform “Snow White and the Seven Kachus” by D.M. Larson. This is a twist on the original “Snow White.” The hero of the day is from a land far away.

Performances are 7 p.m. Friday, June 5, and 1 p.m. and 7 p.m. Saturday, June 6. All performances are in the Sequim High School auditorium. Admission is by donation.

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

GREYWOLF ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

Cathy Green’s first-graders wrote a poem for their teacher during library time in honor of Teacher Appreciation Week.

Here it is:

“The important thing about Mrs. Green is that she teaches us.

She protects us like a bear so we feel safe.

It is true she lets us lead the morning routine.

She even buys things for our class with her own money.

She is sweet and warm like a cinnamon roll.

She thinks deeply like a canyon.

When we listen well, her cheeks are like red roses.

But the important thing about Mrs. Green is that she teaches us!”

HELEN HALLER ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

Here are two more poems that students in Sheri Suryan’s class have been working on throughout the year.

Winter

Worry-some

Intense

Nature

Tasteless

Essential

Returning

Robert Streck

Food

Pizza

Yummy, Steamy,

Cooking, Topping, Bubbling,

Bringing Happiness, Melted Cheese,

Rotting, Sizzling, Burning,

Delicious, Juicy,

Cheeseburger

Joseph Beck

SEQUIM MIDDLE SCHOOL

As part of their study of catastrophic events earlier this school year, the students in Joe Landoni’s seventh-grade science classes learned about plate tectonics, the forces that drive these plates and what sorts of things can happen at these plate boundaries — rumbling earthquakes, explosively unpredictable volcanoes, deep ocean trenches, towering mountain ranges and active volcanic islands.

Specifically, they had labeled a world topography map with arrows pointing toward each other showing the Indian tectonic plate plowing into the Eurasian plate to the north. As a result of this particular contact, the highest mountain peaks in the world, the Himalayas, were born.

Then came word on April 25 of the massive, 7.8-magnitude earthquake in the impoverished nation of Nepal. Large aftershocks followed. Ancient monuments were reduced to piles of bricks and avalanches tore down the sides of Mount Everest. During a discussion the next school day of the horrible images seen on TV, students wondered what they could do to help. How about a food collection? What about a clothing drive? It was ultimately decided to set up in class a Nepal Earthquake Relief Fund to supply water, food, shelter and medicine to help people they may never meet in a place they may never travel. Over the course of 10 days, coins and bills poured into a 1-liter graduated cylinder.

All totaled, the seventh-graders raised $110.99 to send to the humanitarian relief agency, World Vision. Spontaneous generosity, benevolence and care for fellow humans in crisis are indeed alive and well among the youth of Sequim!

The seventh-grade Challenge Language Arts classes will hold a College Fair in the Town Center at the middle school. Students have researched over 60 colleges, universities and vocational schools and created presentation boards displaying the information they have collected about the schools. Teacher Vickie Helwick encourages students at the middle school and high school to come by and see the fair from 1:45-3:45 p.m. on May 28.

SEQUIM HIGH SCHOOL

Student Voice, an opportunity for students and the school board of directors to come together for informal dialogue, was held during lunch on May 7 in the boardroom. John Bridge and Walter Johnson represented the Sequim School District Board of Directors. Assistant superintendent Gary Neal, Sequim High School principal Shawn Langston and administrative assistant Marilyn Walsh were on hand to observe and take notes.

Participating students were Jake Roorda, Brianna Reeves, Kailee Price, Cheyenne Sokkappa, Cecilee Wech, Lauryn Traczyk, Jack Ellison, Shelby Lott, Eric Hermosada, Emma LeBlanc, Jason Springer, Jessica Craig, Ben Hughes, Quintan Johnson, Zach Hebert, Evan Hurn, Ben Heinz, Steve Pullam, Emily Webb, Waverly Shreffler, Audrey Shingleton and Daniel Harker. Sequim High School teacher Jennifer Van De Wege acted as moderator.

The two student board representatives — senior Kailee Price and junior Ben Hughes — were responsible for selecting students to participate. Their goal is to invite a cross section of students. Here are some of their comments:

Evan Hurn (junior): “It wasn’t that diverse of a group that attended, unfortunately. We discussed the concept of block schedule and I think it is a good idea. We talked about increasing the workload of ninth and tenth grade to gradually work up to eleventh grade. Many of us look up to Mrs. Reichner and Mr. Rapelje as teachers, who are especially helpful in focusing on what the world is like after high school.”

Ben Heintz (senior): “The Performing Arts teachers, Mr. Fosket and Mr. Lorentzen, helped me learn about myself and how to express myself.”

Daniel Harker (junior): “I would like to have seen more representation to show the different sides of the issues we discussed.”

Emma LeBlanc (senior): “It is good to mix it up and be with different people. I take a lot of AP classes and many times, it’s the same kids in class. Last year I took a cooking class and met a new group of people. That experience helped me learn new things.”

Ben Hughes (junior): “More diversity in classes is needed. All AP kids are with other AP kids all day and how do we bridge that gap? There was a lot of discussion about DEN class. We were trying to make a critique of it. First, we met too often and then, this year, we met too few times. We need to try to find a balance, agree on what to cover and bring all teachers on board with the concept. I feel like Student Voice is a good exercise and a fantastic experience.”

Jessica Craig (junior): “I like this event because I feel like they are actively listening and they are responding. They are working with us.”

Moderator Jennifer Van De Wege: “Our students are our most important stakeholders. Their experiences and opinions should drive the decisions made on their behalf. Having the opportunity to listen to their thoughts is invaluable.”

Principal Shawn Langston: “I would like to thank our juniors and seniors who participated in the Student Voice forum. I truly believe SHS is a student-driven high school and this is just another excellent example of how we seek student input to provide the best possible education for all students. Thanks to each of you for your time and input during this process.”

Graduation party tickets will be on sale 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. The party is held at the Sequim Community Church Fellowship Hall and is not an official Sequim School District event.