SCHOOL DISTRICT March 2009 CONNECTION Serving Enumclaw and Black Diamond 2929 McDougall Avenue, Enumclaw • 360-802-7100 • Fax 360-802-7140 It is with a very heavy heart that I share with you the reductions to our school system for the 2009 – 2010 school year. These reductions are necessary as a result of the state budget shortfall. K-12 public schools represent 41% of the state budget, therefore 295 school districts will receive decreased monies from the state as a result of the shortfall. You may have either heard on the news or read in the papers how districts are approaching these reductions. The legislature is still in session and has not finalized the state budget, but as a school district, we have an obligation to timelines for our staff and public to begin the process of announcing reductions. For the past several months, information has been shared about the budget with staff and community through open letters to community and staff, in the paper and on our internal email system. During the month of February, staff and community were asked to share thoughts and perspectives. Thank you for your contributions to this process. Never before has our system received such a large and thoughtful response. My staff and I have read each note and email carefully and used many ideas as we generated our system response. It’s never easy to share this kind of information Coming up with nearly $2 million worth of reductions, representing about 5% of our budget is very difficult. Below highlights the reductions: • K – 12 system: $1,354,950 • • Moving back to half-day kindergarten; Classified Staff reductions; Sixth Grade Camp and Elementary Swim Program; Move to .5 counseling program at each elementary school; TOSA positions at EHS; Literacy Camp (break even); Increased staffing formula 6 -12; Athletic Director at EHS; Reduction of Secondary Instructional Council monies 6-12; Shifting CTE monies to cover administrative responsibilities of program System Administration: $337,300 Reductions to all system administration departments; superintendent contract (2 days); 9 – 12 Late Arrival; Leadership Team advance and opening day adjustments Aligning Staff with Enrollment and Programs: $318,200 2.2 FTE; Grant In-directs; System athletics; PE/Music schedules My hope is that things will change at the state funding level for our schools. This year will be very hard, but it could be far worse in future years if a new funding system is not implemented. There are several bills before our lawmakers right now that could help K-12 schools in the future. I know some of you might have questions regarding the above list. Please feel free to email with any questions that you might have to mike_nelson@enumclaw.wednet.edu. A community meeting will be held on March 24th at 6:30 in the EHS Library as a way of explaining these reductions in person. I wish there wasn’t a need to write this note to you as these reductions represent valuable staff members and programs. Respectfully, Mike Mike Nelson, Superintendent www.enumclaw.wednet.edu Auditory Sensation! Superintendent Message Budget Reductions • Solo/Ensemble EMS Band students (72 to be exact) participated in the Green River Music Region’s Contest held on Saturday, March 7th, 2009 at Cedar Heights Middle School in Covington, WA. Additionally, the orchestra solo ensemble was on March 14th at Auburn Riverside High School. Students worked for months preparing a solo or an ensemble such as a duet, trio, quartet, quintet or brass ensemble to perform for an adjudicator of University Professor status. After performing for the judge, the student would then receive a powerful ten minute mini-lesson that would combine the perfect amount of praise and critique. The students leave with a better understanding of the nuances of their instrument and music in general. Taking the tips they received back to class at EMS, the ensemble is better because of the experience of solo and ensemble contest. Highpoint Village Recital In preparation for Solo and Ensemble Contest, EMS students performed classical selections from such composers as Mozart, Beethoven, Bach, Schubert, Bizet and even Bloch, a modern composer. Students used this platform to perform under pressure and the problems that being nervous bring to a performance. They learn to play through the uncertainty that comes with live performance. The result was an enjoyable recital for the residents and a much needed audience for the students! Rockin’ Recorders If you don’t take Band or Orchestra at EMS, you might think you’re out of luck for playing an instrument or performing. “Not true”, say Lynda Alley, director of Bands and Orchestra at EMS. Rockin’ Recorders has become quite a hit at EMS as it just makes sense to revisit an instrument that was once introduced in elementary school. Now in middle school, the students are physically bigger and their fingers can actually cover the holes on the instrument as well. They are smarter now that they are in middle school and they find out that reading music is not so hard after all! And off they go, learning song after song... songs like Take Me Out to the Ballgame and La Cucaracha to This Old Man and The Trout from Schubert. The repertoire is perfect to give back to an elementary audience! And so we perform, trimester after trimester for different elementary classes. It’s a lot of fun for all! Titanic! WASL Test Dates High School Spring 2009 Kindergarten Fee Fee-Based Full-Day Kindergarten Registration For six years, the Enumclaw School District has been able to use I-728 money to fund its full-day kindergarten program. The state of Washington funds kindergarten at a half-time level. The I-728 funds have been greatly reduced at the state level for next year. As a result of these budget reductions, the Enumclaw School District is no longer able to fund its full-day kindergarten program for the 2009-10 school year. Full-day kindergarten classes will be offered on a fee basis at $250.00 per month for ten months (September through June). A minimum of 20 students will be required in order to have a full-day kindergarten class. Currently, we are projecting two full-day classes which will be held at Sunrise Elementary and at Westwood Elementary. Should 20 students sign-up for full-day programs in other schools, full-day programs will be offered in those schools as well. If you are planning to have your child enroll in the fee-based program, we would like to know before kindergarten orientation. Please contact Diana Aaby at 360.802.7102 to have your child’s name placed on the list. Includes testing of all 10th graders, as well as testing of 11th and 12th graders who have not met standard in one or more areas. (Note: WAAS-DAW testing is available only to 11th and 12th grade special education students) • March 16 and 17: Reading (WASL and WAAS-DAW) • March 18 and 19: Writing (WASL and WAAS-DAW) • March 23-25: Math (WAAS-DAW) • April 13 and 14: Math (WASL) • April 20 and 21: Science (WASL) Elementary/Middle School April 13 – May 1, 2009 Enumclaw High School drama teacher, Mr. Darrell Miller, and his cast are currently presenting Titanic! For a fun evening of entertainment, come out for one of the performances on March 19, 20, or 21 at 7:30 p.m. Admission is $10, students with ASB are $6. Includes testing of all students in grades 3-8 in the following subjects: • Grade 3 Reading and Math • Grade 4 Reading, Math, and Writing • Grade 5 Reading, Math, and Science • Grade 6 Reading and Math • Grade 7 Reading, Math, and Writing • Grade 8 Reading, Math, and Science Parents may register their children for full-day kindergarten class during kindergarten orientation: Black Diamond Kindergarten Orientation Byron Kibler Kindergarten Orientation Southwood Kindergarten Orientation Sunrise Kindergarten Orientation Westwood Kindergarten Orientation 802-7573 802-7263 802-7373 802-7425 802-7620 April 30 April 7 April 23 April 23 April 23 6:30 p.m. 6:30, 7:00 & 7:30 p.m. 6:30 p.m. 6:30 p.m. 1:30 p.m. & 6:00 p.m. REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS: • Children must be five years old on or before August 31 • A parent must present a child’s birth certificate at registration • Washington State immunization requirements must be met • Proof of residence must be provided 197735 Once it has been determined whether enough students have registered for full-day kindergarten, parents will be notified (deadline for this decision is June 5th, 2009). Parents will be required to provide transportation for children residing outside the school area. Congratulations to Enumclaw High School Wrestling Team: State Champions! Contact Us Enumclaw School District 2929 McDougall Avenue Enumclaw WA 98022 360.802.7100 Marci Shepard, Dean of Students marci_shepard@enumclaw.wednet.edu 360.802.7492 Fax: 360.802.7500 Enumclaw High School (Grades 9-12) 226 Semanski Street South Enumclaw WA 98022 Jill Burnes, Principal jill_burnes@enumclaw.wednet.edu Ed Hatzenbeler, Assistant Principal ed_hatzenbeler@enumclaw.wednet.edu Paul Iacobazzi, Assistant Principal paul_iacobazzi@enumclaw.wednet.edu Kevin Smith, Assistant Principal & CTE Director kevin_smith@enumclaw.wednet.edu Tim Tubbs, Athletic Director tim_tubbs@enumclaw.wednet.edu 360.802.7669 Fax: 360.802.7676 Black Diamond Elementary (Grades K-5) 25314 Baker Street Black Diamond WA 98010 Gerrie Garton, Principal gerrie_garton@enumclaw.wednet.edu 360.802.7570 Fax: 360.802.7610 Enumclaw Middle School (Grades 6-8) 550 Semanski Street South Enumclaw WA 98022 Steve Rabb, Principal steve_rabb@enumclaw.wednet.edu Brian Patrick, Dean of Students brian_patrick@enumclaw.wednet.edu 360.802.7150 Fax: 360.802.7224 Southwood Elementary (Grades K-5) 3240 McDougall Avenue Enumclaw WA 98022 Susan Arbury, Principal susan_arbury@enumclaw.wednet.edu 360.802.7370 Fax: 802.7374 Thunder Mt. Middle School (Grades 6-8) 42018 264th Avenue SE Enumclaw WA 98022 Virginia Callison, Principal virginia_callison@enumclaw.wednet.edu Byron Kibler Elementary (Grades K-5) 2057 Kibler Avenue Enumclaw WA 98022 Julene Miller, Principal julene_miller@enumclaw.wednet.edu 360.802.7263 Fax: 360.802.7300 Sunrise Elementary (Grades K-5) 899 Osceola Street Enumclaw WA 98022 Chris Beals, Principal chris_beals@enumclaw.wednet.edu 360.802.802.7425 Fax: 360.802.7427 Westwood Elementary (Grades K-5) 21200 SE 416th Enumclaw WA 98022 Keri Marquand, Principal keri_marquand@enumclaw.wednet.edu 360.802.7620 Fax: 360.802.7622 Administration Office 2929 McDougall Avenue Enumclaw WA 98022 Mike Nelson, Superintendent mike_nelson@enumclaw.wednet.edu Randy Stocker, Business Director randy_stocker@enumclaw.wednet.edu Terry Parker, Curriculum, Instruction, Assessment Director terry_parker@enumclaw.wednet.edu Kathleen Lockyer, Human Resources Director kathleen_lockyer@enumclaw.wednet.edu Aaron Stanton, Student Support Services Director aaron_stanton@enumclaw.wednet.edu Chad Marlow, Technology Coordinator chad_marlow@enumclaw.wednet.edu 360.802.7117 Fax: 360.802.7140 Transportation 450 Semanski Street South Enumclaw WA 98022 Everett Cunningham, Supervisor everett_cunningham@enumclaw.wednet.edu 360.802.7232 Fax: 360.802.7243 Enumclaw School District May 16, 2009 9:00 - 11:00 a.m. • Imagine hundreds of Enumclaw School District supporters canvassing major neighborhoods in Enumclaw and Black Diamond • Imagine tables with information about the Enumclaw School District set up on front of major businesses • Imagine a stage set up in downtown Enumclaw with a schedule of students performers • Imagine this occurring on the SAME DAY… A DAY OF OUTREACH! Join Enumclaw School District staff, parents and community members in canvassing major neighborhoods in Enumclaw and Black Diamond. Let's spread the news of the great work happening in our school district! For more information about joining this Day of Outreach, please contact: Mike Nelson mike_nelson@enumclaw.wednet.edu Diana Aaby dianna_aaby@enumclaw.wednet.edu Upcoming Events March and April When March 20 March 19-21 March 24 March 24 March 30-April 3 March 31 April 6 April 6 & April 7 What Everyone in school! (Snow make-up day was used.) Play: Titanic at EHS - 7:30p.m. Community Meeting regarding budget reductions at EHS Library - 6:30p.m. K-12 Math Curriculum Showcase at District Office from 4:00 - 6:30p.m. Spring Break - District Office Closed April 3rd SAT Registration Deadline for May 2nd Test Board Workshop at District Office - 7:00p.m. EHS Choir Concert at 7:30p.m.