Tonasket School District
Weekly Update ~ 3/8/2019
"Focused on Learning and Linking Learning to Life"
One School
One Team
One Purpose - Student Success
CONGRATULATIONS TO JIM HUCKABY AND KRISTI HUTCHINS EXCELLENCE IN EDUCATION AWARD RECIPIENTS FOR 2019!
March 11 - 15 is Classified Employee Week
We look forward to celebrating all of our classified staff and the great work each of you does to help teach our students in whatever capacity that you do throughout the district. None of the great things that happen every day at Tonasket Schools would happen without your help!
To honor the classified staff, the district administrators and board members will be serving you a BBQ lunch on Wednesday, March 13 from 11:00 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. in the bus garage. We look forward to serving you and visiting with you.
SCHOOL DISTRICT GOALS:
Capital Projects Update
Powerful Teaching and Learning
- I attended the small school conference in Wenatchee this past Sunday -Tuesday. I was able to attend many sessions. Turning Negative Heat in to Positive Energy, Legislative Updates, Overcoming a Fixed Mindset, Promoting Culture, District Partnerships, Internet Crimes, Bargaining, and Hope. It was one of the best conferences I have attended in a while and I will be sharing my learning over the next couple of weeks.
- Bill Eagle from our ESD came again this week to work with our administrative staff. We are using Admin. TPEP grant funds to pay for this coaching.
Stewardship
- I attended the March North Pod Crisis meeting that was on Wednesday at the Okanogan County PUD office. In addition to having the area superintendents meet, we also met with the new Okanogan County Sheriff, Tony Hawley and his staff. We continued our work on emergency flip charts and are getting closer to having those completed. We will be meeting with First Responders in April and then conduct a tabletop drill in May. The scenario of the tabletop drill will be wildfire incident with a few twists added in.
- I’m looking forward to meeting with staff on Monday at 3:30 in the boardroom to share with you a presentation on our school budget projections. I want to gather feedback from you on how to respond to our financial situation. If you cannot make it we will post the presentation and/or hold another meeting depending on staff interest. I will be sharing some of the same information at the school board work session next Wednesday at 7:00.
District Culture and Climate
From one of our Small Schools Conference presentations that is worth reflection for us as staff and for us to help our students, especially those who suffer from the most ACES (adverse childhood experiences), change their perspective on their future.
Hope matters
Hope is a choice
Hope can be learned
Hope can be shared with others
College, Career, Life Readiness
- Michele Fancher and Cari Haug took 22 middle school girls to CWU to the Expand Your Horizons Science Symposium. The girls spent several hours exploring STEM careers presented by women working in the field. There were 20 different STEM careers to choose from. The students attended three sessions throughout the day, gaining a better understanding of some of the careers available to them. Some of the sessions were nursing, firefighting, policing, wildlife biology, volcanology, and robotics. Besides exposing them to career options, the trip also allowed the girls to see a college campus in person.
- Tonasket Choice High School Senior Alyssa Wince was accepted to the Spokane Community Colleges nursing program, congratulations!
Parent and Community Engagement
- The notices went out this week for the 2019 Student Travel Survey from the WSDOT and WADeptHealth. If you are a parent of a child in K – 5th grade, you may get called to participate.
- OCCDA, Okanogan County Child Development, has recently been approved as a local affiliate for The Dolly Parton Imagination Library Program and they are currently accepting registrations.
Other
What Every Employee Needs to Know - Reminders
Superintendent Steve McCullough
Email: smccullough@tonasket.wednet.edu
Website: http://www.tonasket.wednet.edu
Location: 35 DO Hwy 20 E
Phone: 509-486-2126