The Weekly Update #4
February 2024
A Message from Our Superintendent
Thank You Ellensburg
I wanted to take the opportunity to thank this community that has welcomed our family and made us feel at home. Thank you to all of the staff members, teachers, parents and community members who gave their time and input during the search process. I learned a lot as a "candidate" for the job. I am honored that the Board of Directors and our community have entrusted me with the leadership of our local schools. Thank you for all of the messages and well wishes. The Tornow family is happy to have found such a great community to call our home.
I also want to give a shout out to all of our Classified Employees, who keep our schools and systems running so our students and teachers have the resources and support they need. Our Classified Staff provides everything from a ride to school and delicious meals, to safe and clean schools and playgrounds. Many more dedicated employees are quietly working behind the scenes to make sure the bills get paid, supplies get ordered and that all the necessary mandates are met. Our teachers could not be the superstars on the front line without the support of our dedicated classified staff. Please join us in celebrating their achievements and hard work.
Your Partner in Education,
Superintendent Troy Tornow
Ellensburg Welcomes Superintendent Tornow!
Board Names Tornow to Lead
After a national search and an extensive interview process, the Ellensburg School District Board of Directors have chosen Troy Tornow to lead the District as superintendent.
Troy Tornow is currently the interim superintendent of the Ellensburg School District, a position he has held since June 2023. Tornow began his educational career as a social studies teacher and basketball coach. He has also served as a dean of students, assistant principal, and principal, as well as assistant superintendent of the Selah School District. Before coming to Ellensburg, Tornow was the Assistant Superintendent of Instructional Services at Educational Service District 123 in Pasco. Tornow will serve as interim until he is sworn in as the permanent superintendent of the District on July 1. Tornow and family are happy to set down permanent roots in our community.
“We want to thank all of the parents, staff and community members who took the time to help us with this difficult decision,” says Board President Mike Rowley. “Northwest Leadership Associates provided us with top-notch candidates. While the decision was not easy, we had great feedback and are confident that Troy Tornow is the strong choice for our schools and our community.”
Please join us in welcoming Troy Tornow as the superintendent of Ellensburg School District.
FBLA State-Bound
Student Qualify for State Competition
Results are in from the FBLA Regional Competition and several Ellensburg students have qualified for the State Competition, which will be held April 24-27 in Spokane. Congratulation to the following students and best of luck at State!
1st Place Awards
Advertising – Daniel McReynolds
Economics – Landon McCracken
Hospitality & Event Management – Avrie Nemrow & Landon McCracken
Introduction to Event Planning – Piper Douthwaite & David Hammond
Introduction to Parliamentary Procedures – Dominic Scappini
Impromptu Speaking – Daniel McReynolds
Marketing – Avrie Nemrow & Briar Wilson
Public Policy & Advocacy – Mac Steele
Sports & Entertainment Management – Briar Wilson
Web Design – Daniel McReynolds
2nd Place Awards
Business Law – Mac Steele
Data Analysis – Anton Duong & Chase Wassell
Introduction to Business Communication – Miley Porter
Introduction to Business Procedures – Dominic Scappini
Introduction to Public Speaking – Lauren Kennedy
3rd Place Awards
Agribusiness – Avrie Nemrow
Hospitality & Event Management – Tessa Ward, Piper Douthwaite & Izzy Bautista
Introduction to Financial Math – Lauren Kennedy
Job Interview – Daniel McReynolds
4th Place Awards
Broadcast Journalism – Yutong Liang, Tessa Ward & Briar Wilson
Introduction to FBLA – Dominic Scappini
Networking Infrastructures – Reagan Pernaa
Sports & Entertainment Management – Landon McCracken & Avrie Nemrow
5th Place Awards
Accounting – Reagan Pernaa
Human Resource Management – Yutong Liang
Introduction to FBLA – Izzy Bautista
Introduction to Financial Math – Miley Porter
6th Place Awards
Hospitality & Event Management – Brynlee Weber & Yutong Liang
IT Industry Certifications!
Students Earn Industry Certifications
Congratulations to the following student who earned computer industry certifications.
"It is recognized that the benefits of earning industry certifications include gaining a competitive advantage, increased earning potential, expand knowledge and skills, and professional credibility," says teacher Tiffany Price. "They have been working on mastering programming in Python and it was a joyful moment to see them get their results back after taking the IT Specialist in Python exam."
IT Specialist in Python Programming Language
Yutong (Tong) Lian
Jameson Rowe
Mitchel Fureby
Alvaro Santillan
Max Rogers
James Holiday
Michael Dean Caldwell
Noelle Johnson
Colter Clasen
Liberty Bridger
Cameron Holien
Boston Seamons
Miles O'Connor
Crayden Tate
Landon McCracken
Vayne Dunlap
Aedan Martin
Sara Sterkel
Hans Kriesen
Gavin Patton
Benjamin (Ben) Wenz
Jorge Zavala
Matthew Burnham
Cameron Cavazos
CompTIA A+ (Part 1) Certification IT Operations
Peter Hansen
Kindergarten Registration
Get Your Kinder Signed Up for School
Please register your child for Kindergarten by April 5.
To register your child, please visit our website.
If you have questions or need assistance, please feel free to reach out to the following individuals:
Technical Assistance: Matt Cziske 509-925-8021
Registration Information:
Valley View 509-925-7316
Lincoln 509-925-8052
Ida Nason 509-925-8162
Mt. Stuart 509-925-8400
Once your child is registered for Kindergarten, you will receive an invitation by May 1 for Kindergarten Roundup and a Parent Information Meeting.
Homeschool Survey
Choice Schools Seeks Parent Input
Are you homeschooling your student(s)?
Ellensburg Choice Schools is seeking input from homeschool families to learn if a home connections support program would be helpful. Please take a few minutes to share your insights as homeschool parents here.
Teacher Feature: Carly Clark
Morgan Teacher Goes the Distance for Students
When you talk to teacher and advisor Carly Clark about Chess Club, she becomes very animated and excited. She has watched the fledgling club grow each quarter and is now hosting points-based tournaments, complete with prizes. The club meets on Mondays at Mrs. Clark's room, A338, at Morgan Middle School. You will also learn within minutes that Clark doesn't play chess. "I still haven't made time to learn how to play," she says.
Although she doesn't play, she has a huge affection for this game that has captivated so many of her students. "All students are welcome to attend, and if they do not know how to play chess they can start by watching and there are club members who will help them get started," says Clark. "Everyone in the club continues to grow in their skills as a player, teacher, and competitor throughout the year."
Throughout the second quarter the MMS Chess Club held a points-based tournament. Players earned one point for each win and half a point for a draw. Players could only play each other once during the duration of the tournament.
The top scorers were: Lincoln Scherzinger, 1, Argent Clark and Cass Welsh, tied for 2, Seth Ruby, 3, Rivers Harwood and Jagen Higginbotham, tied for 4. Clark provided prizes for the winners.
"A new tournament has started for quarter 3 and the competition is already heating up!," says Clark. "Also, the club was just gifted a 3-person chess board, so members are looking forward to learning how to play the 3-person version of chess with it."
In case you don't know, when Clark isn't teaching or advising chess club, she is the president of the Morgan PTO. We really owe a debt of gratitude to the parents and teachers who work hard to create fun and welcoming learning opportunities.
Morgan Spirit Week
Dress Like a Student
Teachers enjoy their student-inspired apparel during spirit week.
Dress Like a Teacher
Nailed it!
Pajama Chic
These teachers seem to enjoy the pajama look popularized by their students!
Outdoor Learning
Spring Planting at Ida
Ida Nason Aroinca fourth graders have been diving into the wonderful world of companion planting and soil biodiversity! TK -Fifth grade have been working with Miss B from Washington Outdoor School, they've been exploring the many uses of plants, hearing captivating indigenous stories, and mastering the art of identifying pine trees.
Ida PTO has a fundraiser underway with Seeds for the Future 2.0 Fundraiser. "Your support no matter how small or big will have a positive impact on supporting our students," says Principal JoAnne Duncan. "Thank you in advance for helping to spread the word, show your support and have fun while making a difference!"
All funds raised go directly back to the school and help fund field trips, assemblies, family events and more.
Please follow the link for more details on how to support this cause: https://givebutter.com/seedsforfuture
Reading Spirit Week
Valley View Finishes Big with Literacy Event
Valley View hosted a Family Literacy Night & Book Swap. Student enjoyed literacy activities and swapped out gently-used books for new-to-you stories. This event, like so many fun extra curricular gatherings, was provided through the hard work of a dedicated PTO.
Science on Wheels
Bullpups Enjoy Fun with Science Day
Science on Wheels spent the day with Lincoln Bullpups!
Science on Wheels is a program offered by the Pacific Science Center that travels across Washington bringing engaging STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) programming to grades K–8 with a focus on interactive and hands-on programs that bring the joy of scientific exploration to life and empower learners to see themselves in STEM.
"We had an awesome opening assembly for all Bullpups," says Principal Del Heistand. After the assembly, students got to engage in classroom lessons and exhibit walkthroughs. A special thank you to the Lincoln Parent Council for making this awesome day of STEM exploration possible.
Science on Wheels also visited Mt. Stuart, thanks to the fundraising efforts of their parent group!
Global Play Day
Mt. Stuart Students Enjoy Playing
Students at Mt. Stuart enjoyed a day of unfettered play on Global School Play Day, Feb. 5. Students at Ida Nason Aronica also enjoyed a day of play.
Global School Play Day, established in 2015, encourages participants to allow students ample time for free play without the use of screens, structured games, or adult direction. The idea is to let children explore their creativity, problem-solving skills, and social interactions in an unstructured and spontaneous environment.
Here are some photos of the fun at Mt. Stuart.
Child Nutrition Update
Silverware, Cinnamon Rolls and Salmon
Our friends in Child Nutrition continue to wow with delicious homemade foods, but this month students at Ida Nason Aronica had a different sort of surprise with the reintroduction of real silverware.
In the coming weeks the silverware craze will hit three of our four elementary schools. Because Valley View doesn't have a dishwasher, they will not immediately join the program. According to Child Nutrition Director Alexandra Epstein-Solfield, about half of the money for a Valley View dishwasher has been secured, which will allow silverware to be implemented there.
And the staff also celebrated National School Breakfast Week with festive attire and a menu that featured homemade cinnamon rolls, yogurt parfaits with fresh fruit and homemade granola, and even a build-you-own smoothie bar. They even snuck a Dr. Seuss-themed lunch in on the beloved author's birthday, which kicks off Read Across America Week annually.
In their spare time, our Nutrition heroes just finished teaching ESD 4th graders lesson number two of their Farm to School Nutrition Ed curriculum. The focus this month was on local salmon, including its tribal significance, life cycle, and nutritional benefits. Students sampled a sweet chili and teriyaki baked salmon and a candied dried salmon. "We were so impressed by all the adventurous eaters and positive feedback we received," says Epstein-Solfield. "You may just see it in our cafeterias soon!"
Hall of Fame Induction Back!
Ellensburg High School Athletic Hall of Fame Returns
Please join us for the sixth annual Ellensburg High School Athletic Hall of Fame dessert reception on Saturday, April 6 at 7 p.m. in the EHS Commons!
This year’s inductees are Jeri Watson (1979), Buck Jones (1984), Joe Heilman (1996), Amanda Faire (2003), Bob Godes (1952), Coach/Administrator Dave Hall and the 1970 football team.
Tickets are available online at THIS LINK or in the EHS athletic office.
Ellensburg High School alumni, please share this information with friends and classmates.
Briefly
Mt. Stuart Assembly and Bingo Night
Educators will do anything for their students.
Safety First
EPD Officer Lucas & EHS Assistant Principal Musser supported our 5th graders and families with some great cell phone and cyber safety information.
Shrek the Musical
Congratulations to the cast and crew of Shrek the Musical, which played to packed houses at the Morgan Performing Arts Center. All that hard work paid off! (Photo courtesy of The Daily Record.)
Girls Basketball
Thank you to our EHS Girls Basketball team for another action-packed season on the court. Although the girls fell three points short of capturing a third consecutive state title, we could not be more proud of their grit and sportsmanship. Congratulations on a great season!
Lincoln Leaders
Principal Del Heistand and his leadership team!
All-State Choir
On February 18, Valley View Elementary School 5th graders Capron Samples and Clara Kuntz performed in the WMEA Junior All-State Honor Choir. They were amazing and represented Valley View extremely well. We couldn't be more proud!