Your Ellensburg Schools

The Ellensburg School District Board of Education appointed Cynthia Coe to the Position 3 seat vacated by Chester (Jason) White at the Jan. 25 board meeting. Coe, a professor in the Department of Philosophy and Comparative Religion at Central Washington University (CWU), was one of eight candidates who interviewed for the position.

Coe earned her Ph.D. in Philosophy at the University of Oregon. She joined the faculty of CWU as an assistant professor in 2003. She served as the director of the Women’s and Gender Studies Program at CWU from 2007 until 2014. She is the author of Levinas and the Trauma of Responsibility: The Ethical Significance of Time, and has authored and co-authored several academic articles and publications in her field of expertise. She has served on a host of academic committees ranging from budget and personnel to Equal Opportunity, and was the co-chair of the CWU Suffrage Centennial Committee. Coe was promoted to full professor in 2013. She has a son who attends Ellensburg High School, and her daughter is a 2022 graduate of EHS. Both also attended Lincoln Elementary and Morgan Middle School.

“I feel a sense of obligation to support public schools in my community, and I am now at a point in my career and life when I have the time and energy to do so” said Coe. “While my children were at Lincoln, I volunteered in their classrooms once a week (for a total of six years) and saw up close all that teachers do. Especially after the brutal educational conditions of the pandemic, I'd like to support teachers and help them support students, as we all try to recover and build a better normal.”

Coe will officially join the Board at the next Regular Board Meeting on Feb. 8.

Starting last Spring, Superintendent Haberer initiated conversations with District and Excel staff about how ESD could engage Excel students in a more hands-on learning environment. "Together we brainstormed about how we could access a program like Big Picture Learning to increase opportunities for students to learn in a project-based model that would also connect them to the community, help them envision their future beyond high school, and explore career opportunities," says Haberer.

Shortly thereafter, ESD hired Principal Rhonda Schmidt as the new principal of Excel, whose experience includes developing and administrating a large and successful project based learning program in Snoqualmie School District. At the Dec. 14, 2022 Board meeting, the ESD Board of Directors unanimously adopted the Big Picture model for Excel, starting in the 2023-2024 school year.

Students in the Excel program will have a much different schedule next year. "In the morning they will take academic courses, much like they do now," says Schmidt. "But in the afternoon, they will be working on projects and mentored internships in the community." However, this is a program in which students will take the lead in creating their own path to learning and career exploration. "For example, if a student was interested in art, they might work with a gallery or print shop to explore that career," says Schmidt. "From science to mechanics to farming -- really anything a student wants to explore -- the sky's the limit."

Right now Schmidt and her team are focused on training, grant opportunities, networking and putting the systems into place that will track multiple individualized learning plans. Joining in this work are Excel teachers Jeff Treadwell, Sarah Bicchieri, and Deanne Varnum. We are excited about how the Big Picture model will benefit our students.

Homeschool families will have a new support system in 2023-2024 with the launch of Ellensburg Home Connection. "We have seen an increase in homeschooling since COVID," says Principal Rhonda Schmidt. "Some parents realized they really like having their kids at home. Not every parent is a teacher, and homeschooling can be overwhelming for some families, so we want to provide the resources to help homeschool families be successful."

Homeschool parents will still fulfill the major role of educator, however families will have access to the resources of public school, including a curriculum library, lesson plans and the counsel of a certificated teacher. Teachers will also help families track content areas to make sure students are hitting grade level benchmarks.

Additionally, the program will provide an additional social outlet for students. "We know there are some great homeschool co-ops within the community, and we hope that continues" says Schmidt. "Families can participate in Ellensburg Home Connection and in their current co-ops."

Transitional kindergarten!

"Transitional Kindergarten is a full school day program focused on supporting an unmet need in our preschool community," says Director of Early Learning Juli Hamilton. "Transitional Kindergarten is offered to students who were age 4 by August 31 and who do not otherwise have access to high quality preschool programs in our community."

Transitional kindergarten began this month and will continue through June. The program is housed at Ida Nason Aronica and Valley View elementary schools. Students participate in assemblies and other school activities as part of the transitional process.

If you are interested in learning more about this proactive approach to assuring your preschooler is ready for Kindergarten, visit the Transitional Kindergarten webpage.

Fresh foods and scratch cooking are making a comeback in Ellensburg schools! Ellensburg is one of seven schools in the nation to receive the Chef Ann Foundation Get School's Cooking grant, which provides schools with the knowledge, training and even equipment to transition from a heat-and-serve operation to scratch cooking.

A former food service director who is known as the “Renegade Lunch Lady,“ Chef Ann Cooper created the foundation to help schools take action to ensure that every child has daily access to fresh, healthy food. Chef Ann's mission aligns perfectly with the goals of the District's school meal program. "We have been working to get away from boxed, pre-packaged meals," says Director of Food Services Alexandra Epstein-Solfield. Last spring the District received a Farm to School grant which has provided grass-fed locally sourced meat from Green Bow Farms and produce from Fernandez Farms, and hopes to expand that program.

Food Service staff member and dietician Charlotte Green and Epstein-Solfield worked to put together both grant applications, which will bring healthier, homemade foods to all Ellensburg students. Like Chef Ann, our Child Nutrition team has a passion for creating delicious, healthy meals for students. "We want our program to be competitive with a high-end dining experience," says Epstein-Solfield. "We want to create a sustainable, locally-source, scratch cooking model with meals our students will love."

Students in grades 3-5 at Mt. Stuart Elementary were in for a big surprise when they returned from the holiday break. Thanks to their PE teacher Jason Eng and the Ellensburg Ski Team, students participated in a unit on cross country skiing.

The skis were originally acquired through a grant by Lincoln PE teacher Tom Wilson and snap on to any shoe so special boots are not required. The Ellensburg Ski Team was also instrumental in the success of this winter fun. Ellensburg High School teacher and cross country coach Jeff Hashimoto serves as head coach and program director of the Ellensburg Ski Team, which is open to youth ages 7-18. The team can often be found at Rotary Park, where they also groom the trails for public use. Hashimoto and other ski team volunteers helped establish and groom the track at Mt. Stuart.

"Most of the kids enjoyed it," says Eng. "They had never cross country skied, and this was a new experience for them." With the rainfall and higher temperatures, the students are back into the gym for a pickleball unit, but Eng hopes to expand the program next year with the purchase of more skis.

How do you build a better mousetrap? Make it into a car! That was the mission for EHS students in Kevin Dwight's Unified Science class. This course was designed as a third-year science elective for students who are not college bound, but has gained popularity in recent years with more college-bound students joining in the fun.

The hands-on, project-based assignment is scaffolded so students learn as they experiment. Students begin to build vocabulary and knowledge by working on smaller projects throughout the semester before tackling their mousetrap cars. "Students learn to change the energy in the trap to use it for motion," says Dwight. "It breaks all of their preconceptions that it is challenging to make something work with engineering principles." When the cars are complete, students launch them down the hallway to compete for distance records.

The real magic of the class isn't the transfer of energy, but the casual transfer of knowledge Dwight is able to achieve. "The kids say you get to build stuff and never talk about science,'" he says with a laugh. "And if that's what they want to believe, that's fine. They are learning, and that is a win!"

While most middle school students don't have resumes, students in Joell Boast's Morgan Middle School computer classes can start building those resumes now with their newly earned Microsoft Office certifications.

Students complete a series of lessons at their own pace before testing for certification in Word, PowerPoint, Excel and other Microsoft programs. "The content is self-driven and students work at their own pace," says Boast. "They don't have to test for certification, but most do." Students can become Word Specialist or Word Experts. Congratulations to our Morgan computer scholars and their teacher Mrs. Boast. To see the students with their certificates, click here.

Ellensburg High School has the number one cyber security team in the state! Students from the EHS Cyberpatriot club (cybersecurity) earned top place honors, with two additional teams scoring platinum and gold distinctions.

Cyberpatriot is the National Youth Cyber Education Program created by the Air and Space Forces to inspire students to pursue STEM careers and teach students about cybersecurity. At the core of the program is the Cyber Defense Competition, the nation's largest cyber defense competition that puts high school and middle school students in charge of securing virtual networks and computer systems.

When they aren’t fighting cybercrime, students in Tiffany Price’s computer classes are earning industry certifications. More than 11 have earned industry certificates in Cybersecurity, Python, and Java this year. Additionally, there are 21 students qualifying to go to the Technology Student Association State conference in March.

If you follow wrestling, you know Jack Eylar, who placed 4th in State last season. "My Dad was a wrestling coach in Kittitas, so I grew up in a mat room," says Jack. "I started wrestling when I was about 4 years old. We are a wrestling family. My Dad was a State champ, so it's in my bloodline."

When he is not dominating on the mat, Jack splits his time between EHS and Central Washington University where he is a Running Start student. Jack also plays football and is a member of the National Honor Society. He attributes his can-do attitude to his years as a wrestler. "Toughness always prevails," says Jack. "In wrestling you can have two people with the same skills, and the tougher person will win. In wrestling, there are places to constantly improve, which is a good life lesson too."

Jack has not made a decision on college yet, but would like to continue to wrestle in college. He is also working to attend Nationals this year, which is separate from school athletics and more like a club team activity. One thing Jack is certain of is that he would like to follow in his parents' footsteps as a teacher and coach. "I would love to be a coach," says Jack. "I want to work in or around wrestling for the rest of my life. We are a wrestling family,"

Ellensburg High School students had a great showing at the North Central Regional Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) competition in Wenatchee. Students who place in the top six in each category qualify to go to the State Leadership Conference that will be held in Spokane in April. "The students had a good time and represented Ellensburg High School well," says Business and Marketing teacher and FBLA advisor Marcy Matthews. Students advancing to State are:

Advertising: Kacey Mayo – 3rd and Regan Pernaa – 6th

AgriBusines: Avrie Nemrow – 1st

Business Communications: Kacey Mayo – 5th

Business Law: Briar Wilson – 2nd and Mac Steele – 4th

Business Management: Avrie Nemrow, Brooke Seim, Mac Steele – 1st

Client Service: Himiko Amos – 3rd

Computer Problem Solving: Tessa Ward – 3rd and Avy Wade – 6th

Cyber Security: Tessa Ward – 2nd and Avy Wade – 6th

Health Care Administration: Taigan Seamons – 5th

Hospitality Management: Himiko Amos, Hannah Phanitchob, Tessa Ward – 4th

Insurance and Risk Management: Reagan Pernna – 1st

International Business: Himiko Amos, Amailia Pintilie, Sherlyn Torres – 4th

Introduction to Business Concepts: Suvansan Nataraja – 6th

Introduction to Business Procedures: Callie Kennedy – 4th and Suvansan Nataraja – 6th

Introduction to FBLA: Callie Kennedy – 2nd

Introduction to Marketing Concepts: Dominic Scappini – 2nd

Journalism: Emmalee Martone – 3rd

Marketing: Briar Wilson, Amalia Pintilie – 1st, Daniel McReynolds, Reagan Pernaa – 2nd, and

Yutong Liang, Avrie Nemrow, Brooke Seim – 4th

Organizational Leadership: Kacey Mayo – 2nd

Personal Finance: Mac Steele – 6th

Political Science: Himiko Amos – 1st and Mac Steele – 6th

Public Service Announcement: Daniel McReynolds – 1st

Public Speaking: Daniel McReynolds – 4th

Sports & Entertainment Management: Mac Steele, Avrie Nemrow – 2nd and David Hammond, Dominic Scappini – 4th

Supply Chain Management: Reagan Pernaa – 2nd

UX Design: Hannah Phanitchob– 2nd

The Ellensburg School District Education Foundation (ESDEF) will host the 10th Annual Super Bowl Warm Up Party on Feb. 10 at Teanaway Hall at the Kittitas County Events Center. Games, prizes, a silent auction and dinner provided by Ellensburg Pasta Company are among the highlights of the evening. All proceeds from the event will support Learning Enhancement Awards.

The ESDEF is a non-profit organization that raises funds to enhance programs, equipment, and services available to the Ellensburg public school students and staff that cannot be funded through traditional means. This year, ESDEF funded 14 Learning Enhancement Awards ranging from $150 to $1,500 to support book purchases, robotics clubs, field trips, and family nights, among others. ESDEF is also calling for nominations for the Kittitas County Youth Awards, which will be presented at an awards ceremony on March 17.

If you would like to attend the Super Bowl Warm Up Party, nominate a youth or learn more about the ESDEF, visit esdef.net.

Email: leslee.caul@esd401.org
Website: esd401.org/
Location: 1300 East 3rd Avenue, Ellensburg, WA, USA
Phone: (509) 925-8010
Facebook: facebook.com/ellensburgschools