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Five possible boundary scenarios presented to committee
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The Tahoma School District boundaries as they currently exist. Teal is Shadow Lake Elementary, green is Lake Wilderness , purple is Rock Creek and orange is Glacier Park. The Boundary Review Committee last night heard five possible options designed by Transportation staff.
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Parents throughout the district are waiting to hear where their elementary-aged children will attend school in the fall of 2017. The committee members working to come up with those answers had their second meeting last night and got their first look at potential boundary changes.
Transportation staff shared five possible scenarios with the Boundary Review Committee, which is made up of parents from throughout the district. To view those proposals, click here:
goo.gl/3MzKE3.
On the plans, some of the attendance areas look huge compared to others, a fact that is driven by where the population density is and where it is more sparse.
While staff members put together the five plans reviewed last night, the committee can also come up with their own boundaries, as long as it meets the five parameters set by the school board: keep neighborhoods together as much as possible; maintain sensitivity to diverse and rural populations; balance the plan to ensure longevity (try to come up with something that will last for as long as it can); consider class size legislation; the plan must work for student transportation; the plan must be affordable.
"I think the population density is a problem," alternate committee member Stephanie Ybarra said after reviewing the proposals. "The schools are clearly not in locations that accommodate where the growth has been in the last 10 years."
In the fall of 2017, the two middle schools will become elementary schools and the new Lake Wilderness will be complete but only at about two-thirds of its current capacity. The committee needs to distribute the projected 3,600 elementary students among the six buildings.
A good solution won't be found without hard work by the committee, Ybarra said.
In each of the proposals so far, Maple Woods and Maple Ridge would be bused to the new Tahoma Elementary School (in the current Tahoma Middle School building). Those two neighborhoods combined include 365 students, which is nearly half of what many of the six elementary locations will hold in 2017.
Although some students do walk to Glacier Park Elementary from Maple Woods/Maple Ridge, because they live across Maple Valley Highway from the school, the district pays to bus them for safety reasons.
Whatever the final plan includes, it is certain that some areas and neighborhoods will have to be bused north, simply because three of the elementary schools lie to the north while most of the district's growth, and a significant number of students, is in the south.
In addition to considering current population density, the committee is also factoring planned developments, such as the Estates at Sugarloaf.
Committee members asked for a number of items and additional information, including blank maps of the district featuring some with easily recognizable landmarks to make the plans easier to read; numbers of students currently attending from each neighborhood; estimates of how many students would be moved from each school under each plan; estimates of which plan is most affordable; and, how close each plan is to the targeted enrollment for the six schools.
While committee members study options, they are deciding how to score the proposals according to how well they meet the parameters set by the school board. They may decide to tweak an existing scenario, or can come up with their own plan. That work would likely happen in a subcommittee yet to be created.
In the last year or two, transportation staff members have already been working to make routes as efficient as possible and have buses collect students by neighborhood wherever possible.
"We are getting more and more away from going into neighborhoods. We're streamlining things," Transportation Supervisor Tom Misfeldt said.
Committee member Jim House said he has heard from several parents that they are concerned about how long their children will be on the bus after the changes. Staff shared that while some students in outlying areas are on the bus for 45 minutes, many have very short rides of 5 to 10 minutes. The average is around 30 minutes, which is unlikely to change under the proposed plans.
To create the committee, the School Board called for volunteers, then drew names out of a hat to select two representatives from each elementary and middle school. It also includes two "at-large" members, a parent-teacher representative and alternates. School staff members attend and facilitate, but are not voting members. The committee will host two meetings to hear from parents and community members; when dates are set they will be publicized. The next regular work study session of the committee will be at 6 p.m. Feb. 24 at the district office.
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Board approves schematics for new Lake Wilderness
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Groundbreaking tentatively scheduled for June 16
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Drawn as if the viewer is standing in the bus lane, this artist's rendering shows what one side of the new Lake Wilderness Elementary may look like.
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The new Lake Wilderness Elementary School project is coming into sharper focus, following approval of preliminary design work at the Jan. 12 Tahoma School Board meeting.
The board received an update from Assistant Superintendent Lori Cloud and Brian Ho, an architect for TCF Architecture of Tacoma, which is in charge of school design. Ho told the board that the new school project has been thoroughly reviewed to ensure it is within budget and that it meets goals set by the school district. The project's budget is $42.8 million and includes design and construction of the new school as well as demolition and removal of the existing school.
The new school will be built on what is now a large play field behind the existing school. It will have capacity for 750 students in grades kindergarten through 5 and preschool. Students will continue to attend school in the existing structure while the new school is built.
"We are so thrilled and grateful to the district and our community for the gift of a new Lake Wilderness Elementary," Principal Dr. Audrey Meyers said. "Our staff is so committed to bringing the best for our students each and every day. We are looking forward to having a new building that reflects that love for and commitment to our children, and I'm so proud to be a part of it."
TCF and the general contractor, Forma Construction, will turn their focus to final design development over the next few weeks. Plans then will be reviewed by the City of Maple Valley prior to issuance of building permits.
Groundbreaking is tentatively set for June 16, which is the last day of the school year. Site work will continue throughout the next school year and the school is scheduled to be finished by August 2017.
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Jeff Brady receives state, national coaching awards
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The Tahoma community, in particular the cross country and track families, have long known the amazing resource they have in coach Jeff Brady.
Now, everyone knows how lucky Tahoma is to have Brady, after the Washington State Cross Country Coaches Association recently presented him with the "Washington State 4A Boys Coach of the Year" award. That accolade was followed quickly by a second award from the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association, naming Brady to the 2015 State-by-State High School Cross Country Coaches of the Year.
"It is an incredible honor to be recognized by your fellow coaches around the state," Brady said. "It is a great payoff for a lot of work from the entire coaching staff including Jodi Hoffbuhr and Anne Hobson. It really is a great program award, not just for one individual."
Brady has been coaching Tahoma's cross country team for 20 seasons, the last two as head coach. He has been coaching track and field for 21 years, the last 12 as girls head coach.
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Photo courtesy of Leslie Hostetter
Coach Jeff Brady talks with Andrew Hostetter, right, and Dawson Besst, center at a fall cross country event.
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" I would add my congratulations to Jeff, the kids and his coaching staff," Athletic Director Tony Davis said, noting that retired coach Gary Conner laid a strong foundation of success in the program.
The Tahoma cross country boys team claimed its first-ever state championship this fall. The girls team won state in 2011, and the program has had a number of league and district titles, Davis said.
Brady says he feels blessed to have coached along with many amazing people through the years.
"Successful coaching doesn't come from something you do on your own. It comes from others that you learn from throughout the years and those that you have on your staff," he said.
Asked why he coaches, Brady said it's a great opportunity to make a positive impact on students' lives and give them an experience that they can take with them for the rest of their lives. He says he picked cross country and track because he has always loved to run.
Brady is looking forward to many more great years for the program, following on this year's success.
"This season, we had a really special group of athletes that really bought into the program and were willing to make some sacrifices and rise up to the challenges before them. The payoff could not have been better," he said. "The future teams have a great group of role models to follow, just like the current team had from those before them."
In addition to his current and former fellow coaches, Brady said this award really recognizes the whole program, including athletes and their parents.
"This achievement is not from just one year of work or one person, but a community that has allowed this program to grow into more than 100 athletes and state champions," he said.
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We the People will travel to national competition
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Photo courtesy of Doug Dillon
The THS We the People team has once again earned first place in Washington state and the honor of representing Tahoma against schools from across the country.
On Saturday, Jan. 9, the team traveled to the state capitol in Olympia, where they earned a qualifying score that will allow them to represent our state. The national contest will take place in Washington D.C. at the end of April.
"They have been at this since June," adviser Gretchen Wulfing said. "Their work ethic has been inspiring and their performance, articulately applying constitutional principles, was exceptional."
Each year's class is divided into six groups based on six units of the We the People: The Citizen & the Constitution high school textbook. Hearings begin with an opening presentation by students from one of the six unit groups, followed by a period of questioning during which judges probe students' depth of knowledge, understanding and their ability to apply constitutional principles.
This year's team includes Hannah Adam, Marisa Allison, Stephen Brantzeg, Tyler Brazelton, Christina Diaz, Laurel Dillon, Madalyn Drotning, Elizabeth Duggan, Keegan Fitzpatrick, Davis George Galgano, Brittany Glover, Alexander Goodell, Stella Hagen, Erin Kalb, Amy Kiefer, Sarah Lincoln, Lane Lindblom, Alyna Morvice, Matthew Murphy, Kaitlin Nickel, Kathryn Owen, Joshua Pennington, Kenneth Perincheril, Jacob Robey, Jordan Smith, Peter Thomas and Megan Warren.
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Cedar River celebrates Future Ready students
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Cedar River Middle School honored these students recently for being Future Ready learners. The school holds special assemblies several times per year to recognize students for making good choices and displaying Future Ready skills.
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Spotlight on Tahoma Middle School
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Nancy Adamson's seventh-grade Project Lead the Way classes at Tahoma Middle School recently designed, built and tested "lab skimmers" over a period of several days.
Project Lead the Way is a national nonprofit that is providing science, technology, math and engineering curriculum in more than 8,000 elementary, middle and high schools across the country. To read about Tahoma's involvement, click here: http://goo.gl/UvgbPC
To create the skimmers, The TMS students drew detailed plans for their creations, which had to include a main body, two fins and an air scoop. After designing and building their skimmers, Adamson's classes headed to the gym to test them out. Skimmers were launched using yardsticks and rubber bands. Then, after launching their crafts several times, students were asked to evaluate and reflect on what factors might cause the skimmers to either go farther, or catch air and slow down. When several students mentioned that weight played a factor, Adamson offered up two types of paper clips for students to experiment with. That resulted in a new round of ideas, excitement and competition.
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Jazz programs hosting fundraiser tomorrow
Community members are invited to the annual fundraising benefit for the Tahoma High School jazz choir and jazz band at 7 p.m. Friday, Jan. 22 at the high school.
The event will feature performances by both groups, a silent auction, refreshments and a "piggy bank dessert dash" (bring your pocket change). The event costs $10 per person or $15 per family.
DECA students qualify for state conference
Tahoma High School's DECA club recently participated in an area competition, at which 19 students qualified to move on to the State Career Development Conference in Bellevue.
Results included: Alex Goodell and Tyler Brazelton, first place, business law and ethics team decision making; Tierra Wilson and Chandler Beyer, first place, entrepreneurship startup business plan; Madeline Hanson, first place, food marketing series; Jacob Melton, first place, quick service restaurant management; Wyatt Dean, second place, entrepreneurship startup business plan; Jacob Henne, second place, hospitality and tourism professional selling event; Hailey Mueller, second place, hotel and lodging management; Tanner Fuller, second place, human resource management series event; Tierra Wilson, second in retail merchandising; Daniel Knutson, third place, apparel and accessories marketing series; Dylan Williams, fourth place, accounting applications series; Derek Etter, fourth place apparel and accessories marketing series; Gunar Peterson, fourth place, restaurant and food service management; Andrew Knight, fourth place, sports and entertainment marketing series; Isaiah Clark, fifth place, apparel and accessories marketing series; Stefan Tate Solo, fifth place, automotive services marketing series; Stephen Kinshella, fifth place, business services marketing; Devon Walters, fifth place, sports and entertainment marketing series.
Wilson was also elected as the new Area 5 DECA President.
Father-Daughter Ball tickets now available
This year's Father-Daughter Ball will be from 6-9 p.m. March 19 at Tahoma High School. The theme is "Dancing with the Stars."
Tickets are $40 per couple if registering before March 5. Registration at the door is $50. In either case, additional daughters are $10 each.
To register online, visit https://www.pt-avenue.com/shopGP.asp?sc=TahomaHighPTA Or, to download a form that you can mail in with a check, click here: http://goo.gl/gTY5Q3.
Volunteers are also needed to make this event a success. To sign up to volunteer, or, for general questions, email [email protected].
Shadow Lake seeks math mentors
Parents and community members are invited to volunteer as a math mentor in a new program at Shadow Lake Elementary. The program matches mentors with first-grade students to help them become more successful.
Materials for tutoring are provided; the time commitment starts at just one hour per year. Volunteer clearance is required. If you would like to hear more, or, to sign up as a tutor, call the school at 413-6100.
Harlem Wizards fundraiser planned for April
The Tahoma Schools Foundation invites you to save the date for an evening with the Harlem Wizards at 7 p.m. on Friday, April 15 at Tahoma High School.
Tickets will be available in advance. More information will be available in the coming months.
The event will be a fundraiser to support a summer kindergarten readiness camp.
Volunteers for Tahoma schools can now be approved online
Tahoma School District is changing its paper volunteer application to an online volunteer registration system.There will be no more paper applications. With the new method, volunteer approvals will be valid for two school years. The automated system will send out an email reminder to each volunteer when it is time to renew their registration.
Adults who volunteer in the classroom, chaperone field trips, help during field day, or work directly with students in any way, are required to complete this online registration process. No one may volunteer until they have registered and received confirmation from the volunteer coordinator.
Parents and other volunteers may go to the district website at www.tahomasd.us then click on "For Families," and "Volunteer Information."
Or, for the direct link, click here:
To get connected with specific volunteer opportunities, ask your child's teacher, or contact your school's PTA or PTO. More information about parent teacher groups is available here: http://goo.gl/pw2iDk
Martin Luther King Jr. Day celebrated at LWES, throughout district
In observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Lake Wilderness Elementary classes attended student-led assemblies in King's memory.
Other Tahoma schools and individual classrooms commemorated King in a variety of ways.
They discussed the Civil Rights movement, King's contributions, how to be respectful, what it means to belong, how to give a good compliment and more.
The honor choir also performed two songs. To check out a clip from "Wavin' Flag," visit our Facebook page and click on "videos."
Staff and students also collaborated on a video of student interviews answering questions such as why they feel like they belong at their school. Here's a link to that video:
Coach Tarli inducted into THS Wrestling Hall of Fame
Former Tahoma wrestling and football coach Phil Tarli was inducted into the Tahoma Wrestling Hall of Fame recently, as part of alumni night.
On Jan. 6, the Bears took on the Kentlake Falcons at home and defeated their rivals 59-21. Izzy Murrietta 120, Noah Miller 126, Nick Whitehead 138, Dylan Weiding, Max Repenn and Steve Rieve all recorded pin falls against their opponents and helped propel the Bears to a huge lead.
Other alumni in attendance included Jesse Vaughan, 2012; Aaron Vaughan, 2014; Aaron Davis, 2012; Isaac Lind, 1995; Justin Weiding, 2014; Chris McElroy, 2013; Efrem Brown, 2014; Edwin Torres, 2013; Mike Canaparoli, 2003; Gabe Boynay, 2012; Zach Dopps, 2010
RCES Eagles review Earth-friendly rules during play
Rock Creek Elementary students were treated to a fun play recently during an "Earth Challenge" assembly to support the sustainability efforts led by the Green Team.
Actors Terence Kelley and Angela Kelley put on an engaging show that used humor and interaction to emphasize the "Four 'R's:" Rethink, Reduce, Reuse, Recycle.
The play was put on by King County's Solid Waste Division and Triangle Associates. For more information, click here:
goo.gl/6hiErH
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Above, the Performing Arts Center seen from the third floor of the three-story classroom wing.
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Skanska Senior Superintendent Dave Killian talks with School Board member Mary Jane Glaser as they watch the major support beam for the Performing Arts Center being lifted into place by crane.
"It was thrilling to tour the new high school's PAC and watch the steel beam installation over the stage area," Glaser said. "As an integral part of our new comprehensive high school and regional learning center, I imagined its many uses as a teaching and learning space, performance space and multiple community uses."
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This is the view of Mt. Rainier from the third floor of the main classroom building at the new high school site.
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What would you like to see in Tahoma Matters?
If you're a parent and you have a fun story idea or question about something in the district that might make a good focus for an article, please let us know!
If you're a teacher or staff member and have a student or staff kudos to pass along, a photo of an interesting event or other idea, call or email.
Tahoma Matters staff member Wendy Castleman can be reached at
[email protected]
or 413-3412.
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Coming up in Bear Country
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SATURDAY, Jan. 23
Tahoma Dance Team invitational competition. Tickets are $8 for adults, $4 for students, and $2 for seniors and children. Noon, THS.
TUESDAY, Jan. 26
School in session for make-up day due to inclement weather.
THURSDAY, Jan. 28
Rock Creek fourth grade concert, 6-8 p.m. RCES
FRIDAY, Jan. 29
Shadow Lake PTA family movie night, 7-9 p.m., SLES
WEDNESDAY, Feb. 3
Lake Wilderness second grade concert, 6-8 p.m., LWES
FRIDAY, Feb. 5
Glacier Park PTSA family night '80s dance, 6:30-8:30 p.m., GPES
Lake Wilderness PTSA family night, 6-8 p.m., LWES
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State and federal compliance: Tahoma School District provides equal educational opportunities and treatment for all students in all aspects of the academic and activity programs without discrimination based on race, religion, creed, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender expression or identity, the presence of any sensory, mental or physical disability, or the use of a trained dog guide or service animal by a person with a disability. RCW 49.60 Law Against Discrimination: The district will provide equal access to school facilities to the Boy Scouts of America and all other designated youth groups listed in Title 36 of the United States Code as a patriotic society. District programs shall be free from sexual harassment.
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25720 Maple Valley-Black Diamond Rd. S.E.
Maple Valley, WA 98038
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Copyright © 2014. All Rights Reserved.
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