Showing posts with label teachers. Show all posts
Showing posts with label teachers. Show all posts

Shorewood high school teacher Colleen Kiyonaga honored as “Symetra Hero in the Classroom”

Saturday, May 7, 2016

From left: Shorewood teachers Colleen Kiyonaga; Mark Owen; Jill Owen and Paul Villanueva.
Photo courtesy Symetra

Symetra and the Seattle Seahawks celebrated the 10th anniversary of the Symetra Heroes in the Classroom® teacher-recognition program, hosting an April 29 luncheon at CenturyLink Field honoring the 16 Puget Sound-area teachers recognized for educational excellence during the 2015 NFL season.

Among the honorees was Shorewood High School’s Colleen Kiyonaga.

The Symetra Heroes in the Classroom program recognizes teachers in front of their students and peers at in-school presentations, and they receive a $1,000 donation for classroom books and supplies.

Ms. Kiyonaga was presented with her Heroes award during a surprise classroom presentation last October. She was nominated by colleague Wendy Jordan, who wrote, “Colleen Kiyonaga fosters a classroom culture of respect and tolerance. She teaches what she loves—food and culture. 
"By sharing her own Japanese-American heritage, she encourages students to explore and share their own cultures. The result is a collaborative teaching style that is empowering.”

Heroes honorees also receive tickets to a Seahawks home game and are acknowledged during an on-field presentation at CenturyLink Field. Ms. Kiyonaga attended the Seahawks’ Oct. 18, 2015 match-up against the Carolina Panthers.

Also welcomed at the program’s milestone anniversary festivities at CenturyLink Field were past ‘MVP Award’ winners, including Shorewood’s Jill Owen and Paul Villanueva. Both Owen and Villanueva were honored in 2010 as Symetra Heroes; together, they went on to write a proposal for a “Sea 3D” program, which won a $10,000 MVP Award grant

(Every school with a Symetra Hero in the Classroom recipient in a given program year is eligible to submit an MVP Award proposal. Nominated programs are evaluated on a range of criteria, including innovation, feasibility and demonstrated need.)

  Seattle Seahawk DeShawn Shead (#35) greets Colleen Kiyonaga
 in the Seahawks locker room
Photo courtesy Symetra

The April 29 event was held in “the CLink’s” Verizon Lounge, which offered both a spectacular bird’s-eye view of the field and an unexpected peek at a Seattle Sounders practice session. The reception was followed by a behind-the-scenes tour of the stadium, including a stop in the Seahawks locker room, where each teacher discovered a personalized locker. Inside were a copy of the Seattle Times ad honoring them, a commemorative 2015 Symetra Heroes in the Classroom booklet and Seahawks items.

  Colleen Kiyonaga tries on Seattle Seahawk DeShawn Shead’s Super Bowl ring
Photo courtesy Symetra

Seattle Seahawk DeShawn Shead (#35) made a surprise appearance -- signing autographs, posing for photos and sharing his Super Bowl XLVIII ring with each teacher.

Learn more about Symetra Heroes in the Classroom or how to nominate a teacher here.



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2016 Shoreline Teacher of the Year

Tuesday, April 26, 2016


L-R: Assistant Principal Casey Campbell, Principal Lisa Gonzalez,
Teacher of the Year Marilyn Leverson and Superintendent Rebecca Miner

Marilyn Leverson, math teacher at Kellogg Middle School, has been selected as the 2016 Shoreline Schools Teacher of the Year.

“There is no better representative for our district teachers and their professionalism, commitment and work ethic,” said Kellogg Principal Lisa Gonzalez. “Marilyn’s true passion is for the student who has never felt confident or capable in math. With her enthusiasm, her encouragement, and her tireless work ethic, she is able to convert student after student to liking math and seeing themselves as capable math students.”

Leverson will be honored at a reception on Monday, May 23 at 6pm in the Shoreline Center lobby, 18560 1st Ave NE, Shoreline 98155. The community is invited to attend.

Leverson has been an educator for 35 years; the last 16 have been with Shoreline Public Schools. She joined the District in 2000 as a math teacher at Shorecrest High School before transferring to Kellogg in 2012.

“I think Ms. Leverson deserves this award because she is always there for her students,” said 7th grade student Eden Ellis. “She is always there for her students in the classroom and during her free time. She is the definition of selfless. I’ve appreciated everything she has done for me throughout this year.”

The Teacher of the Year is selected annually by a committee of staff and community members from nominations received from around the District. The recipient also receives a professional development grant from the Shoreline Public Schools Foundation.



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Four Shoreline teachers earn National Board Certification, two more renew

Thursday, December 17, 2015



Four Shoreline teachers recently earned the prestigious National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS) certification.

They are: Brenda Gilman (Shorewood), Leslie Silver (Shorewood), Ranice Innocent (Brookside) and Trisha Massot (Briarcrest).

This brings the total number of National Board Certified Teachers in Shoreline Public Schools to 81.

National Board Certification is a methodical, thought-provoking process for teachers to increase their understand of the art of teaching while demonstrating the skills and characteristics of excellence in education.

The NBPTS offers the only national certification process that allows teachers to measure their skills and best practices against nationally agreed upon standards. The lengthy application process is an extensive series of performance-based assessments that includes teaching portfolios, student work samples, videos and thorough analyses of the candidates’ classroom teaching and student learning.

Teachers also complete a series of written exercises that probe the depth of their subject-matter knowledge, as well as their understanding of how to teach those subjects to their students. The entire process can take between 200-400 hours.

National Board Certification is good for 10 years then requires renewal. Jennifer Etter (District, Teacher on Special Assignment) and Caroline Mann (Shorewood) successfully completed the process to renew their expiring National Board Certification.

Although less time consuming than their original National Board Certification process, the renewal process involves providing evidence of professional growth and teaching practices that align with the NBPTS standards. It can take between 30-40 hours to complete.



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Sno-King School Retirees award teaching grants to Shoreline teachers

Wednesday, December 16, 2015

Each fall Sno-King School Retirees' active members are invited to apply for grants of up to $200 to facilitate special projects they envision to enrich the school experience of students they work with.

During these tough economic times school money is tight so a few extra dollars come in handy.

SKSR enjoys recognizing and rewarding the often unnoticed efforts of our colleagues still "in the trenches" to provide resources necessary to help them feel more comfortable about the job they're able to do.

SKSR will honor them at the annual picnic on Wednesday, July 20 at Edmonds Park.

This year 34 grants are being awarded amounting to a total of $7000. Since 1998 they have distributed a grand total of $61,220.

The teachers are in three school districts: Edmonds, Northshore, and Shoreline.

Twelve Shoreline teachers were selected for grants:

Sarita Benson - 4th grade, Brookside
She will purchase "wiggle seats" and noise-canceling headphones to help some of her more needy children focus while doing their independent work.

Allison Bowhay - 6th grade, Echo Lake
Her grant will be used to purchase read aloud books to complete a set so that every child will be able to hold their own copy of the book while she reads. She has found that this increases student comprehension.

Dennis Day - librarian, Echo Lake
He will purchase non-fiction books for the school library, particularly books about northwest animals as a resource for third grade classes.

Sandi James - 1st grade, Meridian Park
She is going to buy clay art supplies for use with her first graders.

Jonathan Nessan - Briarcrest principal
He will buy book and craft supplies for the preschool story time group that meets every other week at the school.

Kathryn Pihl - 1st/2nd grade, Echo Lake
She will buy a digital camera, memory card and batteries for students to take pictures for individual writing projects, memory books, and the class newspaper.

Mary Rae - 2nd grade, Ridgecrest
Her grant will be used to purchase new books and book bins for her classroom library.

Laura Reed - Resource Room, Cascade K-8
Her students who have trouble focusing will benefit from the "wobble chairs" and variety of "fidgits" she will purchase.

Amy Serra - 2nd grade, Parkwood
Her grant will go for math games, puzzles, and books to supplement the curriculum for her advanced 2nd grade math class.

Tani Stenfjord - 6th grade, Echo Lake
She will purchase watercolor paper for art projects throughout the year.

Merrilyn Tucker - teacher-librarian, Lake Forest Park
She will buy five sturdy, high-quality, reflective jackets for school safety patrol members.

Carrie Wandler - librarian, Briarcrest
She will buy two digital Sony Cyber-shot cameras for teacher and student use in the library and classrooms.

The following Board members served on the Grants Deliberation Committee: Cheryl Bauer, Roberta Hawkins, Evelyn Nordeen, Jan Phillips, Rita Requa, Erma Snook, and Virg Rayton.

Those who are presenting grant checks to recipients at staff meetings during December and January are: Sharron Cain, Keith Lindaas, Jan Phillips, Rita Requa, Jim Siscel, Erma Snook and Virg Rayton.



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Former Shoreline music teacher honored

Tuesday, December 15, 2015

Frank Halferty
Recently retired Shoreline Music Teacher Frank Halferty has been selected as the 2015 Middle Level Music Educator of the Year by the Washington Music Educators Association (WMEA).

Halferty, who retired this past June after spending the past 22 years teaching and inspiring a love of music at Einstein Middle School, will be presented the award at the WMEA Annual Conference in Yakima on Feb. 13, 2016.

In their letter notifying him of the recognition, the award selection committee noted how impressed they were with Halferty's passion and effectiveness as an educator.

They wrote, "The awards committee was impressed with the strength and quality of the work you have done as an outstanding educator, curriculum specialist, composer/arranger and advocate for music education. The impact you have had on students, the community and music education in Washington State has been outstanding."

A member of the WMEA Hall of Fame and 2013 Shoreline Public Schools Teacher of the Year, Halferty is no stranger to prestigious honors. Despite this, he was completely surprised to learn he had been selected for this most recent award.

 "It's an honor I just wasn't expecting," said Halferty. "I've been fortunate to know and work with many incredible music teachers during my career, so I am truly humbled by this recognition."



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Three Evergreen teachers are finalists for $25,000 award

Monday, December 14, 2015

From left, Colin Monaghan, Lindsey Own, Lina Rose
Teachers at The Evergreen School

Three teachers at The Evergreen School are finalists for a $25,000 award from the Allen Distinguished Educators (ADE) program.

The ADE Award recognizes and rewards innovative K-12 teachers who master diverse and innovative strategies for teaching engineering, computer science, and entrepreneurship. through hands-on, experiential, and project-based learning. The program was developed by Paul G. Allen based on his belief that innovation is a key driver in improving learning opportunities for young people.

Lindsey Own has been a middle school science and health teacher for the past eight years at The Evergreen School. This year, she transitioned to her new role as the coordinator of Evergreen BIG Lab, a 3,000 square foot makerspace that was unveiled this fall. Lindsey is also a mom of two who, in her spare time, is a deeply involved in the maker movement in education. She has been a co-organizer of the Seattle EdTech Meetup and is currently on the advisory board for the SXSWedu conference.

Lina Rose has many roles at Evergreen, including 5th grade teacher, student council advisor, buddy program coordinator, and school-wide student activities coordinator. Lina is a big idea generator -- the first to say yes, and the last to say no. She is always excited to try out a big, new project and is lucky to be surrounded with enthusiastic team members who have the ability to turn wild ideas into manageable student projects. Lina is a mom of two and a passionate advocate for fun and community building in both work and family life. She’s most recently obsessed with laser engraving/cutting in the BIG Lab.

Colin Monaghan joined The Evergreen School three years ago as the upper division technology teacher and tech integration specialist. Previously a product manager at an educational technology company, he developed expertise in UX/product design, design thinking, instructional design, e-learning, and evaluation. He became particularly interested in applying design and lean startup methodology to education and training programs. Colin loves being part of an academic community that encourages tinkering, risk-taking, and exploration. He has one child, another on the way, and can often be found applying his engineering skills towards family projects, like a set of family-crest-engraved coasters for his grandma.

The team works together in their various capacities at The Evergreen School to develop and coordinate student learning experiences that incorporate tinkering and prototyping, cross-age collaboration, STEM, and serious school-wide fun at all grade levels and in all subject areas. They can often be seen together and with other colleagues laughing and creating in the BIG Lab.

The Evergreen School is located at 15201 Meridian Ave N in Shoreline.



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Shoreline Education Association members wear their values

Friday, December 11, 2015


Shoreline Public Schools Educators celebrated their values on Friday by wearing their blue SEA T-Shirts.


Teachers in every school in the district sported their blue t-shirts, emblazoned with their values. This group is at Echo Lake Elementary.

The Shoreline Education Association (SEA) is the professional association representing approximately 600 teachers and other certificated educators in the Shoreline School District.



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Shorewood teacher honored by National Association of Geoscience Teachers

Friday, December 4, 2015

Andrew Bagley, Shorewood teacher
Named 2015 Outstanding Earth Science Teacher of the Year
for Pacific Northwest Section

The National Association of Geoscience Teachers (NAGT) recently honored Shorewood High School Science Teacher Andrew Bagley as the as their 2015 Outstanding Earth Science Teacher of the Year for the Pacific Northwest Section.

The prestigious honor is awarded to 10 teachers annually, each representing a different region of the United States and Canada. The group’s Pacific Northwest Section includes Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Alaska, British Columbia and the Yukon Territory.

Although he also teaches other areas of science, such as physics, Bagley is quick to mention that geology has been his passion since college. He also points out that the Pacific Northwest is the perfect place to teach what he loves.

 “I take pride to showcase Pacific Northwest geology. Our region has just about every major geologic phenomenon covered in the introductory textbooks… it is easy to look out the window instead of relying on typical PowerPoint slides.”

Bagley has also been credited with promoting higher-level geology courses in the high school. This has led to increased opportunities for students to take geology courses that resemble college courses or offer college credit.

“It has been immensely satisfying to give my students a dose of genuine college-level geology, and use local resources and opportunities to help them gain an understanding of the geologic region in which they live,” said Bagley.

Bagley was nominated for the award by Tahoma High School Science Teacher Dale Lehman, who wrote,

“Andrew has a passion for teaching geoscience to high school students. He inspires students' interest in the Earth through dynamic, interactive instruction in the classroom and by providing students with hands-on field learning.  Andrew has been a strong advocate for learning ‘in the field’ and has won the support of his school district to provide support for fieldwork for high school students. I have known Andrew since he began teaching geology at Shorewood 13 years ago. I admire his limitless energy and his dedication to his students.”



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SCC’s Steve Kim awarded Evergreen State College Teacher Excellence Award

Saturday, November 28, 2015

Steve Kim
Steve Kim, associate faculty in the music department at Shoreline Community College, is a recipient of The Evergreen State College 2015-16 Teacher Excellence Award.

The award honors instructors who “have had a significant impact on the lives of students.”

Kim was nominated by a student who wrote, “This is the type of teacher where the first row in class is always full with students who got there twenty minutes before class starts. In fact, his greatest gift is bringing real interest and fun to learning, what at times can be complex and frustrating material.”

Steve Kim is associate faculty in the music department at Shoreline Community College, and teaches privately through South Seattle Community College. In addition, he has taught at Pacific Lutheran University, The National Guitar Workshop, The Experience Music Project, and the Roberts Music Institute.

Kim plays bass and electric bass and teaches Jazz Improvisation and Jazz Ensembles classes.

Kim currently appears with guitarist Don Mock and percussionist Jacques Willis playing original music and jazz repertoire. He has also toured and performed with Larry Coryell, Alphonse Mouzon, Carter Jefferson, Dave Valentine, Jay Thomas and Scott Cossu.

He has been commissioned to compose for the Southern Arts Council, the Seattle Arts Commission, choreographers Bill Evans, Clay Talefero and Jeff Bickford, and northwest filmmaker Eric Patton.

In 1987 Steve served as a cultural ambassador representing the City of Seattle in Japan, and in 1989 was honored as a Centennial Artist during the Washington State Centennial Celebration. In 2007 he returned to Japan, touring with guitarist Brian Nova and Vibraphonist Kiyoko Ami. He has studied bass with Ray Brown, Gary Peacock and composition / improvisation with the late Charlie Banacos.



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Alpha Delta October meeting celebrates Nancy Bell Evans

Tuesday, October 27, 2015

Nancy Bell Evans honored
by Alpha Delta Kappa
At its October meeting, the Alpha Delta Chapter of Alpha Delta Kappa International celebrated Nancy Bell Evans for her twenty-five years in Alpha Delta, an honorary sorority for teachers.

Mrs. Evans began her teaching career in Shoreline School District in 1954 as a music teacher at Paramount School, where she was paid a yearly salary of  $2400. Her first class at Paramount was also the first year of that school.

Nancy joined Alpha Delta in 1990. Mrs. Evans was presented with a watering can containing violets (the official flower of Alpha Delta) and a Christmas ornament with ADK inscribed on its limbs.

Nancy Bell Evans is the wife of former governor Dan Evans. She and Dan have three sons.

Some of the sisters who created stockings: L t R Donna Reynolds, Jeanine Langerud, Geralyn Shreve, Eileen Berlin, Tiia (Dorothy) Jones, Mary Jo Heller, Karen Novstrup, Kim Haff, Diane Thompson, and Lynn Holmes.


At the October meeting, members also decorated 60 socks for the troops serving over the Holiday season.

Alpha Delta Kappa is an international honorary organization of women educators dedicated to educational excellence, altruism and world understanding.

Membership, which is honorary and based on peer recognition, provides a wealth of opportunities for leadership development and networking through workshops, training sessions, conferences and conventions.

But, perhaps the greatest opportunity Alpha Delta Kappa provides is the opportunity to make a difference. Around the world, Alpha Delta Kappa members combine their energies and talents to enrich their lives and the lives of others through thousands of heartwarming, community-based altruistic projects.



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Cascade K-8 teacher honored by State Science Teachers Association

Wednesday, October 21, 2015

Rebecca Drury with her Cascade K-8 class
Photo courtesy Shoreline Schools

Cascade K-8 teacher Rebecca Drury has been selected as the Washington Science Teachers Association (WSTA) Teacher of the Year for Middle School Education. She will be presented with the award and a $500 honorarium at the WSTA Annual Conference on October 24 at the Pacific Science Center.

Rebecca Drury wants to promote her passion
for science as a means of understanding the world.
Photo courtesy Shoreline Schools
“Rebecca’s dedication to providing outstanding science experiences and high quality science education for students of our state is commendable,” said WSTA President-Elect Andy Boyd.

As a WSTA Teacher of the Year, Drury will also serve as an ambassador for science education across the state and will be offered the opportunity to present at a future WSTA conference.

“I hope that I can use the recognition to promote the crucial idea that science is not a just set of facts, but primarily a set of processes for understanding the world,” said Drury. 
“I am really passionate about making science relevant, exciting and all about better understanding the world we live in.”




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Joint statement from Shoreline Schools and teachers association

Friday, August 28, 2015

Below is a joint statement from SEA and SPS on the tentative agreement reached Thursday night.

"The Shoreline Education Association (SEA) and Shoreline Public Schools are pleased to announce a tentative agreement on a new contract.

"We are proud of the work done by the bargaining teams to develop an agreement that will serve to support the continued success of our students, staff, and community.

"SEA holds its ratification meeting on Thursday, September 3rd, and we anticipate all back-to-school events will proceed as scheduled."



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Statement from SEA - Shoreline teachers association

From David G. Guthrie, President
August 27, 2015 

The almost 600 members of the Shoreline Education Association are excited to report that we have reached a tentative contract agreement between the Shoreline Education Association and the Shoreline School District. Negotiations began last spring and culminated in 28 hours of negotiations today and Wednesday. Both of the Bargaining Teams – SEA and SSD – should be commended for their dedication and efforts. 

The collective interests of Shoreline educators guided our SEA Bargaining Team throughout the process and has resulted in a settlement that benefits Shoreline students and provides educators with resources they need to meet student needs effectively. 

The SEA Bargaining Team will share details of the tentative contract agreement with members at the SEA General Membership Meeting scheduled for Thursday, September 3, at 4:15pm in the Shoreline Center Auditorium. After time for questions and deliberations on the tentative agreement, SEA members will also conduct a contract ratification vote. 

SEA Interests Statement. Spring 2015
SEA members have the following values and beliefs, or “interests”: 

1. Quality of Instruction – We have an interest in a Collective Bargaining Agreement that supports our ability to provide the highest level of instruction for all students. 

2. Time – We have an interest in maximizing meaningful instructional and professional time. 

3. Culture – We have an interest in maintaining our culture of academic excellence by attracting and retaining the highest quality educators and honoring the value our members bring to the community. 

4. Compensation & Comparables – We have an interest in compensation that is on par with districts in our immediate geographic region, recognizes the high caliber of Shoreline educators, and acknowledges the cost of living in the Shoreline/LFP community. 

5. Fiscal Responsibility – We have an interest in working within a well-managed system that balances opportunities for students and staff with long-term district fiscal responsibility. 

6. Professionalism – We have an interest, as professional educators, in shaping the decisions that affect our students, classrooms, schools and community. 

7. Respect – We have an interest in working with administration and the community in an environment of mutual respect. 

8. Clarity – We have an interest in contract language that facilitates clear, consistent interpretation and supports student learning.




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Tentative agreement reportedly reached between SEA and Shoreline School District

Thursday, August 27, 2015

Many Shoreline School District families have heard about a possible teacher strike. For the past few months, the Shoreline Education Association and the School District have been bargaining a two-year contract. As sessions continued into late August with no agreement, talk of a strike increased. 

Following two full days of bargaining on August 26 and 27, the teams have reportedly reached a tentative agreement. Details will not be released until after the SEA’s general membership meeting on September 3. 

Teacher compensation has been SEA’s first priority, though the teachers also prioritized insurance contributions, class size, and other issues. 



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Shoreline Teacher of the Year honored at reception

Saturday, June 6, 2015

Faye Rasmussen, center, Shoreline Teacher of the Year
with principal Ann Torres and Supt Rebecca Miner
Photo courtesy Shoreline Schools

Faye Rasmussen, special education teacher at Parkwood Elementary, was honored at a reception Monday, June 1 as the 2015 Shoreline School District Teacher of the Year

Faye has worked in the District for 32 years, all but three at Parkwood, where she teaches students in grades 2 to 4 with moderate to severe disabilities.

During the speeches by her colleagues, Faye was called a champion, a superstar, and, as Shoreline Education Association President David Guthrie put it, “a North Star to so many of her colleagues and students.”  

Faye Rasmussen, Shoreline Teacher of the Year
holding the blue crystal apple award
Photo courtesy Shoreline Schools

Faye was raised in Shoreline and graduated from Shoreline High School, Shoreline Community College and Seattle Pacific University. In her gracious acceptance speech she talked about her decision to join the Shoreline Schools 32 years ago and be a teacher in the same community she grew up in.

The Shoreline Schools Teacher of the Year is selected by a committee of teachers, administrators and parents from nominations received from throughout the District. The recipient receives a professional development grant from the Shoreline Public Schools Foundation and becomes the District’s nominee for Washington Teacher of the Year.




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2015 Retirement Celebration - Shoreline School District

Tuesday, May 26, 2015

The Shoreline School District
cordially invites the community to attend the
2015 Retirement Celebration
Monday, June 8, 2015
5:30 p.m., program beginning at 6 p.m.
Refreshments by Pacific Northwest Catering

Shoreline Room, Shoreline Center
18560 1st Avenue N.E.
Shoreline, Washington 98155

Honoring: 
Martha Abrego, OT/PT
Janet Allison, Syre/Einstein
Nancy Dalan, Shorecrest
Holly Eigenbrood, Student Services 
Doreen Ferris, Parkwood 
Frank Halferty, Einstein
Robert Livingston, Transportation
Roger Nelson, Shorewood
Kate Pankiewicz, Shorecrest
Sharon Turpin, Parkwood
Nancy Vidlak, Syre
Don Warrick, Syre




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Reception honoring Shoreline Teacher of the Year June 1

Sunday, May 24, 2015

The members of the Shoreline School Board
and Rebecca Miner, Superintendent,
cordially invite you to a reception honoring

Faye Rasmussen of Parkwood Elementary School
2015 Shoreline Teacher of the Year
Monday, June 1, 2015,
6 p.m., in the Shoreline Center Lobby
18560 1st Ave NE, Shoreline, WA 98155
Refreshments provided by Shoreline Food Services

Community members
are invited to honor Faye and join in this celebration.


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Parkwood teacher honored as STAR 101.5 Elementary Teacher of the Week

Friday, May 15, 2015

Ronald McDonald, Washington Dairy Princess Nichole, STAR reporter
Scott Carty, students Jakub Russo, and Alek McCommas surround
Parkwood teacher Mollie Overa
Photo by Steven H. Robinson

On Thursday, May 14, 2015 at 10:00am, radio station STAR 101.5 surprised Parkwood Elementary teacher, Mrs. Mollie Overa, by presenting her with the STAR 101.5 Elementary Teacher of the Week award.

Parkwood students, staff, STAR reporters, Dairy Princess, and R McD
surround Parkwood teacher Mollie Olvera
Students hold the $100 check she was given
Photo by Steven H. Robinson

In a local contest conducted by STAR 101.5 radio, Mrs. Overa, a K-2nd grade teacher, was nominated by her students, Alek McCommas and Jakub Russo. STAR 101.5 and Lifestyle / Entertainment Reporter, Scott Carty, made a surprise visit to Mrs. Overa’s Parkwood Elementary classroom in Shoreline, 1815 N 155th St, Shoreline, WA 98133.

Here is what the nomination said about Mrs. Overa:

“Our kids are not a special needs kids; they're kids that are in need of special people in their lives. They need people who see past the diagnosis, people who help find and build on the strength at the same time helping overcome weaknesses and fears, people like Mrs. Mollie Overa who is a teacher at Parkwood Elementary School. 
"Mollie is a Kindergarten through Second grade teacher in the Blended Program at Parkwood, where her special education students blend with general education kids for portion of the day to learn things like social skills and academics using peer modeling. She is her student’s biggest advocate and wonderful partner to us parents. 
"Although having family of her own, she is always accessible to us and ready to help, even at the wee hours of the night. Every child in her classroom is unique and has unique way of learning. She and her team of paraprofessionals customize the learning process to every student so they can reach their highest potential. She is always in the process of improving her skills and finding new tools for the kids to use, tools like IPad’s and pecs communication boards.”

STAR 1015 reporter Scott Carty presents
teacher Mollie Olvera with a $100 check
Photo by Steven H. Robinson

Each student received a goody bag full of prizes from McDonald’s, Dairy Farmers of Washington, KOMO 4, and STAR 101.5. Mollie Overa received a personalized plaque from Trophies2Go and a $100 check. Plus, Mrs. Overa will get a makeover courtesy of Blanc N’ Schwartz Salon in Kent.

STAR 101.5’s “Elementary Teacher of the Week” is a program that allows students to recognize local, deserving teachers for their commitment to the quality education of children. To nominate a teacher go to STAR1015.com.

Parkwood Elementary
Photo courtesy Shoreline Schools


“In addition to our strong academics, Parkwood is proud of our “blending” program, which serves as a model of inclusive special education. As a districtwide magnet program for students with moderate-to-severe disabilities, Parkwood serves elementary students grade K-6 with a variety of challenges including medical fragility, autism and rare disorders.

"Instead of sequestering these students into a wholly self-contained program, Parkwood’s self-contained students regularly blend with their general education counterparts for approximately 30-40% of their school day.

"Our K-2nd grade self-contained class of ten students blends with a general education 1st grade class, our 2nd-4th self-contained class of ten students blends with general education 3rd grade class; and our 4th-6th grade self-contained class of ten students blends with a general education 5th grade class. Blending occurs most frequently during morning calendar (K-2nd only), field trips and during lunch, music, recess, PE, art and other academic subjects.”



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A message to the community from the Shoreline Education Association

Saturday, May 9, 2015

On Monday, May 11, Shoreline School District teachers and SESPA will stage a one-day walkout. This is a planned action and school has already been cancelled for the day. (see previous article).

Strikers will be picketing at two locations from 9am to 11:45am:

  • Town Center at Lake Forest Park at the intersection of Ballinger Way and Bothell Way NE
  • The Intersection of 175th and Aurora.

...then gathering for a rally at Cromwell Park at 12:30pm.

From the SEA

A Message to Our Community,

On Thursday, April 30, 2015, the members of the Shoreline Education Association voted to conduct a one day walkout on Monday, May 11th, to highlight the legislature’s failure to comply with their constitutional obligation to amply fund public education. Members of the Shoreline Education Support Professionals Association voted to support and actively participate in that walkout.

We sincerely hope that our community will join us in this effort, as we have common ground in the high value we place on public education.

This is not a walkout against the District. The target of this action is the State Legislature.

Shoreline Educators did not take this action lightly. Serving our students and their families is the primary reason we entered this profession, and guides each and every one of us every day on the job.

On May 11, we will also be on the job serving our students and families through direct action to compel our legislature to follow the constitution and obey the will of the voters. We believe public education is a civil right; unfortunately, our elected leaders in Olympia are placing that civil right in jeopardy.

More information on their website



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Teacher of the Year reception rescheduled

Monday, May 4, 2015

The Teacher of the Year reception and celebration for  Faye Rasmussen of Parkwood Elementary on May 11 has been rescheduled for 6pm on Monday, June 1 in the Shoreline Center lobby.

With school being canceled on May 11, the Shoreline School District is moving this event to before the next Board meeting June 1 to ensure this celebration, and the teacher being honored, receive the attention they deserve. This postponement does not affect the District-wide celebration of Teacher Appreciation Week, May 11 to 15.

The community is invited to join the District as it honors Faye Rasmussen as the 2015 Teacher of the Year on June 1.




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