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On behalf of our students I wish to extend a heartfelt thanks to Pasco voters for tak-ing time to separate fact from fiction and making a choice that will have long-term benefits for our entire community. As we look ahead there is much to be thankful for and excited about in Pasco.

While we appreciate voter support, we are also grateful for community input throughout the process of developing this bond. The board heard clearly that Pasco families were not in favor of Multi Track Year Round or Double Shifting and defined an option to avoid those strate-gies. Pasco community members really stepped up to provide valuable informa-tion as the board determined how to best ease overcrowding and best serve students and families, while also minimizing the financial impact on the community.

Cost savings measures will be employed at every step as we build the three el-ementary schools to address immediate overcrowding. Work has been underway for some time on Elementary #13. We will break ground and begin construction this summer at Road 52 and Powerline. The first new school opens in 2014, and schools #14 and #15 will open the follow-ing year.

The large schools will be built using the Pasco design. Elementary #15 will share a playground with Whittier, and sixth

graders will stay at elementary schools beginning in 2015-16. These strategies, among others, all resulted in reduced costs to taxpayers.

Brick and mortar are just the beginning blocks of building schools. More impor-tant are the people and the programs in the buildings. The Board has directed these be “Schools of Innovation,” incorporating STEM concepts, to provide additional stu-dent opportunities. We have learned many lessons developing Delta High School that will inform our work. The District will initiate a public process to guide develop-ment of and name the new schools.

We are also pleased to move forward with a permanent home for Delta High School at Road 100 in Pasco. All three school boards, Kennewick, Pasco and Richland, have approved the location and continue to work in partnership with the STEM Education Foundation to secure funding to build the school, which will continue to serve students from all three districts.

This is an exciting time filled with pos-sibilities and opportunities for our com-munity to work together for the common good of our bright future: our children.

Sincerely,

Sherry Lancon, School Board President

Dear Friends and Neighbors,

Pasco School District Board of Directors:Sherry Lancon, PresidentWilliam V. Leggett, Vice PresidentRubén Peralta, MemberRyan Brault, MemberNallely Centeno, Student Representative Ignacio Bayardo, Student Representative

Superintendent: Saundra L. Hill

Editor: Leslee Caul

Designer: Annie Warren

Pasco School District does not discriminate in any programs or activities on the basis of sex, race, creed, religion, color, national origin, age, honorably discharged veteran or military status, sexual orientation including 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, and provides equal access to designated youth groups. Questions regarding compliance, complaints, and/or reporting procedures may be directed to the school district’s Title IX/RCW 28A.640/28A.642 compli-ance officer Sarah Thornton, 1215 W. Lewis St., Pasco, WA 99301, 509-546-6700, or Section 504/ADA coordinator Tracy Wilson, 1215 W. Lewis St., Pasco, WA 99301, 509-546-6700. Nondiscrimination policies are available at www.psd1.org.

YOUR PASCO SCHOOLS is published by the Pasco School District Public Affairs Department as a community service to Pasco citizens. Questions and/or comments may be sent to Leslee Caul, Director of Public Affairs.

Science on Display at Pasco Schools

Thank you on behalf of Pasco School District students and employees for supporting the bond! You’ve shown once again Pasco truly cares for kids.

Thank You Pasco!

Robinson Elementary School opened its classrooms to families and the public for its second annual Science Sci-Fari night on Feb. 7. Students and parents alike enjoyed a variety of sci-ence activities with local presenters including making paper with Boise Cascade, learning to use a telescope with the Tri-City Astronomy Club, learning about animals and animal health with local 4-H leaders and veterinarians, and much more.

On the same day, Stevens Middle School held its second annual school-wide science fair. Students chose a topic of interest, worked through the scientific process, and created presen-

tation boards (6th and 7th grades) and PowerPoint slideshows (8th grade) to present before judges. “Our goal was to expose our students to as many opportunities to be able to expand their understanding and their knowl-edge through science,” says Assistant Principal Jeremy Fox.

Read more about science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) edu-cation at Pasco schools on page 5.A student presents his science project to judges during the

Stevens Middle School science fair on Feb. 7.

Pasco High School science teacher and Crystal Apple Winner Raquel Martinez demonstrates making “el-ephant soap” for families at Robinson’s Sci-Fari event.

Superintendent Saundra Hill hon-ored student winners of the eighth annual School and Family Partner-

ships’ Family Involvement Essay Contest at a special reception on Jan. 30. The winners, pictured from left to right, are: Marco Esquivel (Longfellow), Lizbeth Meza (Frost), Brendy Lee Smajlovic (Ste-vens), Hannah Easterday (Markham), Ya-dexy Rodriguez (Chess), Sarah Hamilton (Livingston), Christian Soto (McLough-lin), Haily Henrich (Twain), Colson Beus (McGee), Alejandra Macias (Ochoa), Yanelly Espinoza (Robinson), Citlali Lopez

(Emerson), and Artemio Zepeda (Whit-tier). The grand prize winners—Esquivel, Hamilton, and Smajlovic—won $500 for their schools to implement their ideas. Runners-up Easterday and Beus each won $150 for their schools.

Students wrote about the ways schools can better communicate with all families, ways to increase parent involvement in academics via non-traditional school activities, and creative ways for schools to involve families at home in their child’s education.

Annual Essay Contest Recognizes Innovative Student Ideas

Parent Advisory Committee Conference Supports FamiliesOnce again, the Pasco School District Migrant and Bilingual Parent Advisory Committee (PAC) hosted a hugely suc-cessful annual conference for nearly 200 Pasco families on Jan. 19. This popular event features a range of infor-mative sessions and resources for par-ents and learning activities for children in addition to showcasing the talents of student dancers and musicians.

The Pasco School District Board of Directors honored PAC President Anita Aguilar and committee members at the board meeting Feb. 12.

Longfellow third grade teacher Angela Vargas helps a stu-dent with a science activity during the PAC Conference.

Martinez and Church Earn Crystal Apple Excellence AwardChess Elemen-tary School fourth grade teacher Judy Church and Pasco High School sci-ence teacher Raquel Mar-tinez are the 2013 Crystal Apple Excellence in Edu-cation Award winners for Pasco School District.

Church and Martinez are among ten distinguished educators from the seven Mid-Columbia school districts who share this prestigious spotlight on education. They were hon-ored at the Crystal Apple presentation ceremony on March 7 at Columbia Basin College.

Church has been a fourth grade teacher at Chess Elementary School since 2000. She first became involved in education as a parent helper, but the principal recognized her potential and insisted that, while Church was a valu-able PTA mom, her place was in the classroom as a teacher. She then obtained her Elementary Endorse-ment much to the benefit of Pasco children.

“Watching Mrs. Church

teach is inspiring each and every time I see her,” says Chess Principal Wendi Man-thei. “She is undoubtedly the most

dedicated, enthusiastic and focused teacher I have ever worked with. Her heart and soul are poured into her students as she encour-ages and molds their aca-demic and social growth. She also cares deeply for each student’s welfare and is an unyielding advocate on their behalf.”

Martinez joined the staff of Pasco High School in 2006. In addition to all of the responsibili-ties of a high school biol-ogy teacher, Martinez serves as chair of the PHS science depart-ment, a position she has held since 2009. She has also served on the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) Biology End Of Course Writing Team, distinguishing herself and

Pasco on the State com-mittee and providing her colleagues a unique per-spective to the test writing process.

Fellow PHS science teach-er Judy Dietzen describes Martinez as a leader in both the school and the educational community. “Great teachers affect the lives of their students; exceptional teachers af-fect the entire community they work in,” she writes. “Raquel Martinez is ex-ceptional.”

As Crystal Apple honor-ees, Church and Martinez will receive an unrestricted $1,000 cash award and a bounty of other gifts

donated by Tri-City area businesses in appreciation of their dedi-cation and hard work.

“This event is a wonder-ful way to

pay tribute to outstanding educators who bring skill and love of teaching and learning to the profes-sion,” says Superintendent Saundra Hill. “The work these teachers have done with students, families and colleagues, has been invaluable.”

Raquel Martinez

Judy Church

page 4

STEM EDUCATION THRIVES IN PASCO SCHOOLSSTEM education weaves science, technology, engi-neering and mathematics into other classroom dis-ciplines allowing students to connect what they learn in class with what they see around them every day. By engaging students’ natural curios-ity and challenging their imaginations, vibrant, ex-panding STEM programs are giving Pasco middle schoolers a strong foun-dation for success in high school and beyond.

This year, Stevens Middle School has partnered with WSU Gear-Up to implement Project Lead the Way (PLTW), the na-tion’s leading activities-, project-, and problem-based program for middle and high school STEM education.

“It’s cooler than I imag-ined,” says Stevens eighth grade student Emma Van Eaton. She and teammate Pilar Rico agree PLTW is one of their favorite classes of the day. Stu-dents work in teams, and, like engineers in the field, they start with simple dimensional sketches and will eventually collabo-rate with classmates to design a playground toy for a real-world scenario. “It’s little steps to big projects,” says Rico, who aspires to be an engineer one day.

Stevens science teachers Duran Torrez and Gilbert Mendez are teaching the three PLTW middle school foundation units, Design and Modeling, Automa-tion and Robotics, and Energy and the Environ-

ment, to Stevens eighth graders.

After gaining an intro-duction to 3D software, students are tasked with building and program-ming a basic robot using ROBOTC software and materials from a robotics kit. They also explore the importance of energy, including innovative ways to reduce, conserve and produce it using solar, thermal and wind power. The lessons require a lot of trial and error and problem solving.

“We’re not trying to get students to be experts at this stuff, but rather to learn the software and concepts so they can pursue it further if they choose,” says Torrez.

At Ochoa Middle School, the same PLTW program is part of the school’s greater STEM curricu-lum. Ochoa teachers and mentors have teamed up with math and literacy coaches, District men-tors, administrators, local engineers, and Washing-ton State STEM Education Foundation representa-tive Karen Baker to form a STEM leadership team which oversees a variety

Local volunteers Holly McGlean, Zach Wright, and Matt Robinson, left to right, judge student projects at Ochoa’s Future City competition. page 5

STEM EDUCATION THRIVES IN PASCO SCHOOLS of STEM opportunities for students.

One very successful project is Future City class taught by seventh grade teachers Lawrence Elfering and Paul Fraser. Future City is a national program for students to imagine, design, and build progressive cities using SimCity™ 4 Deluxe software. Ochoa hosted its first ever Future City competition on Jan. 16. Student projects were judged by local engi-neers and environmen-tal scientists and the winning team went on to present in Seattle.

Ochoa also has an ac-tive MESA (Mathemat-ics Engineering Science Achievement) club, and a TI (Texas Instruments) Math Forward pro-gram, which focuses on student proficiency in pre-algebra and algebra concepts.

For the first time at McLoughlin Middle School, seventh grade teachers Joel Fran-cik, Brad Woodford, Melanie Primus, Kim Hollway, and Rashad Lathan have teamed up to form an integrated STEM curriculum. For

example, for a project about oil viscosity—or the fluid’s resistance to flow—students performed ex-periments during their science class, created data tables during math class, and wrote techni-cal reports on their findings for language arts.

McLoughlin also offers a semester-long MESA enhancement class dur-

ing which seventh grade students design and build a prosthetic arm and a windmill. Then, they must write a technical paper,

create a display, and give an oral presenta-tion of their project in a statewide competi-tion.

The school has also partnered with TiLite in Pasco, a company which designs, manu-factures and markets ultra-lightweight titanium wheelchairs. A TiLite representative gave a presentation to students earlier this year, and this month students visited the company for a real world STEM experi-ence.

Through exploratory, hands-on STEM learn-ing, students in Pasco schools are preparing for an exciting future.

DELTA HIGH SCHOOL MODEL FOR STEM INITIATIVES AT ROBINSON AND EMERSONThis year, Pasco School District established a STEM program at Emerson Elementary, where every grade level is getting a taste of STEM education. With the help of Delta High School, Emerson teach-ers expanded upon existing science, writing, reading and math units by putting lessons into real-world context and integrating one subject into another. “It’s putting learning into the hands of the the students,” says Emerson Principal Josette Mendoza. “It gives relevance and rigor to the standards we’re teach-ing.”

At Robinson Elementary, a STEM initiative is in place for fifth grad-ers, whose lessons on ecology and ecosystems are tied to actual events, such as the November 2012 election. Students researched each candidate’s stance on pollution and used the information in a project about fixing the ecosystem of a city, river, or neighborhood.

Stevens eight graders Pilar Rico, left, and Emma Van Eaton work together to build 3D shapes in their PLTW class.

Pasco School District Execu-tive Director of Student Achievement Elizabeth “Liz” Padilla Flynn has received the 2012 Advo-cate for Excellence in Literacy Award from Texas Woman’s Uni-versity (TWU) Reading Recovery Center for distinguished educa-tional leadership, vision, and her commitment to ensure that all chil-dren become successful learners. Pasco School District was also hon-ored for its outstanding history of implementing Reading Recovery (RR) and Descubriendo la Lectura (DLL).

Flynn has played a key role in maintaining the longevity of RR and DLL—short-term read-

ing interven-tion programs for English and Spanish speaking first grade students, respectively—in the District by acting as

site coordinator for more than 15 years as well as allocating funds for Special Programs. The District celebrates its twentieth year of RR and its nineteenth year of DLL this year.

Thanks to Flynn’s direc-tion and support, the District has been able to support thousands of struggling literacy learners in both English and Spanish. Specially trained teachers work individually with stu-dents in daily 30-minute lessons lasting 12 to 20 weeks in an effort to reach grade-level stan-

dards. The objective is to promote accelerated learning so that students catch up to their peers, close the achievement gap as quickly as pos-sible, and continue to learn independently.

Flynn’s support of bi-lingual students reaches beyond the district level to the State level, where she has worked for and with the Washington State Office of the Su-perintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) in a continued effort to improve the education of Washington stu-dents who are learning English. She currently serves as chairperson of the State’s Bilingual Education Advisory Committee, which ad-vises State Superinten-dent Randy Dorn about issues regarding English Language Learners.

Liz Flynn

Liz Flynn, District Honored for Excellence in Literacy Education

Kindergarten enrollment is open for 2013-2014!

Visit your local school to sign up your student today.

Ten Pasco schools and the C.L. Booth Building have earned an Environ-

mental Protection Agency (EPA) Energy Star certification, a recognition pre-sented to buildings that rate in the top 25 percent nationwide for energy ef-ficiency based on actual usage of water, natural gas, electric and sewer services.

For nearly 12 years the District has been working with Energy Education, Inc., a company that specializes in organiza-tional behavior-based energy conserva-tion for school districts, universities, colleges and large churches. Since the program was first implemented, the District has saved an estimated 27 percent on energy and utility costs, an estimated $6.4 million dollars to date, according to Energy Education, Inc. The partnership will also result in savings well into the future.

“Our energy conservation efforts are putting more dollars into instruction instead of utility bills while also helping protect our local environment,” says Superintendent Saundra Hill. “Every dollar we save on energy translates into money that can be spent on in-struction.”

Receiving Energy Star certification are Twain, Livingston, Chess, Longfellow, Robinson, Angelou, and Emerson el-ementary schools, Stevens and Ochoa middles schools, and Chiawana High School as well as the C.L. Booth Build-ing. According to the EPA, these build-ings use 35 percent less energy and generate 35 percent fewer greenhouse

emissions than similar buildings.

Some of the improvements have been as simple as replacing fixtures with energy efficient bulbs, while others have been more involved. Some recent projects include a retrofit of all lighting

at Longfellow Elementary and replacement of freezers and coolers across the District.

Work continues across the District to improve energy efficiency, however not every building can meet Energy Star

ratings. “The cost of bringing older buildings to Energy Star requirements outweighs the possible cost savings,” says Director of Support Services Ran-dy Nunamaker. Nevertheless, efforts to maximize efficiency, even at the older schools, are underway, such as insula-tion of the Pasco High School roof.

Portable classrooms are also an area where Energy Star requirements can-not be achieved. “Portable classrooms have greatly improved over the years, but they still don’t meet Energy Star re-quirements,” says Nunamaker. “Howev-er, we use energy efficient equipment, such as heating and cooling systems, on those portables to make them as efficient as possible.”

The District has also taken advantage of local, state and national grant op-portunities to make improvements and participate in energy rebates.

“Each of us can make a difference through energy conservation, because people use energy, buildings don’t,” concludes Nunamaker.

Pasco Schools, Booth Building Receive Energy Star Certification

page 8

Livingston Principal Honored with MLK Spirit AwardColumbia Basin College presented its annual Martin Luther King Jr. Spirit Award to Livingston Elementary Principal Susan Sparks during a special ceremony Jan. 21.

“Every year my husband and I would take our two young chil-dren over to my mother-in-law’s house to pick out one of her special bells to take to the MLK Bell Ring-ing Ceremony,” says Sparks. “We have always thought that it was im-portant for our children to understand the legacy of such a great man, and so to receive the MLK Spirit Award is such a tremendous honor. For me it is like a Dr. King dream!”

The MLK Spirit Award is awarded to a person who has affected positive social change within the community and/or outside of it. Since Dr. King was also an advocate of education,

which goes hand-in-hand with social change, the nominee’s work in edu-cation is important, says CBC Direc-

tor of Commu-nications Frank Murray.

Sparks has been the principal at Livingston since 2000. She was named 2012-13 Distinguished Elementary

School Principal of the Year for the Lake Wallula region by Washington School Principals and Elementary School Principals of Washington.

Livingston has been named a School of Distinction for the last three years. Also this fall, Livingston was the only school at the time in the Tri-Cities named as a Reward School, meaning it has been among the top 10 percent of Title I schools in Read-ing and Math, combined, for three years.

Susan Sparks is joined by husband Bobby Sparks during her acceptance of the MLK Spirit Award at CBC.

NEW MSP TESTING DATES ANNOUNCEDThe dates for paper-pencil and online MSP testing are different from what was listed in the Pasco School District 2012-13 Calendar and Reference Guide. The new testing dates are as follows:Paper-Pencil MSP: April 24–May 16Online MSP: April 24–May 31

The Pasco High School Class of 1963 will be holding its 50-year

class reunion June 21-23. To learn more, please contact any

of the following organizers: Beverly Flaten, (503) 649-9364

Russ Alway, (360) 573-0088Mary Amstadt, (360) 835-5469

Barbara Haddox, (360) 834-5035

page 9

PHS CLASS OF 1963 REUNION ANNOUNCED