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Dear Pasco Community Members:

The fall skies can be somewhat gloomy, yet it is a bright day in Pasco.

The year is off to a wonderful start and our classrooms are filled with enthusiastic teachers and eager students all traveling together down a wonderful path of knowledge and learning. We are nearly a third of the way through the year already and before you know it, it will be June and we will be saying farewell to another group of high school graduates from Pasco High, New Horizons High and, for the first time, Chiawana High.

Our year will not be without struggles. You may have heard that Olympia is forcing yet another round of budget cuts on education to be made this

school year. Pasco School District has planned for this rainy day with forward-thinking budgeting and frugal spending, and we are confident that we can weather this storm. However, we are being told that the dire and disintegrating economic situation in the state will severely impact school budgets next year and beyond in a way that will be even more devastating than the previous cuts.

This latest round of budget cuts again flies in the face of our State Constitution, which states: “It is the paramount duty of the state to make ample provision for the education of all children residing within its borders, without distinction or preference on account of race, color, caste, or sex.” Washington State Constitution, Article IX, Section 1.

We also have schools that are being unfairly punished by the assessment process. Both McGee and Livingston were recently named as Schools of Distinction, and we could not be more proud of them; it is a well-deserved honor. But, other schools in our District can never reach that mark when the assessment used to determine the recognition is an invalid measure for English Language Learners, which are the majority of the students in many of our schools. It takes time to learn another language at the academic levels we expect. Students cannot pass state tests in English until they become proficient in the language, yet their schools are being punished by a state and federal system that is built to ignore these realities. We need to support these schools as well, along with the outstanding principals and teachers in them.

No matter your preferred candidates in the midterm elections, make sure the winners, your elected officials, know where you stand and that the education of our students is of the utmost importance to the future of our community, our state and our nation. In the meantime we will continue to put our students first to make learning last a lifetime.

In these difficult times, we continue our quest toward a sunny future in Pasco.

Warmly,

Saundra Hill, Superintendent

Pasco School District Board of Directors:Sherry Lancon, PresidentWilliam V. Leggett, Vice MemberH.W. “Pete” Felsted, MemberJohn Hergert, MemberJeffery Dong, MemberCourtney Campbell, Student Representative Claudia Euridice Gallegos, Student Representative

Superintendent: Saundra L. Hill

Editor/Designer: Leslee Caul

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.

superintendent saundra hill

New Shoes for More than 500 Pasco Students

More than 500 Pasco children will have warm shoes this winter thanks to the kindness and generosity of the First Lutheran Church of Pasco.

For nearly a decade the congregation, which averages about 90 attendees each Sunday, has collected new shoes and made cash donations for the purchase of new shoes for children in the community. The church works in partnership with the Pasco School District, which handles the distribution process.

First Lutheran Church Pastor John Hergert has led the congregation for nearly 19 years and has served as a member of the Pasco School Board for more than a dozen years.

Next year the church plans to add socks to its annual campaign.

If you are interested in donating shoes or money toward the purchase of new shoes please contact Leslee Caul at lcaul@psd1.org or 546-2708.

Board member and pastor John Hergert and other members of the First Lutheran Church of Pasco donated shoes to Pasco children.

CHS Student Serves as State Board Representative Right now he serves as the Eastern Washington stu-dent representative to the State Board of Education, but Chiawana High School junior Jared Costanzo has his sights set on the White House.

Costanzo, one of two students on the State Board, will serve until May 2012. The process begins in tenth grade with requesting a nomination from his school. “I had to write an essay about why I wanted to be on the Board, and submit a resume and a letter of recom-mendation from my principal,” says Costanzo. Named as one of the four finalists for Eastern Washington, Costanzo then went through an extensive interview process in Moses Lake, which included delivering a presentation, participating in a board discussion, and the final interview.

“It’s a lot of hard work,” says Costanzo. “The materials are complex and it takes a lot of time, but I would encourage other students to do it. It’s a great experience.” Constanzo is the second Pasco student to earn this honor. Pasco High School student Gustavo Ramos served in the 2004-2006 term.

Costanzo has been busy preparing a presentation on Chiawana and the District for the November board meeting.

According to Washington State Board of Education officials, “Jared’s experience and initiative were both key factors in his selection. Jared has been an active and in-volved member at Chiawana High School, serving as Public Relations Officer within Chiawana’s ASB, as a Chiawana representative to the Pasco School District’s strate-gic planning sessions, and as a student representative to the Seattle conference of the Washington State School Directors’ Association.” His presentation and inter-view were the best the interview team had ever seen, according to a participant.

His duty is not without sacrifice. “I was in a soccer club in Yakima, but I had to let that go,” says Costanzo. “I didn’t have the time anymore with my rigorous class schedule.” But Costanzo has found the time to participate on CHS’s soccer team and in other extracurricular activities including the upcoming CHS production of “The Diary of Anne Frank.”

Costanzo, the son of Michael and Tracy Costanzo, attended McGee and Livingston Elementary Schools, McLoughlin Middle School, Pasco High and now Chiawana High. His first career goal is to become a corporate attorney, which he sees as a stepping stone to a life in politics leading to the White House.

For now Costanzo is content in his role as Washington State Board of Education rep-resentative and is approaching his duties as expected: “I am representing the Pasco School District with pride!”

Jared Constanzo, Chiawana Junior, is the Eastern Washington student representative to the State Board of Education.

Partnership AwardJohns Hopkins Recognizes Pasco’s Promising PartnershipsFor the fourth con-secutive year the Pasco School District’s Par-ent and Community Partnership Program is the winner of a 2010 National Partnership District Award from the National Network of Partnership Schools (NNPS) at Johns Hopkins University.

Seven Pasco schools also received individual awards for their partnership programs. Ochoa and McLoughlin Middle Schools and Livingston Elementary received the award for the first time this year. Angelou Elementary and Longfellow Elementary were honored for the second time and Whittier Elementary for the third time. Frost Elementary received the prestigious award for the fourth time.

NNPS also publishes Promising Partnerships Practices, an annual collection of success stories from partnership schools around the country. Eight Pasco schools were among the 81 featured in the publication, and PSD was one of 15 districts highlighted. The schools and their programs include: Captain Gray Early Learning Center (Autism Parent Classes); Frost Elementary (Sports Math Night); Livingston Elementary (Me & My Guy Sports Night); McLough-lin Middle School (Vision of Hope Museum); Ochoa Middle School (Reading at Home Awareness and Family Math Night); Whittier Elementary (Family Fitness to Fight Heart Disease); Chiawana High (Family Math and Reading Night); and Pasco High (Annual Citizenship Awards).

NNSP was established by Dr. Joyce L. Epstein at Johns Hopkins University in 1996 to organize and sustain a program of school, family, and community partnerships. Pasco joined NNPS in 2005 and has Action Teams for Partner-ship (ATP’s) consisting of parents, teachers, administrators, staff and com-munity members who work together to connect family and community with school academic goals. Each of Pasco’s 19 campuses has an ATP.

Pasco School District Board Members and Student Representatives stand proudly with (bottom row, from left to right) ATP Coordinator Jessica Wallace, Director of Student Achievement Liz Flynn, and Parent Education Center Coordinator Lorraine Landon.

For the third year local businesses and business leaders will actively participate in the education of Pasco students through the Partners in Educating All Kids!, or PEAK! Program.

“For the second year each of our schools has two PEAK! Partners,” says Community Relations Liaison Gracie Valle-Chimal. “Even though each business makes a donation to their school, the program is about a lot more than just financial support. It’s about building relationships.”

In addition to a monetary donation, each business participates in a minimum of three in-school programs per year. These range from something as simple as reading to elementary school children, to more involved projects like school carnivals, career fairs, and contests. The activities are designed to fit both the school and the PEAK! partner.

“We support our PEAK! Partners as a district and as individuals whenever we can,” says Public Affairs Director Leslee Caul. “We hope that everyone in the community will continue to support these businesses that make such a difference in the lives of our students.”

Participating businesses are listed on the District website and honored for their accomplishments with a reception in the spring. “We are also beginning a new program called ‘PEAK! of the Week,’” says Valle-Chimal. “The best PEAK! program for the week will be featured on the reader board at Edgar Brown Stadium and on our website, www.psd1.org. We appreciate everything our PEAK! Partners do, and we want to let everyone know about the great support they offer to our schools, students, parents, and our whole community.”

If you would like more information about the PEAK! Program contact Gracie Valle-Chimal at gvalle@psd1.org or 543-6743.

Deneil Boyd

Curtis & Susan Dahl

Kiwanis of the Horse Heaven Hills

Partners in Educating All Kids! (PEAK!)Local Businesses Partner with Pasco Schools

Angelou KADLEC Clinic, 942-2658 9605 Sandifur Pkwy., Pasco, WA 99301

El Chapala, 586-4224 107 E. Columbia Dr., Kennewick, WA 99336

Captain Gray Jigsaw Kids Preschool, 380-53376215 Burden Blvd., Pasco, WA 99301

Your Life Captured Photography, 308-0542611 Benham St., Richland, WA 99352

Chess GESA Credit Union, 946-1611 x 34002202 W. Sylvester St., Pasco, WA 99301

Fiesta Foods, 547-5356 115 S. 10th Ave., Pasco, WA 99301

Chiawana State Farm Insurance, Scott Sintay7007 Burden Blvd. Suite 103, Pasco, WA544-9500

Distinctive Properties, Curtis & Susan Dahl8022 W. Grandridge Blvd., Pasco, WA 99301783-1431

Emerson Pasco First Christian Church, 545-85891524 W. Marie St., Pasco, WA 99301

Hacienda del Sol, 547-17225024 N. Rd. 68 Suite A, Pasco, WA 99301

Frost Pasco Vision Clinic, 547-84091906 N. 20th Ave., Pasco, WA 99301

School Employees Credit Union of Washington1500 W. 4th Ave. Suite 100, Spokane, WA 99204209-7816

Livingston Lourdes Health Network, 542-3055520 N. 4th Ave., Pasco, WA 99301

The Country Gentleman, 783-01289221 W. Clearwater Ave., Kennewick, WA 99336

Longfellow Primo Cell/Superpaid, 542-06061501 W. Court St. Suite 108Pasco, WA 99301

American Family Insurance, Ruben Peralta5109 N. Rd. 68 Suite D, Pasco, WA 99301545-6700

Markham Absolute Financial Planning, George Miller & Glenda Carender, 545-1535PO Box 3319, Pasco, WA 99302

Aflac, Deneil Boyd, 308-47295310 Regan Way, Pasco, WA 99301

McGee Joe Peterson Insurance, 736-35998927 W. Tucannon Ave. Suite 102Kennewick, WA 99336

Dura-Shine Clean, 946-20181841 Terminal Dr., Richland, WA 99352

McLoughlin University of Phoenix8905 W. Gage Blvd. Suite 300Kennewick, WA 99336, 531-0030

Studio 64, 544-78236916 W. Argent Rd. Suite A, Pasco, WA 99301

New Horizons Fat Boys Fleet Service, 547-5044210 S. Oregon Ave., Pasco, WA 99301

U.S. Cellular, 853-85505024 N. Rd. 68, Pasco, WA 99301

Ochoa La Jalpita Ice Cream, 545-9551202 W. Lewis St., Pasco, WA 99301

Department of Labor & Industries, 454-370715 W. Yakima Ave. Suite 100, Yakima, WA 98902

Pasco State Farm Insurance, Craig Griffiths1915 Sun Willows Blvd. Suite 100Pasco, WA 99301, 547-9571

Columbia Fitness, 585-2366433 E. Columbia Dr., Kennewick, WA 99336

Robinson Kiwanis Club of the Horse Heaven Hills10 S. Irby St., Kennewick, WA 99336947-6816

Collegium Café, 546-59993525 E. A St., Pasco, WA 99301

Stevens State Farm Insurance, Luis Garza, Jr.1408 N. 20th Ave. #C, Pasco, WA 99301547-7038

Tire Town and Auto Service, 542-0244404 N. 20th St., Pasco, WA 99301

Twain Fiesta Mexican Restaurant, 543-68845210 Rd. 68 Suite L, Pasco, WA 99301

Cathedral of Joy, 627-11091153 Gage Blvd., Richland, WA 99352

Whittier Tri-Cities Community Health, 543-1968515 W. Court St., Pasco, WA 99301

ConAgra-Lamb Weston, 736-03338701 W. Gage Blvd., Kennewick, WA 99338

AbsoluteFinancialPlanningGeorge MillerGlenda Carender

Ruben Peralta

Nov. 25 & 26 Thanksgiving Dec. 20-31 Winter BreakJan. 17 Martin Luther King Jr. DayJan. 28 Break Day

Feb. 21 Presidents’ DayMarch 11 Break DayApril 4-8 Spring BreakMay 30 Memorial Day

We all know lottery winners get a cash prize, but did you know that Washington busi-nesses also benefit from Lottery sales? Retailers who sell a winning jackpot ticket receive a cash bonus, a plaque, special in-store displays and equip-ment, t-shirts for em-ployees, and an on-site celebration to honor their achievement.

Such was the case recently when Fred Meyer of Kennewick sold a winning ticket. Kennewick Fred Meyer Assistant Store Manager Robin Kaufhold contacted Pasco School District to share the good news that the store had not only sold a winning Lottery ticket, but had opted to donate its $1,000 cash bonus to the District.

Board President Sherry Lancon and Superintendent Saundra Hill accepted the check at the Board Meeting on October 12. PSD extends a big thank you to Fred Meyer for its support of the continued success and future accom-plishments of our community’s greatest resource, our students.

Superintendent Saundra Hill and Board President Sherry Lancon accept a $1,000 check from Kennewick Fred Meyer As-sistant Manager Robin Kaufhold.

Kennewick Fred Meyer Winning Lotto Ticket Benefits PSD

Upcoming Holiday Schedule

Your PSD 2010-2011 Calendar and Reference Guide also lists test dates, early releases, and other notable events.

Feb. 21 Presidents’ DayMarch 11 Break DayApril 4-8 Spring BreakMay 30 Memorial Day

Upcoming Concerts, Theatre and EventsNov. 18: Pasco High Jazz Concert, PHS Auditorium at 7 p.m.Nov. 19 and 20: “The Diary of Anne Frank,” CHS Black Box Theater at 7 p.m.Dec. 1: Ochoa Holiday Concert featuring 6th & 7th Grades and Jazz Bands, Ochoa Cafeteria at 7 p.m.Dec 7: Robinson Holiday Music Program at 1:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m.Dec. 8: Ochoa Holiday Concert featuring 8th Grade Band and Choir, CHS Audito-rium at 4 p.m.Dec. 9: Stevens Choir, Stevens Gym at 7 p.m.Dec. 10: Whittier Orchestra and Holiday Breakfast at 8 a.m.Dec. 10: Posole Dinner with Ochoa Mariachi, PHS Student Mall at 6 p.m.Dec. 10: Mariachi Navidad featuring PHS Mariachi and Choir; Ochoa 6th and 7th Grade Choirs; Ochoa Strings, Stevens Band and McLoughlin Advanced Guitar Ensemble, PHS Auditorium at 7 p.m.Dec. 13: McLoughlin Music, McLoughlin Gym at 7 p.m.Dec. 14: Frost Holiday Program at 9 a.m. and 6:30 p.m.Dec. 14: Angelou Holiday Program featuring 5th Grade Band, Orchestra and Choir at 2 and 6:30 p.m.Dec. 16: Whittier Music Winter Concert, Whittier at 6 p.m.Dec. 16: Livingston Band and Choir Program, Faith Assembly at 7 p.m.Dec. 16: Markham Christmas Program at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.Dec. 16: Chiawana High School Holiday Concert, CHS Auditorium at 7 p.m.Dec. 16: Pasco High School Band and Choir Concert, PHS Auditorium at 7 p.m.

Chiawana High School Stage Company presents “The Diary of Anne Frank” on Nov. 12, 13, 19, and 20. All performances begin at 7 p.m. in the CHS Black Box Theater. Tickets are $10 for adults and $8 for students and seniors. Tickets can be purchased in advance at the CHS ASB Office or at the door the night of the show. Seating is limited.

Kennewick Fred Meyer Winning Lotto Ticket Benefits PSD

Some early predictions indicate that this could be the worst winter in years, and others claim it could be mild. While we can’t guess the weather, we can and will be prepared in the event that school has to be delayed or cancelled.

Many factors are taken into careful consideration when making the decision to delay or cancel classes. District officials will only alter the regular schedule when it is deemed necessary for the health, comfort, and safety of our students and staff. We consider how subfreezing temperatures affect students walking or waiting for buses and whether snow, ice, or freezing fog will be an issue for motorists.

Our transportation supervisor maintains close contact with the City of Pasco and Franklin County road crews for updates on road conditions and snow removal progress. Additionally we also monitor the National Weather Service forecasts to try to determine if conditions are expected to improve or worsen.

This is how the determination is made on a bad weather day:

• At 3 a.m., District officials personally drive bus routes to include city streets, highways, and rural roads. Their recommendations, based on years of experience, are the first step in making the decision. • At 4 a.m., Superintendent Hill receives a briefing which includes information on the morning drives, as well as weather forecasts and traffic conditions. • By 5 a.m. the decision will be made to proceed as usual or to delay or cancel school. • If there is a cancellation or delay, that information is posted on the district’s

website, www.psd1.org, at approximately 5 a.m. • Media outlets, includig all local radio and TV stations, are informed if there is any alteration to the normal schedule. • If school is cancelled, then all after school activities, including athletic contests, are also cancelled.

If nothing is announced, then school will begin on time.

There have been times when worsening weather creates treacherous conditions after an initial decision is publicized and it becomes necessary to delay or close Pasco schools or restrict bus routes. This information will be released to the media in as timely a fashion as possible, but check the District website before sending your students to school. There are also times when the weather improves quickly, leaving some to wonder why it wasn’t business as usual. These are always difficult decisions to make and no matter the decision someone is usually unhappy. We will err on the side of the safety and well-being of the students.

Many parents are concerned about learning time and snow make-up days. Although the school district does not make up delayed starts, we are required to make up any cancelled days. Therefore, if we do have to cancel school, then “snow make-up” days will be held before summer break. These dates are scheduled and you can find them on the District calendar.

To plan for the unpredictable is difficult at best, but we all share the same commitment to safety and education.

Inclement Weather ProceduresDistrict’s School Closure, Delay Decision Begins at 3 a.m.

Expanded Music Program Leads to Changes on BusesA recent safety review has prompted changes which will now allow some students to take musical instruments on school buses which were previously prohibited.

Given the recent expansion of music programs throughout the district and the in-creasing number of students traveling with instruments, Director of Support Services Randy Nunamaker, working in conjunction with Transportation Supervisor Jana Peterson, Executive Director of Operations John Morgan, and Visual and Performing Arts Facilitator Russell Newbury, undertook a review of the safety and transport of musical instruments.

The team determined that while some instruments are still too large and unwieldy for the bus, others, such as the violin, could be added to the list of authorized bus cargo. Larger instruments, which can become projectiles in the event of an accident, are still restricted. After researching the Washington Schools Risk Management Pool and referring to the Washington Administrative Code, the team reassigned maximum transportable dimensions of backpacks and instruments to 35” x 10” x 15”, a change that was implemented on Oct. 13. By limiting the size and bulk of objects being carried on buses, a serious threat of injury is removed.

“The bottom line is student safety and security,” says Nunamaker. “I think we have achieved a good balance between music program needs and the protection of our students.”

Even though parents will be responsible for transporting those instruments deemed unsafe by state and district standards, Morgan says, “Of the parents I have talked to about this issue, they were all appreciative that the instrument transport rule was readdressed and are happy with the decision. In the end, the decision was made with their children’s best interest in mind.”

The new dimensions will easily include transport of smaller instru-ments such as violins, violas, and trumpets. However, the dimensions do prevent the transport of oversized and bulky instruments such as the tuba. Small band instrument cases such as piccolos and flutes may be held on the student’s lap, but back-packs and larger instruments smaller than the 35” x 10” x 15” dimensions should be placed on the floor between the student’s legs. This provides the best protections for everyone onboard.

If you would like more information or have questions on transporting instruments and other items on Pasco School District buses, please contact Transportation Super-visor Jana Peterson at 547-2510.

• All small instrument cases may be held on the student’s lap.

• All other cases and backpacks not larger than 35” x 10” x 15” may be placed on the floor between the student’s legs.

• Students are limited to one backpack and one instrument.

• No item that exceeds the dimensions of 35” x 10” x 15” may be transported on school buses.

Community Members Sought For School Facility Summit Task Force to Focus on Present, Projected District Growth IssuesPasco School District is seeking con-cerned community members to join the Pasco Community School Facilities Sum-mit, which will be held Nov. 30 from 5-9 p.m. at the District Board Room in the Booth Building, located at 1215 W. Lewis Street in Pasco.

Applications are now available and can be downloaded from the District web-site, www.psd1.org, or picked up in per-son at the Booth Building. Community members can also call the Public Affairs Office at 546-2686 to have an applica-tion sent by mail.

“Space is limited so we will be putting together a team that represents a cross section of the community” says Superin-tendent Saundra Hill.

According to Executive Director of Oper-ations John Morgan, student enrollment in the Pasco School District has steadily increased four to six percent per year for the past ten years. “With continued growth and new home construction in

the city, we expect this trend to continue well into the future,” he says.

According to projections by the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction and a study conducted by an indepen-dent consulting firm, the student popu-lation in the Pasco School District will surpass 20,000 by 2016.

“Our hope is that by bringing the bright-est minds in the community together now we can find a solution to our space needs,” says Hill. “We have done all we can do as a district and now it is time for us to seek continued solutions as a community.”

Those who are not chosen for the task force are still welcome to submit their comments and suggestions to John Morgan. “This is a community issue and we welcome input from everyone in the community,” he says. Watch for addi-tional focus sessions on this topic over the next few months.

Attention Parents: New Ethnicity and Race Categories Now in PlaceEach year, school districts in Washington are required to report student data by ethnicity and race categories to the state’s Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI). Recently, the federal government and OSPI changed the reporting categories for student ethnic and race data. As a result of the new reporting categories, Pasco School District is asking parents and guardians to identify their child as either Hispanic/Latino or not Hispanic/Latino and by one or more racial groups. Washington has 57 racial categories to choose from.

Parents and guardians of high school students will receive a letter and form in the mail, while elementary and middle school parents will have an opportunity to fill out the form during upcoming parent-teacher conferences. The explanatory letter will be available to parents at that time should they have any questions about the form. More information can also be found online at http://www.k12.wa.us/CEDARS/default.aspx.