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PSD Connectivity
Dedicated to excellence
March 25, 2016
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The fundraising event included a walk-a-thon at his former elementary school - Zeiger. On a bright and sunny St. Patrick's Day Zeiger staff and students circled around the building to walk in support of Lyon. Along with Daniel were colleagues from West Pierce Firefighters, Milton Police officers, and even Smokey Bear. They were on hand to encourage the student body to keep walking and provided great inspiration as they playfully danced to the loud music.
"We wanted to provide Zeiger students with a meaningful way to reach out to others," said Lyon's former P.E. teacher Anne-Marie Peterson. "Daniel has grown up and become a part of our community, and we want to show students that we take care of others in our community." Proceeds from the event will go to the Milton Police Foundation who will provide a check to help Daniel on his road to recovery.
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| Daniel greeted each Zeiger student walking in the event. |
The event was organized by Peterson and Daniel's former sixth grade teacher Gail Lovering. Earlier in the day, the famous firefighter spoke with Lovering's students in their classroom. "He talked about setting goals and then modifying your goals when life's circumstances create change in your life," said Lovering. Lyon also spoke of the fire, and of the three firefighters lost.
Before their guest arrived in the classroom, students brainstormed adjectives to describe the man they had begun to study. Words such as
determined, courageous, adventurous,
and
heroic
were boldly printed on the white board as a greeting. "For them to say I'm an inspiration is huge," said Lyon. "I look at my dad and my elders as inspiration."
Lyon said it felt good to return to his elementary school. He remembers planning to be a veterinarian when he was in sixth-grade. Later, he remembers wanting to be a farmer. Finally, he determined to be a firefighter or police officer.
Local police officers and firefighters were on hand to help provide a festive atmosphere and help celebrate Daniel Lyon. They filled the sidewalk giving "high fives" to each of the walkers.
One of Lyon's greatest advocates was in attendance as well. Melissa Beard is a fellow firefighter and coordinator for the Washington State Council of Firefighters Burn Foundation. She has served as a family liaison for Daniel and his family during the many months following the fire. "If anybody can make something good come out of something so horrible, it's Daniel," said Beard. Her admiration for Lyon's strength of character was evident. Beard looked over at Daniel's parents standing nearby. "They are a great family." Beard credits his family for Daniel's persistence and determination.
Daniel, his girlfriend Megan, friends, family, and former teachers all seemed to have a wonderful time walking in the sunshine and watching Zeiger students do the same. From the onset, the mood was set with the performance of the elementary singers. The words of their song hung in the air and a number of on-lookers had to dab their eyes while they thought about the words and the man they were there to honor.
All around, who can see who is strong and who might be?
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Puyallup students are featured at fundraiser
Student musicians,
daffodil princesses, and CIS student leaders joined in serving local community leaders, educators, state legislators, business representatives, and volunteers to honor the work of CIS volunteers and celebrate student achievement.
CIS of Puyallup partners with the
Puyallup School District and community businesses to provide services such as reading and math tutoring. It also coordinates events such as back-to-school supply drives, weekend backpack programs, and the annual
March Gladness community service projects.
CIS student
board members Sarah Archer, Lexie Holden, Jordan Kim, and Nicholas Fraser outlined the mission and purpose of the non-profit organization which strives to engage dedicated individuals and resources in the community to foster successful students and build healthier families.
Sarah Archer, a junior at
Rogers High School, explained the five basics every child needs and deserves. These include:
- A one-on-one relationship with a caring adult
- A safe place to learn and grow
- A healthy start and a healthy future
- A marketable skill to use upon graduation
- A chance to give back to peers and community
Lexi Holden, a senior at
Emerald Ridge High School, celebrated a decade of March Gladness, noting since 2006 the students and staff in the Puyallup School District have been serving the community both locally and abroad. In total, $399,069 have been raised for charity over the course of the ten years March Gladness has been in place.
Jordan Kim, a senior at
Puyallup High School, reminded listeners of the challenges many children face when families struggle to meet basic needs such as clothing and shoes which fit properly. Nick Fraser, also a senior at PHS, led the audience in an activity visually demonstrating services provided by CIS of Puyallup including:
- 26 students who receive mentoring each week
- 154 students who receive Bags of Love filled with food for the weekend
- 179 students who receive weekly reading support
- 43 students who receive weekly math support
- $29,635 worth of school supplies donated to Puyallup schools last year
Award Winners
Each year CIS of Puyallup recognizes three individuals who have a history of making a difference in the community. Matea Hickle, CIS site coordinator at
Karshner Elementary proudly announced the winner of the Volunteer of the Year award which was presented to Robbi Heath. Heath has been involved as a reading tutor at Karshner for over ten years. She was honored for her dedication to her students and her interest in celebrating their growth and success.
The Educator Citizen of the Year award was presented by
Aylen Junior High principal Kevin Mensonides, who spoke of the many years awardee Tom Spane has been working with students and staff for the benefit of the Puyallup community. Of note was the annual
Fill the Bus food drive which Spane leads with passion.
Recipients of the Volunteer of the Year award and the Educator Citizen of the Year award were sponsored by
South Hill Collision. Representative Holly Sanchez presented each honoree with $250 to be spent in their name to the charity of their choice.
Finally, the CIS of Puyallup Student Citizen of the Year award was presented by
Washington State Fair Foundation Chair Jerry Larson and
PHS Key Club advisor Jessica Anderson. This award was accompanied by a $2,500 scholarship to the student's college of attendance thanks to the Washington State Fair Foundation. The Student Citizen of the Year award was earned by Elizabeth Luong, a student at Puyallup High School. Luong was honored as a March Gladness leader with a track record of leadership and community service involvement.
Student Musicians
Prior to breakfast being served, guests were invited to purchase raffle tickets and review auction items. During this time, student musicians in the Rogers High School Jazz Band provided entertainment. Under the direction of Stephan Pickard, the band impressed the audience with their big sound and skillful performance. RHS Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (JROTC) members presented the colors while RHS vocalist Arianna Hyers sang The Star Spangled Banner.
At the conclusion of the Friendraiser Breakfast the steel drum band Pandemonium performed. Student musicians from Kalles Junior High and Puyallup High School played steelpans, which are musical instruments originating from Trinidad and Tobago. The school district's music department began offering instruction on steel pans for students at
Spinning Elementary,
Kalles, and PHS about 10 years ago. Now under the direction of Obejsanjo Quarless, a master pannist who has studied and performed with steel pan ensembles at Pacific Lutheran University, the district's performing group Pandemonium has grown to include a healthy cadre of unique musicians.
Royalty
Assisting CIS student volunteers in the auction were four 2016 Daffodil Princesses representing the school district's three comprehensive high schools and
Cascade Christian High School. Fully adorned in their daffodil yellow gowns, the princesses gathered bid cards and relayed information to winning bidders. Kallie Sherwood (ERHS), Kelty Pierce (PHS), Kaitlin Nguyen (RHS) and Emmalee Ford (Cascade Christian HS) provided an elegant air to the morning event.
Also in attendance was
Miss Pierce County Outstanding Teen 2016 Regan Gallo. Regan is a junior at Rogers High School where she is very involved in Leadership, Choir, and Drama. Regan has served as a
Good Samaritan Tutor, one of the many programs sponsored by CIS of Puyallup.
Support Raised
Gathering financial support is a primary objective of the CIS Friendraiser Breakfast. As a non-profit, CIS of Puyallup relies on the generosity of others in the community to help provide support to children and families in the area. Morning events included many ways for contributions to be made including an auction of donated items, purchase of centerpieces, individual donations, purchase of raffle tickets, and entry to the event. Including event sponsorship, over $30,000 was raised as a result of this one event.
"It's incredible the way this community comes together to support children and families," said Jan Mauk, executive director of CIS of Puyallup. "The outpouring of financial support at this morning's auction is just one more example of the generous spirit people are known for in this community."
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District earns 14th consecutive clean audit
The outstanding audit results were received during an exit conference on the final day of the audit. The review of district finances and business practices took place from the first week of January through the end of February.
The auditor's report concluded that Puyallup has sound financial practices and complies with state laws and regulations, as well as its own policies and procedures, to protect taxpayers' interests.
Long-time district staff members, Director of
Business Services Laura Marcoe and Director of
Accounting Heather Larson, are credited with overseeing the sound financial practices the district has in place. They serve as the liaison between the auditors and staff to ensure the audit goes smoothly. They prepare staff for what to expect and ensure that they understand and follow district processes and procedures.
"We serve as the liaison so the staff understand what the audit is, what the auditors need, and that they are welcoming," stated Marcoe.
Due to the sound financial business practices of the district - the eighth largest district in the state with more than 21,500 students - auditors review the district on federal funds yearly and perform the comprehensive audit for accountability every two years. This year the auditors reviewed both.
"Because of our positive audit history they only do the accountability portion in Puyallup every other year," stated Marcoe.
The accountability review focused on bidding contracts, small and attractive assets, Associated Student Body (ASB) fundraising activities, open public meeting minutes, and the overall financial condition of the district.
"ASB fundraisers, for example, are reviewed because they generate a high volume of cash and the funds are generated by our students and families," stated Larson, who has worked in the district for ten years. During the 2014-15 school year ASB generated over $2.4 million in revenue and $2.7 in expenditures.
This year's review focused on
Career and Technical Education (CTE) enrollment reporting and compliance, and an inventory of technology assets. The Federal funds portion of the audit looked at special education programs.
Marcoe, who has served in the
Puyallup School District for nearly 20 years, attributes the long succession of clean state audits with year-round business practices and training. "We have processes in place that we review and edit throughout the year. We make sure people are adequately trained for compliance. They know what the compliance issues are," said Marcoe.
"We take all those things very seriously and work with schools and departments to make sure they have the right process and procedures in place and they know what the expectations are," she added.
The result of more than a decade of successful clean audits due to sound financial practices by the district provides stakeholders with confidence that fiscal responsibility is a high priority to the Puyallup School District.
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Board Highlights
The Puyallup School Board of Directors met on Monday, March 21, 2016 at Stahl Junior High for their regularly scheduled meeting beginning at 6:00 p.m.
Public School Volunteer Week
Directors took action proclaiming the week of April 18-22, 2016 as Public School Volunteer Week in appreciation of over 6,300 volunteers serving the needs of students in the Puyallup School District.
Read the entire Proclamation.
Public Hearing #1
Directors held the first of two public hearings for the purpose of presenting the 2015-16 budget extension for the Capital Projects, Debt Service, and Transportation Vehicle Funds. The public hearings are intended to provide the public an opportunity to make comments.
In December, 2015, the directors passed a resolution approving the transfer of funds from the Capital Projects Fund for the purposes of constructing additional classrooms to help achieve class size reduction, provide instructional facility upgrades to two elementary schools, and outfit all remaining district facilities with card readers. In addition, $1.4 million was transferred from the General Fund to the Transportation Vehicle Fund to complete the Bus Fleet Sustainability Project, leaving the fund in a position to be self-sustaining in future years.
In January, the district was funded for the first bond sale related to the voter-approved construction bond measure, selling $68.9 million of bonds at a premium resulting in net proceeds to the Capital Projects Fund of $80.2 million. Capital projects expenditures will escalate this spring and summer as work begins on the bond construction projects.
In addition, the first Debt Service Fund payment for the bond issue is due in June 2016. A budget extension was requested to accommodate these anticipated expenditures.
PTA Donation to Brouillet Elementary
Brouillet Elementary Principal Nancy Strobel spoke to directors about the work done by Brouillet parents and teachers in raising funds for grade level enrichment. Directors approved the acceptance of $5,649 as a gift to the district from the Brouillet PTA. PTA President Roxanne Adriance was also in attendance for the presentation. Directors thanked the Brouillet PTA for their generous support of Puyallup students.
Board Policy Updates
Directors were presented a first reading of several school board policies which have been revised due to legislative changes, suggestions by the Washington State School Directors Association (WSSDA) or to implement district efficiencies and effective use of available resources. These policies include:
- Policy 2421 - Promotion and Retention
- Policy 3131 - District Attendance Area Transfers
- Policy 3141 - Nonresident Students
- Policy 3205 - Sexual Harassment of Students Prohibited
Technology Services Update
Executive Director of Technology Services Randy Averill presented an update on technological improvements made throughout the district over the past four years. Upgrades to classroom technology include the removal of projector carts from the middle of the classroom where valuable teaching space was being taken. Instead, all classrooms now have wall-mounted projectors and interactive white boards.
A driving force for the technology improvements has been the state required assessment of students online. Each school now has the technology necessary for the 27,400 online assessments given each year.
Boundary committee
It has been a decade since the last boundary review committee was commissioned by the district in preparation for the opening of school projects from the 2004 Capital Bond Program. In November 2015 voters approved a school construction and facility improvements bond to replace three elementary schools, remodel and expand one elementary school, and build a new elementary school.
Brian Devereux, facilities planning director, recommended the commissioning of a Boundary Review Committee to evaluate and recommend adjustments of school attendance areas at each grade level in response to the implementation of the 2015 Bond Program and other educational program changes over the past decade.
Directors will consider this recommendation and make a decision at their next regularly schedule school board meeting on Monday, April 18, 2016 beginning at 6:00 p.m. at Stahl Junior High.
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Puyallup School District
302 2nd St SE Puyallup, WA 98372 | Phone: (253) 841-1301 www.puyallup.k12.wa.us
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Puyallup School District provides equal opportunities in education and employment and does not discriminate 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 in its programs and activities and provides equal access to the Boy Scouts and other designated youth groups.
Questions or complaints of alleged discrimination may be directed to:
Puyallup School District
302 2nd St SE
Puyallup, WA 98372
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