In this issue:
Next SLES principal will be Scott Mitchell
Video: Technology purchases support remote learning
Graduation will include final walk, diploma on stage
Spotlight on THS plant sciences
School Board news
District kudos
News briefs
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Next SLES principal will be Scott Mitchell
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Scott Mitchell will be the next principal of Shadow Lake Elementary. The School Board voted to approve Mitchell's hiring on Tuesday.
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Shadow Lake Elementary’s interim principal, Scott Mitchell, will become the school’s next principal beginning July 1. The School Board voted Tuesday to approve Mitchell’s hiring for the position, as recommended by a committee of 18 teachers, staff members, administrators and parents.
“I am very humbled that this is even an opportunity for me to partake in,” Mitchell said. Asked why he thinks he is the best person for the job, he said he thinks people see his ability to build a strong climate and culture; and his skill for listening with his heart but making decisions with his mind.
Growing up in a family filled with educators -- 43 in his extended family -- Mitchell said he always wanted to be a teacher. In 2000, that dream became a reality when he joined the ranks of Tahoma’s teaching staff. Mitchell taught sixth grade for two years, then shifted to fifth grade, which he taught for 15 years before becoming Shadow Lake’s dean of students two years ago. His teaching degree and administrative credentials are from Central Washington University; he also holds a master’s degree from Walden University.
The committee selected Mitchell from a pool of more than 30 applicants. He has been serving as the school’s interim principal since the School Board hired former principal Mike Hanson as the district’s next superintendent. A new dean of students will be hired for Shadow Lake.
“Shadow Lake has been fortunate to have the best of the best when it comes to leadership, from Jerry Gaston, to Mike Hanson, and now Scott Mitchell,” said Sarah Reyes, Shadow Lake PTA President. “Mr. Mitchell is an excellent communicator and already has an amazing relationship with the staff, our Tigers, Tiger families, and PTA. We are thrilled to see him expand in his new role.”
“Dedicated involvement with fostering the positive culture and (the) family-first environment of Shadow Lake has never been bound to office hours for Mr. Mitchell,” Reyes continued. “You'll find him in the early morning hours recording videos for Tiger TV or as a rocking DJ at one of our dances.”
Since the closure of school buildings, she added, Mitchell has coordinated staff and students by grade level to participate in virtual “lunch bunch” meetings where students get to see and interact with their teachers, classmates, and support staff. He’s also running a virtual T-I-G-E-R basketball game (like HORSE) via social media.
“Getting to see those familiar faces (reminds students) of the academic, social, and emotional resources and support available to them for continued success during these extraordinary times,” Reyes said. “We are blessed to have a leader in Scott Mitchell.”
As a fifth-grade teacher, Mitchell attended Camp Casey with his students for 15 years; for the past 12 years or so, he was part of the team that helped plan many aspects of the camp. It’s also where many of his favorite teaching memories happened, he said.
“Seeing kids in a different aspect outside of their school -- the spirit and pep of kids -- the excitement and joy that they would have at camp, and the exhaustion on the way home,” Mitchell said. “Also, seeing kids grow so much, changing into middle schoolers and seeing that transition was quite a moment with these kids every year.”
For next year, Mitchell said he is most looking forward to building upon the climate and culture at Shadow Lake, as well as working as a staff to support students as they return from remote learning into the school building. He and the staff will focus on continuing to build relationships with students.
“The academics are super important, but without the relationships, you can’t get to those,” he added.
Mitchell shared a few facts about himself for students and Shadow Lake families who may want to get to know him better. He and his wife, Kari, have been married for 19 years and have two daughters. Mitchell originally intended to be a music teacher, and although he switched to study elementary education, he ended up also getting an endorsement in K-12 music. Mitchell plays the piano (all types of music) and can also play the sax, clarinet and flute. In college, he was in an acapella singing group, which toured the west coast for a short time after graduation. Mitchell loves building with Legos, and his favorite books to read aloud to students are “Snowmen at Night” and “Dragons Love Tacos.”
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Technology purchases will support remote learning
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School Board President Tami Henkel shares an update about how technology purchases have helped support emergency remote learning.
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Graduation will include final walk, diploma on stage
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Ad hoc committee will further discuss traditional ceremony at later date
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Tahoma High School seniors will still experience graduation pomp, despite the circumstances caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
During a video-conference Wednesday evening, a special committee of THS seniors, parents, and staff created a graduation ceremony plan structured within state COVID-19 safety rules. A day after the committee made its decision, the state Department of Health issued specific guidelines for graduation ceremonies. Fortunately, the plan envisioned by the committee falls within the guidelines.
Tahoma’s plan allows seniors to wear cap and gown to pick up their diploma in person at the high school as part of a hybrid ceremony that includes a mixture of recorded speeches, music and other traditional activities. The plan is dependent on precise timing and strict observance of social distancing and COVID-19 safety protocols.
On graduation day, June 10, seniors and immediate family will drive to the high school’s east entrance at a specific time, where the senior will be dropped off. The senior’s family will be directed to drive in the service lane on the south side of the high school, through the student parking area and into the parking lot behind the west bleachers at the football and track complex. Seniors will walk through the high school, exiting on the west side. They will then walk past the soccer, baseball and softball fields to the football-track complex, where a stage will be set up on the field. Seniors will wear masks and follow social distancing rules as they wait for their name to be called. Once called, they will walk across the stage, pick up their diploma, have their photo taken, and then exit the field to rejoin their family and drive away. Video of each student will be recorded and added to the speeches and other prerecorded ceremonial features as part of a video keepsake for each senior.
Tahoma Principal Terry Duty praised the committee for its work in developing proposals and then deciding on a final plan. “There were lots of ideas I didn’t think of,” he told the group Wednesday evening. “I really appreciate it as we’ve come together” to create and support a final plan.
Duty said the plan is dependent upon meeting state health guidelines for graduation. He emphasized that the guidelines reflect Gov. Jay Inslee’s phased COVID-19 reopening plan and will be allowed only if King County is in Phase II of the plan, which could begin June 1.
In addition to the June 10 ceremony, work will begin soon to study ways to host a traditional graduation ceremony at a later date. Incoming Superintendent Mike Hanson will lead an ad hoc committee that will explore options for seniors to participate in an in-person ceremony when it is again possible to have large group gatherings.
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Spotlight on THS plant science partnership
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Tahoma students help at garden; produce grown helps food banks
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Tahoma High School students work in the greenhouse at Elk Run Farm.
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Students from the plant science classes at THS work in the field at Elk Run Farm, which is close to the high school.
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Tahoma High School teacher Clare Nance said that plant science is the most satisfying class she has ever taught, thanks to a partnership with Elk Run Farm.
“Hands-on learning is what we always want to do, and this is like nothing I’ve ever done -- having the kids work on the farm. It’s a super cool partnership that I’m lucky to be a part of,” Nance said during a special Facebook live video on Elk Run’s page Wednesday. The video was the first in a series of live sessions that will lead up to a virtual fundraiser for the farm on June 5.
Elk Run Farm is a partnership between the South King County Food Coalition, Seattle-King County Public Health, Rotary First Harvest, WSU Extension, Highline College, Tahoma High School and others. They use sustainable farming methods to grow produce that is distributed to South King County food banks.
Nance teaches four plant science classes, with about 110 students this year. In the fall, they work at the farm, and in the spring, students work in the greenhouse at the high school to plant seeds and nurture seedlings that get planted at the farm.
“The impact of this partnership is immense,” Nance said. “The kids absolutely love -- eventually -- they love getting outside. … I think that it’s so impactful at so many levels that they are helping their community, the food banks. They’re learning how to nurture things and appreciate the ecosystem that a farm is.”
Elk Run Farm Manager Maria Anderson gave a live tour of the greenhouse during the video, showing some of the young plants that will be transplanted to the farm: rainbow chard, mixed lettuces, cucumbers, beets, broccoli (the most requested vegetable at the food banks), corn, winter squash, pumpkins, watermelon, cantaloupe, mustard greens, peppers, eggplants, tomatoes, tomatillos, bok choy, green onions (Elk Run will grow about 15,000 green onions this year) and, new this season, cut flowers, which they will sell as a fundraiser for the farm.
“We’re so grateful to have this space,” Anderson said. “This partnership has been incredible, and this greenhouse is one of the big assets from this community partnership.”
The virtual fundraiser on June 5 will include a farm tour, cooking demos and more.
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The Tahoma School Board officially extended the school year to June 19 and applied for an emergency waiver from the state Superintendent of Public Instruction for instructional time lost as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The board unanimously approved a resolution to adjust the 2019-2020 school year schedule by adding three days to the academic calendar. The waiver also seeks to waive the required 180 days of instruction. All Washington school districts are being directed by the state to remain in school until June 19 unless they can show evidence of meeting the usual school day and instructional hour requirements.
Schools closed on March 16 when Gov. Jay Inslee issued emergency orders as part of the state’s “Stay Home, Stay Healthy” strategy to slow the spread of COVID-19. The original order was set to expire April 24 but was extended to cover the entire school year.
Tahoma switched to a remote learning format on March 30 and will continue to offer online classes through June 19.
In other business at its May 12 virtual meeting, the board:
- Approved the first year of a four-year technology spending plan that will use revenue from the Technology Levy approved by voters last February. The plan proposes to spend $4.4 million in the 2020-2021 school year, which is about $670,000 less than the original estimate. Spending was adjusted to reflect recent purchases and training provided through the district’s fund balance reserve. That money paid for 1,900 Chromebooks, software, network equipment, online learning programs and staff training in response to the district’s implementation of remote learning.
- Reviewed board goals and targets in preparation for approval of the 2020-2021 targets at the May 26 meeting.
- Approved purchase of two pieces of instructional equipment for Career and Technical Education classes at Tahoma High School, using state CTE funding. The district will purchase a milling machine that will be used by robotics classes to manufacture metal and plastic parts, costing $40,344. The second item is an Anatomage Dissection Table, costing $85,386, that can be used by Project Lead The Way classes in biomedical science, animal science and other related classes. The table provides advanced 3D visualization that is part of anatomy and physiology instruction.
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Congratulations to the senior athletes in the Tahoma High School Class of 2020 who have signed Letters of Intent to compete at colleges and universities across the country!
We are proud of you, Bears!
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Work begins on possible reopening scenarios
Earlier this week we shared a video message from Incoming Superintendent Mike Hanson about the three district teams working to prepare for a variety of potential reopening scenarios for schools in the fall.
This week, work began at the state level to come up with a menu of options for districts to consider when discussing reopening. We will share more about those possibilities when we receive them from the state, likely in June.
Seniors invited to submit to IG celebration
Tahoma High School senior Julia Powley started an Instagram account to celebrate her fellow classmates. Powley attributes the original idea to students at a high school she used to attend.
For each THS senior who submits information, Powley puts together an Instagram post including a picture, the student’s name, and their plans for after high school.
Calendar updates shared
Due to the COVID-19 closure of all school facilities in Washington state, Tahoma School District has moved to remote instruction. The regular school calendar has changed to reflect the emergency education plans now in place. May 22 is now a regular school day. The remaining non-school day is Memorial Day, May 25:
- May 25, Memorial Day; no school.
- June 19, last school day.
Update on Operation Veterans Remembrance
For 18 consecutive years, students in the Tahoma School District have placed flags on individual gravesites at Tahoma National Cemetery prior to Memorial Day weekend as participants in a service-learning project known as Operation Veterans Remembrance. Due to the pandemic and the closing of regular school, this outreach will not be performed this year. Those restrictions, however, are not preventing Tahoma High School students from remembering our military veterans and their family members who have sacrificed so much for our nation.
About 10,000 Tahoma freshmen have proudly served as members of Operation Veterans Remembrance. Cumulatively, those students have cleaned more than 500,000 headstones and placed more than 500,000 American flags on individual gravesites. When the new Tahoma High School opened in September 2017, Operation Veterans Remembrance transitioned from Tahoma Junior High School (which closed) into the new Freshman Success Program. In 2018, Social Studies classes at Maple View Middle School began placing flags for Veterans Day. Before that time, only headstone cleaning had been permitted at Tahoma National Cemetery in the lead up to Veterans Day.
Tahoma High School students and teachers are working on a special video to honor those who have served our country and in recognition of Memorial Day. We will share the video when it is complete.
Construction underway at TES
The Tahoma Elementary campus is fully closed for at least three weeks leading up to May 25 while significant improvements are being made to the campus, most of which were planned for the summer and now have been able to start early. The improvements and work include:
- Electrical work such as panel upgrades
- Emergency generator panel upgrades
- Landscaping including tree removal and replacement of retaining walls.
- Reroofing project
- Second and final phase of the septic system replacement
- Reconfiguration of space on the first floor into a resource center, allowing for an added classroom space.
- Added instructional space in the library
- Flooring replacement upgrades in several restrooms on campus
“All of these are showing the great care we have for our historic campus and our commitment to keeping it in great shape for students now and for years to come,” Principal Jerry Gaston said.
During the construction closure, the TES office staff is operating out of the district office and still available by phone and email.
‘Pop-Up Center’ opens for blood drive
Bloodworks Northwest is operating a new Pop-Up Donor Center in Maple Valley. The Donor Center is permitted under state rules and provides a convenient location to donate blood during statewide stay-at-home orders.
The Pop-Up Donor Center is located at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 26800 236th Pl. SE, Maple Valley. Donations are by appointment only to provide a safe environment and to adhere to all social distancing guidelines. Additionally, no walk-ins, guests, or people under age 16 are permitted on site. Donation dates and times are:
- May 19 from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
- May 21, 26 and 28 from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
According to a news release from Bloodworks Northwest, resumption of elective surgeries will soon increase the demand on our blood supply – in addition to the cancer, trauma, transplant, and critical surgery patients receiving support. To meet that challenge, more donations are needed.
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The Tahoma School District does not discriminate in any programs or activities on the basis of sex, race, creed, religion, color, national origin, age, veteran or military status, sexual orientation, gender expression or identity, disability, or the use of a trained dog guide or service animal and provides equal access to the Boy Scouts and other designated youth groups The following employees have been designated to handle questions and complaints of alleged discrimination:
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Title IX Officer
Director of Human Resources
25720 Maple Valley Highway
Maple Valley, WA 98038
425-413-3400
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ADA Coordinator
Director of Human Resources
25720 Maple Valley Highway
Maple Valley, WA 98038
425-413-3400
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Section 504 Coordinator
Director of Special Services
25720 Maple Valley Highway
Maple Valley, WA 98038
425-413-3400
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25720 Maple Valley-Black Diamond Rd. S.E., Maple Valley, WA 98038
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