March 2022
Message From Ed...
Ed Hatzenbeler, Orting School District Superintendent
Hello, Orting School District (OSD) Families. 

Where has the time gone?

It feels like it was February just last week, and now we're almost a fourth of the way through 2022. With land acquisition, a successful school levy and the elimination of masking mandates, a lot has happened the last three months. I want you to know that I appreciate all of your patience over this period, as I am sure many of you have also felt time flying by.

At the Mar. 17 School Board Meeting, we presented a draft of the district's new strategic plan, shaping the vision which ensures student success for the next several years. Thank you for engaging in the survey process as the feedback we received from staff, students, and the community played a major role in crafting the vision, goals and measures.

Below is a snapshot of the plan's goals:

  1. Student Agency - Each student develops a sense of efficacy and ownership in their learning through experiences that compel them to show their learning in ways that are meaningful to them personally in an environment where they are known and loved.
  2. Academic Achievement - Each student meets rigorous academic outcomes that produce a well-rounded and civic-minded learner while positioning them in a successful career pathway of their choosing.
  3. Community Partnerships and Connections - Each student’s educational experience will be enriched and supported through partnerships with families and our community.
  4. Supporting the Whole Child - Each student will be successful given the right support at the right time through developing all aspects of a student while recognizing and eliminating barriers to learning.
  5. Student Support Systems - Each student’s success will guide and inform systems that leverage the power of our collective expertise to support strong core instruction, intervention and enrichment.

Together, these goals represent our commitment to ensure our students feel connected, inspired, and empowered for present and future success. Once again, thank you for voicing your thoughts to make this possible, and we cannot wait to reveal the final draft to you and the community. 

We look forward to our students and staff to finish strong the next couple of days before they head off to enjoy their Spring Break. 

They deserve it!

Ed...
Superintendent Cabinet Monthly Update
Debi Christensen
Executive Director for Human Resources (HR)
At the Washington School Personnel Association (WSPA) Job Fair at the Tacoma Dome, our HR department, Superintendent Hatzenbeler, the OSD Cabinet, and our principals met with teacher candidates from across the state and shared with them our strategic goals, work culture, and more. Some candidates had the opportunity to interview with our leaders, with one receiving a letter of intent to teach at one of our elementary schools!

We have a couple of more candidates our leaders are considering and look forward to connecting with others throughout the recruiting season.
Aaron Lee
Executive Director for Equity & Student Outcomes
  • One of our premier goals in our strategic plan centers on student agency, placing student voice, empowerment, belonging, and efficacy as a cornerstone of our work in Orting because it puts students in the driver's seat of their future.

  • Come out and celebrate Orting's cultural diversity at the Orting High School (OHS) Performing Arts Center (PAC) on Wednesday, Apr. 20 at 6 p.m. We will have speakers, student voices, and stories to share. With this being a community event, anyone is welcome to come!
Steve Rabb
Executive Director for Teaching, Learning & Technology
Recently, I heard Education Researcher and Visible Learning Author John Hattie discuss student agency, specifically about students' voices.

In his typical, matter-of-fact manner, Hattie stated, "I don't care about students' voices being heard unless that voice is about their learning and what they are thinking."

Beyond the methods of extending student thinking are strategies for measuring the level of student thinking.

To learn more about student agency, click here.
Chris Willis
Executive Director for Student Support Services
Remember when our 6th, 8th, 10th, and 12th grade students took the Healthy Youth Survey back in October? We received the data a couple of days ago and it is under review by the Student Support Services Department and our school administrators. We expect to release the data to you and the community within the upcoming week.

Also, be on the lookout for lahar evacuation drill communication in your inbox and on our website soon!
What's Happening in our Classrooms
Since the beginning of this school year at OHS, Mia Gum's greenhouse management students planned, prepared and constructed a new outdoor learning center, which they completed earlier this month. Along with some help from former woodshop instructor Gary Jones, they built a landscape area with a gazebo, seating between 12 to 20 people.
Not only did the students create new outdoor space on campus, but it also challenged them to lead creative tasks and have pride in projects that brings beauty to a school and community. 
Also at OHS, Denise Thompson's STEM 2 students designed crew capsules with a recovery system to investigate how to protect two eggs from breaking.
Students used a scissor lift to drop their capsule from approximately 30 feet high to see if their design protected their eggs from breaking.
Even though real space engineers use advanced technology for their investigations, our students applied the same physics concepts of momentum and impulse.
Success Outside the Classrooms
Earlier this month, in partnership with the Orting Fans of Cardinals Booster Club, the OHS Cheerleaders held a walk-a-thon to help fund the program's equipment, uniform, and summer camp.
The walk-a-thon was round-trip, starting at OHS to the McMillin Foothill's Trail Bridge. 

The event was a success with the cheerleaders raising over $5,100. 

Awesome work!
Virtual Anatomy at OHS
Did you know that our OHS Anatomy Students use BodyViz, an interactive, 3D learning platform that gives them the most in-depth visualization of the human body beyond their textbooks?

Read more on how Anatomy Teacher and Athletic Trainer Renee Romo upgraded her students' learning experience with this state-of-the-art technology!
Orting Kudos!!
To:
Ptarmigan Ridge Elementary School (PTR) 1st Grade Student Anna Jo (AJ) Coulimore (Left)

From:
PTR 1st Grade Student Indy Wengert (Right)

"AJ is a good friend, and she is kind and nice!" 
To:
Orting Middle School (OMS) 8th Grade Student Jonah Subia

From:
OMS 8th Grade Student Sarah Krissoff (Not Pictured)

"Jonah is very caring and helpful to everyone in class."
External Opportunities For Students
International Education Washington is looking for Ukrainian Heritage-Language Students in grades 8 to 12 to earn a Global Competence Certificate for Heritage Speakers and the Global Seal of Biliteracy for the 2022-23 school year. 

Funded through the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) Multilingual Education Department, this year-long program helps students develop their language proficiency and literacy in their heritage language and the opportunity to earn high school credits in their language. 

To learn more about the Global Competence Certificate Program, click here.

To learn more about the Global Seal of Biliteracy, click here
ReadyWA, a statewide organization that helps high school students prepare for life after graduation, wants to award a $500 scholarship to 5 high school students in Washington state in its annual #PlanYourWA Student Video Contest!

Click here to learn more and to enter the contest. 

The submission deadline is Wednesday, Apr. 27, 2022.
Are you a student or know of one who will be in high school for the 2022-23 school year interested in exploring Port Townsend's maritime history? 

From Tuesday, Jul. 12 to Friday, Jul. 15, the Youth Heritage Project, a program through the Washington Trust For Historic Preservation, will host a free overnight summer program for students who want to learn more about the Port Townsend's culture. Also, they will learn from local tribe members and tradespeople, explore hand-made boats, and work with local partners to help them better tell their stories—serving as advisors on real-world problems.

To learn more about the program and submit an application, click here.  

The deadline to apply is Friday, May 13, 2022. 
Help us Select Ptarmigan Ridge Elementary School's Next Principal!
An elementary school principal is not only responsible for establishing a vision of student achievement, but they are also a leader in the community, which is why OSD wants you to help us select Ptarmigan Ridge Elementary School's next principal!

To complete our staff, family, and community questionnaire, helping us envision PTR's next school leader and to learn more about the selection process, click here
Upcoming Events & Important Dates
  • Monday, Apr. 4 to Friday, Apr. 8 - No School; Spring Break

  • Thursday, Apr. 14, 6 p.m. - OSD Board of Directors Work Session at Ptarmigan Ridge Elementary School

  • Thursday, Apr. 21, 6 p.m. - OSD Board of Directors Meeting at Central Office

  • Monday, Apr. 25, 6 to 7:15 p.m. - Staff and Community Open Forums for PTR Principal Search at the PTR Library and Gymnasium

  • Friday, Apr. 29 - Lahar Evacuation Drill
District Headlines
OMS Choir to Perform National Anthem at 4/23 Mariners Game

On Saturday, Apr. 23, the Orting Middle School (OMS) 7th and 8th Grade Choir will perform the National Anthem at T-Mobile Park when the Seattle Mariners play the Kansas City Royals at 6:10 p.m.

Read more
www.ortingschools.org
Want to read more stories across the district?
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