Superintendent’s Message:

On November 8, the Board of Directors took action to place two levies on the February 13 ballot. Both levies would replace levies approved by the voters in 2014 that are set to expire in 2018. The Educational Programs and Operations Levy (EP&O) would continue funding of programming, services, and operational costs not covered by the state. The EP&O Levy also provides money for future enhancements to staffing, programming, and supports for students.

The four-year Technology Levy, which also replaces an expiring levy approved by the voters in 2014, would provide funding to maintain existing technologies for students and staff, systems, infrastructure, and training for staff. The levy would also fund improvements, including a one-to-one initiative that would provide a computer for every student in grades 6-12, Computer Science education for students in elementary and middle schools, and replacement of aging projectors with interactive displays.

I am in the process of visiting each school and department in the next few weeks to provide an overview of the levies and answer any questions that you might have. In the meantime, check out the “basic levy facts” flyer that has been developed to provide information related to both of these levies.

Best regards, Joel

Key Dates:

Winter Break — December 21 -January 1 (No school)

Classes resume —January 2

Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday —January 15 (No school)

Welcome New Staff to the District

Kirstin Ball, TRES

SpEd Paraeducator III

Lisa Casperson, MSHS Cook’s Helper

Nicole Femling, TRES Paraeducator I

Hannah Glynn, DO AVID Tutor

Wioletta Maddox, MSHS Cook’s Helper

Victoria McLain, CKMS Teacher

Latina Patrusha, DO AVID Tutor

Liam Renner, DO AVID Tutor

Mele Santos, MSHS Paraeducator I

Curtis Stanford,

MSHS Boys JV Basketball Coach

Our mission is to

educate all

Snoqualmie Valley

children to prepare

them for college,

career and

citizenship.

Snoqualmie Valley School District

At a Glance… An e-newsletter to inform our learning community

Edition 33 DECEMBER 2017 Edition 79

1

Joel Aune Superintendent

Strategic Plan Feature of the Month

Strategic Plan Goal 1A, Task 6 is to “Revise and update the District Scorecard, and align with OSPI performance indicators where appropriate.”

The purpose of the District Scorecard is to provide a high-level overview of the district based on benchmarks that depict performance in several key areas. It offers a snapshot of performance and perceptions. These measures help the District share with the community areas of success and areas where there is room for improvement.

The scorecard is aligned with key performance indicators that have been identified by the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI). These researched-based performance indicators help ensure that school district work leads directly to student

success. Click here for the recently updated District Scorecard.

The Strategic Plan includes values that guide the District (on page 12). Among those values is “A focus on success for all students” and “Dedication to continuous improve-ment and best practice.” The Scorecard reinforces the District’s commitment to the pursuit of ongoing improvement to ensure success for all students. For the complete 2017-18 District Strategic Plan, click here.

Staff Celebrations:

FCES Principal Katelyn Long, and her husband, welcomed a baby girl to the world on November 30.

CVES teacher Lauren Liseth (2nd grade) & CVES para-educator Sebastian Dumoulin are getting married December 16.

Also, two FCES teachers got engaged to each other over the Thanksgiving break. Congratulations to Michael Scourey (3rd grade) and Kaeli Johnson (Kindergarten).

Best Wishes to the MSHS Jazz Ensemble that will be performing in Chicago, December 20-23, with 17,000 musicians from 30 different countries at the 71st Midwest Clinic International Conference.

Thanks for your

feedback during the October-November Thoughtexchange. Results will be shared with staff and the community in January.

Help tell the positive stories of your school. Email story ideas to malcolmc@ svsd410.org or call Carolyn 425-831-8423.

Snoqualmie Valley

School District PO Box 400

Snoqualmie, WA 98065

425-831-8000

www.svsd410.org

2

School Board Begins Process to Update Five-Year Strategic Plan

The School Board work session on November 30 focused on updating the next five-year District Strategic Plan. Over the past four years, the Strategic Plan has been an essential tool for helping prioritize, focus, and drive improvement efforts throughout the District.

To help provide context for the discussion, Superintendent Aune and administrators presented a review of district data. The information included a high-level summary of the recent Thoughtexchange results (providing a sense of community perceptions and shared priorities), a recap of initiatives related to the 2014-18 Strategic Plan, and data from the District Scorecard, Healthy Youth Survey, and other measurements that highlighted key accomplishments as well as opportunities for improvement. Consultant Mike Vidos facilitated the remainder of the work session, engaging the School Board in a brainstorm of the “preferred future” for the Snoqualmie Valley School District. They also reviewed the District’s vision, mission, values, critical success factors, and goals. This work session launched the start of a seven-month process, which will include opportunity for staff and community input, to establish a new Strategic Plan for 2018-2023.

Video Spotlight: Community Service

Watch a special Community Service video and celebrate the many amazing ways Snoqualmie Valley students are giving back to the community.

Also, if you missed the E-News that went out right before the Thanksgiving holiday, be sure to check out the Thankfulness Video that showcased Opstad students and staff, and the positive impact of practicing appreciation.

Take the School Start Times Survey

Please share your feedback with the committee that is studying options, benefits, and possible impacts to all grade levels of a potential schedule change. All Staff

were invited to participate via district email. Look for an email invitation from Heidi Obach at Hanover Research. The survey closes December 12. Students, parents, and community members can access the survey link from the District website.

Thanks to all for supporting student efforts that benefit local food banks and families!

This Thursday evening, December 14, time will be set aside at the beginning of the School Board meeting to recognize and acknowledge Directors Marci Busby and Tavish MacLean for their service and commitment to Snoqualmie Valley students, as they conclude their service on the School Board. The meeting starts at 6:30 p.m. at Snoqualmie City Hall.