|
|
| |
|
5/22/2013
The Student Achievement Council and the Association of Washington School Principals has named 196 high school seniors as Washington Scholars in recognition of their academic achievements, leadership and community service. Four of those honored are students enrolled in Franklin Pierce Schools. The program annually honors three high school seniors from each of the state's 49 legislative districts. One alternate is also designated per legislative district. Congratulations to the following Washington Scholars from Franklin Pierce Schools: Franklin Pierce High School Mathias Palmer Washington High School Jessica Bastrom Maddie Roberts Emily Herde, Alternate |
5/21/2013
Congratulations to the following
athletes who will be competing at their sport's respective state championship:
Franklin Pierce High School Track
Athletes
Molly Mortensen: Triple Jump 5th;
300LH 6th
Patryce McWilliams: 1600 5th
(broke the school record), 3200 4th
Julia Johnson: 3200 5th
Megan Mortensen: Shot 6th ,
Discus 1st
Justin Holden: 100 5th
Jarmal Harris: 110HH 4th,
300LH 4th
Dean Ross: 110HH 6th
Nehemiah Barrett: 1600 2nd (new
school record), 3200 1st
Boys: 4x100 6th; EJ Jones. Jarmal
Harris, Quinte Harris, Justin Holden
Franklin Pierce High School Tennis
Athletes
Doubles: Karli and Kristi Floyd
Single: Mattie Wilsie
Washington High School Tennis Athletes
Doubles: Maddie Roberts and Marijo
Manaois
Doubles: Daniel Yu and Josh Rasmus
Single: Jonathan Yu
|
5/21/2013
In observance of Memorial Day, there will be no school Friday, May 24 and Monday, May 27. |
5/20/2013
This past weekend, the Washington High tennis
team competed in the district tournament in Bremerton.
Maddie Roberts
and Marijo Manaois placed second and will go to the state tournament this
coming Friday. Emily Hanks and
Jazmine Ortiz will be second alternates for the state tournament. 
L to R: Jasmine Ortiz, Marijo Manaois, Maddie Roberts, and Emily Hanks. |
5/16/2013
Pierce
County Library System will receive a regional community
leadership award from Region 111 of the Washington Association of School
Administrators (WASA) on Friday, May 17. WASA’s Region 111 membership is
comprised of all Pierce County public school districts. The Association is
recognizing Pierce County Library for its partnership efforts with Franklin
Pierce Schools. The Library System and School District initiated an effort at the beginning of the 2012-2013 school year to provide a library card to each of the 7,500 students enrolled in the School District. By December, every student had received their own library card. As part of this program – dubbed “Card in Every Hand”– the Library System also began monitoring card usage. Since December 2012, students have checked out an average of 2,262 items per month. As both the Library System and School District are committed to seeing that number grow, the organizations identified data monitoring as an important first step in determining progress. “We want our students to be lifelong readers because studies show that avid readers are strong learners,” said Dr. Frank Hewins, Superintendent of Franklin Pierce Schools. As the Library System and School District promote reading among the students, both organizations will track the data to monitor progress. The “Card in Every Hand” project was quite an undertaking, and it required an ongoing commitment of several staff from both the Library System and school district. |
5/16/2013
Franklin Pierce Schools has refinanced its 2005 bonds in order to
take advantage of lower interest rates.
The recent refinancing will save the District’s taxpayers a total of
over $370,000 during the next four years.
Dr. Frank Hewins, Superintendent, emphasized that these savings flow
directly to taxpayers through reduced tax levies and are not available for
District expenses. “This is a direct
savings to our community members in the form of taxes they expected, but will
not have to pay,” Dr. Hewins said.
The
Franklin Pierce School Board accomplished these savings by approving the
issuance of refunding bonds at its meeting held on April 9, 2013. The District has been monitoring bond market
conditions. Recent low interest rates allowed the District to exceed its
savings target. Interest rates averaged
0.97% on the new bonds compared to 5.05% on the old debt.
|
5/15/2013
At the School Board of Directors meeting held
the evening of May 14th, the School Board unanimously approved new
administrative appointments recommended by Dr. Frank Hewins, Superintendent for
the 2013-2014 school year.
Mr. Lance Goodpaster will become the
Assistant Superintendent effective July 1. Mr. Goodpaster is currently Principal
of Evergreen Primary School in the University Place School District, where he
has been since 2002. He started his public education career in Franklin Pierce
Schools twenty years ago, as a teacher at Christensen Elementary School. He is
currently working on his Superintendent Credentials through Washington State
University. “Franklin Pierce is a special place. I am thrilled for the opportunity to return and
contribute to the outstanding work being done in support of students,” said
Goodpaster. Mr. Goodpaster will replace Mr. Tim Stensager, who has been hired
as the Director of Data Governance at the Office of Superintendent of Public
Instruction in Olympia.
Mrs. Brandy Nelson will become the Principal
of James Sales Elementary effective July 1. Mrs. Nelson began her public
education career in Franklin Pierce Schools in 2002. She has taught first
grade, second grade, and has most recently been an instructional coach and
administrative intern. “I am excited and honored to stay in Franklin Pierce
Schools, working alongside the dedicated staff of James Sales Elementary as we serve
students and their families,” said Nelson. Principal Nelson will replace Mrs.
Kristen Schroeder, who has been hired as the Principal of Firgrove Elementary
School in the Puyallup School District.
“The appointments of Asst. Supt. Goodpaster
and Principal Nelson are an added strength to our already strong administrative
team. Both are professionals who represent the values of Franklin Pierce
Schools, believe strongly in serving the needs of the whole child as a path to making
each student academically successful, and have demonstrated a commitment to
working collaboratively with parents and the community to build a strong educational
system,” said Dr. Frank Hewins, Superintendent.
In addition to the new administrative
appointments, Superintendent Hewins also wishes to acknowledge a retiring
administrator – Mr. Gary Benson -- who has served the students and families of
Franklin Pierce Schools for the past 21 years. Mr. Benson’s public education
career began 40 years ago as a teacher in Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools in
North Carolina. He came to Washington State in 1983 to teach in Bremerton
School District and later on as an Assistant Principal in the Oak Harbor School
District. Mr. Benson served as Ford Middle School’s Principal from 1993 until
2010, at which time he was promoted to Executive Director of Human Resources
and Interim Executive Director for K-12. Franklin Pierce Schools extends our
deep gratitude to Mr. Benson for his service and his many accomplishments providing
a quality education to thousands of students. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Navigation 101 |
 |
|
| Superintendent's Corner |
| |
In the world of education, if I can quote from a Bob Dylan song, “These are strange days, indeed!” Approximately 52 million children attend schools in the U.S. (over one million in WA State) with more than 90% of those children attending public schools. Despite clear data to the contrary, groups known as “reformers” continue to characterize public schools as failing, demonize teachers, criticize students and have convinced many of the media to jump on the bandwagon.
|
|
|
|
|
| Quarterly Newsletter |
|
|
|
|