Puyallup School District CONNECTIONS Volume 16:2 Celebrating Student Achievement November 2010 Four schools win Study of major education initiatives begins statewide recognition A series of initiatives that will result in signifi cant changes in the way education is Kalles Junior High and Zeiger, Wood- delivered in the Puyallup School District land, and Sunrise elementary schools is being addressed this year by study com- have each been recognized as a “School mittees made up of parents, students, staff, of Distinction” for being among the top and community members. 5 percent of schools statewide that dem- onstrated sustained academic achieve- “Many of these changes will be signifi cant ment in reading and math. and are based on sound academic research of what is best for students,” said Superin- This is the second consecutive year tendent Tony Apostle. that Kalles Junior High and Zeiger Elementary have received the statewide The Puyallup School Board has ap- recognition. proved 55 initiatives, or specifi c action plans, that fall under the school district’s The Puyallup School District ranks broader Strategic Directions. The initia- second in the state for having the most tives will be phased in over the next one schools from one district to receive the to three years. award this year. Committees began meeting last month to The four local schools will be honored address initiatives regarding four major A poster reminds Ferrucci Junior High ninth graders they are at the December 13 Puyallup School study areas: Board meeting. The meeting begins at technically in high school even though they attend school on a 6:30 p.m. at Ballou Junior High, 9916 • Grade level confi guration campus for grades seven through nine. 136th St. E. • Alternative education Periodic progress reports will be present- Puyallup is one of fi ve that still offers a • K-12 counseling program and services ed to the Puyallup School Board, and the K-6 elementary school model, 7-9 junior Puyallup’s four honored schools are • Grading practices in grades 7-12 committees will develop recommenda- high confi guration, and 10-12 high school among 94 schools recognized statewide. tions for the Superintendent. structure. Each school had to have scored at or The district invited students, staff, and community members in September to The 15-member study committee in above the state average in math and Grade level confi guration submit applications to serve on the four Puyallup will consider issues such as the reading in grades four, seven, or 10 on impact on instruction, scheduling, athlet- study committees, as well as on a strategic the 2010 Measurement of Student Prog- ics and activities, facilities, personnel visioning committee that will begin meet- ress or High School Profi ciency Exam. The grade confi guration committee will certifi cation, and budget. ing in January (see article on page 3). examine the implications of switching to a Schools that met that requirement were K-5 elementary school, 6-8 middle school, Research will include middle school then evaluated for academic gains in A list of those selected to serve on the and 9-12 high school model. philosophy, results of reconfi guration ef- both subjects over the past fi ve years. committees is posted on the school district website at www.puyallup.k12.wa.us. Of the 295 school districts in Washington, continued on page 4 ‘Coach Wilfong’ dedicates 50 years to helping student athletes The year was 1962. Sparks Stadium was 1995, the 76-year-old has turned out every yet to be built in Puyallup, and the fi rst year as a volunteer coach for the Puyallup Super Bowl game between the National High School Vikings football team. and American football leagues was still fi ve years away from kickoff. Coaching history This was also the year that George After spending the 1960-61 school year Wilfong, referred to by most as simply coaching high school sports in California, “Coach Wilfong,” arrived in Puyallup. Wilfong headed north to Washington. This year, Wilfong is celebrating his 50th He attended graduate school for a year year of coaching school sports teams, at the University of Washington before including one year as a high school coach joining the Puyallup School District in in California. fall of 1962 as a P.E. teacher and football, wrestling, and track coach at West Puyal- And he doesn’t plan on hanging up his lup Junior High (now Aylen Junior High). cleats anytime soon. Wilfong spent fi ve years at West Puyal- When the days get shorter and the brisk lup Junior High and the next 28 years at autumn air settles in, Wilfong can still be Puyallup High School as a P.E. teacher found on the football fi eld with a whistle and football, wrestling, and track coach. Volunteer football coach George Wilfong reviews a play with Puyallup around his neck and a pigskin in his hand. During those 33 years, Wilfong never took High School running back Jeremy Misailegalu. Since his retirement from teaching in continued on page 6 I NSIDE Aylen Vision 2020 unveils Puyallup 3 gets under way 5 artwork 8 Giftmakers Puyallup School District POSTAL CUSTOMER NON-PROFIT ORG. 302 Second Street SE U.S. POSTAGE PAID P. O. Box 370 TEKS SERVICES Puyallup, WA 98371 ECRWSS PUYALLUP SCHOOL Superintendent’s Message DISTRICT Improving our educational programs Board of Directors After considerable deliberation, the Puyallup stores, and others building facilities of ap- Diana Seeley School District Board of Directors annually proximately 225,000 square feet (the size of President approves the district’s Strategic Goals and a typical comprehensive “4 A” high school) (253) 848-4028 Initiatives. These goals and initiatives serve Tony Apostle and then using them for only 180 days a as a “North Star,” guiding the vision and di- Superintendent year between the limited hours of 7:30 a.m. Cindy Poysnick rection of the district in the areas of curricu- and 2:30 p.m. Vice President lum, instruction, professional development, (253) 841-7260 student programs, budget development, and By extending the high school day to bet- a conservative spending and savings plan ter utilize our facilities, the district can Pat Donovan during these extraordinary, fi scally challeng- avoid the cost of a fourth high school that Legislative Representative ing economic conditions. experts project would cost approximately (253) 770-0871 elective choices to explore and discover $140 million. Furthermore, fi nding 50-60 There are 55 initiatives currently under new areas of interest. acres on which to build the school would Greg Heath way that are designed to improve the be nearly impossible and cost-prohibitive. Director quality of education and support for our Redeploying the sixth grade to a middle Our taxpayers will also appreciate greater (253) 770-8797 students’ classrooms. The following single school will also eliminate the need to accountability on the expanded use of initiative serves as an important example our existing facilities while maintaining a Chris Ihrig build two new elementary schools on of our challenges that are specifi cally properties the district purchased several high-quality education. Director designed to provide greater choices and years ago on South Hill to alleviate over- (253) 848-2380 educational opportunities for our students. crowding at the elementary level. This While there are certainly cost benefi ts, as Dr. Tony Apostle move will result in saving approximately well as opportunity for better use of our Grade Reconfi guration $65 million and potentially reducing existing school buildings, the basis for this Superintendent future property tax collections. initiative is not about money. Rather, re- (253) 841-8769 A committee has been tasked with imple- search shows it is the educationally sound menting a model used statewide by most Our modern junior high schools will easily thing to do. school districts that organizes elementary accommodate middle school grades 6, 7, District Mission schools in a K-5 model; grades 6, 7 and 8 and 8 in facilities well suited for middle- The elected school board has demonstrat- in a middle-level education confi guration; level curriculum, instruction, the performing ed its strong interest and vital support for Supported by families and our diverse and grades 9-12 in a high school program. arts, and athletics. At the high school level, the grade reconfi guration of our schools community, the Puyallup School our three comprehensive high schools are and the many other initiatives under way. I District challenges students to achieve The proposed middle-level model, serving currently underutilized and have the capac- am excited about all of our strategic initia- students in grades 6-8, provides the neces- ity to serve a greater number of students by tives that offer the promise of an improved their academic, creative, and physical sary educational and nurturing emotional extending the school day operations beyond and appropriately challenging academic potential. environment for our pre-adolescents. Our our current 7:30 a.m. through 2:30 p.m. day. environment and greater opportunities sixth graders will possibly be offered Imagine Costco, Good Samaritan Hospital, for students. More importantly, all of this much-needed and desired core academic Top Food & Drug, Safeway, Fred Meyer, very serious work is occurring under the Connections Editorial Policy classes in math, science, technology, Walmart, Pierce College, University of guidance of a caring, supportive team of world languages, and a variety of other talented educators and support staff. Connections is published periodically Washington-Tacoma, large South Hill Mall by the Puyallup School District as part of a communications link between the Board Member’s Message district and the community. Its intent and purpose is to provide the board A strong vision that beckons us to action and district staff a venue to inform community members about programs, and impact.