Dear Orting Students, Families and Staff:
With the winter months rapidly approaching, it’s a good time to share important information about school closures, and other necessary precautions, pertaining to severe weather conditions. Although various types of emergencies may cause the temporary closing of a given school any time of the year, the winter months with the potential of ice, snow and extreme cold always carry the increased likelihood of such closures. A majority of our students live on hills which receive considerably more snow and ice than most areas in town. Because of the existence of these increased risks, please know we will always base our decisions on whether to modify schedules, or actually close school, on the safety of our students and staff. These decisions are not always easy, and very much complicated by our varied elevations and unpredictable weather patterns. None the less, we will try our best to make all late start or snow closure decisions by 6:00 a.m. and specific follow-up announcements soon as possible thereafter. When snow fall is heavy, but not heavy enough to cause school closure, road conditions may make it impossible for our bus schedules to operate on time. Please anticipate buses running two hours late when roads are icy or covered with snow. In the event it becomes necessary to close school for an entire day due to heavy snow or other emergency conditions, announcements of the closure can be found at www.schoolreport.org and will be broadcast over local radio and television stations as well as a phone message sent home from the school district. In addition, closings and delays are posted on our web site at www.orting.wednet.edu. Our opening and closing decisions are made collaboratively with surrounding districts and the transportation departments. We will do our best to make our decisions in a timely manner. Let’s hope we won’t need to use any of these systems! Sincerely, Michelle Curry, Superintendent Orting School District 360.893.6500 ext.222 “Learning Today for a Changing Tomorrow” |
|
From the Superintendent's Desk.... | |||||||||
Since our last report, we have seen significant changes at the state and national level that will have a lasting impact on our schools. The No Child Left Behind Act puts national emphasis on the importance of the success of every student we serve — a focus that is appropriate and will require serious effort at every level to ensure we are successful in fulfilling the Act’s intent. As a state, we have been fortunate to have leadership that recognized the importance of education and placed it in the forefront of public policy debates. It is clear that the focus on educational improvement in Washington will continue, and that we may well enjoy more collaborative efforts that will help all our schools move to the next level of excellence.
Washington State law requires that school district’s provide community members with annual progress reports in the following areas: student academic achievement in reading, writing, math, and science; and actual revenue and expenditures for the district for the preceding school year. I strongly support this requirement for public accountability and encourage all of our citizens to carefully review the information contained in this report. In addition, please visit the OSPI website at www.k12.wa.us for more detailed information about Orting School District or other districts in the State of Washington. However, I’d like to also highlight for you some of the key initiatives we’re engaged in to significantly raise the level of student achievement in our public schools. Our elementary math program, Every Day Math, has been modified to meet new state standards in the subject area. Kindergarten through fifth-grade teachers received planning and pacing guides as well as professional development for the program. Teacher planning time is being spent reviewing math data and developing strategies to help struggling students become proficient. At the Middle School, a math lead teacher has been hired to support math instruction and strategies. Students may also take summer school math and language arts classes to improve. For our middle school students, after school tutoring is offered and we are working with the high school to examine data and strategies to support student achievement. At the high school, students can participate in programs during and after school for additional math instruction and guided practice. For those students who have not met standards, the development of student learning plans allows for individualized attention and instruction. In addition to school-level improvement initiatives, as a District we have hired a half-time literacy coach and half-time individual to review the K-5 math program. We have also collaborated with neighboring districts to align the math curriculum to new state math standards. District staff will continue to examine data to develop appropriate professional development opportunities for teachers. To ensure a strong educational experience for our students, I have implemented an Instructional Council to review student achievement data, strategies and research to strengthen instructional practice and student performance. Part of preparing students for a changing tomorrow involves providing them the opportunity to pursue a rewarding and fulfilling career path. In order to equip Orting graduates with the tools necessary to achieve professional and personal goals, post-high school education is paramount. A key piece for college admission is the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT®), and as we all know, preparation and practice for any important test is critical to performing well. Because we want all of our students to do the best possible job on the SAT®, all Orting juniors will be taking This a significant change from previous years when only a fraction of our juniors took the PSAT in the evening after school and for many students after sports. We encourage parents, staff and community members to support our juniors to do their very best. The fee for the test was paid for by the district because of the importance of the test. The quality of the system continues to attract outstanding teachers and administrators to Orting School District. Each one of our talented and experienced administrators is a lifelong learner. They understand that teaching in the 21st century is no longer about merely developing skills and content knowledge. The focus must be helping all students achieve mastery of grade level standards while simultaneously helping them develop the ability to think, to reason, to analyze, to communicate ideas orally and in writing, to interpret data, to synthesize information, to utilize latest technology, to work collaboratively on culturally diverse teams of people, and becoming productive, compassionate citizens. The key to continued success will be the great performance of the people who serve in our schools and classrooms. We will face a number of challenges in the near future, but with your continued help and support, our schools will continue their path to the next level of excellence. Visit your local school, feel the energy and help us make a difference in the futures of the young men and women of Orting! Truly, Orting students are “Learning Today, For a Changing Tomorrow. Michelle Curry Superintendent Orting School District 360.893.6500 x222 “Learning Today for a Changing Tomorrow” |
September 22, 2009
Dear Orting Community Members,
As you know, Orting School District recently embraced the motto, ""Learning Today for a Changing Tomorrow." I think this statement captures the very best our schools, parents and community have to offer for our young people. Part of preparing students for a changing tomorrow involves providing them the opportunity to pursue a rewarding and fulfilling career path. In order to equip Orting graduates with the tools necessary to achieve professional and personal goals, post-high school education is paramount.
Preparing students to enroll in college and graduate on time starts with creating a college-going culture - an environment that nourishes student aspirations and supports behaviors that lead students to prepare for, apply to, and enroll in college and other postsecondary institutions. We certainly have students that are highly capable and the staff to help further their academic knowledge and achievement. It's important that all of our students have the option of attending college to pursue an advanced degree. A key piece for college admission is the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT®), and as we all know, preparation and practice for any important test is critical to performing well.
Because we want all of our students to do the best possible job on the SAT®, for the first time ever all Orting juniors will be taking the Preliminary SAT (PSAT) on Wednesday, October 14 during the school day. This a significant change from previous years when only a fraction of our juniors took the PSAT in the evening after school and for many students after sports. School staff will be visiting with all juniors during the next week to inform them of this opportunity. We encourage parents, staff and community members to support our juniors to do their very best. The fee for the test is being paid for by the district because of the importance of the test. Freshmen and sophomores are allowed to take the test but will need to pay $18.00 to do so.
In addition to the PSAT serving as a standardized test that provides firsthand practice for the SAT®, it also gives students a chance to enter scholarship programs and gain access to college and career planning tools. The PSAT measures critical reading skills, math problem-solving skills, and writing skills. The most common reasons for taking the PSAT/NMSQT are to identify a student's strengths and weaknesses on skills necessary for college study. Students can then focus their preparation on those areas that could most benefit from additional study or practice.
A district's college-going culture is reflected in the value it places on college attendance and its beliefs about the appropriate destinations for students after high school. In a college-going culture educators believe that all students can learn at very high levels, and that students receive the experiences they need for high achievement and college preparation. Creating a college-going culture requires a commitment from school administrators, teachers, support staff, parents, and community members. I look forward to our work together to ensure that our students are "Learning Today for a Changing Tomorrow."
Sincerely,
Michelle Curry Superintendent 360.893.6500 x222 "Learning Today for a Changing Tomorrow" |
September 10, 2009 Dear Community, Thank you for a positive and wonderful start of the year! With our first week of school behind us, I wanted to share how grateful I am to our students, staff, families and community members for coming together to kick off the year in success and style. Some of the many impressive examples of collaboration include:
With such a strong start, I fully expect our students to be challenged academically, grow socially and emotionally, and have a memorable 2009-10 school year. I would also like to address some of the questions and concerns Orting School District stakeholders may have regarding H1N1 ("Swine") Flu. The best medicine for this flu is prevention and there are some simple and easy ways to protect yourself and loved ones from catching a flu bug. First, encourage children/students to cough and sneeze into elbows or cover mouths when needed. This will help prevent germs from being spread. In addition, children should wash hands frequently and adults should clean commonly-used surfaces, such as doorknobs, light switches, and faucet handles with a germicidal agent. If your child does have flu-like symptoms - a fever of 100 degrees or higher, and a sore throat and/or cough - he or she may have the flu. If you don't have a thermometer, you can look for these signs of fever: your child's face may be red with their skin hot to the touch or moist; or your child may be fussy and have a headache. Keep your children at home for at least 24 hours after they no longer have a fever or do not feel feverish, WITHOUT using fever-reducing medications. If you are unsure about taking your child to see a health care provider, use the same judgment you would use during a normal flu season. Be alert for signs that your child has trouble breathing and is not drinking enough fluids. For more information and on-going updates: Tacoma Pierce County Health Department 253-798-6500 or www.tpchd.org Please keep yourself and your children healthy. We are committed to providing them with an outstanding education and that can only be accomplished when our students, staff, and community at large are operating at 100%! Thank you for your support of our Orting Schools! Sincerely, Michelle Curry "Learning Today for a Changing Tomorrow" |
In response to the Orting News article, "Orting Schools on Failure lists," dated August 16, we are providing the following clarification of the key issues. Each year, the state releases the initial lists of schools and districts that are "in improvement" at the start of the school year. This year, these lists were made public on Friday, Aug. 14. The federal government is requiring the reporting of Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) two weeks prior to the start of the 2009-10 school year. The public can check on the current status of each school and district through the state's Report Card under the AYP tab: http://reportcard.ospi.k12.wa.us/ayp.aspx. Schools that do not make Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) for one year are noted as "not making AYP." Schools that do not make AYP for two consecutive years are in "school improvement." Some schools will make outstanding progress and still not make AYP. It is important to look beyond a label and recognize and applaud the good work going on in those schools. In November, final Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) results for schools and districts will be posted to the state's Report Card under at the link above. Between the initial release date and the posting of the final results districts will have an opportunity to go through records reconciliation and to file appeals as appropriate. The Orting School District is in the midst of this process. The intent of the federal No Child Left Behind Act is to ensure that all students have the knowledge and skills they need to achieve their dreams and be productive and engaged citizens. The law requires that all students achieve state standards in reading and mathematics by 2014. This is a very ambitious goal with a tight timeline. The Orting School District is focused and committed to working toward this goal.
Finally the district wants to hear from you - not only about your concerns but also your ideas on how to make our schools better. School improvement must be a two-way conversation between those of us who work in the schools and those who live and work in our community. Please contact Superintendent Michelle Curry at 893-6500 and become involved in this important work. Michelle Curry
Superintendent "Learning Today for a Changing Tomorrow"
|
