The board approved Jonathan Ketler, principal at Tacoma School of the Arts, as the new principal of Stewart Middle School, and Eric (Zeek) Edmond, principal at Fawcett Elementary School, as the new principal of Giaudrone Middle School. Both positions will be effective July 1.
Board recognitions
The board recognized the 25 new National Board Certified Teachers and the team of students from Stewart Middle School who won a $500 Merit Award in the School of the Future competition sponsored by the Council of Educational Facility Planners International.
Study session
The board conducted a study session on mathematics and data trends in Tacoma Public Schools. The district presenters made the following instructional materials recommendations:
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Continue the use of Prentice Hall materials for high school algebra and geometry
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Extend adoption of Prentice Hall materials to sixth, seventh and eighth grades
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Organize an adoption process using board Policy No. 2020 to select McGraw Hill “Math Connects” or Houghton Mifflin Program “Math Expressions” as the elementary school math program
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Have final adoption of math materials May 13
Board actions
The board also approved:
- Submission of a dean of student services grant to the U.S. Department of Education to provide a dean of student services at the five comprehensive high schools. The dean would identify students at risk of dropping out and coordinate services with school faculty, staff, parents and guardians and social service providers to decrease the number of drop-outs.
- The interdistrict agreement for educational services to students with disabilities from the Olympia School District.
- Submission of a Head Start ARRA COLA grant application to the Department of Health and Human Services to give a cost of living salary adjustment to Head Start staff members.
- Submission of a Native American Children Formula grant application to the U.S. Department of Education Office of Indian Education to provide supplemental education and cultural services for Indian children in grades K-12 in Tacoma Public Schools.
- Submission of a Foreign Language Assistance grant application to the U.S. Department of Education to expand classes in Korean and Chinese from half time to full time.
- Submission of a Magnet Schools Assistance Program grant application to the U.S. Department of Education to transform Geiger Elementary School from a neighborhood school to a Montessori Magnet preschool to fifth-grade elementary school.
- The purchase of personal computers (PCs) for the Career and Technical labs at Foss, Mount Tahoma, Oakland, School of the Arts, Stadium and Wilson high schools to replace aging PCs.
- The acceptance of the contract as complete for E-Z Interface for the voice and data communication distribution system project at First Creek Middle School.
- Hutteball & Oremus Inc. as the architects for the design of a new Geiger Elementary School, Phase II, and authorized staff to negotiate and enter into agreements for planning, design and related services.
The board also:
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Amended Resolution No. 1608 that listed a new elementary school at Cirque and Alameda and adopted Resolution No. 1861 to replace the existing school facilities at Geiger Elementary School. The funds come from the Feb. 6, 2001, capital projects bond issue.
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Adopted Resolution No. 1862 accepting the commissioning report for the construction of First Creek Middle School.
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Authorized the superintendent to enter into a lease agreement with MultiCare for five parking spaces at 725 Tacoma Ave. S for a term of five years.
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Authorized the superintendent or his designee to negotiate and execute documents as necessary to enter into an agreement with the Harmon Foundation for the relocation of the existing title condition for “playground and recreational” uses to the south end of the Baker Middle School site.
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Adopted Resolution No. 1863, requesting a one-year waiver for grades K-12 from the State Board of Education for WAC 180-16-215, the minimum 180-day school year, for Tacoma Public Schools.
The board voted to not approve the extension of the Prentice-Hall mathematics curriculum to sixth, seventh and eighth grades at the April 22 meeting.
Next board meeting
The next regular board meeting will be May 13 at 6 p.m. in the fourth-floor auditorium at the Central Administration Building, 601 S. 8th St., Tacoma.