<< Previous   of   Next >>

ADVERTISEMENT

CONTACT THE ENTERPRISE Jocelyn Robinson, News editor jrobinson@heraldnet.com

Shoreline's Teacher of the Year

Kevin Rodgers, library media specialist at Brookside Elementary School in Lake Forest Park, has been selected as the 2008-09 Shoreline School District Teacher of the Year.

The award was announced at a special assembly at Brookside on April 10. Rodgers will be honored at a reception at 6:30 p.m. on Monday, April 27 in the Shoreline Center lobby prior to the School Board meeting that night. The entire Shoreline Schools community is invited. The District will celebrate Shoreline Teacher Appreciation Week May 4-8.

Rodgers has been employed by Shoreline Schools since 1990. He began his career teaching sixth grade for three years at Briarcrest Elementary. He then moved to Brookside, teaching sixth grade for three years before moving into his present position as library media specialist in 1996.

"It is truly a 'wonderful day in the neighborhood' when you are fortunate enough to work with this outstanding educator," his nomination read in part, signed by the entire Brookside staff. "You would be hard pressed to find anyone who is more highly regarded by parents, students and staff than our own 'Mr. Rodgers.' He is passionate about the science of teaching and excels at the art of teaching."

Rodgers has been a leader in supporting Shoreline's efforts to introduce technology into the classroom. He set up Brookside's first computer lab, maintains the KING5 weather station and continues to support all areas of technology in the school.

He was instrumental in establishing Brookside's annual beginning of the year field trip for sixth graders, an event that creates bonding between classmates.

Rodgers also leads the school's outstanding Safety Patrol program. He has organized the traffic flow and student pickup system in such a successful way that other schools in the District emulate it. He has served on the Shoreline Education Association bargaining team and as the Brookside staff's liaison to the school's PTA.

His community involvement has included an annual community auction to benefit the Brookside library, and working with the Lake Forest Park Stewardship Foundation Salmon Release Project. This is another Brookside tradition in which students annually release salmon into the creek adjacent to the school.

The Shoreline Teacher of the Year is selected annually from nominations received from throughout the District. The recipient receives a $1,000 award from the Shoreline Public Schools Foundation and is forwarded for State Teacher of the Year consideration.


Kellogg advances to TOYchallenge nationals

Four Kellogg Middle School students were recently selected to advance to the TOYchallenge 2009 Nationals at the United States Patent & Trademark Office in Alexandria, Va., on May 16.

TOYchallenge is a toy- and game-design competition that gives kids the chance to step out of their classrooms and develop their engineering and design skills by creating their dream toy.

Brian Fortney, Scott Holmdahl, Jennifer Sui, and Elissa Sutlief created a magnetic foosball game in which both the paddles and the ball contain magnets.

Rather than hit the ball, you must build its momentum using magnetic attraction and then flick it away. By repeatedly playing the game, one experiences in a more physical way how magnetism compares with gravity and friction.

The team, led by Steven Sutlief, is one of hundreds of teams of students from across the country that are participating in TOYchallenge. For the competition's Preliminary Round, the teams, comprised of at least 50 percent girls, submitted written descriptions and visual presentations of their original toy or game concepts based on themed categories.

The submissions were judged on originality, creativity, feasibility, design process description, team participation and clarity of communication. Approximately 100 Preliminary Round finalists were invited to advance to the TOYchallenge nationals.

At the Nationals, one grand prize package will be awarded, and one team will also be named the category prizewinner in each theme category. TOYchallenge is designed to engage middle school-age students, especially girls, in science and engineering and to inspire them to pursue careers in those fields. TOYchallenge is created and run by Sally Ride Science. Sally Ride Science was founded by astronaut Sally Ride to support the large numbers of girls who are, or might become, interested in science, math and technology.


Einstein students use Scratch

Six Einstein Middle School students recently stepped up to the challenge of using Scratch, a new computer-programming tool, to develop games that applied scientific or mathematical principles.

The contestants were scored based on how well their project integrated math and science, how engaging their project was, and how well the project could be replicated in the classroom with other students.

The two grand prize winners were Matt Buswell and Laura Delaney. Matt developed a submarine game that factored in density, buoyancy, thrust, and coefficient of friction. In order to address the three-dimensional nature of water, he programmed in sine and cosine when calculating the submarine's angle of thrust. Laura developed three probability games, including a spinner that counts the results. As an added step, Laura developed detailed illustrated directions for other students to use when programming their own probability game.

Kimberly Ha was the first runner-up. Kimberly developed a program that allows students to rotate geometric objects across a coordinate plane. Nathan Hickman developed a program that allows students to

translate and rotate geometric objects. Trevor Barrett developed a wave game that involves force on an object horizontally and vertically. Dustin Hageland developed a program that quizzes students on algebraic equations.


Register for summer programs

The Shoreline Children's Center is accepting registrations for its summer programs.

The programs run from June 25 to Aug. 28 for children 2-12 to 13 years of age, from 6:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.

These programs offer a number of special summer theme sessions and themes and include field trips, cooking classes, art projects, a musical production, swimming and gymnastics lessons. Instructors are Shoreline School District staff.

To register or for more information on schedules, please call Shoreline Children's Center at 206-361-4256.


Review math programs

Shoreline students and parents have the opportunity to examine potential high school math programs and complete evaluations for each program through Friday, April 17.

The materials are available for review weekdays from 7:30 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. in the Instruction Building at the Shoreline Center, 18560 1st Ave. N.E.

The materials will also be available for review from 5:30 to 8 p.m. on Thursday, April 16 in the Shorewood High School library.

Parents and students have the option of completing paper and pencil evaluations or online computer forms. Several computers will be available for completing the online surveys or students can bring their laptops.

If you have questions, please contact Sue Porter, Director of Teaching and Learning, 206-361-4211.

Community members wishing to provide input may do so by e-mailing math@shorelineschools.org. More information on MAT is available from the Shoreline Math Web site at www.shorelineschools.org.


Rep. Jay Inslee at SCC

The public is invited to join U.S. Congressman Jay Inslee at 1:30 p.m., Saturday, April 18 in the sanctuary of the Ray W. Howard Library at Shoreline Community College for "An Artistic Discovery," the 2009 First Congressional District Art Competition for High School Students. The competition is for students in grades 9-12 who reside in or go to school in a school located in the 1st Congressional District.

The art submissions will be exhibited in the computer lab in the College Library beginning April 14 and through April 18. Prominent individuals in the arts community will judge the competition.

The winner of the contest will receive a $1,500 renewable scholarship from an arts college in Georgia and three roundtrip tickets to attend the opening ceremony in Washington, D.C. on June 24. The winning piece will hang in the Cannon tunnel of the U.S. Capital for one year.


"Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead"

Shorewood High School will present "Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead" by Tom Stoppard at 7:30 p.m. on May 1, 2, 7, 8 and 9 in the school's theater. Tickets are $6-$8 and are available from Beach House Greetings, 626 N.W. Richmond Beach Road, or at the door.


Shorecrest puts on "Grease"

Shorecrest High School will present the popular '50s musical "Grease" from April 30 to May 10 at the school's theater.

Performances are Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings at 7:30 p.m. and Saturdays and Sundays at 2 p.m. Tickets are $9 and are available from Third Place Books in Lake Forest Park Towne Centre, by phone at 206-393-6224 or by e-mail: sc.tickets@shorelineschools.org.