EvergreenPS.org

In regard to the new Schoolwires account access, our family has been attempting the new site to no avail.  We have five user names and five passwords in our home and we have been denied access (on the Skyward sign in page) due to "invalid user name and password".  We understand that this is a new system but we are incredibly frustrated with not being able to access the site.  When trying to contact the district through the schoolwires email address our messages are returned as "undeliverable".  Is there any way that we can receive working or valid access to the site? 

I am an artist who has painted your son, I would love to send it to you.  Please allow me this honor.
Thnaks

I would like to advertise with the Evergreen School District for the two National Christian College Fairs on October 12/13. Can you please let me know what format you would like the information in and by what date?

Erika Trautman

Associate Director of Enrollment

Warner Pacific College

 

800-804-1510 toll free

503-517-1021 direct

503-517-1352 fax

 

This page needs to be updated:  http://www.evergreenps.org/AboutUs/Athletics/Pages/AthleticsMS.aspx

Beginning 2009-10, Middle Schools will no longer have Gymnastics.  Girls BBall will move to season 3, Volleyball will move to season 2 and Girls Cross Country will be in season 1.

Thanks!

Covington Middle School, in Partnership with the Covington Community School has programs available for incoming and continuing Covington Students in 6-8th grade.  July 13-24 will focus on Math & Science and July 27 -Aug. 7 on Reading, Writing & the Arts.  Students with a teacher or counselor referral will get priority.  Classes are remedial in nature.  An hour of enrichment activity, in various disciplines will be offered daily as well. Classes are from 10 AM to 2:00 PM, a free lunch is served.  There is no fee but registration is required.  Parents must supply transportation.
For more information call Covington (360) 604-6300 until July 1 and then call (360) 604-5949.  Or email lrichter@egreen.wednet.edu

Cannot find Next year's calendar

It recently came to my attention, that the 2009-10 school year is starting before labor day this year.  I wish this information had been passed on to parents before we made reservations for the end of the summer that regretfully cannot be changed.  I also understand that some of the funding for our schools is based on the first five days of attendance.  I hope the district is not short changed due to some unavoidable absences in the first few days of school. 

I've also heard from other parents that the hours for the schools are going to be changing to better accomodate bus scheduling.  Is there any public notice on this coming home?  I'd like to be prepared for all of the changes that will be taking place for the 2009-2010 school year as soon as possible so that we can plan our family's life accordingly. 
 
I did see the Student School Calendar that was posted for next year.  Again, I just wish it would have come to our attention sooner so that we wouldn't have made those reservations last year.

I know planning this next year is a very hard challenge for everyone involved.  Thank you for working on curbing the budget and everything that entails.  I for one will always support the schools on any financial voting issues.  A little more taxes to educate our future is a small price to pay.

Thank you for your timely response in letting me know of upcoming changes to the next school year.  I truly do appreciate your time in helping me to figure things out. 

Warmly,
Pam Katz
 

Hello. I am an eighth grade student working on a civics based exit project. The topic is classroom overcrowding. Please give the following information if possible:

-The total number of students in the district
-Average amout of students per classroom
-Total amount of classrooms
-Cost to hire a teacher (Per Year)
-Cost to construct a classroom
-Cost to obtain a portable

I'm aware some of this information is difficult/impossible to obtain, but please fill out what you can.

Danial Chowdhry

My family is moving this summer out of state.  I need to know if the dates for High School finals has changed and if the last day of school has changed.  I don't see an update on the calendars on the site.  Can you please send me this information ASAP!  I need to plan a trip to find a new home around those dates.

Thank-you,
Carol Miller

How do we find the school boundary maps that are kept up current. I have search clark County gis, Evergreen school district and cannot find the boundary maps of the schools.
Please place a link you the front page of the school districts so real estate and appraisers can find the  quickly.
Computer maps are easy to change and we would have a place to help the public. 5/2/2009

As of today a college in Or. has been closed due to Swine Flu. Also, there is a report of someone in WA having that flu. We are worried about our son as he gets sick easily. I need more info on what to do about this situation. This is a serious matter and we were afraid to send him to school today. What should we do? There is no way that a student can stay 6 ft from another studaent as suggested, HELP!  Thank you.

I was trying to find out the email address for Fred Larsen, XC Coach at Mt. View HS. It seems rather difficult to find out general contact info (especially on the Mt View HS homepage).

I'm in running start through camas high and for a project in my tech writing class, I need to analyze a business or company in the field of work that I am interested in. I want to teach so I am trying to get a hold of all of my surrounding school districts. However, there is no email information on the website so I can get a hold of the administrators for questioning and maybe some interviews. It would be easier for me talk to them over email rather than the phone. It would help very much if that was made available to me.

It is comforting to know during these difficult economic times that one schoos district can still afford to advertise on television.
My questions are; Why?  what are the results you are hoping for?
How can you afford to do this in a time when teachers are not receiving cost of living wages, or any other raises, and programs are being cut?  Is you school district faring better than all the others?

I doubt, but hope, I will receive any feedback from you but I feel better expressing my feelings.

Respectfully,
Ann Franzen
(an Oregonian)

I can't use the web based email with Windows Vista.  Any suggestions?

At approximately 7:25 am on 3-16-07 I was driving SB south of NE 28th Street/Burton road on 112th Avenue.  I was meeting a school bus heading NB, who put flashing yellow, and then a red/stop sign out to pick up children.  I stopped.  Bus #57 from the Evergreen school district did not stop and went through the other bus's red lights and stop sign passing me on the right.  Suggest you check out the driver of Bus #57.  I am pretty sure they must also follow the laws.

I can not attend the public meetings to give feedback on the draft budget considerations so I am using this format.  My concern is the proposal to reduce media assistants to .5, especially at the high school level.  As a retired media specialist at Evergreen and Heritage High Schools, I am aware of the essential work these assistants do in the day to day running of the library.  Without their support, the Media Specialist would no longer have time to do staff collaboration, book talks, instruction, etc.  The librarian would be forced to do checking in/out, shelving and other housekeeping duties.  Please reconsider this possible reduction.

the school calendars are very difficult to find

There's a typo on the Photo of the Week page:

"Our students really enjoyed the CEREMONEY," said Columbia Valley Principal Jim Fernandez.

I work in EHS as Campus Security and have been closely watching and listening to all of the information concerning cuts. Before even one district staff loses their position we need to address the high costs of keeping SRO's in the high schools. At $100,000 per VPD officer, I do not feel that we get our money's worth out of this program. By cutting the SRO's we can save $343,000, how many staff could we keep for this amount? If and when a school has a need for an officer it only takes a few minutes to get a response. School calls are a high priority for the police departments. Please don't cut the district At-Risk Advocates from the budget, this position is very important to the high schools. Our Advocate is kept busy dealing with issues that keep us in line with the BECCA Bill. Please don't cut this position.

Everytime I go to this site, it takes far too much time to find what I'm looking for. The old enet site was much easier to navigate. The new one probably makes sense to the designer but I don't hear too many compliments from my colleagues. There has to be a better template out there... Thanks.

I would like to know about the Obama videos being shown to my 4th grade son. I do not support this person and I would ask you not to force his radical views (or yours) on my child. You claim not to be able to take the time to have a simple Christmas party, but you can take the time to celebrate this. Would you have done this if McCain won? Did you do it for Bush?

Over Winter break I received a mailed notice on how to request my 9th grader to take the WASL  prior to 10th grade.  Being new to the public school system , I thought this would be a good idea. 
 When I tried to register my daughter, I needed a ten digit ID number- her student ID has 8 digits- where do I get the other two digits?  I have called Mt. View High School twice for help but no one returns my calls- please advise

To Those Concerned About Public Education,
    Once again our legislators wasted time and money when they formed a Task Force that spent 18 months trying figure out how to improve public education. The committee was charged with “refining the state (of Washington) definition of basic education, examining current state spending on education and finding a way to equalize employee pay among school districts, keeping in mind the changing demands on public schools over the past few decades, such as new technology and student diversity.”  The findings do not differ much from the previous studies over the past thirty years and once again were: Pay for teachers reviewed; Define basic education as the schooling needed to meet the new high school graduation requirements as adopted by the state Board and WA College administration.   Increase instructional time at high school level; Decrease class size in K-3; Pay for teacher training outside of the 180 day; Equalizing way districts pay district employees; Set minimum levels of support for special ed, bi-lingual; vocational ed and gifted; Give money to school with low income; Provide for technology, libraries, teacher training.   Nothing new, I have heard these same recommendations over and over but usually there is the comment more accountability on the part of schools and teachers.   Once again there were eight lawmakers, two school district superintendents, a school board member, the Superintendent of Public Instruction, member of the governor’s staff and former legislator.  Note that once again no educators were on that committee.  I do not count superintendents that have not taught at both the elementary and high school levels as educators.  When you did away with the required certification standards for superintendent’s years ago it only added to the destruction of our public schools.  One of my former superintendents some how lost over a million dollars and could not explain where it went.  Instead of being fired he was given a letter of recommendation and sent to another district. 
     I was surprised when the Task Force chair, Dan Grimm was so honest when he stated that he “Characterized their report as a fancy gift catalog with a lot of nice things circled but little chance of actually purchasing any of them. “  His next comment, “I’m afraid it will probably gather dust, Grimm said, “That’s a concern I have expressed from the very beginning.”   
     My document below was written back in 1990 after spending several years following various legislative committees established to “DEFINE BASIC EDUCATION” as requested by Judge Doran back in the mid 70’s.   Many of us had been asked over the years to testify before these committee’s.  At times we were allowed a few minutes to speak other times we sat for days just listening to College Administrators, CEO’s, Legislators, and other self serving individual that knew nothing about public education explain how they were going to solve all of the problems because they were so successful.   My comments below are taken from training programs we developed for new and prospective school board members.  It has been over 30 years since Judge Doran presented the proposal for the Basic Education Law for the State of Washington asking that legislators define what a student needs to know prior to leaving or graduating form public education.  There was no follow up on any of those committees other then a report by Dr. Chance back in the 80’s stating that none of the committees full filled the original request.  
    Since then our legislators, all of them have destroyed public education.  Had they included educators that had experience in curriculum development, program budget planning, and other such courses that were once upon a time taught in our educational programs our education system program would now be defined.  Once a program in a school, school district, or state is defined the educators with training in Program Budget Planning can, within three years present a cost evaluation of those programs down to the penny that includes not only the cost of the operation of the curriculum but staffing costs, power and energy costs, maintenance and custodial costs, etc.   We did it and we could account for every penny spent but only because we knew what our programs were that we taught….and were not constantly changing them. 
     Until you get rid of those College Profs, many that have never taught in public schools, and the CEO’s with the big ego’s and start searching for educators that are willing to spend their time defining just what we are to teach in public education the rest is all a waste of time.  

Austin Shotwell, 15802 SE 35th St.  Vancouver Wa.   98683    Mickeyshotwell@juno.com
  


 
                                                                                3     
                                     BASIC EDUCATION LAW IN WASHINGTON STATE
BACKGROUND ABOUT THE BASIC EDUCATION LAW IN WASHINGTON STATE
     This is a history lesson you might find interesting that shows how the involvement of government into public education can result in a real mess. 50 years ago, public education in the State of Washington, and thru out the U.S., was having problems with funding.  To solve this dilemma there was an attempt to define public education and what should be taught K-12 and provide full funding in the State of Washington. This took place back in the late 70’s when Superior Court Judge Doran passed the “Basic Education Law”. Prior to this decision, back in the 50’s and 60”s various political committees had been trying to solve the problems of public education and determine what a student really needed to know prior to graduation from high school. An example was the Council of Basic Skills formed in 56. There findings recommended teaching basic intellectual disciplines but did not define what basic intellectual disciplines were.  They stated that the various subjects would vary from time to time and they may be English, math, science, history, language, and arts. Of course most teachers know that within these academic categories there is a very wide variety of educational curriculum that can be taught. The idea and thinking behind these studies were good and something that many educators supported.  The problem was that they did not take into consideration that educators from public education K-12 would not be invited to offer suggestions or recommendations.  The result was millions wasted and a disaster to public education. The political leaders never did determine what a student should know by the time they graduate but did determine what a student needed to continue their education at a college or university.
THE RULING 
     In 1976 Superior Court Judge Robert Doran ruled that the Washington State Legislature had to fully fund basic education. This ruling was going to solve the problems by fully funding public education and determine what should be taught.  His decision was based on the state constitutional language:”It is the paramount duty of the state to make ample provision for the education of all children residing within its borders, without distinction or preference on account of race, color, caste or sex”.  The Basic Education Act defined basic education in terms of rather broad learning goals and the amounts of time to be devoted to each.       
     So, following this ruling and after much study and lots of wasted time and money on the part of several committees formed by Washington Legislature, certain skills were identified: Students were: (1) To distinguish, interpret and make use of words, numbers and other symbols, including sound, colors, shapes and textures. (2) To organize words and other symbols into acceptable verbal and nonverbal forms of expression, and numbers into there appropriate functions. (3) To perform intellectual functions such as problem solving, decision-making, goal setting, selecting, planning predicting, experimenting, ordering, and evaluating.  (4) To use various muscles necessary for coordinating physical and mental functions. If you are a parent or a teacher and this was presented to you as what should be taught I am sure you would start wondering about the intelligence of those legislative leaders.
     Later these skills were converted into confusing classroom program percentages of instruction devoted to various subjects deemed important to a child’s education.  These percentages varied by grade level.  90 % in grades 1-3, 85% in grades 4-6, 80% in grades 7-8, 55 % in grades 9-12  in basic skills areas of reading/language arts (may include foreign language), mathematics, social studies, science, art, music health and physical education.  In grades 9-12 15% of each offering was to be in work skills and an additional 10% in areas of basic and/or work skills.  What a way to confuse school boards and administrators. 
     Some of the first (selected) committees that presented their findings did little research.  Most agreed the major purpose of education is to improve emotional and social development, prepare for citizenship, practice living in a democracy, etc. agreeing that individual subjects just don’t make that much difference.  These purposes were repeated over the years by new committee’s.  Of course there were no improvements and committees blamed the decline in education on others but no one ever did a follow-up to determine if their suggestions were implemented, followed, or successful.  Other problems they identified included too much TV, lack of moral substance, and political crisis.  The committees all seem to agree that to solve the problems we need new testing, relevant courses with re-emphasis on rigid standards, and higher academic standards for teachers.  Each year there was also a stress on more academic science and math.  
CONFUSION RESULTED THROUGHOUT PUBLIC EDUCATION
     Teachers, found that the legislative goals and mandates did not meet the needs of their students.  No effort was made to help teachers develop an understanding what it was that legislators wanted. The teachers were faced with the problem to improve education but no money. Legislature had said that basic education was fully funded, which it was not, and they kept adding more and more requirements.  Special education laws changed things by removing students from the classroom and adding to the confusion but then several years later new studies resulted in “Main Streaming” and sent a lot of the students back into the regular class.  English as a second language caused more confusion as did taking time out of the school day for drivers training and a number of other special programs demanded by legislators.  Each change added programs to the school day without adding time or money or making the school day longer. The result was something had to go. 
     Mandating program hours for academic subjects resulted in cutting many elective classes.  One of the first to go was the high school study hall, followed by elective programs such as music, drama, art, industrial arts.  Study halls provided students with an hour each day to receive some help with assigned home work, time to go to a library to do research, attend various school activity meetings without cutting classes, and a place to put students that were having a problem in a class. Now students had to be taken from class or meet before or after school.  Drivers training had been taught outside school hours or students used their study hall period to take the class.  More and more academic requirements were added by legislature because every student must be educated for college. It became so obvious there was no leadership in public education from legislator through school board, superintendent, and principal.  Students that required a structured curriculum to succeed were now on there own.  The students that were able to complete their home work assignments in study hall and received professional help with problems were now lost.  Many went from school to work or home to families that could not provide the help they needed.  They were confused, and many started leaving the public schools. Elective programs that were often the only reason some students staying in school were cut, drop out increased. 
     Other factors mandated by federal or state laws happened in the 70’s.  Student rights and civil rights laws pertaining to public education were mandated and resulted in thousands of law suites taking money from schools.  Dr. Robert Simonds National Association of Christian Educators formed the (CEE) or Christians for Excellence in Education. The major intent was to take over the schools by placing ‘Born Again’ members on school boards. Make public education look bad and demand funding and greater emphasis on Christian schools, home schooling, and private schools.  This took more money from the schools.  In the past children that were on the streets during school hours were often stopped and questioned as to why they were not in school.  With home schooling and private schools working on different time schedules it was impossible to identify who should be in school or not.  Testing and accountability became the major concern of political leaders for public schools but not private or Christian schools.  Private enterprise took over many of the roles originally done by school staff. This included not only selling curriculum but also taking over contracts for school maintenance, repair, providing food service, operating the buses, etc.  All of these moves took money from the schools adding to the budgets and cutting jobs.  Everyone seemed to forget that the intent of the Basic Education law was to define education for all children and identify what a child should know by the time they leave or graduate from public education. If that had been done educators could provide a working budget for those programs that identified where every penny was spent.  Most administrators were trained in Program Budget Planning.    Drop out increased as student found less and less reason to go to school.  Many students could not afford to continue on to college or had other interests.  More and more teachers left teaching for jobs with less stress and more money.
    Promises by politicians meant nothing.  Funding was never provided for added programs and attempts on the part of teachers to improve educational programs met with failure.   School administrators and school boards were quiet and even their associations refused to take a stand.  Once again the tactic of legislated committees changed blaming the teachers for the poor education.  They stressed that the only way to solve this problem was by improving teacher standards through competency testing to assure they know their subject matter.  Still no attempt was made to identify what it is American children are supposed to know. Successful teachers that had taught for many years found it was more important to school boards and political leaders that their students pass a competency test to prepare them for college rather then know our nations history or about our political system or learn about art or music. Teachers found that praise was only given to those whose students achieved high-test scores so many started teaching to the test with little concern for a good broad based education.   Some schools evaluation of staff was and is based on the high test scores of the students on various tests and not on value of the programs taught to the students.  

I like your website. I think it is very neat. If I could give you a score, I would give you a 7.5 of 10. I currently attend Fisher's Landing Elementary School which is in the Evergreen School District. Thanks!

I think that you schould include a posting on your website for school closure not just the procedures. If you already have such a thing, please make it easier to find.

The district must do a better job in providing ample notice of school closures. This moring prior to leaving for work I checked the news and it stated that Evergreen issued a 3 hour early release. I did not discover that the district decided to close at the last minute until I was already at work. I remember the same situation occuring a few times last year. Not all parents report to work at 9:00 am. Many of us commute to Portland and leave the house at 6:30 am. We must have enough advance notice to arrange care for our children. Most other districts alert the public of closures the night prior. This is not an unexpected weather storm; it was forcasted for the last couple of days.
You need to do a better job of making sure students are safe and not freezing outside for buses that never show or school doors that are locked!!!!

kool skool

I would not find a link to any of the other numbers at harmony.  It would be great to at least have a link that shows numbers like attendance under the links option on the homepage.  It would also be wonderful to have contact info. for the teachers here as well.

If security is a concern don't make certain info. available unless you login to edline.

My son reset my internet server and I cannot get on the subfinder.  Could you please reset this for me? 

I have been trying to apply for job number 6180. I keep getting the message- "There is a problem with the page you are trying to reach and it cannot be displayed". The job closes on 12-2 can this be fixed or am I doing somthing wrong? I do have an account already set up and have used it in the past with no problems. Thanks Mary

I think it is difficult to read the emergency hotline button.

I am trying to make contact with someone who I believe is an employee, can you please forward this message to
DENISE RADOW

Thanks much

Karen Iglitzin

Why chnge so often?  It is so hard to find things at this new sight.  We just get used to one then we change again.