Education Notes: Ferris High presents musical ‘Godspell’
The students at Ferris High School will entertain audiences, beginning Wednesday with the musical “Godspell” at 7 p.m. in the Ferris auditorium. Performances continue Nov. 18 through Nov. 20 at 7 p.m. A matinee show will be held on Nov. 20 at 2 p.m.
The Broadway musical is based on the gospel of Matthew and includes songs such as “Prepare Ye the Way of the Lord,” “All For the Best” and “Day by Day.”
The “Godspell” cast features Mitch Heid, as Jesus, and Collin Skipper, as John the Baptist/Judas. Also featured in the show are Alex Greer, Ashlee Karras, Beanca Thai, Cameron Latimer, Casey Harkins, Cassy Noe, Faith Wamsley, Jake Newell, Jake Sanders, Jerrold Sobida, Jessica Earhart, Lauren Haas, Liz Brouwer- Wade, Lucy Baldwin and Pauline Kuss.
The musical is directed and choreographed Mary Cooper; musical direction is by Barbara Tappa; and featured in the band are Ben Vogel on bass, Cara Reidy on guitar, Band Director Ben Brueggemeier on drums and Orchestra Director Carol Pederson on piano.
Tickets are $7 per person in advance or $9 at the door. Tickets may be purchased in advance at the FHS Business Office.
Mead High presents musical ‘Footloose’
The Mead High School theater and music department are gonna “kick off their Sunday shoes” beginning Friday in the musical “Footloose” in the Performing Arts Theatre at 7 p.m.
Performers will show audience members that ‘dancing is not a crime’ in this show about Ren McCormack, played by Grayson Miller, who is told that dancing is prohibited at his school in Bomont, W. Va., after a fatal car accident involving kids returning from a school dance that occurred five years ago.
McCormack is new to the small town and “can’t stand still.” Although trouble has a way of finding him, with the help of his friend Willard, played by Aaron Clark, McCormack will rent his tux, tie his tie, hit the ceiling and tear up the town with the rest of the Bomont kids and finally have a school dance.
There’s nothin’ holding this Mead cast down, which also includes Randi Asleson, as Ethel McCormack; Zach Gardner, as Rev. Shaw Moore; Kaelan White, as Vi Moore; Marisa Janke, as Ariel Moore; Abby Constable, as LuLu; Cole Collins, as Wes; Scotty Brewer, as Coach Dunbar; Samantha Terrell, as Eleanor Dunbar; Lise Hafso, as Rusty; Katy May, as Urleen; Jessica Buchanan, as Wendy Jo; Eric Larson, as Chuck Cranston; Mike Ma, as Lyle; Jonathan Klins, as Travis; Allison Saralecos, as Betty Blast; Katelynn Leavitt, as Principal Clark; Jordan Miller, as Jeter; Blake Lynd, as Bickle; and Alex Kwamina, as Garvin.
The orchestra includes Garrett Walters, Rees Hardy, Justin Toney, Cassidy Young, Rylan Edlin, James Anders, Dana LeRoy, Lauren Wasson, Ashley Hall, Sarah Davies, Tayler Krieg and Linda Ziehnert.
Performances continue Saturday at 7 p.m.; and Wednesday through Nov. 19 at 7 p.m. There also will be an afternoon performance on Nov. 20 at 2 p.m.
Tickets are $10 for adults and $8 for students and senior citizens. Tickets may be purchased at the MHS business office or at the door before each show.
For more information call Mead Drama Director Karen Brathovde at (509) 465-7008.
Whitman honored
Whitman Elementary School in the Spokane Public Schools District was recognized as a 2010 School of Distinction by the Center for Educational Effectiveness and Phi Delta Kappa’s Washington State Chapter. Whitman is only one of 94 Washington schools to receive the honor this year.
According to a press release from Spokane Public Schools, Principal Bev Lund said, “At Whitman, we are thrilled with the recognition for the growth we have made over time for all of our students. We love our work and the biggest reward is to see the wonderful things students are able to accomplish as learners and how much they are growing.”
The award is based on improvement in reading and math over a period of five years, from 2005 to 2010.
Cheney algebra teachers honored
Algebra I teachers at the Cheney Middle and High schools were recently recognized for their contribution to a significant and positive impact on student learning when they were given the Washington State Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development award, according to information on the Cheney High School website.
Cheney High School Principal Ray Picicci said in a press release that the teachers, almost all nationally board certified, have collaboratively researched and adopted a new math curriculum, developed and implemented common assessments and helped to shape the teaching schedule, maximizing instructional time. He said that “this collaboration has lead to an algebra revolution in the Cheney School District, with record number of eighth and ninth graders taking the class.”
Teacher wins grant
Rachelle Mulder, the morning kindergarten teacher at Prairie View Elementary in the Mead School District, was awarded a Cozy Reading Rug for her little learners by Sonic Drive-In’s “Limeades for Learning” program.
Kari Hammond, the afternoon kindergarten teacher, says the alphabet rug is used every day and keeps the kids warm since their classroom was moved out to the school’s portables.
Mulder applied for the grant at the beginning of the school year, which rules required voting. For two weeks, parents were asked to vote and Sonic granted Mulder the rug, valued at approximately $360.