Education Notebook: Cheney band earns awards

The Cheney High School Blackhawks Marching Band, made up of 95 students who have each logged hundreds of hours of marching, music, drill and color guard practice, recently completed a winning competition season.The Blackhawks were fourth place in the Auburn, Wash., Veterans Day Marching Band Championship; third place in the Northwest Marching Band Competition in Hillsboro, Ore.; second place at the Sounds of Thunder Competition at Joe Albi Stadium; and second place in the Cavalcade of Bands in Kennewick.

Cheney makes top 5 percent in state

The Cheney School District has been recognized among the top 5 percent of highest performing school districts in the state, according to the Washington School Research Center at Seattle Pacific University, based upon an analysis of 2005-’10 student data.

The district has been selected to participate in further research in the Washington State Effective District Practices study. The selection was based on several criteria, including socio-economic status of students and the overall success of its fourth-grade students on the state assessment.

Bemiss honored for academic strides

Bemiss Elementary School students were once again honored when their school received a 2011 Title I Academic Achievement Award by the State Superintendent’s Office. Bemiss was one of six Washington schools given the award for significantly raising student achievement in math and reading through an identifiable strategy.

KSPS TV hosts forum is tonight at 7:30

Members of the community will have the opportunity to have their questions answered about Spokane Public Schools when “Educating Spokane” airs tonight at 7:30 p.m. on KSPS channel 7.

Superintendent Nancy Stowell, along with Spokane Schools School Board members, will be available to answer questions and respond to comments from the public.

Listeners may text or call (509) 354-7711 or email es@ksps.org to ask a question.