Finch Elementary Celebrating Anniversary With Get-Together
Finch Elementary School will celebrate its 75th anniversary on April 20.
The school is inviting all student and staff alumni to join school officials for a barbecue and ice-cream social between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m.
“Our theme for the day will focus on what it was like to attend Finch in the 1920s,” said Colleen Lippert, who is helping to organize the event.
Students and staff will brush aside modern conveniences in favor of tools of the ‘20s in an attempt to simulate a school day of that era. Old photos, news clips, pennants and other memorabilia will be displayed throughout the building.
Finch staff is asking anyone who would be willing to loan ‘20s-era memorabilia to bring it to the school before April 20, or bring it to the barbecue.
For more information call Terry Aahl at 353-4458.
Awards galore
Shadle Park senior Frances Stone was recently selected as a National Merit Scholarship Program finalist. She’s one of many North Side students who were recently recognized for their academic achievements.
National Merit is the annual academic competition for recognition and scholarships.
Here is a list of other North Side student recognitions:
Barry Fink, also of Shadle Park, finished in the top five percent in the nation on the PSAT/NMSQT.
Paula Zammit of Rogers High School was selected as a Washington Scholar from Legislative District 3. A senior, Zammit was recognized for academic and leadership skills and participation in community activities.
Meanwhile, Whitworth, Gonzaga, Eastern Washington and Washington State have offered scholarship money to North Central students Emily Burda, Isaac O’Bannan, Chris Sheridan, Jana Sherrick and Owen Turnbull.
Also, Phi Delta Kappa, the American Association of University of Women, Elks Club International and the Washington Society of Professional Engineers, have offered money to Jennifer Tiarks, Lindsey Updike, Patricia Wu and Melanie Wilson.
At Shadle Park, Jeremy Johnson, was just selected as the Washington State Hugh O’Brien Leadership Award winner. It’s the second time in four years that a Highlander has been selected for the statewide notice.
North Central has also seen five students receive significant scholarship offers. Sherrick was awarded a $72,000 scholarship to Gonzaga University; Burda, $48,000, Gonzaga; O’Bannan, $28,000, Whitworth; Wes Sizemore, $19,000, Army; and Jennifer Hall, $3,075, Youth for Understanding Finland Exchange Scholarship.
Mead board seeks applicants
The Mead School Board is seeking applications to fill Phyrne Ostlind’s position on the board. Ostlind lives in Mead’s District 4. She submitted her resignation for May 1.
District 4 includes most of Five Mile Prairie, Shiloh Hills Elementary School neighborhood, and southern portions of the Evergreen Elementary School attendance area south of Holland Road.
The board anticipates interviewing interested persons on April 26.
Letters of interest are due on April 23. Letters should be sent to: Dr. William Mester, Board Superintendent; Mead School District No. 354; 12508 N. Freya; Mead, WA 99021.
For more information call Cindy Gundermann at 465-6014.
School board sets bond date
The Deer Park School Board set May 18 as the date for the school district’s $5.9 million school bond election. The bond will ask voters to pay for a new elementary school and add on to Deer Park High School. State matching funds are estimated to be $4.1 million for the two projects.
Spokane students score high
Spokane elementary school students remained above the national average in this year’s Comprehensive Tests of Basic Skills.
Fourth- and sixth-graders take the CTBS score each year. Based on an average percentile rank score of 50, it measures language, math and reading skills.
Overall, Spokane elementary students once again remained above the national CTBS average. Fourth-graders held steady in reading and gained a point in both language and math.
Spokane sixth-graders climbed one point in math and reading. The language score was the same as last year at 62 percent.