School Improvements Topic Of Public Meetings

Thu., Jan. 21, 1999

By Kevin Blocker kevinb@spokesman.com

The Deer Park School District Citizens Facilities Committee is holding two public hearings to present a plan for school improvements.

The meetings will provide the community with a chance to review proposals and make suggestions and comments.

The first meeting will be held on Tuesday at 7 p.m. at the Arcadia Elementary School library at 1120 E. D Street. The second will be held on Wednesday at 7 p.m. at the Deer Park Middle School cafeteria at 347 S. Colville Road.

The committee has been discussing improvements to Deer Park Elementary and High Schools and Arcadia Elementary School.

It intends to revisit the plans after the public hearings and make a final presentation to the school board next month.

For more information, call Citizen’s Committee Chairman Kip Nedved at 276-5320.

North Side schools seek grants

Audubon, Bemiss, Holmes, Regal, Ridgeview and Whitman Elementary schools are completing applications for the Comprehensive School Reform Demonstration Grants offered through the state superintendent’s office.

If awarded, each school would receive $50,000 a year, renewable for up to three years, to implement comprehensive school reform programs based on reliable research and effective practices.

Each plan must include an emphasis on academics, achievement and parental involvement.

Other grants applied for or received at other schools:

Bemiss - The school is applying for a $9,495 grant from Toyota. It would allow the purchase of a software instructional design system that would be used to individualize students’ learning plans.

The individualized plans would reflect state learning targets and would provide appropriate practice activities for students in the Bemiss study center and summer school.

The state awarded $16,000 to District 81 to support the Teen Aware project at Shadle Park High School. The award will be used for developing a sexual abstinence and teen pregnancy program.

The Spokane Skills Center received $10,000 to fund expenses related to a planned professional development activity for Washington State Skills Center instructional staff.

The training will take place on Aug. 15 in Spokane as a pre-conference activity for the annual vocational-technical education summer conference.

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