Cheney teachers nationally certified
Six Cheney district teachers have earned National Board Certification, and were honored by the district’s board of directors at the Dec. 14 school board meeting. This is the highest credential in the teaching profession.
Newly certified teachers include: Kari Croy, Salnave Elementary; Vince Songaylo, Windsor Elementary; and Jill Gilson, Kristi Pring, Tammie Schrader and Marty Sexton, all of Cheney Middle School.
Becoming certified typically takes more than a year and includes creating a portfolio that documents a teacher’s success in the classroom. Candidates also complete a series of tests to measure their knowledge.
There are 900 such teachers in Washington, making the state 13th in the nation for the number of National Board Certified teachers.
Christmas tree recycling
Ferris High School seniors are disposing of Christmas trees as a fund-raiser for their all-nighter, an after-graduation party hosted by senior class parents.
Trees can be dropped off from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., Dec. 31 and Jan. 1, 7 and 8 at the school parking lot, 3020 E. 37th Ave. The cost is $5.
For a $12 donation, South Side residents can have their tree picked up; for a $7 donation, senior citizens can use this service.
Call Dennis Brateng at 443-1850.
Students named to All-State music groups
The following high school students were chosen to participate in the 52nd annual Washington Music Educators Association All-State bands, orchestras, choirs and jazz ensembles.
Rogers High School: Shannon Brown, symphonic choir.
North Central: Ashley Delzell, Deva Duffey, Maureen Haven, Shane Henning and Chris Hensz, symphonic choir; Brenna O’Malley, Tairra Sitek and Chelsea Wordell, treble choir; and Maggie Capwell, wind ensemble.
Shadle Park: Elizabeth Korsmo, concert band; Andrew Claar and Logan Steele, symphonic choir; and Leah Christianson and Christy Kuntzmann, treble choir.
Gonzaga Prep: Son Ca Vu, wind ensemble; Ryan Foster, Adelle Goettel and Ann Freeman, concert band; Ryan Fuchs and Jedd Breckenridge, mixed choir; Mattie Naccarato, Ambre Rypien and Beth Albrecht, treble choir; Julia Keefe, jazz choir; and Matt Malek, symphonic choir.
The students were chosen based on recorded auditions done in September. More than 3,000 students auditioned for positions in one of the bands, choirs or orchestras.
Hungry win in north-south rivalry
The results are in for the food drive challenge between Brentwood Elementary on the North Side and Mullan Road Elementary on the South Side. This year, the third, was the tiebreaker.
Brentwood students collected 9,118 pounds of food, and Mullan Road students collected 5,954 pounds.
Collin Hayett, a sixth-grader at Brentwood wrote, “The food drive is for those people who don’t have what we take for granted every day. This food drive has really meant a lot to me.
” I think those people that we have helped will really feel loved this holiday season.
“Our school took on Mullan Road School. They put up a good fight. They do have fewer students than we do, so we had to average pounds per student.
“In the end we gave it our best, and we have collected thousands of pounds for the needy.”