Spokane Public Schools

NEW PRINCIPAL PROFILE: “I love being on the playground with the students at recess and in the lunchroom where we are all getting to know each other.” October is National Principals Month! We appreciate all SPS administrators for their hard work and dedication to students and staff. Throughout the month, we’re highlighting some new building principals so our community get to know them a little bit better. Meet Wilson Elementary School principal Mr. Syron, who has been a river guide for 30 summers, at https://lnkd.in/gj5Hfd3x. #SPSPromise

REFLECTIONS: “You don’t need a special degree to show an individual with exceptional needs that you care about them and value who they are as a person.” In observation Disability History & Awareness Month in October, we asked several teachers to share their perspectives on working with students in Special Education. Read the response from Allison Griffin of Regal Elementary at https://lnkd.in/gCc-3m6x. Thank you to teachers like Mrs. Griffin for creating connections with students so they are supported in realizing their goals!

MUTUAL LEARNING: “We have fun with them, teach them wrong and right, those kinds of things. I feel like I’d be a good teacher someday.” Shadle Park High School students like junior Nolan Dedrick can develop skills and gain experience in working with preschool-age children through the Career and Technical Education (CTE) course, Early Childhood Education. Keep reading at https://lnkd.in/gShddKdA and check out the excitement of a recent visit by the Spokane Fire Department to the class. #EngageIRL

ALL ABOARD: “I like to see houses where I’ve never been to, to see new things and stuff, and sometimes I get to ride with different people.” Look for Holmes Elementary School students pedaling though West Central on their way to school with the River City Youth Ops Bike Bus!

MY VOTE, MY VOICE: “We are future voters, and it’s important for us to be educated and informed to make decisions in voting – and in life – that are not based off of a guess.” To help students like Annika Weber at The Community School learn about media literacy, three journalists from The Spokesman-Review visited this week to answer questions and share industry insights. The visit was part of a learning benchmark for a student project integrating civics education, critical thinking and other practical skills as they explore the question “How do I participate in democracy?” in the lead up to Election Day on Nov. 5. Read more at https://lnkd.in/gQVat2AM and bookmark spokaneschools.org/tcs to read the TCS Election Chronicle on Oct. 29!

SCHOOL SPIRIT: “Excitement and energy, all the way to victory! That’s what I’m feeling right now!” The enthusiasm wasn’t limited to the 140 players on the field at the first ever SPS middle school football game at ONE Spokane Stadium last week. Musicians from Shaw Middle School joined the Rogers High School band to pump up the crowd, Glover Middle School cheerleaders and drill team waved their pompoms proudly, and the members of the Shaw Dance Team made their world debut as they performed for the audience. And in that crowd were plenty of students from both schools, as well as Yasuhara and Garry middle schools, who turned out to support the athletes on the gridiron, with some schools arranging bus transportation for dozens of students to attend the game. We love to see students participating in extracurricular activities and sharing their talents as a community! #EngageIRL

TRADES NIGHT: “You don’t know you like it unless you try it, right?” Associated Builders & Contractors Inland Pacific Chapter is hosting a hands-on trades night for all ages at Shadle Park High School on Wednesday, Oct. 9, 5-9 p.m. Students can learn about different construction-related careers and opportunities to start developing skills through high school courses. Learn more at https://lnkd.in/dHRxCjby. #EngageIRL

OUTSTANDING VOLUNTEER: “I love music and I love children, they’re my top priorities in my life. So for me, it’s healing, it’s invigorating – it’s just a great part of my day.” At Jefferson Elementary School on Friday, Ms. Ruth was recognized as a Spokane Public Schools Outstanding Volunteer! She volunteers every day, sometimes in multiple classrooms to teach music lessons to some of the school’s youngest learners. Thank you for sharing your love of music at Jefferson, Ms. Ruth! If you’d like to nominate a special volunteer at your school, visit spokaneschools.org/awards.

PLANT A TREE: On Saturday, Oct. 5, in recognition of National Public Lands Day, Turnbull National Wildlife Refuge is hosting a community tree planting event. Learn about the habitat restoration efforts while planting trees are planted across the Refuge. Find more information and a link to register at https://lnkd.in/gF9hvFcZ. SPS students have visited Turnbull for decades as part of their environmental education program, learning about their efforts to protect and restore natural ecosystems. We can’t wait for the resumption of field trip opportunities next year as the program is redeveloped to meet Next Generation Science Standards and provide a more inquiry-based, user-facilitated experience!

BIG TIME: On Friday, 140 middle school football players from Garry, Shaw, Glover, and Yasuhara played their first tackle football game ever, held at ONE Spokane Stadium. Playing as the Pirates (Garry and Shaw) and Wolfpack (Glover and Yasuhara), the teams were supported by their schools’ dance teams, cheer squads, pep bands, and student sections, as well as lots of family members, staff, and community members. Cheer and band students from Rogers also joined in the fun, and high school players from Rogers and North Central arrived around halftime to help cheer on the up-and-comers before their teams took the field that evening. The Middle School Wolfpack walked away with a W, and the High School Pirates were victors on the field. What a great night for our community!