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High Quality Instruction and Learning for Every Child, Every Day in Every Classroom

August 2016

School begins August 31 Welcome to 2016-2017 -- School begins August 31! While it seems strange to talk about 2017, it is even stranger to think of entering kindergarteners as the Class of 2029! Therein lies a challenge for us – educate every child for a world that we can’t predict. Every child in the Renton Schools needs to be equipped with the skills and knowledge to navigate a world that is changing faster than any of us could have imagined. To meet that goal you will be witnessing a Renton School District staff that is committed to “EVERY child, EVERY day, in EVERY classroom.” Our teachers have again spent months preparing for the new school year, gaining professional knowledge, and learning new methods of teaching. Our support staff have been preparing the schools, playgrounds and campuses. Throughout the district are staff eager to use

their skills and their imaginations in ways that enable every child to experience success that will in turn enable them to build their world of 2029. I am honored to be a part of the wonderful work that is underway in Renton Schools for another year. This is truly a great staff, and the children of Renton are Renton School District Superintendent Dr. Art Jarvis fortunate. Thank you too for the great support from our families and the wonderfully supportive communities in the Renton School District. May this be the best year ever for our children.

School back in session Wednesday, Aug. 31; please watch for children School starts Wednesday, Aug. 31. That means lots of children and teens walking to and from school. Please drive carefully and watch for children crossing roads and waiting on school buses. The start of school also means that the City of Renton will activate their photo enforcement program to help keep children safe as they get to and from school. Vehicles exceeding the speed limit through the school zones will be photographed, and those images will be reviewed by Renton Police to determine if a citation is warranted. The cameras

will operate when the school beacons (yellow-flashing lights) are flashing. The difference between 20 mph and 26 mph is 26 feet of stopping distance, according to police. With children walking in the area, those 26 feet could mean the difference between life and death. "Keeping school children safe while walking to their destination is our priority," said Renton Police Chief Kevin Milosevich. “Please help us protect Renton's children and pedestrians by adhering to posted speed limits.”

City of Renton’s school zone photo enforcement program also begins

Summer school provided students with intense learning and big fun from reading to robotics Hundreds of students attended enrichment classes through the summer months at schools across the district. From reading to robotics, students in elementary, middle and high school had opportunities to continue their learning through summer, while also learning new, cool things like how to design and build their own water park. The Summer Academies, made possible mostly by the Friends of Renton Schools foundation, blended literacy, math, team

building and education in science and technology. For four weeks, hundreds of students sharpened their reading skills, made new friends and together learned computer and robotics programing using the LEGO WeDo robotics kits. Students built LEGO models that featured working motors and sensors; programed their models; and explored a series of cross-curricular, themebased activities while developing their skills in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) as well as language,

literacy, and social studies. Students had to use creativity and imagination while working with construction sets with more than 150 elements including a motor, tilt sensor, motion sensor, and more. The courses were taught by our own highly-qualified teachers who work to inspire students to think creatively and in unison. Teachers will continue to use the LEGO robotics kits in classrooms through the school year.

Marching band puts in practice in the heat just like football team Just like their counterparts in football, students in Hazen High School’s marching band are gearing up for the new season by practicing in the heat on the school’s athletic field. The Highlander Marching Band, under the guidance of Director of Bands and Orchestras Chris Coy, are working and drilling with members of the University of Washington’s Husky marching band program to have high school students prepared for what it takes to be a marching band. The band plays during halftime shows at high school football games and many other appearances. The students are taking practice both on the field and in the school through the weeks leading up to the start of the new school year. The band continues to seek support and donations to purchase sousaphones for tubas, mellophones for French horns, marching

baritones, and many other instruments specific to marching bands. Support the Hazen Highlander Marching Band online at http:// hazenboosters.org/site/?page_id=2799 and list BAND in the comment section of the donation page; or send your check donation made out to “Hazen Booster Club” (write BAND Donation in the memo line) to Hazen Booster Club, 1101 Hoquiam Ave NE, Renton, WA 98059.

Office staff, custodians, grounds crews, and others work through summer to have schools ready for new school year School custodians and district maintenance staff continue work to prepare schools for the new school year. Throughout the summer, teams of custodians, grounds crews, maintenance professionals and others work to thoroughly clean, maintain and repair school buildings, playgrounds, and other areas. Additionally, school custodians recently attended training to review and improve their work from cleaning to communication. The group also had a chance to try some of the new cleaning equipment and products that will be used in schools this year.

Office managers from schools across the district attended an all-day training recently as staff continue to prepare for the new school year. Office managers are responsible for ensuring that a school operates and functions at a high level, as well as sharing the responsibility for the health, safety and well-being of hundreds of students and dozens of teachers and school staff. At their training, office mangers reviewed many district, state and federal processes and procedures including handling sensitive documents; tracking school funding; acting as a liaison between students, parents and staff; and much more.

Renton School District bus drivers recently attended training to be prepared for the start of school. The training included a bus emergency evacuation drill. During an emergency, a driver would quickly help students to safely evacuate the bus through the emergency exit, and then also exit to safety. Renton school bus drivers are highly-trained professionals who ensure all students get to school and back home safely and on time. Additionally, Renton School buses are safe and ready for another great year. Washington State Patrol recently inspected all of the district's 103 school buses and 17 support vehicles. The inspection includes braking efficiency and the total braking system, suspension and steering components, exhaust system, tires, lights and more. The entire fleet certified with a 100% pass rate.

Thanks to voter support, Renton schools better prepared for natural disasters Thanks to caring, engaged citizens and voters in the Renton School District, schools throughout the district are better prepared to keep kids safe in an earthquake than many other schools in the state. According to a new report cited in local media, schools built before 1975 are more vulnerable for major damage and possible injury than schools built since the mid1990s, which are generally safer because of improved building codes. Voters in the Renton

School District have for the past two decades voted "YES" for school building bond measures and capital facilities levies to reconstruct or renovate schools to provide a safer environment for children. Thanks to that support, all district elementary schools have been completely rebuilt between 1997-2012; middle and high schools have also undergone major renovations (including earthquake retrofits) over the past 15 years.

Seattle Seahawks, NFL Foundation donated $50,000 to help keep student athletes safe Seattle Seahawks and the NFL Foundation have teamed up to donate $50,000 to help provide professional athletic trainers during district high school sporting events. The funding was provided through the Seattle Childrenâ€™s Hospitalâ€™s Athletic Trainers Program to provide on-site licensed athletic trainers to schools during practices, home and away games and at other sporting events. Athletic trainers work with student-athletes, coaches and parents to make sure young athletes are well prepared for activities, properly treated for injuries and can return to play safely and quickly. Their work includes immediate emergency care and treatment; injury prevention, assessment, care and rehabilitation; education about sports safety and nutrition; evaluation to return to play; and more.

Looking for a great job? Renton School District is hiring: Apply online now at

https://jobs.rentonschools.us

Teaching and non-teaching, full-time positions or part-time substitute positions, with hours that are set or flexible and many do not require a teaching degree. Pay can range up to $17.36 per/hour with great benefits. Current openings include: Bus Driver, Custodian, Food Service/Substitute Cook, Office Assistant, and more.