E-Wire for February 4th!

Greetings sportsfans!

Today’s top event was the annual Focus Day – about 175 parents and students joined members of the PTA Executive Board to visit with our legislators and chat about key issues facing education today.  Our rally took place under the Dome and featured legislative speakers including:  Governor and Trudy Inslee, Senate Majority Leader Rodney Tom, House Majority Leader Patrick Sullivan, House Education Chair Sharon Tomiko Santos (kudos to the chair for a rocking speech!), our own long time PTA member Chad Magendanz who serves on the House Education Committee, House Early Learning & Human Services Chair Ruth Kagi, Senate Education Ranking Member Rosemary McAuliffe, Senate Ways and Means Chair Andy Hill, House Appropriations Chair Ross Hunter, and Governor Inslee’s Education Policy Director, Marcie Maxwell.  All in all, Director Krainick and President Gillette ran a fun gathering PTA leaders charged with helping our legislators understand where the rubber meets the road on education policy.  Kudos to all.

With that, the E-Wire!

PTA Leader selected to fill unexpired term on Everett School Board

http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20140203/NEWS01/140209659/PTA-volunteer-named-to-Everett-school-board-seat

Crosscut on helping homeless kids stay in school

http://crosscut.com/2014/02/04/Kidsatrisk/118430/public-school-liaisons-help-homeless-students/

Lower Columbia College expands Running Start

http://tdn.com/news/local/lcc-expands-running-start-program-with-online-options/article_d00cd5ca-8d6a-11e3-a954-001a4bcf887a.html

Teachers in Kitsap are crowdsourcing online for funding lab equipment

http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2014/feb/03/education-spotlight-teachers-tap-into-online-for/#axzz2sHK5Jcxw

Despite lockdowns an school safety training – statistics show school shootings still are at the same rate as they were in the 90’s

http://union-bulletin.com/news/2014/feb/03/despite-safety-emphasis-frequency-school-shootings/

Legislation moves forward that would require OSPI to devise statewide guidelines for weighting grades for AP and advanced IB coursework - http://www.oregonlive.com/pacific-northwest-news/index.ssf/2014/02/demanding_coursework_could_ben.html

Bill to eliminate the Insurance Commissioner moves forward in Majority Caucus

http://www.spokesman.com/blogs/spincontrol/2014/feb/03/wa-lege-day-22-unelected-insurance-commissioner/ - as does the bill to reduce the Supreme Court from 9 to 7 members - http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2014/feb/04/plan-to-shrink-washington-supreme-court-size-to/

New York Times Article on the push for Pre-K - http://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/04/us/push-for-preschool-becomes-a-bipartisan-cause-outside-washington.html?ref=education&_r=0

The Advocacy Institute offers training to make citizens year round advocates - http://schoolboardnews.nsba.org/2014/02/advocacy-institute-shows-school-boards-how-to-be-year-round-advocates/

“We’re staying out of curricula” says Fed http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/curriculum/2014/02/arne_duncan_feds_won't_prescribe_curricula.html

Noyce Foundation Study on STEM collaborations

http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/curriculum/2014/02/stem_ecosystems.html

and finally - Sweet Home, Oregon looks into banning Sherman Alexie’s teen novel

http://www.kplu.org/post/oregon-school-district-considers-ban-sherman-alexie-novel