Bear Tracks: Where are they now?
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Tahoma alum Geoffrey Morgan uses engineering skills for worldly cause
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Courtesy photo
Geoffrey Morgan at a project in Peru, where he worked to provide remote communities in the Andes access to renewable energy.
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It's been just 12 years since Geoffrey Morgan graduated from Tahoma High School. In that time, Morgan has earned multiple degrees and contributed to aid projects that have helped thousands of people. His path after graduation led him to the other side of the globe, where he currently works for the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) in Copenhagen as an Infrastructure Sustainability and Resilience Specialist.
Several key experiences have helped shape Morgan's career, including one in which the Tahoma community was incredibly supportive, he says.
On May 12, 2008, Morgan was studying abroad in China and survived the Wenchuan 8.0 earthquake. The earthquake hit 50 miles from where he was studying in Chengdu, while also conducting research on potable water projects in rural villages, he said.
"The quake claimed almost 90,000 lives and displaced over 5.5 million others," Morgan wrote in an email. "I lived with a host family and had many close, local friends. Had I left, I would have felt as though I abandoned them and could never live that feeling down."
Instead, he and another student stayed to help with relief work.
"Our efforts began by loading buses heading up to the disaster area with water, tents, clothes, and bedding, progressed to visiting children in the hospital, and culminated by founding an organization called China Earthquake Aid (CEA). Through CEA I raised $65,000 and completed three large projects to bring aid to the affected regions."
The first project that Morgan led there was inspired by a teacher he met in the disaster area and was intended to address psychological damage the quake created for children.
"Schools were some of the hardest-hit buildings, and over 7,000 inadequately engineered classrooms collapsed resulting in thousands of child deaths and even more injured," he said. "Many of these children had lost classmates and her (the teacher) thought was to have kids from other parts of the world write cards or letters as a sign of support and let them know that other kids were thinking about them and cared about them."
Morgan reached out to Tahoma teachers, who not only asked their students to write cards, but passed the word along to other educators they knew. His original email was forwarded across the country and around the world. He received more than 6,000 cards and letters from students in more than 10 countries. Those were delivered along with art and school supplies, English dictionaries, and candy, to two high schools and an elementary school in the disaster zone.
Morgan also worked to deliver warm clothing and winter supplies to a small town; and, in a third project, worked with Chinese non-profit Wild Grass to construct more than 300 eco-friendly toilets in the disaster area.
Asked what advice he would give current Tahoma students, he said: "Never miss an opportunity to help someone in need. You never know where that act of kindness may take you!"
During his years at THS, Morgan says he had many great teachers and that narrowing down just a few who were inspirational is difficult. However, two staff members who jump to mind are Lindsey Hatch and Lara Lindersmith. He had Hatch for We the People, and says she taught him how to start conquering his fears of public speaking and pushed him into leadership roles. Lindersmith gave him confidence to voice his opinion.
"Both of these teachers helped shape me and gave me the skills that I use every day and helped make me the successful person that I am now," Morgan said.
Lindersmith, who now works as the THS Future Ready Specialist, was one of the teachers who helped with Morgan's letter-delivery project. She says his most outstanding qualities while at Tahoma were his friendliness and kindness -- which he extended to both fellow students and staff members.
"When Geoff was in my English class, he was skilled at applying what he learned to new situations outside school," Lindersmith added.
After leaving Tahoma, he studied at the University of Washington as an aerospace engineering major. Morgan said he had always been interested in engineering and comes from a long line of engineers. While in the honors program at UW, Morgan took classes outside the typical engineering curriculum including international relations.
"I still remember the class that I was in when the professor spoke about all the problems with engineering and infrastructure in developing countries and I said to myself 'I could do a better job than that,'" he recalled. Morgan changed his major and went on to earn a bachelor of arts in International Development and a bachelor of science in Civil and Environmental Engineering; then, he went to Cambridge for a master's degree in Engineering for Sustainable Development. After Cambridge, he worked as a consultant for Arup's International Development Team in London before joining UNOPS.
As the Infrastructure Sustainability and Resilience Specialist for UNOPS, his primary responsibility is to work with partner governments in developing countries. The focus is on improving each country's ability to plan, deliver, and manage sustainable and resilient infrastructure to improve human welfare.
"I do this by meeting with key stakeholders in various government ministries to identify gaps in capacity and then help them to identify solutions to their issues through capacity building projects," Morgan said. He also attends multiple inter-UN agency meetings as one of the infrastructure representatives and advocates. "To do all this, I tend to travel a lot with my days spent in government offices in places like Nepal, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Indonesia, and Serbia, to name a few."
"I think part of the reason I changed (career paths) is that I have always cared about social injustice -- I was in the Civil Rights unit of the We The People Team at Tahoma -- and saw the potential of infrastructure to improve lives and human dignity so I decided to dedicate my life to this mission."
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Courtesy photo
Geoffrey Morgan in China, loading water that was sent with other supplies via bus to the disaster zone affected by the 8.0 earthquake in 2008.
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24% increase in Tahoma's National Board Certified teachers
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Fourteen Tahoma teachers received their National Board Certificates last month, bringing the district total to 72.
Newly certified are: Cedar River Elementary teacher Kathy Johnson; Tahoma Elementary teachers Cindy Hanson, Marion Heil and Rachelle Bainton; Summit Trail teacher Scott Mercer; Tahoma High School teachers Mitch Boyer, Catherine Zogby, Theresa Castaneda, Gregg Collette, Cavin Eggleston, Francis Jequinto, Scott Mercer, Kara Oxner, Ben Simmons and Matt Tucker.
"The quality of our teachers completely influences the experiences that our students have, and the National Board process provides an opportunity to deepen their skill set in a way that truly supports student learning," said Dawn Wakeley, executive director of Teaching and Learning for Tahoma. "In addition it provides an acknowledgement publicly, and all of our teachers deserve to be recognized for their hard work."
Across the country, 5,470 teachers received their National Board Certificate, bringing the total in the United States to 118,000.
"Each of these accomplished educators earned the profession's highest mark of achievement through a rigorous, performance-based, peer-review process, demonstrating their proven impact on student learning and achievement," the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards wrote in a statement.
To learn more about National Boards, click here.
"National Board Certification is about helping teachers become great, it is about elevating the teaching profession, and it is about helping children achieve at higher rates," said Peggy Brookins, president and CEO of the National Board.
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Tahoma's legacy upheld with We the People state win
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Courtesy photo
Members of the THS We the People team pause for a photo outside the capitol after winning first in the state competition. This year's team includes Andrew Bruneel, Daria Cawthorn, Jack Duggan, Bridget Duven, Daria Cawthorn, Melia Cleary, Hannah Fitzpatrick, Breanna Glover, Cameron Hanson, Alexander Hessler, Jeffrey Hostetter, Jamison Hubbard, Dakota Huffman, Nassim Kazemi, Henry Kombol, Hannah Molnar, Aliyah Musaliar, Aurora Pompeo, Rhiannon Rasaretnam, Jaden Rayl, Samantha Schroff, Kyler VandenBosch, Riley Wilmart and Katarina Zosel.
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Tahoma High School's We the People team members are once again the state champions, and will travel to Washington, D.C., in April for the national competition.
The We the People curriculum is an innovative course of instruction on the history and principles of the United States constitutional democratic republic. Schools have the option of participating in district, state, and national competitions to test their knowledge of the Constitution.
"I think state just pooled all of our knowledge together and was able to show what we have been working for," said Bridgette Duven, who is on Unit 4. The chance to compete at Nationals will be "the cherry on top" of the experience, Duven said.
The students traveled to Olympia last weekend to compete in the state contest.
Jamison Hubbard, who is also on Unit 4, said "It has been a lot of hard work, but all in all, I think it was worth it."
Cameron Hanson, a member of Unit 5, said he appreciates everything that he and his classmates have been learning.
"I feel much more knowledgeable and much more confident in my knowledge of our country and of our rights," Hanson added.
To read more about the national We the People program, click here.
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School Board approves calendars for 2018-2019, 2019-2020
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The Tahoma School Board on Tuesday approved district calendars for the 2018-2019 school year and for the 2019-2020 school year. Both calendars will be posted on the district website soon and families will receive an email from the district with the new calendars attached. In the meantime, here are highlights for the 2018-2019 school year:
- First day of school: Tuesday, Sept. 4, 2018
- First day of kindergarten: Friday, Sept. 7, 2018
- Winter break: Dec. 24, 2018 to Jan. 4, 2019
- Midwinter break: Feb. 18-22, 2019
- Spring break: April 8-12, 2019
- Non-student day/inclement weather makeup day: May 24, 2019
- Last day of school will be Wednesday, June 19, 2019 (If additional inclement weather makeup days are needed after utilizing May 24, they would be added to the end of the calendar beginning June 20).
In other business at its Jan. 9 meeting, the school board:
- Approved two new high school clubs: World Awareness Club and Welding Skills USA Club.
- Held the first reading and review of the high school course catalog for the 2018-2019 school year. Among the new courses next year are Project Citizen and Career Exploration, two courses designed to help 9th graders acclimate to high school; Advanced Robotics with CNC Manufacturing; Medical Interventions; and Professional Communication. To view the proposed catalog, click here and view agenda item 5.03: https://www.boarddocs.com/wa/tahoma/Board.nsf/Public
- Approved purchase of library collections for Cedar River and Tahoma elementary schools.
- All school board meeting agendas and minutes are available on the district's BoardDocs web page, which can be accessed from the main Tahoma web page: www.tahomasd.us
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Spotlight on Tahoma Elementary
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Students enjoy yoga unit in physical education
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Principal Jerry Gaston shared this photo on his Instagram account, @tahomaleadlearner with this remark: "Sixty students deep into yoga with team awesome is really neat to witness! What a P.E. program!"
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Tahoma Elementary School physical education teacher Haley Moser has led students in a three-day yoga unit, with some pleasantly surprising results.
Building on lessons Moser offered in her prior teaching position at Shadow Lake Elementary, she has shared with students how yoga can help them relax, be calm, sleep better and even strengthen their immune systems.
"I say, 'Leave that negative energy at the door,'" Moser said, noting that she talks with the students about the fact that yoga isn't just for moms or women. She also shares that many professional athletes including the Seahawks practice yoga.
Moser works with the students on breathing in and out through their nose (ujjayi breath) and hopes they will use it as a new skill in their "toolbox" for when they get frustrated at school or at home.
With the younger students, she uses an engaging video that has them try yoga poses mimicking animals. The older grades learn poses such as the sun salutation series and the warrior series. Several students have mentioned that practicing yoga has helped with their other endeavors, such as comfort in the catcher's crouch while playing baseball, and improving swimming abilities.
Moser has heard from students and parents that they are practicing yoga at home in the evenings. One mom shared that her son, Henry M., had never shown any interest although she has practiced for years, but that he is now using her yoga mat at home more than she is.
"After their first day, he told me that he 'sometimes can't focus in Science but today I was super focused and on fire! I think it's because of the yoga in P.E. this morning," said Henry's mom, Tara. "He even raved about it at dinner to his brothers and dad -- definitely a new favorite activity."
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Students at Tahoma Elementary follow along with teacher Haley Moser during a recent lesson.
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District kudos
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Two Tahoma students invited to national Special Olympics
Tahoma High School seniors Miguel McCoy and Justin Olds were invited to compete in the Special Olympics 2018 USA Games as part of Team Washington.
The games will take place July 1-6 in Seattle, with more than 4,000 athletes and coaches from all states across the country. Fourteen Olympic-type team and individual sports will be included.
Staff highlight: STMS teacher published in science education jounal
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Summit Trail Middle School science teacher Katrina Alegado channels Vanna White while showing off her published article.
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Summit Trail Middle School teacher Katrina Alegado was published this month in a National Science Teachers Association journal called "Science Scope." Alegado and her co-author, Anna Lewis, worked on the article for two years, going through a laborious review process.
"I am super excited about publishing my first article," Alegado said. "It was a challenging and rewarding process that definitely improved my writing. It is also a wonderful lesson in perseverance for writers at my age. Never give up!"
For the past six years, she has attended EARTH (Education and Research: Testing Hypotheses) workshops through the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute. The session is a chance for 20 selected teachers from across the United States to learn current research from scientists and create lessons based on the material. During the 2015 workshop, Lewis approached Alegado about writing an article on Claim, Evidence, Reasoning and Rebuttal (CERR), which Alegado had used successfully in her middle school science classroom.
The Next Generation Science Standards spurred new ideas and methods: the CERR teaching strategy is one of those, Alegado and Lewis wrote in the article.
"The CERR framework helps students synthesize science investigations, data analysis, and scientific concepts by having them focus on four elements: Claim, Evidence, Reasoning and Rebuttal," they state. It's a process that helps students develop critical thinking skills, and is also useful for formative assessments, summative assessments and science projects, Alegado and Lewis wrote.
The Science Scope publication is a peer-reviewed journal aimed at middle school and junior high science teachers.
"The double-blind peer review process for all of the NSTA journals is quite rigorous and intense," said Dawn Wakeley, executive director of Teaching and Learning, in a congratulatory message. "Our students are very fortunate to have (Alegado) helping to support learning in our system, along with being a great teammate and colleague in sharing your work and thinking."
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News briefs
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Detailed levy facts, answers available
Information about the three proposed levy measures on the Feb. 13 ballot, along with answers to frequently asked questions, are available on our website here (if you are on a mobile device, please click "full site" after following the link):
http://www.tahomasd.us/pages/Tahoma_School_District_409/About_Us/2018_Levy_Measures
In the last issue of the newsletter, we shared about the series of levy information talks that Superintendent Rob Morrow was scheduled to give at parent-teacher groups and community organizations. Several of those are still approaching, for parents and community members who would like to hear the information firsthand and have a chance to ask questions. Here are the remaining meetings:
- Jan. 16, 10 a.m., public levy information meeting, district office
- Jan. 17, 11:30 a.m., Chamber of Commerce lunch (lunch reservation with Chamber required)
- Jan. 17, 6:30 p.m., School Board hosts levy information meeting, district office
- Jan. 24, 6:30 p.m., Glacier Park Elementary, Morrow speaks at "Gabbing with Gaston" meeting
Parents, community members invited to Post-Secondary Night
Please join us to plan for what comes next -- at whatever stage your child is, from prekindergartners through graduates! You are invited to Post-Secondary Night, which will also have information for parents of younger students. The event is from 6:15-9 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 27 at Tahoma High School.
6:15-7 p.m. (registration not required) Information from colleges, local apprenticeship programs, financial advisors, military representatives, study abroad organizations & more.
7-9 p.m.* (registration required) Breakout sessions in 30-minute segments about saving/paying for college, preparing preschool children for elementary school, Future Ready Skills, helping elementary students with reading & math, financial aid & scholarships, finding a college with the right fit, apprenticeships, college credit in high school & more.
*Childcare for elementary students is being provided during the 7-9 p.m. portion to the first 50 children registered; about half of those spots have been reserved by parents who have registered.
To register, click here:
https://goo.gl/rdmxHz
If you have questions, contact Lara Lindersmith, Future Ready Specialist at THS,
[email protected], 425-413-3468
Tahoma Music Faculty Concert scheduled for January 19
The Mary Lou Harting Memorial Concert is an annual opportunity for students, parents, staff and the public to check out the amazing talents of the Tahoma School District's music faculty. Music teachers will sing and play instruments as solo or ensemble performers. Students will especially enjoy seeing their own teachers perform.
The concert is scheduled for 7 p.m. Friday, Jan. 19, in the Tahoma High School Performing Arts Center. Admission is a suggested $5 donation or $10 for families. All donations will be collected for the Mary Lou Harting Scholarship fund, to be awarded to two graduating Tahoma High School senior music students in May. As many students, staff and parents remember, Mary Lou Harting was a beloved Tahoma School District music teacher. Her last assignment was at Rock Creek Elementary School.
Don't miss this wonderful evening of music. It's always fabulous entertainment!
"Math is Amazing!" event next week
Students in grades 4 through 8 are invited to participate in a "Math is Amazing!" competition from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at Tahoma High School.
Preregistration is not required, and a $10 entry fee is payable at the door. The event will be held in the commons area. The schedule includes registration from 9 to 9:25 (pizza lunch can be ordered for $2 per slice); speed math test, individual tests, hustle test, team test, awards and more. Students may also bring their own lunches.
Parents or students with questions can ask their math teacher or email THS math club adviser and event organizer Malinda Shirley at
[email protected]
Auditions for "Tarzan the Musical" soon
Elementary and middle school students ages 5 to 13 are invited to audition for Tahoma High School's production of "Tarzan the Musical," which will be performed on five dates in May.
Director Melissa Bean is looking for a Young Tarzan, Young Terk and various baby animals for the ensemble.
For more information, or to sign up for auditions, visit
https://www.tahomadrama.org/audition-info
Deadline today for pre-K parent workshops sign-up
The deadline to sign up for this year's "READY! for Kindergarten" parent workshops is today (Jan. 12). Scholarships are available. These sessions are designed for parents with children ages 2 through 5.
For the second year, Tahoma is offering a series of three parent workshops designed to help children succeed when they enter the school system.
"READY! for Kindergarten" is a national program for parents/caregivers that helps them prepare their children for a happy and successful school experience. The workshop consists of three, 90-minute sessions. Each session has a different focus (language & literacy, math & reasoning, social & emotional). Parents will receive a binder containing 26 age-appropriate targets for ALL age ranges (0-5), resources, materials (toys/games) and training on how to use those resources and materials to help their children work toward being ready for kindergarten.
Sessions for 2018 take place at Lake Wilderness Elementary on these dates:
- Wednesday, January 17, 6:00-7:30 PM -- Language and Literacy
- Wednesday, March 14, 6:00-7:30 PM -- Math and Reasoning
- Wednesday, April 25, 6:00-7:30 PM -- Social and Emotional
There is a materials fee (for the binder, resources, educational toys) of $150 for a $200 value. Scholarships are available; to learn about eligibility, visit the last link in this post.
To watch a video about a child's learning in the first five years of life, click here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N6IgCVj7PbU
For more information about Tahoma's "READY! for Kindergarten" parent workshops, or to sign up, click here:
https://goo.gl/PZd9hG
THS to host dance competition
Students, parents and community members are invited to this weekend's dance competition, in which the Tahoma dance team will host more than 20 schools.
The event is from 11:30 a.m. to 6 p.m., and is free for THS students with ASB. Spectators are asked to park on the student side of the high school (west side).
First Community Pep Band Night approaches
Tahoma community members are invited to participate in the first-ever Community Pep Band Night on Jan. 26 at Tahoma High School during the basketball game.
The invitation is open to anyone who plays an instrument, from students in sixth grade through adults.
For more information or to sign up, visit
https://goo.gl/forms/esxtvv9Pmbi4wOwD2
Please note that if you need to rent an instrument, director Matthew Cole has made arrangements for a coupon through Music & Arts, for $10 off one month's rental. Those who participate will be asked to purchase a T-shirt, with the $12 payment due on the night of the event.
Backpack Buddies program updates
Backpack Buddies has an anonymous donor willing to match up to $1,000 for contributions in hand by the evening of Monday, Jan. 15.
For those who haven't heard of the program, Backpack Buddies of Maple Valley sends food home with students who might otherwise be hungry when not at school. The organization works through school counselors to protect the privacy of students who receive the help.
At the end of January, Backpack Buddies will begin serving Tahoma High School students. Each bag of food costs about $5. This addition will add an estimated $3,135 to the group's spending this school year.
Donations may be made via their Facebook page at the link below or dropped off at Tahoma Elementary School, marked "Attn: Mindy Gamble."
For more information:
Backpack Buddies of Maple Valley
Parents invited to Smarter Balanced workshop
The district will host a Smarter Balanced parent workshop from 6-7 p.m. on Jan. 25 in the library at Rock Creek Elementary. The event is open to parents of students in grades 3-5 from all six elementary schools. No childcare is available.
Staff members will share about what the test looks like, how long it takes, how parents can partner with school staff to help their child practice for the assessment.
Leadership Institute of South Puget Sound visits THS
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Tahoma High School hosted a visit by the Leadership Institute of South Puget Sound on Tuesday, one of many groups and individuals that have visited the new school since its opening in September. The Leadership Institute serves business and community leaders who are interested in studying business and social needs as they acquire leadership skills and build relationships. The Leadership Institute, led by Skip Rowland, Ph.D., held a day-long training at the school and spent part of their lunch break touring the facility with Principal Terry Duty and Associate Principal Doug Burnham. The group showed particular interest in the school's extensive Career and Technical Education (CTE) program and its Future Ready initiative.
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Japanese wrestlers visit Tahoma
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Photo courtesy of Doug Burnham
The Tahoma High School wrestling team hosted members of the Japanese Junior National Team as part of a cultural exchange over the past week. Of the 13 wrestlers who visited, nine are National Champions in Japan and will likely be future Olympians. The visiting team checked out the high school Monday morning, stayed until after Power Hour and then participated in a dual wrestling meet that evening. Tahoma wrestlers tried international freestyle rules, and lost to the visitors, coaches said. The Japanese wrestlers also tried folkstyle rules to even the playing field, but still held their own.
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January is School Board Recognition Month
This month marks School Board Recognition Month, an annual observance started by the National School Boards Association in 1995.
Gov. Jay Inslee has also made a proclamation in observance of school board members from Washington state's 295 school districts.
"School directors play a crucial role in promoting student learning and achievement by creating a vision, establishing policies and budgets and setting clear standards of accountability for all involved," Inslee's proclamation reads in part.
Tahoma's School Board members will be recognized at their Jan. 23 meeting.
Father-Daughter Ball announced
Community members are invited to save the date for this year's Father-Daughter Ball, which will be at 6 p.m. on Saturday, March 31 at Tahoma High School.
The high school PTA will host the event, and details are still being determined. Registration information will be shared soon.
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Coming up in Bear Country
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NO SCHOOL, districtwide, in observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day
TUESDAY, Jan. 16
I.D.E.A. Project at Cedar River Elementary, Jan. 16-19, CRES
FRIDAY, Jan. 19
Lake Wilderness Elementary family night, 6:30 p.m., LWES
THURSDAY, Jan. 24
Smarter Balanced parent workshop, for parents of students in grades 3-5; 6-7 p.m., Rock Creek Elementary library
SATURDAY, Jan. 27
"Lifting Literacy" event with performances by "Recess Monkey," a family music band; 10 a.m.-noon, Maple Valley Library
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What's for lunch?
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The Tahoma School District does not discriminate in any programs or activities on the basis of sex, race, creed, religion, color, national origin, age, veteran or military status, sexual orientation, gender expression or identity, disability, or the use of a trained dog guide or service animal and provides equal access to the Boy Scouts and other designated youth groups. The following employees have been designated to handle questions and complaints of alleged discrimination:
Title IX Officer
Director of Human Resources
25720 Maple Valley Highway
Maple Valley, WA 98038
425-413-3400
[email protected]
ADA Coordinator
Director of Human Resources
25720 Maple Valley Highway
Maple Valley, WA 98038
425-413-3400
[email protected]
Section 504 Coordinator
Director of Special Services
25720 Maple Valley Highway
Maple Valley, WA 98038
425-413-3400
[email protected]
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