The earliest possible date for elementary students to return to in-person/hybrid learning will be in January, according to action taken by the Tahoma School Board on Tuesday. The earliest possible return for secondary students is proposed for after the semester break on Jan. 26, if COVID-19 rates allow.

“We will be carefully monitoring health conditions as we head out of the holiday season. We are being cautious to not instill a false sense of expectation regarding reentry for large cohorts. We recently had another positive case in one of our schools and continue to seek guidance from county and state health officials regarding additional cohorts returning to class,” Superintendent Mike Hanson said. “We are thankful to our community and families for their patience and partnership. We are also appreciative to our amazing staff as they have adapted so quickly to changing conditions and expectations.” 

The board’s action came after the district’s COVID-19 Task Force made a recommendation regarding the earliest return date, during the board’s Oct. 27 meeting. Task force members shared with the board that the primary reasons for their recommendation were input from parent/guardian and staff surveys, the timing of Winter Break and the likely increase in transmission rates during the holidays, following the state Department of Health Decision Tree’s recommendations for phased re-entry and calendar considerations at the secondary level to support the timing of the semesters.

Other considerations that the task force mentioned included the social-emotional health of students, the quality of the remote and in-person programs, trends in COVID-19 rates (including local vs. county rates), Public Health protocols, the ability to staff not only classrooms but fill sub positions, bus driver positions and other vital needs throughout the district, student/family needs in the community such as childcare and other factors.

During the Oct. 27 meeting, the board members asked clarifying questions and decided to wait until this week’s meeting to make a decision. 

The district continues to stay in contact with health officials from Public Health -- Seattle & King County, as well as the state Department of Health. It regularly monitors the transmission rate for Maple Valley and King County, along with the other Key Indicators listed in the DOH Decision Tree, which was recently updated: Current Decision Tree document.

In general, hybrid/in-person learning is not recommended until the COVID-19 activity level is fewer than 75 new cases per 100,000 residents over 14 days. Today’s rate in King County is 212 new cases per 100,000 residents in the past two weeks. Maple Valley’s rate today is at 165.7 (This does not include surrounding areas such as unincorporated Hobart, Renton, Black Diamond, Kent and King County, some parts of which fall within the Tahoma School District boundaries). The Decision Tree further calls for beginning with “careful phasing in of in-person learning, starting with elementary students,” then “Over time, if schools can demonstrate the ability to limit transmission in the school environment, add in-person learning for middle and high school students.”

Design and engineering work for installation of a six-classroom modular building at Cedar River Elementary School will move ahead, following approval by the Tahoma School Board at its Nov. 10 meeting.

The board approved a contract for design services with Aries Building Systems of Bellevue for $39,125. The contract covers only the design of the structure, not its construction. The proposed addition would be located adjacent to the bus lane in the rear of the school campus. Unlike portable classroom structures, the building would be placed on a concrete foundation and will have six classrooms, restrooms and utility rooms all under one roof. 

Adding classrooms at Cedar River is part of the district’s response to recent enrollment increases. Purchase and installation of the modular structure can proceed after design work is completed and is presented to the School Board.

In other business Tuesday, the board:

The Wednesday schedule for students at both middle schools will change next month, in an adjustment designed to make the remote learning model more effective for students, teachers and staff members. Under the new schedule, Wednesdays will include a mix of extended WIN time and independent choice time, which will enable several key opportunities for students and staff. 

Students who need additional academic help will have more time to receive it. They’ll be assigned to WIN time based on missing homework, grades, or attendance. And, students who may benefit from mental health supports, mentor opportunities, counseling groups and more will have time to participate in those. Teachers and staff members will have a structure that creates dedicated time on Wednesdays to meet one on one or in small groups with students for additional support. Teachers will also have some collaborative time to plan and create content and lessons and provide additional feedback to students.  

In a presentation to the School Board on Nov. 3, Summit Trail Principal Sean Cassidy and Maple View Principal Bill Weis shared a look at the process and thinking behind this shift, reviewing the district’s priority beliefs for middle school; middle school student, parent and staff survey responses; student risk data; staff listening sessions; and focus group feedback.

Making this shift will promote student growth and wellness, and is a great example of the “improvement mindset,” Cassidy and Weis said.

“As a learning organization in Tahoma, we are continually looking for opportunities to improve our practice and service to our students and families,” Cassidy said. “This has never been more important than during this remote learning experience.”

Parents, guardians and students received notice of the change last week. It will begin on Dec. 2, although the two Wednesdays before that date will be asynchronous for students so that teachers and staff can take part in training and preparing for implementation of the new model. In case any middle school families missed that communication, click here for Summit Trail’s letter and schedule; click here for Maple View’s letter and schedule.

While some students are thriving in the current remote-learning model, others are not. It’s clear from tracking D and F grades that significant numbers of our middle school students need more help and support, and this adjustment will support meeting that need. The equity gap has widened since the pandemic began, they noted during their presentation to the board.

“There are unique stories behind each of these kids,” Weis said. “This new structure isn’t going to fix everything, but it will bring some opportunities and hope.”

Discovery Program students from Cedar River Elementary and Lake Wilderness Elementary recently had the chance to dig into their science lesson, using some simple at-home hydroponics kits that teachers Erin Kalb and Kelley Weiner included in their supply pick-up.

While science isn’t currently included as one of the three core subjects in the remote learning model, Kalb and Weiner wanted to incorporate science into the curriculum for Discovery students so that they could tap into their natural sense of curiosity.

“We began by sending home science experiment kits in every supply pickup with background information for the processes at play, but realized that students need concrete practice at engaging with scientific texts and opportunities to apply and extend their knowledge,” Kalb said. “Now, students have dedicated science lessons twice a week in addition to experiment kits in their supply pickups. My students also have science notebooks where they record observations of natural phenomena and document their experiments and results.”

The current unit focuses on the organisms and processes involved in different ecosystems. In order to see producers at work and to investigate factors involved in seed germination, students received a simple hydroponics kit with paper towels, lima bean seeds, and a plastic bag. 

“They were asked to design an experiment to test whether a seed could germinate by altering factors in the bean’s environment. Some students chose to investigate the effect of the color spectrum, others opted for different amounts of light, others tried different soil mixtures, and some lost their beans to a hungry dog. The goal of this inquiry was to demonstrate to students that a seed can germinate without soil. In hydroponics, the nutrients are available at the plant's roots,” Kalb said. “So, without any work, the plant gets its food and nutrition. A plant with roots in soil has to work hard to extract its nutrition from the soil, and it can waste large quantities of energy. A plant in nutrient-rich water can spend its energy growing bigger leaves, fruits, and flowers in a shorter amount of time. Students also learned that hydroponics is a more viable agricultural practice in areas where the soils are not arable and in areas where there is no soil.”

Students shared:

Students have considered how various constraints and criteria could be adjusted in the future if they were to conduct another hydroponics experiment, Kalb said. “It has been extraordinary to see the wonder of science back in our classroom!”

When Christine Wilson’s fifth-grade students picked up a recent bunch of supplies, there was one particularly sweet item for each of her Polar Bear students: a donut. The next day on Oct. 31, in lieu of a usual harvest celebration, Wilson offered her class the chance to participate in a good ol’ fashioned (pun intended) donut eating contest.

“They had a blast. Almost all of them participated but they weren’t expected to. I saw some of them just watching and eating their own donut,” Wilson said.

As another sweet addition to the event, Glacier Park Dean of Students Kyle Hood visited Wilson’s classroom to take on the fifth-graders, as he has for the past few years. The donut contest has become a legendary tradition in Wilson’s class, for the past 15 years or more, she said.

“Activities like this do help (create connections). I know other teachers have done fun activities like scavenger hunts. I just wanted to give them something to look forward to since it was Halloween,” said Wilson, who has also been known to throw an occasional “Blizzard party,” just before winter break, which features treats from Dairy Queen and a “snowman” making contest using toilet paper.

Student Audrey E. won the donut-eating crown this year, but, of course, there’s no real loser when students have the chance to build connections and friendships with one another and their teacher -- and start the day with a donut!

To see the fun in action, click here.

Maple View Middle School students in Meghann Galland John’s class recently had the chance to watch science in action via Zoom, as she conducted an experiment demonstrating the answer to the question “Is it possible to live safely in the Ring of Fire?” and its connection to the Module 2 driving question “Why is the Ring of Fire so active?”

During the experiment, John encourages her students to share their observations in the chat.

“My students are studying the Ring of Fire, and they were learning about what drives the movement of the tectonic plates,” she explained via email. “This model does a wonderful job of showing the students how the mantle is able to move because of the heat from the Earth’s core, and in turn moves the tectonic plates.”

“The kids were so excited to see this happening live! I was able to see and engage with students who are rarely willing to have their cameras on, which in this teaching model is a huge win,” John said.

Two student responses to the lesson she said that she loved hearing were: “Now I understand how the plates move!” and “This is the best class I’ve been to!”

Maple View Principal Bill Weis, who had the chance to visit the class via Zoom for the experiment, said “I love the strong ‘through line,’ of connecting the unit question to the module driving question, the learning target and the student learning experience.” Weis is a former science teacher and instructional coach. “Meghann does a skillful job conducting an in-home demonstration over a laptop and, at the same time, interacting with students over chat.” 

For a video clip showing part of the demonstration, click here.

At the Tahoma School Board meeting on Tuesday, Superintendent Mike Hanson shared this land acknowledgement during his administrative report to the board, in recognition of Native American Heritage Month:

“The Tahoma School District would like to acknowledge that we are on the traditional land of the first people who lived in Maple Valley, the Duwamish and Coast Salish tribes. We honor the unique heritage of this area’s First People, and affirm a commitment to respecting each tribe’s cultural identity. Native American contributions and values have shaped the social, political, environmental and economic fabric of the state and November has been proclaimed Native American Heritage Month by Governor Jay Inslee.”

The land acknowledgement is being added to the district’s Equity page, and will be shared on district social media accounts.

Community members are invited to join us for the first virtual event in a series about finance, at 6:30 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 30. To attend, please email TSDMessages@tahomasd.us to request the link, which we will share beginning on Nov. 25 in order to protect the virtual meeting from hackers.

We'll share more about:

 

Niche, a web-based research and marketing company, rates Tahoma School District 10th best among the 254 school districts surveyed and eighth-best in the Seattle area, in its annual rankings.

According to its website, Niche uses data analysis and reviews from students, parents and teachers to compute ratings for school districts and individual schools, using a grading scale that ranges from A+ to D-. Tahoma’s overall grade is A. It received an A grade in these categories: academics, teachers, clubs and activities, sports, and college prep. It received an A- in administration, food, health and safety. It received a B+ in resources and facilities and a B- in diversity.

Niche also listed the district as 11th in having the best teachers in Washington; 15th best for athletes; 21st for best places to teach; and 41st safest.

The other districts in the Top 10 are, in order: Mercer Island, Bellevue, Bainbridge Island, Lake Washington, Issaquah, Northshore, Camas, University Place, and Olympia.

 

The Tahoma School District calendar is now available online for the 2021-2022 school year, for planning purposes. To find the calendar, click here: https://bit.ly/TSDcalendar21to22schoolYear

Or, for other district calendars, click here: https://www.tahomasd.us/our_district/school-year_calendars 

Families in need are eligible for a Thanksgiving meal basket from the Maple Valley Food Bank & Emergency Services. “If you’ve found yourself in need this season, the Maple Valley Food Bank stands ready to help,” said Lindsey Habenicht, executive director of the food bank.

The baskets contain traditional American Thanksgiving items such as stuffing, gravy, green beans, fruit cocktail, turkey, pie and more, and are available each Tuesday and Wednesday until Thanksgiving Day. 

Anyone who is not already a registered client of the food bank will be asked to complete a quick intake form, and to show ID for the primary adult in the household as well as proof of address. Those who are already registered may pick up their Thanksgiving basket during any regular grocery pickup. Pickup hours are from 10:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Tuesdays, and from 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Wednesdays.

Those who reside in Maple Valley, Black Diamond, and within the boundaries of the Tahoma School District are eligible. For more information or answers to questions, email the food bank at info@maplevalleyfoodbank.org or call 425-432-8333.

Registration for students who will attend kindergarten in the 2021-2022 school year is open now, in an online format. 

To enroll their student, parents/guardians are asked to go to the Tahoma website to complete the necessary documentation by Jan. 31, 2021. This will ensure that you are notified of kindergarten transition activities and events being planned by your child’s school. After enrolling your child, you will also receive monthly the Tahoma Kindergarten Readiness Newsletter delivered to your email.

For more information about kindergarten, click here. If you do not have a child who will attend kindergarten next year, but know of a family in the Tahoma School District that does have an incoming kindergarten student, please share this information.

If you are unsure which elementary building your child will attend, click here to enter your address in our online map. Or, for assistance, call the Transportation Department at 425-413-3220.

Families with children who are ages 2-5 may also want to consider participating in our READY! For Kindergarten parent workshops. More information about those sessions can be found at bit.ly/TSDREADYforKindergarten.

The window for highly capable nominations is being postponed until at least January 2021, due to limitations resulting from the global pandemic. More information will be communicated when we have a clearer idea on next steps for assessing students for highly capable programs during these uncertain, unpredictable times. 

Students currently in ninth grade who are in foster care, or whose families are homeless, receive SNAP/TANF benefits, or considered low income, are encouraged to sign up for the College Bound Scholarship program. 

 

The College Bound scholarship was created to provide state financial aid to low-income students who may not consider college a possibility due to the cost. Normally, students must sign up in seventh or eighth grade, but the deadline for the class of 2024 has been extended to Nov. 30. Applications and signature pages must be submitted by Nov. 30.

 

Here's a link to a flyer to learn more and to help see if your student qualifies (The flyer says "Middle school" and "7th and 8th grade," but it's applicable to current ninth-graders as well):

Here is the link to the website to apply.

Tahoma High School’s first-ever virtual choir concert premiered last week, with an incredible lineup of songs, under the direction of Ken Riggs and Rachel Pack.

When introducing the song, “1,000 Beautiful Things” by Annie Lennox, a member of the Chamber Choir said, “It’s important to remember that good things do exist in a year like this.” 

Students recorded their parts for each song individually, then the directors combined them, and added accompaniment.

“This has been a challenging exercise. I’ve often said that how choral musicians use their ear is just as important as how they use their voice,” teacher Ken Riggs said. “The fact that they can’t hear each other while recording their parts takes out a critical element of music-making.”

To watch the concert, click here: https://youtu.be/yeIREU1X-Qo

Senior Ian Duarte said that at first he wasn’t a big fan of the concept, but that soon changed. “After Mr. Riggs showed us the first draft of one of the pieces, I wasn’t worried anymore,” Duarte said. “I think he did the best with what he was given, and I appreciate his effort and work.”

Junior Michaela Jones said her initial thought was that the virtual concert sounded somewhat impossible. “I wasn’t quite sure what it was going to look like or even sound like. However, when we watched our very first recording, I was surprised -- pleasantly -- at how possible it really was. We sounded pretty good for being virtual and never actually having the opportunity to sing together in person.”

Most of the students said that while the virtual concert was a good solution to the challenges presented by remote learning, they look forward to being back together and able to sing together in person someday.

“When you send in a video singing alone and then someone puts it together to create a virtual choir, it’s artificial,” junior Cooper Perez said. “You can’t artificially create something like togetherness, which puts (a) disconnect between the music and the choir.”

The virtual concert included performances from the high school’s Chamber Choir, Treble Choir, Beginning Men’s Choir and fourth period Women’s Choir.

Meals are being served curbside, free to Tahoma students and any children 18 and younger, via a USDA program, at Lake Wilderness Elementary and Tahoma High School. For times and other details, click here.

To check out what's on the menu, click here.