Superintendent’s Message:

Welcome to the 2013-14 School Year!

Snoqualmie Valley School District

At a Glance… An e-newsletter to inform our learning community

Welcome Back to School

Important Dates:

September 4— First Day of Class for grades 1-12

September 9 — First day for Kindergarten & Preschool

September 10 — SVSD Employee Benefits Fair, 2:30-7pm at MSHS

Interested in a Classroom Grant?

SV Schools Foundation is now accepting applications for classroom grants. Deadline to apply is October 5, at 5pm. Apply here.

Best of Luck to the Raven Iron Maidens

team of teachers who are compet-ing in the Sept. 7 Iron Horse Relay in North Bend.

The fundamental

purpose of the

Snoqualmie Valley

School District

Is to ensure

high levels of learning

for every student.

Edition 33 SEPTEMBER 2013 Edition 34

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Joel Aune Superintendent

Welcome New SVSD Teachers!

A warm welcome to many new and familiar faces! Pictured left to right in front row:

Tiffany Adams (MSHS), Melissa Sullivan (CVES), Haley Franzwa (MSHS), Cathy Kilian (OES), Wendy Harrison (FCES), Stacey Anderson (FCES), Alexandra Clark (PPP), Rachel Horkin (MSHS). In 2nd row, left-to-right: Leah Moore (CVES), Julie Hurley (MSHS), Jenelle Johnson (MSHS), Jennifer Jorgensen (OES), Jeana Gresham (OES), Nancy Kinsella-Johnson (TFMS), Jodi Zygar (TFMS), Jared Burrow (TFMS), Joe Baginski (MSHS). Last row: Chris Russell (MSHS), Laura Thompson (CKMS), Gary Werner (TFMS), Daniel McCafferty (TFMS), Leslie Seelye (MSHS), Terra Solkey (TFMS), Dan Taylor (TFMS), Holli Dexheimer (MSHS), Bruce Duba (MSHS), Ryan Winkelmann (CKMS), Bryan Smelcer (TFMS) and Luke Talbot (CKMS).

It seems like only yesterday when we were winding down a successful school year and celebrating our accomplishments and those of our students. Tomorrow it’s back to school for nearly 6,500 students who live in our community. They return to outstanding schools; schools that received state and national recognition last year. Our students resume their education in schools which helped them attain impressive levels of academic accomplishments at all grade levels, excel in extracurricular activities, shine in the arts, grow in confidence, and develop persever-ance when faced with challenge.

I want to welcome our new colleagues and acknowledge all of you for your work to get your classrooms and schools ready for our students' arrival tomorrow morning. I wish you the very best during the coming year.

Have a great week,

Joel

Congratulations

Nathan Barnes, SES teacher got engaged this sum-mer.

Tori Ringeon, SES Preschool teacher got married. She now goes by Tori Miller.

Two MSHS teach-ers got married this summer: Me-gan Slechta (now goes by Marino), and Haley Franzwa (is now Haley Isaacs).

Two Mount Si educators had babies during the break: Diane Sidari had a girl named Stella, and Lindsay Greene had a boy named Ezra!

Kate Walsh, FCES teacher got married in July.

Salina Marth, NBE teacher got mar-ried July 27 — now goes by Salina Fassler.

Our sincere condolences to the family and friends of bus driver J. Kelly Johnson, who passed away July 9, 2013.

Help tell the positive stories of your schools, Send story ideas to malcolmc@ svsd410.org or call Carolyn at 425-831-8423.

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IMPORTANT: All Staff Must Re-enroll for Benefits this year

New this year – Because we’re moving to online enrollment, all employees must re-enroll all of their benefits under Employee Access Online Open Enrollment. Even if you plan on making no changes to your current coverage, you must re-enroll. The dead-line to enroll is midnight September 13.

To begin enrollment, you will need your Employee Access Login ID and password. If you are enrolling your spouse and/or dependents, you will also need their social security numbers and birthdates. Click here to begin your enrollment process. More infor-mation about the options is available online under Staff Resources/Benefits. There are two upcoming opportunities scheduled for enrollment assistance: A lab on Friday, September 6, from 1-4 p.m., @ the Freshman Campus library At the Employee Benefits Fair on September 10, from 2:30-7 p.m., @ Mount Si H.S.

Contract Negotiations Continue… Discussions are continuing with all three unions that represent SVSD employees. To help keep the community apprised of developments, the District is providing updates on the district website and through E-News, as new information becomes available.

End-of-Summer Professional Development

Special Thanks to the Technology Team and TILTs (teacher trainers) who helped put on this year’s August 21-22 Summer Learning Academy and the Aug. 28 District Tech Kick Off Day.

A lot of new ideas and tools were shared on ways to help engage students in their learning and spark their creativity!

Welcome!

Tiffany Adams, MSHS teacher

Stacey Anderson, FCES teacher

Joseph Baginski, MSHS teacher

Mark Bewsey, MSHS coach

Jared Burrow, TFMS teacher

Alexandra Clark, Parent Partnership Program

Holli Dexheimer, MSHS teacher

Haley Franzwa, MSHS teacher

Jeana Gresham, OES teacher

Heather Hammerly bus driver

Wendy Harrison, FCES teacher

Amber Henry OES IA

Rachel Horkin, MSHS teacher

Julie Hurley, MSHS teacher

Jenelle Johnson, MSHS teacher

Jennifer Jorgensen, OES teacher

Cathy Kilian, OES teacher

Nancy Kinsella-Johnson, TFMS teacher

Maria Kritsonis, Two Rivers secretary

Daniel McCafferty, TFMS teacher

Leah Moore, CVES teacher

Monica Phillips, TFMS asst. principal

Jennifer Richter OES Nurse

Christopher Russell, MSHS teacher

Craig Seaver bus driver

Leslie Seelye, MSHS teacher

Bryan Smelcer, TFMS teacher

Terra Solkey, TFMS teacher

Catherine Spellman OES IA

Melissa Sullivan, CVES teacher

Daniel Taylor, TFMS teacher

To be continued next month….

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NBE Teacher Reaches New Heights in Quest to Hike the World’s Top Ten Trails In an effort to hike the world's top ten trails (currently at #5) Tom Fladland, North Bend Elementary 4th grade teacher (pictured on left), and his uncle Tom, hiked the 94 mile trail called “The West Highland Way” in Scotland this summer. The trail ends at Ben Nevis, the highest peak in the United Kingdom. Pending wife approval, Kilimanjaro is next on his list!

Back-to-School Snapshots!