By Crystal Hayduk
Shawn Quilter and Kristin van Reesema took the oath of office to officially become the newest members of the Chelsea School District Board of Education at the meeting on Jan. 9.
Quilter, van Reesema, and incumbent Laura Bush were elected last November and will serve six-year terms.
New board officers were elected: president – Anne Mann, vice-president – Tammy Lehman, secretary – Laura Bush, and treasurer – Greg Rhodes.
North Creek Principal Luman Strong, accompanied by Marcus Kaemming, executive director of instruction, curriculum and human resources, and Sandy Lantis, kindergarten teacher, presented a proposal to consider implementing a Young Fives program.
The program would benefit students who turn five between July 1 and Dec. 1 who are not ready for the structure and pace of kindergarten. Young Fives’ curriculum would parallel kindergarten material, but Strong and Lantis emphasized that the program would be developmentally appropriate and permit plenty of time for socialization and play. It would not be a kindergarten substitute.
Parents of children whose birthdays fall within the eligibility window would make the enrollment decision for the free program (within school-specified space limitations) which would run during regular school hours.
Strong shared research citing the benefits of a Young Fives program, North Creek parent survey results, and implications for initiation and sustainability.
During the opportunity for public input, five individuals consisting of a child care provider, a former preschool director, and parents, addressed the board with concerns about a Young Fives program. They questioned a full-day program, class size, a “push-down curriculum,” and the need for Young Fives through the school district when private programs exist locally.
Although there was some discussion between administration and the public during the meeting, Strong plans to provide further information with specific curriculum information and a typical day’s agenda.
Elementary art teacher Penny Olsen presented the Monster Match-Up project to the school board (related story here). Olsen and high school art teacher Geo Rutherford brought students from two second-grade classes and the high school ceramics class together for the project, which involved high school students creating three-dimensional figures based on drawings of monsters done by the younger students.
“The second graders trusted that the high school students would respect what they had drawn,” said Olsen.
Several second graders brought the sculptures and talked to the board about the experience. Olsen said that on the day the students met, one of the second graders said, “Can this day get any better?”
In other board news:
- The board approved guidelines for student board liaisons, new and revised board policies, and high school course offerings for the 2017-18 school year.
- The board viewed a “thank you” video made by second grade teacher Eric Robinson with two students to mark School Board Recognition Month.
Upcoming dates:
- The next school board meeting will be at 6:30 p.m. on Jan. 23 in the board room at the Washington Street Education Center.
