The Journal of the San Juan Islands | SanJuanJournal.com
The Journal
Wednesday, August 28, 2013 — 9
island scene
Around Town
Labor Day alive & kicking at 2nd annual Music Fest page 10
What’s Happening! Wednesday, August 28 Intro to Decorative, Faux Painting, 3 p.m., library, free. A slideshow presentation by Ina Drosu features the application of traditional decorative, faux painting in today’s interior design, followed by Q &A. Info, 378-2798, www.sjlib.org
Thursday, August 29 Lapsit & Linger for Infants & Toddlers, 10-11 a.m., library, free. Caregivers, little ones learn rhymes, songs and finger plays, presented by Melina Lagios; first step towards literacy is loving words. Info, 3782798, www.sjlib.org
Friday, August 30 Storytime for preschoolers, 10:30-11:30 a.m., library, free. Children learn rhymes, songs and get ready to read; followed by games, crafts, early learning activities. Info, 378-2798, www.sjlib.org Friday Harbor Art Market Season Finale, 3-7 p.m., Brickworks Plaza, Sunshine Alley. Artists, food vendors, live music and more; Fridays through the end of August. Musical lineup for finale features Teddy Deane, followed by The Rocky Bay Boys. Info, pigmansartworks@rockisland. com or 378-0951. Music at the Port, 5-7 p.m., Jack Fairweather Park, Port of FH, Front St, free. Summer weekend music series features local singersongwriters, presented by the Port of Friday Harbor. Picnics encouraged. Info, 378-2688, www.portfridayharbor. org. ‘Look Up to the Stars’, 7 p.m., library, free. See Calendar, Page 12
By Scott Rasmussen Journal editor
S
ummer doesn’t officially end for almost another four weeks. But don’t mention that to students of San Juan Island School District. It could be cruel. For them, the bell tolls tomorrow, as in school bell. The rhythm of San Juan Island will undergo a seismic shift starting Thursday, as the 755 or so students of the island’s sole public school district will be first to cross the threshold in the annual back-toschool migration. The biggest change is arguably at the elementary school, where the building sports new siding, new windows, a fresh coat of paint and has a new principal at the helm. Hired in April, former Marysville middle school principal Diane Ball begins her tenure as principal of Friday Harbor elementary with the 2013-14 school year. Ball, a former elementary music teacher in Conway as well, for 18 years, feels right at home. “It’s about the same size,” she said. Over at the high school, Principal Fred Woods has three new teachers to introduce to the student body and an enrollment bump of about 25 sophomores to negotiate. Behind the scenes, there’s a new state-mandated teacher evaluation regimen to incorporate, one which Woods describes as “reciprocal accountability,” “labor intensive” and, ultimately, “helpful” for all involved (the elementary and middle schools will also use the same evaluation system).
School officials will also be busy completing designs for the antiquated tech building, which, thanks to a $1 million state STEM grant, will be remodeled into a facility dedicated to science, technology, engineering and math. The district has two years to complete the project. Following in the footsteps of their public school counterparts, students at Stillpoint School, a state-certified private K-6 school, and Paideia Classical School begin classes Tuesday, Sept. 3. The next day, Spring Street International School, with an anticipated enrollment of about 80 students, 47 at the high school and 33 in middle school, begins its school year. Headmaster Louis O’Prussack is thrilled to have back the entire faculty from a year ago, totaling 10 full-time and eight part-time teachers. “That’s golden,” he said. O’Prussack said four new Advanced Placement courses have been added to the curriculum, that Spring Street will be home to 16 students from abroad, and that a few more students are expected this year from Lopez and Orcas islands. Along with last year’s addition of an on-campus dormitory, the school is installing 1,600 square feet of permeable paver stones in what’s known as the “quad area” as both a gathering place and to help better define a “campus feel”. All in all, it sounds like a pretty busy start to the school year on San Juan Island.