.com
YOU’LL LIKE WHAT YOU SEE IN THE MIRROR
| 50¢
UPS TRUCK | Two are injured, one serious, when truck goes over embankment [3]
VOL. 13, NO. 403
MIRROR
F E D E R A L WAY
DIVISION OF SOUND PUBLISHING
OPINION | Hobbs: Connection between ‘third places’ and quality of life [4] Editorial: Cheers and jeers [4] More letters online CRIME BLOTTER | Suspects break into adjacent businesses through the walls [5] CALENDAR | Don’t miss free live jazz show Dec. 18 featuring Christmas songs [5]
SPORTS | FWHS grad Kelyn Rowe looks SATURDAY, DECEMBER 17, 2011 forward to Olympic soccer in 2012 [9]
SERVICE CLUBS | Federal Way service clubs continue their donating ways [7]
Schools revise controversial grading system BY GREG ALLMAIN gallmain@fedwaymirror.com
Federal Way Public Schools Superintendent Rob Neu announced some adjustments the district will make to its oft-discussed Standards Based Grading (SBG) system.
During the Dec. 13 school board meeting, Neu announced that three things will change: t 5FBDIFST XJMM CF BMMPXFE UP grade at the power standard level, meaning that not all of the multitude of learning targets under each power standard have to be met in order for a student to be
deemed proficient at the particular power standard. t 4FDPOEMZ B DMFBS EFTJHOBUJPO between homework and “practice” assignments has been installed for students and teachers, a move aimed at clearing up the perception that under Standards Based Education (SBE) and SBG, home-
work is inconsequential. t 'JOBMMZ UFBDIFST IBWF UIF choice to move from the current “zero and one” grading scale to a four, five or seven point scale, depending on whether the class is an “advanced” class. This change in scales is in response to students and parents being displeased with
Education report: City among local bright spots
City produces TV ad to lure businesses Doherty doesn’t expect people to pick up the editor@federalwaymirror.com phone immediately upon Federal Way is producviewing the commercial. ing a TV commercial However, the ad could aimed at luring more encourage businesses to businesses and people to consider the city when the city. looking for opportunities Set to debut in January, to expand in the future. the ad features two home“We are worming our town celebrities who pitch way into people’s brains a new marketing mesthat they’ll eventually sage: “Think smart. Move move here,” he said, citing fast. Think Federal Renton as a poster Way.” Wild Waves child for municipal Theme Park CEO campaigns BUSINESS media Jeff Stock and in the region. “It’s Seattle Sounda minor thing, it’s ers soccer player almost subliminal.” Lamar Neagle, who About two years attended Thomas Jefago, the city proferson High School, were duced a radio ad with a recruited for the ad. Stock similar mission. From an also owns Omni Propereconomic development ties and coffee company perspective, more local Caffe D’arte. jobs give more people an With a young pro athopportunity to stay here. lete and a successful busiDoherty said an estiness leader touting the mated 25,000 people from advantages of living and Federal Way commute to doing business in Federal other cities daily. Way, the ad campaign is The TV commercial is intended to rebrand the still in post-production. city’s image. Details about airtime are However, the ultimate still being worked out, but goal is to fill the city’s the project is expected to vacant commercial real cost about $10,000. The estate. Nearly 750,000 commercial was filmed square feet of office space last week at Starfire Sports (30 percent) sits empty. Complex in Tukwila “We’re trying to get where the Sounders train. onto people’s radar The Federal Way screens,” said Patrick Economic Development Doherty, director of Committee, comprised of economic development. citizens, the Federal Way The project is intended Chamber and city leaders, to plant the idea for began brainstorming six regional business owners months ago. (Read more to relocate to Federal Way. at federalwaymirror.com)
the lack of specificity that a simple zero and one scale has. Outside of those changes, Neu said the controversy over SBE and SBG is actually a positive. “Here’s the secret success to what we’ve done with the implementation…Everybody in this [ more GRADING, page 6 ]
BY ANDY HOBBS
BY GREG ALLMAIN gallmain@fedwaymirror.com
NEWS
Elizabeth Bennett helped organize a protest march Dec. 13 over the school district’s controversial standards based grading system. Bennett is part of the recently formed Occupy Federal Way movement. The march started at the park and ride (near The Commons) and ended at the school board meeting at City Hall. See more photos at federalwaymirror.com. ANDY HOBBS, The Mirror
Students make voices heard BY GREG ALLMAIN gallmain@fedwaymirror.com
With the conversation swirling around Standards Based Education (SBE) and Standards Based Grading (SBG) since the start of the school year, one group that hasn’t really been heard from so far is Federal Way students. A few here and there have taken the time to share their thoughts at Federal Way School Board meetings, but the conversations have mostly been dominated by parents and teachers. The students made a stand during the Dec. 13 meeting,
with a good chunk of the 22 public commenters being high school students from Federal Way. Leading off the night, and perhaps providing the best explanation of the grading system, was Thomas Jefferson High School student Julie Huber. Using a visual aid, Huber explained her thoughts on the unfairness she perceives within the system. Huber said she feels a relatively easy fix for SBG would be to have students evaluated, and their grades determined by, the learning targets instead of the power standards. (Read more about it online at federalwaymirror.com)
The Road Map Project released a report earlier this week, indicating that student achievement, especially among students of color, is in a “troubling state” in South King County and South Seattle. RMP is described as a program “aimed at getting dramatic improvement in student achievement from cradle to college and career.” According to the RMP, 34 percent of students in the region are not reading well by third grade, and only 24 percent of the region’s students are getting a college degree or career credential. The lack of secondary education is especially troubling for the RMP, with the organization saying 67 percent of workforce jobs will require a degree by 2018, a figure developed by [ more SCHOOLS, page 2 ]