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CHILDREN MATTER | Birth to Three serves kids with developmental disabilities [2]
VOL. 15, NO. 47
Mirror
F E D E R A L WAY
division of Sound Publishing
OPINION | Roegner: Ode to the best and brightest [4] Q&A with Mr. Federal Way: Perception is everything for FWPS [5] BURGLARS | FW woman keeps an eye on suspicious activity in her neighborhood [3] CRIME BLOTTER | Escaped prisoner found sleeping in a restaurant [3]
SPORTS | Prep football playoff action: FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2013 | 75¢ Eagles head to quarterfinals [10-14]
Bus riders fear cuts to Metro service By Greg Allmain gallmain@fedwaymirror.com
With two temporary funding measures set to expire in the next year, King County Metro is once again faced with the possibility of fairly severe cuts to its service hours. According to Metro, if a stable funding source is not figured out in the near future, 74 of Metro’s 214 routes would be eliminated, while 107 routes would be reduced or revised. For Federal Way residents, the possibility of these cuts is a cause for concern because many rely on Metro and other regional transit services to get around. In Federal Way, up to four routes could be eliminated, and a number of others would be revised. “What they’re doing to people who are disabled, that don’t drive and everything, they are screwing with people [ more METRO, page 23 ]
CALENDAR | Centerstage Theatre presents annual holiday Panto ‘Aladdin’ [15]
‘Modifications’ ahead for grading system Mirror staff reports
A letter from Superintendent Rob Neu indicates that Federal Way Public Schools could change its controversial grading system. Posted on the school district’s website Wednesday, the letter also encourages parents, staff and students to participate in an online
survey about the grading system. staff to gather input on the current “I have been working through grading system. Our initial review a process of developing a indicates modifications are recommendation for the needed.” NEWS school board on the stanResults of the survey will dards-based grading system be shared at the Nov. 26 for the board to consider at meeting, which begins at the Nov. 26 board meeting,” 6 p.m. at City Hall council Neu wrote. “We have been chambers, 33325 8th Ave. S. working with students, parents and The initial motivation for replac-
UPDATE
ing the traditional grading system with standards-based grading (SBG) was to improve the district’s graduation rate, which currently hovers just above 70 percent. SBG went into effect in fall 2011, and sparked a public debate over its strengths and shortcomings. Parents and students have criticized [ more GRADING, page 23 ]
Decatur High School Principal David Brower paints a school in Ghana during a recent trip in November. COURTESY OF VINCE BLAUSER
Educators travel to Ghana and Michigan By ANDY HOBBS
‘Pickle gals’ highlight Farmers Market’s winter bazaar Lynnae Schneller and Aly Cullinane, founders of Lynnae’s Gourmet Pickles that were featured on the TV show “Shark Tank,” attended the grand opening of the Federal Way Winter Farmers Market and Holiday Gift Bazaar last Saturday. The market is open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays through Dec. 23 at The Commons Mall, across from Famous Footwear.
NEWSPAPER RACKS: To see a list of rack locations for the print edition of The Mirror, visit federalwaymirror.com/about_us.
PHOTOS BY BRUCE HONDA
editor@federalwaymirror.com
A handful of Federal Way Public Schools (FWPS) officials recently traveled to Michigan and Ghana on “study missions.” The trip to Ghana was part of the school district’s partnership with Free the Children, which encourages students to perform local and global service projects. Four local educators visited the West African nation from Nov. 2-11. As required by the program, the trip’s purpose was to screen locations in Ghana for safety before Federal Way students embarked on
GRAND OPENING PREVIEW O U T
future service projects. Vince Blauser, executive director of secondary schools, was joined by Todd Beamer High School Principal Joni Hall, Decatur High School Principal David Brower, and TAF Academy Dean of Students Ryan Preis. The four educators helped build and paint schools in villages, all while looking for “transformative” opportunities for Federal Way students, Blauser said. Another eye opening experience, he said, was replicating the daily ritual of gathering water in a typical Ghanaian village where people live a subsistence [ more TRIPS, page 23 ]
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