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MR. FEDERAL WAY | What do you think of driver who got reduced sentence? [5]
VOL. 15, NO. 50
Mirror
F E D E R A L WAY
division of Sound Publishing
OPINION | Editor’s Note: New editor wants to hear from you [4] Roegner: Grading changes to bring challenges [4] CITY | Federal Way Council reviews Panther Lake trail project [9] HATE CRIME | Man sentenced for attacking Sikh cab driver [16]
SPORTS | Seattle U’s Umipig is Player of CALENDAR | Toy donations needed for Giving Tree at The Commons [17] FRIDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2013 | 75¢ the Week [18-20]
School district finalizes changes to grading system Neu cautions new system set for Dec. 13 could create more stress during implementation by Greg Allmain gallmain@fedwaymirror.com
T
A group of kids pose for a photo with the Tacoma Rainiers’ mascot Rhubarb the Reindeer during the annual Winter Fest and tree lighting event at The Commons on Friday. Bruce honda, Contributed
MORE PHOTOS online… federalwaymirror.com
Winter Fest brings out holiday cheer, reindeer Mirror staff reports
Hundreds of holiday enthusiasts gathered at The Commons in Federal Way on Dec. 6 for the annual Winter Fest and tree light-
ing event. The event included performances by the Federal Way Youth Symphony Orchestra, Harmony Kings and Jet Cities Chorus. In addition, children and
adults alike gathered for a Santa social and to greet the Tacoma Rainiers’ mascot, Rhubarb the Reindeer. With cups of complimentary Starbucks hot chocolate in hand, the
By Carrie Rodriguez
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Federal Way police are asking for the public’s help in identifying two suspects who allegedly kidnapped and robbed a woman at the Commons Mall while she was on her lunch break on Oct. 4. The incident happened around 12:15 p.m. when the FREE
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Police seek suspects who kidnapped, robbed woman editor@federalwaymirror.com
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crowd listened later in the evening as Federal Way Mayor-elect Jim Ferrell and other city leaders welcomed the holiday season with a tree lighting.
he Federal Way Public Schools (FWPS) board of directors voted unanimously to finalize the changes to the district’s grading system during its Dec. 10 meeting, changing from the “Power Law/Conditional Matrix” grading system, to one the district termed “averaging/ averaging.” The changes will go into effect on Dec. 13. “The board approved a change to the calculation of the grading policy, as it relates to the calculations of the assessment and assignment level and the determination of a priority standard score,” Superintendent Rob Neu began. “Tonight,
we’re going to take the next step in recommendations (gathered from) further input, conversations, a work study, several meetings with students, and the opportunity to meet with staff over the last two weeks…What Mr. Mayberry is presenting is that average of the assessments into a priority standard, and then averaging of the priority standards into a final grade.” Neu noted that with the change, students will be scored on a 1-4 scale at the assignment and assessment level. “This is what’s confusing to people, is that a 1, 2, 3, 4 is not equivalent to an F, C, B, A. So basically, a 1 or 2 are not meeting standard. For instance, the average of assignments and assessments may accumulate to a 3.2 at the priority standard level, and then those 3.2s, 2.8s and 2.6s get averaged into a final grade,” Neu explained. Neu called on Vince
victim took her lunch break and with the second suspect. was walking back to her vehicle The victim pled for her life and parked near Macys. offered to get cash from The first suspect a nearby bank, which contacted her, she drove them to. She showed the butt of withdrew $1,000 from her his gun and implied account while the suspects he had a bomb, waited in her car, the noaccording to Crime tice continues. Stoppers of Puget One of the suspects then Suspect one Suspect two Sound. He allegedly stole the victim’s diamond forced the victim to ring and both men fled on drive him around until they met up foot.
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Crime Stoppers of Puget Sound and the Federal Way Police Department released a Crime Stopper poster depicting the two suspects. Suspect one is described as a 30-year-old light skinned black male, 6 feet tall and weighing 200 pounds. He is described as having a foreign accent - possibly Kenyan with noticeably gapped front teeth. The man was wearing white tennis shoes with orange stripes. [ more SUSPECTS, page 15 ]
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