High Quality Instruction and Learning for Every Child, Every Day in Every Classroom
Hundreds of seniors graduate with meaningful diplomas Hundreds of Renton School District high school students graduated recently after years of hard work, determination and personal accomplishments. Students learned to think analytically, logically and creatively; and understand
how their work ethic will affect future career and educational opportunities. The students worked hard to meet all graduation requirements including: • complete classes to gain at least 22 credits in language arts, mathematics, the sciences, social studies, career and technical education, and electives; and • pass classroom- and schoolbased tests, and state tests in reading, writing and mathematics; • create a plan for life after high school designed to help them regularly think about their future and select course work that will best prepare them for their post high school goals.
Through the high-quality work of teachers and school staff, and with the countless hours of parent assistance, district high school graduates can read with comprehension, write effectively, and communicate successfully in a variety of ways and settings and with a variety of audiences; they know and apply the core concepts and principles of mathematics; social, physical, and life sciences; civics and history, including different cultures and participation in representative government; geography; arts; and health and fitness; they integrate experience and knowledge to form reasoned judgments and solve problems; and they understand the importance of work and finance and how performance, effort,
and decisions directly affect future career and educational opportunities.
Hazen High School senior named a 2015 Gates Millennium Scholar Hazen High School Hazen High School senior Minh-Thu Nguyen has been named a 2015 Gates Millennium Scholar. Minh-Thu is one of only 1,000 high school and college students worldwide to win the prestigious
award based on her academic achievement, community service and leadership abilities. As part of the award, she will be granted a full-ride college and graduate school scholarship funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to pursue a medical degree at the University of Washington. Minh-Thu co-founded the school's Asian Student Coalition Club to help educate students on relatable and sensitive topics to raise awareness of social injustices within
the Asian American community. While chances of receiving the award are slim due to the tens of thousands of highlyqualified applicants, Renton School District students have had great success in winning the prominent scholarship. Recent past award winners include Lindbergh High senior Thanh Dinh in 2014, and Renton High School seniors Lindsay Dacuan in 2010 and Rakib Mirza in 2011.
District cutting energy use and saving taxpayer dollars Renton School District is cutting energy use to save taxpayer dollars and reduce its carbon footprint. Working with Puget Sound Energy (PSE), during the first half of this school year, the district upgraded lights to LED technology in parking lots at 16 different schools and district facilities. With the upgrade, the district is expected to save more than 415,000 kilowatt-hours of power every year. That’s the equivalent to the electric usage of an elementary school or around 35 homes during a year’s time. The project is also expected to cut the district’s electric bill by around $28,000 per year and have significant maintenance savings.
PSE recently presented the district with an energy efficiency rebate of $80,693. Additionally, Tiffany Park Elementary School has been designated a King County Earth Hero School for implementing projects that help protect the environment. Tiffany Park students and staff—under the guidance of 4th-grade teacher Jane Lambert and 5th-grade teacher John Paul—are designated a Level 2 Green School for reducing waste from 30% to 60% in one year through recycling in the lunchroom and school wide.
Local support of Friends of Renton Schools foundation means hundreds of students will attend high-level summer programs Thanks to local funding and support of education, hundreds of district elementary middle and high school students will be able to continue their learning this summer by attending summer programs at schools throughout the district. With the financial support provided by local businesses and individual donors through the Friends of Renton School foundation, students will attend Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) programs including robotics camps, math & science exploration camps, LEGO science/robotics building programs and more. The summer programs work to enrich
student science content knowledge and engineering practices, which are taught by highly-qualified teachers in schools that are positive, engaging, interactive and constructive places to learn. Through the district’s summer camp model, student curiosity is inspired while they develop a love of science and engineering. District teachers involved in the programs attend training and powerful collaboration sessions during the summer, which increases their capacity in science and engineering practices that they take back to their classrooms in the fall. See some of the financial supporters of Friends of Renton Schools on the back of
this newsletter. You, too, can support local learning by donating at www.friendsofrentonschools.org.
Hazen High School brings back Marching Band Thanks to financial supporters of music in schools, Hazen High School’s Highlander band students, under direction of band and orchestra teacher Chris Coy, will have a new Marching Band in the fall. To help bring back the program, an anonymous donor pledged a $2,000 matching gift if band students could raise their own $2,000 by the end of the school year. The students met their matching gift campaign goal by hosting a breakfast fundraiser, collecting online donations from parents and the public, and other means. Band Director Coy will use the funds to purchase a sousaphone, marching French horns, marching baritones, uniforms and more. Students will begin practice during the summer (much like high school football teams) and be ready for performances at parades and field shows. Music supporters can still donate online to support the Hazen Highlander Band by visiting www.hazenboosters.org, or by sending a check to Hazen High School Attn: Marching Band Donation.
Student athletes win academic awards for hard work in the classroom as well as on the track, field and courts
Renton School buses get 100% on State Patrol inspections
Nineteen of the district’s spring sports teams have won the Dairy Farmers of Washington/Les Schwab Tires Scholastic Award presented in association with the Washington Interscholastic Athletics Association (WIAA). The students are recognized as top teams in the state to excel in sports while also maintaining high combined team grade point averages (GPA).
Renton school buses are safe and wellmaintained. That’s the finding of the Washington State Patrol which recently gave the district’s fleet of school buses a 100% inspection rating. Buses are inspected for braking efficiency and the total braking system, suspension and steering components, the exhaust system, tires, lights and more. Drivers, mechanics and staff at the Transportation Department pulled together to organize and synchronize bus schedules on busy school days to have all the vehicles available for the annual inspection. The team does an incredible job to get students to and from school, stay safe and obey all traffic laws, keep students safe.
Hazen High girl’s tennis team is recognized for maintaining a near-perfect 3.7 GPA. Hazen’s girls varsity and junior varsity track and field teams were also recognized as Outstanding for maintaining team GPAs between 3.6 and 3.5 respectively. Sixteen additional teams from Hazen, Lindbergh and Renton high schools also won Distinguished Awards
SCHOOL
for maintaining team GPAs above 3.0. Sixty three high school teams qualified for academic awards this school year, with 14 qualifying for the Outstanding Team Awards.
Dairy Farmers of Washington/Les Schwab Tires Scholastic Award Renton School District spring high school athletic teams win academic awards for maintaining a team GPA of 3.5-4.0 SPORT/ACTIVITY
LEVEL
GPA
COACH
Hazen
Tennis- Girls
C Team
3.705
Samantha Towne
Hazen
Track and Field-Girls
Varsity
3.673
Shannon Rance
Hazen
Track and Field- Girls
J/V
3.514
Shannon Rance
Renton
Tennis- Girls
Varsity
3.491
Brycen Wesen
Renton
Softball
Varsity
3.469
Brett Laymon
Hazen
Tennis- Girls
Varsity
3.464
Gail Ellis
Hazen
Tennis- Girls
J/V
3.445
Tina Richards
Hazen
Softball
J/V
3.415
Chimene Lautenslager
Lindbergh
Softball
Varsity
3.409
Larry Laliberte
Lindbergh
Tennis- Girls
Varsity
3.367
Erik Ho
Hazen
Softball
Varsity
3.356
Kurtis Brandel
Lindbergh
Tennis
J/V
3.34
Mark Ishimitsu
Hazen
Track and Field-Boys
Varsity
3.309
Michael Maloney
Lindbergh
Track and Field
Varsity
3.262
Jeff Stuart
Hazen
Soccer-Boys
Varsity
3.17
Ken Matthews
Renton
Track and Field - Girls
Varsity
3.159
Alice Williams
Hazen
Track and Field-Boys
J/V
3.154
Michael Maloney
Lindbergh
Softball
J/V
3.074
Larren Laliberte
Renton
Softball
J/V
3.038
Farley Haruo
Renton School District | 300 SW 7th Street, Renton WA 98057 | 425.204.2345 | www.rentonschools.us www.facebook.com/renton.schools | twitter.com/Renton_Schools | www.youtube.com/user/RentonSchoolDistrict
Thank You!
Supporters of the Friends of Renton Schools foundation are helping fund summer school programs for hundreds of students! Visionary Level—$25,000 Thanks to the support of local businesses, hundreds of Renton School District students will attend summer school this year, free of charge, to study Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM).
Champion Level—$10,000
Ambassador Level—$5,000
GENE & MARY ALICE HEUSCHEL Leader Level—$2,500
GREG & SHERRE PIANTANIDA
You, too, can be a part of providing students with summer school experience or providing students with musical instruments helping them learn a lifelong talent. Find out how at www.friendsofrentonschools.org.
, can be a part of providing students with summer school experience or providing students