Friday Update

MASD COVID Update - All remaining COVID 19 restrictions issued by Governor Inslee under his emergency order will be lifted by Oct. 31, according to the Governor's office. That means that MASD staff and volunteers will no longer be under the vaccination mandates.  Data on the number of District COVID cases are reported on our website every Tuesday. 

Mt. Adams School District Nurse – MASD Staff and students will be under the care of Nurse Scott Podruzny beginning October 4, 2022.  Students will not be on campus that week, which will give Nurse Podruzny a chance to settle in, read student files, and be ready for students when they return after our first balanced calendar break on October 11th

Parenting with Tradition, dinner, and childcare - Beginning on Wednesday, September 21st, and running through Wednesday, November 16th, Jeremy Garcia, Jacqueline Mullen, and Jasmine Wong will be facilitating weekly Parenting with Tradition discussion groups in the White Swan High School conference rooms. The classes will run weekly, from 5:30 to 8:00pm. Participation is free, and dinner and childcare are provided.

Fun in Computer and Art classes - Mrs. Widener reports that Harrah students are experiencing some fun and creative art activities. The Kindergarten and First grade students are creating art by drawing their stories using basic geometric shapes, coloring correctly, and adding details to their illustrations. In Grades 2-6, students are learning art classroom procedures and routines, and are starting their first unit on the elements of art, which is “Line.” Students will learn about different types of lines, such as straight, wavy, expressive, and contour lines, just to name few.   

Watch out for a Harrah Robot near you!  Our elementary students are getting introduced to robots this month and working as a team to program these robots to move. Students are also learning how robots and computers work! This is STEAM to the MAX!

Do you know what an algorithm is? Mt. Adams Middle School students have been working on building projects using VEX robotics kits. The students have designed super cars, moving critters, and adaptable claws. Students are also working on coding using our new program Tynker! 

Teacher Shelly Craig received the 2022 Mona Baily Teacher Award. Congratulations to Ms. Craig for receiving the 2022 Mona Bailey Teacher Award! The award was established in 2007 by the Washington MESA Advisory Board in honor of Mrs. Mona Bailey, an outstanding educator for more than 30 years. This award is granted to middle-and-high-school educators who demonstrate a strong commitment to student exploration, STEM equity, and advancing the mission of MESA.  MESA is the Mathematics, Engineering, and Science Achievement program designed to support traditionally disadvantaged students be successful college and university STEM majors.  Thank you Ms. Craig for your outstanding service to the students of Mt. Adams School District. 

Ms. Jarnecke brings more grant funding to MASD for Intensive tutoring!  We received the intensive tutoring grant.  The District will be hiring four certificated teachers for one year.  The goal of the intensive tutoring grant is to help all students achieve the credits they need to graduate.  This is a great opportunity to help students get caught up.  If you know of any student who may be interested in this one time, no cost, opportunity, please have them contact the school office.

Wonderful Wednesdays have begun in White Swan!  On Wednesday our students participated in the first round of wonderful Wednesday activities. Students not only were able to learn from high interest activities such as archery, art activities, and baking but they also were introduced to writing effective college entrance essays and completed work from classes.

Are your high school students short or credits?  The new credit completion lab is already producing results! The lab is held four times per week and offers students a way to test for credits they need to retrieve. Four students have already been able to retrieve a credit! This is very exciting news and will help our students get back on track for graduation, which is our number one District Goal – 100% completion rate so that ALL students graduate from White Swan High School both, College and Career Ready!

The only professional Native American magician in the world in White Swan! On Thursday the high school students were treated to an assembly with Brian Yazzie. Brian is an enrolled member of the Navaho Tribe and was raised on the reservation by his grandparents. He shared his struggles as he grew up as well as how he has remained positive. He shared his inspirational motivational story of his life through a magic and mentalism show. He is currently the only professional Native American magician in the world. His message to our students was that everything that might seem impossible can be reimagined and overcome. It takes suspending old belief systems, unlocking mindsets, and innovating. What a great and important message for all of us.

Thursday was open house and our first soccer game on campus. Teachers were excited to meet and talk with parents. Our new Soccer team made history by playing the first ever home soccer game. Both students and staff were very excited and Coach Ana De La Cruz reports that although the team is young their skills are improving daily. The bleachers were full and our young team definitely felt the support of our community and student body. Although we did not win the game but our team remained positive and exhibited good sportsmanship. Go Lady Cougars!