Elementary Quest Program Began Accepting Applications for 2010-2011 School Year on November 2, 2009
The Lake Washington School District Elementary Quest Program for Highly Capable Students (grades 1-6) began accepting applications for the 2010-2011 school year on November 2, 2009, and will accept applications through 4 p.m. on November 30, 2009. More…

Redmond High School Students Helping MIT Researchers Track Trash
Researchers from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) visited Redmond High School on Monday, October 26, as part of their “Trash Tracking” project in conjunction with Waste Management. Students from Mike Town’s Independent Science Research Class helped MIT researchers by bringing in items that should be recycled or thrown in the garbage. Each item was outfitted with a cellular device that uses cell phone signals to triangulate the exact location of the item. These devices will allow the researchers and the students to track where their trash goes. Students helped to secure the trackers to each item, and are using a Web site that allows them to follow their items. This project is expected to last at least three to four weeks. For more information, visit the Trash Tracker project Web site.

Explorer Community School Teacher to be Honored with Golden Apple
KCTS 9 has announced that Susan O’Malley, the lead teacher at Explorer Community School, is one of seven individuals and three programs in Washington state that will be honored with Golden Apple Awards for 2009. Each of this year’s winners will receive a “Golden Apple” statuette. In addition, each individual honoree will receive $250 and each winning program will receive $500. PEMCO Insurance will also award each Golden Apple recipient a $1,500 grant to use to support his or her classroom, school or educational program.

The winners will be featured in a prime-time broadcast on public television stations statewide in February 2010. (Airdates to be announced.) A profile of each winner will also be posted to the KCTS 9 Golden Apple Awards Web page, where past winner videos are also archived.

Susan fosters excitement for learning by building trusting, collaborative, respectful relationships with her students. During her own childhood, vacations in the north woods instilled in her a sense of wonder that she shares with every student. She has created a learning environment that comprises both an indoor classroom and an outdoor laboratory—complete with greenhouse and garden—where students study nature close-up and live real-world applications, integrating math, science and problem-solving as they cultivate vegetables and harvest them for a local food bank. Susan also fuels a love of reading and writing, with students becoming budding authors as they work on keeping journals. Each year before the first day of school, Susan invites her new and returning students to her home for a “welcome” picnic. By the start of school, the children are comfortable with her and with their classmates, and are eager to learn. Susan goes above and beyond to help her students discover their own sense of wonder and become fully engaged in learning.

Coach Suzanne Culpepper Hart and Gary Hart Honored by University of Washington
On Sunday, October 25, the Lake Washington High School Kang girls’ soccer team attended the University of Washington women’s soccer match against Stanford. At halftime, Coach Suzanne Culpepper Hart was named the “Alumnus of the Match” and her father was named “Supporter of the Match.” Coach Hart played for the Huskies during the 1999 through 2002 seasons. She was part of the Pac-10 Championship team in 2000 and the record-setting UW defense that holds the record for fewest goals allowed and lowest goals against average. Coach Hart’s dad, Gary, is a cancer-survivor and a super-fan who attended every one of his daughter’s games.

3rd Annual Eastside Native Education Program Veterans’ Honor Powwow – November 14
The Eastside Native Education Program will hold its third annual Veterans’ Honor Powwow on Saturday, November 14 at Lake Washington High School (12033 NE 80th Street, Kirkland, WA 98033). The Veterans Celebration begins at 2 p.m. and the Grand Entry is at 6 p.m. Admission is Free.

####

News from the Schools is compiled by the Lake Washington School District Communications Department. For more information or to submit your school's news, please e-mail Kathryn Reith or Shannon Parthemer.