The Puyallup School Board has unanimously agreed to place a school bond on the November 3, 2015 General Election ballot to address overcrowding and continued enrollment growth in the district's elementary schools.

All of the projects on the proposed $292.5 million bond measure address the need for elementary school classroom space. "It speaks volumes that this whole bond package is about the elementary level and the overcrowding that we have," said Director Kathy Yang.

The proposed projects include:

The projects would accommodate full-day kindergarten classes, special education preschool classes, and a science classroom at each of the five sites.

Nearly 12 years have passed since district voters last approved a school bond, which pays for capital projects such as new school construction, renovation, replacement, and other school improvements.

Read more about the proposed school bond election on the district website. 

Photo: The school board hears about proposed bond projects before voting unanimously to place a $292.5 million school bond on the November 3, 2015 General Election ballot.

Aylen Junior High teacher Desiree Carson and Firgrove Elementary teacher Sara Deaver are this year's Puyallup School District Teachers of the Year.

 

Principals from both schools shared about the award winners and presented them each with an engraved recognition plaque.

 

Carson teaches four periods of science to ninth graders, as well as one period of Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID) to seventh and eighth graders at Aylen Junior High. She also facilitates an intervention reading group. Deaver is a third-grade teacher at Firgrove Elementary School. 

 

Read more about the honorees in the June issue of the Connections newspaper, which is mailed to every household in the district and posted on the district website.

Photo: Puyallup School District Teachers of the Year (from left) Desiree Carson of Aylen Junior High, and Sara Deaver of Firgrove Elementary.  

Other school board business

In other business, the board:   

• Held a second reading and approved school board policies titled Evaluation of Employees, Employee Participation in Political Activities, and Personnel Records.  

• Recognized Rogers High School nurse Janet Jepsen for recently helping a colleague who suffered a heart attack. "Her response to a staff member suffering from a heart attack was handled in such a way by Ms. Jepsen that her colleague was at home that same evening resting and with her family," said Brian

  Janet Jepsen

  Fox, executive director of communications, information, and arts education.
• Watched a slideshow of photos highlighting recent district events, including the 2015 Daffodil Parade, STEM Showcase, 12th Annual Honoring Cultures Diversity Celebration, and Washington State Fair Spring Poster project. 
• Approved a new Karshner Elementary Alumni Scholarship to be awarded to a Puyallup School District graduating senior who attended Karshner Elementary for at least two years. The recipient must have at least a 3.2 cumulative grade point average and be enrolled in a college or university for the fall of 2015 with the intent of receiving a degree.
• Introduced newly assigned school and district office administrators for the 2015-16 school year.
• Heard from a Glacier View Junior High saxophone quartet under the direction of Allison Spray. Student performers included Luke Bergmann, Luna Petersen, Max Behrent, and Lauren Cunio.

Photo: Glacier View Junior High saxophone quartet students (from left) Luke Bergmann, Luna Petersen, Max Behrent, and Lauren Cunio performed for the school board at the start of the meeting under the direction of band director Allison Spray.

Human Resources Report

Administrative Staff Recommendations

Telisa Brown, Assistant Principal, Glacier View JH

Sunday Ferris, Director of Special Education, PSS

Michelle Fox, Assistant Principal, Emerald Ridge HS

Richard Lasso, Assistant Principal, Emerald Ridge HS

Sam Sharpe, Assistant Principal, Brouillet and Firgrove elementary schools

Kamrica Ary-Turner, Assistant Principal, Emerald Ridge HS

Michelle Zimnisky, Assistant Principal, Hunt and Pope elementary schools

Administrative Staff Position Changes

Mario Casello, Director of Educational Planning, ESC; formerly Principal, Glacier View JH

Lisa Kusche, Assistant Principal, Aylen JH; formerly Dean of Students, Emerald Ridge HS

Jeannine Medvedich, Director of Open Educational Resources and Instructional Materials, ESC; formerly Assistant Principal, Firgrove Elementary

Karen Mool, Executive Director of Special Education, PSS; formerly Director of Special Education

John Parker, Chief Academic Officer of Regional Learning Community #2, ESC; formerly Director of Instructional Leadership, Technology, and Information Services, ITC

Tracy Pitzer, Director of Instructional Leadership, ESC; formerly Director of Special Education, PSS

Mark Vetter, Director of Instructional Leadership, Technology, and School Support, ITC; formerly Director of Instructional Leadership, ESC

Certificated Staff Recommendations

Christine Depoister, Certificated Substitute

Elizabeth Ice, Speech Language Pathologist

Michelle Morones, Nurse

Amanda Von Ehrenkrook, Certificated Substitute

Certificated Staff Resignations

James Ball, Teacher

Michael DiRoberts, Teacher

Jarret Dodge, Teacher

Kimmie Fink, Teacher

Wendy Johnson, Teacher

Christine Kruse, Teacher

Julie Mann, Teacher

Nickolas Neville, Teacher

Melissa Perez, Teacher

Kristina Williams-Masibo, Behavior Support Specialist

Anne Zimmerman, Counselor

Certificated Staff Retirements

Rebecca Ericson-Brown, Counselor

Jacqueline Steele, Teacher

Classified Staff Recommendations

Andrew Armstrong, Assistant Football Coach

Sarah Beauvais, Interpreter Substitute

Valerie Bennett, Paraeducator Substitute/Paraeducator

Jeffrey Britt, Assistant Float Track Coach

Erricka Coller, Secretarial Substitute

Diane Cooksey, Paraeducator Substitute

Kate Crewse, Hourly Classified

Chad Edmonds, Assistant Girls Tennis Coach

Chelsee Foster, Paraeducator Substitute

Suzanne Foster, Secretarial Substitute

Michael Fuller, Assistant Track Coach

Fawnette Garner, Security Substitute

Bradley Houser, Agency Hire

Gabrielle Hummel, Custodian Substitute

Kareena Kincade, Paraeducator

Tina Lorenz, Assistant Girls Track Coach

Kiyiana Lyles, Paraeducator Substitute

Stefanie McColeman, Paraeducator Substitute

Kyle Milsap, Assistant Boys Soccer Coach

Debra Orona, Paraeducator

Michele Paradis, Secretarial Substitute

Maria Sandoval, Food Service Substitute

Laura Santos, Paraeducator

Yvonne Shindle, Paraeducator Substitute

Benjamin Smith, Assistant Football Coach

Josiah Sutherland, Paraeducator Substitute

Wendy Thompson, Paraeducator

Nichole Weber, Paraeducator Substitute

Deborah Whitton, Paraeducator Substitute

Classified Staff Position Changes

Carol Gorman, Payroll Analyst; formerly Payroll Specialist

Margaret Nelson, Payroll Generalist; formerly Payroll Analyst

Jennifer Ribitsch, Paraeducator; formerly Substitute Paraeducator

Jan Rice, Paraeducator; formerly Paraeducator Substitute

Teresa Robbins, Substitute Paraeducator; formerly Paraeducator

Creagan Samples; Warehouse Driver; formerly Warehouse Coordinator

Nichole Weber, Paraeducator; formerly Paraeducator Substitute

Carie Whipple, Food Service Substitute; formerly Assistant Server

Classified Staff Resignations

Serena Berndt, Food Service Substitute

Tami Dunivan, Substitute Bus Driver

David Emery, Pool Supervisor

Sarah Ernst, Substitute Bus Driver

Erin Fischer, Regional Substitute Coordinator

Jessica Gatewood, Assistant Volleyball Coach

Madison Haase, AVID Tutor

Roxanne Hesson, Bus Driver

Hali Hill, Assistant Volleyball Coach

Mark Lycan, Substitute Bus Driver

Timothy Ricker, Substitute Bus Driver

Matthew Schnepf, Paraeducator

Eddie Stratton, Substitute Bus Driver

Kelly Susee, Girls Head Soccer Coach, Boys Head Track Coach, and Assistant Football Coach

Lynn Wardle, Assistant Volleyball Coach

Sandra Weymouth, Administrative Assistant to the Chief Financial Officer

Billie White, Substitute Bus Driver

Kelly Zarate, Paraeducator

Classified Staff Retirements

Donnie Graham, Operations Supervisor

Ruth Young, High School Library Specialist