• Nelsen Middle School reading teachers Ashlie Tusberg and Nicole Holsather reported a 64 percent increase in reading scores on the Washington Assessment of Student Learning (WASL) by students in their Tier II and Tier III reading classes. Fifty-one of the 84 students in the classes increased their reading WASL score by an average of nearly 12 percentage points.

• Hazen High School business education teacher Ray McCabe recently won the Inspiring Youth Award from Junior Achievement of Washington for his contribution and dedication to students throughout the region. The award recognizes individuals who make a tangible impact in their community through working with youth. At a recent award ceremony, McCabe was praised for his impact and participation at Hazen High, the Renton School District, the region and the state.

• Fourteen Renton middle school students recently returned from a trip to Nishiwaki, Japan as part of the annual Renton-Nishiwaki Exchange program. During their stay in Nishiwaki, the students lived with the families of the Japanese students who visited Renton in August. Accompanying the students were the Renton delegation leaders, John Schmitz, principal of Dimmitt Middle School, and Wendy Merrill, teacher at McKnight Middle School. The trip offered all participants the opportunity to experience Japanese culture firsthand, visit sites in the area, and tour elementary and junior high schools.

• Highlands Elementary School students recently walked to the local Safeway store to learn more about how a supermarket works. Each year second-grade teacher Ellen Barrett takes her English Language Learner students to meet with Safeway’s produce man and learn about apples and apple products. The store visit helps students improve their English language fluency and reading and writing skills by learning to describe, compare and contrast apples and products.

• Lindbergh High School students in Terry Derrig’s business education class recently created boxes of gifts and supplies as part of Operation Shoebox. Students filled the boxes with personal hygiene items, toys, candy and snacks and trinkets for little girls. Lindbergh’s boxes will be distributed by Operation Christmas Child to children in need and orphans throughout the world.

• Fourth- and fifth-grade students in Andrea Gollob’s class at Highlands Elementary School are writing a novel throughout November in celebration of National Novel Writing Month. Students are learning how to create interesting characters, setting and plot and have set goals for the number of words they will include in their novel.

• During their recent combined concert, the choral programs of Nelsen Middle School and Lindbergh High School gathered donations to support U.S. troops in Iraq. Nelsen students also wrote letters to troops with messages of gratitude and optimism. The cash donations will be used to purchase hygiene items, calling cards, Pop-Tarts, granola bars, canned fruit and other nonperishable foods.

Randy Matheson

Renton School District