Positively Pasco: Issue #179

Issue #179

May 1, 2023

Vea la versión en español del Boletín Informativo Positivamente Pasco aqui.

The 2023-24 Calendar Art Contest has launched, and Pasco students in grades K-12 will have the chance to show off their creative abilities for a chance to win big! This year's theme is ‘You Belong - Tú Perteneces;’ students should create artwork that best represents this theme. Prizes include:

• One (1) Grand Prize Winner will receive a $300 Visa Gift Card. Their winning art submission piece will be featured on the cover of the 2023-2024 Pasco School District calendar. In addition, it will also be on PSD’s website, social media, Pasco School Minute radio spot, and internal/external newsletters.

• Twelve (12) Winners will receive a $100 Visa Gift Card. Their winning art submission will be featured on their grade corresponding month in the 2023-2024 Pasco School District calendar. They will also be recognized on PSD’s website and social media platforms.

The entry form and contest details can be found on the Calendar Art Contest webpage. Be sure to submit entries by May 12.

For more information, contact Cassie Galvez.

Help drive students to success! Apply to be a bus driver and take advantage of the many benefits.

Requirements include:

• High school diploma or GED

• Valid WA driver’s license and five years of driving experience

• Clean driving record

• Able to pass an exhaustive background check

• Must be able to work flexible hours

The district will train qualified candidates. Apply at Pasco School District’s website.

Do you have a child starting kindergarten or joining one of PSD's schools for the first time this fall? Our 2023-24 school year online enrollment portal is now open.

Early registration will help establish a smooth transition, ensure timely communication from your child's school, and allow transportation routing for eligible students.

To register your child, visit our online enrollment website.

PSD is accepting applications for the 2023-2024 kindergarten Two-Way Dual Language Program at various elementary schools. If you are interested in the program and are an English-speaking Pasco resident with a first-time kindergarten student, apply by May 15, 2023.

Acceptance into the program is based on eligibility, commitment for six years, and parent involvement. Applications are available at all Pasco elementary schools or the Dual Language Program webpage.

Volunteer Recognition Day was April 20, and we celebrated our amazing volunteers who support Pasco schools, staff, and students! This celebration featured student entertainment from the Chiawana Flight Crew Dance Team, Las Rosas de Ochoa Middle School, and Pasco High School Dance Team, food and drinks, a presentation, gifts for our volunteers, and more! This was our first year hosting a Volunteer Appreciation Event, but we plan to host it annually. So, if you missed it, please come next year!

Thank you, volunteers! We appreciate you.

Meet Kate, a senior at Chiawana High School (CHS), who is in our Deaf Education Program. Kate lives in Richland but is one of the many students from around the region who accesses the expertise of Pasco School District's Deaf Education Program which provides American Sign Language (ASL) interpreters, and Teachers of the Deaf who are experts in educating students.

Kate is in the top of her class academically and plans to study Elementary Education at Central Washington University. She communicates ASL with her sister and tutor's other deaf students at CHS in math, science, English, and history.

Stevens Middle School hosted a Career Fair for all 7th and 8th-grade students where thirty volunteers from the community representing twenty different career paths (medical, legal services, engineering, education, law enforcement, banking, etc.) provided students with valuable information about future career options.

The students asked questions, and the volunteers provided information about education, experience, pay rates, job options, and much more. Students returned to class excited about what they learned, and community volunteers left the school talking about the respectful behavior of students and the great questions they asked.

Thirteen students from PSD were recognized with scholarships at the Hispanic Academic Achievers Program 2023 (HAAP) Awards Ceremony on Friday, April 28. A total of $216,000 in scholarship funds were awarded to 32 students, with a total of $71,000 going to the following PSD students:

• Dulce Gonzalez, Pasco High, $2,000 Scholarship

• Diana Lopez Hernandez, Pasco High, $2,500 Scholarship

• Edgar Meza Badillo, Pasco High, $2,500 Scholarship

• Paulina Mariah Torres, Pasco High, $4,000 Scholarship

• Carola Garcia Mendez, Pasco High, $7,500 Scholarship

• Raul Yael Martinez Castro, Chiawana, $2,000 Scholarship

• Janell Torres, Chiawana, $2,500 Scholarship

• Jennifer Sanchez Nunez, Chiawana, $2,500 Scholarship

• Jose Linares, Chiawana, $3,000 Scholarship

• Hailee Mendez, Chiawana, $10,000 Scholarship

• Aaron Sanchez, Chiawana, $10,000 Scholarship

• Daniela Rojas, Chiawana, $10,000 Scholarship

• Omar Pantoja, Chiawana, $12,500 Scholarship

Congratulations! You have bright futures ahead.

Congratulations to the following employees:

• Waylon Duncan, Principal at McClintock STEM Elementary

• Ashley Fischer, 6th grade teacher at Stevens Middle School

• Angel Hernandez and Mary Allen, P.E. teachers at Stevens Middle School

• Briseida Rios, 6th grade teacher at Stevens Middle School

• Don May, music teacher at Stevens Middle School

• Megan Raihl, 7th grade teacher at Stevens Middle School

Teacher Appreciation Day is May 2 and Teacher Appreciation Week in Washington is May 8 - 12. We love our educators year-round, but want to take this opportunity to say "thank you" to the extraordinary educators who work tirelessly to help all students learn, grow, and fulfill their potential. Please take a moment to thank a teacher who has made an impact in your life, or your child's life.

National School Nurse Day is May 10 and is a time to celebrate and acknowledge the accomplishments of school nurses and their efforts to meet the needs of PSD students by providing and advocating for quality student-centered care. The contribution of nurses in PSD schools is extensive. They not only support students to stay healthy, stay in school and ready to learn at every opportunity throughout the year.

PSD has an amazing team of highly educated nurses, many of whom are National Board certified. Pasco has set a high standard for school districts in the State of Washington, with an RN in every school building across the district. We honor all school nurses who are making a difference in the lives of children every day!

Discover more about our amazing nurses by visiting the district’s School Nurse webpage.

Just in time for your spring gardening Chiawana High School is hosting their annual plant sale. The plants sold during the Chiawana High School plant sale event are all grown and cared for by agriculture students throughout the school year. Students gain hands-on experience by planting baby seedlings at the beginning of the year and using techniques learned in horticulture classes to nurture the plants to full bloom.

When: Friday, May 5, 9 am-5 pm and Saturday, May 6, 9 am-3 pm

Where: Chiawana High School, 8125 W. Argent Rd., Pasco

What: Selling hanging baskets, annuals and perennials, succulents, veggies, herbs, and geraniums.

Payment: Cash or card accepted.

All proceeds will go to supporting students' activities through the National FFA Organization and school agriculture programs.

For more information, contact Miriam Hunt.

Pasco School District's Superintendent, Michelle Whitney, invites parents, community members, and employees to join her for an informal discussion about Pasco Schools over a light lunch.

Soup with the Sup

When: Friday, May 26, 12-1:30 pm

Where: Booth Building Board Room, 1215 W. Lewis St., Pasco

For more information, contact Jennie Richardson.

In partnership with the City of Pasco, the Downtown Pasco Development Authority invites you to a Cinco de Mayo Weekend Celebration at Peanuts Park on the corner of 4th and Columbia.

Schedule of events:

• Friday, May 5, 6-8 pm: Cultural Night

• Saturday, May 6, 11 am: Parade and 1-6 pm: PSD student entertainment

• Sunday, May 7, 12-10 pm: Enjoy music from popular out-of-state bands.

For more information, visit the Downtown Development Authority webpage or contact Gracie Valle-Chimal at 509-416-7412.

The Richard L. Lenhart Transportation Center is opening soon, and we are celebrating by hosting a Ribbon Cutting Ceremony in partnership with the Pasco Chamber of Commerce. Please join PSD staff, community members, and government officials as we celebrate this new Center.

When: Thursday, May 11, 12-12:30 pm

Where: Richard L. Lenhart Transportation Center, 3412 N. Stearman Ave, Pasco

For more information, contact Ana Munguia.

High School graduations are approaching. Here are the dates if you have someone graduating this June 2023.

• Delta High School, Thursday, June 8, 7 pm at Three Rivers Convention Center, Kennewick

• New Horizons High School, Friday, June 9, 7 pm at Edgar Brown Stadium, Pasco

• Pasco High School, Saturday, June 10, 10 am at Edgar Brown Stadium, Pasco

• Chiawana High School, Saturday, June 10, 6 pm at Edgar Brown Stadium, Pasco

National Teachers’ Day

School Lunch Hero Day

Secondary Early Release

Memorial Day, No School