Investigators: Green school claims oversold

By Highlands Community Council

TACOMA, Wash. - The new Gray Middle School in Tacoma isn’t really gray, it’s green.

It has impressive environmentally friendly features everywhere you look. Some of them include banks of windows for lots of natural light, recycled beams from an old high school, rubber flooring that doesn’t require chemicals, drought tolerant landscaping, and a filtration system that circulates fresh air all day long.

Read more of the KING 5 investigation here.

Renton School district fails to meet federal progress standards

By Highlands Community Council

The Renton School District, once again, failed to meet federal progress standards this year, yet we keep pumping millions into the District with levies, property tax increases and new construction.

Here are the highlights/lowlights:

• Students made gains in some of their WASL scores last year
• Eighth-grade math scores fell from 46.4 percent of students passing in 2008 to only 38.9 percent passing in 2009
• In Renton, 21 of the district’s 25 schools and programs didn’t make AYP last year

If you recall, it was just one year ago this month 21 families were asking to transfer schools due  to poor Annual Yearly Progress (AYP).

To check out how your school did, visit the Washington State Superintendent of Public Instruction Washington State Report Card site.  This is great site to do research on all Public Schools.  You may find you want to transfer you child to a school that is performing better.  And if you really want to dig into the data you can download it here.  If you find some trends, let us know by posting a comment.

This story continues at Newcastle News.

A finance promotion ’smoking gun’ in RTC president’s firing, says trustee who resigned

By Highlands Community Council

By DEAN RADFORD
Renton Reporter Editor
8-15-09, 6:19 AM · UPDATED

Don Bressler

The “smoking gun” in the firing of Renton Technical College President Don Bressler is Bressler’s appointment of a new top finance officer from within the college’s ranks, without considering outside candidates, says a college trustee who resigned after Bressler’s ouster Tuesday night.

Graduation at Safeco costs district a pretty penny

By Highlands Community Council

Ticket sales generate most revenue to pay for it

Ask any parent and they’ll tell you graduations can be expensive. But for a school district with 1,104 students, that can really add up.This year, Issaquah School District officials spent $40,005 to use Safeco Field as the venue for graduation ceremonies June 9. Students from district high schools Issaquah, Liberty and Skyline graduated there.

Read more here.

School districts: Parents, you do the budget math

By Highlands Community Council

While other districts our slashing their budgets, the Renton School District insists on raising our property taxes even more.

Maybe it’s time to call the School Board Members and have them follow the lead of Kent, Issaquah, North Shore and Lake Washington School Districts.   The test scores in Renton School District prove that spending more money does not raise test scores.

Read the KOMO News story here.

HCA gives $500 to Lakeridge principal

By Highlands Community Council

From Left: Terry Persson, Ginny Knox and Howard McOmber

Highlands Community Association (HCA) recently awarded Lakeridge Elementary School Principal Ginny Knox $500.

Read the rest of the story in the “Renton Reporter”.