Your Evergreen Schools
me s s a g e f r o m t h e s c h o o l b o a r d
Skelton’s board service leaves lasting legacy
T
he most senior
member of the
Evergreen School Board
has retired. I say retire,
rather than resign, because
Joan Skelton had a nearly
full-time job for 18 years
as a very involved school
board member, not just as
Victoria Bradford an elected volunteer. On
any given week, school
School Board
board members put in to
President
10-15 hours of work from
reading reports to attending school board meetings
or events, to participating in conference calls on
state and federal legislation to traveling to Olympia
to work on policy issues. For the first couple years
on the School Board, there is at least an extra couple
of hours spent getting up to speed and studying all
the areas covered under school board governance.
Joan, like the rest of the Evergreen School Board,
gave this time willingly to make sure the students
in our district receive the opportunities, instruction
and support needed to learn and graduate ready for
a competitive world economy. Every board member
that worked with Joan was better off because of her
mentoring- we learned how to discuss, respectfully
disagree, and then find consensus on hard decisions
and trade-offs to make sure we're doing the most
with every dollar we receive, and the best for our
students.
Joan not only mentored new Evergreen board
members, but dozens across the state as part of a
Washington State School Directors Association team.
She also took time to make sure our locally elected
officials were up to speed as we co-chaired the Clark
County Quality Education Coalition.
Joan has left Evergreen Public Schools so much
better because of her service. Now, we are excited
to have found an exceptional individual to fill out
Joan’s term: Rob Perkins. Rob is no stranger to the
workings of Evergreen Public Schools. He has been a
member of both the district finance and instructional
materials committees, along with other volunteer
activities in his children’s schools. Rob has also been
a regular attendee of district board meetings and
workshops. He will still have a lot to learn to get
up to speed, but we have every belief that he will be
a quick study. The good news is that we have all
learned how to support a new Board member from
the expert-Joan Skelton.
Modular homes move to permanent location
The first homes constructed by district Math in Construction classes have been sold and moved
W
hen the Math in Construction
program at Mountain View
High School (MVHS) and Evergreen
High School (EHS) reached the end
of its first year, the district had two
modular homes to sell. Nearly three
years later, those structures have been
transferred to new owners.
“Building these two structures was
a great experience for the students
in the first year of our Math in
Construction program,” said Anita
Jinks, CCTE staff member. “We’re
in even better shape now that the
program has evolved and students
are getting the chance to continue
building.”
The Math in Construction
program merges geometry and
algebra with hands on construction
experience so students may learn
practical applications of math in an
industry. Students receive both a math
and a CCTE credit for the class.
“Building these
two structures was
a great experience
for the students in
the first year of our
Math in Construction
program.”
In the years since those first
homes were constructed, the District
has partnered with a company to
build modular offices (2012) and
with Habitat for Humanity (2013).
Students are currently hard at work
on a second Habitat for Humanity
building.
The Twin Rocks Friends Camp
On the road: A modular home, built by Math in Construction students, was loaded on a
truck and taken from the Evergreen High School parking lot to its new home on the Oregon
Coast.
purchased both buildings and moved
them to their property located on the
Oregon Coast.
The homes will be used for
housing volunteers working at the
camp.
Covington Middle School hosts annual Pow Wow
Traditions inspire: Participants from all over the region came together to celebrate Native American culture at a traditional Pow Wow - held at Covington Middle School
recently. Native American dancers performed various dance styles to the beat of drum groups from throughout the Northwest.
Evergreen Public Schools | March 2014 | 7