East Valley e-News

• LETTER FROM THE SUPERINTENDENT
• THE COST OF A CHROMEBOOK
• STUDENT SAFETY ALERT - LOCAL DRUG WARNING
• IN OUR CLASSROOMS - SMALL STORIES, SHARING BIG SUCCESS
• MAKE SURE YOUR KIDS ARE i-READY FOR MATH THIS YEAR
• 2017-2018 DISTRICT REPORT CARD RELEASED
• UPCOMING EVENTS

Welcome to our improved e-News! This new format allows for customization to fit your needs. To increase font size, view in high contrast mode (without all the bells and whistles) or to translate in your home language, read online at https://www.smore.com/app/pages/preview/jhfpk. Once there, scroll down to the bottom of the page and change your preferences for viewing!

¡Bienvenido a nuestras e-News mejoradas! Este nuevo formato permite la personalización para satisfacer sus necesidades. Para aumentar el tamaño de letra, ver en modo de alto contraste (sin todas las características) o traducir en su idioma de origen, lea en línea en https://www.smore.com/app/pages/preview/jhfpk. Una vez allí, desplácese hacia abajo hasta la parte inferior de la página y cambie sus preferencias para verlas.

Our 2018-2019 school year is off an running at full speed. We kicked the year off at our annual district start-up day with an inspiring presentation by MaryAnn Brittingham on how to reach ALL STUDENTS.

We will embark on this next year with a clear message and continued focus on the growth and achievement of at least one school year for ALL STUDENTS, regardless of their starting point. Our annual district goals aim to achieve these successes with our students, putting an emphasis on differentiated, data-driven instruction. Our educators will continue to work collaboratively with their professional learning communities to ensure that we provide intervention and enrichment opportunities to meet students where they are at, with what they need to be successful. We will continue to promote technology in the classroom and provide innovative practices to ensure our students are ready for continued education and/or the workforce when they exit our schools. To learn more about our Superintendent/District Goals, visit https://www.evsd90.org/apps/pages/index.jsp?uREC_ID=810314&type=d&pREC_ID=1575722

We are pleased to share that after thoughtful negotiations with the East Valley Education Association this summer, we have come to an agreement that provides a very competitive contract for our certificated staff. During a special board meeting on September 5th, this EVEA contract was ratified by our East Valley School Board of Directors. We continue to work with the PSE to come to an agreement to ratify a contract for our classified staff.

I invite all interested community members to join me for casual conversations about what’s happening in our East Valley Schools at two Coffee with the Community events scheduled to take place this fall on October 10th and November 15th. For more information, see our flyer in the Upcoming Events section.

As we move into year 2 of our massive Chromebook deployment, some people may be wondering... I thought I just paid the $15 fee last year, why do I owe money again? The simple answer - Chromebook fees are like insurance to protect you from having to pay the full cost to fix or replace a Chromebook if something were to happen to it.

Ultimately, you pay $15 now, but if your child drops their Chromebook or spills something on it later, you won't owe any additional money. If you have not paid your $15 usage fee and you damage or lose your computer, you will have to pay the full cost to fix or replace your device (you will not be able to pay the $15 at the time of damage). This $15 fee only covers the first instance of accidental damage or theft. Subsequent instances will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.

Common Chromebook Catastrophes:

Fees to replace or fix parts are determined at the time of damage. Here are a few examples of common incidents we have seen in our schools.

• Entire Unit/Full Replacement (loss/damage beyond repair) - $220
• Screen - $40
• Keyboard - $50
• Charger - $20
• Hinge - Up to a full replacement
• Camera - Up to a full replacement

We made the decision to assess annual Chromebook usage fees as a way to insure our computers in instances of loss and damage. The money collected from these fees ensures that we're able to continue to maintain our existing Chromebooks and make replacements as needed. Without the fees we aren't able to guarantee that we will be able to continue to provide 1:1 technology services to our students over the years.

If you have not already paid your Chromebook fees for this school year, click on the link below to make a payment online or pay using cash or check at your child's school. To review our Student Technology Device Checkout Agreement for students in grades 6-12, visit https://drive.google.com/file/d/15guFcWEaBmLNo1Ceiq48X_yIHT-bDyLH/view.

This summer a new drug began showing up in our local drug market. Known as "Mexi's" due to its origin, this drug is a blend of pressed powders of prescription type narcotics (such as Adderall, Oxy, Percocet). These pills are very dangerous because the contents are unknown and vary depending on the person producing them. Some have been reported to contain Ecstacy and even Fentanyl, which can be introduced into the system just by touching (transdermal) and can be deadly.

These pills are small and resemble pharmaceutical pills. They come in various colors; reports coming out of the Tri-Cities have identified blue pills and local reports have included salmon-colored, like those pictured below. We ask that you be alert and on the lookout. If you find something that is suspicious and/or looks like the pictures shown, please contact our schools. If you have information, but you're uncomfortable with coming forward, you can place an anonymous tip 24/7 using our SafeSchools reporting system at https://evsd90-wa.safeschoolsalert.com/

Last year we implemented our new elementary and middle level mathematics curriculum, Ready Math. An enhancement to the program is an interactive online learning program that helps students build essential skills at their own, individualized level and pace. This program is called i-Ready. i-Ready provides a diagnostic test that students take to identify the specific skills they need to develop to be successful in our classrooms and then measures their academic growth throughout the year. It encourages students to take an active role and ownership of their own learning. To learn more about how to support your child's learning at home with i-Ready, click on the picture.

Earlier this month the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) released year-end reports for the state, districts and schools. To see how we measured up, click the link that follows. A more detailed report will be mailed to houses in our 2018 Annual Report to the Community later this year. http://reportcard.ospi.k12.wa.us/summary.aspx?groupLevel=District&schoolId=1&reportLevel=State&yrs=2017-18&year=2017-18

Share stories and tips with our Communications Department!

Email: kaple.brittany@evsd90.org
Website: www.evsd90.org
Location: 2002 Beaudry Road, Yakima, WA, USA
Phone: (509) 573-7311
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EVSD90/
Twitter: @EVSD90

The East Valley School District does not discriminate based on race, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation including gender expression or identity, creed, religion, age, veteran or military status, disability, or the use of a trained dog guide or service animal by a person with a disability and provides equal access to the Boy Scouts of America and other designated youth groups. Inquiries regarding compliance procedures may be directed to the school district Title IX officer, Section 504/ADA coordinator, and Civil Rights Compliance Coordinator, Mr. Russ Hill, Asst. Superintendent, 2002 Beaudry Road; Yakima, WA, 98901; or (509) 573-7300. Equal Opportunity Employer