East Valley E-News

Usando el teléfono celular - Haga clic en el ícono de "persona" en la esquina inferior derecha de su teléfono. Haga clic en "translate" y elija el idioma.

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Pictured Above: (Top - left to right) EVHS students pose in the Signing Day photo booth, EVE students participate in Reader Theater, and EVC boys pose for a picture during the girls soccer game. (Middle - left to right) THE students during their PE Glow Party & Moxee Elementary Sweet 17 Run. (Bottom - left to right) EVC track meet - javelin thrower, EVHS Jazz Band, and EVE teachers pose after the Talent Show.

• Letter from the Superintendent
• Science in the Classroom: THE Salmon Project & EVHS Sports Medicine
• E.V.E. Jog-A-Thon
• Class of 2023 Graduation - Photos and Recorded Ceremony Links
• Distinguished Scholars
• 2023 Crystal Hop Winner - Certificated Employee of the Year
• Spring Sports Highlights
• 2023 Retirements
• EVC Cafeteria Expansion Project Update
• District Office Summer Break Hours
• Staying Connected - Are you receiving our alerts and messages?

As the 2022-23 school year comes to a close, we take time to celebrate the successes of yet another amazing school year. These successes include continuing to grow and expand such things as our class offerings for our students, adding layers of support to better meet the needs of our students, growing the skills and knowledge of our staff to enhance student learning opportunities, the official completion of the high school construction project with the ribbon cutting ceremony in September 2022, and beginning the planning and design phase of the middle school commons expansion project, just to name a few.

I am proud of the work of our staff and students, and continue to be optimistic about the future of our district. As with any successful system, we also take time to reflect on our opportunities for improvement. Although we anticipate outstanding student growth and achievement results in our end of the year benchmark assessments and State assessments, we also know that data will provide us insight to opportunities for growth. Throughout the Summer, we will make plans of how to address these growth opportunities to better meet the needs of our students and strive for continuous improvement within our system.

Lastly, I would like to take this opportunity to remind our families of the importance of planning intentional, positive family experiences during the summer months. This could be a family vacation, but also could be something more simple like hikes, picnics, time at the park, game nights, etc. Students will benefit socially and emotionally from the positive family experiences. In addition, establishing routines and schedules during the summer months that include activities and academic experiences will also benefit the student’s well being. Having things like structured wake up and bedtimes, scheduled electronic device down time, scheduled time for academic activities (reading, math, art, etc.),and chore lists that must be completed prior to electronic device time, are all ideas that will help establish routines and responsibility to build student confidence, well being, and success. More fun summer ideas can be found at the websites below.

Thank you for the trust you place in our district. I look forward to seeing you out in our schools and community, and having the chance to talk in person.

Russ Hill

Summer Fun Idea Links:

Parade Magazine: 125 Summer Activities for Families

PBS Kids: Summer of Adventure

Create your own summer checklist!

Early this winter, Terrace Heights Elementary 5th grade students began learning about the salmon life-cycle in preparation for receiving 500 salmon eggs to raise in their two salmon tanks at school. Students were able to see the development of egg to alevin to smolt. The unit culminated with a field trip, on May 1st, to Fulbright Park in Union Gap to release the salmon.

Pictured Above: Salmon dissection with Guest speaker, Tiffany Bishop. Ms. Bishop is the executive director of YBEEP-Yakima Basin Environmental Education Program. She provides resources to teachers related to salmon life cycle, human impact on salmon habitat, and ways to protect salmon.

During the salmon dissection students were able to see what an adult spawned out female and male look like. They were able to see the parts of the salmon, including the eggs in the female, which provided the opportunity to tie in the life-cycle of salmon.

Our EVHS student have also been provided many hands-on learning science activities in their respective classes. In Mr. Norwood's Sports Medicine class (see picture below), students had the opportunity to use the Anatomage Table. They were learning about the circulatory system.

What is an Anatomage Table? The Anatomage Table is the only fully segmented real human 3D anatomy platform. Users can visualize anatomy exactly as they would on a fresh cadaver. Individual structures are reconstructed in accurate 3D, resulting in an unprecedented level of real accurate anatomy, dissectible in 3D. Anatomy is presented as a fully interactive, life-sized touch screen experience, in operatory bed form. The Table allows for exploration and learning of human anatomy beyond what a cadaver could offer.

Last month, East Valley Elementary (EVE) celebrated their 20th anniversary of the Jog-a-Thon. Throughout time our community has supported this event with their very generous donations/sponsorships, parent assistance to help put on the event, and participation during the event with their child. EVE used the funds from the Jog-a-Thon to support expenditures in physical education and our playground needs. Some of the items purchased include: soccer and golf equipment, new soccer goals, bounce house, climbing wall equipment, sound system used for all school events, and of course everyday traditional physical education activity needs. The funds are also used towards supporting the annual event and supplying the needs for our end of the year Field Day.

EVE's Mr. Taylor says, "we are very blessed to live in this amazing community that continues to reveal the support towards our East Valley children."

This year EVE continued to break records. They broke last year's record of $16,257 with a total deposit as of Friday of $19,061.21! EVE had an individual student achieve a school record of raising $2,015, Korbin Kennard (5th grade)!

The top runners were both 3rd graders: Victoria Rojas 20 laps and Aiden Suarez 19 laps (in a 20 minute time period). 8 laps on our course is a mile distance.

The East Valley School District is proud to announce the winner of 2023 Crystal Hop Certificated Employee of the Year Award as April Knautz, a 4th grade teacher at East Valley Elementary. Congratulations Mrs. Knautz!

Mrs. Knautz has been an employee of the East Valley School District for 21 years, working all 21 years as a 4th grade teacher at EVE (including when it was formerly EVI). Throughout her years of teaching, Mrs. Knautz has been involved in many different committees, including the PTO, Curriculum Adoption, ELA, PBIS (Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports), and EVE Leadership Teams.

Mrs. Knautz has worked hard to make her classroom an engaging and welcoming place to learn. She builds instant rapport with her students by learning about their interests. She checks in with them daily about family, sports, celebrations, and so much more. She shares her own interests with them and always includes a story or two about her children, her crazy cats, or her dogs. The students love learning from her. She makes her ELA lessons come alive and students are instantly engaged. She holds high academic expectations for all students, while supporting their social and emotional needs.

Mrs. Knautz believes that the parents, teachers, students, and school are all part of a team. She communicates both struggles and successes with parents daily. She recognizes that many families have insufficient time and resources to meet the demands placed upon our children, and is always looking for ways to support them.

Mrs. Knautz exemplifies the characteristics of a Crystal Hop winner! Please join us in congratulating Mrs. Knautz!

Fun Fact: April Knautz is the daughter to previous Crystal Apple winner, Mrs. Van Horn, who also taught for many years in the East Valley School District.

On Monday, May 22nd we honored our 2023 East Valley School District retirees.

We would like to offer our most sincere gratitude for all their years of dedicated service to our students, staff members, and community. You will all be greatly missed.

2023 Retirees

Wanda Alexieff (28 years), Rhonda Barnes (28 years), Shirley Beth Caton (26 years), Constance Cooley (37 years), Rae Ellen Croffut (5 years), Erik Forssen (29 years), Paula Forster (29 years), Karen Nelson (26 years), Kerry Snodgrass (18 years), Lori Wilson (35 years), and Laura Widner (39 years)

Total Years of Service: 300 Years!

Join us in wishing them all the best in their next chapter!

Last fall, our East Valley community voted YES to the 2022 Capital Projects Levy - East Valley Central Cafeteria Expansion Project. Thank you once again! We are very excited for this project and wanted to provide an update of the construction process.

Construction update/timeline:

Design phase - occurring now

Contractor selection - Late Summer/Early Fall 2023

Break ground/begin construction - Early/Late Fall 2023

Construction complete - Summer 2024

EVC's cafeteria currently seats approximately 240 students. The expansion will provide an additional 360 seats, with an overall seating capacity of 600+. EVC has 804 enrolled students.

Summer Hours June 26th through August 4th

Monday - Thursday

7:00 AM - 4:00 PM

Friday

7:00 AM - 1:00 PM

All EVSD schools and the District Office will be closed on Monday, June 19th

in observance of Juneteenth Holiday. We will also be closed July 3rd-5th.

The East Valley School District communicates via several different methods to reach as many students, families and community members as possible. Communications are sent to update families about school closures (in-service days, snow days, bus route changes, and more), upcoming events, celebrations, and for emergency situations (lockdowns, secure and teach).

Over the summer our schools and District Office will be sending information home to our families. Please take a moment to verify that your contact information is correct in Skyward. If you are unsure how to update it or make the necessary corrections, please call your school's office for assistance.

Communication Methods

Website: www.evsd90.org

Email/phone/text: School Messenger

Social Media: Facebook and Instagram

Mailers: Annual District calendar, newsletters, event postcards

If you are not receiving communications from the East Valley School District, please contact your school’s office to make sure your contact information on file is correct. If the information is correct, but you still are not receiving email/phone/text messages, please try the following:

Email: Check your spam/junk mail accounts.

Phone: Some cell phone carriers label our calls as “Potential Spam” and block our messages from reaching you. Save our District messaging number (509-573-7304) to your phone contacts. This will help ensure you are receiving our messages.

Text: Make sure you “opt in”. To opt in to receive text messages:

• Text “Y” to 67587.
• You should receive a message back that says, “You’re registered 4 SchoolMessenger notifications. Reply STOP to cancel, HELP for help. (Msg&data rates may apply).

Excellence - To empower & inspire all in the pursuit of excellence.

Email: heintz.mikal@evsd90.org
Website: www.evsd90.org
Location: 2002 Beaudry Road, Yakima, WA, USA
Phone: (509) 573-7300

Non-discrimination Statement: The East Valley School District No. 90 does not tolerate discrimination in connection with any programs, activities, or employment 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 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, Section 504/ADA, and Civil Rights Coordinator, Mr. Matt Toth, 2002 Beaudry Road, Yakima, WA 98901, toth.matthew@evsd90.org or (509) 573-7300. You can report discrimination and discriminatory harassment to any school staff member or to the district's Civil Rights Coordinator, listed above. You also have the right to file a complaint. For a copy of your district’s nondiscrimination and harassment policies and procedures (3205, 3207, 3210, and 3211), contact your school or district office or view it online at www.evsd90.org. Equal Opportunity Employer