iLoveKent.net tied for fifth place in the “Best Neighborhood Blog” category inMagazine’s “Best of Western Washington 2010″ contest.

Kent School District hires a new executive director of communications and school/community partnerships. KSD has hired (Mr.) Chris Loftis to replace Becky Hanks who retired from KSD in June 2010. Loftis will begin working immediately.

There are lots of Halloween happenings in and around Kent this weekend, including Halloween parties at Charley’s on Central and Pat’s Bar & Grill; horror flicks at Kent Station’s AMC Theatres; Costume Candy Dash at Road Runner Sports at Kent Station; and Trick or Treating at Kent Station. In addition, a number of local organizations are hosting safe Trunk or Treat events to replace traditional trick-or-treating this year.

In other news, visit the Kent Reporter site to learn about King County Sheriff’s Department budget cuts, Kent budget discussions regarding train noise, Valley Medical Center board controversy and more.

Photo by Dana Neuts

Thanks to Victoria Andrews of Kent Parks for this news release:

September 24, 2010–The City of Kent and the Kent School District will mark 10 years of a successful partnership on Tuesday, October 5, 3:00-4:00 p.m. at Clark Lake Park’s main entrance on SE 240^th. Additional parking is available at the Eastridge Baptist Church, 12520 SE 240th St.

The City’s Youth Tree Education Program, “Plant the Planet,” began in the year 2000, when Kent School District elementary students helped plant 2,000 native trees.  To date over 20,000 trees and shrubs have been planted by Kent children!  The City is marking the 10^th anniversary by creating a Walk of Native Trees & Shrubs and a self-guided tour at one of Kent’s most beautiful parks, 130-acre Clark Lake Park. The walk features mature examples of 13 of the species students have planted over the past 10 years.

Council President Jamie Perry will MC the walk’s dedication.  Superintendent of Schools Dr. Lee Vargas will also participate, along with a few of the teachers who have been part of the program for many years.  Parks Director Jeff Watling, who will take the walk for the first time at the dedication, commented, “Plant the Planet is one of our most popular annual programs, for teachers, students and City staff.  Our Public Works and Parks staff team up to give children a hands-on learning experience about what trees do for our environment.  Each child pots a tree or shrub in the spring and cares for it until it can be planted at home or at a park in the fall.”

In 2007, “Plant the Planet” received the Education Award from the National Arbor Day Foundation.  In 2009, it was selected for national recognition by Take Pride in America® in the local government category.

Light refreshments will be served after the dedication and walk.  For more information, contact 253-856-5110.

2010-2011 Student Calendar – Keep track of school holidays.

KSD Community Connections Website

KSD Staff Contacts and Directory

Skyward Family Access – Check out your student’s progress, assignments and grades online. Log=in & password needed.

Lunch Money Now – Deposit lunch money into your student’s account online.

Lunch Menus

Nutrition Information for KSD Menus

In addition, the school district has a brand new, user-friendly website that is much easier to navigate than the previous site.

Cedar Heights Middle: Principal Heidi Maurer; Assistant Principal Julie Lynch-Allen
Covington Elementary: Principal Miles Erdly
Kentlake: Principal Joe Potts; Assistant Principal Dylan Smith; Assistant Principal Jordanne Nevin
Kent-Meridian: Assistant Principal Ron Hartley; Assistant Principal Diana Pratt
Kentridge: Assistant Principal Janae Landis
Kentwood: Assistant Principal Shaun Martin; Assistant Principal Deborah Rumbaugh; Assistant Principal Cindi Perez
Neely-O’Brien Elementary: Principal Pat Regnart
Mattson Middle: Principal Tammy Unruh; Assistant Principal Judy Beliveau
Meeker Middle: Assistant Principal Angela Grutko
Meridian Elementary: Principal Shannon Painter
Meridian Middle: Principal Jim Schiechl
Mill Creek Middle: Assistant Principal Marti Shefveland
Northwood Middle: Assistant Principal Scott Stockslager
Panther Lake Elementary: Assistant Principal Michael Jackson
Scenic Hill Elementary: Principal Dani Pfeiffer; Assistant Principal Diane Ellis
Sunrise Elementary: Principal Shauna Heath

On behalf of our readers, we’d like to welcome all of you to the Kent School District!

A Kentridge High School graduate, the 51-year-old Motamedy is a community favorite. He has won a Golden Apple award in 2009 for his teaching in Kent schools and was named Teacher of the Year by the Kent School District in 2008.  He has also won awards for his work as a composer and jazz musician. Though he plays a number of instruments, he is best known locally as a saxophonist and jazz musician.

One of Motamedy’s final performances in Kent will take place this Thursday, June 24 at the free Evening of Jazz and Art event at Kent Senior Center.

Having interviewed Motamedy several times along with his music students, I anticipate that his move out of the community will be a big loss to our cultural arts programs as well as to his students. There is no doubt, however, that he will be a success wherever he travels. Best of luck to you, Darren, and to your family! You will be missed!

File photo by Dana Neuts, February 2009

Key dates include:

Sep. 1, 2010:  First day of school

Dec. 20 – 31, 2010:  Winter vacation

Feb. 21 – 22, 2011:  President’s break

Apr. 4 – 8, 2011:  Spring break

Jun. 16, 2011:  Last day of school

May 5, 2010

Dear Dr. Vargus, Kent School Board Members, Mayor Cooke,

After School sporting activities are of an utmost importance to our children and our community of Kent.

The Afterschool Alliance’s recent examination of multiple studies of after-school program impact found solid evidence that:

• After-school programs keep children and youth safe and protect them from negative and unsafe behaviors.
• After school programs help working parents.

After-school activities help youth develop social skills, improve academic performance, and help them build strong supportive relationships with adults other than their parents. Young children benefit especially from the social skills development and improved academic skills. This leads to improved conflict management and better school attendance. Middle-school aged youth who continue to participate in after-school activities are more likely to be engaged in school and attentive in class and less likely to be involved in violent behavior at school.

Participation in after-school activities continues to be a benefit for students right through high school. Adolescents in after-school programs are optimistic for the future and have more interest in school than peers who are unsupervised after school. After-school program participation also helps to keep youth from skipping school and experimenting with alcohol, drugs and sexual activity.

In fact, the 1995 Westat, Inc. analysis of national data found that students who spend no time in after-school activities are 49 percent more likely to have used drugs and 37 percent more likely to become teen parents than students who spend one to four hours per week in after-school activities. After-school programs prevent pregnancy by promoting sound judgment, offering health education, and providing positive alternatives to sexual activity according to “Child Trends Research Brief,” May 2002.

Furthermore, if youth stay involved in after-school activities through adolescence, they are more likely to attend college, vote and volunteer as adults according to Zaff and Moore, et al. in the “Journal of Adolescent Research,” in 2003.

There are two reasons that after-school activities have these positive benefits for adolescents.

First, adolescents need guidance to grow into productive adulthood and after school programs and activities keep youth busy between 2 and 6 p.m., the times when adolescents are most likely to commit crimes, be crime victims, or participate in sexual activity.

Second, after school programs can provide extra time for career exploration, skill development, service learning and internships to prepare them for college and work.

It is estimated that every dollar spent on after school programs will save taxpayers $3 because of reductions in youth crime, teen parenthood and school dropout rates.

This estimate is based on studies done across the country including Alabama, California, and Washington D.C. This cost benefit is in addition to the life-long love of learning, improved level of education, and contributions in civic life that results from participation in after-school programs and activities.

Furthermore, by eliminating Fastpitch Softball from the available sports selection, you discriminate against girls who are not physically capable of performing at the physical rigors required with gymnastics, the height and coordination required with volleyball and basketball.

There is no way to train a girl who is physically limited by speed or height to run a fast thirty yard dash in track.

I as a parent feel that the Kent School District and the School Board has failed the community with this decision concerning middle and high school sports.

The ramifications of such will become apparent in the not too distant future. I hope for the childrens sake the consequences are not as negative as have been in other districts who have drifted down this path forsaking the children.

Sincerely,

Jesse Emery
21121 124th Ave. S.E.
Kent, Wa 98031
(253)852-2666

CIS Kent provides assistance to at risk students in the Kent School District through mentorships, internships, and support to stay in school and graduate. Contributing to success in school for today’s children and youth ultimately produces a future skilled workforce for area businesses which will be key to many businesses’ immediate and future needs. We’ve come a long way in the past five years and will celebrate our work March 17, 2010 with a St. Patrick’s Day fundraising breakfast. Please attend our event, at the Kent Senior Activity Center, from 7:30 a.m. to 9:00. Dr. Edward Lee Vargas, Superintendent, Kent School District, has agreed to deliver the keynote address for us.

This is our primary fundraising event…reaching our fundraising goal allows us to continue to provide much-needed services to the at-risk youth in the communities that the Kent School District serves.

We appreciate your interest in supporting Communities In Schools Kent, helping make a difference in the lives of our most valuable asset – our children.

If you would like to attend the breakfast, serve as a table captain, and/or learn about sponsorship opportunities, please contact Alice Pfaff, Tom Wood, or Mike Heinisch. Hope to see you there!

Each year the City of Kent, Kent School District, the Kent Downtown Partnership, and private sponsors work together to celebrate National Youth Art Month with Spring Into Art. Art from several Kent schools is displayed in various businesses in the Downtown area. Kent Downtown Partnership and local businesses support a night of activities coinciding with the City’s Art Walk and Reception.

Visit our website for complete details:

Spring Into Art 2010
Friday, March 12, 2010
4 – 9 p.m.
Downtown Kent

For a complete 2009-2010 KSD student calendar, visit KSD online.