Madison students take pride in their school

It wasn't just an average day at Madison Elementary School. It was a Saturday in February and five fifth and sixth-grade students came to school to make their school a little nicer. Frustrated by the graffiti on the bathroom walls, the boys organized a work party with the assistance and encouragement of their intervention instructor, Traci Gromus.

First, the district's maintenance department gave the bathroom stalls a fresh coat of paint before the boys arrived to paint sports figures on the stall doors. The five artists (pictured, left) are: Jose Arellano, Jr., Jesus Bazante, Julio Jiminez, Jonathan Suarez, and Isabel Valencia. Some of the art was designed by sixth-grade student, Jose Arellano, Jr.

Their instructor remarked, "The boys are already talking about their next project. They want to help make Madison Elementary School a nicer place for everyone."

Infrastructure improvements generate savings for Mount Vernon School District

When it comes to allocating resources, the Mount Vernon School District just aced the test! Recently completed infrastructure upgrades will allow the school district to realize energy and operational savings. The $1.43 million in upgrades, which were completed nearly 10% under budget, will save more than $115,000 in annual energy and operating costs.

"It's great in these tight budgetary times that we were able to improve the teaching and learning environment while generating energy and operational savings," said Dr. Carl Bruner, Superintendent of the Mount Vernon School District. "Because we are able to pay for the improvements through these savings, we can focus our capital budget on other needs in the district."

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Kindergarten Registration this May

Parents, you may register your kindergarten child for the 2010-11 school year from May 11 to 13 this year. The principal and staff of each school will be on hand to answer any questions. Please bring your child's proof of birth and immunization records. Proof of birth is a state or hospital issued birth certificate or passport. For information on specific locations and times, please click here.

Guarantee college savings

Did you know that you can guarantee your child's college tuition with Washington's Guaranteed Education Tuition (GET) Program? GET is a 529 prepaid tuition plan, backed by state law and a secure place for college savings. The state guarantees your GET units will keep pace with rising tuition costs, no matter how much they increase in the future. Along with flexible payment plans, GET also offers tax-free growth and withdrawal. GET units can be used nationwide at nearly any college, university or vocational school. Enrollment is open September 15 through March 31. For details and to enroll online, visit www.get.wa.gov. Questions? Please call 1-800-955-2318.

Nixle: A new way to get urgent info

Government and law enforcement agencies are adding a new networking component to their communication arsenal, and it's not Facebook or Twitter, but quite similar. It's called Nixle, a community information service that enables public entities to blast information—including Amber Alerts, advisories and community and traffic information—directly to residents by email and text. Unlike its counterparts, though, Nixle provides only one-way communications and no advertising.

The platform for police, crime watch groups and other organizations disseminates information based on the user's geographical location. Law enforcement officials say they like the service because it has a secure server. Only users who have been authorized by Nixle can post information on the network, which ensures that residents get information from a reliable source. Many cities that previously used social networking platforms are switching over to Nixle because of its secure communications platform.

There are four types of messages you may receive: Alerts (emergency type information); Advisories (less urgent information); Community Information (day-to-day neighborhood information), and Traffic (very localized traffic information).

To learn more about Nixle or to register for its services, please visit the Nixle website by clicking here.

Class of 2010 Graduation Toolkit

The Class of 2010 Toolkit is a resource to help educators and families understand state graduation requirements. The toolkit is periodically updated with new materials and information. In the toolkit, you'll find:

• 2009-10 Key Dates
• 2010 Graduation Requirements
• Alternatives to Passing the WASL: Certificate of Academic Achievement Options
• Important 2010 WASL Information
• Options for Students not Graduating After Four Years of High School

To access the toolkit, please click here.

School District news on TV-10

Join us for the Mount Vernon School District TV show, Focus on Learning, as we explore school-related issues, instructional programs and important community partnerships. Focus on Learning airs at 11:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. on channel TV-10.