PASCO, WA – Educational Service District (ESD) 123 is pleased to announce the selection of our 2019 Regional Classified Employee of the Year. Ms. Vickie Rogers, a Health Clinician (school nurse) in Walla Walla Public Schools, manages over 2,000 high school students with complex medical conditions to ensure that they receive the support they need to be successful in school and in life.
The Classified School Employee of the Year program recognizes excellence in the work of public school employees, including paraprofessionals, school nurses, secretaries, custodians and others. Anyone may nominate a classified public school employee for this award, which is overseen by the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI). All completed nominations are sent to the regional coordinator at each ESD, who in turn selects a regional winner. Ms. Rogers is one of nine regional winners who will go on to compete for the State Classified Employee of the Year award.
Each recommendation letter supporting Ms. Rogers’ nomination for Classified Employee of the Year speaks to her ability to build strong, positive relationships with students, parents, staff and local community partners. Prior to her role in WWPS, Ms. Rogers served 18 years in Women’s Services at a hospital. During that time, she worked with many teenage girls, providing child development education, parenting classes, nutrition, and other mentoring roles.
In speaking to her decision to begin working as a health clinician for WWPS, Ms. Rogers stated, “I decided it was a great opportunity to combine my nursing skills and my passion to help young people understand how decisions they make regarding their health can impact their daily lives, ability to function at school and be successful at school.” She goes on to say, “There is nothing more rewarding than seeing a young person's brain click when they realize, ‘Oh yeah, this is a better choice!’”
ESD 123 is proud to bring forward Vickie Rogers to represent our region for this year’s awards. She is a truly caring and compassionate professional who embodies the role of what the State Classified Employee of the Year should be. For more information on these awards, contact OSPI Recognition Coordinator, Hilary Seidel, at 360.725.6117.
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About ESD 123: Educational Service District 123, based in Pasco, WA, is one of nine ESDs in Washington. Dedicated to delivering collaborative solutions that promote learning, ESD 123 serves 23 school districts in seven counties of Southeastern Washington. Under Superintendent Darcy Weisner and its board of directors, this legislatively mandated, not-for-profit educational organization provides efficiency of educational systems and equity of learning opportunities for over 70,000 Washington students. For more information about ESD 123, please call 509-544-5700 or 888-547-8441 or visit www.esd123.org.
PASCO, WA – The 21st annual Crystal Apple Awards begin tomorrow, March 7th, at 4:30 PM at Educational Service District 123 in Pasco. During the ceremony, seven local teachers will be recognized for their excellence in education and bring the total number of winners to 235 who have been named as Crystal Apple winners since the awards began in 1999.
School district superintendents from Columbia-Burbank, Finley, Kennewick, North Franklin, Othello, Pasco, and Richland will each present their district's winner with a crystal apple, gift certificates to local sporting events and dining, and a $1,000 check. These teachers have also been nominated for the Washington State Teacher of the Year award.
The public is encouraged to attend the Crystal Apple ceremony on Thursday, March 7, beginning promptly at 4:30 PM in the ESD 123 Professional Development Center, located at 3924 W Court St in Pasco. For more information, contact Molly Curtiss at 509.544.5787 or tiss@esd123.org">mcurtiss@esd123.org.
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The Crystal Apple Award is co-sponsored by numerous community organizations and businesses all wishing to honor the many educators who have made a positive impact on the lives of their students. This year’s Platinum Level Sponsors include: Bechtel National, Evergreen Associates, Gesa Credit Union, Johnson Controls, Pasco Kennewick Rotary, STCU, Stevens Clay, Tri-Cities Sunrise Rotary Club, Washington River Protection Solutions, and Washington State University Tri-Cities.
TOUCHET, WA – The Touchet School Board of Directors announces the three finalists moving forward in the district’s superintendent search:
- Brett Baum, Principal, Okanogan School District, WA
- Dusti Crenshaw, CTE Director and Business/Technology Teacher, Touchet School District, WA
- Robert Elizondo, Principal, Walla Walla School District, WA
The position for Superintendent of Touchet School District opened on January 25, following the planned resignation of current Superintendent Susan Bell, effective June 30. These individuals will participate in an open community forum on Wednesday, March 13, from 6:15-7 PM at the school library. All Touchet staff and residents are encouraged to attend the community forum where they will be able to hear from each candidate.
A formal announcement identifying the successful candidate is expected by March 28, 2019. The candidate selected as superintendent of Touchet City School District will begin his or her position on July 1.
Touchet has utilized the services of Educational Service District 123 to conduct their superintendent search. For more information, contact ESD Superintendent Mr. Darcy Weisner at 509.544.5785.
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PASCO, WA – Due to inclement weather and dangerous driving conditions, Educational Service District 123 is cancelling this year’s Regional High School Art Awards Ceremony. The ceremony was originally scheduled to take place at 6 PM tonight, February 27 at Columbia Basin College. Because the exhibit ends March 1st, the ceremony will not be rescheduled.
Now in its 46th year, the Annual High School Art Exhibit showcases student artwork from school districts across southeast Washington. The 2019 exhibit featured 405 pieces of art from 12 local high schools. The exhibit is a juried showcase, and student artwork selected as Judge’s Choice winners will advance on to the state competition in Olympia in April. In addition to the juried art winners, five lucky junior and senior students are receiving scholarships from Central Washington University (CWU) chosen by faculty in the CWU Art Department.
Photographs of all 2019 winning art (Judges Choice, Superintendents Choice, and Honorable Mention winners) can be found on the ESD’s website here. Judges Choice artwork will be transported and put on display at the ESD 123 office between March 5th-28th before moving on to the state competition in Olympia. The ESD 123 building is open to the public Monday-Friday from 7:30AM-4:30PM, and is located at 3924 W Court St in Pasco. For more information, contact Molly Curtiss, ESD Director of Communications, at 509.544.5787 or tiss@esd123.org">mcurtiss@esd123.org.
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About ESD 123: Educational Service District 123, based in Pasco, WA, is one of nine ESDs in Washington. Dedicated to delivering collaborative solutions that promote learning, ESD 123 serves 23 school districts in seven counties of Southeastern Washington. Under Superintendent Darcy Weisner and its board of directors, this legislatively mandated, not-for-profit educational organization provides efficiency of educational systems and equity of learning opportunities for over 70,000 Washington students. For more information about ESD 123, please call 509-544-5700 or 888-547-8441 or visit www.esd123.org.
PASCO, WA – Another seven outstanding teachers will join the ranks of the prestigious Crystal Apple Award winners at a ceremony next Thursday, March 7. The 21st Annual Crystal Apple Awards takes place from 4:30-6:30 PM at Educational Service District 123 in Pasco.
This year’s seven Crystal Apple winners brings the total number of awarded teachers to 235 since the awards began in 1999. This annual recognition of well-deserving teachers in our communities is only possible through generous contributions from community organizations, businesses, and service groups who sponsor the ceremony both monetarily and through gifts to the recipients. Thanks to these charitable organizations, each Crystal Apple winner is presented with a beautiful glass “crystal apple,” gift certificates to local sporting events and dining, and a $1,000 check. (The teachers have already been informed of their awards. See the attached list of 2019 Crystal Apple winners.)
Superintendents from the following school districts will recognize their 2019 winners during the ceremony: Columbia-Burbank, Finley, Kennewick, North Franklin, Othello, Pasco, and Richland. The public is encouraged to attend the celebratory event on Thursday, March 7, beginning promptly at 4:30 PM in the ESD 123 Professional Development Center, located at 3924 W Court St in Pasco. For more information, contact Molly Curtiss at 509.544.5787 or mcurtiss@esd123.org.
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The Crystal Apple Award is co-sponsored by numerous community organizations and businesses all wishing to honor the many educators who have made a positive impact on the lives of their students. This year’s Platinum Level Sponsors include: Bechtel National, Evergreen Associates, Gesa Credit Union, Johnson Controls, Pasco Kennewick Rotary, STCU, Stevens Clay, Tri-Cities Sunrise Rotary Club, Washington River Protection Solutions, and Washington State University Tri-Cities.