The district Communications department is offering a Zoom training for teachers interested in creating a teacher webpage on their school’s website in SchoolMessenger. Those who already have teacher webpages created and need a refresher in editing the pages are also welcome to join. This is NOT a Schoology training.

Our Zoom Teacher Webpage Training is on Friday, May 1 from 1-2:30 p.m. on Zoom. To join this Zoom meeting follow this link. If you are prompted, use the information below to join the meeting:

Meeting ID: 959 2374 2339
Password: 012344.

If you are new to creating a teacher webpage and have not already watched the 1.5 hour Website Accessibility Webinar, you will need to do so prior to the training. The webinar is located in SafeSchools under the “Policy” section. Safe Schools can be accessed through the OSD Portal.

Teachers who take this 1.5-hour training on how to create a teacher webpage and watch the 1.5-hour Website Accessibility webinar may use Technology Professional Development hours or General Staff Development hours for 2019-20. Please note, staff may only be paid once for the 1.5-hour Website Accessibility Webinar. Teachers who have already taken the Teacher Webpage Training and want to take it again as a refresher may use Technology PD or Staff PD for reimbursement.

If you plan on attending this training please RSVP to communications@osd.wednet.edu, as we will need to set you up as a user in the system prior to the training. If you do not RSVP prior to the meeting, you will not have access to your Teacher Webpage during the training.

The state has recognized seven Olympia School District schools for their work in demonstrating achievement, showing growth over the previous year, or closing opportunity gaps for students during the 2018-19 school year.

Congratulations to the following schools:

• Avanti High School: Closing Gaps for all students for improving the graduation rate.
• Capital High School: Growth for students identifying as Native American or Alaskan Native.
• Jefferson Middle School: Achievement for English Language Arts (ELA) and Math.
• Marshall Middle School: Growth for students who are English learners.
• Centennial Elementary: Closing Gaps for one or more student groups at a Targeted Support school.
• McLane Elementary: Growth for students who receive special education services.
• Roosevelt Elementary: Growth for students identifying with two or more races.

“We are fortunate in Olympia to annually have many schools recognized by the state for achievement and this past year is no different,” said Superintendent Patrick Murphy. “The recognition of this year’s group of schools is a continued tribute to the dedication of the teachers and staff and their commitment to equity. It once again reflects the hard work of our students and the unwavering support of their families.”

The Washington School Recognition Program uses state and local data to identify schools that have made gains in targeted areas and are on a path toward overall improvements in achievement, growth, and closing opportunity gaps.

In all, 391 Washington schools are being recognized this year, and each one will receive a banner and certificate for display. Additionally, the state Legislature has acknowledged the last week in April as Washington School Recognition Week (April 27-May 1, 2020).

In a press release announcing the statewide awards, State Superintendent of Public Instruction Chris Reykdal thanked educators “for your amazing work” and said, “Right now, the whole world is understanding the significance of our public schools. Public education provides each student with an opportunity for success; it’s the foundation of our democracy and our society.”

The annual Washington School Recognition Program is coordinated by the Washington State Board of Education, Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction, and Educational Opportunity Gap Oversight and Accountability Committee.

“With these awards we recognize the outstanding efforts of our schools and their positive impact on students,” said Washington State Board of Education Chair Peter Maier.

To learn more about the awards, visit the Washington State Board of Education website.

Every year the Olympia School District publishes an Annual Report to share with the community many of the student, staff and school successes during the previous year.

The 2018-19 Annual Report posted on the school district website also features demographic and financial information, building improvement updates and links to school improvement plans and school performance reports.

We encourage you to read the report and join us as we celebrate many of the great memories that made the 2018-19 school year one of the best.

The Olympia School District Education Foundation (OSDEF) was thrilled to review nearly 90 grant requests – and award more than $80,000 – for a variety of 2019-20 school year projects that promote student growth and achievement.

Due to the Olympia School District’s move to distance learning for the remainder of the current school year, any OSDEF grant recipient who has not used their 2019-20 grant funds as of April 30, 2020, may either request in writing a carry-over of the 2019-20 grant funds to the 2020-21 school year, or return the grant funds to the OSDEF. Any grant funds returned will receive priority for the 2020-21 grant year.

If you were able to complete your grant project, please fill out and return your required Post-Grant Report (by email) to info@osdef.org. Only upon completion of this report are grantees eligible for future funding.

While no new grant applications will be accepted for the current school year, the OSDEF looks forward to re-opening the Grant Request process for the 2020-21 school year on August 3, 2020.

Questions? Contact OSDEF Executive Director Katy Johansson.

Public School Volunteer Week is being celebrated throughout the Olympia School District Monday, April 20 through Friday, April 24.

Superintendent Patrick Murphy will read a proclamation during the April 20 Olympia School Board meeting recognizing April 20-24 as Public School Volunteer Week. The local recognition coincides with both the state and national Public School Volunteer Week.

Murphy will recognize OSD Volunteer Coordinator Steve Desselle on behalf of all volunteers throughout the district and thank him for his work. More than 4,200 parents, students and community members give their time as volunteers in our schools.

The proclamation states in part that volunteers “are an integral part of student learning, play an important role in the education of students and provide a valuable partnership link with our community.” It also states that volunteers “inspire success in students while nurturing and challenging them to extend beyond their reach.”

Thank you, volunteers, for all you do for our schools!

Below is the copy of a message sent to families and staff on April 6:

Good afternoon OSD families,

As you may have heard, Washington Gov. Jay Inslee ordered today that all schools statewide remain closed, and that distance learning continues, through the remainder of this 2019-20 school year.

State Superintendent of Public Instruction Chris Reykdal joined Gov. Inslee for this afternoon’s announcement and emphasized that distance learning will continue during the closure.

This announcement will inform our continued efforts to create a more robust Distance Learning Plan, which was shared with families in a communication last Friday. We will provide updates on that plan along with answers to other questions like when our district’s last day of school will be, how graduation will occur, or how families can gather students’ personal belongings left in school buildings when they closed last month. We will provide an update by the end of this week.

For now, all Olympia school buildings will remain closed through the end of this school year.

Thank you.