People
Vallieres recommended for Asst. Principal position
By Celeste Johnston, Executive Assistant to the Superintendent
Steilacoom Historical School District #1 Superintendent Bill Fritz will recommend to the Board of Directors the hiring of Laurie Vallieres for the position of Assistant Principal of Saltar’s Point Elementary/Principal of Anderson Island Elementary. The Board will consider the recommendation at its regularly scheduled board meeting on Thursday, June 20, 2013.
Gary Wilson is retiring
After working in Clover Park School District for more than 30 years, assistant superintendent for secondary schools Gary Wilson is retiring. Wilson began his career in Clover Park as an elementary school teacher and served as the principal of Parkway, Heartwood, Tillicum, Oakwood and Park Lodge Elementary Schools and Lochburn Middle School. In 2004, he began his district administrative duties as the director of student services.
Summer grief groups at Mountain View Funeral Home
By Geoff Piper, Grief Consultant
Grief doesn’t take the summer off. Summer grief support programs at Mountain View Funeral Home in Lakewood offer education and help for those who have lost a loved one. Often people feel an increase in feelings of loss a few months after the death. Finding help when they need it can be a problem.
Local American Red Cross Elects New Board Members
TACOMA — The American Red Cross Mount Rainier Chapter elected three new members to the Board of Directors at the organization’s May meeting. Colonel David G. Johnson, Becci Syrek and Amy Tousley were added to the already-diverse leadership group.
Current GED test to expire this year
By Tawny Dotson, Director of College Relations
LAKEWOOD – The current version of the GED® test, known as the 2002 Series GED® test, will expire at the end of 2013 and be replaced with the new 2014 GED® test on January 2, 2014.
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim draft Pierce College pitching ace
By Debby Abe
LAKEWOOD, WASH. – Raiders pitcher Elliot Morris is heading off to his field of dreams. The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim drafted the right-handed pitcher Friday morning in the fourth round of the Major League Baseball amateur draft.
Meet Elvin Bucu
“The Boys & Girls Clubs isn’t a stand-alone organization,” said Elvin Bucu, the three-month director of the Lakewood Branch of the Boys & Girls Clubs of South Puget Sound. “We can’t fully serve our kids alone. No one group can.”
Special Forces Soldier memorial set for Wednesday
JOINT BASE LEWIS-MCCHORD, Wash. – Family, friends, Service members and the Joint Base community will remember a 4th Battalion, 1st Special Forces Group (Airborne) Soldier who died while deployed in support of Operation Enduring Freedom in a ceremony to be conducted Wednesday at 2 p.m. in the JBLM Lewis North Chapel.
Staff Sgt. Michael H. Simpson, 30, of San Antonio, Texas, died May 1 in Landstuhl, Germany, of wounds sustained when insurgents attacked his unit on April 27, with an improvised explosive device in Arian, Afghanistan. He was assigned to the 4th Battalion, 1st Special Forces Group (Airborne), Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash.
Lakewood Rotary Names Scholarship Winners
By Greg Rediske
Vice Mayor of Lakewood and Lakewood Rotarian Jason Whalen introduced the 57-year old club’s five scholarship recipients for 2013. Remarkable students were chosen by the club’s committee that reviews an essay, motivations, recommendations by teachers and counselors, GPA history and school and community activities. All students considered were exemplary and those chosen represent the best that the communities of Lakewood and Steilacoom can offer. Whalen offered up summaries of each student’s achievements, and congratulations were given to the students and parents of $1000 scholarship awards for the college year beginning in the fall of 2013.
Around the Sound: Bark the Park
By Nancy Covert
The scene at Perkins Park this past Friday: rakes, shovels, wheelbarrows, and tons of wood bark.
Waiting…waiting for 2:30 p.m. on Friday, May 31 when more than two dozen SHS National Honor Society students descended on the green space for the latest session of their annual “Bark the Park” project.
SSIR spotlights Communities in Schools
By Christina Klas
The staff and board at Communities In Schools of Lakewood want to share a recent article featured in the Stanford Social Innovation Review (SSIR) about the work of Communities In Schools. The article gives detail to a strategy proven to decrease drop out rates and increase graduation rates. Thanks for partnering with CISL to give our young people the extra support they need to stay in school and achieve in life.
SHS Choir performs at the state level competitions
We hear about talented students at Steilacoom High School participating in state championships all the time — cross-country, swimming, wrestling, and cheerleading… but singing? Well, thanks to Steilacoom High School’s choir director, Lauren Whitham, and the many gifted voices in the SHS choir, our school once again proves that a small school doesn’t equal small talent with the recent participation at state level choir competitions.
Letter: Sen. Carrell will be missed at Lakewood First Lions
Eric Warn, Incoming Co-President, Lakewood First Lions Club
Regarding the recent death of Sen. Mike Carrell, R-Lakewood, I want to mention how much he was appreciated by the Lakewood First Lions Club, where he was a longtime member. Even with his busy schedule, Mike always stayed involved and in touch with the club’s activities, participating in our numerous auctions, White Cane Days and helping many underserved children visit Santa during the annual City of Lakewood’s Holiday Tree Lighting ceremony. His energy and enthusiasm for advancing our goals of serving the sight and hearing needs of the greater Lakewood community will be deeply missed.
Sen. Mike Carrell, 69
By Michelle Lewis, Executive Assistant and Erich R. Ebel, Communications Manager
It is with a great deal of sadness that we must inform you of the peaceful passing of Senator Mike Carrell on Wednesday at University of Washington Medical Center in Seattle. As you know, Senator Carrell had been battling myelodysplastic syndrome, or MDS, for the past several months. His condition took a marked turn for the worse over the Memorial Day weekend, ultimately leading to the 19-year veteran of the Washington State Legislature’s death in his sleep.
Lakewood First Lions Club elects new officers
Eric Warn and DeAnne Bennett were recently elected 2013-14 co-presidents of the Lakewood First Lions Club, one of the oldest service clubs in Lakewood (1954). Their term of office begins July 1.
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