ocus f Regional news & events on education September/October 2009 Volume 24, Number 1 Jim Loucks is a diverse man. In a world that tends to label people, this is one guy whose experience and interests are too broad for easy categorization. To students, he is known by the titles of teacher and band director. To fellow teachers, he’s called the consummate pro. Professional musicians refer to him as a colleague and his family thinks of him as the ultimate sports fan. To that list he recently added yet another title – this one more official than the others. Now he is Jim Loucks, Teacher of the Year. In August, the veteran West Valley School District music educator was named the region’s outstand- ing teacher in the seven-county region served by ESD 101. As regional winner, he now advances to OSPI’s 2010 Teacher of the Year competition pairing winners from nine ESD regions statewide. When he arrived at West Valley High School in 1992, the band counted only 17 members. In just four years, sporting new uniforms, the band had grown to 60 members and was invited to perform in Victoria, British Columbia. The transformation had just begun. Now, 17 years after his arrival, it is the WV music program that is unrecognizable. The high school band counts 75 members and the pipeline continu- ally replenishes itself with a unified music pro- gram that brings fifth graders to the high school for a zero hour beginning band class. Under the tutelage of Loucks and his Centennial Middle School counterpart Kyle Bosch, the elementary students are effectively “coached up” for high school. In Loucks, they benefit from a teacher who has played the French horn professionally. Loucks was a member of the Spokane Symphony for nine years, he’s recorded in Nashville and worked as a music editor and publisher. His current duties Jim Loucks West Valley School District Teacher of the Year: J. Rand Lothspeich, a retired educator from Nine Mile Falls, has been appointed to the ESD 101 Board of Directors. He was formally se- lected by the Board to fill a vacancy in Director District 1. He succeeds Jamie Parker of Republic, who resigned to accept a position on her local school board. Lothspeich retired from Spokane Public Schools in 2007 following 30 years as a career and technical education teacher. He served as a depart- ment chair at Shadle Park High School for 15 years. More recently, he was the transitional manager for Providence Orthopedic Specialties of Spokane. Lothspeich holds both undergraduate and gradu- ate degrees from Eastern Washington University. Director District 1 covers the Columbia, Curlew, Inchelium, Keller, Kettle Falls, Mary Walker, Nine Mile Falls, Orient, Republic, Spokane (por- tion) and Wellpinit school districts. Welcome Rand. Lothspeich named to ESD 101 Board D W ES 1 0 1 include five daily classes, starting with the fifth graders, and continuing with two percussion classes, wind ensemble and jazz band. “Jim is a hard working, creative and especially industrious educator,” says West Valley High School Principal Gary Neal. His impact on students is almost immeasurable, says colleague Mary Pat King. “His character is unmatched and has made him a father-figure and mentor to many of our students who look to him for direction.” “Students who enter as young freshmen graduate four years later as young adults, shaped for life by his personal mentoring, coaching, teaching – and parenting,” adds band parent Edward Mitchell. Indeed, Loucks himself recounts the story of a former student who overcame a difficult family life. “On the day she got married, her father re- fused to attend, so she asked me to walk her down the aisle. When the minister asked, ‘Who gives this woman away?’ I replied somewhat awk- wardly, ‘Her band director … and second dad.’ It was one of the proudest moments of my teaching career.” Make that second dad to many, but second fiddle to no one. In the West Valley School District, Jim Loucks is first chair all the way. (S.W.)
Transcript
ocusfRegional news & events on education September/October 2009Vo lume 24, Number 1
Jim Loucks is a diverse man. In a world that tends to label people, this is one guy whose experience and interests are too broad for easy categorization.
To students, he is known by the titles of teacher and band director. To fellow teachers, he’s called the consummate pro. Professional musicians refer to him as a colleague and his family thinks of him as the ultimate sports fan.
To that list he recently added yet another title – this one more official than the others. Now he is Jim Loucks, Teacher of the Year.
In August, the veteran West Valley School District music educator was named the region’s outstand-ing teacher in the seven-county region served by ESD 101. As regional winner, he now advances to OSPI’s 2010 Teacher of the Year competition pairing winners from nine ESD regions statewide.
When he arrived at West Valley High School in 1992, the band counted only 17 members. In just four years, sporting new uniforms, the band had grown to 60 members and was invited to perform in Victoria, British Columbia. The transformation had just begun.
Now, 17 years after his arrival, it is the WV music program that is unrecognizable. The high school band counts 75 members and the pipeline continu-ally replenishes itself with a unified music pro-gram that brings fifth graders to the high school for a zero hour beginning band class. Under the tutelage of Loucks and his Centennial Middle School counterpart Kyle Bosch, the elementary students are effectively “coached up” for high school.
In Loucks, they benefit from a teacher who has played the French horn professionally. Loucks was a member of the Spokane Symphony for nine years, he’s recorded in Nashville and worked as a music editor and publisher. His current duties
Jim LoucksWest Valley School District
Teacher of the Year:
J. Rand Lothspeich, a retired educator from Nine Mile Falls, has been appointed to the ESD 101 Board of Directors.
He was formally se-lected by the Board to fill a vacancy in Director District 1. He succeeds Jamie Parker of Republic, who resigned to accept a position on her local school board.
Lothspeich retired from Spokane Public Schools in 2007 following 30 years as a career and technical education teacher.
He served as a depart-ment chair at Shadle Park High School for 15 years. More recently, he was the transitional manager for Providence Orthopedic Specialties of Spokane.
Lothspeich holds both undergraduate and gradu-ate degrees from Eastern Washington University.
Director District 1 covers the Columbia, Curlew, Inchelium, Keller, Kettle Falls, Mary Walker, Nine Mile Falls, Orient, Republic, Spokane (por-tion) and Wellpinit school districts. Welcome Rand.
Lothspeich named to ESD 101 Board
DWES 101
include five daily classes, starting with the fifth graders, and continuing with two percussion classes, wind ensemble and jazz band.
“Jim is a hard working, creative and especially industrious educator,” says West Valley High School Principal Gary Neal.
His impact on students is almost immeasurable, says colleague Mary Pat King. “His character is unmatched and has made him a father-figure and mentor to many of our students who look to him for direction.”
“Students who enter as young freshmen graduate four years later as young adults, shaped for life by his personal mentoring, coaching, teaching – and parenting,” adds band parent Edward Mitchell.
Indeed, Loucks himself recounts the story of a former student who overcame a difficult family life. “On the day she got married, her father re-fused to attend, so she asked me to walk her down the aisle. When the minister asked, ‘Who gives this woman away?’ I replied somewhat awk-wardly, ‘Her band director … and second dad.’ It was one of the proudest moments of my teaching career.”
Make that second dad to many, but second fiddle to no one. In the West Valley School District, Jim Loucks is first chair all the way. (S.W.)
For a number of recent summers I have had the opportunity to participate in some athletic travel experiences with my sons. On these trips I have been blessed to spend extensive and quality time with them and their teammates.
Through these interactions, and listening to the conversations among young people who share trusted friendships, I have been afforded a window of understanding about things of value and importance to contemporary kids.
In this past summer’s travels I perhaps listened more carefully than ever, possibly because it was the last summer before our youngest son’s senior year and these were the last such experiences with kids at this stage of life. When kids and their parents are out of town for extended periods of time and spend so much time together, the conversations cover lots of topics.
For the boys on this particular team – all but two of whom are now high school seniors – there was a fair amount of talk about their own educational experiences at the various schools each has attended or currently attends, as they reflected on their past 12 years in school and the final year of K-12 they were set to begin.
On this particular basketball team, they had a coach they all admire and respect and often talked about how much they had learned from him through the years and how they would miss the opportunity to continue to play for him. Certainly they respect his knowledge of basketball, but deeper than that, they talked about how he encouraged their strengths and addressed any shortcomings. They reflected on his ability to help them become better than they may have thought possible.
They also talked about many other teachers, coaches, counselors and administrators they’d had through the years. It was great to listen to these conversations and hear how highly they
Through kids’ eyes… Educators’ impact is huge
ocusf on educationFocus is published during the academic year by the Superintendent of NorthEast Washington Educational Service District 101. Focus is published to provide current information about ESD 101 sponsored and co-sponsored programs and issues of educational significance to staff in the 59 public school districts and 46 state-approved private schools receiving administrative and instructional support services from ESD 101.
Comments, questions or suggestions should be sent to the editors, ESD 101, 4202 S. Regal St., Spokane, WA 99223, (509) 456-7685.
Future stories and story ideas are always welcome and should be sent to the editor by October 1, 2009 for the next edition of Focus.
regard most of the educators who have helped shape who they’ve become.
Not surprisingly, these young men most respect those who are passionate about their jobs, who truly and obviously like and relate well to kids, and who hold high expectations for them and provide great support to help them reach those expectations.
Conversely, they were not as positive about any teachers and others they perceived not to be hard workers or who had treated them in ways which devalued who they are as human beings.
I returned home from these trips with real gratitude … for the kids themselves and for what spending time with them taught me and fellow parents; for the opportunities and experiences athletics – and a really good, caring coach – have given them; and importantly for the many different educators who have so positively and indelibly touched their lives.
The incredible significance of high-quality educators in the lives of students as they matriculate through school was reinforced time and again, simply by listening to the kids talk about them.
Some kids are just beginning their educational journey this year; others will end the K-12 leg of that journey; and many others are between those two ends of the spectrum. Those who work with or on behalf of young people – at any age or grade level – possess the power to impact their lives and learning in enduring ways; ways they will remember, appreciate, and that help shape who they are and will be.
Thank you for embracing that power and responsibility carefully, and for helping wonderful young people believe in themselves and achieve all of which they’re capable and more. In yours, the kids of northeastern Washington are in very good hands.
In rural schools with thriving FFA programs, the school year isn’t just about traditional sports like football, basketball and track. The school year also is the season for trapshooting – an FFA sport in which many Eastern Washington schools excel.
In fact, the state’s two best teams hail from the ESD 101 region. At the spring 2009 state championship in Eastmont, which drew a field of 42 teams, Reardan-Edwall finished first; St. John-Endicott, second.
Trapshooting is a specific form of target shooting in which competitors attempt to shoot a clay disc flying at more than 40 mph. Competitions are divided into rounds of 25 shots – five shots from each of five locations at a distance of 16 yards and the same number from five locations at 21.22 yards. Depending on the event, a competition may consist of 50 or 100 shots.
Trapshooting is different from any other sport, but not for the reason you might think, says Reardan trap coach and adviser Matt Ballance. “There’s a tremendous camaraderie between teams,” he says. “The kids all know each other and root for each other. And while they all want to win, they still view their opponents as friends.”
Reardan-Edwall squad with the 2009 championship trophy. From left, Marrisa Dormaier, Maddie Dormaier, Rick Perleberg (FFA adviser), Cody Dormaier, Matt Ballance (trap adviser), Harry Grennay (West Deep Creek Gun Club owner), Jarod Wagner, Bryce Purdy, Karl Untiedt.
It’s also a sport in which concentration and reaction time are more important than age, size, strength or gender.
In Reardan, the spring championship team was built around youth and a family named Dormaier. The six-member squad included just one senior, Cody Dormaier; joined by one junior, Karl Untiedt; two sophomores, Marrisa Dormaier and Jarod Wagner; one freshman, Maddie Dormaier; and one 8th grader, Bryce Purdy. Cody and Maddie are siblings; Marrisa, their cousin.
The squad is solid from top to bottom. Marrisa, for example, is a two-time state female champion. Cody owns one state championship, consistently hits 97 out of 100 and once hit 500 straight. Even the team’s most youthful member, Bryce, is a 2009 second-team Junior All-American.
With Cody the only member graduating, competitors (make that friends) are advised that the 2010 team looks mighty formidable, too.
Reardan collects FFA championship
Chris Alexander was paid perhaps the greatest compliment a 14-year-old could receive from a professional evaluating his performance.
“He’s more talented than some of the college graduates I hired,” said Charlie Simon, a former Microsoft employee who now volunteers at the MobiusLab, a science exhibit, at the NorthTown Mall in Spokane.
More talented, as in Chris’ abilities as a computer programmer and software devel-oper. Hardly surprising though, consider-ing that he started programming computers in the 4th grade. At the MobiusLab, where he held a full-time, paid summer job, he built the entire network, which includes 10 touch screens, three servers and a laptop.
He built it all, from intelligent touch screen computers that recognize names,
Rogers freshman earns plaudits
Touch screen display at Mobius.
to interactive exhibits demonstrating prin-ciples in energy, sound, motion, geology and magnetics.
Visitors to the lab can personalize their scientific discovery by keeping their informa-tion and personal preferences on their own PassPort ID cards.
Chris enrolls as a freshman at Rogers High School this fall, matriculating from Shaw Middle School, where his significant comput-er interests were cultivated even more by sci-ence teacher Steven English. Down the road, he looks forward to taking college courses through Running Start and eventually becom-ing a professional computer programmer.
His Mobius colleagues, meanwhile, look forward to watching his continued growth. After four years of high school, just imagine what Charlie Simon might have to say. The sky’s the limit.
WSSDA Annual Conference November 18-21, 2009 Seattle Information: (360) 493-9231
Coming up
ESD 101 is pleased to announce the addition of Penny Brown to its Operation and Technical Services Division.
She joined the staff as a fiscal systems manager, supporting districts in their use of WESPaC software for financial services. Brown is a Whitworth University graduate whose experience includes accounting and auditing in both public and private entities. She is a certified public accountant and certified fraud examiner.
She is the proud mother of three sons, including one deployed in Iraq with the U.S. Army. Welcome, Penny.
Penny Brown joins team
Ever been overwhelmed by the prospect of writing a grant? When a government application package contains 75 pages of forms and instructions, the task can seem almost hopeless. But is it? The answer is no.
ESD 101 is pleased to offer a workshop designed to take the mystery and fear out of writing proposals. Grant Writing 101 will provide participants with a fast-paced, content-packed overview of grant preparation. It is a two-part introductory course for people with little or no grant-writing experience.
You will learn the basics of finding, writing and winning competitive education grants – where to look for opportunities, how to structure a compelling narrative, write an accurate budget and deal with online submission systems. Instruction will be provided by successful, experienced writers who have collectively authored more than $50 million in funded government grants.
The first half of the course will be offered on Monday, October 12; the second half, on Thursday, October 22. Both sessions will run from 4-6 p.m. at the ESD 101 Regal Conference Center. The cost is $79 per person. Four clock hours will be offered.
For additional program information or registration, contact Bonnie Hunter at (509) 323-2786, [email protected], or visit the www.esd101.net and click “In-services” at the top of the page.
Grant writing 101: $uccess starts here
Schools interested in seeking accredita-tion may now do so through the state’s ESDs. Accreditation is a voluntary process granting public recognition for meeting high standards of quality.
Whereas state approval is mandatory for schools to confirm they are meeting basic education requirements, accredi-tation is a voluntary process that goes a step further. The Washington state Association of Educational Service
Districts supports a long-term vision for a performance-based educational system that aligns accreditation requirements to continuous improvement in student learning. ESD 101 directs the accredita-tion process for schools in northeastern Washington. It is available to all elementa-ry and secondary schools in Adams, Ferry, Lincoln, Pend Oreille, Spokane, Stevens and Whitman counties.
For information: (509) 789-3539.
Accreditation offered through ESDs
ESD 101 offers a host of instructional DVDs to assist students with foreign language instruction, GED preparation, everyday math and more.
More than two dozen student courses – targeting elementary, middle school, high school and alternative settings – are available. DVDs are commonly used to supplement and reinforce classroom instruction and they also find wide application in home school settings.
The DVDs contain original content produced by ESD 101, with funding from the U.S. Department of Education.
For additional information, visit www.esd101.net. Click on “Media Services” at the top of the page, then “Instructional DVDs.”
DVDs supplement classroom instruction
The ESD 101 copy and print center has added a host of exciting (and inexpensive) products to its fall lineup. They include:
Magnetic school calendars, customized in full color with school logos. Calendars can be produced in many forms ... master district schedules, individual sport schedules, combined sports schedules and more. You decide. Magnetic calendars are an inexpensive way for schools to maintain visibility in the home – posted on the refrigerator. Calendars can be produced for as little as 60 cents each.
Trading cards, recognizing students and teams in every activity from band to volleyball. Just like the cards produced for professional sports teams, ESD 101 cards can be produced in two-sided color, customized with school logos. Prices start at just $1.12 for a set of eight, full-color cards (14 cents each). Larger orders receive additional discounts.
Snack wrappers and water bottle labels, customized with school colors and logos.
In addition to these items, ESD 101 also produces traditional print products including school newsletters, calendars, handbooks, brochures, carbonless forms and business cards. For more information on print services, contact Kelly Jolley at (509) 789-3523 or [email protected].
