May 10, 2012 Shelton Mason County Journal | ![]() |
©
Shelton Mason County Journal. All rights reserved. Upgrade to access Premium Tools
PAGE 5 (5 of 22 available) PREVIOUS NEXT Jumbo Image Save To Scrapbook Set Notifiers PDF JPG
May 10, 2012 |
|
Website © 2025. All content copyrighted. Copyright Information Terms Of Use | Privacy Policy | Request Content Removal | About / FAQ | Get Acrobat Reader ![]() |
Valentine named teacher
of the year in Shelton
Robbins awarded Promising
New Educator of the Year
By KEVIN SPRADLIN
to
] e f) I, i'. .., T>IZ a..,£,O /'t C ( ) A .{ L% O O Ty.
"The trick [s
hanging on
that pass[ono
g$
STORE & DELl SPECIALS- MAY 10 16
Oakland Bay Junior High School Prin-
cipal Bracken Budge said there have been
two instances in which he thought his
school might lose Denise Valentine as an
art teacher.
The first, Budge said, came last sum-
mer when he learned Valentine had been
struck by a motorist while riding her bi-
cycle. Valentine survived the incident.
The second time occurred when Val-
entine asked Budge for a letter of recom-
mendation. Warner said he knew it meant
Valentine was looking for a new job.
Warner said he agreed to write a letter
but wasn't eager to do so. Eventually,
he made a phone call to his art teacher.
"l told her we couldn't afford to be
without her," Budge told Superinten-
dent Wayne Massie and four school board
members attending Tuesday night's Shel-
ton School District Board of Education
meeting at CHOICE High School.
Board member Brian Major announced
Valentine as Shelton School District's
2013 Teacher of the Year. Valentine was
selected from seven nominees.
Warner said Valentine "does more be-
fore 6 a.m. than most of us do all day" and
challenged the crowd of more than four
dozen colleagues, family members and
students in the audience at Tuesday's
meeting.
"I dare anyone here to tell Miss Val-
entine that the arts aren't important,"
Budge said.
Budge said Valentine makes a special
effort to implement art projects across the
curriculum.
Valentine has earned National Board
Certification in art and she is active in a
variety of school-related functions, Budge
said, including the School Improvement
Plan committee, the drama club, PTSA,
Renaissance and PRIDE.
The other nominees were included
Amanda von Jentzen, a special services
teacher at Bordeaux Elementary; Isis Al-
bert, a fifth grade teacher at Evergreen
Elementary; Suzanne Montgomery, mu-
sic teacher at Mountain View Elemen-
tary; Richelle Vining-Gonzalez, an ELL
teacher at Olympic Middle School: Bar-
bara Gomez, librarian at Shelton High
School; and Krag Unsoeld, detention
center teacher at CHOICE High School.
Massie underscored the teachers' gen-
eral desire to stay out of the limelight. On
this night, though, they
deserved it.
"I'm really in awe of so
many outstanding educa-
tors here tonight," Mass-
ie said. "It's tough to be
singled out. That's not in
the DNA of a teacher, [
don't think."
Rachael Robbins. a
Raehael fourth grade math and
Robbins language arts teacher
at Evergreen Elemen-
tary School. was named
Promising New Educator of the Year.
Robbins was selected from six candi-
dates from across the district: Other can-
didates were: Marni Zorn, music teach-
er at Bordeaux Elementary; Courtney
Weeden, third grade teacher at Mountain
View Elementary; Jennifer Long, read-
ing and math teacher at Olympic Middle
School: Chris Harris, ninth grade teacher
at Oakland Bay Junior High School; and
Nick Elmquist, social studies teacher at
SHS.
Evergreen Principal Steve Warner not-
ed Robbins' passion for children and their
well-being.
In math, Warner said, "she is always
willing to try new strategies and ap-
proaches with kids o help them learn
better. She considers kids as individuals
and gets to know her students and how
they learn best."
Board member Jim Barrett urged all
six candidates to remain enthusiastic
about their roles in molding children's
lives. That, he said, won't be easy.
"Try and carry your enthusiasm and
commitment through the long battle,"
Barrett said. "The trick is hanging on to
the passion."
Letters
Continued from page A-4
published a booklet called
"Grow Smart, Grow Safe"
in which they review 550
products that are sold for
use in our gardens.
One of the most star-
tling warnings made obvi-
ous in this booklet is that
weed and feed products
can be a long term "health
hazard .... hazardous to
aquatic life," and a "water
pollution hazard." (Be-
cause everything we put
onto the ground makes
its way to the Sound, or
our ponds, lakes, streams
and.., fish.)
Maybe in honor of
Mothers Day and Spring
2012 we could swear
off the weed and feed
products. Instead, with
the knowledge that a
healthy lawn crowds out
weeds, we could use good
lawn care practices: Let
the grass grow to three
inches, cut it down to two
inches.
Fertilize Mother's
Day, July 4 and Labor
Day with an organic
slow release fertilizer.
Slow release fertilizers
give more to the soil
gradually and less to
the water quickly. Then
use a regular chemical
fertilizer in the fall so
that the roots can store
up energy for the spring.
When necessary, water
thoroughly twice a week
in the cooler hours. Of
course aerating, reseed-
ing, light mulching and
light thatching can also
be helpful.
Or maybe you would
like to take part or all of
your lawn out and plant
a raised bed of veggies or
whatever you can imag-
ine.
It's also good to keep
harm 100 percent of the
insects, including our en-
dangered bees.
Rhoda Pykonen
Grapeview
Farewell to
Buddy
Editor, the Journal
On April 29, 2012, my
grandchildren's beautiful
old golden retriever, Bud-
dy, who has never hurt
a soul, is wonderful with
kids and adults, could
barely walk, let alone kill
a chicken, was accused of
killing a chicken, and as
a result was shot many
times.
This man hunted him
down and shot him bru-
tally. Also, this man lets
his chickens run free at
all times. Many of his
chickens have been run
over by cars on Kelly
Road.
Why not call animal
control? How can this
man be allowed to shoot
a gun around houses with
kids in the neighborhood?
Does this man have a gun
permit? Is his gun regis-
tered? What if my grand-
children were with the
dog at the time he decided
to shoot him?
In my opinion, this
man needs to be held re-
sponsible for the tragic
death of this wonderful
family dog, Buddy. I have
heard that he has shot
Other dogs, and of course
he lied to the sheriff when
questioned. So what is
next?
Life is precious and not
for a disturbed person to
misuse a gun on an inno-
cent life. We will always
love you, Buddy. Buddy
was buried with his bed
and favorite blanket.
in mind that 99 percent He will always and
of insects are beneficial forever be remembered.
and that most insecticides He was family. Cruelty to
animals has to stop.
Anne Seljestad
Shelton
Gun range
would
benefit
county
Editor, the Journal
At the neighborhood
sheriffs meeting at
Spencer Lake Resort last
Thursday, it was men-
tioned that there are no
full size public gun rang-
es within many miles of
Shelton.
If some enterprising
businessman wanted
to create such a range
in Shelton or nearby, it
probably would be a prof-
itable venture.
Gun ranges are being
opened in malls in the
eastern United States
and have been wildly
successful.
Recent data points out
that in the United States
nearly 50 percent of
households own at least
one weapon.
The secret to safe
gun ownership is safety
training and regular
practice.
A new gun range in
our area would make
training and practice
much easier and safer
and would reduce out-
door unsupervised shoot-
ing and probably cut
down on gun accidents in
general.
A small fee for hourly
use or small fee for join-
ing the range would be
welcome in our area.
Besides that Mr. Busi-
nessman, profits are to be
had.
William S. Zeigler
Shelton
Winston
0 NORTHFORK
BAR & GRILL
Coors & Coors Light
$ • £9900
18 pk. 126z. cans
Bud & Bud L!ght
18pk4
SURGEON GENERAL'S WARNING:
Quitting Smoking Now Greally Reduces
eri0us Risks To Your Health
Compl0000e
?
Marlbor# .........
Next i
to i
"Rhododendron Show and Sale, flowers on display,
rhododendrons for sale, information available on
care and growing, sign up for door prizes. Everyone
is welcome to enter flower trusses in the show for
chances on a rhododendron plant to be given away.
Label truss with the variety name; or labels will be
available at the show."
:: :: %: "%!:;::: ::} ':::: ::i{%
. .:®::, I:%: ::.!:::;!! i::!: ig
Date: MAY 11th and 12th, 2012
Time: 9 AM TO 4 PM
Kneeiand Park
00 Turner Ave.
MASON COUNTY'S BEST SELECTION
OF TOMATOES
VEGETABLES, HERBS. PERENNIALS.
RHODODENDRONS AND MORE.
will be on site, )
VSHINGTON S]I E UNI\\; ERSI t Y Vo, ,4'o, h:fhrmatJon:
ETI(.)N Contact Atlie Bernhard
AmeriCorps M;mber
?diister G*trdeler fr.gran 360-427-9670 Ext. 689
Cash chscks cedit and debi¢ cds S WSH S T cards
WHAT
WOULD
YOU
LIKE
TO BE
SELLING
MORE OF
THIS
WEEK?
We can help you
when you call
(360) 426-4412
to advertise