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Newspaper Archive of
Shelton Mason County Journal
Shelton, Washington
September 15, 2011     Shelton Mason County Journal
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September 15, 2011
 
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VOTE READER'S IN OUR ELECTIONS The Best in Mason County 2011 227 W. Cota St • Shelton 98584 The Best of Mason County 2011 l found the best Beer: BBQ: Chinese: Asian: Cocktail: Coffee: Deserts: Fish & Chips: Pizza: Salad: Sandwich: Shellfish: Steak: Sushi: Tacos: Tea: Teriyaki: Hamburger: The best place to buy Auto Parts: Boats: Cars/Trucks: Flowers: Furniture: Hardware: Grocery: Jewelry: Shoes: Small Electronics (iPod, phone, game systems): Plumbing company: Tires: Toys: Building Supplies: This is the best Auto detailing shop: Real estate agency" Rental agency: Restaurant: Hair salon: People are the best Artist: Banker: Bank teller: Barber: Barista: Bartender: Business owner: Car salesman: City employee: CNA: Coach: County employee: CPA: Cook/Chef: Dentist: Doctor: Host/Hostess: Lawyer: Mechanic: Musician: Nurse: Physical Therapist: Chiropractor: Elected official: Officer of the law: Auto repair shop: Pastor/Priest: Bank: Bar: Casino: Coffee stand: Day care: Dry cleaner: Gas station: Gift shop: Grocery store: Health clinic: Insurance agency: Personal trainer: Secretary: Stylist: Teacher North Mason: Teacher South Mason: Volunteer: Waiter/Waitress: Writer: Pharmacy: Hood Cana School to run levy for new technology By ~ SHEPHARD At Hood Canal School, students and teachers are struggling to keep up with the digital age. Of the roughly 200 computers at the small school district only a couple dozen are new- er models, with most of the computers pur- chased as surplus material from the state Department of Corrections and the Issaquah School District. The Hood Canal School District plans to run a one-year levy to renovate, improve and upgrade the school's current technology infra- structure, according to a release put out by the district's school board members. If passed this November, the levy would collect 20 cents per $1,000 of assessed valu- ation on a home, to be collected during the 2012 tax year only. "We felt the one-year levy would be easier on people rather than to drag it out," said School Board Chair Judi Woodard. '2Vlost of what we have is so old, it's hard for the stu- dents to not have this new technology, and of course it's hard for the students who use them to have to take turns." Although the board had discussed the need for new technology for some time, it hadn't come to a decision to run the levy until after the results from an online survey of the Hood Ca- nal School community came out in the spring. On the survey, the majority of parents and community members ranked adding more computers and technology in the classroom as a number one priority. The district estimates that the cost to upgrade and replace its current equipment would be $250,000. "This was the number one priority for stu- dents to have the technology needed to move onto their studies at a higher level," Woodard said. '%Ve did the research to find out what amount would be necessary for what we need- ed to upgrade." The state does not fund technology in the classroom, said Superintendent and Principal Tom Churchill, because technology is not con- sidered basic education. Journa photo by Aria Shepnara The Hood Canal School District plans to run a one-year levy to improve technology at the school. "They leave it to local citizens to choose whether to fund technology," he said. "Four years ago, we moved everything over from the old building, so that included the servers, the phone system and all the student and staff computers. Since then, we've always looked for deals, from the Department of Corrections and other school districts." Some classrooms have up to 25 computers and others as few as three or four, but none of the classrooms has any new computers, Churchill said. There are also outdated computers in the library and a cart of newer netbook mini-lap- tops that a technology specialist taught stu- dents with last year. There is no technology specialist hired yet this year because last year's specialist is now a teacher at the school. "That's obviously something we'd like to be able to return to," Churchill said. "But first, we just need to upgrade our equipment because we don't have much in the way of new eqmp- ment. We're hoping that the community will recognize that as something they can support." For more information, visit www.hoodca- nal.wednet.edu for the phone and email con- tact information of each school board member or attend the upcoming public school board meeting at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 29 at Hood Canal School. By NATALIE JOHNSON changes to three routes - u]e~ adds'an 8:45 a.m. trip" four, six and ten. to Shelton, which arrives at The Mason Transit Au- Under the new schedule,9:40 a.m. thority Board (MTA) voted the 7:10 a.m. and 8:10 a.m. The 12:05 p.m. and 4:05 Tuesday to approve a list of runs of route four have been p.m. runs have been elimi- schedule changes, eliminated and replacednated from route 10. In addition to route with extra Dial-A-Ride ser- Services at the Steam- changes, riders will now vice. boat Island stop have also only be able to call and Route six, which runs been altered under the new schedule Dial-A-Ride ser- between Olympia and schedule. vice on Monday through Shelton, also faces several "We will only stop at Saturday from 8 a.m. to 5 changes. The 5:45 a.m. de- Steamboat Island if there is p.m. rather than the previ- parture from Shelton tosomeone there who needs to ous 7:30 a,m. through 6:30 Olympia has changed to be picked up. They can call p.m. 5:30 a.m. and will arrive at and request to be picked Acting Operations Man- 6:25 a.m. MTA also added up," Oliver said. ager Mike Oliver said the a 7:40 a.m. departure to The new schedule also new times aren't set in stone Olympia, which arrives at extends the Link Service. in the immediate future. 8:35 a.m. The 11:30 a.m. Lake Lim- "There will be people Runs along route six crick Link will now include staffed in the office we will from Olympia to SheltonMason Lake and the Agate/ be accepting calls," he said. have also changed. The 6:55 Harstine Island Link will "We are going to changedeparture from Olympia to move up 30 minutes. those scheduling hours and Shelton will now leave at The new route changes make it more efficient." 6:35 and arrive in Shelton are set to take effect on Oc- The MTA board approved at 7:30 a.m. The new sched- tober 10. The To Encourage & Acknowledge Excellence in Mason County Journal presents this straw ballot of our readerg to determine who or what you, our readers consider to be the Best In Mason County 2011 This ballot will run in the Journal for the rest of September. Simply read the Journal and write in your choices for the Best of Mason County in the categories listed on this page. It is that simple, that easy, and that fun. Then, in October, see who wins our elections in an upcoming special section entitled Best in Mason County 2011 ballots CUt from n a designated ballot at 227 W. Cota St. o Shelton. Io1:S may alSobe :mailed to :P.O. Box 430 Shelton, WA to be in Mason County work: in i¸ ~: i: i¸" : : ~:-:,~:~' Page A-2 - Shelton-Mason County Journal -Thursday, September 15, 2011