Skip To Main Content

Color1 BG Container

District Nav

Landing Nav

Good News March 27, 2018

  • Good News Announcements
Good News March 27, 2018

Federal Way High School Scholar wins Outstanding Achievement Award

The Puget Sound Educational Service District has selected Federal Way High School student Madalyn Rice to receive an Outstanding Achievement Award in the Regional High School Art Show for her photo "Peony." Artwork is judged on creativity, composition, and technique and is open to students enrolled in grades 9-12.

We are proud of Madalyn's dedication to the arts, which supports Strategic Plan Goal Four: Content Area Competence: Mastery of All Subjects. 

Congratulations, Madalyn!

Thomas Jefferson High School Speech and Debate Team achieves in state and national tournaments

The Thomas Jefferson High School Speech and Debate Team recently performed exceptionally well in state and national qualifying tournaments including the team placing second in state!

 The following scholars were recognized:

  • Hakeem Shibly, second in state for impromptu, first in national qualifiers for oratory and will attend nationals in oratory
  • Allen Benjamin Tugade, first in national qualifiers in humorous interpretation and will attend nationals in humorous
  • Henry Ojeaburu, first in state dramatic interpretation
  • Andrew Tang, first in state expository speaking
  • Grace Scuderi, president of the Thomas Jefferson High School Speech and Debate Team who is here to represent the team for placing second in state 

 This is in direct support of Goal 3 of our Strategic Plan, active learners: engaged, empowered, critical thinkers. Congratulations, everyone!

Kiwanis Club of Federal Way supports scholars in Federal Way Public Schools 

We would like to take a moment to recognize and thank the Kiwanis Club of Federal Way for its continued partnership over the years.

The co-presidents of Kiwanis Club of Federal Way, Linda Persha and Susan Honda, and other Kiwanis members presented a check of $18,330 to the district that goes towards support of school activities.

Kiwanis is a global organization of volunteers dedicated to changing the world one child and one community at a time. We appreciate your steadfast service within our community, and all you do to support our student-scholars.

As part of this partnership, Federal Way Public Schools commits to donating 25 percent of the amount received from the Kiwanis Club of Federal Way to the Bridging A Gap Program. The district presented a check of $4,582 to Valerie Danforth, President of the "BAG" program.

The BAG Program was established in 2014 to provide food for students in Federal Way Public Schools who might not otherwise have a reliable source of nutrition over the weekends, and during school breaks. The program continues to grow and expand, thanks to the many community partners and the strong partnership with the school district.

Schools can’t do it alone and we appreciate your support of strategic plan goal two whole child: thriving, confident, responsible individuals. Thank you for all you do to support our scholars!

Twenty-nine Federal Way teachers earned National Board for Professional Teaching Standards Certification in 2017.

National board certification is an advanced certification program designed to recognize outstanding teachers who meet high and rigorous standards that accomplished teachers should know and be able to do.

Standing in recognition of our newest National Board Certified Teachers is Francine Oishi, the district’s Program Coordinator of Teacher Induction, Mentoring, and Support and some of the National Board Facilitators, Lori Harrison and Christine Hroncich.

I’ll be reading the teacher’s name and certification area:

  • Megan Aarsvold, Early Childhood Generalist
  • Yelena Alexander, Early and Middle Childhood, English as a New Language
  • Ashley Andrews, Early and Middle Childhood, Literacy: Reading-Language Arts
  • Emily Bray, Adolescence and Young Adulthood, English Language Arts
  • Lucinda Bryant, Early Childhood through Young Adulthood, School Counseling
  • Rosanna Castro, Early Childhood through Young Adulthood, Exceptional Needs Specialist
  • Beatrice Cordes, Early Childhood through Young Adulthood, Exceptional Needs Specialist
  • Teresa Eyler, Early Adolescence through Young Adulthood, World Languages
  • Tina Gilmore, Early Adolescence through Young Adulthood, English as a New Language
  • Bryan Hamilton, Adolescence and Young Adulthood, Social Studies-History
  • Lori Hartman, Early Childhood through Young Adulthood, Exceptional Needs Specialist
  • Alexandria Hayes, Early and Middle Childhood, Music
  • Maile Jensen,  Early Childhood through Young Adulthood, Exceptional Needs Specialist
  • Lori Kanikkeberg, Young Adulthood, Exceptional Needs Specialist
  • Ann Kormos, Adolescence and Young Adulthood, Social Studies-History
  • Jennifer Marquez-Shell, Early Adolescence, Mathematics
  • Denise McLean, Adolescence and Young Adulthood, Social Studies-History
  • Jessica Pak Early and Middle Childhood, Literacy: Reading-Language Arts
  • Tara Pearson,  Adolescence and Young Adulthood, Social Studies-History
  • Kate Weber, Early Childhood, Generalist
  • Leanne Procter, Early Adolescence through Young Adulthood, English as a New Language
  • Kyler Randall, Adolescence and Young Adulthood, Social Studies-History
  • Ben Shelton, Early Adolescence through Young Adulthood, Physical Education
  • Maura Siewert, Early and Middle Childhood, Literacy: Reading-Language Arts
  • Mariko Sparks, Early and Middle Childhood, English as a New Language
  • Anne Wolfrom, Early and Middle Childhood, Literacy: Reading-Language Arts
  • Jami Tait, Middle Childhood, Generalist
  • Amber Thompson, Early Adolescence, English Language Arts
  • Wendy Van Skyhawk, Early Childhood through Young Adulthood, Exceptional Needs Specialist

National Board Certified Teachers have successfully demonstrated exemplary teaching knowledge, skills and practices. The National Board candidacy process is demanding, and has numerous benefits to students, as teachers become even more self-reflective about their practice and increase subject area knowledge.

Congratulations to our National Board Certified Teachers and your dedication to our scholars’ bright futures!

Federal Way High School scholar earns Act Six scholarship

A Federal Way High School scholar has been named an Act Six Scholar! Will Juan Daniel Rodriguez please come forward to be recognized?

Selected through a rigorous three-month competition among more than 1,000 applicants, 106 diverse students were selected from across the country as leaders with a commitment to serving their community and have been awarded a full-tuition, full-need scholarship. Juan will be taking his leadership skills to Whitworth University.

Juan shared how attending Federal Way High School gave him a voice through clubs such as Fuerte, a civic engagement club that allows scholars to become involved in the community and advocate for change.

This is in recognition of Goal 5 of our Strategic Plan, Persistence to graduation. Congratulations, Juan!