Recent Media Coverage/Press Releases
11/19/09 Success in
Education first quarter awards
Students Simon
Angel, Mikayla Engstrom, Melissa Brown, Brandon
Gilbertson, and Sarah Nikalson-Engstrom received the
first quarter Success in Education awards at the
November 18th School Board meeting.
Read
more here->
11/17/09
Students receive music honors
Several students have
been selected to perform in the Washington All-State
choir and band this February in Yakima.
Read more
here->
11/13/09
School conferences encourage partnerships with families
School conferences
provide a great opportunity to further connect your
family with our school community. Parents are a child's
first teacher and that involvement is vital to every
child's success.
Read more here->
11/7/09 Freshman Rhiannon
Alexander takes fifth place at state cross country meet
Competing in the state
meet for the first time, freshman Rhiannon Alexander
didn't run quite as fast as she had hoped. She got over
it quickly though. A top-five finish will do that.
The Herald reported the story->.
11/2/09 Super Kids: Granite
Falls senior wants career in astrophysics or
biochemistry
Marissa Ogren,
Granite Falls High School senior will graduate with a
high school diploma and an associates degree from
Everett Community College.
The Herald reported the story->
11/1/09 Alexander wins
District cross country meet
Freshman
Rhiannon Alexander is the 2A District cross country
champ,
taking first place in the meet Oct. 31. Scroll down through the lead story to
"Alexander
paces 2A girls"
10/29/09 Granite Falls wins
play-in to Class 2A District 1 tournament
The girls soccer
team won its game last night, which qualified the team
for a play-in game Saturday for the district tournament.
The Everett Herald
reported the story.
10/25/09 Freshman is Cross
Country champion
Freshman
Rhiannon Alexander is the Cascade Conference champion
taking first place in the girls cross country conference
meet October 24. Rhiannon also set a meet record of
19:16. Scroll down through the lead story to
“Granite Falls freshman wins Cascade Conference race”.
In the boys cross country race, senior Maika
Matalomani placed 7th and junior Ben Mow 9th,
personal bests for both. GO TIGERS!
10/23/09 Perfect touches at
Granite Falls homecoming
A Knight for a Princess, that's the theme
of the homecoming dance Saturday at Granite Falls High
School. For one teenage couple, it's sure to be a night
unlike any other. Justine Hagan and Jacob Byron were
elected by the sophomore class as homecoming royalty.
Jacob and Justine are special education students. The
Herald
reported the story-> and added a
"Spirit of a school"
follow-up story with photos.
10/19/09 Ogren, Crews
National Merit Scholars
Granite Falls High School seniors Marissa Ogren and
Chelaina Crews have been named Commended Students in the
2010 National Merit Scholarship Program. The girls
placed in the top five percent of more that 1.5 million
students in the entire country based on scores from the
Preliminary SAT test.
The Herald reported the story->
10/13/09 Timeout with...Mark
Neuman
A longtime fixture at Granite Falls High School,
Mark Neuman is a man of many seasons. The Herald
reported the story->
9/17/09 Board names
volunteer and partnership winners
The Granite Falls School District Success in Education
Volunteer and Partnership of the Year awards were
presented at the regular School Board meeting September
16.
Read more here>
9/15/09 Wildlife Safety
This is a good
time of year to review safety tips with your children if
they should encounter wildlife in the area. It is also
important to discourage students from walking or cutting
through wooded areas to get to school or home.
Click here for safety tips from the Department of
Fish and Wildlife.
9/14/09 Granite Falls School
District continues to reduce costs
In an effort to
continue cost saving measures, the Granite Falls School
District will not print its annual community school
calendar for the 2009/2010 school year.
Read more
here>
9/2/09 1st day: plenty of
jitters to go around
After more than
three decades as a principal, Cathie West still feels
nervous before the first day of school. Such was the
case Monday when she wondered what she should wear
Tuesday when classes opened at Mountain Way Elementary
School. The Herald
reported the story->
9/1/09 Granite Falls
football players will be giving their all for 'Coach
Joe'
Every time Dylan
Wold walks into the weight room at Granite Falls High
School he half expects to see Coach Joe. The Herald
reported the story->
6/19/09
Granite Falls retools school
Work is expected
to begin soon on a project to upgrade the old Granite
Falls High School for middle school students. The Herald
reported the story->
6/19/09
Granite Falls grad sets her own destiny
Kirsten Kramer is
doing what she's done for years - working hard and
making her own solid choices. While many teens scramble
for employment, this 2009 graduate of Granite Falls High
School juggles two jobs. "You're not defined by the
things that happen to you, but by the things you make
happen," Kirsten said. The Herald
reported the story->
6/16/09 District names employees of
the year
Tracy Land and Viki Perrault were named the
2008-09 Employees of the Year at an all-staff awards
presentation June 16. For more information on Tracy and Viki,
read more here->
6/15/09 Achievements and
awards
We are proud of our staff members and
students for outstanding accomplishments in and out of the classroom.
For a review of the 08-09 achievements,
read more here->
6/7/09, Evergreen Speedway notes:
the Amazing Luis Torres!
Luis Torres, 14, of Granite Falls and his parents
and siblings were guests of the speedway on Saturday,
enjoying all the action from the VIP booth. Luis, who is
just wrapping up his 8th gr. year at GFMS, has
Asperger's Syndrome, a high-functioning form of autism.
The Herald
blogged about it->
6/3/09,
Granite Falls girls get car-camp invitation
It will be a different
kind of summer camp for Granite Falls Middle School
girls. For a $75 registration fee, the school district
is sponsoring a two-day "Mini Eco Car" summer academy
for middle and high school girls. Scholarships are
available. The Herald
reported the story ->
5/21/09,
GO TIGERS! Girls qualify for state
The High School girls fastpitch team
qualified for the state tournament May 20 with a win
over Burlington. State competition begins May 29 in
Selah. Ericka Smith also qualified for state competition
in the javelin in Tacoma May 28. The Herald
reported the story ->
5/19/09, MWE student Kaitlyn Bostrom qualified for Junior Olympics!
Got rhythm?
Kaitlyn will compete in rhythmic gymnastics for the 2009
Junior Olympic Compulsory Championships the end of May.
The Herald
reported the story ->.
5/5/09, GF girls learn
skills in a typically male class
Elizabeth Matalomani was shocked when she received her
second semester schedule at GFHS and saw that she was
enrolled in a manufacturing class. Manufacturing? ....
It'll come in handy. Matalomani is one of about 70 girls
from GFHS who plan to construct a wind tunnel and
research, design and build a fuel-efficient car from
scratch to compete in a national competition next
spring. The Herald
reported the story ->
4/8/09, GF kids get a report
on their generosity
Debra Howell realized she'd piqued her students'
interest in world affairs when 18 of 21 of them showed
up on a day off from school to collect goods for care
packages being mailed to soldiers and students in Iraq
and Afghanistan. .... Ben Nelson, [a] sixth-grade
student, figured his class would gather enough supplies
to fill two boxes. He underestimated his classmates.
They filled 80 boxes. .... The containers were sent to
soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan with the help of the
local Veterans of Foreign War chapter, which paid for
the postage. The Herald
reported the story ->
3/26/09, GF tennis program
back after hiatus
If you build them, they will come. That was the thought
GF athletic director Mike Hahn had when he pushed for
the construction of eight tennis courts at GFHS' new
campus ... so there would be enough courts available for
physical education and, if all went well, a tennis
program. As it turned out, things went about as well as
they could have. The Herald
reported the story ->
1/26/09, GF student's
fundraiser brings in $2k for medical research
Tessa Romack was overwhelmed by the turnout. Seventy
people, including four girls and a woman, had their
heads shaved Jan. 16 as part of a fundraiser for
research into alopecia, an uncommon autoimmune disease
that causes Tessa and about 450,000 other Americans to
lose patches or, in some cases, all of their hair.
The Herald reported the story ->
1/16/09, Teen turns her challenge into
an opportunity
Tessa Romack laughed the day she had her head shaved.
Jim Romack didn't want his daughter to go it alone, so
he had his hair shaved as well. They held hands as their
hair fell from follicles to floor. "Dad looked so
funny," Tessa recalled. "I couldn't stop laughing."
Tessa has alopecia areata, an uncommon autoimmune
disease that causes about 450,000 Americans to lose
patches, and in some cases, all of their hair.
The Herald reported the story ->
1/15/09, Super kid, Luis Torres,
blossoms at GFMS
The eighth-grader, who has Asperger's Syndrome, a
high-functioning form of autism, has endeared himself to
the staff at Granite Falls Middle School for his strong
work ethic, willingness to help others and politeness.
In November, the Granite Falls School Board gave him the
district's quarterly Success In Education award.
The Herald reported the story ->
1/6/09, Herald takes a
timeout with Kirsten Kramer, GFHS
After a rough beginning, Kirsten Kramer has come a long
way in basketball. When Kramer tried the sport in fifth
grade, the outlook seemed bleak. "I was so horrible,"
she said. "I could not make a layin...." But now Kramer
is an experienced starter for the 3-3 Granite Falls
Tigers, who are enjoying plenty of success this season.
The Herald reported the story ->
11/22/08, King 5 Honors GFHS senior,
Nicole Deprey
GFHS senior Nicole Deprey is a defensive specialist for
the Tigers volleyball team. She is also the school’s
Student Body Vice President with a perfect GPA. Put
those two together, and you’ve got this week’s A-Team
member.
King 5 reported the story ->
11/5/08, Granite's girls
stay alive in 2A tourney with 3-2 victory
With the win, Granite Falls advances to take on
Cedarcrest in a winner-to-state game at 1 p.m. on
Saturday in Mount Vernon.
Read more here->
10/22/08, GFHS girls soccer
featured
The Granite Falls High School girls soccer team is
headed for the playoffs and was featured on the front
page of the Herald's sports section. Go to
www.heraldnet.com.
10/10/08, Congratulations, GFHS
Cheerleaders!
The Granite Falls High School Cheerleaders were named
KIRO TV’s Cheer Squad of the Week for October 13. Go to
www.kirotv.com for a video of the squad.
9/22/08, Granite Falls
School superintendent fills many roles
With a subtle lift of her index finger, Karen Koschak
can make teenage girls end their hallway piggyback ride
in midstride. After 37 years in education, the new
Granite Falls School District superintendent also can
make herself quite at home mingling with students in a
crowded lunchroom. .... "It's just so personal in a
small district," she said. "It's very hands-on. I
really like to get into the inner workings of what goes
on in a school." The Herald
reported the story.
9/11/08, Super kid: Granite
Falls senior wants career in nursing:
Rose Livermore, 17, Granite Falls High School senior ...
is ASB president. "I want to be in a position to
change our school and make a mark ..." The Herald
reported the story ->
6/8/08, Illness put Granite
grad's goal in focus:
Even as she lay in her hospital bed last spring,
her organs failing and a prickly head-to-toe rash
beginning to infiltrate her mouth and throat, Krisha
Abbott-Sleister worried nearly as much about school as
her rapidly declining health. Second semester of her
junior year had just begun at GFHS and she was on track
to earn her diploma with her peers. The Herald
reported the story ->
5/5/08, College math test
for high school? Educators have a plan for GFHS:
Eric and Andrea Cahan, husband and wife, can't
help talking about education over the dinner table. Eric
is the principal at Granite Falls High School; Andrea, a
math instructor, works with students at Everett
Community College. "Unfortunately, I don't leave work at school very well
and she doesn't either," Eric Cahan said. Both want to
see more students ready for college-level math when they
leave high school. So they sat down and hashed out a
plan. The Herald
reported the story ->
4/18/08, School Board names Karen
Koschak superintendent
The Granite Falls School Board of Directors is
very pleased to announce Karen Koschak was unanimously
selected to be the Superintendent effective July 1. The
Board made the announcement at its regular board meeting
April 16. The Herald
reported the story ->
3/11/08, Timeout with Hannah Anderson,
senior, GFHS softball
The third baseman has overcome [a] vision
flaw ... earning All-Cascade Conference first team
honors and becoming an indispensable team leader.
Read more here ->
2/28/08, Legislature honors
Granite Falls teacher
Peterson, a music teacher at Monte Cristo
Elementary School, received resolutions of commendation
from both the Senate and House of Representatives. ....
Peterson sat in the gallery of the Senate then the House
as lawmakers passed their respective resolutions. After
each vote, legislators stood and applauded her.
Read more here ->
2/5/08, School issues on
Granite Falls, Monroe ballots
Granite Falls and Monroe are among the local school
districts with measures on the Feb. 19 ballot. Both are
venturing into new territory. It's the first time for
each to be part of an all-mail ballot. The
Herald reported the story ->
2/5/08, Middle School “Super
Kid” Becky Gilbertson
Becky ... is student body president ... loves
days when students dress up in school colors black and
orange ... and was featured in The Herald.
Read more here ->
1/28/08, Granite Falls
school chief finalists have ties to area
The list of candidates for Granite Falls School District
superintendent has been pared to three, and each has a
Snohomish County connection. In fact, all three at one
time or another have worked for the neighboring Lake
Stevens School District.
The
Herald reported the story ->
1/19/08, New GFHS dedication
a grand success!
Hundreds attended the dedication event, including
two alumni (Class of 1929 and 1939!) highlighted in
The Herald
(read more here ->)
12/23/07, Kids right at home in new school
Granite Falls' $43 million high school is designed for growth. The high school students wasted no time in filling their new building with school pride
.... The Herald reported the story ->
12/19/07, Student collects shoes for families
... GFHS senior Jade Rondorf recently ran the first of what she hopes will be an annual shoe drive called "Let's Walk in Their Shoes," [which] brought in more than 100 pairs of new
shoes.... The Herald reported the story ->
11/14/07, Little girl half a world away from parents serving Iraq
... Granite Falls preschooler Mishala Alcaide, 4, can make a sandwich and say ABCs. But her parents can't be here to see it.
The Herald reported the story ->
11/2/07, Superintendent
announces retirement; Community invited to help in the search ...
Community Forum, Nov. 14, 2007 at 7 pm
According to Thaut, "I worked with bright talented people who inspire me every day and, of course, you get to work with kids every day. How can it get better than that?"
The
Herald reported the story ->
10/29/07, Life is busy for
the nation's top teacher ... On being a new mom and traveling: "One day you are in Washington, D.C., getting picked up by a limousine and being treated like royalty practically and then you are sitting in your house with your daughter who just spit up on your shoulder. I treasure every second that I have with
her ..." The
Herald reported the story ->
10/24/07, On the road for
excellence ... "Highlights of the past year? Well, the Rose Garden introduction by President Bush and first lady Laura Bush in April has to rank near the
top ..." The
Seattle Times shared stories from Mrs. Peterson's
travels so far. ->
September 2007, Granite Falls assistant principal best in state
Mr. B, as Dave Bianchini is known to his students at Granite Falls Middle School, has been named Washington State Middle School Assistant Principal of the Year.
Bianchini will receive his award at the Association of Washington School Principals conference in October and will be considered for the National Assistant Principal of the Year award. Finalists for the national award will be released in January.
Read
more here ->
9/27/07, GFSD wins national
award for its substance abuse prevention program "Over the past six years, the number of teenagers who say they've used alcohol, marijuana and methamphetamine in this town has dropped sharply. Now, people with the Granite Falls School District are getting recognized for their efforts in making that happen. The district has won an award from the federal government for its substance-abuse prevention program, making it one of only four organizations nationwide to earn the honor this year."
The Herald reported
the story.
9/10/07, Herald Super Kid: Ryan Hillery
"I have a lot of friends in leadership. It should be fun. It should be a good experience and I think it will help me in life."
The Herald reported the story ->
8/29/07, The Patient Leader
Shouting orders doesn’t come naturally to Jullian
Gamache .... A rare four-year varsity starter, Gamache is expected to help propel a youthful Granite Falls team that wants to build on its 2006 success.
The Herald reported the story ->
2007-2008, Andrea Peterson
was the 2007 NATIONAL Teacher of the
Year! Read
more here ->
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