‘Nightmare at Beaver Lake’ off to a scary start
October 25, 2011
As event-goers stood in line to enter through a tunnel into the dark woods, two girls pleaded with their mother to take them home. The mother convinced them to brave the nighttime haunt — they were the ones who had wanted to come in the first place, she repeated — and one girl whimpered as the gatekeeper let them pass through.
Families and small groups of community members experienced the eighth annual Nightmare at Beaver Lake dress rehearsal Oct. 19. While the roughly 200 actors and event support staff spent the evening working out the kinks fore the full-fledged production, some Nightmare visitors said 2011 was better than in the past. Read more
Local teen called an ‘angel’ for her work with seniors
October 25, 2011
Sammamish resident Smrithi Sukumar wasn’t sure what to think about working with senior citizens before she started her summer internship with Sammamish nonprofit Faith in Action.
She was skeptical her seemingly minimal efforts and tasks would not matter much.
Smrithi Sukumar, a junior at International Community School, poses with the “Jill’s Angel Award,” which Teens in Public Service gave her for her work with Sammamish-based organization Faith in Action (now Eastside Friends of Seniors). Photo by Christopher Huber
Anne Moore will join the Issaquah School Board
October 25, 2011
Residents are guaranteed of seeing at least one new face on the Issaquah School Board next year.
Bellevue resident Anne Moore is running unopposed for the District 1 seat being vacated by current board president Jan Colbrese.
“I will always be deeply invested in the Issaquah School District,” Colbrese said. Read more
Siri Bliesner poised to be new member of Lake Washington School Board
October 25, 2011
Siri Bliesner, of Redmond, is running in an uncontested race for the Lake Washington School Board this fall. She will replace outgoing board member Ravi Shahani.
Although Bliesner does not live in Sammamish, school board seats are voted on by the district as a whole, and decisions she makes will impact Sammamish families in the Lake Washington district. The general election is Nov. 8. Read more
Literacy room helps Discovery students
October 25, 2011
If it weren’t for the “Marvin Redpost” series, a bunch of fourth-grade boys at Discovery Elementary School might not be so into reading this school year.
And if it weren’t for a staff member’s vision and nearly $30,000 from the PTA, the school might not even have that book series by Louis Sachar in its selection. Discovery opened its new literacy room this fall. It’s a “re-purposed” former art room and storage space that now offers nearly 1,000 different book sets at varying reading levels for the entire school population.
Patty Britt, a longtime Discovery first-grade teacher, reads through a book with first-graders Gavin Hilliard, front, and Sydney Dean Oct. 19 in the school’s new literacy room. Photo by Christopher Huber
New camera grading saves time, helps students and teachers
October 25, 2011
A few high school teachers in Sammamish are spending a little less time entering student grades after school these days.
Teachers at Skyline High School have caught on to what some in the Issaquah School District called a sort of grassroots tech initiative to help teachers save time, schools save money and students get instant feedback on tests.
Skyline is piloting GradeCam, a web-based software program similar to but more readily available than a Scantron machine. It works through a teacher’s existing in-class document camera to instantaneously grade multiple-choice tests.
Becky Fowler, a Skyline science teacher, demonstrates how the school’s new GradeCam program works. The web-based program uses an existing classroom document camera to rapidly grade a multiple-choice score sheet and enter the grade into the electronic gradebook. Photo by Christopher Huber
Calendar Oct. 26
October 25, 2011
The New Job Search in the New Economy, a workshop to teach how to shift your approach to work and a job search, is at 7 p.m. Oct. 26 at the Sammamish Library.
Jet City Improv, a Seattle-based improve comedy troupe will perform from 7-9 p.m. Oct. 27 at Sammamish City Hall. The show, sponsored by the Sammamish Arts Commission, is free. Read more
Skyline rallies to top Eastlake volleyball in 3-1 match
October 25, 2011
Sophomore Emily Anne Owen was on a roll from the serving line Oct. 18 against Eastlake.
Serving on 12- and 11-point runs in the third and fourth sets, Owen, a libero and defensive specialist, helped the Skyline girls volleyball team improve to 6-2 in league play after beating the Eastlake Wolves 3-1 in the second-to-last regular-season match.
Anna Gorman, Eastlake junior outside hitter, spikes the ball as Skyline’s Marissa Fortier, left, and Maddie Magee go up for the block during the third set Oct. 18. Photo by Christopher Huber
Vicente Varas is KingCo singles tennis champ
October 25, 2011
Vicente Varas, Eastlake’s standout No. 1 singles player maintained his undefeated record after winning his way through the KingCo boys tennis championship tournament Oct. 18-22 at Eastlake and Skyline High Schools and Mercer Island Country Club.
Varas, a senior and the league’s top-seeded player heading into the tournament, ultimately defeated Skyline opponent Aman Manji, 6-1, 6-4 Oct. 22 at Mercer Island Country Club. Read more
Eastside Catholic football tops Bainbridge 27-24
October 25, 2011
The Eastside Catholic Crusaders outlasted Bainbridge in the school’s final regular season game before league playoffs.
Eastside got out to a slow start, but managed to score in each quarter to win 27-24.
The Crusaders improved to 2-2 in Metro play and 5-3 overall. Read more
