Winship Middle School
News Releases

September 2, 1999
Winship math teacher chosen as textbook writer

Public Service Announcement

For Immediate Release
April 6, 2007

Family Sock Hop to benefit Eureka-Kamisu student exchange

Eureka— Nine Eureka middle school students are heading to Kamisu, Japan this summer as part of the Eureka-Kamisu Sister City Exchange Program. Please support these students by attending a Family Sock Hop on Friday, May 4 at Winship Middle School’s multipurpose room from 7 to 9 p.m.

Come bop and swing to 60s rock ‘n’ roll with KXGO’s Cosmic Charlie, Pete Meyer of Power 96, and KOOL 105’s Rock ‘n’ Roll Burlyman, Dana Hall. Music provided by Heatwave Sound and Light.

Tickets are $5. Pick up yours today at The Works, 213 F St., Eureka or The Works in Arcata, 987 H St. See you May 4 at the Family Sock Hop to help support the Eureka-Kamisu, Japan Sister City Exchange. Winship Middle School is located at 2500 Cypress Avenue, off Walnut, in Cutten. For more information, call Patti at 499-4014.

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News Release

For Immediate Release
March 29, 2007

Grant, Washington and Winship schools earn state recognition for boosting student achievement

EUREKA— An ongoing and coordinated effort to boost student achievement at three Eureka schools has been recognized as a distinguished accomplishment by the California Department of Education (CDE).

Grant Elementary School, Washington Elementary School and Winship Middle School have been awarded CDE's 2006-07 Title 1 Academic Achievement Award. Representatives from these schools will attend the 2007 California Title 1 Conference in Costa Mesa on April 16 to receive the awards.

Kim Cobine, former principal of Winship Middle School and current assistant superintendent of Humboldt County Schools, described the school's accomplishment as an eight-year process. "It was a combination of analyzing testing data each year and developing various school-wide programs that really made the difference," noted Cobine. "Our decisions were all focused on improving student learning."

Winship offers school-wide programs in reading, writing, library research, mathematics and classroom management for teachers.

Test data was scrutinized to find "key patterns within the subgroups and address areas of concern," said Cobine. Student subgroups consist of English language learners, special education, socioeconomic and ethnicity.

In addition, special education students and their teachers have more involvement in regular education classroom. "Winship has an inclusion model that brings special education teachers and aides into the classrooms where small groups of resource students are clustered," said Cobine. "They receive the same curriculum and instruction as everyone else, but with the teachers and aides in the room, all students are given more attention."

"The added bonus for our special education students was the increase in self esteem and confidence they gained as learners because they weren't being pulled out of the classroom and singled out by other children," said Cobine.

Winship's after school program also receives credit from Cobine. "Students received strong academic support after school. It was an integral part of the success."

Cobine is proud of the entire Winship staff. "It was a lot of hard work on the teachers' part, and actually everyone who works at Winship, because we all had to be a part of the learning. Whether working with students in a support class, after school program or even on the playground to enforce our school-wide behavior plan, without their dedication to the concept that we can do better and all children can learn, I don't think we would have achieved at the level we did."

The Grant school staff recognized the importance of meeting the changing needs of their students after a shift in demographics brought more English language learners to the school. Lee Ann Lanning, former principal of Grant Elementary School and current principal of Washington School, convened a site leadership team of teachers which met regularly to address the changing academic and social needs of students.

"Math is an area Grant students have done well in," remarked Lanning, "so teachers identified literacy as the primary academic need along with social, emotional and behavioral issues."

Grant's leadership team determined that the literacy needs of their students were related to second language issues as well as possible learning issues.

To address students' social, emotional and behavioral needs, a variety of interventions and ongoing trainings were put into place including utilizing the school's psychologist, disseminating parent surveys, offering Healthy Play training for staff members and ongoing training for the school's playground monitors. One of the results is that Grant has experienced a decrease of in-school and out-of-school suspensions.

Lanning arranged for her teachers to participate in targeted training on curriculum evaluation, program planning and developing quality intervention programs. "We decided to revamp our intervention both during the school day and in our after school classes," said Lanning.

Grant School also identified students for language arts intervention classes and English language learner support. "Grant leadership team decided to group English language learners within the grades based on a variety of information, including test results, in order to provide intensive and targeted instruction in language development."

Lanning credits the entire Grant staff for the school's accomplishment. "Grant School has a highly dedicated staff committed to ongoing professional development to supporting student learning."

Paul Gossard, former principal at Washington School and current principal at Winship Middle School, was pleased to find out about the recognition and was quick to praise the entire Washington staff.

"School success does not come by accident," stated Gossard. "This award reflects the dedication, creativity and tenacity of Washington's teachers, intervention teachers and support staff in seeking success for all students."

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News Release
For Immediate Release

November 14, 2006

Middle school students build Peace Tree to raise money for trip to sister city Kamisu, Japan

EUREKA— Paper origami cranes, or "tsuru" in Japanese, have a long history in Japanese traditions and legends. It is said that 1,000 folded origami cranes can make a wish come true. Several Eureka City Middle School students are currently working on building a Peace Tree decorated with origami cranes as a fundraiser for a student exchange program through the Eureka-Kamisu Sister City Project.

The tree was “unveiled” at the Humboldt County Main Library in Eureka during the Share a Story program based on “Japanese Journey.” The tree, adorned with a few dozen cranes, is currently on display in the young adult room at the library. Over the next six months, the tree will be on display throughout Eureka where community members can watch it fill with colorful folded paper cranes.

Cranes will be sold by individual students, and as a group. The first booth sale will be held in front of the new Eureka Co-op from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, November 18.

The tree will also be on display, and crane sales will take place, at Going Places in Old Town during Arts Alive! on Saturday, December 2.

Ten students from Winship and Zane Middle Schools have been selected to participate in the Eureka-Kamisu Sister City Exchange program in July, 2007. Students who participate are accepting donations in exchange for cranes that are folded and hung on a tree structure. Students participated in their first crane folding party in late October, where they learned to fold the traditional origami bird. Paper cranes will cost $1 each, and $5 each for foil cranes.

For more information about the crane tree, or to find out where to send your donation, call Susan Seaman at 442-2013.

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Press Release
For Immediate Release

March 24, 2006

Community leaders go back to school during Principal for a Day

EUREKA— For one day, eight Eureka business and community leaders will go back to school as a “Principal for a Day” and learn firsthand about the challenges and the achievements in Eureka City Schools. Principal for a Day is scheduled for Wednesday, March 29 from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m.

“Principal for a Day engages our participants to get involved at the point of change in our schools,” said Jim Scott, superintendent of Eureka City Schools. “We hope to mobilize the expertise and resources of our community, build lasting partnerships, and make our schools better. Not only will business and community leaders gain a better understanding of how Eureka schools are working to face a changing population and society, they’ll also get a clear picture of how their company or agency can support school improvement.”

The media is encouraged to attend any of the participating school sites.

This year’s Principal for a Day participants are:

Alexis Walker, Target store team leader, at Alice Birney Elementary, 717 South Street, 441-2495.

Marge Custis, retired educator and community volunteer, at Grant Elementary School, 3901 G Street, 441-2552.

Bonnie Neely, Humboldt County supervisor, at Lafayette Elementary School, 3100 Park Street, 441-2482.

Lynn McKenna, retired teacher and community volunteer, at Lincoln Elementary School, 216 West Harris Street, 441-2446.

Julie Ryan, AmeriCorps volunteer coordinator for Volunteer Center of the Redwoods, at Winship Middle School, 2500 Cypress Street, 441-2487.

Brent Rasmussen, owner CoxRasmussen & Cross advertising agency, at Zane Middle School, 2155 S Street, 441-2470.

Bob Marino, DG Fairhaven Power Plant general manager, at Eureka High School, 1915 J Street, 441-2508

Ken Skaggs, financial management consultant, at Zoe Barnum High School and the Eureka Adult School, 674 Allard Avenue, 441-2467.

During their day on campus, the new school administrators will participate in a variety of tasks as they job-shadow the school’s principal. Principal for a Day activities might include learning about school technology, facilities management, partnership opportunities, school–to–career, curriculum, service-learning, accountability measures, and classroom observations.

All Eureka City Schools have ongoing educational partnerships with local business and community groups. For additional information regarding Principal for a Day 2006 contact Sheldon J. Reber, director of school at community relations, at 441-2416.

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News Release
For Immediate Release

March 10, 2006

Healthy Kids Survey given in April

EUREKA— Eureka City Schools will be administering the California Healthy Kids Survey in April. It is given every other year to 5th, 7th, 9th, and 11th grade students. It is voluntary and anonymous. Students do not have to participate and no names are used. The survey results will help us plan programs to assist students.

The survey asks questions about student behaviors, such as:

physical activity and nutrition

use of tobacco, alcohol, or other drugs

bullying, teasing, weapons, and school violence

feelings of safety at school and out of school

feelings of connection with a teacher or other adult (does someone care about them at school and out of school)

Signed consent is required for all 5th grade students from their parent or guardian. Parents/guardians must sign and return the form, either giving or denying consent.

Signed consent is not required for 7th, 9th, and 11th graders’ parents or guardians. If you do NOT want your child to participate, fill out and return the withdrawal form. If you allow your child to take part in the survey you do not have to return the form.

Consent/withdrawal forms were mailed to all 5th, 7th, 9th, and 11th grade student addresses. If you did not receive it, call your child’s school or 476-1601.

You can read a copy of the actual survey at your child's school. Each school office has a copy in English and in Spanish.

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News Release
For Immediate Release

March 8, 2006

Eureka EAST students rate highly at national conference

EUREKA— EAST Lab students and teachers from Eureka City Schools recently returned from the national EAST Partnership Conference in Little Rock, Arkansas where they received multiple awards and much acclaim.

EAST (Environmental and Spatial Technology) students connect the classroom with the community while utilizing real world skills such as desktop publishing, video editing, graphical information mapping systems, public speaking and presentation software, and Web page design. EAST began in 1996 and now includes 230 school in six states.

Eureka City Schools is the only district in California to offer the EAST program to students in grades 4 through 12. The Eureka EAST program serves a total of 800 students in the district.

Michelle Hutchins, the district’s learning director of educational technology, remarked that educators from around the nation are fully aware of the Eureka EAST programs. “My favorite aspect of the conference was attending with four schools and realizing that Eureka City Schools had the largest presence of any district. People from Arkansas with EAST programs much older than ours kept asking if we were “the Eureka from California,” and then made a point to interact with our students. Our EAST programs have paved a curricular pathway that other EAST Labs follow. We have a lot to be proud of.”

Eureka High School seniors Kris Buihner and Briana York presented the EAST Founder's Award in front of nearly 2,000 people after Eureka High was named a finalist. According to EAST Lab facilitator Ron Perry, “Although the EHS EAST Lab did not earn the Founder’s Award, the level of respect that the EAST community had for their effort was reflected by the constant stream of visitors to the our booth and their many questions. The student team of Julio Miles, Andrea Howard, Hannah Jones, Kris Buihner, and Brianna York prepared a portfolio of projects for submission and by all accounts amazed the judges. These students have set the bar high for future submissions.”

The Program Impact Assessment presentation team of seniors Julio Miles and Andrea Howard earned nearly perfect scores for Eureka High and a superior rating. The presentation covers community involvement, teamwork, collaboration, problem solving, use of technology and student growth.

The awards for Eureka High School did not end there.

EHS junior Leo Garcia won the Project Poster Design contest. Garcia’s Sports Crew Poster was one of three from EHS that reached the final eight in this competition. EHS freshman Kelsey Younker’s Youth Relay for Life Poster and senior Sam Gentle’s Web Site Poster also reached the finals.

Eureka High junior Michael Roscoe earned second place in the ESRI mapping competition for a series of maps he is creating for the Wiyot Tribe. ESRI Internet mapping technology is a professional application used by many organizations to create spatially-enabled Web sites for a variety of needs. His prize was software for himself worth $16,000. “The EAST Lab will receive updates and software from ESRI worth much more because of the efforts of Michael and Jared Blood, his project partner,” said Perry.

Julio Miles was recognized by EAST for submitting the logo that was used for much of the EAST Conference publications.

The conference was also a tremendous networking opportunity for all EAST students. “Dozens of labs came to our booth in the hopes of adopting some of our projects like Project Diversity, the Youth Relay for Life, and Youth Ready to Respond.” said Perry. “Holly LaCount’s Ride For Life, the Equestrian Relay, was the project that seemed to generate the most interest. About a dozen schools in three states seem intent upon replicating Holly’s efforts.”

Zoe Barnum students distinguished themselves by earning an excellent rating at the conference. “This is a particularly impressive rating given that we are a newly established EAST Lab,” remarked facilitator Scott Robbins.

Senior Tessa Elwell and sophomore Bill Johns presented the projects and progress of the Zoe Barnum EAST Lab to the public, media, and conference judges. Several exemplary projects were highlighted including the Sequoia Humane Society, the Cooper Gulch Skateboard Park, and the Community Quilt Project.

The conference also provided an opportunity for Zoe Barnum students and Robbins to attend a series of training sessions on professional software suites, public relations and marketing strategies, and communication and presentation skills.

Robbins sees a great future for Zoe Barnum’s EAST Lab. “The Zoe EAST Lab will continue to strive for greater community involvement and collaboration with private and public entities. In addition, the Lab is strengthening cross-curricular connections with each academic area within the school.”

Both Winship and Zane EAST Labs earned superior ratings at the national conference.

Jamie Bush, Zane’s EAST facilitator commented that “the superior rating is an honor achieved by only 20% of the EAST schools in the nation.”

Bush reported that Zane seventh-grader Elena Zamarippa and sixth-grader Marianne Frakes “did an excellent job presenting our accomplishments to the judges. All Zane EAST students earned the award with their hard work this year. I could not be prouder.” Zamarripa remarked “I loved meeting new people from Hawaii and Arkansas, and getting to know the Winship EAST students.”

Zane students also took classes in SketchUp, a 3-D digital design program, SoftImage, a professional animation program, VersaCAD, a program used by engineers and architects, and Adobe Photoshop, a professional image editing program.

Winship’s EAST facilitator Dana Jacobs reported that Winship students highlighted several projects including: Animals Matter, a fundraiser for Miranda’s Rescue; Hurricane Katrina Relief, which raised over $2,261; the second annual Christmas At Your Door, a tree and ornament drive for local shelters; student-designed posters about Healthy Lifestyles; and six murals to promote good sportsmanship among area school teams that come to play in Winship’s gymnasium.

After the conference concluded, a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity opened up for Winship seventh-grader Elijah Beiser. Beiser took a class in ArchiCAD, a software program that assists engineers, architects and other design professionals. According to Jacobs, “The ArchiCAD rep called Elijah at home and told him that he showed more interest and appreciation than anyone in his 35 years of teaching. He’s sending him the software for free and offered him a job out of high school if he continues with his interest in technology.”

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News Release
For Immediate Release

March 8, 2005

Winship teacher recognized as Outstanding Music Educator of the Year

EUREKA— Music teacher David Demant loves to start each school day directing Winship Middle School’s jazz band. “The jazz band has just grown in size and quality. They are really sounding good,” he said. “Starting the day with jazz puts a bounce in your step. You get this kind of groove going.”

Demant's dedication to his music students and his success broadening the music program at Winship have earned him recognition as the Outstanding Music Educator of the Year from the North Coast Section of the California Music Education Association (CMEA). The recognition was voted on by his peers— elementary, secondary and college music teachers from Humboldt and Del Norte counties. Demant will be recognized at CMEA's annual conference in Pasadena on March 17.

“I'm honored to be recognized by other music teachers,” said Demant. “It's a real nomination by people in the trenches, so to speak… people who are doing the job and know what it takes.”

Winship’s music program has grown since Demant came to the school in 2002. “When Sue Diaz retired she left the Winship music program in really good shape,” reflected Demant. “It's easy to build up something when a strong foundation is already in place. Now we have 180 kids in the music program, almost 100 more than when I started three years ago. We've added a jazz band, a year-long chorus, we march in the Rhody parade, go to all the local music festivals and we’re even starting a Fiddle Club next week where we’ll be learning fiddle tunes, by ear, one day a week after school.”

Demant is also proud to be sending 50 of his music students to the All-County Music Festival held Saturday, March 12 at Eureka High School.

One of Demant’s goals is to develop a program that gives local 6-8 students an equal opportunity at both of Eureka’s middle schools. “In Eureka City Schools, no matter which middle school you attend, we’re going to offer you an excellent music program in jazz, classical, band, choral and strings. You will be prepared for a wonderful music experience at Eureka High School.”

As districts around the state are making cuts to their music programs, Demant is pleased with the ongoing support he’s received from Winship principal Kim Cobine and Superintendent Jim Scott. “The district, even in these hard budget times, came to bat,” said Demant. “They supported the music program at Winship. I couldn’t have developed this program if Kim hadn’t been willing to try it. She's been very supportive.”

Demant also knows the importance of Eureka City School’s strong elementary music program. “We're getting a bunch of great kids from Michael Labolle and Mary DeAndreis, the elementary music teachers, and we’re sending off a very nice group of kids to Eureka High School’s music program. That is one of the most satisfying things about teaching in a middle school setting. We get to watch the kids grow up right in front of us. It’s amazing.”

Demant describes his teaching style as very active and energetic. “I try to get passion out of my kids so I’m fairly demanding. I want it and I’m not going to leave them alone until I get it from them. I’ll do whatever it takes to get a good performance.”

Demant’s passion for music comes from growing up in a musical family. “In my family, everyone plays music,” he said. “As poor as we were, everyone took private lessons, it was just a priority. Growing up in Fortuna, my main instrument was trumpet. Then I started playing french horn, tuba and singing more. I graduated from Humboldt State with a major in vocal music. Since then I’ve gone back and taken masters classes in strings at the University of Oregon. I’ve taught music for over 20 years to preschool, elementary, middle school, high school and college students. But I think I’m happiest right here at Winship.”

Demant is also a familiar face in the local musical theatre scene. “I've performed in and directed musical theatre productions for the Humboldt Light Opera Company, College of the Redwoods and other community groups. I’ve also performed with the Humboldt Ragtime Band and W. Broadway Co.”

Winship Middle School offers sixth-graders both a band and orchestral experience. Seventh and eighth-graders can join the intermediate band, advanced band or orchestra. Winship also offer jazz band and a chorus for seventh and eighth-graders. For more information contact David Demant at 441-2487.

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News Release
For Immediate Release

January 14, 2005

Eureka math teacher earns top education credential

Eureka– Eureka City Schools is proud to announce that Winship Middle School mathematics teacher Beth Baker has passed a rigorous performance-based assessment to become certified in early adolescents mathematics by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards. National Board Certification is the highest credential in the teaching profession.

Baker, a 1989 graduate of Humboldt State University, has taught mathematics at Winship for 15 years. She is one of only 443 California teachers to earn National Board Certification this year and the second Eureka City Schools’ teacher. Winship mathematics teacher Bill Funkhouser received National Board Certification in 2002.

Baker will be formally recognized for her accomplishment by the Eureka City Schools’ Governing Board at its February 2 regular meeting.

“National board certification brings you back to how do you best serve students,” said Baker. “It makes you examine everything you do through the lens of how it affects student learning. Not just classroom teaching, but how you prepare a lesson, how you create an assessment piece, and how you talk to kids.”

National Board Certification requires a written test, compiling a portfolio and producing two videos.

Baker had to provide extensive documentation on what evidence she had that impacted student learning. “In one section, there are 28 pages of directions for you to generate 12 pages of writing. They’re incredibly specific.”

Baker said going through the process has given her confidence to try different teaching methods. “If I feel like I need to be unconventional, if I feel it’s the best practice but nobody else is doing it, it gives me the backbone to go ahead and do it. That can sometimes be a lonely place to be especially in math where things tend to be rigidly defined.”

Baker credits her teaching colleague Funkhouser and Winship principal Kim Cobine for giving her support to pursue National Board Certification. “Almost nobody passes the first time without some sort of a support group,” remarked Baker. “People in big cities take a year-long class class that holds your hand through everything… all the deadlines and all the assignments. Kim gave me release days to work on it and Bill gave me guidance so that I didn’t waste time writing something and then throwing it away.”

There was also another reason to finish the project in a timely manner. “I was eight to nine months pregnant during the video studies,” smiled Baker. “There was a real sense of urgency because I knew I would be busy. I did the final write up after my daughter was born during my maternity leave. The process was nine months… almost exactly my pregnancy with Hailey.”

Baker estimated that she “easily spent more than 200 hours on the process… probably more.”

According to the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards Web site, several recent studies confirm the effectiveness of National Board Certified Teachers (NBCTs):

Research by The CNA Corporation (November 2004) found students of NBCTs did a measurably better job than other ninth and tenth graders on year-end math tests in Miami-Dade County (Fla.) Public Schools. All else being equal, teachers who had achieved National Board Certification helped their students achieve larger testing gains than did colleagues without the certification.

Research by Arizona State University (September 2004) found that students of NBCTs outperformed students of non-NBCTs on the Stanford-9 Achievement Test, with learning gains equivalent on average to spending more than an extra month in school each year.

Research by the University of Washington and The Urban Institute (March 2004) found that students of NBCTs experienced year-end testing improvements that averaged 7 percent to 15 percent more than peers whose teachers were not NBCTs.

For more information contact Beth Baker at 441-2487. The National Board for Professional Teaching Standards Web site is http://www.nbpts.org/index.cfm.

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News Release
For Immediate Release

May 27, 2004

Successful EAST program expands to Eureka’s middle schools

EUREKA— During the 2004-05 school year, sixth through eighth-graders at Winship and Zane Middle Schools will create their own project-based learning opportunities similar to students in Eureka High School’s EAST Lab. Eureka City Schools received a competitive grant worth $335,000 through Enhancing Education Through Technology (EETT) to offer the EAST Lab experience to its middle school students. The national-award-winning EAST Lab (Environmental and Spatial Technology) at Eureka High School is a student-driven high-tech learning environment that connects the classroom with the community through a variety of service-learning projects. Approximately 100 middle school students and 11 teachers will participate the first year, expanding to 140 middle school students and 17 teachers the second year.

According to Michelle Hutchins, the district’s Learning Director for Educational Technology, EETT will benefit middle school students in much the same way that EAST teaches Eureka High students. “We have documented through student portfolios including journal reflections, that students in the EAST program have experienced improved attendance, increased interest in school, and are better prepared for employment and higher educational pursuits,” said Hutchins. “EAST students initiated the writing of this grant application through their dedication and belief that students in grades 6 through 8 will greatly benefit.”

Winship’s EAST program will be offered as a yearlong elective class during the regular school day and an after-school program both years. Students in Zane’s EAST Lab will be able to enroll in one of two yearlong electives that will expand to include an after-school program in year two.

Middle school teachers will have an opportunity to collaborate with EAST co-facilitators, teachers Ron Perry and Jennifer Johnson. “Eureka City Schools now has one EAST program that serves three schools and students in grades 6 through 12,” said Hutchins. “We have designed a cascading leadership model in which EAST teachers and students from Eureka High School will provide support and additional training to Winship and Zane. Middle school and high school students will have collaboration opportunities and will travel together to Sacramento to attend required trainings and the West Coast Regional EAST Conference.”

Like the EAST Lab, the EETT curriculum addresses California content standards. “The program has a strong focus on English language arts content standards,” noted Hutchins. “Research has shown that authentic writing with computers is an effective way of learning language mechanics. When combined with the use of telecommunications, such as a cooperative development process, improvements show up in multiple measures and standardized tests.”

Middle school students will also learn real-world skills that will help them in high school, higher education and future careers. “During the course of a year, students will have opportunities to learn technology applications such as animation, computer-aided drafting (CAD), database development, 3D design engineering, global positioning systems (GPS), geographical information systems (GIS), computer networking, desktop publishing, digital filmmaking, and Web development. As emerging technologies become available, they will be integrated into this curriculum.”

EAST students recently worked with the Eureka Fire Department to analyze patterns and plot response time to fires to help the firefighters decide where to build a new firehouse. EAST students have also built a mobile energy lab, including a solar cooker, wind turbine, pedal-powered generator, and solar panels that tours local Eureka schools presenting renewable energy demonstrations.

In the EAST classroom, students mentor one another and develop accountability and a true appreciation for diversity, while acquiring ownership of the learning process as a whole. The EAST program promotes the creation of a dynamic learning environment in which students with all degrees of skills, experience, and aptitudes work together. While students concentrate on projects that foster academic growth, their teacher focuses on developing students’ intellectual capacity and skills such as teambuilding, responsibility, accountability and personal initiative.

For more information on EETT or EAST contact Michelle Hutchins, Eureka City Schools’ Learning Director for Educational Technology, at 441-3342.

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Press Release
For Immediate Release

February 9, 2004

Winship students collect socks for homeless

EUREKA— No one likes cold feet this time of year. If you’re homeless and on a limited budget, it’s an especially uncomfortable situation.

Thanks to the efforts of Winship Middle School students, local homeless persons who eat at St. Vincent de Paul's dining facility will have plenty of warm socks to get them through the cold winter months.

The students have completed their annual sock drive and will present over 900 pairs of sox to Jerry Bronder, from St. Vincent de Paul, on Thursday, February 12 at 11 a.m. at Winship. Students will help load the socks in Bronder’s truck at that time. The media is invited to attend.

According to Winship’s student government teacher/advisor Patty Merideth, “The sock drive was a whole-school contest, sponsored by the student government. We had tremendous support from the Winship community this year. Kristin Sobilo’s sixth-grade homeroom alone brought in over 244 pairs of socks.”

For more information contact Patty Merideth at 441-2487. Winship Middle School is located at 2500 Cypress, off of Walnut Drive, in Eureka.

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Press Release
For Immediate Release

November 18, 2003

Winship seventh-graders participate in Africa Day on November 21

EUREKA— Winship seventh-graders have been studying African cultures in their social studies class this year. On Friday, November 21, they’ll hear first-hand about Africa from Winship school secretary Maurya Hicks. Eureka High School’s African-American Club will also perform African drumming in Winship’s gym during lunch from 12:15 to 1:15 p.m.

The media is invited to attend. Please check in at the school’s office.

Hicks recently returned from Ghana and West Africa where she and her husband renewed their wedding vows, took a trip on the Volta River and spent time with local villagers. Wearing traditional West African clothing, Hicks will make her presentation and share her home video in Winship’s library at the following times: 8:42-9:32 a.m.; 9:36-10:26 a.m.; 1:31-2:21 p.m.; and 2:25-3:15 p.m.

For more information contact Maurya Hicks at 441-2487. Winship Middle School is located at 2500 Cypress Avenue.

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Press Release
For Immediate Release

November 10, 2003

Cell-opoly, Cell Mania and more on display at Winship November 13

EUREKA— It’s time once again for Winship Middle School’s annual Cell Expo. Science students in teacher Steve Wartburg’s class have been busy designing innovative games to show their understanding of how animal and plant cells work. Students will be demonstrating games such as Cell-opoly, Cell Racing, Cell Mania, The Wheel of Cells, Pin Cell, and Cell Chess.

The media is invited to Winship Middle School on Thursday, November 13 from 11:30 to 12:10. The Cell Exo is being held in teacher Steve Wartburg’s room. Please be sure to check in at the office.

According to Wartburg, “Students have gone beyond the ‘model’ level and have designed simulations that teach and test organelle functions in animal and plant cells. The 7th-graders planned storyboards as if they were video game programmers, then followed-through with game construction.”

For more information contact Steve Wartburg at 441-2487. Winship is located at 2500 Cypress Avenue.

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Press Release
For Immediate Release

November 4, 2003

Winship students to test knowledge in Holes Trivia Game on November 7

EUREKA— Due to a run of bad luck and an old curse, Stanley Yelnats (palindrome intended) is given a choice between jail and Camp Green Lake. Yelnats is the main character in the story Holes by Louis Sachar. Holes is considered one of the best contemporary children’s books ever written about prejudice, friendship and loyalty.

To test its students knowledge of how much of the detail they know, Winship Middle School is planning a Holes Trivia Contest on Friday November 7 from 12:33 to 1:11p.m. in the school’s gymnasium. The local media is encouraged to attend.

Winship teacher Daniel Holmes was given a number of t-shirts, movie posters and soundtracks from the production crew of the Holes movie. As a creative way to determine who deserves these t-shirts and posters, Winship staff decided to host a game show—the Holes Trivia Game. Prizes will be awarded to the top three students at each grade level, with an overall grand prize.

For more information contact Winship librarian Loretta Saenz at 441-2487. Winship Middle School is located at 2500 Cypress Avenue, Eureka.

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September 5, 2003
From: Janet Frost
Humboldt County Office of Education
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Winship Middle School teacher named Humboldt County Teacher of the Year

EUREKA— A seventh and eighth grade math teacher at Winship Middle School in Eureka has been named Humboldt County Teacher of the Year for 2003-2004. William “Bill” Funkhouser will be honored by the Humboldt County Board of Education at 3:30 p.m. on Wednesday, September 10, at the Humboldt County Office of Education, 901 Myrtle Avenue, Eureka.

“We’re pleased to recognize Mr. Funkhouser as Humboldt County's Teacher of the Year," said Humboldt County Superintendent of Schools Garry Eagles. "He is an accomplished teacher who is admired and respected by his students at Winship and by his teaching colleagues throughout the county," said Eagles.

He noted that Funkhouser’s designation as Humboldt County Teacher of the Year is the most recent of a number of prestigious honors and accomplishments for the 13-year veteran of the profession.

Funkhouser is one of just six teachers in Humboldt County to have earned rigorous National Board Certification from the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards. He is also a two-time recipient of the county’s Excellence in Teaching Award. Other awards include a Johns Hopkins/Mark Taper fellowship, a California Educational Initiative Grant, and a GTE grant to integrate math and science education through development of a “Discovery Trail System” at his school.

In addition to introducing innovative mathematics instruction in his classroom, Funkhouser has been instrumental in developing the use of technology as a tool for student learning and as a resource for teachers on his campus. He is also a co-author of a pre-algebra textbook, “Foundations of Algebra,” published by CPM and used by over 125,000 students.

Funkhouser is a graduate of the University of the Pacific, attended the Kansas City Art Institute, earned a Master’s Degree from Mills College, and completed post-graduate studies in Educational Technology at Humboldt State University.

As Humboldt County Teacher of the Year, Funkhouser will represent Humboldt County as its nominee for 2004 California Teacher of the Year. The California Department of Education is expected to announce its selections for Teacher of the Year in November.

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Press Release
For Immediate Release

May 19, 2003

Winship Middle School—Distinguished!

EUREKA— A warm, orderly setting, actively engaged students, and a staff that shares the responsibility of implementing a standards-based curriculum. Those are just some of the qualities that were noted when Winship Middle School received Distinguished School status from the California Department of Education (CDE).

On May 16, Winship was recognized as a 2003 California Distinguished School during a ceremony held in Anaheim. Representatives from Winship joined 132 California public middle schools and high schools for the award. Of the 2,228 middle and high schools in the state, fewer than 400 middle and high schools were eligible to apply based on their Academic Performance Index (API) results.

CDE’s visiting team noted that “Winship teachers, administrators, and support staff are committed, innovative, energetic, and driven to provide an outstanding education for their students.” Students interviewed by the team said “Our teachers really care about us. They are always there at lunch, or before or after school for us. If we don’t understand something, the teachers go over it with us a million times until we get it.”

Winship provides its students with an array of classroom experiences including computer simulation activities and integrated thematic units. The visiting team observed students frequently working in collaborative classroom teams and observed strong community partnerships. “The school’s Lunch on the Lawn event is an excellent example of the school’s connection to its community,” wrote team leaders.

It’s not the first time Winship has been recognized as a California Distinguished School. The school also earned the state recognition in 1999.

For more information contact Sheldon J. Reber, director of school and community relations, at 441-2416.

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Press Release
For Immediate Release

May 19, 2003

Math teachers honored

EUREKA— Two Winship Middle School mathematics teachers were honored recently by the Humboldt County Board of Education and Garry T. Eagles, Ph.D., Humboldt County Superintendent of Schools.

At a reception at the Wharfinger Building on May 14, the Day of the Teacher, Sue Jungi was recognized with the 2003 Jean Olson Career Achievement Award and Bill Funkhouser was recognized with the 2003 Excellence in Teaching Award.

Phyllis Chinn, Humboldt State University professor of mathematics, wrote in her nomination letter, “In all her years of teaching, Sue Jungi has striven to improve her own understanding of mathematics and pedagogy in order to give her students the greatest opportunities to learn.”

In 1988, Jungi was instrumental in the formation of the Redwood Area Mathematics Project (RAMP). “Thanks to Sue’s consistent and effective work, over 300 teachers have participated in RAMP institutes, thereby increasing their effectiveness in teaching mathematics,” wrote Chinn. “I particularly recall examples of rich geometry activities including tessellations, origami, and geoboards, as well as extensive student work on patterns in numbers and algebra. My own teaching at the university level improved as a result of my contact with Sue.”

Winship principal Kim Cobine nominated Funkhouser for an Excellence in Teaching Award because “Bill personifies the lifelong learner and his actions exemplify the continuous development essential to being a true master teacher.”

Cobine interviewed some of Funkhouser’s students and all agreed that he is a great teacher because they usually get what he means the first time. Chris, one of Funkhouser’s students, said “When you get it, it sticks!”

Chris also mentioned how Funkhouser likes to bring real-life examples into his classroom. “The other day he had this toy car and he had us figuring out the miles-per-hour the car was going. It was really cool how he taught us to do that.”

Funkhouser has also been a participant and team-level teacher in RAMP.

For more information contact Sheldon J. Reber, director of school and community relations, at 441-2416.

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Press Release
For Immediate Release

December 2, 2002

First Eureka City Schools teacher achieves National Teaching Certification

EUREKA— Winship Middle School mathematics teacher Bill Funkhouser was awarded National Board for Professional Teaching Standards certification in the area of “Early Adolescence Mathematics.” This award is the highest level certification available to teachers in the United States. Funkhouser is the first teacher in the Eureka City Schools district to receive the national certification.

Funkhouser has taught at Winship since 1991 and served as a math textbook author. In 1996, he was recognized with the Johns Hopkins University Teacher Fellowship Award. In 1998, Funkhouser was awarded the Humboldt County Excellence in Teaching Award.

About the process, Funkhouser said, “This professional certification was the most challenging and introspective experience I have ever undertaken. I know my students will benefit from the realizations I have made over the past year.”

National Board Certification, developed in 1986 is a symbol of professional teaching excellence. Offered on a voluntary basis, it complements, not replaces, state licensing. While state licensing systems set entry-level standards for beginning teachers, National Board Certification has established advanced standards for experienced teachers.

The certification process is a yearlong series of performance-based assessments that includes teaching portfolios, student work samples, videotapes and thorough analyses of the candidates' classroom teaching and student learning. Teachers also complete a series of written exercises that probe the depth of their subject-matter knowledge, as well as their understanding of how to teach those subjects to their students.

The National Board identified Five Core Propositions that describe the knowledge, skills, and dispositions that characterize accomplished teaching. These core propositions form the basis of the certification process:

Teachers are committed to students and their learning. Accomplished teachers are dedicated to making knowledge accessible to all students. They act on the belief that all students can learn. Accomplished teachers understand how students develop and learn.

Teachers know the subjects they teach and how to teach those subjects to students. Accomplished teachers have a rich understanding of the subject(s) they teach and appreciate how knowledge in their subject is created, organized, linked to other disciplines and applied to real-world settings. Accomplished teachers command specialized knowledge of how to convey and reveal subject matter to students.

Teachers are responsible for managing and monitoring student learning. Accomplished teachers create, enrich, maintain and alter instructional settings to capture and sustain the interest of their students and to make the most effective use of time. They know how to engage groups of students to ensure a disciplined learning environment, and how to organize instruction to allow the schools' goals for students to be met.

Teachers think systematically about their practice and learn from experience. Striving to strengthen their teaching, accomplished teachers critically examine their practice, seek to expand their repertoire, deepen their knowledge, sharpen their judgment and adapt their teaching to new findings, ideas and theories.

Teachers are members of learning communities. Accomplished teachers contribute to the effectiveness of the school by working collaboratively with other professionals on instructional policy, curriculum development and staff development.

Accomplished teachers find ways to work collaboratively and creatively with parents, engaging them productively in the work of the school.

For more information contact Bill Funkhouser at 441-2487.

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Press Release
For Immediate Release

June 4, 2002

Winship Hosts a Medieval/Renaissance Festival on June 7

EUREKA— Designing a coat of arms and the quest for the Holy Grail, are just some of the fun activities planned during Winship Middle School’s Medieval/Renaissance Festival planned for Friday, June 7 from 8:40 a.m. to 3 p.m.

The media is encouraged to visit Winship Middle School. Please check in at the office for a complete schedule.

Morning activities, from 8:40 to 11:35 a.m., include stain glass making, creating illuminated letters, designing a coat of arms and crafting medieval hats incorporating feathers and flowers. From 11:45 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., after assembling on the River Thames, students will split up into teams and search for the Holy Grail. After checking in at The Castle, student teams will then begin their quest by completing tasks such as “How Many Alligators in the Moat?”, solving riddles, catapulting objects, and finally receiving a clue to find the Grail.

Students will move to the Faire Grounds for lunch from 12:30 to 1:30 and enjoy the play St. George and the Dragon as well as juggling and stilt walking.

Afternoon activities, from 1:30 to 3 p.m., include six different Maypoles and a tug-of-war.

Winship Middle School is located at 2500 Cypress Avenue. For more information contact the school at 441-2487.

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Press Release
For Immediate Release

March 29, 2002

Eureka middle school students qualify for state Geo Bee

EUREKA— Students from Winship and Zane Middle Schools have qualified for the State Geo Bee to be held in Sacramento on April 5. Over 2,000 California schools competed this year. Only the top 100 students qualified and advanced to the state level based on a qualifying test.

State Geo Bee finalist Emma Buschmann will represent Winship Middle School. Zane Middle School eighth-grader Scott Berta also qualified for the State finals. This is the third time in 10 years that Zane has sent a finalist to the State Geo Bee.

One winner from each state will advance to the national competition, which will be held May 21 and 22 at the National Geographic Society headquarters in Washington D.C. The final round of the 2002 National Geographic Bee, featuring Alex Trebek, will air nationally on the National Geographic Channel on May 22, and afterward on public television stations. The first-place winner will receive a $25,000 college scholarship.

Press Release
For Immediate Release

November 8, 2001

Winship students recognize Veterans on November 13

EUREKA— Winship Middle School students are planning a schoolwide Veterans Celebration on Tuesday, November 13 from 8:35 to 8:55 a.m. on the school’s circle lawn. Parents and the public are invited to attend.

Students have designed a “Thank You Veterans Wall” featuring paper handprints which include the names of veterans. The Winship band will perform and the Eureka High School’s NJROTC color guard will be present.

Winship Middle School is located at 2500 Cypress Avenue in Eureka. For more information call 441-2487.

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Press Release
For Immediate Release

October 8, 2001

Winship science students help local azalea reserves flourish

EUREKA— Thanks to a new $2,500 grant from the Environmental Protection Agency, Winship Middle School students will continue planting native azaleas at local reserves. The seventh-grade students in science teacher Rita Orlandini’s class have been involved in the school’s Native Kids and Plants program for the past five years.

John McCrae, Six Rivers Forest Service botanist, will be working with seventh-grade science students at the school’s greenhouse on Wednesday, October 10 from 8:30 to 11:30 a.m. The media is encourage to attend.

The students collect the native azalea seeds in the fall, propagate the seeds in the school’s greenhouse, re-pot the seedlings in larger containers when they’re two-years-old, and finally transplant them at local azalea reserves in McKinleyville and Stagecoach Hill near Orick.

Winship’s Kids and Native Plants program is a partnership with the Native Plant Society, California State Parks and Recreation, and Six Rivers Forest Service.

By working with local scientists and community organizations in the project, students will be engaged in the service-learning component of Eureka City Schools’ strategic plan.

For more information, contact Rita Orlandini at 441-2487. Winship Middle School is located at 2500 Cypress in Eureka.

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April 23, 2001

Winship language arts teacher recognized for inspiring classroom excellence

Year after year, Winship students in Dave Harvey's eighth-grade language arts class get to know the man who recites The Cremation of Sam McGee, rides his bicycle every day from his home in McKinleyville, and plays his guitar in the classroom. According to former student Shanti Sattler, "Mr. Harvey is one of those teachers that you won't ever forget."

In February, Dave Harvey was recognized by his peers with the California Association of Teachers of English's (CATE) Classroom Excellence Award at the Association's 42nd annual convention in Ontario, California. Harvey has taught since 1965, and has been with Eureka City Schools since 1983.

A reception honoring Harvey will be held at Winship Junior High School on Thursday, April 26 at 3:30 p.m. in the school's library. Harvey's former students and colleagues are encouraged to attend. The media is also encouraged to attend the reception. Winship is located at 2500 Cypress in Eureka.

Local CATE chapter president and Arcata High School language arts teacher Joan Williams mentions, "His reputation is of almost mythic proportions in our area. A popular poet and guitarist, Dave has used his talents to enthrall students. Their love and respect is indeed a testament to the man who has been a vital force in their lives."

Harvey's colleague, Winship 7th-grade language arts teacher Mary Ann Hytken, maintains that "the students relationship with Dave's curriculum is alive!" As Harvey's former student teacher, Hytken explains that his passion for teaching and love of language is an inspiration to the entire Winship staff.

Retired Winship language arts teacher Joan Plympton points out that Harvey uses his many talents to complement his curriculum. "As an artist, bicycling enthusiast, poet, fan of steam railroads, or as a writer, Dave has a seemingly endless skill to use his interests to truly involve his students in the learning process," said Plympton.

In reminiscing, Sattler thought she knew everything about Harvey on the first day of class, "because my sister had taken his class and so had a lot of my friends." She. like most of Harvey's students, soon came to find a special connection with him. "On the first Friday of school out came Mr. Harvey's guitar. He sang and played for us I Just Want a Pickle and I'm My Own Grandpa and by the end of the session he had us all in tears laughing."

On the last day of school, Harvey encourages his students to keep in touch by writing his address on the blackboard. "I was one of the ones who wrote down his address," stated Sattler. "We still continue to write. I always get an immediate letter back with some poems about his latest adventures."

Sattler pays the ultimate tribute to Harvey by describing him as "one of the greatest, cool, nice older guys with huge bike riding muscles, great stories, songs, teaching and 'kid skills' and an unforgettable personality,"

For more information contact Winship Junior High School at 441-2487 or Sheldon J. Reber at 441-2416.

Sixth-grade teachers selected for Winship and Zane Middle Schools and Parent Information Nights scheduled

EUREKA-Eureka City Schools is pleased to announce the selection of sixth-grade teachers for the 2001-2002 school year at Winship and Zane 6-8 Middle Schools.

The Zane Middle School teachers are: Kathleen Dimick (from Washington Elementary);

Martin Goddi (from Washington Elementary);

Sarah Maninger (from Washington Elementary);

Garett Montana (from Jefferson Elementary);

Joan Novak (from Washington Elementary);

Linda Parker (from Marshall Elementary);

Ken Pinkerton (from Worthington K-8);

and Cathy Westphal (from Washington Elementary);

Janet Lopez (from Alice Birney Elementary);

and Kathy DeSpencer (from Marshall Elementary).

Winship Middle School teachers are: Karen Isaacson (from Lincoln Elementary);

Diane Parrott (from Marshall Elementary);

Tony Pitre (from Lafayette Elementary);

and Kristin Sobilo (from Worthington K-8).

Winship Middle School will hold a Parent Information Night for incoming 6th-graders, on Monday, March 5 at 7 p.m. in the school's gym. Incoming 6th-grade registration is due on March 7. Winship will also hold a Parent Information Night for incoming 7th-graders, on Monday, March 12 at 7 p.m. in the school's gym. Incoming 7th-grade registration is due on March 14.

Zane Middle School will hold an Open House for incoming 6th and 7th-grade students and current 7th and 8th-grade students on Thursday, March 22. During Zane's Open House there will be a meeting for parents of incoming 6th-grade students from 5:30 - 6:30 p.m. followed by a meeting for parents of incoming 7th-grade students from 7:00 - 8:00 p.m. March 28th - Registration for 5th and 6th grade students for Zane Middle School is due.

Winship and Zane are currently 7-8 junior high schools. Under a district facilities plan approved by Eureka City Schools' Governing Board at their regular meeting on January 10, both schools will be realigned as 6-8 middle schools to better meet the educational needs of students.

Ongoing information about Winship and Zane Middle Schools can be found on the district's Web site at www.eurekacityschools.org.

Parents are also encouraged to contact Winship Middle School at 441-2487, cobinek@eurekacityschools.org or Zane Middle School at 441-2470, noconc@eurekacityschools.org.

Winship students to hold giant American flag on Flag Day

Students at Winship Junior High School will hold a giant handmade American flag on the school's circle lawn to celebrate Flag Day. Over 525 students, teachers and staff will join in the celebration. This special Flag Day event will take place between 12 and 12:20 p.m. on Wednesday, June 14.

The media is encouraged to attend.

The 7th and 8th-graders have been busy creating the flag from large rolls of paper. Students will be under the paper flag holding it up as a plane flies over taking pictures of the event. The Winship band and chorus will perform patriotic songs. The students have been learning about the history of our nation's flag in their home rooms.

For more information contact principal Kim Cobine at 441-2487. Winship Junior High School is located at 2500 Cypress in Eureka.

Eureka student receives Johns Hopkins Talent Search Award

EUREKA - Lance Nolen, an eighth-grade student at Winship Junior High in Eureka, was a recent recipient of the Johns Hopkins University Talent Search Program Award offered to 7th and 8th-grade students who voluntarily took the SAT test and scored above 600. He was the only 7th and 8th-grade recipient from Eureka City Schools.

Nolen scored in the top 22% of the 43,000 students who took the SAT this year. He was honored along with other Northern California students at a recognition ceremony at University of California Davis on May 7.

For more information contact Sheldon J. Reber at 441-2416.

Shopping Online at Schoolpop.com Raises Money for Winship Junior High School

EUREKA- Now raising funds is just a click away. In an effort to raise much-need funds, Winship Junior High has joined forces with Schoolpop.com, the largest Internet fundraiser for schools, to encourage friends and families to make a difference by simply doing their shopping online through Schoolpop.com. Each time a shopper makes a purchase through Schoolpop.com's shopping mall, up to 20 percent of the sales will benefit WinshipÑat no additional cost to the shopper or the school.

When shoppers visit Schoolpop.com for the first time, a "school search" box appears on their computer screen where they can enter Winship Junior High as their shopping beneficiary. Once registered, users are led back to the shopping page where they can shop 24 hours a day, seven days a week at nearly 150 stores such as Amazon.com, eToys, Land's End and Tower Records. Users' chosen school will appear on their computer screen while they shop to remind them of the school that will benefit from their purchases. Participating schools will receive a quarterly report and a check for a percentage of purchases made during that time period.

"We are excited to provide schools nationwide with a proven means to raise much-needed funds," said Karen Schultz, Vice President, K-12 Operations at Schoolpop, Inc. "Schoolpop.com is the leader in online fundraisers for schools and has the potential to make a big difference in fundraising efforts."

Based in Menlo Park, CA, Schoolpop.com is the number one fundraising solution for K-12 schools, serving more than 11,000 schools nationwide. Schoolpop.com enables anyone with Internet access to contribute funds to their favorite school through shopping rebates at nearly 150 online retailers. Schoolpop.com is closely affiliated with leading national education groups including the National Association of State Boards of Education, the National School Boards Foundation and the National Association of Secondary School Principals. Schoolpop.com also enjoys corporate support partnerships with Cisco, Autodesk, Hewlett-Packard, Hitachi, SRI and Bechtel where their employees are encouraged to purchase through Schoolpop.com to support specific schools. Interested schools may register online, or contact Schoolpop.com at 650/323-5670 or at info@Schoolpop.com.

Winship and Zane students rasie money for trip to sister city Kamisu, Japan

Kamisu exchange students from Winship and Zane Junior Highs in Eureka are selling tickets to the North Coast Repertory Theatre production of The Importance of Being Earnest on Friday, March 24 at 8 p.m. Money raised will benefit the students’ trip to Eureka’s sister city, Kamisu, Japan this summer.

Tickets cost $20 and can also be purchased at Redwood Bootery at the Bayshore Mall, and Rumors Night Club in Eureka. Winship and Zane students will usher and assist with the reception afterwards.

For more information, contact Terri at 445-1784.

Kamisu exchange students from Winship and Zane Junior Highs in Eureka are gathering donations for Rummage Sale on Saturday April 1 from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. at The Olive Branch in Eureka. The Olive Branch is located at 6th And I streets in Eureka. Money raised will benefit the students’ trip to Eureka’s sister city, Kamisu, Japan this summer. For more information, contact Terri at 445-1784.

Winship students participate in China Day activities

Students from Winship Junior High School in Eureka will engage in many exciting and colorful China Day activities at Eureka’s National Guard Armory and Washington Elementary School on Thursday, March 2.

The media is encouraged to attend the day’s activities. What follows is a schedule of times and events.

Eureka’s National Guard Armory:

10:05 to 10:30 Tai Chi demonstration

10:45 to 12:45 Various China Day activities

12:45 to 1:00 Chop stick demonstrations/practice

1:00 to 1:35 Chinese food lunch

Washington Elementary School:

1:45 to 2:00 Parade at Washington School

2:05 to 2:40 Chinese games

For more information contact Winship teachers Patty Merideth and Cathy Hensley at 441-2487. Eureka’s National Guard Armory is located across from Sequoia Park at 3517 W Street. Washington Elementary School is located at 3322 Dolbeer Street in Eureka.

Winship math teacher chosen as textbook writer

EUREKA - William Funkhouser, Winship Junior High School math teacher, was selected as a project leader and editor for a new sequence of math textbooks which is being piloted by 6,000 California middle school students this school year. The textbooks, called Mathematics for Meaning and Mastery, are designed to prepare middle school students for Algebra.

Funkhouser worked with 25 other writers in Davis, CA, during July of this summer, writing and editing the two-year sequence of books. “We had a month to write 20 chapters. It was an exhausting process, but the pilot books look great!”, said Funkhouser who was honored in 1998 as a Humboldt County Teacher of Excellence, and in 1994 with the Johns Hopkins University Outstanding Educator Fellowship.

Almost 50 teachers applied to be writers and William Funkhouser was surprised when the publishers called him. He recalls, “At first I was disappointed when they said, 'We don't want you to be a writer,' but then they continued, '...we would like you to be a project leader in charge of four of the chapters!'”

The textbooks were created and published by College Preparatory Mathematics (CPM), under the direction of University of California at Davis. Mathematics for Meaning and Mastery will provide a smooth transition for those students continuing with the CPM

Algebra/Geometry/Pre-Calculus sequence in local high schools such as Eureka High School and Arcata High School. CPM has been writing high school mathematics texts and providing teacher inservice programs for over ten years.

CPM took extraordinary steps to assure the quality of these middle school textbooks. Last fall they held meetings around California and at three sites on the East Coast to solicit teacher suggestions for the curriculum. The materials have been designed to meet the new California math standards.

Funkhouser’s students and all the students of Winship Junior High School were chosen to use the text this school year. The text will be rewritten next summer based on teacher suggestions before the first edition of the text is commercially released nationwide for the 2000-2001 school year.

For more information contact William Funkhouser at 441-2487. For more information on College Preparatory Mathematics, visit their Web site at www.cpm.org.

Winship Middle School News Releases

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