Recent Media Coverage/Press Releases
May 16, 2013 Granite Falls beats Lake
Washington for ticket to state
After beating Burlington
3-2 in 10 innings in the first-round game, the Tigers won
another thriller against Lake Washington to claim a state
berth as the Tigers rallied to an 8-7 victory.
The Herald reported the story->
May 13, 2013 Golfers to watch
Senior Austin
Berg is one golfer to watch entering the district
tournament.
The Herald reported the story->
May 8, 2013 Students qualify for
national competition
High School students
Alaina Vanderhoff, Jeremy Miller, Aakash Sethi, Katelyn
Campbell, and Pooja Sethi qualified for the National Future
Business Leaders of America (FBLA) competition that will be
held the end of June in California.
Read more here->
May 6, 2013 Granite Falls softball
sweeps Lakewood in doubleheader
The Granite Falls softball
team had an opportunity Friday not only to clinch a district
playoff berth, but to make a statement about how they are
evolving as a team and a play for second place in the
Conference. The Tigers seized that opportunity with both
hands.
The Herald reported the story->
April 29, 2013 School give away book
to parents
Staff members from Monte Cristo and Mountain Way
Elementary schools in Granite Falls on April 23 gave away
330 books to local parents.
The Herald reported the story->
April 17, 2013
The High School ShopGirls and fifth grade students from
Monte Cristo Elementary are featured in a five minute short
documentary,
The Road to Houston,
produced by the Shell
Corporation.
March 27, 2013 The drive for knowledge
Granite Falls senior Pooja Sethi gets help strapping
into the "Iron Maiden" from her Shop Girls teammates at the
high school Thursday afternoon.
March 16, 2013 Local students compete
in Shell Eco-marathon
This year two teams from
Granite Falls High School are competing in the Shell
Eco-marathon in Texas. It's a competition that encourages
teams from around the world to design and build ultra-energy
efficient vehicles.
Q13 FOX News reported the story->
March 12, 2013 Granite Falls school
retiree a volunteer at start, end of career
If all goes according
to plan, Barbara Belshee's career in finance will begin and
end as a volunteer in an elementary school library. Granite
Falls topped her list of places to offer her help.
The Herald reported the story->
March 4, 2013 School Winners: FBLA
Twenty two students
qualified for the state Future Business Leaders of American
(FBLA) competition to be held April 25 in Spokane. The
Herald reported the story->
February 12, 2013 Students qualify for
state FBLA competition
Twenty-two high school
students have advanced to the state FBLA competition that
will be held the end of April in Spokane. Students qualified
in 24 different categories.
Read more here->
February 7, 2013 Granite Falls' Young
signs to play at EWU
Courtney Young has
literally bled for the Granite Falls soccer team. Now,
she'll get the chance to do that for a college team as well.
The Herald reported the story->
February 2, 2013 Prep Wrestling: 2A
Sub-Regional
Granite Falls' Ryan
Nash and Tyler Groff each won individual championships as
the Tiger took home overall team honors at the 2A
Sub-Regional wrestling tournament.
The Herald reported the story->
January 30, 2013 Day, Schireman
inducted to Hall of Fame
Gordon Day, Class of 1961, and Allison (Hanby) Schireman,
Class of 1996, were named to the Granite Falls High School
Alumni Hall of Fame at the varsity basketball game held
January 29. The Hall of Fame was established in 1994 to
honor past graduates that were active in school activities
that have gone on to become positive role models and
productive citizens.
Read more here->
January
28, 2013 Granite Falls students learn cursive, write letters
to Obama
Students are learing the
fine art of good old fashion letter writing.
KOMO TV reported the story->
January 22, 2013 Askash Sethi accepted
into the Washington Aerospace Scholars program
High School junior Aakash
Sethi has been accepted into the Washington Aerospace
Scholars (WAS) program. Selected from over 280 students from
119 different public and private school, Sethi will spend
the next five months competing for one of the 160 slots in a
Summer Residency session.
Read more here->
December 17, 2012 A Natural Leader
Tommy Eadie, 18, a senior
at Granite Falls High School is considering a military
career after graduation.
The Herald reported the story->
December 10, 2012 Granite Falls
student to go to state concert
Granite Falls Middle School student Makenna
Carter has been selected to participate in the 2013
Washington Music Educators Association's concert Feb. 16 in
Vancouver. The Herald reported the story->http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20121210/LIVING/712109929/0/SEARCH
December 7, 2012 Michalisin, Newton
earn prestigious title of National Board Certified Teachers
Ryan Michalisin and Michael Newton, both High School English
teachers, have earned the highest credential available to
American educators by recently becoming National Board
Certified Teachers through the National Board for
Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS).
Read more here->
December 6, 2012 Players honored at
SCFOA banquet
Scholarships awarded
courtesy of officials who regulate game: Thomas (Tommy)
Eadie III received the Schireman's Armed Service Award.
The Herald reported the story->
December 3, 2012 Collegiate Scholar
Katie Christensen, a
2011 graduate of Granite Falls High School, has been named
to the National Society of Collegiate Scholars for
outstanding academic performance.
The Herald reported the story->
November 28, 2012 High School awarded
prestigious School of Distinction honor
Granite Falls High School has been
named a School of Distinction
from the Center for Education
Effectiveness (CEE) and Phi Delta Kappa. Only the top five
percent of improving schools in Washington State earn the
award based on outstanding improvement in student
achievement. The school is only one of 97 in the state, and
one of only 19 high schools, named for the prestigious
award.
Read more here->
October 28, 2012 Meet the aerospace
workforce of the future
The Everett Herald
profiled nine participants that have high hopes including
High School sophomore Dansil Green:
Teen dreams of career in rocket science.
October 17, 2012 Fast start leads
Granite Falls over Red Wolves
Kaila Green scored two
goals inside the first 11 minutes of the match and Granite
Falls took a significant step to securing a playoff berth
with a victory over Cedarcrest. The
Herald reported the story->
October 8, 2012 School winners:
Class gives POW/MIA flags
Monte Cristo Elementary
School teacher Debra Howell and students in her fourth
though sixth grade multiage class presented POW/MIA flags to
the four other schools on September 19.
The Herald reported the story->
October 1, 2012 Pooja Sethi named
Commended Student in National Merit Scholarship Program
High
School senior Pooja Sethi has been named as a Commended
Student in the 2013 National Merit Scholarship Program.
Pooja placed in the top five percent of more than 1.5
million students in the entire country based on scores from
the Preliminary SAT test. Read more
here->
June 21, 2012
District names Bass, Sawyer Employees of the Year
Monte Cristo Elementary teacher Kristen Bass and food
service co-coordinator and High School cook Tammi Sawyer
were named as the District's Employees of the Year.
Read more here->
June 8, 2012
Fundraiser for teacher, coach
A car wash is planned Saturday to help a retired
teacher and basketball coach from the Granite Falls School
District.
The Herald report the story->
June 8,
2012 Congratulations to the Class of 2012!
The Class of 2012 earned $50,000 in local
scholarships thanks to the support of Granite Falls’
local businesses and organizations. In all, the students
earned over $650,000 in scholarships from colleges,
universities, and other organizations. The full
graduation program including all awards and scholarships
is
here-> and the Everett Herald posted a
photo gallery from graduation night.
June 7,
2012 Granite Falls women, student Race of the Cure
Susan
Slaughter felt energized after finishing the Puget Sound
Race for the Cure Sunday in Seattle. She walked it with
her daughter, Tatum, and 28 other students in the
multi-age classrooms at Monte Cristo Elementary School.
The Herald reported the story->
June 7,
2012 Karin Manns named new principal
The School Board is pleased to announce Karin Manns was
selected to be the principal of Monte Cristo Elementary
effective July 1.
Read more here->
June 5,
2012 Spring sports awards
The varsity and JV tennis and varsity softball, track,
and soccer teams earned the Washington Interscholastic
Activities Association (WIAA) Distinguished award for a
team GPA of 3.0 or above and several teams had a highly
successful post season.
Read more here (pdf)->
May 20, 2012
Tiger win title
Caitlyn Munce hit a walk-off two-run double in the bottom of
the ninth to give Granite Falls a come-from-behind win over
Mount Baker and secure the Tigers' first district
championship in fastpitch softball.
The Herald reported the story->
May 18,
2012 Kari Henderson-Burke and Don Lauer honored
The
Washington Association of School
Administrators (WASA) Region 109 honored Monte Cristo
Elementary Principal Kari Henderson-Burke and Granite
Falls Police Officer Don Lauer at an awards ceremony for
their efforts in student achievement and community
involvement.
Read more here->
May 17,
2012 Granite Falls advances to state tourney
Granite Falls defeats Lakewood 7-4 in District 1
semifinal game to clinch 2A state tournament berth for
fourth straight year. It was touch and go for a while,
but in the end the Granite Falls softball team did what
it has been doing all season.
The Herald reported the story->
May 9, 2012
Tiger sweep Cedarcrest, clinch league championship
The Granite Falls softball team had two goals on Tuesday
afternoon: Clinch the Cascade Conference title and do it on
Senior Night. Both goals were accomplished.
The Herald reported the story->
May 8,
2012 Timeout with Jakob Sprague, Granite Falls track and
field
Herald reporter David Krueger pulls Jakob Sprague out of
class to talk about his potential salutatorian speech,
his first year of track and fields and a very successful
food drive.
The Herald reported the story->
May 2,
2012 Granite Falls doesn't let up: Tigers score seven
runs on 10 hits, defeat Red Wolves
It took more than half the season for the weather to
cooperate and allow the Granite Falls and Cedarcrest
softball teams - the two squads atop of the Cascade
Conference - to play each other for the first time in
2012.
The Heard reported the story->
April 30,
2012 School Winners
FBLA students make national competition.
The Herald reported the story->
April 16, 2012
School Winners
Granite Falls eco car teams finish strong; Top Granite Falls
juniors receive honors.
The Herald reported the story->
April 5, 2012
Regional students' vehicle gets 231 MPG, 2nd place
It's along way from Granite Falls to Houston, but the
trips not so bad if your vehicle gets 231 mpg.
The Seattle Times reported the story->
April 3,
2012 Tigers hope to make a fourth trip to state a
special one
For
the Granite Falls softball team, the past three regular
seasons have been filled with monumental success. The
Tigers have a combined record of 54-6 in the regular
season in those years and with the, three straight 2A
state tournament appearances.
The Herald reported the story->
March 30,
2012 Cars Built By Kids Show Future to Better Mileage
Semira Kern is a high school junior from Granite Falls
in Washington state. She’s brought her team’s car “Iron
Maiden” over two and half thousand miles to Houston to
compete in the Shell Eco Marathon.
NPR reported the story->
March 12, 2012
School winners
High School senior
Sara Rood was selected as a National Discus Award winner and
the eco-car program receives two grants.
The Herald reported the story->
March 8,
2012 Students returning to eco-car challenge
Sara Rood inspected a
tangle of electrical wires inside the Iron Maiden.The
student-built car has changed a lot since school
started. Sara, 17, needs to know it inside and out. The
Granite Falls High School senior will be the ShopGirls
team driver in a prestigious fuel mileage competition at
the end of the month.The
Herald reported the story-> Read more about the team
including how to sponsor the teams
here.
February 27,
2012 Student accepted by aerospace program
Granite Falls High School
junior Pooja Sethi has been accepted into the Washington
Aerospace Scholars 2011-2012 program.
The Herald reported the story->
February
15, 2012 Kids help soldier help kids
Teacher and Angel Debra
Howell is continuing to lead her students in support for
troops, with their latest activity turning out to be one
of the biggest yet.
The Soldiers' Angels Organization reported the story->
February 14,
2012 Voters to decide school levies
Districts around
Western Washington are asking voters Tuesday to approve or
renew more than 85 school levies and bond measures. Some
districts like Granite Falls got creative during this
special election to get out the vote.
KING 5 TV reported the story.
February
13, 2012 School winners
Success in Education
and Alumni Hall of Fame winners were highlighted.
The Herald reported the story->
February
13, 2012 Super Kid Paige Barger
Link crew is to make sure
everyone feels comfortable when they come into this
school. My link crew leaders did a great job of making
me feel included and comfortable; I want to make sure
other students have that feeling.
The Herald reported the story->
February 10,
2012 Tigers find their roar
After winning only one game
the past two seasons, the Granite Falls boys basketball team
didn't generate a lot of excitement before the start of the
2011-12 campaign. But the Tigers are generating excitement
now.
The Herald reported the story->
February
3, 2012 Granite Falls teacher earns national VFW award
Monte Cristo
Elementary teacher Debra Howell received a phone call
last week from the national headquarters of the Veterans
of Foreign Wars. The call from was to inform Howell that
she is a recipient of the Veterans of Foreign Wars
National Citizenship Education Teacher Award.
The Herald reported the story->
January 14,
2012 Sheriff Lovick helps food drive
About 4,000 food items were
collected during a food drive organized by the Snohomish
County Sheriff's Office. Lovick told students he had hoped
to raise $1,000 but didn't do that. He instead collected
$5,020.12 for the program.
The Herald reported the story->
January
13, 2012 Sheriff gives huge gift to Granite Falls
The top cop in Snohomish
County wanted to do his part to help a community hit
hard by the recession.
KING 5 TV reported the story->
January 13,
2012 Firefighters help in the classroom
Firefighters since
September have visited twice a day on Tuesdays and Thursdays
to help kindergartners in two classes learn their letters
and letter sounds.
The Herald reported the story->
December 16,
2011 Granite Falls High students pass goals for annual
effort to help those in need
Students at
Granite Falls High School set two goals for their annual
food drive. They wanted to collect 15,000 food items and
$3,000. By Monday, the last day of the drive, students had
collected much more.
The Herald reported the story->
December
14, 2011 Granite Falls school flying POW/MIA flag
Monte Cristo
Elementary School students have added a new flag to
their school. Six classes of students lined up outside
the main entrance last week to watch as a POW/MIA flag
was raised up the school's flagpole.
The Herald reported the story->
December 12,
2011 YouTube video inspires community to help those in need
High School students
decided to take matters into their own hands. They set a
goal to collect 15,000 grocery items and $3,000 at their
annual food drive. In the end, the students far exceeded
their goal collecting more than 16,000 items, over $6,200 in
cash and a room full of toys. They expect to feed 150
families for at least a month.
KING 5 TV reported the story-> See the
video students produced that started the whole project.
11/24/11 Five
to watch
Senior Peyton Spencer
is highlighted in
Prep Girls Hoop Preview
11/12/11
Soaking up their reward
Principal Kari Henderson-Burke pulled on a pair of
goggles as she got ready to ride a pink children's bike
outside Monte Cristo Elementary. Making herself the
target of a human car wash was a prize offered to
students who sold at least 15 items in the school's
annual fundraiser. The fundraiser brought in over
$10,000 for field trips and classroom needs, family
nights and other events hosted by the parent group.
The Herald reported the story->
11/7/11 Small
districts, big cuts: Schools learn they might lose millions
of dollars in state budget crisis
For
years, the Granite Falls School District has received help
from the state to keep pace with larger, urban districts.
That might soon end under cuts proposed by Gov. Chris
Gregoire.
The Herald reported the story->
11/2/11
Crossroads High School receives $117,000 grant
Crossroads High School Principal Bridgette Perrigoue
received an $117,000 Building Bridges grant for a drop
out intervention and retrieval program. The primary
purpose of the state funded grant is to increase the
number of Washington state students who graduate from
high school and re-engage students that have dropped out
of school.
Read more here->
10/3/2011
Leading the Way: High School senior Becky Gilbertson
Becky
Gilbertson plans to study civil engineering in college. This
year she is taking three advanced placement classes and
Sustainable Green Technology and Design. She is also the ASB
Public Relations Officer, plays tennis, and is a member of
the ballroom dance Team.
The Herald reported the story->
9/30/11
Luis Torres' passion for Tiger sports
"Be there."
For junior Luis Torres, it all started with the stats.
Listening to him talk about his beloved Tigers, it's
obvious what sincere passion he has for the home team,
and he shows that devotion on the field.
The Herald reported the story->
9/28/11
Tia Cervarich named as a Commended Student
Granite Falls High School senior Tia Cervarich has been
named as a Commended Student in the 2012 National Merit
Scholarship Program. Tia 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.
Read more here->
9/26/11
Granite Falls kindergartners throw surprise party for
90-year-old volunteer
The
kindergartners waited as quietly as they could. The
group of 28 students at Monte Cristo Elementary School
tried to hide by ducking their heads as they sat near a
front of their classroom. "Happy birthday, Grandma
Helen," the boys and girls shouted.
The Herald reported the story->
9/20/11
Timeout with high school senior Ben Sheppard
If you're not improving, you're wasting time.
That is Ben Sheppard's approach to running cross
country. A four-year member of Granite Falls High
School's varsity team, Sheppard constantly sets goals
and makes the most of every workout.
The Herald reported the story->
9/20/11
Teacher with big heart dies after crash
Suzy Armstrong had a skill for helping kids with
special needs. For many years, she taught deaf and
hearing impaired students. Later, she worked with
Granite Falls youngsters who needed extra help and
individual attention.
The Herald reported the story->
9/8/11
Literally, it's the first day of school
Two Granite
Falls schools are in new buildings this year. At Granite
Falls Middle School, students waited in line at the
school's offices to pick up their class schedules. This
year, the middle school is new to all 510 students.
The Herald reported the story->
8/19/11
New Center for Granite Falls school
Robynn Barth wants to bring a
fitness media center Granite Falls Middle School. The
health and finess teacher is planning to do that with
the help of a $2,000 grant.
The Herald reported the story->
7/11/11 Pooja
Sethi takes fourth place at national competition
Pooja Sethi, a High School sophomore,
received national recognition at the FBLA Awards of
Excellence. Sethi competed in Accounting I and brought home
fourth place out of over 100 participants; only the top ten
in each category are recognized. Read more
here (pdf).
6/10/11 Granite Falls celebrates
100 years of graduations: three seniors in 1911; 187 in 2011
Ulrich "Babe"
Scherrer looked down at several felt letters on a table in
the Granite Falls High School commons. The smallest "G" was
the athletic letter he received for playing baseball his
freshman year, said Scherrer, 93. He was the oldest alumnus
of the Granite Falls School District at a school assembly at
Granite Falls High School.
The Herald reported the story->
6/8/11 Going back to kindergarten
High School
senior Tessa Romack remembers kindergarten. What she
remembers most about the 1998-1999 school is the special
graduation celebration her kindergarten teacher, Olga Litz,
organized for her class.
The Herald reported the story->
5/20/2011 New superintendent hired
A new
superintendent has been hired for the Granite Falls School
District. Linda Hall was unanimously selected to the
position this week by the school board.
The Herald reported the story->
5/20/2011 Prom scheme gains
traction
Kyle Glover, a
senior at Granite Falls High School, found an unusual way to
invite Katie Christensen, also a senior, to prom. "As my
plan came together, it kept getting better and better," Kyle
said.
The Herald reported the story->
5/11/11 School districts make cuts
while waiting for Legislature
As educators
wait for state budget reductions that will dictate how much
local districts must cut for next year, many area school
districts are in the process of giving teachers layoff
notices to help balance their budget.
KING 5 TV reported the story->
5/10/11 Granite Falls maintains
hold on first
Pitcher
Kimberly Martinez led the Granite Falls softball team to a
7-1 victory against Cedarcrest. The freshman pitched a
complete game and gave up just one walk, a run and seven
hits and added five strikeouts. The win keeps Granite Falls
alone atop the Cascade Conference standing.
The Herald reported the story->
4/25/11 Students take part in
Future Business Leaders competition
Granite Falls
High School sophomore Pooja Sethi and freshman Aakash Sethi
have qualified for the national Future Business Leaders of
America competition in Orlando this summer.
The Herald reported the story->
4/20/11 Eco-car teams return from
competition triumphant
ShopGirls and
UrbanAutos members claim first place awards at the event in
Texas.
The Herald reported the story->
4/19/11 Granite Falls students
spend lunch time talking about their lives
New Police
Chief Dennis Taylor wants to hear what elementary and middle
school students have to say. He visited elementary and
middle schools during lunch time.
The Herald reported the story->
4/17/11 Lessons from an effective
teacher
Debra Howell
will be only the third teacher from the state inducted into
the national hall of fame.
The Herald reported the story->
4/16/11 Eco Marathon Urban Auto
team sets record; ShopGirls earn safety award
The Urban Auto
Eco-marathon team took first place in the diesel category
and set a new Americas record with 186.4 mpg beating
archrival Penn State! The ShopGirls placed second in its
diesel prototype category with 378 mpg and won the safety
award.
NPR interviewed the team and click on "Students Strive
For Fuel Economy In Vehicle Contest". Also reporting the
story was
National Geographic: Racing to the Finish.
4/13/11 Hall-of-fame worthy:
Granite Falls teacher earns national recognition for her
skills
Debra Howell was
called before the entire school and told she is being
inducted into the National Teachers Hall of Fame.
The Everett Herald reported the story->
4/12/11 Granite Falls teacher named
to national Hall of Fame
For only the
third time ever, a teacher from Washington state has been
inducted into the National Teachers Hall of Fame.
KING 5 TV reported the the story->
4/12/11 Students qualify for
national FBLA competition
Sophomore Pooja
Sethi and freshman Aakash Sethi took first and second place
at the state Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA)
competition, which qualifies them for the national
competition in June.
Read more here (pdf)->
4/6/11 All-girls team seeks record
in high-mileage marathon
Amid the din of power
tools, three girls stand huddled in a shop room around the
car they helped design and build.
National Geographic reported the story->
4/5/11 ShopGirls are back in the
driver's seat for auto contest
This year's
team includes one new and five returning members who are
planning to roll right over the record during the Shell
Eco-marathon, April 14-17 in Houston, Texas.
The Herald reported the story->
4/2/11 High School ballroom dance
team
Teens step it up in
new sport. A teacher at a small-town high school helps
student discover a new passion - classic ballroom dance and
the results from out-of-state competition show this newcomer
team can glide with the best.
The Seattle Times reported the story->
3/29/11
Granite Falls students designing fuel efficient cars for
'Eco Marathon'
Twelve students and one very dedicated
teacher from Granite Falls High School are off to
Houston to compete in the Shell Eco Marathon from April
14-17, 2011. The Shell Eco Marathon is a worldwide
competition in which participants build special cars to
achieve the highest possible fuel efficiency.
KING 5 TV reported the story->
3/17/11
Rover wants to hear a story: When dogs are their
audience, youngsters improve reading skills
Kindergartner Tove Schweizer patiently waited until his
name was called to read the book he wrote and
illustrated during Family Literacy Night at Mountain Way
Elementary School.
The Herald reported the story->
3/14/11
Requirement for high school math tests are fuzzy
Autumn
Grable, 15, a sophomore at Granite Falls High School,
will be among the more than 100,000 students statewide
this week taking the High School Proficiency Exams in
reading and writing. Those exams don't worry Autumn
much; what's causing anxiety is a math test that isn't
scheduled and hasn't even been decided on.
The Herald reported the story->
3/9/2011
Winter sports awards
Winter sports awards were
presented at team banquets held the end of February and
early in March.
Read more here.3/8/2011
3/8/11 Sun
powers cars, kids
Monte Cristo Elementary
students are solar engineers for a day. The girls
giggled and jumped up and down in excitement. Then they
carefully put their car - composed of a solar cell, a
wood panel, a DC motor, axles and wheels - on the ground
outside their classroom.
The Herald reported the story->
3/8/11
Winter sports awards
Winter sports awards were
presented at team banquets held the end of February and
early in March.
Read more here.
2/18/11
Granite Falls schools leader to retire
Superintendent
Karen Koschak left the Granite Falls Administration
Center with her clipboard in hand Wednesday afternoon.
During her visits to different schools and classrooms
throughout the district, she observes principals,
teachers, and students to give feedback about what she
sees and hears.
The Herald reported the story->
2/11/11
District chief to retire in June
The superintendent of the
Granite Falls School District, Karen Koschak, has plans
to retire in June. Koschak announced her retirement
Thursday in an written statement addressed to school
board members, staff, and the Granite Falls community.
The Herald reported the story->
2/10/11
Granite Falls' students qualify for state competition
Twenty-five Granite Falls
High School students attended the Future Business
Leaders of America (FBLA) West Central Region Leadership
and Competitive Event conference held in Bellevue on
Wednesday, February 9th.
Read more here->
2/5/11
National praise for ShopGirls
An all-girl team from
granite Falls High School got national attention this
week for the car they designed and built from scratch
for last year's national fuel-efficiency competition in
Texas. U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan in a
speech Wednesday praised the ShopGirls team.
The Herald reported the story->
2/4/11
Granite Falls High School to honor alumni
Welcome to
the newest members of the Granite Falls High School
Alumni Hall of Fame. They will be honored tonight at a
basketball game at the school.
The Herald reported the story->
2/2/11
School history is made: two girls are the first to
receive Division 1 athletic scholarships
Kelsey
Carlson and Katie Cashman are the first women from
Granite Falls School District to receive Division 1
athletic scholarships. Carlson will play soccer for the
University of Montana Missoula and Cashman will play
soccer for Eastern Washington University. Both girls
signed their letters of intent on February 2.
Read more here->
2/2/11 Eco
car noted in national speech
US Department of
Education Secretary Arne Duncan noted the High School
eco car project in a
speech promoting Career and Technical Education
(CTE) at the Harvard Graduate School of Education. The
"homegrown" car is mentioned at the end of the speech.
2/1/11
Timeout with Brandon Gilbertson
"You've got to be
relentless, but you also have to be smart at the same
time, " Gilbertson said. So far this winter,
Gilbertson's method has worked well.
The Herald reported the story->
2/1/11
Granite Falls boys capture breakthrough win
Coach Steve Hume
is trying to change the culture of the Granite Falls
boys basketball program. The Tigers are a long way from
where Hume wants them to be , but last week they took a
big step.
The Herald reported the story->
1/26/11
Donors answer school's call: $55,000 in donations helps
buy math books for Granite Falls kids
Students
need only look inside their math books to see who cares
about their education. A combination of grants and
donations from community organizations and individuals
funded new math books.
The Herald reported the story->
1/20/11ShopGirls and Urban Auto teams take second and
third place in construction challenge
The High School ShopGirls team and the
boys UrbanAutos team placed second and third
respectively in the Association of Equipment
Manufacturers Construction Challenge January 15.
Read more here->
1/20/11
Local prep clutch performers
When the pressures
on, these are the area's best boys and girls hoops
players. High School junior Peyton Spencer is one of
those players.
The Herald reported the story->
1/14/11
Going for ballroom glory
Step by
step, Granite Falls dance team prepares to compete.
Spanish teacher Josh Roehl switches gears at the end of
the regular school day at Granite Falls High School,
because it "takes a couple minutes to just get in the
zone." That's what's needed to teach ballroom dance.
The Herald reported the story->
12/18/10
Generosity speaks volumes
The smiles
on the faces of the first-graders in Christina Klepper's
class showed just how they felt about reading. The
students quickly lined up to get into a classroom filled
with tables of books at Monte Cristo Elementary.
The Herald reported the story->
12/15/10
Granite Falls High School celebrating its most
successful food drive ever
Organizers say they have
received so many donations over the past two weeks,
they've run out of room and are storing most of it in
the hallways.
KING 5 reported the story->
12/13/10
Super Kid: Granite Falls senior is active in drama
High School senior Kyle
Kamins takes several advanced placement classes, is the
public relations coordinator for the food drive, and has
applied to UC Berkeley and UCLA.
The Herald reported the story->
12/9/10
Colette Dahl named Western Washington School Nurse of
the Year
District nurse
Colette Dahl was named the Western Washington School
Nurse of the Year by the March of Dimes at a ceremony
December 9.
KING 5 reported the story->
12/8/2010
Memories are shared as a tribute to friend is created
There were plenty
of memories for Shaylynn Wietersen's friends to share
while they waited for the second layer of pink paint to
dry on their school's spirit rock. They remembered the
Granite Falls sophomore's bubbly personality.
The Herald reported the story->
12/3/10
Tracy Land earns National Board Certification
Tracy Land, math teacher at Crossroads
Alternative High School, has achieved National Board
Certification in 2010. Tracy joins nine other Granite
Falls teachers that have achieved this accomplishment.
Read more here->
12/1/10
Staff highlighted in Washington State Kappan
Several staff members and
Mountain Way Elementary are highlighted in the fall
issue of
Washington State Kappan. Mountain Way is listed as a
School of Distinction on page 2; Superintendent Karen
Koschak and principals Kari Henderson-Burke and Cathie
West are quoted in an article on page 6; and an article
on Mountain Way Elementary is on page 18.
11/29/10
Fall Sports Awards
The Granite Falls High
School fall sports season was full of notable
accomplishments by our student-athletes.
Read more here->
11/17/10 100
Year Celebration
Help us
celebrate the 100th anniversary of the 1911 Granite
Falls High School graduating class. Mark your calendar
for June 9, 1:30 pm, at GFHS to gather with classmates,
teachers, and friends to walk down memory lane. Help us
spread the word and contact past classmates and
teachers; check the attic and basement for school
memorabilia and bring it to display.
Read more here->
11/3/10
Mountain Way awarded prestigious School of Distinction
honor
Mountain
Way Elementary has been named a School of Distinction
from the Center for Education Effectiveness (CEE) and
Phi Delta Kappa. Only the top five percent of all
schools in Washington State earn the award.
Read more here->
10/25/10
Super Kid: Granite Falls senior wants to be a corporate
lawyer
High School
senior Katie Christensen and three of her friends greet
students as they come to school every morning. She also
dreams of attending Duke University.
The Herald reported the story->
10/22/10
That's the spirit!
No one's shy
about school pride at Granite Falls High this week.
Sometimes showing your school spirit means strapping
wheels to a canoe. Welcome to spirit week at Granite
Falls High School.
The Herald reported the story->
10/22/10
Granite Falls notches playoff berth
First year
coach Cory Elwell has the Granite Falls girls soccer
team into the 2A District 1 playoffs, clinching the
playoff spot with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over
Cedarcrest.
The Herald reported the story->
9/28/10 "If
You Really Knew Me"
Watch
the full episode of MTV's series
"If You Really Knew Me" that features students from
Granite Falls High School and Crossroads Alternative
School.
9/28/10 A
glimpse into Granite Falls High School on MTV
The world gets a
glimpse into the heart of Granite Falls High School
tonight, courtesy of MTV.
KIRO Radio reported the story->
9/27/10 MTV
camera crews follow teenagers in Granite Falls
The documentary
series
"If
You Really Knew Me" follows students as they participate
in Challenge Day, a national course meant to break down
the stereotypes they hold of their peers.
The Herald reported the story->
9/19/10
ShopGirls to present at Expo
The
High School ShopGirls are highlighted as part of the
Green Industrial Business and Career Expo October 7 and
8. The girls will have the car on display and present a
hands-on session.
Read more here->9/15/10
9/16/10
Belshee, Herald named Volunteer and Partnership award
winners
The
Success in Education Volunteer and Partnership of the
Year awards were presented at the School Board meeting
September 15 to Barbara Belshee and the Everett Herald.
Read more here->
9/9/10 Students honored at
Evergreen State Fair
High School
student Sara Rood was honored at the Fair.
The Everett Herald reported the story (scroll down
to students honored at Evergreen State Fair)
9/8/10 Runners to watch
High School cross
country runner Rhiannon Alexander is highlighted as one
of the area's runners to watch this season.
The Everett Herald reported the story.
9/7/10 Soccer players to watch
Of the five
student-athletes highlighted as soccer players to watch,
two are from Granite Falls High School - Kelsey Carlson
and Katie Cashman.
The Everett Herald reported the story.
9/1/10 School Districts get
creative to save money
Most
school districts have had to make big budget cuts during
tough economic times. That is forcing some school
leaders to get creative in order to save money. "Every
little bit can count", says Brandon Klepper, lead
grounds man and wrestling coach in the Granite Falls
School District.
KING TV reported the story->
6/28/10 Summer school of life
A
Granite Falls program teaches kids some practical skills
while they earn credits toward graduation.
The Herald reported the story->
6/14/10 2009/2010 Achievements
We are proud
of our staff members and students for outstanding
accomplishments in and out the classroom. For a review
of the achievements
read more here->
6/11/10 District names
employees of the year
The Granite Falls School District named Nancy Matlack
and Alice Noyd as the 2009/2010 Employees of the Year at
the annual end of the year staff awards program held
June 11.
Read more here->
6/8/10 Spring Sports Awards
Spring
sports awards were announced at team banquets held the
end of May and early June.
Read more read->
6/7/10 Graduation 2010
The senior class
of 2010 received over $250,000 in scholarships. The
class graduated June 4th at Hi Jewell Stadium. The class
list and scholarships and awards are
here.
6/5/10 Proposal to merge
alternative schools
Lake Stevens and
Granite Falls have been mulling a merger. It would mean
students from Lake Stevens Prove High School would
attend Crossroads Alternative High School in Granite
Falls next fall.
The Herald reported the story.
6/4/10 Budget cuts create
safety concern for students on buses
Granite Falls School District made the
decision to reduce bus routes within a mile of the
schools. Several other schools in the region are also
looking to cut bus routes to save money. Everett,
Edmonds and Stanwood schools are all deciding which
routes to cut as budgets shrink.
KING TV reported the story.
6/4/10 Schools' cuts to bus
routes
Granite Falls
students will make the mile-long trek from their homes
on Scherrer Road to reach their new bust stop. It's part
of a school district plan to save $42,000 in
transportation costs.
The Herald reported the story.
5/24/10 Track and softball off
to state competition
Student-athletes
are off to state competition this week:
At the district track meet, Ericka Smith took second in the javelin
and Rhiannon Alexander placed third in the 3200. Both
girls begin the state competition this Thursday in
Tacoma.The girls softball team also qualified for the
state tournament and plays its first game at 10:00 am
this Friday in Selah.
The Herald reported the story->
5/21/10 Granite Falls lone
Cascade survivor
And then there was
one. Cascade Conference No. 1 seed Granite Falls
defeated third-seeded Archbishop Murphy leaving Granite
Falls as the lone remaining Cascade Conference team with
a chance at reaching the state tournament.
The Herald reported the story->
5/19/10 Success in Education
awards winners
The District announced its fourth quarter Success in
Education award winners. Staff members Megan Deebach and
Kathleen Gipson and student winners Emma Myhre, Kory
Glover, Austin Warren, Annie Hart, Evan West, Ben Mow,
and Brittany McGinnis were recognized at the May 19,
2010 School Board meeting.
Read more here->
5/11/10 Timeout with Alyssa
Arndt
Asked to describe her
pitching repertoire, Alyssa Arndt rattles off her array
of weapons like an energized auctioneer. "Fastball,
changeup, dropball, riseball, screwball, curveball,"
Arndt, the Granite Falls High School softball team's
dominant pitcher, blurted in 3 seconds. All of those
options appear to be good ones for Granite Falls, which
was 16-0 going into the week.
The Herald reported the story->
4/26/10 Student qualifies for
FBLA competition
Senior Kati Reverman qualified for the national
FBLA competition in Nashville.
The Herald reported the story->
4/20/10 An emerging power
When Candi
Reeves took the job as Granite Falls head softball coach
in 2007, she knew the girls had some work ahead of them
if they hoped to be a contender, not only at state, but
also in the league. With a 10-0 league record to start
the season, Granite Falls is on the right track.
The Herald reported the story->
4/20/10 Granite Falls
dismantles Arch. Murphy in softball
Undefeated
Granite Falls took advantage of a Murphy team that
looked sloppy and intimidated dropping a 12-0 decision
to Granite Falls in five innings.
The Herald reported the story->
4/16/10 Granite Falls tops
Murphy to remain undefeated
Archbishop
Murphy's softball team was certainly ready to play its
game against Granite Falls on Thursday, scoring three
runs in the first inning. Then the Tigers showed whey
they are undefeated.
The Herald reported the story>
4/15/10 Tom Eadie named new
board member
At a Board meeting April 14th, the Granite
Falls School Board of Directors appointed Tom Eadie as
the newest member to replace Bob Quarterman who is
retiring after 16 years on the Board. Eadie will begin
his term on the Board at the June 2nd, 2010,
meeting.
Read more here->
4/6/10 School spirit rocks
Granite Falls: Local quarries join to donate and
transport boulder to high school
Several seniors at Granite Falls High School wanted to
leave a little reminder behind to share their school
pride. They imagined what they call "a spirit rock" that
could be painted in orange and black.
The Everett Herald reported the story->
4/5/10 Super Kid: Granite Falls
High's Chelaina Crews
Nice surprise:
Chelaina Crews was named a commended student in the 2010
National Merit Scholarship competition. That means she
placed in the top 5 percent of more that 1.5 million
students in the country based on scores from the
Preliminary SAT test.
The Herald reported the story->
3/30/10 470 mpg for ShopGirls'
car
The team, along
with a boys team also from Granite Falls High School,
competed at the Shell Eco-marathon.
The Herald reported the story->
3/30/10 A 470 mpg car: Granite
Falls High School girls build it
An all-girls team
from Granite Falls High School have built a car that
gets 470 miles per gallon of diesel.
KING 5 TV reported the story->
3/26/10 ShopGirls compete in
Houston
3/26/10: See a
live interview from Houston of the ShopGirls on KING 5
TV
here.
3/25/10 Title-hungry Granite
Falls improves to 4-0
This
season, the Tigers feel they have some unfinished
business. On Wednesday afternoon, Granite Falls improved
to 4-0 in the new season. Senior pitcher Alyssa Arndt
led the way for the Tigers.
The Herald reported the story->
3/21/10 All-female team pours
heart and soul into car-building contest
The ShopGirls,
as they call themselves, wanted a name that had some
heft. For the nine Granite Falls High School students,
the forest green and hot pink car they engineered and
built from scratch needed a bold name. Their car would
be called the Iron Maiden.
The Herald reported the story->
3/18/10 Success in Education
third quarter awards
The District has announced its third quarter Success in
Education award winners at the March 17, 2010 School
Board meeting.
Read more here->
3/16/10 Battle of the classes a
classy act
The Battle of the Classes at Granite Falls High School
isn't just about rivalries among students in different
grades; it's about parents and neighbors and small town
allegiances filling a gym for an evening of spirit
frivolity.
The Herald reported the story->
3/15/10 High School students
building a eco-car
A group of nine Granite Falls High School students are
gearing up for a national competition in energy
efficient car building.
KING 5 TV reported the story->
3/15/10 A gift for the gifted
In 21 years of teaching elementary school music, Jenny
Price never has had a student quite like Drew Bielaczyc.
Her colleagues at Mountain Way Elementary School in
Granite Falls describe a quirky kid who is both charming
and vexing and certainly brilliant beyond his 10 years.
The Herald reported the story->
3/14/10 Softball preview:
players to watch
The saying big things
come in small packages couldn’t be truer for Sarah
Hensley.
The Herald reported the story->
3/6/10 1,400 Granite Falls
students using obsolete textbooks
Hundreds of
students between kindergarten and eighth grade don't
have the tools they need to learn in this Snohomish
County school district.
KOMO-TV reported the story.
3/1/10 Granite Falls asks for
help to buy textbooks
It's a textbook case of need. And it makes for a vexing
story problem. A small school district needs 1,450 new
math books for its students in kindergarten through
eighth grade. The answer in the cash-strapped Granite
Falls School District is an adopt-a-math-book program.
The Herald reported the story->. Help sponsor one
book for one student. All donations are tax deductible.
Read more here->
2/17/10 Worker's
idea save cash for District
Brandon Klepper
figured there could be savings in waste.
So the head of the Granite Falls School District’s
grounds crew suggested to his bosses that they let him
take care of the trash. The result, district officials
estimate, will save more than $2,500 a month during the
school year.
The Herald reported the story->
2/16/10 Students qualify for
state competition
Five of the 13 High School
students that attended the Future Business Leaders of
America (FBLA) Regional Leadership event February 10th
qualified for the state competition.
Read more here->
2/8/10 Hall of Fame
Ed Horn, Class of 1958, and Raylene
Alexander, Class of 1980, were named to the Granite
Falls High School Alumni Hall of Fame at the varsity
basketball game held February 5.
Read more here->.
1/27/10 District shares budget
information
The District
will face budget cuts next year due to an additional
state revenue shortfall. Community forums provided an
overview of the budget process and the potential impacts
of the additional reductions. Our
Budget Updates page includes a link to the January
2010 presentation as well as historical information on
budget reductions last year.
1/20/10 Success in Education
second quarter awards
Staff members
Kathy Lease and Keith Johnson and students Emmy Romack,
Lily Janda, Abigail Burk, Ciera Briggs, Riley Larsen,
Brinn Jones and Dylan Wold received the second quarter
Success in Education awards at the January 20th School
Board meeting.
Read more here->
1/19/10 Shell Eco-Marathon 2010
Americas First All Women Team is from GFHS!
The
ShopGirls have been designing, building, and testing
a Prototype car to compete in the national Shell Eco
competition in Houston, March 26-28. The goal is to
build a car that goes the farthest using the least
amount of fuel.
Become a partner and invest in us! An investment
includes your company name and logo on the car.
1/1/10 Sharing Life Lessons
Granite Falls teen is a
Muscular Dystrophy Association ambassador. As John
Haskett regaled guests with stories of his video game
prowess, his mother had a gentle reminder for him. "Open
your hands, John." The junior from Granite Falls High
School rolled his eyes, but knew his mother, Marie, was
right.
The Herald reported the story->
12/30/09 Board member exits
slowly
After 16 years on the
Granite Falls School Board, Bob Quarterman figured it
was time to step down. His colleagues said, "Not so
fast." Quarterman, 63, will leave the board May 19. He
intended for his resignation to take effect earlier, but
he was persuaded to stay through some difficult budget
cuts on the horizon.
The Herald reported the story->
12/10/09 Girl's death in car
crash stuns Granite Falls
The news spread in a flood of text messages on
Tuesday night. Shaylynn Wietersen, a bright-eyed girl
known for her quick smile, was dead.
The Herald reported the story->
12/1/09 Dropping back in to
school
Granite Falls students'
goal at Crossroads Alternative: Get a diploma. When Greg
Chartier quit high school last year, he figured it was
for good. He was failing his classes, behind on credits
and had trouble getting along with his teachers. It was
time to get a job and get on with his life. It didn't
work out that way. That's when Chartier realized her
really did need that high school diplomas after all.
The Herald reported the story->
11/26/2009 Students talk
turkey
Students at Monte Cristo
Elementary were highlighted in the Everett Herald
Thanksgiving Day.
Read the Herald newspaper story
"Kids talk turkey" and you can also watch video of
the kids explaining Thanksgiving.
The Herald video is here->
11/23/09 Students receive
music honors
Several students have
been selected to perform in the Washington All-State
choir and band this February in Yakima.
The Herald reported the story->
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->
11/13/09
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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