Math Is Cool

Math Is Cool -- Here's a photo of the Math Is Cool fifth-grade team. It was so impressive that these four students took first in state this spring. Congrats to Simon Waichler, Lauren Fitzmaurice, Sebastian Hogness, Tyler Bergevin-Krumme and coach Ray Leaver.

New elementary principal

I’m excited to announce that Dr. Brian Patrick has been selected as the new principal at Methow Valley Elementary. Dr. Patrick said he was honored when I called to offer the position. He accepted with great enthusiasm!

We had a tremendous slate of candidates for this position. Brian received the top scores in both the committee interviews and the community forums. During reference checks, teachers and administrators raved about his ability to connect with children and lead teams to accomplish ambitious goals.

Brian earned his Ph.D. in geology and taught college for many years. He experienced a mid-career change of heart and became a high school science teacher in 1995. He earned National Board certification – the highest certification for K-12 teachers – in 2007. I’ve attached his resume for you to review. He loves the outdoors, including mountain climbing and cycling.

We look forward to doing an ice cream social or some other fun event in August so you can meet him. Thank you to all parents and community members who participated in the selection process!

Here's what colleagues say:

Spencer Welch, Principal Program Leader, University of Washington

Dr. Brian Patrick is a remarkable person who is committed to helping all children discover their passion for learning. He is a deeply ethical and wonderful colleague. His infectious enthusiasm for life and for learning have a positive effect on everyone with whom he works. He will be a truly magnificent principal.

Steve Rabb, Enumclaw Middle School Principal

When I read your posting for the position, I was struck by the use of language that seemed as if Brian could have written it himself. The first thing that struck me was your desire to have a leader who has a vision for creating “a culture of kindness.” Not only have I never seen this language in a job posting, but this is the exact phraseology he has used while helping me lead the last two years in my building. As school disciplinarian, he refers to himself as the “Ambassador of Kindness.” Another key area was your desire to have a systems thinker who asks good questions and uses them to find the answers. Dr. Patrick is a seasoned practitioner in the art of reflection. His vast and varied experiences offer him a broad and rich system perspective of how vital education is to the health and well-being of each individual child. He uses his insight into the stories of kids and families to facilitate reflection with staff asking how we can best help individual children write their story with a future and hope.

Mike Nelson, Enumclaw School District Superintendent

Last month, I was on a plane traveling home from a family vacation. I began talking with the person sitting to my left. She told me that she was a counselor in a neighboring school district. After I shared that I worked for the Enumclaw School District, she asked if I knew Brian Patrick. I said, “Of course!” She then proceeded to share how Brian calls her every week or two checking on a high-needs student who moved from Enumclaw Middle School to her school in a new district. She said Brian always asks how the student is doing and asks her to tell the student that the staff at Enumclaw Middle School called to make sure she is doing well. This story typifies the educator that Brian Patrick represents.

Levies pass: Moving forward!

Here's great news for the first blog post in a long time.

Two levies to support Methow Valley kids passed this week. Hooray! The Maintenance & Operations Levy passed with 67 percent and the Capital Projects & Technology Levy passed with 60 percent.

I'm excited because these levies will mean expanded opportunities for kids in the classroom. At Liberty Bell, we'll offer digital photography and video productions. At the elementary school, we'll offer more instructional support to help struggling students in math and reading.

We'll have new technology to enhance learning, and teachers will get more all-around training because of the levies. We'll also address critical building needs such as the elementary roof, which has a water drainage problem.

That's in addition to the areas the M&O levy already supports: athletics, arts, field trips, nursing, and more. As you can see, this support is absolutely huge to maintain a high-quality school system.

There's a lot of enthusiasm in our schools right now, as we discuss how to grow and challenge ourselves to create even more opportunities for students across the spectrum. This vote of confidence makes us feel proud and lets us know that the community values the work we do.

So, thank you Methow Valley voters! We will work hard to show you the value of your investment. What a great gift to our children!