Enumclaw Schools Foundation Helps Send 26 to Full Day Kindergarten this Fall

Following a successful , the Enumclaw Schools Foundation (ESF) has raised enough money to help send 26 five-year-olds to full day kindergarten in the Enumclaw School District this fall.

In addition to the $58,720 in scholarships, the ESF also donated a total of $22,109.91 to various educators in the district in the form of enrichment and innovation grant for the upcoming school year.

These were some of the updates that ESF's new President Johna Thomson shared with the Enumclaw School Board during it's meeting Monday.

Tech & Manufacturing: Thomson highlighted the first ever STEM Expo as a new program that ESF is spearheading to promote careers in science, technology, engineering and math in the district. The program culminates in a free event at Enumclaw High School set for October 11 this year in which students can explore alternative career tracks outside of the standard four-year college, Thomson said.

The theme is "Advanced Manufacturing" and the event is a response in part to local and regional perceptions that students were not being prepared to enter the workforce -- in particular in the fields of technology and manufacturing -- immediately out of high school. Green River Community College earlier this year began to offer a program in aerospace and advanced manufacturing to meet the local demand for workers with these specific skill sets. ()

Mardi Gras Luncheon: Next year's "Jazzing Up Education" business and community luncheon takes place Feb. 12, 2013. raised more than $20,000 through sponsorships and donations that were used to fund various ESF programs. The luncheon starts at 11:30 a.m. at the Expo Center Field House.

Full Day Kindergarten Dinner and Auction: On the heels of the success this year in sending 26 kids to full day kindergarten, the ESF is already working on next year's event set for April 13, 2013, also at the Field House from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. It's never too early to start donating. Contact FullDayK@gmail.com for tickets or to make a donation.

For more information on the ESF, visit www.enumclawschoolsfoundation.org.

In Other News:

Budget: District business and operations director Tim Madden reported that work on the budget for the upcoming school year has been easier than in past years due in part to the lack of big cuts coming from the state level this year. "The Legislature was fairly kind to us," he said.

A public hearing and further action on the district budget will take place during the board's next meeting August 20, said Superintendent Mike Nelson.

Meanwhile, citizens who would like a copy of the a summary of this year's budget can contact Madden at 360-802-7107 or tim_madden@enumclaw.wednet.edu.

Donations: The School Board also approved the following donations:

• $1,058.85 from Southwood PTA to Southwood to be used for a color copier
• $899.40 from Black Diamond PTA to Black Diamond Elementary to be used for RAZ Kids Subscription
• $5,740 from Black Diamond PTA to Black Diamond Elementary to be used for classroom sound systems
• $2,000 from the Buckley Log Show to Enumclaw High School for a scholarship
• $5,000 from the ESF to Enumclaw Middle School ($3,334) and Thunder Mountain Middle School ($1,666) for Project Lead the Way curriculum