Snapshots: White River H.S. Students Guide Officials Through Exercise in Defining School District

Editor's Note: The following is a press release that was provided last week by White River School District.

Anything can happen when a group of school district leaders come together for a brainstorming session, but toss a few teenagers in the mix as the teachers and it becomes “The White River Way.”

Under first-­‐year superintendent Janel Keating, the annual Administrative Team Summer Institute took on a different look this year when it invited White River High School’s leadership students in for Day 2 of training.

ASB Officers Scott Anderson, Bailey Mills, Austin May, Megan Miller, Andrea Entz and Josh Charron, under the direction of teacher Jason Simonson, led the group through activities based on King Duncan’s book, “The Amazing Law of Influence,” which explains how it is possible for one person to make a lasting impression.

“It’s like a code of conduct,” Director of Secondary Education Mike Hagadone said. “Each of our buildings has done the work. We wanted to come up with one overall for the White River School District and what are the values our school district reflects.”

The group of about 50 school district administrators, school board members and department heads broke into small teams and worked together to come up with buzz words to describe the “White River Way,” although leadership is not ready to share their tagline yet.

“We’re in the process,” Hagadone said. “It would be premature to unveil it at this time, but we have a concept in the process.”

At noon the second day, the administrative team headed to the Buckley Youth Activity Center, where they served a free barbecue lunch to the kids there.

“That was fun,” Hagadone said. “We’re trying to reach out and continue to be a part of the community.”

Spokane elementary school Principal Pete Hall, who has been recognized by OSPI and ASCD for his students’ academic successes, was guest speaker during the first day of the Institute.