Infrastructure improvements generate savings for Mount Vernon School District

When it comes to allocating resources, the Mount Vernon School District just aced the test! Recently completed infrastructure upgrades will allow the school district to realize energy and operational savings. The $1.43 million in upgrades, which were completed nearly 10% under budget, will save more than $115,000 in annual energy and operating costs.

"It's great in these tight budgetary times that we were able to improve the teaching and learning environment while generating energy and operational savings," said Dr. Carl Bruner, Superintendent of the Mount Vernon School District. "Because we are able to pay for the improvements through these savings, we can focus our capital budget on other needs in the district."

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REPLACEMENT LEVIES

On February 9, voters will be asked to approve two-year replacement maintenance and operations and technology levies.  These issues will provide continued funding for teachers, student programs, support services, and replacement of outdated classroom technology.  The estimated combined rate per $1,000 of assessed property value will not increase over 2010 rates.  For additional information, please refer to:

District Levy Guide - English

District Levy Guide - Spanish

Levy Presentation

District Finance Director named United Way of Skagit County's "Volunteer of the Year"

Mount Vernon School District Finance Director Jennifer Larson was recently presented with the 2009 Volunteer of the Year award by the United Way of Skagit County Board of Directors. The honor is one of two top awards given annually to exceptionally outstanding volunteers. For the past eight years, Larson has helped coordinate the United Way campaign at Mount Vernon School District and has served as co-chair of the "Pacesetters" committee.

Through her work with the United Way, Larson is continuing the practice of serving the community that was so much a part of what her grandfather, Ted Reep, taught his children and grandchildren. Ted Reep was one of the original founders of the United Way of Skagit County in 1963. Congratulations to Jennifer, pictured left with United Way of Skagit County Board President Dan Berentson.

For more information about United Way's campaign in Skagit County, please click here.

Little Mountain student wins design contest

Little Mountain fifth-grader Prabs Singh was surprised by City of Mount Vernon firefighers last week when they visited his classroom with good news--his design for a fire prevention poster contest had won first place.

The contest, held last October, was open to all elementary students in Mount Vernon. Prabs' winning design is featured on the side of a city sanitation truck and, in the words of fifth-grade instructor Andrea Clancy, "will be on the truck until it falls off!" Buoyed by the congratulations of his classmates, Prabs posed for photos with the firefighters and the rest of his class before celebrating with a pizza party in his honor.

Guarantee college savings

Did you know that you can guarantee your child's college tuition with Washington's Guaranteed Education Tuition (GET) Program? GET is a 529 prepaid tuition plan, backed by state law and a secure place for college savings. The state guarantees your GET units will keep pace with rising tuition costs, no matter how much they increase in the future. Along with flexible payment plans, GET also offers tax-free growth and withdrawal. GET units can be used nationwide at nearly any college, university or vocational school. Enrollment is open September 15 through March 31. For details and to enroll online, visit www.get.wa.gov. Questions? Please call 1-800-955-2318.

Nixle: A new way to get urgent info

Government and law enforcement agencies are adding a new networking component to their communication arsenal, and it's not Facebook or Twitter, but quite similar. It's called Nixle, a community information service that enables public entities to blast information—including Amber Alerts, advisories and community and traffic information—directly to residents by email and text. Unlike its counterparts, though, Nixle provides only one-way communications and no advertising.

The platform for police, crime watch groups and other organizations disseminates information based on the user's geographical location. Law enforcement officials say they like the service because it has a secure server. Only users who have been authorized by Nixle can post information on the network, which ensures that residents get information from a reliable source. Many cities that previously used social networking platforms are switching over to Nixle because of its secure communications platform.

There are four types of messages you may receive: Alerts (emergency type information); Advisories (less urgent information); Community Information (day-to-day neighborhood information), and Traffic (very localized traffic information).

To learn more about Nixle or to register for its services, please visit the Nixle website by clicking here.

Skagit County Health Department provides H1N1 flu prevention advice to parents

The Mount Vernon School District has continued to work with the Skagit County Health Department to determine we have the most up to date information on prevention of the H1N1 flu virus. Click here to read the Health Department's recent letter to parents.

Class of 2010 Graduation Toolkit

The Class of 2010 Toolkit is a resource to help educators and families understand state graduation requirements. The toolkit is periodically updated with new materials and information. In the toolkit, you'll find:

• 2009-10 Key Dates
• 2010 Graduation Requirements
• Alternatives to Passing the WASL: Certificate of Academic Achievement Options
• Important 2010 WASL Information
• Options for Students not Graduating After Four Years of High School

To access the toolkit, please click here.

School District news on TV-10

Join us for the Mount Vernon School District TV show, Focus on Learning, as we explore school-related issues, instructional programs and important community partnerships. Focus on Learning airs at 11:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. on channel TV-10.