Brazilian school administrators impressed with Mount Vernon Schools

Last summer, Mount Vernon High School Principal Dave Anderson traveled to Brazil to interact with Brazilian school administrators, teachers and students on an academic and cultural exchange program. The program, sponsored by the American Councils for International Education in Washington D.C., offers award-winning U.S. principals an opportunity to share American perspectives on school management. Principal Anderson, a 2009 Golden Apple award recipient, recently hosted three Brazilian administrators in a reciprocal visit to Mount Vernon School District.

The Brazilian guests were: Monica Flores de Carvalho Ribeiro, principal in the Mias Gerais region; Rosilda Shockness, state coordinator from Rondonia; and Valson Campos dos Anjos, principal from the Mato Grosso do Sul region (pictured in the top left photo with Principal Dave Anderson on the far left and in the bottom left photo with Representative Dave Quall on the far right).

During their stay, the Brazilian guests visited Madison Elementary School, LaVenture and Mount Baker Middle Schools, Mount Vernon High School, Bellingham High School, Skagit Valley College, and Western Washington University. They expressed amazement at the variety of courses offered at Mount Vernon High School. Principal Anderson commented, "They were genuinely moved by the level of commitment to our students and by everyone's generosity. They also asked, 'How do you get teachers who are so committed to working this hard?' They were envious of our collective work ethic. In Brazil, the government places teachers in the respective schools and the building administrators have no say in the process."

The guests were honored at a dinner at Hillcrest Park on November 6 before their return to Brazil.

For more information about the principal exchange program, please click here.

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.

Mount Vernon School District hosts fifth annual "Principal For A Day"

The Mount Vernon School District hosted its fifth annual Principal For A Day event on Wednesday, October 28. First implemented in New York City Public Schools in 1995, Principal For A Day has been used in communities across the country as a way to involve civic leaders from the private and public sectors in learning about their local schools from the ground floor level.

After an orientation breakfast, participants spend several hours touring and learning about their assigned school. At the end of the day, the group comes together to discuss insights and offer suggestions.

This year's participants included: Wayne Crider, Government Affairs Director for Skagit-Island Builders Association; Jerry Dodd, Lieutenant for Mount Vernon Police Department; Roger Estep, M.D., of North Cascades Family Physicians; Donnie Keltz, Owner of Wyckoff Insurance; Patricia Martin, Executive Director of the Port of Skagit County; Megan Scott, Realtor for Windermere Real Estate; Dana Rindal, Owner of Northwest Chiropractic Clinic; Indira Rouw, Owner of Rouw Insurance; Fay Shane, Director of the Skagit Valley College Foundation; and Norma Smith, Representative for the 10th Legislative District.

To view additional photos of the event, please click 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.