Wahluke School District board adopts new math curriculum

MATTAWA — The Wahluke School District board adopted a new math curriculum during a regular meeting on June 11.

The new curriculum will standardize the math being taught to all kindergartners through fifth-graders across the district, according to Missy Stevenson, director of curriculum and instruction for the Wahluke School District. It will allow students who need help in certain areas to easily go back and work at a lower level without extra inconvenience to the teacher.

“It allows kids to close the gap,” said Stevenson. “They can work at an independent level of what they need.”

The curriculum comes with letters to parents in both English and Spanish explaining what their children are learning and how parents can help. Teachers were trained on the new math curriculum at the end of school. They will be trained in August on the new science curriculum that was adopted previously. Both math and science curricula are produced by the same company.

Tracy Plouse, the director of finance and operations for the school district, reported that the district is budgeting for 143 kindergartners this coming fall.

“There are 148 out there,” said Plouse. “That is down from 160 last year. Kindergarten is the most uncertain number we have.”

Plouse gave the board a run down of where the district is financially. She told them that their final bond payment will be made in December. The district is looking to replace it with a Capital Projects levy to fund projects such as fixing roofs and playgrounds.

“We don’t want taxpayers to get their taxes lowered after the (final) bond payment,” Plouse said. “We want to keep it the same or above.”

The district is hoping to do some building in a couple years. In the meantime, they want to get some repairs done without it coming out of the general fund.

Plouse told the board that the general fund was “where is should be.” She also said that the school district’s audit had two findings that were public knowledge.

“It would be amazing to go through an audit with no findings,” said Board President Lorraine Jenne.

The next board meeting has been changed to Tuesday, July 16 at 7 p.m.

Rachal Pinkerton may be reached via email at rpinkerton@suntribunenews.com.