Hello Ridgecrest Community,
Last Friday was the last day at Ridgecrest for one of our beloved staff members, office manager, Toni
McDonald. For many of us Mrs. McDonald was the keystone of Ridgecrest Elementary. She was the
person who brought together and connected all the parts. We will always remember Toni for her
amazing attitude, her love of purple, and her wealth of knowledge about everything at RC.
At the PTA Meeting on February 26th, we voted to rename our
Angel Lunch Fund to “The Toni McDonald Angel Fund”. The
PTA wanted to honor Toni not only for her years of hard work
and patience, but for taking over our struggling program,
whipping it into shape, and making it what it is today; a
program aimed to help students, whose lunch accounts have
gone negative, a chance to continue eating a regular lunch until
their family can add money to their account. Toni, thank you
for giving this program the kick it needed. You will be missed!
Features
Legislative Update............. 2
Around Our School ............ 3
Math Olympiad...............4-5
Upcoming Activities .......... 6
Community Events............. 7
Calendar & Details ............ 8
Following our celebration of Toni, we moved on to voting in
next year’s PTA Board Members. Our Nominating Committee
had their work cut out for them as every position was vacant.
However, Julia Prosser and crew, recruited up a storm and we have a new board of amazing
Ridgecrest parents. Please join me in welcoming:
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President:
Vice-President Programming:
Vice-President Fundraising:
Treasurer:
Secretary:
Jessica Symank
Amy Walgamott
Susana Guzman
Tracy Begley
Gena Margason
The Ridgecrest Community always seems to step up to the
plate. Thank you everyone.
Kristin Leffler and Philip Scott
PTA Co-Presidents
LEGISLATIVE UPDATE:
New King County Youth Plan Approved
The What, Why, Who, and How of the Youth Action Plan
What: On January 21, 2014, the Metropolitan King County Council approved legislation calling for the development of a
Youth Action Plan that will set King County’s priorities for serving infants through young adults. The Youth Action Plan will
guide and inform the County’s annual investment of more than $75 million in services and programs serving infants through
young adults. The Youth Action Plan is to be developed by an appointed Task Force comprised of representatives from a
broad range of organizations and entities with substantial expertise and knowledge relevant to children and youth, but that
is also diverse in its views and experiences, including but not limited to geographic, racial, and ethnic diversity.
Why:
1. Because kids matter: King County is committed to social justice and equity for all who live here. A key component of that
work is helping kids grow into adulthood with opportunities that allow them to achieve their full potential. Many
“downstream” conditions such as homelessness, incarceration and substance abuse could be addressed and likely
prevented early on if all kids were provided with safe, healthy childhoods, access to quality education and other
opportunities.
2. Because we have a rich history of supporting kids: Since the 1960s, King County has participated in and funded
programs aimed at assisting children, youth, and young adults. Today, King County spends over seventy-five million
dollars annually on a wide range of programs that influence children and youth at all stages of development from birth
to young adult. The services and programs for youth and children are provided across King County government by
several departments and agencies.
3. Because we are one partner of many working for kids: County agencies and departments contract with a number of
community-based organizations and local nonprofit organizations that work in collaboration with each other, the
county, and other governments to serve children, youth and their families, and young adults. These community-based
organizations serve a variety of youth populations, including but not limited to:
o geographically focused populations
o specific cultural and ethnic populations
o gay, lesbian and transgender youth and young adults
o justice-involved or at-risk youth.
We need to work together to leverage our strengths and focus on measurable outcomes for kids.
4. Because its time: With the onset of the Great Recession and the fiscal challenges that counties across the state are
facing with limited financial resources and growing demands, King County must collaboratively and transparently
examine its practices, investments, and outcomes so that we can best serve children, youth, and young adults in the
most effective and efficient ways possible.
Who: Members of the Youth Action Plan Task Force were appointed by King County Executive Dow Constantine and the
County Council through Motions 14097 and 14112. Task Force Member List with biographies
When: The Council’s legislation calls for a proposed Youth Action Plan to be submitted to the Council and the Executive
on April 15, 2015. A progress report is due to the Council in September, 2014.
How: This work is unanimously supported across King County government and is endorsed by many community
organizations. To ensure that King County continues to be a strong partner with the state, cities, private sector, non-profit
and philanthropic organizations input will be welcomed from these entities and other community members.
The Ram Rock
Page 2
April 2015
PTA General Meeting
April 14th – 7 p.m.
Ridgecrest Library
Friday, April 3rd
8 to 8:30 a.m.
Drawings for WATCH DOG
beanie and “My Dad is a
WATCH DOG” shirt.
April 9 & 10
7 p.m.
Popcorn Day!
Friday, April 17th
during lunch
PTA provides
one bag per student
We are super excited that two of our Ridgecrest
students made it to the Washington State Reflections
Art Competition! This year’s theme was “The World
Would Be Better If…”.
 Noah Bender (3rd grade, Mrs. Gochnour)
composed a musical piece “The Tofu Factory”.
 Cassandra Chesnut (2nd grade, Ms. Ramfar)
created a short movie “World Mobile”.
Reflections is a National PTA and WSPTA cultural arts
competition. We have an open gallery in the school
library every year in November. We encourage all
students to express themselves through art and to
participate next year!
The Ram Rock
Page 3
April 2015
On March 14, 2015, 66 Ridgecrest students opted to forego their usual Saturday morning activities to: solve math
problems! Specifically, they competed in the annual Shoreline Math Olympiad held at Shoreline Community College,
where 735 elementary and middle school students from every one of the city’s public and private schools (20 schools)
participated. Over 200 volunteers under the able direction of Lisa McDonald (a Shoreline schools parent who has given
thousands of hours of time) worked together to make it happen (https://sites.google.com/site/shorelinematholympiadwa/ ).
Instead of sleeping in, our RC Mathletes arrived at 8am to take part in 2 oral tests of "mental math" plus 2 individual
written tests as well as an additional 2 group tests in which teams of 3-4 students compete. Since the fall, over 80 RC
mathletes in grades 3-6 have been training on Tuesday afternoons, improving their math skills in a fun, social
environment. At Ridgecrest, this is a PTA organized, all-volunteer effort of parents who coordinate the program.
The students’ main motivation? According to most of the Math Olympiad participants, they attend because it is “so fun”!
After the competition, they have a pizza party for lunch and then enjoy over an hour of entertainment, this year from a
local hip hop dancing group as well as a professional magician. A cameo appearance by Principal Dr. Sue McPeak, who
revealed a hidden talent of catching cardboard pizza pies, further added to the fun. Of course, the medals given during
an elaborate award ceremony may be another enticement, with Ridgecrest once again faring very well.
As Math O Coordinator this year, I have had all the fun while the four coaches and their dedicated parent assistants
(including Ron Smevik, Bob Tribo, Fred Liu, Lynn Muneta, and Laurie Kiser) and high school volunteers (Clio Jensen and
Emma Silber) did all the work each week. Thank you all! I hope every parent will encourage their children (in both High
Cap and Gen Ed classrooms!) to participate next year. Contact Jane Simoni ([email protected]) if you are interested in
becoming involved next year.
Sixth Grade
Fifth Grade
Participants had a great time, according to coach
Dana Campbell, and did a spectacular job. Every one
of the 20 6th grade mathletes who trained during the
year made it to the competition, and everyone went
home with at least one medal. Eighteen of the 20
earned individual medals; four placing within the top
10 scores in the district (Bonnie Yang, Owen OnstadHargrave, Thalia Jensen, Amaya Simoni-Walters, who
took 2nd, 3rd, 6th, and 7th place respectively). In
addition, all of the six teams earned medals: two 1st
places (98 and 92 percentile), three 3rd places, and
one 5th place! Coach Dana adds that 8 of the 6th
grade mathletes are enthusiastic for more
competition, and will participate in the Washington
State Math Championship in Blaine, Washington on
March 28. She has offered to continue to work
weekly with the students, because “coaching these
kids is super rewarding and fun!”
Mustafa Patwa, the 5th grade coach, reports that 11 of the 13
students competing got individual medals, constituting 7 out of the
top 13 overall scorers for fifth graders (out of over 150 participants).
The top 3 individual scores in the whole competition came from RC
students: Ronin Crawford, Mathew Gardiner and Thaddeus Knowles.
Ronin got a perfect score on the individual portion (all 36 problems
solved correctly!). This is a fantastic achievement that no other
elementary school student at any grade level was able to
accomplish. The fifth grade teams did well also, earning first, second
and fifth place medals. The team of Ronin Crawford, Mathew
Gardiner and Aly Patwa got a first place medal.
Fourth Grade
The 4th graders, coached by Jessica Cote, were also impressive.
Coach Cote noted that every single 4th grade team medaled, with
two teams in fourth place and two teams in 6th place. Additionally,
12 of 16 4th graders took home individual medals as well.
Third Grade
According to coach Julia Crawford, the third-graders did an “awesome” job! She reports that of the eighteen 3rd graders in
Math O this year, fourteen of them competed in the Olympiad – and at the 4th grade level because there is no 3rd grade
division. Escher Crawford, Elijah Glesener, Aniah Haupt, Brendan Rudberg, Jack Smevik, and Jack Tribo all received individual
medals, and one of the Ridgecrest 3rd grade teams (Escher, Brendan, and Jack S.) got 5th place in the 4th grade team
competition! Way to go!
The Ram Rock
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April 2015
CONGRATULATIONS MATHLETES!!
The Ram Rock
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April 2015
TASTE OF RIDGECREST
Our year-end multi-cultural potluck is starting to plan for this fun-filled family event that happens
each June. We are looking for 3-4 people to help with the planning and organizing of this event.
Please contact Melissa Gates at [email protected] to volunteer.
The Toni McDonald
Angel Fund
Renamed in honor of
former RC office manager,
Toni McDonald who was
instrumental in turning
this PTA-sponsored fund
into the wonderful
program it is today. It exists to assist in
paying for lunches when students do not
have enough funds in their account. A
student is allowed to have negative $10
before receiving an emergency lunch. If you
would like to contribute, please send a
donation to the school office and label it
“Angel Fund”. Thank you!
Ridgecrest continues to happily accept your
Campbell soup labels and Pepperidge products.
Please send in any UPC you have collected. These
labels are used to purchase sports equipment, art
supplies, and books used for Boxtop prizes!
The Ram Rock
Page 6
There will be weekly to bi-weekly prizes
from now to the end of the school year!
BIG FUN prize for the classroom who brings
in the most Boxtops throughout the year.
Keep clipping as we are so close to our
goal of $1,700 for the school year!!
April 2015
Shoreline Stem Festival
Attention Young Scientists and Artists!!
You won’t want to miss the expanded Shoreline STEM Festival on May 9, 2015 at Shoreline Community College,
with a student science fair, hands-on STEM fun, robotics demonstrations, and STEM Career expo. You can design
and present a project in the science fair, or just come to experience the exhibits and demonstrations. This year
will be bigger than ever with the UW Mobile Planetarium, Reptile Man, Boeing engineers, Fred Hutchinson Cancer
Research Center, Army Corps of Engineers and more – all on site and ready to share their passion for knowledge
and inquiry! The festival is brought to our community with the support of Shoreline Community College,
Shoreline Public Schools Foundation, and Shoreline School District.
Details for all can be found at www.shorelinesciencefair.org. Registration deadline for the science fair is April 3,
2015. Registration and entrance to the festival are all completely FREE!
Shorecrest Astronomy Club
There will be plenty
of food and fun
activities to partake
in for all ages from
coloring to a real
working
planetarium from
the University of
Washington. This
year’s theme is “Star
Wars”. Everyone is
encouraged to
participate and
bring family and
friends!
The Ram Rock
Twelfth Annual Astronomy Night
Tuesday, April 14th
7 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Shorecrest H.S. Commons
Page 7
April 2015
Since 1998, Toni was instrumental in running the Ridgecrest office. It is with much sadness that she is
leaving. During her last couple of weeks, Toni was honored at the March PTA meeting and was named
Student of the Week for the primary grades. Toni, you will be missed; we wish you the very best!
April
PTA Board Members
Co-Presidents:
Secretary:
Treasurer:
VP, Fundraising:
VP, Programs:
The Ram Rock
Kristin Leffler & Philip Scott
Anne Musquiz
Heather Corbin
Gena Margason & Mickey Telling
Melissa Gates & Neha Raichur
Page 8
3 ..................... Donuts with Watch D.O.G.S. (8 a.m.)
6 ....................................... No School (Staff Work Day)
9-10................................ School Play: Mulan (7 p.m.)
14 ................Shorecrest Astronomy Night (7 p.m.)
14 ............................... PTA General Meeting (7 p.m.)
17 ...................................................................Popcorn Day
20-24 ....................................No School: Spring Break
April 2015