School is more than computers; it’s also spelling, skating and walking

Harvest Christian School’s second-grade students took to the road and enjoyed a wonderful field trip to the Charles M. Schulz Museum in Santa Rosa. Once their tour was completed, students ventured next door to hit the ice and spend the afternoon skating together.

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Challenge Day at Kenilworth Junior High was a great success. The junior high campus dedicates support to staff and volunteers to host the annual school event for students. Challenge Day programs are intended to be a catalyst for creating positive change in schools according to the program website (challengeday.org). KJHS principal Emily Dunnagan said, “The support of the parents, staff and community members who volunteered to help facilitate the event were incredible.” Dunnagan also offered special thanks to Lyn Romstad of Mentor Me, who works at KJHS, for her help organizing all three days of the successful program.

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River Montessori Charter School is set to Rock the Walk! The school’s annual Walk-A-Thon event takes place Feb. 20. Students will be walking and running laps to help raise money for their school at the festive event.

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Calling all current and former Valley Vista families - the Viking community is ready to celebrate the school’s Diamond Jubilee with a night of dinner, dancing and auctions on Feb. 28 from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. Contact the school office for ticket information on how to participate in this very special 60th anniversary celebration.

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The Grant Elementary School Shamrocks are showing some heart. Grant students came together as a school and handcrafted 180 individual cards as part of the Petaluma People Services Center’s Special Delivery Valentine’s Day Project.

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And the winners are - a group of super spellers. The Sonoma County Office of Education (SCOE) has announced the Southern Regional winners of the annual spelling bees for fourth- through sixth-students.

The 175 students participating in the events are the county’s top spellers, having already won spelling competitions at their respective schools. Twenty students, five from each region, earned the honor of advancing. They will compete in the 2015 Sonoma County Elementary Spelling Competition at 4 p.m. on March 16 at the Sonoma County Office of Education.

The Southern Regional winners from our local schools are: 1 - Andrew Prasetya, grade 4,Meadow School; 2 - Griffin Earl-Ettinger, grade 6. Sixth Grade Academy; 3 - Risa Tinsley-Green, grade 5, Mary Collins at Cherry Valley School; 4 - Sam Basich, grade 5, Corona Creek School; 5 - Sophia Bauer, grade 6, Dunham Charter School.

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Kinderprep and kindergarten parent-information meetings took place on Tuesday for Wilson Elementary School. If you are interested in learning more about the programs at the west-side campus, but missed the meetings, contact principal Eric Hoppes to arrange a school tour or visit the school website at www.wilsonschoolpetaluma.org/. for more information.

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Petaluma City Schools is hosting a parent forum on the Local Control Accountability Plan (LCAP). “The forum is a place for parents and community members to learn and provide input that is necessary to help shape the future of our schools,” shares PCS Superintendent Steve Bolman.  

All parents are invited to attend either of the two forums taking place in the coming weeks: Feb. 17, at 6 p.m. at McKinley Elementary or March 31, at 6 p.m. at Petaluma High School.

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St. Vincent de Paul Elementary celebrated Catholic Schools Week honoring special guests throughout the week.

On Thursday morning, students presented Chief Patrick Williams of the Petaluma Police Department; Bill Hess, Director of COTS; Cary D. Fergus our Fire Marshal; Dave Glass, Petaluma’s Mayor; and Alicia Hansel, Board President of PEF, with a Valentine’s Day card. The school celebrated students, teachers, school leaders and parents earlier in the week.

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Petaluma Adult School graduated 27 students on Jan. 26. The evening ceremony was attended by friends, family and several staff members from the Petaluma City School District and PCS School Board. Petaluma Adult School principal Carol Waxman said it was a wonderful event celebrating the academic success of the students.

(Maureen Highland is a Petaluma mother and executive director for the Petaluma Educational Foundation. She can be reached at schools@ar guscourier.com)