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Calendar Highlights

College Bound Scholarship Sign-Up Deadline   June 30
Regular Board Meeting   July 28
Last Day, Summer Bridge Classes   July 30
Last Day, Traditional Summer School   July 31
Last Day, Internet Academy Summer School   Aug. 7
ELL Summer Registration   Aug. 10-27
WASL Retakes, High School Only   Aug. 10-13
Regular Board Meeting   Aug. 25
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Focus On Success:

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The 2009 Federal Way Lions Scholarship winners gather for a group shot.
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Federal Way Public Schools - District of Distinction

Federal Way Public Schools (FWPS) is a leader in continual innovation among public schools in the state and nation.  Bold words, indeed. But Seattle Pacific University and Standard and Poor’s, as well as educational experts across the state, back up that claim. Read more »

2009-2010 School Year Starts Before Labor Day

For several years, the first day of school has come after Labor Day in Federal Way Public Schools. However, the 2009-2010 school year will break from that pattern.  The first day of classes will be on September 3, the Thursday before Labor Day weekend. Students will attend school on Friday, September 4, as well, before enjoying the three-day holiday weekend and returning to school on Tuesday, September 8. Read more »

FWPA 7th Grader Scores Among Top 10 in the Nation on SAT

Audrey L., who will be an 8th grade student at Federal Way Public Academy this coming school year, has received a "Top in Country" award in reading from John Hopkins University Center for Talented Youth.  She earned this award by scoring a perfect 800 on her reading SAT.  She was one of two students in the U.S. to earn this mark in the 7th grade.  Her combined scores in reading and math – 1520 – put her in the top 10 in the nation for students under the age of 13.  Read more »

Board Approves 2009-2010 Budget

At the June 23, 2009, Board of Directors meeting, the board voted to approve the resolution that accepted Superintendent Murphy’s proposed budget for the 2009-2010 school year. Read more »

ELL-Assisted Student Registration

Federal Way Public Schools’ English Language Learners Department will again be holding summer registration for families that do not speak English. Read more »

Valhalla Construction - A Sneak Peek

The new Valhalla Elementary is progressing nicely toward its scheduled opening this fall.  In order to fit the new Valhalla school building on the property available, the school was designed with two levels. Like all of the district’s new buildings, it's also being built with environmentally friendly features.  Read more, and take a virtual tour here. Read more »

Fair School Funding Case Heard by Supreme Court

The state Supreme Court heard arguments Thursday on whether the amount of state money being distributed to school districts is equitable, and whether the disparity between some districts violates the Washington Constitution. The court heard the state's appeal of a November 2007 ruling in a lawsuit filed by the Federal Way school district. A King County Superior Court judge agreed with the district's contention that the state's method of distributing school money was unconstitutional, and that the Legislature needed to find a more equitable plan. Read more »

FWHS Student's Winning Essay Tells Personal Story of Multiculturalism

Vanessa P., a 2009 graduate of Federal Way High School, was the winner of the Musselman Award, the top student award at the Duman Bay Writer's Retreat held earlier this Spring. With permission of the Arts Commission and Vanessa, her essay follows. We think you'll agree it's a winner in many ways, not the least of which is the quality of the writing. Read more »

Thomas Jefferson High School Named One of Top 1,500 High Schools in Nation by Newsweek

Thomas Jefferson High School is the first high school in Federal Way Public Schools to be named to Newsweek’s list of the top 1,500 high schools in the nation. The June 8, 2009, issue  lists Thomas Jefferson among 28 high schools in Washington state to make their annual list. According to the Newsweek article, public schools are ranked according to a formula that takes the number of Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate and/or Cambridge tests taken by all students at a school in 2008, and divides that by the number of graduating seniors. Read more »

Panther Lake Construction – A Sneak Peek

Walk through the new Panther Lake Elementary on a sunny day - or even on a typically grey Northwest day - and you’ll see an abundance of something that experts say helps kids learn: natural light. Panther Lake, like Valhalla Elementary cross-district, is an “ah-inspiring” example of the next phase of school construction in Federal Way. Read more »

H1N1 (Swine) Flu and Our Schools

Public Health has released new guidelines for determining when your child should stay home from school. Read more »

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