CPSD 2022-23 Year in Review

AUGUST

• Caring for Kids hosted its Ready to Learn event that provided school supplies and clothing for more than 1,300 CPSD students.
• CPSD secondary schools hosted Jump Start transition events for incoming sixth graders and transition events for incoming ninth graders.
• Elementary schools hosted back to school events to welcome families to the new school year.
• CPSD welcomed nearly 12,000 students on the first day of school.

SEPTEMBER

• Beachwood Elementary School added two special education and one ECEAP preschool classes for the 2022-23 school year.
• Clover Park High School introduced its new mascot, the Timberwolf, at a school assembly.
• Clover Park School District refinanced a 2012 bond that will save Lakewood taxpayers $5,026,380 over the next 10 years.
• Lakeview Hope Academy partnered with Toyota of Tacoma to provide students with backpacks.

OCTOBER

• CPSD elementary students competed in the annual Future Chefs culinary competition to test their cooking skills and win prizes.
• Carter Lake Elementary School held a fun run for students and families.
• Lakes High School introduced an Anatomage table that allows students to interface with highly accurate, 3D visualizations of the human body.
• Oakbrook Elementary School hosted a trunk or treat community event with more than 100 families in attendance.
• Superintendent Banner and 40 CPSD student volunteers joined community partners to clean up the South Puget Sound Wildlife Refuge.
• Tyee Park Elementary School students and staff participated in a literature parade by dressing up as characters from their favorite books.
• The CPSD Board of Directors recognized student leaders from Lakes and Clover Park high schools and Harrison Preparatory School, along with members of the Superintendent Youth Advisory Council.
• The CPSD Board of Directors honored CPSD principals for National Principals Month.

NOVEMBER

• CPSD received a $1.3 million dollar grant to support computer science education from the Department of Defense Education Activity.
• Custer Elementary School received a $2,000 grant from Championing Student’s Successes recognizing rising test scores.
• Hudtloff Middle School main office secretaries collected food to donate to the 2022 Fallen Officers Food Drive.
• Clover Park High School senior Tucker Clark was named Lakewood Rotary November Student of the Month.
• Rainier (31st), Beachwood (74th) and Dower (75th) elementary schools were ranked in the Puget Sound Business Journal’s Top 100 Elementary Schools in the Puget Sound Region.

DECEMBER

• Beachwood Elementary School established an after-school yoga and running club for third, fourth and fifth grade students.
• Caring for Kids hosted its Holiday Fair that provided clothing, gifts and meals to 800 families.
• Lochburn Middle School NFTE Entrepreneurship students took a field trip to the KBTC newsroom to learn about producing a live broadcast.
• The Rotary Club of Lakewood donated 40 bicycles to CPSD elementary school students for the holiday season.
• CPSD staff, students and families participated in the city of Lakewood’s holiday parade with the theme “Rockin’ Around with CPSD.”

JANUARY

• Lakes High School senior Omar Arroyo was named Lakewood Rotary January Student of the Month.
• Clover Park High School Girls Soccer Coach Armando Valdez was selected as the 2022 South Puget Sound League 2A Girls Soccer Coach of the Year.
• CPSD students, staff and community members welcomed the new year with a 1.5-mile walk city of Lakewood’s New Year New You Welcome Walk.
• Three Four Heroes Elementary School students participated in the Elks National Hoop Shoot competition, advancing to the regional event at Seattle Pacific University.
• Lakes High School junior Gavin Gray completed seven Microsoft certifications in the first semester of the 2022-23 school year, earning him status as an expert-level user.
• Lochburn Middle School science teacher Yasmine Shakoor Asadi earned the Middle School Science Teacher of the Year award from the Washington Science Teachers Association.
• Lochburn Middle School students who completed the Art to Living program presented their Silver Lining projects highlighting their social and emotional growth.
• Tyee Park Elementary School teacher Kiante Parker was named Lakewood Rotary January Educator of the Month.
• Tillicum Elementary School students reported increased levels of positive perceptions of Tillicum in the annual student perception survey.
• Tillicum Elementary School students unveiled a new mural at the Tillicum Community Center that celebrates the diversity of their community.

FEBRUARY

• Eight CPSD educators earned National Board Certification: Janette Catahan, Julie Erickson, Marco Hornbeck, Karissa Huhner, Thomas McAvoy, Sarah Neal, Taryn Snell, Deborah Wilson. Eleven educators renewed their certification and 39 more CPSD educators are pursuing their National Board Certification.
• Evergreen Elementary School students joined together to celebrate Evergreen Kindness Month.
• Four Clover Park High School students competed in the Skills USA Carpentry Contest at the Pierce County Skills Center.
• Hillside Elementary School student leadership led a winter clothes drive and collected more than 1,400 items for the Tacoma Rescue Mission.
• Lochburn Middle School teacher Amelia Pernell was named Lakewood Rotary February Educator of the Month.

MARCH

• Carter Lake, Custer, Four Heroes, Hillside, Lake Louise and Rainier elementary schools held Battle of the Books competitions at their school. Carter Lake’s Elite Eagles won first place in the district’s Battle of the Books competition on March 30.
• Clover Park HS ninth graders participated in a two-day leadership event Be R.E.A.L (Respect, Equality, Acceptance and Love).
• Idlewild Elementary School hosted Inclusionary Practices and UDL Professional Development for third-through-fifth grade.
• Lakes HS senior Cadet Major Nathan Ballesteros accepted an appointment to the U.S. Military Academy at West Point.
• Lakes HS student Iliana Davila was accepted into the Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange program.
• Lakes HS senior Vivian Llorens-Hernandez was selected to represent Pierce County as the 86th Daffodil Queen. Queen Vivian was the first Lakes student to serve as Queen of the Daffodil Festival’s Royal Court in 19 years.
• Lochburn Middle School students went to the Pantages Theatre to see “In the Year of the Boar and Jackie Robinson.”
• More than 65 CPSD students presented their science, technology, engineering, art and math (STEAM) projects at the district’s annual STEAM Fair and another 76 students participated in STEAM activities.
• Harrison Preparatory School senior Brianna Norris was named Lakewood Rotary March Student of the Month.
• Oakbrook Elementary School Teacher Kyra Cooper was named Lakewood Rotary March Educator of the Month.

APRIL

• 375 CPSD middle and high school students participated in the district’s annual secondary band festival.
• CPSD fifth graders took field trips to Lakewold Gardens for a hands-on learning experience about our local ecosystem.
• CPSD students and staff volunteered on Parks Appreciation Day to restore key features of Ft. Steilacoom Park, Harry Todd Park and Lakewood Community Garden.
• Clover Park High School girls wrestling coach John Emory was selected as the 2023 South Puget Sound League 2A Girls Wrestling Coach of the Year.
• Clover Park High School juniors and seniors worked with Hudtloff, Lochburn and Thomas middle schools and Harrison Preparatory School for the first ever Middle School Collective event.
• Custer Elementary School received a wellness grant that allowed the entire school to visit Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium at no cost to families.
• Dower Elementary School ASB raised more than $2,800 during Dower’s first Walk-a-Thon.
• Harrison Preparatory School’s choir placed second in its division at the Columbian Basin College Jazz Unlimited festival.
• Idlewild Elementary School hosted Science Fantastic for students and community members.
• Lake Louise Elementary School hosted an art night that was attended by more than 275 students, families and community members.
• Lakes High School FFA members Richard Castaneda, Kye Pullen, Any Scott, Jayden Wade and Mason Worst participated in the South Puget Sound Envirothon competition. Highest scores were received in wildlife and public speaking.
• Meriwether Elementary School held a parade for students to celebrate Purple Up! Day.
• Rainier Elementary School teachers and PTO members organized a weeklong military child appreciation week.
• Open Doors Youth Reengagement Program senior Tyriq Robinson was named Lakewood Rotary April Student of the Month.
• Lakes High School teacher Ben Shultis was named Lakewood Rotary April Educator of the Month.
• Tillicum Elementary School students were above the 50th percentile in Student Growth for all grade levels for the last four administrations of the STAR assessment test.
• Thomas Middle School hosted the Regional Large Orchestra Festival. Thomas’ Advanced Orchestra earned a superior rating.
• Tyee Park Elementary School second and third grade classrooms partnered with Clover Park High School to host student ambassadors that have a positive impact in their school community.
• The new Clover Park High School Timberwolf Training Facility was finished in April allowing for the expansion of CPHS’s CTE options.
• Park Lodge Elementary School kindergartners participated in “Camp Kindergarten,” exploring the school grounds and searching for animals hidden around the school.

MAY

• Clover Park High School seniors Yoel Alejandres-Aleman, Erik Camacho Reinoso and Kloe Salazar earned full-tuition, full-need Act Six Scholarships.
• Wayne Lott Jr., Allan Francisco and Lauren Bolster selected as CPSD Employees of the Year.
• Clover Park High School junior Maria Teresa Rivera Molinero placed second in the narrative category of the Washington Writing Contest: Escribo Español.
• CPSD honored Larry Woods at the Washington Association of School Administrators awards ceremony with the Community Leadership Award.
• CPSD honored Kera Buckmaster, Shyniece Peters, D’Angelo Rodriguez and Saadiq Smith with the Washington Association of School Administrators Student Leadership Award.
• Lochburn Middle School eighth graders visited the state capitol through the YMCA Delegates program.
• Lochburn Middle School students took a field trip to the Clover Park Technical College campus for the Career Conference and Employer Engagement Fair.
• Harrison Preparatory School and Lochburn and Thomas middle school students attended the YMCA Youth Legislation Convention in Olympia.
• Lakes High School students held the school’s first inclusive and uplifting multicultural assembly honoring the cultures and identities of Lakes students.
• Clover Park and Lakes high schools and Harrison Preparatory School hosted senior award nights to celebrate and honor the accomplishments of each graduating senior prior to graduation.
• Lakes High School students featured their work at a photography ceremony at St. Clare’s Hospital.
• Clover Park High School senior Cynthia Lemus was named Lakewood Rotary May Student of the Month.
• Park Lodge Elementary School teacher Tracy Abdella was named Lakewood Rotary May Educator of the Month.
• CPSD students Aiden Balatbat, Richard Castaneda, Keilani Fernandez, Elias Gomez, Vivian Llorens Hernandez, Sarah Outlo, Kathleen Pullin, Cynthia Rodriguez, Carly Sherman, Zander Trevinon and Bethany Vigil received $1,000 Mike McGowan Educational Incentive awards from Lakewood Rotary to be used for their pursuit of a post-graduate education.
• Superintendent Banner, Student Youth Advisory Council and CPSD student volunteers helped clean up the South Puget Sound Wildlife Refuge.
• 55 CPSD students earned awards, 31 elementary and 8 middle school students received inspirational student awards and 12 high school students received awards for sportsmanship, instrumental, vocal and art. Alicia-Ellalynn Soliai, Natalie Weathers and Zoe Briggs received $3,000 scholarships from the Kiwanis Club of Lakewood.
• The CPSD Board of Directors approved naming Clover Park High School’s baseball field in honor of former teacher and coach Merle Hagbo.
• The CPSD Board of Directors approved naming the newly established K-12 Online/ALE school Gravelly Lake K-12 Academy.
• Three CPSD alumni: Jermaine Kearse, Dave Miller and Willette White were honored at the Tacoma Athletic Commission Tribute to Champions event.

JUNE

• 649 seniors graduated from Clover Park, Harrison Prep, Lakes and Open Doors. Congratulations, class of 2023!
• Clover Park High School seniors Yoel Alejandres-Aleman, Arelia Arauja, Roman Arciniega, April Flores, Erik Camacho Reinoso, Juan Chavez, Edison Cid Martinez, Elias Diaz Gomez, Jelsy Florentino Aguilar, Laura Jaimes, Ivania Monterroso, Andrew Ramirez, Lesly Resendiz Barragan and Edwin Rodriguez graduated with their Global and State Seal of Biliteracy.
• Custer, Idlewild and Tillicum students participated in Lemonade Day in partnership with the Lakewood Chamber of Commerce.
• 2,000 CPSD students are participating in Summer School for academic and enrichment opportunities.