Touchet School District

REDHAWK HAPPENINGS THIS WEEK! HOCO EDITION!

CAN YOU FEEL IT? The buzz in the air around Touchet...and it's not just our alkali bees! IT'S HOMECOMING WEEK! We can hardly contain our excitement for homecoming week! It's always such a fun time of year, with all the school spirit and festivities. We are looking forward to the parade, the big games, and of course, the dance. There's just something about being surrounded by classmates and friends and cheering on our team that makes us feel so connected to the school community. Here's what this year's homecoming has in store! *Dress-up spirit days for middle and high school students with Elementary showing school spirit on parade/game day Friday in school colors! It's a great week to be a REDHAWK! And don't forget hallway setup decorating tomorrow at 2pm.

IT'S GAME DAY, and this week it is under the lights of the Garfield Palouse stadium, in Palouse Washington! Even if you're not able to make it to the game in person, let's cheer those Redhawks on! GO REDHAWKS!

THANK YOU Touchet Redhawk Coaches! Coaches play a crucial role in shaping the lives of young people. They not only teach them the skills and strategies needed to succeed in their respective sports, but also instill important values such as teamwork, dedication, and sportsmanship. By serving as positive role models and mentors, coaches have a lasting impact on the lives of their athletes. It is important to recognize the time commitment coaches make, whether it's in the middle of the season during intense gameplay, or in the off-season helping players grow and develop game strategies. The dedication and hard work our coaches put in does not go unnoticed, and we are grateful for all that they do for us. Thank you for all you do for our Redhawk Athletes! GO REDHAWKS!

Today, third graders began working on their VFW Essay Contest entries .  Our student teacher, Ms. Weger, is leading the unit.  The children learned all about what it means to be a veteran. They brainstormed ideas, listened to a story, and worked collaboratively in teams to get ideas for their writing.  They will continue working on this project a couple days each week throughout October.  Their final drafts are due at the VFW post in Walla Walla on November 1!  Winners will be announced in February.   It’s a great day to be a third grader at Touchet Elementary!!

This Week's Touchet Staff Spotlight is Mr. John Brown! Not only is he our Athletic director, but our head football coach, and in honor of coach's appreciation week, here is a little more about Mr. Brown, and why he enjoys working with our Touchet athletes! How Long have you been at Touchet School? "This is my 4th season coaching football and 2nd year as Athletic Director. I also attended K-12 in Touchet from 1990-2003." What's your favorite part of your job? "I’ve always enjoyed coaching football, especially for Touchet kids. I began coaching in 2003, when I was 18 for the Touchet Longhorns pee wee team. As Athletic Director, I’m excited to see our progress since covid and to be part of rebuilding our sports programs." What kind of hobbies do you enjoy outside of coaching? "I love driving race cars and in demolition derbies. Even though my body isn’t a big fan of them anymore, you can still find me at most of the local derbies and occasionally racing at the asphalt tracks in Hermiston or Tri-Cities. I also enjoy playing Co-Ed softball and watching my kids play sports." What was your favorite sport as a kid? "I loved baseball growing up and played on multiple teams every year. Football was a close 2nd. I was lucky enough to play for legendary coaches like Wayne Dickey and Gary Dorman and be on some great teams in both sports. If there was one sport you could bring to Touchet that we don't have, what would it be and why? "I would love to bring High School softball back and hopefully we will be able to soon. But, besides that, I’ve always enjoyed wrestling. I like the one-on-one competition. It is also great for mental toughness and helps athletes learn how much leverage and technique matter, which can be translated to all other sports. I also enjoy golf and think it teaches some of the same lessons but in a less intense environment." GO REDHAWKS!!!

Touchet School District #300 10/04/2023 Dear Parents and Guardians: We are pleased to announce Touchet school meal program will be supplemented by Meals for Washington Students funds. Meals for Washington Students funds are available to select WA schools participating in the National School Lunch Program and School Breakfast Program. What does this mean for my student(s) who attend Touchet School? In schools supplemented by Meals for Washington Students funds, all students receive a nutritious breakfast and lunch at no cost, regardless of family income. Why is Touchet School requesting financial information? The information you provide by returning the free and reduced-price meal application impacts the funding that each school receives from the federal and state government. The Meal Application is used to capture information and ensure the Touchet School receives all of the funding it is entitled to for federal meal programs and state educational programs. How will this information be protected? In keeping with current practices, all applications are confidential and kept in a secure location. What do I need to do? Please complete the application form linked below and email to kroyse@touchetsd.org or return it to Touchet School District. https://core-docs.s3.amazonaws.com/documents/asset/uploaded_file/899660/2021FreeandReducedPriceApplication-English.pdf https://core-docs.s3.amazonaws.com/documents/asset/uploaded_file/902708/2021Free_ReducedApplication-Spanish.docx.pdf Your assistance in helping us maintain our current funding levels is greatly appreciated. If you have any questions, please contact Kirsten Royse at 509-394-2352

Our 1st graders at Touchet had an absolute blast during tech class! They dove headfirst into the world of coding with Bee Bots and showcased some amazing skills while creating their own games! 🧩 Sequencing: Our little coders learned how to put commands in the right order to make their Bee Bots move and perform tasks. It's all about setting the stage for future programming success! 🐛 Debugging: Sometimes, things don't go as planned. However, our resilient 1st graders showed incredible problem-solving skills by identifying and fixing errors in their programs. 🤝 Collaboration: Learning together is so much fun! They worked in teams, sharing ideas and lending a helping hand to create amazing Bee Bot games. Teamwork makes the dream work! Want to see these tiny tech geniuses in action? Check out this link to Learn More! https://www.terrapinlogo.com/beebot-ss.html

Coming Up This Week!!! Redhawk Happenings!

Awesome Job this week to all the Touchet Athletes! It's amazing to see how much progress we make each week! We're definitely getting stronger and more capable. We should be proud of what we've accomplished so far, and excited to see what we can achieve next week!

IT'S FRIDAY FOOTBALL TODAY IN TOUCHET! Come cheer on your Redhawk Football team as they take on the Pomeroy Pirates. Let's fill the stands and cheer these boys on as they battle it out today at 3pm! GO REDHAWKS!!!

4th grade had a fun educational experience today making and enjoying homemade "winter butter". It was a fun and educational activity that allowed students to experience the life on the prairie and the characters in the novel "Little House in the Big Woods" by Laura Ingalls Wilder. It's amazing how hands- on learning experiences can make a big difference in our understanding and appreciation of literature and history. Thank you Mrs. Plucker.

We seek a skilled and passionate basketball coach to lead our team to success! If you have experience coaching at the middle or high school level and can inspire and motivate players to give their best effort, come in and apply. In this role, you will be responsible for developing practice plans, and game strategies, and fostering a positive team culture. We want to hear from you if you're ready to take on the challenge and help our team reach new heights! Current positions: Middle School Boys Assistant Coach and High School Girls Assistant Coach.

This Week's Touchet Teacher Spotlight is Mrs. Debbie Ortiz! Here are some amazing facts about Mrs. Ortiz, who has been teaching at the Touchet School District for 18 Years! "I taught for 15 years in the Pasco School District. One year as a substitute, 10 years in second grade, and 4 years in fifth grade. I am a 1986 graduate of Touchet and am currently teaching 5th grade in the same classroom I was in as a 5th grader." What's your favorite part of the job? "My favorite part of teaching is the kids. I love to see them get excited about learning. It's the best feeling in the world when you see them learn something new. I love it when they are curious and ask questions." What keeps you busy at home? "I have been married to Mr. Ortiz for 32 years. We met while attending Eastern Washington University. We have three sons, Nathaniel, Jared, and Ben. Nathaniel and Jared are graduates of Touchet and Eastern Washington University. They both work in corrections. Ben attended Touchet through the 11th grade and graduated from Wa-Hi. He graduated from Whitman College last Spring and played baseball for the Blues for 5 years. He is currently working with kids at a Behavioral Service in Kennewick. I have one grandson. Nate is married to Ali, and they have our only grandchild. His name is Hudson and he just turned 3. We have 3 dogs, two of which we recently rescued. We have Ruby, Lola, and Taz. We have 5 goats and many chickens." What are your favorite hobbies? "I love reading and working on puzzles. I also loved watching my sons play baseball." What are your favorite places to visit? "My favorite places to visit are the Oregon Coast, Mexico, and Las Vegas. I would love to visit Europe. There are many places I want to see." Do you have a favorite Quote? It is a poster I have had in my room for years- "The expert in anything was once a beginner." Thank you Mrs. Ortiz for all your experience, wisdom, patience and guidance with our kids in Touchet Schools! We are lucky to have you!

WEEKEND SPORTS ROUNDUP! The Redhawk Athletes finished an awesome week of play with both Middle School and High School Volleyball competing as well as, Middle School Football playing at home, and High School Football finishing the week under the lights at Hanford High. AWESOME JOB REDHAWKS! READY FOR A NEW WEEK OF PLAY!

COMING UP THIS WEEK!

CONGRATULATIONS to September's GOOD BEHAVIOR kids who got to have lunch with the principal this week! AND ICE CREAM! Keep up the good work in showing kindness, respect, and responsibility, and showing others what it is like to be a Redhawk!

This week's Touchet Staff Spotlight is Mrs. Kirsten Royse! Mrs. Royse has been working at Touchet School District for 21 years now! She is a master in the kitchen facilitating feeding all of our kiddo's breakfast and lunch all the way from T-K to Seniors! Her favorite part of the job is watching the kids grow through the years starting out as preschoolers and then seeing them graduate, and where life takes them from here! Mrs. Royse has four children who are all Touchet graduates, and 5 grandchildren! In her free time, her favorite activity is boating, and her favorite place to visit is Boseman Montana, but she would love to see all of the US someday! Thank you, Mrs. Royse, for all your early mornings, pre-planning, and prepping to keep our students fed and happy!

Touchet FFA is looking for some information on plants you would like to see for sale next spring! Could you take a second to fill out this quick survey so we can start growing lots of beautiful plants this winter for you? Your feedback is valuable to us and will help us improve our plant sales. Please feel free to share any further comments or suggestions with us. Thanks again for your time! Scan the QR code with your mobile device or click the link below to fill out the survey! https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdVTC9nX6AQT1wKfYpy_JnqKvX0mRCvZzSjFnuBA_cyLLT_Og/viewform

Hey, Touchet School community, We want to take a moment to recognize, thank, and extend our congratulations to James Renwick on getting his bus driving endorsement. His efforts have not gone unnoticed and we are grateful for his commitment to making Touchet School a better place. We know this is a significant accomplishment and we are proud of his achievement. Thank you again, James, for all that you do for our school. Your contributions are truly appreciated.