It’s hard to grasp the immensity of change that’s shaking up many Marysville churches. It’s like trying to gauge the intensity of a tide when you’re being swept along with it. Yet quite a number of churches in Marysville are growing with (or suffering from) a tide of change that will not leave things as they were.
William Shatner touts Priceline.com. Brad Pitt promotes Chanel No. 5. Marie Osmond is a media voice for Nutri-Systems. But get this: The one and only Beyoncé has taken it upon herself to be an outspoken supporter of Goodwill Industries. Not for money. Not to enhance her image, but because she believes in Goodwill’s mission. She’ll be promoting Goodwill throughout her North American concert series beginning June 28 at Los Angeles’ Staples Center.
When you think of summer, road projects and traffic cones probably aren’t the first images that come to mind, but several projects have been completed this season or will be in the months ahead that will make your drive in Marysville more pleasant and convenient.
I have heard a passing comment or two recently indicating that many of us, inside and outside of education, think that since the legislature didn’t cut us again this year — that all is well. My response to that is that all is definitely “better,” but unfortunately, we are not there yet.
Education in Marysville is improving. We’re doing better in most ways that can be expressed in numbers — test scores, graduation rates, that sort of thing. When the public demanded improvement and we didn’t have the resources to attack all fronts, it became necessary to favor programs where success is measured by test scores rather than those that, well, might make us feel good in ways that defy measurement.
I’m no big fan of the state lottery, but I’d like to use it to illustrate a point. In our society, “winning the lottery” has become a common euphemism for being lucky. Why? Because the lottery is not something that takes an enormous amount of skill or hard work. It is ruled by chance, and the likelihood of hitting any particular jackpot is astronomically small.
Those quietly hoping a new lead singer would change the sound of the state’s largest union of public school teachers are in for a disappointment.
In the coming weeks, the winners will be announced in our 2013 Pride of Marysville Neighborhood Improvement Award program.
Hello! My name is Becky Berg and I am the new Superintendent of the proud Marysville School District. I follow in the footsteps of my predecessor, Dr. Larry Nyland, who served this district selflessly for the past nine years. I come to you most recently from the Deer Park School District in Deer Park, Wash., just north of Spokane. My husband and I are so excited to live here and to “knit in” to the fabric of the Marysville/Tulalip community.
In order to tell if something is really working, you have to start with a clear idea of what it is actually supposed to be doing. This is pretty easy when it comes to things like kitchen appliances or guitar lessons. For example, does the coffee maker dependably brew a good cup of coffee — yes or no? Or am I actually making progress in my ability to play the guitar (just ask my wife!)? All in all, a clearly defined purpose makes assessment a no-brainer.
Last September we took a look at Marysville’s 10th Street School’s plan to convert to iPads as the central learning device. Every student would have one. Most parents equipped their kids with the devices and school fundraisers covered costs for the rest. It was a local experiment being played out in a scatter of schools across the map.
As I retire from public education after 42 years, I want to leave you with one last message for our students, myself and the Marysville and Tulalip communities. That message is Keep Growing!
Summertime is almost here. City of Marysville and the creative minds in the Parks and Recreation Department have put together a colorful blend of fun special events, camps, classes, activities and recreational opportunities to fill every family member’s calendar.
