New FJH Principal
Welcomes Students
Dear Forks Jr. High Families and Community Members,
On behalf of all our staff at Forks Junior High School, I’d like to welcome students and families to the 2016-2017 school year! We are eager to begin the new learning cycle as our teachers have been preparing engaging and challenging activities for our students. We also want to welcome our new teachers to our building: Britney Echeita (seventh grade); Danielle MacDonald, and Madison Riebe ( both Special Ed).
I also want to take the opportunity to introduce myself as the new principal at Forks Junior High School. I am honored to be entrusted with your students as an instructional leader and am privileged to become part of the FJHS Team. I am committed to focusing on providing your students with a quality-learning environment that includes high standards, research-based instructional strategies, social and emotional support, and of course FUN.
I believe that Junior High is a critical time for our students as they transition from children to adolescents. We at Forks Junior High will help guide students, providing them with the knowledge and skills necessary to prepare them for high school and beyond. My philosophy as a leader is to work collaboratively with all stakeholders to ensure the success of every student.
We will focus on celebrating our successes along our learning journey. We will demonstrate Perseverance, Respect, Integrity, Discipline and Excellence (PRIDE) in all we do, both in and out of the classroom!
FJHS Families will be receiving school packets with lots of information to help start off the school year sometime this week. I encourage you to take a little time to review these forms and invite you to contact me with questions, concerns or suggestions for improving our learning community at FJHS.
Respectfully,
F. Elena Velasquez, Principal
Forks Jr. High School
Elena.velasquez@qvschools.org. 360-374-6262 x 359
Success Begins with Spartan PRIDE!
Be a HAM — your county needs you
On Monday, Aug. 22, the bimonthly meeting of The West Olympic Peninsula Emergency Preparedness Group was held in Clallam Bay at the firehouse. This group is a joint effort of Emergency Management, health care and volunteer personnel from Kitsap and Clallam counties. There are Department of Corrections personnel, fire department personnel, health care professionals from various levels and departments of our hospitals and care centers, the Red Cross, Clallam County Emergency Management and volunteers that include amateur (ham) radio operators.
As we met yesterday, the discussion started out asking questions about the Cascadia Rising event and the “After Action Report” that was being given at another meeting in Port Angeles. One of the top three items discussed was communication and the need for more volunteer personnel.
I am sending the schedule for the next Amateur Radio Licensing classes and testing. The classes are on three consecutive weekends beginning in October and going into the first two weekends of November. The classes are free but the course material is a book for each level from the ARRL that has a cost and there is a testing fee of $15. For those who have heard about ham radio before, there is no code requirement anymore so you and Mr. Morse don’t have to become friends.
If you are afraid of the radio or think it’s too hard to learn, know that there are school children who have radio clubs at schools all over the country. There are operators as young as 5 years old. Also, know that there are a couple of us here in town that will help you learn the material if you need help. Amateur radio is a great hobby that allows you to talk to people all over the world, in places you probably never heard of. There are a lot of advantages to the amateur radio hobby and obviously, your community can use your help by using it, too. Give it some thought and see how far you can go with it.
Amateur Radio Instruction and Testing Session
Saturdays from 9 a.m.- 5 p.m., Oct. 29, Nov. 5 and 12
The test will be held at 1 p.m. at the firehouse at Fifth and Laurel streets in Port Angeles.
The class is free!
Joe Wright
Forks
