PASCO, WA – The very first Regional Middle School Art Show is now open at Educational Service District (ESD) 123, featuring 94 incredible pieces submitted by area middle school students. More than 80 students from eight public and private schools, across five school districts, submitted art to the show. The art will be on display at the ESD 123 building in Pasco until May 22 and is open to the public.

This inaugural display aims to celebrate and foster art education in middle schools across our region as part of the annual rotating art display at ESD 123. The current display includes student art from the following schools:

• Columbia Middle School (Burbank)
• Chinook Middle School (Kennewick)
• Christ the King Catholic School (Richland)
• Kiona-Benton City Middle School
• Enterprise Middle School (Richland)
• Leona Libby Middle School (Richland)
• Pioneer Middle School (Walla Walla)
• Garrison Middle School (Walla Walla)

ESD 123 Superintendent Mr. Darcy Weisner is proud to champion this new initiative in the region.

“For forty-six years, high school students across our region have been able to participate in the annual regional art show facilitated by OSPI and hosted by local ESDs,” states Superintendent Weisner.  “I am so proud that our ESD team is able to bring this new opportunity for the middle school level students who also deserve to shine and showcase their talents.  We’re looking forward to hosting this event for years to come.”

An opening reception for the Middle School Art Show, sponsored by STCU, is scheduled for April 23 from 5:30-7:00 PM at ESD 123, located at 3924 W Court St in Pasco.  The reception is open to teachers, students and their families, and the public. During the ceremony, STCU will award gift baskets of art supplies as well as several gift cards as raffle prizes for participating students in attendance. For more information, please contact Molly Curtiss, Director of Communications, at 509.544.5787 or tiss@esd123.org">mcurtiss@esd123.org.

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About ESD 123:  Educational Service District 123, based in Pasco, WA, is one of nine ESDs in Washington. Dedicated to delivering collaborative solutions that promote learning, ESD 123 serves 23 school districts in seven counties of Southeastern Washington. Under Superintendent Darcy Weisner and its board of directors, this legislatively mandated, not-for-profit educational organization provides efficiency of educational systems and equity of learning opportunities for over 70,000 Washington students. For more information about ESD 123, please call 509-544-5700 or 888-547-8441 or visit www.esd123.org.

COLLEGE PLACE, WA – The College Place School Board of Directors announces the four finalists moving forward in the district’s superintendent search:

• Justin Bradford, Jr., Director of Special Education, College Place Public Schools, WA
• James Fry, Assistant Superintendent, Clarkston School District, WA
• Dr. Irene Gonzales, Principal, Mead, WA
• Marissa Waddell, Director of Human Resources / State & Federal Programs, College Place Public Schools, WA

The position for Superintendent of College Place Public Schools opened on March 27, following the planned resignation of current Superintendent Tim Payne, effective June 30. The final candidates will participate in a full day of interviews with the CPPS board of directors, staff, and community members on Tuesday, April 30.  College Place residents are encouraged to participate in the open community forum with the candidates on the 30th from 6:30-7:30 PM at the College Place High School Commons, located at 1755 College Ave. in College Place.

A formal announcement identifying the successful candidate is expected by May 10, 2019. The individual selected as superintendent of College Place Public Schools will begin his or her position on July 1, 2019.

College Place has utilized the services of Educational Service District 123 to conduct their superintendent search.  For more information, contact Mr. Darcy Weisner at 509.544.5785.

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About ESD 123:  Educational Service District 123, based in Pasco, WA, is one of nine ESDs in Washington. Dedicated to delivering collaborative solutions that promote learning, ESD 123 serves 23 school districts in seven counties of Southeastern Washington. Under Superintendent Darcy Weisner and its board of directors, this legislatively mandated, not-for-profit educational organization provides efficiency of educational systems and equity of learning opportunities for over 70,000 Washington students. For more information about ESD 123, please call 509-544-5700 or 888-547-8441 or visit www.esd123.org.

A threatened Northwest frog that lost habitat to development, agriculture and invasive species has found refuge in what may seem like an unlikely place: beneath the high-voltage power lines of the Bonneville Power Administration.

Oregon spotted frogs lay eggs in the shallow water provided by wetlands, such as those that exist within many BPA transmission line corridors. Because high-growing vegetation poses a risk to power lines, BPA works to cultivate low-growing native plants that protect wetlands and maintain open-water habitats, all of which are beneficial to frogs.

BPA works closely with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and other agencies to ensure it protects suitable habitat for the Oregon spotted frog and other wildlife living beneath its transmission lines. Methods include reducing the unintentional injury of frogs from equipment, hand mowing or cutting non-native vegetation and carefully planning spot herbicide use.

The agency’s practice of maintaining healthy plant communities along its rights-of-way and limiting the use of herbicides decreases maintenance costs and improves power system reliability.

The Oregon spotted frog isn’t the only species that thrives in the improved habitat. BPA’s techniques promote the growth of low-growing shrubs and flowering plants that are critical for imperiled honey bees and other pollinators.

The Oregon spotted frog is listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act. It once lived in open wetlands, lakes, ponds, streams and occasionally slow-moving rivers from northern California to British Columbia.

Today, the threatened frog can still be found in some river basins in Oregon, Washington and British Columbia, but scientists have not documented the animal in northern California for more than a century.

About BPA

The Bonneville Power Administration, headquartered in Portland, Ore., is a nonprofit federal power marketer that sells wholesale electricity from 31 federal dams and one nuclear plant to 142 Northwest electric utilities, serving millions of consumers and businesses in Washington, Oregon, Idaho, western Montana and parts of California, Nevada, Utah and Wyoming. BPA delivers power via more than 15,000 circuit miles of lines and 261 substations to 475 transmission customers. In all, BPA markets about a third of the electricity consumed in the Northwest and operates three-quarters of the region’s high-voltage transmission grid. BPA also funds one of the largest fish and wildlife programs in the world, and, with its partners, pursues cost-effective energy savings and operational solutions that help maintain affordable, reliable and carbon-free electric power for the Northwest. www.bpa.gov